Toasted baguette topped with creamy mascarpone, fresh strawberries, basil, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction Looking for the perfect garden party appetizer? You’ve found it! This is basically my dream summer snack. It’s a little sweet, a little savory, and packs a whole lot of flavor into an adorable package. It comes together very quickly…
Category: Spring
Grilled Clams
How fun is grilling shellfish?! This is like the lazy man’s answer to my Chargilled Oysters. Buttery shallots, garlic, and parsley elevate this dish to a whole new level. This is especially fun if you’re grilling your whole dinner. On this particular evening, I served sausage, grilled corn, and grilled bread with the clams to…
Strawberry Cupcakes
I just adore strawberry cupcakes. They’re so moist and summery! Make these when you can get great, juicy strawberries. It will really make a difference! Can I let you in on a secret? I’m a huge frosting snob and I really dislike buttercream frosting. It’s often too heavy and too sweet for me but this…
Cucumber Mango Salmon Salad
Don’t you love dishes that are as good for you as they are tasty? I always have frozen salmon in my freezer and since it thaws so quickly, I eat salmon salads a couple times each week for lunch but this combo is elegant enough to serve to company. This is really very fast and…
Kabobs and Croquet
Don’t you wish every day could be a perfect spring day in the garden? I had my friends Thi and Simon over recently for an easy dinner on the grill and some croquet. If you’re a fairly new reader, I should tell you that croquet is not a new activity for me. In fact croquet…
Strawberry Breeze
I actually exclaimed, “OMG!” when I took a sip of this cocktail for the first time. It’s that tasty. I happened to have some strawberries, leftover lemonade, and mint in the garden and needed a cocktail to go with my Fettuccine with Mussels and Bacon for dinner with my friend Irene. I had been wanting…
Simple Brussels Sprouts Salad
I ate this for lunch today and it was too tasty not to immediately post it here for you! This salad only has a few ingredients but the pop of lemon, caramelized Brussels sprouts, and salty parmesan have a certain wow factor when put together. Fresh lemon on Brussels sprouts is positively divine. You could…
Loaded Focaccia
Today in the kitchen we’re taking a trip to Italy! My loaded focaccia is cheesy, flavorful, and easy to make. With mozzarella, homemade pesto, olives, and tomatoes, this focaccia is a dream Italian lunch. I’ve spent a lot of time this past year virtually traveling through YouTube and blogs. I was reading old Europe posts…
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
There’s just something about carrot cake that makes me feel all warm and cozy. This is the cupcake version of my absolute favorite Carrot Cake. These cupcakes have a dash of cinnamon, a bit of orange zest, and toasted pecans. Yum! There’s notably no raisins in these cupcakes because I don’t prefer raisins in my…