Easy Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe

A plate of baked mac and cheese

Baked mac and cheese might just be my ultimate comfort food. I’m not talking about the yellow stuff from the box here – I mean hearty, melty, mac and cheese for adults.  What is a Baked Mac and Cheese? There are basically two ways to make mac and cheese: on a stovetop or in an …

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Easy Homemade Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Chewy chocolate chip cookies on a ceramic blue plate placed on a brown placemat

I think I can all agree there is nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked chewy chocolate chip cookies coming right out of the oven. If the smell doesn’t reel you in, the first bite of that warm, chewy goodness will draw you in for more cookies than you should probably eat in one …

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Simple Oven Roasted Kalua Pork Recipe

Kalua pork served with rice in a bowl

Many of you will not know this, but my entire family is from Hawaii. My sister and I were the first ones in my family born here in California. As you might imagine, I grew up with quite a bit of Hawaiian culture and traditions. One of my culinary favorites has always been kalua pork …

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Simple Orange Cranberry Mimosa Recipe

Ingredients needed for a simple orange cranberry mimosa recipe

If the bloody mary is the king of the brunch cocktails I think I can agree the mimosa would be the queen. Lighter and more elegant, the mimosa combines the special nature of drinking something sparkling with the prolific ubiquity of orange juice with brunch foods.    What is an Orange Cranberry Mimosa? Named after the …

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Simple Eggnog Bread Pudding Recipe

An eggnog bread pudding

One of my favorite seasonal drinks is eggnog. Love or hate it as a beverage, I think it is underused when it comes to baking. What do you get when you put eggs, sugar, and cream together? Custard! One of my favorite uses of custard is in bread pudding. That heavy, sweet, slightly spicy texture …

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Simple Eggnog Panna Cotta Recipe

A cup of eggnog panna cotta with cranberry toppings with cranberries around it

If you have never tried panna cotta you are missing out. The texture is somewhere between jello, pudding, and creme brulee. But lucky for me, it is basically as easy as jello to make. That is right if you can make jello you can make this “fancy” Italian dessert to amaze your friends and family.  …

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Simple Homemade Southwest Creamed Corn Recipe

A cup of homemade creamed corn topped with bacon and cheese

Have a pantry full of cans to use up? Chances are you probably have a can of sweet corn in there. Today I’m going to transform that can of golden kernels into a creamy, cheesy, classically decadent side dish using just one pan for cooking.  What is Creamed Corn? Creamed corn originally is made from …

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Simple Butternut Squash Gnocchi Recipe

Butternut squash gnocchi served on a clear plate on top of a colorful place mat

Two years ago, I was invited to a potluck for Thanksgiving up in San Francisco. At the time, I was really on a gnocchi kick, and I really wanted to make a dish that included this. I ended up going a bit overboard and made around 200 butternut squash gnocchi dumplings! Luckily, they were a …

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Simple Cranberry Berryoska Cocktail Recipe with Vodka

A cold Berryoska cocktail with mint in a clear glass was put on a wooden surface

One of my favorite drinks of any kind is lemonde – normal, pink, cranberry, raspberry, lavender… I’m mildly obsessed with this tart and refreshing drink. I have always been on the look out for cocktails that incorporate lemonade, and the berryoska does just that. It’s simple and refreshing, and if you are a lemonade fan …

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