In my wildest dreams it never dawned on me that delicious dinners could be made with only five ingredients.  Breakfast with five or less is easy with things like Greek yogurt topped with berries and a drizzle of honey, a bowl of oats with milk, fruit, and nuts, or a bagel with lox, cream cheese, red onion, and capers…even a veggie omelet for the most part probably has less than five ingredients, but I think dinner with five ingredients is pretty impressive.  That’s why I was intrigued when I recently was offered a review copy of Robin Miller’s Robin Takes 5, which is a cookbook of 500 recipes with five ingredients or less and 500 calories or less.

Continue reading "Broccoli-Cheddar Risotto & A Book Review"…

I had to save the best for last with my Valentine’s Day meal. 

After my white hot chocolate, your dessert cravings will probably be satiated, but there’s always room for a pretty little mac or two, right?  ;)

Continue reading "Valentine’s Day Dessert — Red Velvet Macarons"…

If you’re like me and have a the-darker-the-better mindset when it comes to chocolate, you’re probably wondering why on earth I used white chocolate to make this drink.  I’m with you, trust me, I am.  Although I don’t enjoy white chocolate on its own (it’s just so sweet!), somehow in this drink it really works.  Make it and you might be a convert.

Continue reading "Valentine’s Day Dessert — White Hot Chocolate"…

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you probably know that I’m not the biggest meat eater; in general I really don’t make roasts (except roast chicken, which is a specialty of mine).  For the most part I gravitate towards fish or veggie-based meals, so I don’t blame my hubby at all for being completely impressed (actually, shocked is probably a better word) when he came home to this lovely roast beef one day.

Continue reading "Valentine’s Day Main Course — Spiced Sirloin Roast for Two"…

One of the things I love most about food blogging is checking out my fellow bloggers’ sites.  I am inspired to no end by you guys!  When I first started blogging (which feels like forever ago) I came across a recipe for hasselback potatoes on Sea Salt with Food.  I thought they looked pretty fantastic and jotted the site down on a piece of scrap paper…and thus began my “to-make” list, which is now 12 typed pages long and ever-increasing.

Continue reading "Valentine’s Day Side Dish — Baby Hasselback Potatoes"…

I don’t know about you, but I prefer a romantic Valentine’s Day meal at home over a meal at most restaurants.  That way you get to enjoy a quiet meal with your loved one in the comfort of your own home without any waiting or traveling…and I’m guessing the food is just as good (or better!), not to mention cheaper.  The only downside is the clean-up, but that’s where enlisting your Valentine’s help comes in.  ;)

Continue reading "Valentine’s Day Menu & First Course — Bean & Barley Salad"…

These little lovelies are another recipe that was inspired by Tim Hortons.  They sell boxes of maple shortbread with some kind of nut (I can’t remember if it’s walnut or pecan); the cookies are good, but the idea has the potential to be great, which is why I wanted to try my hand at a homemade version.

Continue reading "Maple Pecan Shortbread"…

I am always amazed at how good onion and garlic sautéing in a little butter smell.  Not only is this the start to almost every incredible recipe, but its enticing aroma permeates the whole house and makes people wonder just what delicious magic you’re brewing up.

Continue reading "Creamy Potato Onion Soup"…

Ever notice subtle seasonal changes in your eating habits?  I don’t just mean the gravitation towards soups in the winter and salads in the summer…these days it seems like I crave something warm and comforting all day long.

Case in point, every day around 3 o’clock in the afternoon I like to make a cup of tea…it keeps me warm on these chilly January days.  And of course a little treat along with tea never hurts, right?

Continue reading "Honey-Nut Banana Muffins {Gluten-Free; Naturally Sweetened}"…

Tofu is always a treat in my house since I don’t make it very often.  One of my favorite things about tofu is that it’s kind-of like the vegan version of chicken breast, in that it’s a completely blank canvas for whatever you want to season it with.

Continue reading "Sesame-Crusted Tofu"…