If you follow my posts, then you know I like to explore recipes.  That’s right EXPLORE, not necessarily COOK them.  Well, this week all of that changed, when I started cooking up a storm!  I actually cooked three nights in a row.  Three nights in a row is a big deal for me, and it felt so good to save money on grocery bills AND takeout.

The first recipe I attempted was Giada De Laurentiis’ Roman Style Chicken.  This specific recipe is low in fat and calories, just what I was looking for.  It was super easy, and super delicious!  This will definitely become a staple in my recipe book.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
• 2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

-Jessica Brown

The Cosmo isn’t the only Valentine-hued cocktail behind the bar.  If you’re big on matching your drinks to your holiday, then the upcoming day of love should be no exception.

Whip up a couple of these concoctions and you’ll certainly be seeing cupid.

Our Love isn’t “on the rocks” Margarita

The Margarita can be made in so many ways, and it is too simple to take an old favorite and add a pop of love coloring.

Ingredients

1.5 oz (or one shot) Tequila

½ oz Cranberry Liqueur

½ oz Triple Sec (Cointreau is ideal!)

1.5 oz Cranberry Juice

3 oz Sour Mix*

½ oz Lime Juice

Serve: On the Rocks

Directions:

Wipe the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and dip the edge of the glass in

salt. You can also choose to make this without salt.

Mix all other ingredients in a cocktail shaker and serve over ice.

Garnish with lime wedge or fresh sprig of mint.

If you like your drinks sweeter, you can always add simple syrup, but the

Cranberry Juice and Cranberry liqueur should provide ample sweetness.

*Make your own Sour Mix. Combine 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup fresh lime juice and 1 cup fresh lemon juice and refrigerate until needed.

Raspberry Fizz

There’s nothing quite as romantic as clinking glasses of champagne, and your love with fizzle with excitement with this raspberry treat.

Ingredients

Raspberry Fizz

1.5 oz vodka

½ oz raspberry liqueur

Champagne

Directions

Place 3 ice cubes in a champagne flute.

Add the vodka and the raspberry liqueur.

Top with champagne, stirring as you pour.

Float a fresh raspberry in the glass.

And if all else fails, red wine is just as easy to drink as it is to pour!

-Arianna Schioldager

The Super Bowl is only a few days away! Okay, so I’m still a bit bitter about the San Francisco 49er’s loss, but at least I can still look forward to snazzy commercials and football snacks, right?

This year, ditch the super market dips and fast food hot wings and make your own Super Bowl munchies with these simple and scrumpdiliocious recipes.

Sweet Onion Dip

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Vidalia onions (1 pound total), finely chopped

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 ounces reduced-fat bar cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Potato chips (try baked or popped ones for a low fat snack!), for serving

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In a medium bowl, combine onions, sour cream, cream cheese, vinegar, and chives; season with salt and pepper. Chill dip until slightly thickened, about 1 hour; or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Serve with chips.

Smoked Salmon Dip with Bagel or Pita Chips

Ingredients

1/4 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon red onion, diced small

1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

2 ounces plus 2 more ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Bagel or pita chips, for serving

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine mayonnaise, cream cheese, capers, red onion, lemon juice, horseradish, and 2 ounces smoked salmon. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in remaining 2 ounces smoked salmon. Top with fresh parsley and serve with bagel chips.

Brown-Sugar Barbecue Chicken Drumettes

Ingredients

2 cups ketchup

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Coarse salt and ground pepper

6 pounds chicken drumettes, patted dry

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Set aside 1 cup sauce for tossing raw chicken; use rest for baked chicken.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds; line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.
3. Divide drumettes between baking sheets, and toss with reserved 1 cup sauce.
4. Bake chicken until opaque throughout, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating sheets and tossing chicken halfway through. Toss baked drumettes with 1/2 cup sauce, and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

-Emily Freeman

You don’t need to have a boyfriend to have a special Valentine’s Day. Instead, if you’re sweet and single, round up your girlfriends to play dress up, do make-overs, indulge in some Pretty-in-Pink Strawberry Cupcakes, and watch a chick flick (I recommend Bridesmaids or Love and Other Disasters) all while sipping on decadent Chocolate Martinis.

Pretty-in-Pink Strawberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 package(s) (18 1/4-oz.) cake mix, plain white or yellow

1 package(s) (3-oz.) strawberry gelatin

1 cup (finely chopped fresh) strawberries, with juice (from 1 1/2 cups whole berries)

3/4 cup(s) milk

3/4 cup(s) vegetable oil

4 large eggs

Frosting

1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, reduced-fat, at room temperature

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, unsalted, at room temperature

3 cup(s) (up to 3 1/2 cups) confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/2 cup(s) (fresh ) strawberries, mashed and drained (3/4 cup hulled berries)

Sprinkles, pink and white, for garnish (optional)

24 slice(s) strawberry, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.

Combine the cake mix, gelatin, strawberries and juice, milk, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down sides again if needed.

Spoon about 1/3 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it 3/4 full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove empty liners, if any.) Place pans side by side in the oven.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes are lightly golden and spring back when pressed gently with a finger. Remove from oven, place pans on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to wire racks to cool for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting: Blend cream cheese and butter in large mixing bowl with electric mixer on low speed until combined, 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar and the mashed strawberries. Mix on low speed until incorporated, 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and blend until frosting is fluffy, 30 to 45 seconds longer, adding up to 1/2 cup more sugar if needed to get a spreadable consistency.

Place a generous tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with back of spoon. Refrigerate, uncovered, until frosting sets, 20 minutes. Decorate with sprinkles and strawberry slices.

