taco tuesday. [carne asada tacos w. smoky dried-chile salsa, onion-cilantro relish & cotija cheese]

June 11th, 2013 by | comments

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Happy Taco Tuesday! This is a bold statement, but I have to admit that these are some of the best carne asada tacos I’ve ever tasted. The marinade for the meat was divine–I would have been content eating the carne asada alone. I recommend going light on the smoky dried-chili salsa, as it’s pretty dang spicy. But since I have a cold right now, I didn’t mind so much, as it cleared up my sinuses!

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mouthwatering. [smoked pork loin sandwich w. homemade bbq sauce & coleslaw]

May 28th, 2013 by | comments

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Hope everyone had a relaxing Memorial Day! I drove home to spend the day with my parents, as it was also my mom’s birthday. We spent the day relaxing by the pool and cooking some delicious food.

We hadn’t used our smoker in a while, so we decided to smoke a pork loin and make these sandwiches. Though time-consuming (since we made the coleslaw and BBQ sauce from scratch), the sandwiches were spectacular. The smokey meat paired wonderfully with the vinegar based BBQ sauce. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

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clean plates. [parmesan & pesto crusted halibut in crazy water w. zucchini, tomatoes & orzo]

May 16th, 2013 by | comments

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I’ve been fighting a cold all week, so I’m just now posting the dinner I made my mom and family for Mother’s Day. My mom requested I make this dish, as she made it for a dinner party and said it was an absolute hit; and boy, was she right. Not a drop of food was left in anyone’s bowl.

The “crazy” water was delicious, but the halibut stole the show. The slightly crunchy parmesan, pesto and panko crust perfectly juxtaposed the flaky fish. I will most definitely make this again soon.

(FYI, I made this meal for five people, so I tripled the recipe below).

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something different. [lime angel food cake w. lime glaze & pistachios]

May 7th, 2013 by | comments

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I’ve always been a sucker for angel food cake. The slightly crispy exterior and fluffy interior make for a heavenly combination. But until now, I’d only made the boxed version of the cake. Much to my surprise, my homemade version turned out light and delicious, and the lime glaze and pistachios added the perfect pop of flavor to the otherwise plain cake. This is a must-make!

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taco time. [crock-pot shredded chicken w. corn, black beans & jalapeno in a homemade crunchy taco shell]

May 1st, 2013 by | comments

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Happy Wednesday, everyone! I wish I had exciting news to share, but there’s not much happening over here–just working away and spending lots of time in the kitchen.

This crock-pot shredded chicken is unbelievably simple and you’ll most likely have most, if not all, ingredients on hand. The chicken would be delicious plain, but there’s nothing like a fresh, crunchy homemade taco shell. Am I right?

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facing fears. [creamy lemon risotto w. peas, asparagus & parmesan]

April 18th, 2013 by | comments

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Up until now, I’ve been too scared to make risotto (silly, I know). I assumed my attempt would result in a mushy disaster, even though I’ve watched my mom cook the rice over a dozen times.

But good news, it turned out just right! The risotto was al dente, creamy and full of flavor, with a slight tang from the lemon zest. I made enough to feed me for an entire week, so whoever wants to come over for dinner, please do!

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lighten up. [baked mozzarella bites w. homemade marinara sauce]

April 9th, 2013 by | comments

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If you know me well, you know how much I love cheese. I mean, LOVE cheese. So naturally, I’m a fan of mozzarella sticks. Though delicious, they’re greasy and caloric, and always make me feel guilty after eating a few. These mozzarella bites are just as tasty (and healthier), since they’re coated in panko bread crumbs and baked instead of fried. The bites would be a great appetizer for any get together or dinner party. :)

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reduced guilt. [black bean & quinoa veggie burger w. southwestern yogurt sauce]

April 5th, 2013 by | comments

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Whoa, two posts in one week? Can’t remember the last time I did that. This week was a little less crazy with work and whatnot, so I took advantage and got to cooking.

After seeing a photo of these veggie burgers online the other day, I had to make them. I’m so glad that I did because they were absolutely delicious, and I will definitely be making them again soon.

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all aboard. [zucchini boats stuffed w. couscous, bell peppers, mushrooms, feta & toasted pine nuts]

April 3rd, 2013 by | comments

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For some reason, I’d never made zucchini boats until now. Not sure why, considering they were unbelievably easy to make…and delicious! After perusing the Internet for recipe ideas, I decided to just make up my own, with ingredients already on hand. The zucchini boats were fantastic served alone, but would also be wonderful alongside grilled chicken breast.

On a side note, I’m bummed that my Buckeyes didn’t make it to the Final Four, but they had a great season. I actually got to see them play in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight at Staples Center, which was pretty unreal. Go Bucks!

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back in action. [avocado, chickpea & quinoa salad w. lemon-mustard vinaigrette]

March 27th, 2013 by | comments

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I was in Miami for work most of last week/weekend, so I wasn’t able to post until now. Although the trip was extremely busy, we were able to relax a bit on Friday night and watch both of our clients perform at Ultra Music Festival–it was pretty incredible!

My roommate, Megan, and I decided that we’d be content eating this quinoa salad for every meal, for the rest of our lives. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s that delicious. Super easy to make, too!

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