F O O D !
Get inspired to try something new, make something better or upgrade your kitchen with these tasty bits. Or heck, throw a whole dinner party and order my cookbook “The Dinner Party Project” out now!
My Ideal Black Bean Burger
To be honest, I’ve met a lot of mediocre veggie burgers. Some are too gummy, some are too full of rice, some lack any flavor whatsoever, and some are just plain confusing. THESE incredibly thin and crispy vegetable patties remind me of a smashed burger in both appearance and texture. This isn’t a boring veggie patty, it’s very thin and delicate, packed full of flavor, and almost melt in your mouth creamy. Keep in mind you’ll need to make my honey jalapeño black beans as a base first!
Ridiculously Crispy Potato Wedges
Fun fact about me - I'm allergic to chicken, so the whole buffalo wing thing isn't an option for me. But I really miss ordering something that comes with weirdly wet carrots and celery and dipping them plus the tiny little chicken arm into a rich sauce and ending up with hands coated in grease. Turns out, the wing is actually my least favorite part, so creating an extra crispy potato wedge that's perfect for sauce grabbing and full of flavor is actually my preference. So here she is... the perfect (non) WING woman. Perfect for your vegetarian friend or meatless Monday or, you know, The Super Bowl!
Caramelized Onion Greek Yogurt Dip
When I dip, you dip, we dip.
“Creamy” Roasted Squash and Apple Soup
As a private chef, I’ve made a lot of variations on a butternut squash soup. Lots and lots and lots and lots. But this is the one I always come back to. It just tastes like a big hug. It’s a little sweet, super creamy, a little tangy and really well balanced. This soup uses leftover roasted squash, so you can roast it any way you like OR you can follow this recipe. If you want to try my Butternut Squash Baked Mac and Cheese (which is insane) then you should double up this recipe because it’s the base for that one as well!
Lemony Roasted Squash With Sage Yogurt
This recipe is part one of a Butternut Squash trilogy. We all know cutting up a butternut squash is a pain in the butt, so if you’re gonna do it, I want to make sure it’s worth it. This recipe is great on its own, full of fresh bright flavors that work really well with the sweet and earthy squash, but if you want to get the most out of your squash you can make extra and then convert it into a Roasted Squash and Apple Soup and Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese.
Actually Delicious GF Chocolate Chip Cookies
It took me a long time to create a satisfying gluten free and dairy free cookie that I actually wanted to eat. This. Is. The. One.
The dough will be best if you let it rest in the fridge overnight, so put on your big girl pants and don’t eat the raw cookie dough! It’s worth it! Resting the dough is the only way to get your gluten free cookie to have the height of a regular cookie.
Chocolate Chip Sprinkle Party
Originally I made this recipe for Passover since it's sans dairy and made with almond flour, but I've had so many people enjoy making it year round that I've decided to let it break free from the chains of Holiday oppression. From now on, it's just called a Chocolate Chip Sprinkle Party and you can eat it whenever. you. like!
“Subway” Style M+M Cookies
When I was a kid the theater by my house had a Subway next to it so I’d always sneak in a 6 inch sub and a gooey cookie. I know Subway isn’t generally the pinnacle of culinary success but you KNOW that is a delicious cookie. Although this cookie isn’t identical, as they use ingredients that are hard to acquire for home cooks, these cookies ARE super delicious and when cooked properly hit that perfect intersection of cooked, but ssssuuuuuperr soft and chewy.
Olive Oil and Strawberry Summer Breakfast Cake
How come you can have pancakes for breakfast, but not cake? I think we bring back cake for breakfast. Who is with me?
This guy here is one of my favorites because it's incredibly moist, easy to make, and the fruit can be swapped out based on the season.
Birthday Cake Mousse
Move the hell over Birthday Cake. There's a new treat in town.
3 Ingredient Mint Chocolate Chip Banana Ice Cream
You’d never imagine that a banana could whip up into such a rich-and-ice-creamy texture, but here we are. It’s pretty magical. Does it fully replace one’s desire for the occasional McConnell’s, no. But is it a delicious and healthy weeknight alternative that’s quick to make and super satisfying to dig into on the couch? Yes. I am obsessed with mint chocolate chip ice cream, so this combo has become the norm at my house, but you could add ingredients to make this banana ice cream into any flavor your heart desires.
Black And White Cookie Muffins!
When I was living in Spain I took a day trip to Figueres to see the Dali Museum. While waiting in the enormous line, in the rain, I suddenly became really hangry. I took a little walk and discovered a sad pastry shop that happily had one offering that caught my eye, a muffin that was half chocolate and half vanilla! Why haven't I seen that before? Why doesn’t everyone make half and half muffins? So, the first thing I did was text Alana Kysar and exclaim “WE NEED TO PERFECT THE HALF AND HALF MUFFIN”, and here we are!
Pre-Game Punch
Aperol is bomb. If you haven’t tried it do so immediately! Or wait until evening or brunch time if you’re reading this at 6am. Aperol is an Italian aperitif made from a SECRET recipe (intriguing) that gets its main flavor from bitter orange. It’s a beautiful color and makes a great cocktail. This recipe has it all- it’s pretty, simple and a crowd pleaser, seems impressive but it’s easy to make. You can also very easily toss all the ingredients into a bowl for a quick and easy punch.
Slightly Sophisticated Italian Soda
There’s nothing like sipping a refreshing soda while watching a movie and this adult version is just the ticket (too much? Just enough?)! Reminiscent of the Italian sodas of your youth, but not as syrupy and kicked up a notch with vanilla bean infused vodka. Honestly, the Torani syrup in this drink is manufactured to taste delicious, you really don’t have to do much with it. It’s a deliciously fun, easy cocktail with a couple of sprigs of rosemary and lots of club soda to balance the sweetness.
Vanilla Bean Café Au Lait
If you're looking for an easy way to mix up your morning coffee routine, this is for you. It's also great to serve a crowd on a Sunday morning. Use the leftover simple syrup for cocktails later on in the day!
I Can't Believe It's Not Eggnog Cocktail
Look, I have nothing against eggnog; in fact, I like it. But c’mon, it can’t be the only player in the creamy holiday cocktail game. This lil guys is incredibly fast to put together and basically tastes like having a Christmas party on a tropical island. Who doesn’t want that? It’s thick and rich, spicy and sweet, chilled to perfection and covered in sprinkles because WHY NOT. I hope you love it!
How to Scrape a Vanilla Bean
Vanilla beans are ridiculously expensive but the flavor they give any baked good, or dessert in general, is unbelievable. It's worth splurging on them every once in a while to get that wonderfully speckled vanilla ice cream or vanilla bean cake.
How to Make the Best Toast
Once you make pan toast there really is no going back. It's perfectly crisp, soaked with flavor and can stand up to just about any topping.
Honey Jalapeño Black Beans
