I have been really good lately with my healthy-eating since kicking off the new year with some goals around losing weight (gotta slim down for my Maid of Honor duties when my sister gets married this fall!). But gosh, sometimes you just need a good bowl of pasta and have to break the healthy streak. Last week was one of those times, I was desperately craving some al dente noodles and decided to make a quick dish for lunch while my mom was visiting. This pasta recipe hit the spot — the sauce comes together with butter and garlic, white wine and reserved pasta water. The warm pasta gets tossed into the pan with parmesan cheese, lemon zest and parsley for tons of flavor. Bright green steamed asparagus and broccolini give the dish color and texture, and the veggies make me feel a tiny bit better about inhaling all of that pappardelle! Get the full recipe below and save it for when you’re ready for your own emergency pasta-fix:
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One of my favorite parts of this time of year is kicking off grilling season; there is no better way to quickly pull together a tasty dinner or quick appetizer! My friends at Martha Stewart Living challenged me this grilling season to think beyond the cheese board and create a delicious grilling recipe with one of my favorite entertaining staples: Boursin® Cheese. With Memorial Day coming up, I’ve been thinking about tasty party dishes that bring in bright fresh ingredients, and this was the perfect opportunity to create a new recipe for my holiday weekend menu.
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If there is one must-have on my menu for an Oscars viewing party (or really, just for sitting at home and watching the red carpet alone in my jammies) it’s a fabulous cocktail. I’m a fan of a batch cocktail like a punch so you can prep everything in a pitcher and bring it with your snacks to have in front of the tv — no running into the kitchen for refills during commercial breaks! This punch recipe was actually what I served at Jane’s birthday party and it was a hit with my friends. It’s since been rebranded from the Curious George-themed “georgie juice for moms” to an Oscars-appropriate: Ruby Red Carpet Champagne Punch. The flavors are the same though: tart grapefruit juice, orange notes from Aperol, and a splash of red from the grenadine. The whole thing is topped off with a bottle of champagne for that bubbly touch you need to watch the most star-studded night of television — get the recipe below to make your own batch! 
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Recently I made a big batch of roasted chickpeas using this peppery new seasoning I got for my birthday and served them on top of a chicken and rice dish. Since then I’ve been dreaming up ways to add them to other meals. My newfound love for these spicy little legumes inspired a pretty appetizer idea that is a perfect addition to my Oscars viewing party menu: Roasted Chickpea and Hummus Cups. 
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Puff pastry has to be my all-time favorite entertaining secret! I always keep some in the freezer and you can pull it out to make an endless combination of easy desserts, brunch treats, and appetizers. I was brainstorming some new appetizers to make for the Oscars next Sunday night, and I always love to include a puff pastry snack (because you know all of those skinny actresses LOVE buttery, flaky pastry dough — ha!). This puff pastry creation has just 5 ingredients: asparagus, prosciutto, black pepper, and an egg wash over that buttery, rich dough. Check your frozen puff pastry’s ingredients for real butter and you’ll know it’s the good stuff, it makes a huge difference when you bake these these savory little snacks off for your celebration. Get the full recipe below: 
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My goal of sharing more Instant Pot recipes this year is going well (you can check out a few more in my Instant Pot recipe collection) and I have one more to add to the line-up: Green Chili Beef Tacos! Tacos are the most-requested dinner in our household, and even more so since we got a tortilla-maker kit for Christmas (they’re so delicious). I’m constantly brainstorming recipes that I can quickly throw in the Instant Pot and then walk away from until it’s time to put dinner on the table — these easy green chili tacos are one of those dishes.
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I feel like January has been a bit of a struggle for just about everyone I know. It can be hard to find your rhythm again after the holidays and the quiet days around the New Year. On top of that, I find that parenting toddlers during cold winter weather is about 100x harder than warmer months – we have been cooped up, and I’ve just about run out of play-doh. By the time bedtime rolls around I’m ready for a vacation. Tropical getaways aren’t in the cards for me this week, so my solution for resetting is a little bit of hygee and indulgence after she goes to bed. I’ve been curling up with a good book under a warm fluffy blanket and having a little sweet treat to take the edge off a crazy day. My friends at TruMoo just shared their new After Dark line with me and it’s been a perfect fix for my sweet-tooth while I flip through my latest chick-lit novel. 
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I am recovering from the bonanza of calories that came with testing my Super Bowl recipes and have this meal in mind for a healthy-option to get me back on track! One-pan meals have so much appeal to me for weeknight dinners because I know the second we finish eating it’s a race to get the kitchen cleaned up, and start Jane’s bedtime routine. Anything that I can do to cut down on the clean up process is a huge win. I’m also a fan of these sheet pan type meals because they use up leftover vegetables from other recipes. A half an onion, a few pieces of broccoli – whatever I have in the veggie-drawer can get tossed on the pan and roasted with seasoning for tons of flavor that elevates the produce leftovers.
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The countdown is on for snackstravaganza 2019 (aka Super Bowl Sunday). I brainstorm new recipes every year for the big game, and this year is no exception. To make all of your snack-prep easy, I’ve pulled together two dozen of my favorite snack ideas to add to your Super Bowl party menu — from spicy bites to savory treats, easy to prep main-dishes and sweet desserts with a little football-spin. Scroll down to see all 24 recipes ideas, and be sure to tag me in pictures if you make some on Sunday night for your football festivities!
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I have been filling your feeds with delicious, indulgent, and yes, high-calorie snacks for the Super Bowl next weekend. We’ve made pizza muffins, flavorful queso, and loaded potato skins on latkes! I have one more recipe to add to the menu: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. These spicy little meatballs are made with ground chicken and carrots and are baked in the oven; I won’t go so far as to say they’re healthy, but they’re a great option to add to your game day menu as an option for guests who are watching their calories. I’ve been making these recently not just as an appetizer, but also as an easy dinner served over broccoli and rice or even on a salad with some crumbled blue cheese on top. The recipe easily doubles, and you can make them in advance — just throw them in a saucepan over low heat to bring them up to temperature. Get the full recipe below: 
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