Roasted Corn & Zucchini Salad

One of the talents I seem to have is the ability to take parts of several ingredients and create a complete meal. During a recent family visit to Pittsburgh, I found myself with three ears of corn that was leftover from a previous dinner. While in need of a delicious side dish, I wasn’t in [...]

Grilled Seasonal Vegetables

I don’t know if it’s the warmer weather or if my taste buds are changing with age. But I’m finding myself leaning toward more seasonal and cleaner flavors. I’m also starting to incorporate new ways to make my recipes easier without crossing into the “semi-homemade” world of cooking. Roasting vegetables is a common practice in [...]

Sophie Turns One & Mini Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

They sure do grow up so fast…don’t they? Soon Sophie will be asking for the car keys and $20 to go to the movies with her friends. Our fluffy ball of fur recently celebrated her first birthday, and I couldn’t help but celebrate with a little touch of whimsy. If you only knew how many [...]

Grilled Summer Vegetable & Chicken Kabobs

I could hear my dress shoes tap along the pavement as I bounced between the booths piled high with fresh picked vegetables. Every Monday, I stop by my local farmers market after work to take advantage of the season’s best flavors for my week of meals. The market was full of all of its bounty [...]

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

This was the side dish for my Impromptu Dinner Party. Having grown up with an acre sized garden in northern Michigan, I am no stranger to garden fresh vegetables with every meal.  There were many fond childhood memories with that garden.  I still shutter at the thought of biting into a freshly plucked jalapeno pepper [...]

Impromptu Pasta

One of the perks of writing a food blog is the opportunity to sample ingredients I wouldn’t normally consider buying.  The brown boxes with big bold letters saying “perishable” are like receiving a special gift from a magical food fairy every couple of weeks.  I can only imagine what my mail person must think. This [...]

Lemon Vegetable Pasta Salad

When I’m in the kitchen, I get into a zone.  It’s hard to have anyone help me because my head typically spins 100 miles per minute as I’m stirring, chopping and baking.  Time is always of the essence when it comes to styling the food for a photo.  I try to plan in advance how [...]