Eggs in Kale Purgatory & Healthy Garlic Basil Biscuits

Canned tomatoes are a pantry necessity.  Soups, stews, pasta and veggie bowls would never be the same without them.  They can turn a plain old chicken breast from dull to delectable.  Add them to macaroni and cheese and you have an entirely different take on the dinner classic.  Have you noticed a theme here?  Though a staple of every foodie's pantry, lunch and dinner repertoire, these handy little cans almost never make it to the breakfast table.  This is why I love Eggs in Purgatory - it allows the tomatoes to make a early morning appearance.  Well, that in addition to how incredibly quick and easy this breakfast comes together.  Low maintenance mornings are necessary every once in a while

Homemade Take 5's

Have you every thought that Take 5 bars need more ingredients?  Because I did.  Why stop at five when you can have six?  Pretzels, peanuts, peanut butter, caramel and chocolate just isn't quite enough. So I added marshmallow.  And the hubby rejoiced!  Right before gaining 5 pounds.....

Turkey Gumbo

There is one thing I look forward to every Thanksgiving even more than the turkey.  More than the pie, stuffing or even Grandma's infamous sweet potatoes.  The dish that causes me to quiver with anticipation in early October.  The reason that I cook a 10 pound turkey for only four.  That reason is leftover Turkey Gumbo.  After all the sweets, the breads, the potatoes and the dense solid foods associated with the holiday, there is nothing like a hearty, thick soup to fill in those little empty spaces in your appetite.  Especially when it helps to get rid of your leftovers.

Turkey Cranberry & Brie Panini

My mom's favorite use of leftover cranberry sauce was always in a cold sandwich the next day.  Cranberries, cream cheese and turkey makes a fabulous little sandwich.  But the temperature has dropped about 20 degrees since Thanksgiving, and a cold sandwich just isn't appetizing when there's a chance of snow.  So mom, forgive me, but I've modified your original.  Don't worry, I know you'll still love it, because it has your favorite cheese of all time - brie.

Cranberry Nutella Stuffed French Toast

After the Thanksgiving feasting has ended, it's not the people who are stuffed.  Your refrigerator is also shamefully over-filled with remnants of turkey, gravy, potatoes and rolls.  But my favorite of all Thanksgiving meal leftovers is the cranberries.  This fabulous spread is not only delicious on turkey and rolls, but is wonderful in spread on just about anything.  Bagels, sandwiches and pancakes all come alive with the addition of this tart and fruity topping.  

A Thanksgiving Day Recap

There are so very many things I am thankful for this year.  First is the turkey of our little family, our fabulous pup Zoe.  A quick romp in the big dog park (no wimpy small dog park, thank you very much) and a bowl of kibble filled with bird bits after dinner make for her perfect puppy holiday.  Thank you, Second Chance Rescue, for helping us adopt this little snaggle-tooth bundle of joy!

Spinach & Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Have you ever had a roasted mushroom?  If the answer to that question is no, stop reading right now and go eat a dozen or so.  I say dozen for it you attempt to stop after only one or two, you will find that it is a human impossibility.  This is the amazingness that is a roasted mushroom.  Warm, meaty, bafflingly juicy and oh so flavorful, these feble words cannot do them justice.  So what I lack in vocabulary, I make up in stuffing.  Man, can I stuff.  Hence, stuffed & roasted mushrooms.

Cranberry Tart with Coconut Graham Crust

Nothing says holidays like cranberries.  I feel they are the market equivalent to the first snow flakes, a tiny and beautiful reminder that the seasons are changing and good things are on the horizon.  I love winter, and ipso facto, love cranberries.  I buy their dried counterparts by the industrial-sized bag and chow down on a small handful every night after dinner.  I like to think they contribute to my zippy attitude and bolster the redness of my hair.  Long live red heads!

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash

I am an absolute fiend for Frank's RedHot Sauce.  Spicy, bright and tangy, I sprinkle this on chicken about once a week.  No need for fancy the Barbecue or Smokey flavors, please pass the classic RedHot.  This delicious condiment is the essential ingredient to one of America's classic favorites - buffalo sauce.  (*pause for mouth wipe*)  Toss that name in front of anything and it sounds about 20 times more delicious.  Buffalo chicken, buffalo pizza, buffalo cauliflower...I want to eat them all.  But one of my absolute favorites ways to serve this sauce is a la spaghetti squash.

Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies

Simple recipes are sometimes the best.  No muss, no fuss, just delicious bare bones that leave you remembering the goodness of food without extra frills.  With all of the stacked bars, stuffed this and monster that out there in the cookie world nowadays, it seems that bigger is better.  I humbly challenge this opinion with the delicious ease of my all-time favorite cookie - Scotch shortbread.

Leftover Pumpkin? Pumpkin Chai Muffins!

Several months ago, I pinned a fabulous looking recipe for Chai Spice Glazed Doughnut Muffins on my breakfast board.  I love chai and the hubs love doughnuts, so I figured this muffin would be a hit.  From there, I promptly forgot about the recipe.  But when looking for a way to use the remaining 1/2 cup of pureed pumpkin in my refrigerator one Saturday morning, this recipe jumped out at me.  Pumpkin is so wonderful with spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, so why not add cardamom, ginger and pepper to the mix, too?  

Butternut Goat Cheese Ravioli

I can never get enough kitchen gadgets.  I rarely tenderize meat or ball a melon, but that doesn't mean there are not tools for these purposes in our kitchen drawers.  But our newest gadget has been getting quite a bit of use - the pasta roller.  We are churning out noodles faster than you could say Northern Italy.  After coming a tasty-looking recipe for butternut squash ravioli a few weeks ago, we invited a good friend over for dinner to wow with our new pasta skills.  Now our gentleman guest enjoyed the pasta, but stated that he was a bit underwhelmed by the filling.  He said that it was ok, but was certain that I could've made up something better.  Challenge accepted!