Please pardon me while I wipe the cheese off my chin. Um, that was sorta embarrassing there...that cheese all over my chin. But you kinda don't care when your taste buds are bursting with joy and want to leap out of your mouth onto the spoon. It's the cream cheese in this recipe that works the magic. Well, that combined with the bacon. And the spinach, and the Italian … [Read more...]
Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese
Splurge Confession! I've shared in the past how I'm a total 'saladforlunch-itarian' - meaning that I eat a salad for lunch most days of the week. Well, I wanted to share my latest salad obsession and the reason I'm obsessed! It's the dressing. (See photo below.) I can blame my mom for this one...she has turned me into a Brianna's salad dressing fanatic, despite the … [Read more...]
Best White Mexican Cheese or Queso Blanco Dip
Queso Blanco Dip... This is the part where I'm going to embarrass myself. But in the process, I think I'll find a new tribe of queso-lovers. This goes back 2 months, let me tell the story... Back in early February, I met some girlfriends for dinner at a new restaurant in San Antonio called Tacos and Tequila. It's a joint out of Austin and they are expanding into other … [Read more...]
Lemon Steamed Broccoli
If you're planning on having broccoli at your Easter dinner, I beg of you to make it like this. All you need (besides the broccoli!) is 2 lemons. It'll work with 1 lemon, but 2 is just right. It's super simple...you squeeze some of the lemon into the water that will steam the broccoli. Then you add zest from the lemons in with the broccoli heads while it's steaming. It's … [Read more...]
Italian Salad with Homemade Balsamic Dressing
I love me some balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It's a RARE occasion that I don't order it with a salad when out for dinner. And I LOVE to make it at home for my lunch salads. {More on my recent 'saladforlunch-atarian' confession.} I think balsamic vinaigrette 'goes' on just about any salad, but it's especially delicious on this Italian inspired salad. Toss this gluten free … [Read more...]
BLT Salad
So. I'm a 'salad-for-lunch-atarian.' I eat salads for lunch almost every day. 6.5 times a week. And the day that I don't have salad, I have bowl of black bean or vegetable soup. Really, just to keep from being burnt out on salads for lunch. I usually throw 2 to 3 veggies on top, depending on what's in the fridge from the sales that week. I sometimes add protein on top - … [Read more...]
Hatch Pineapple Cornbread
Sweet. Spicy. Sweet. Spicy. I love recipes combine the sweet and spicy flavors from different ingredients. And who doesn't love a good cornbread recipe...especially one that's been doctored up with the sweet and spicy flavors! Here's a from-scratch cornbread that highlights the sweet from pineapple and the spicy from hatch chilies. Ooooh-la-la-la-la-la! Taste bud … [Read more...]
Hoppin’ John Recipe
Black eyed peas make me think of two things. Well, three really. 1. The band. What fun music they produce! {bustin' out the dance moves} 2. My grandfather. He passed away many years ago, but I remember going to visit him in Houston when I was a kid. We'd eat at one of two restaurants near his home. I preferred 'The Black Eyed Pea,' right on I-10. It's long gone now, but … [Read more...]
Winter Cobb Salad
Cobb Salads. When I think of a Cobb Salad, I think salad on steroids. A salad with not enough greens and too many kinds of meat. Maybe that's because I generally get a Cobb salad when I'm traveling or out for dinner...but I can never finish them...they are just too much. So I've lightened things up a bit from a 'traditional' Cobb salad with this one. It's got 5 … [Read more...]
Roasted Winter Vegetables
Just 5 ingredients is all you need to make this fabulous roasted winter vegetables side dish! 5 Ingredients. (If you don't count salt and pepper.) Seriously, just 5. Sweet potatoes. Parnsips. Carrots. Olive oil. Fresh rosemary. Boom. 5 ingredients. So, this is totally delicious. Totally and ridiculously delicious. So much so that I made it two … [Read more...]