One of my cheap, go-to dinners is spaghetti. A box of noodles + a jar of sauce = food that everyone in the family will eat, and it all comes together in less than 20 minutes. Toss in some rolls and add a side of salad or frozen veggies, and it’s a fairly healthy meal.… Read More Happy Meatballs
This recipe is definitely up there in my top 5 favorite salads: “Avocado, Corn, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad with Lime Dressing”. I can never seem to make enough of this dish. It’s always – poof – gone within 24 hours. Chris will even eat it for breakfast. Why do I like it so much? … Read More Avocado, Corn, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad with Lime Dressing // One of My Faves
I’m enjoying being back in a proper kitchen. One with a decent amount of supplies, cooking utensils, a full-sized oven and stove, and a freezer that will fit more than an ice cube tray. It’s also nice to be back in New Zealand with familiar ingredients, familiar brands, and my usual recipes. Yes, flour is… Read More It’s nice to have a real kitchen once again.
Thank you to everyone who expressed their sympathy regarding my grandmother. I learned today that she passed away very peacefully. She was holding my grandfather’s hand and simply stopped breathing. I’m glad that he was by her side. Joe is still feeling pretty crook. His temperature has remained fairly steady at 40C/104F. And I discovered… Read More Thanks, and Enchiladas
Hey everyone! My post is up over at ExpatFocus.com. Click on over to read about how moving to New Zealand made me a better cook 🙂 Happy Monday!
I give up. I wave the white flag of surrender. This cold virus has me beaten. I’ve tried just about every remedy – homemade and otherwise – and none of them give me much relief. I’ve decided that if this cold wants to be declared the winner, then fine by me. Just so long as… Read More Pizza that’s good for you
I was so glad to see butternut pumpkin squash at the grocery the other day (yes, I know that it’s called “pumpkin” in NZ). I scooped up two of them – one for a lasagna and the other to try out this new recipe. I was in a rush when I made it. I had… Read More Butternut Squash + Parmesan Bread Pudding
Please tell me that I am not the only one who does this… I’m notorious for it. I get to the grocery, find myself asking, “Was there anything that I forgot to put on my list?” and inevitably end up in the baking aisle. Something about the spices. I apparently… Read More A Spicy Secret
I tried a new recipe tonight. And you know what? It was sooooo good. Healthy, too. And yes, it was pizza. And I love pizza. You should try it. It’s pretty easy. And the crust? There’s no grains in there – it’s made from cauliflower. Cauliflower. Check it out. This is what fresh cauliflower looks… Read More Pizza Made From Cauliflower? Yes, Please!
I made these for dinner tonight: So delicious! If you’d like to give them a try, just follow the recipe below: 4 whole wheat tortillas 2 C spinach leaves, chopped 1 medium red onion, diced 1 red capsicum {bell pepper}, roasted and chopped 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, roasted with olive oil + salt 1… Read More Greek Quesadillas
If you’re like me, then you’re often on the lookout for recipes that are filling, nutritious, easy to make, and easy on the pocketbook. Here’s one that satisfies all of those criteria, and it’s a cinch to modify based on taste. It can function as a side dish or, if you’re like us, work as… Read More Lentil Rice Supper
Here’s what happens when you’ve got too much on your mind: Yeah, my handheld blender is not supposed to look like that. I made another batch of applesauce in the crockpot and was waiting for it to finish. For some reason, it went longer than usual and I was in a hurry. Once it finally… Read More Whoops
It has been a long time since I’ve posted a “Menu Monday”. Time to resurrect that tradition. Lately, I’ve been making a lot of recipes from Eating Well. I’ve subscribed to their email service and have been pleasantly surprised with the suggestions that they send. I’m trying to do a better job of using fresh… Read More Menu Monday!
Lately, my desire to grocery shop has gone out the door, down the stairs, into the elevator, and landed in the basement. Then, it’s been crushed by one of the cars backing out of the car-park and rolled like a tumbleweed onto the sidewalk, where it’s been further kicked around by passing pedestrians. Can you… Read More Grocery Shopping + Cooking
Poor Chris has been putting up with a lot on my end lately. He’s such a sweetheart about it, but the fact is that I haven’t been as active around the house as usual. Dinners aren’t always made, laundry has been a bear to tackle, and he puts up with it and doesn’t complain. So… Read More Cheesecake
First up – the giveaway! I’m probably decreasing my odds of winning by doing this, but you should head on over to Miller’s blog and check out her giveaway {it’s for a great book}. She’s a sweet Southern transplant who’s moved to the Midwest and takes amazing pictures. I love reading her posts and hearing… Read More Menu Monday… and a giveaway!
Chris has made a request for more veggie casseroles, as we seem to have been eating a lot of pasta lately. I agree. Unfortunately, he told me this after I’d already planned on making a yummy-looking recipe that I’d heard about via The Farmer and the Southern Belle, so he’ll have to wait just a… Read More Menu Monday
I’ve mentioned before that since moving to New Zealand, I’ve started branching out in some of our recipes. One particular ingredient that I’ve been using a lot of is squash {or pumpkin, as it’s called over here}. I’ve turned to Cooking Light many times for meal ideas and recipes, and they were the source for… Read More Cheesy Pasta with Roasted Squash and Bacon
Hey everyone – hope you had a great weekend. Ours was busy. I went to a cute cafe in Ponsonby called “Agnes Curran”, stopped in at Milly’s Kitchen Shop, checked out a store called “The Mad Butcher”, went to Mitre 10 for some things {the equivalent of a Lowe’s in NZ}, and looked at furniture. … Read More Menu Monday!
I had my first online grocery shopping experience this weekend, and I’m hooked! It was so cool to shop in my pajamas while watching “Friends” on Friday night. That’s right – I just admitted that I was watching re-runs in my PJs on a Friday night. In my defense, it was rainy, I was tired,… Read More Menu Monday