Chocolate Martini Recipe

Ingredients (for one martini)

1 1/2 shots Godiva® chocolate liqueur

1 1/2 shots creme de cacao

1/2 shot vodka

2 1/2 shots half and half

Chill martini glasses in the freezer at least 3 hours before serving. Dip the rim of the martini glass in cocoa powder and/or chocolate sprinkles. Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and pour into the cocktail glass.

-Emily Freeman

So maybe you aren’t an Iron Chef or Julia Child, but a little practice can save a lot of time and
heartache in the kitchen.

Remember the scene in  Julie & Julia, where Meryl Streep (playing Julia Child) chops a pile of onions bigger than her head?  This scene iterates one of the most important lessons of knifery: practice until it feels natural.

Before you know it you’ll be chopping and dicing with the best of them.

There are only a few key knife skills that you really need to know, and some very seemingly obvious musts.

Most importantly—you need to tuck your fingers under (known as The Claw), because there’s no reason you need to cry real tears when dicing that onion.

How to Begin: Put something underneath your chopping block—either an old rubber placemat or a damp tea towel—anything to keep the surface stable. If your cutting board is moving about, not only is it dangerous, but you won’t be able to obtain control.

How to Choose a Knife: Knives are as personal as undergarments. Every knife has a different weight and feel, and the best way to find a knife that fits your particular hand is to test them out.  You want a knife that is comfortable in your hand, a knife that feels substantial, but doesn’t drag your wrist down.  You should ask a professional at a cookware shop for help.

How to Hold a Knife: You want to hold the knife so that you have maximum control, gripping the handle. Ideally you should be able to pinch the bottom end of the blade with your thumb and forefinger.  You want to use your upper
arm and shoulder—not your wrist—to support your chop and give you more control.

-Arianna Schioldager

I can’t believe it, but valentines day is rapidly approaching. It’s my daughters absolute favorite holiday. She likes it better than Christmas. Mostly because everything is pink and has hearts on it, which of course is her idea of perfection. Me, I like it because I like chocolate, and gifts. Last year I made the kids pancakes that were in valentines day shapes. Going with that idea, but taking a step further I made some brownie flavored heart pancakes. The cookbook that my grandmother passed down to me had a recipe for brownie waffles but I went ahead and changed things up to work better for pancakes. While chocolate flavored waffles are tasty, I wanted to make these into cute shapes for my kids.

Here is the recipe for awesomeness. I mean brownie heart pancakes.

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons dutch process cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

Mix all the dry ingredients, then pour in the wet. Once everything is nice and mixed together cook just like you would any other pancake. I like to pour my batter into a squirt bottle. An old cleaned out mustard or ketchup bottle works great. They give you the ability to make shapes out of your pancakes very easily. To make the hearts, you just draw a “v” and when the battle spreads it shapes itself into cute little hearts. I also like to make x and o shapes as well. When you serve these tasty little guys try putting a little freshly whipped cream on top. I like to add red food coloring to mine so that the whipped cream is red. It keeps things in the spirit of valentines day. At least to my daughter.

-Stephanie Wright

Ahh smoothies, a healthful snack (most of the time) and glorious during the summer months.  The problem is, when I have them in the winter my hands get so cold!  So, my question is this: Do you love hot chocolate and smoothies?  You do, well then great!  The thought of having these two together never crossed my mind until I came across a recipe this morning by Dr. Ben Kim.

According to Dr. Kim, this recipe is rich in flavonoids and potassium, nutrients that are essential to supporting the health of your cardiovascular system.  Check it out!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup hot chocolate made by mixing 3/4 cup hot water and 2-3 teaspoons of raw, organic chocolate powder
1 ripe banana (smooshed up)
Small pinch grated nutmeg
Small pinch ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons honey (optional)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a good blender and process into a hot chocolate smoothie.

Enjoy this warm and soothing hot chocolate drink.

-Jessica Brown

I feel fairly confident that I’ve mastered the art of my winter morning smoothie. Fresh, ripe, sweet fruit isn’t always easy to come by in the winter. Or it is unforgivably expensive.

So in the cold season, the trick to an amazing smoothie is to use ALL frozen ingredients.

I’d share my recipe, happily, if I actually had one.  The smoothie has always been something I’ve eyeballed.  But there are five main ingredients: ice (the littlest bit), Fage 2% Greek Yogurt, Unsweetened Almond Milk (40 calories, yay!), frozen blueberries and frozen bananas.

The frozen banana is the key element in my opinion.  I’ve tried the smoothie with out it and it just isn’t the same.  I kind of happened upon this on accident (although I later found out a ton of people already did this). Not one for waste, when any banana in my house would go rotten, I’d peel it, wrap in plastic, and toss it in the fridge. The frozen banana makes the smoothie thick and adds a punch of sweetness.

Trader Joe’s has a great frozen bag of mixed berries. The strawberry pieces are sometimes unkind to the blender, so if need be, let them thaw a little, just enough to cut them in halves or quarters, and toss them in with the rest.

Rolled oats and flax seeds also make for a great addition.  The oats give the smoothie a thickness, and while flax seeds don’t realty change the texture too much, they are great for you and provide a tasty nuttiness.

If you like it a little sweeter, dribble in a little honey or agave.

I toss in all in my Magic Bullet (yes they work, and are easy to clean, and are seriously a morning God-send), blend, and drink on-the-go.

-Arianna Schioldager

This delicate dish sounds complicated, but it couldn’t be easier.  Couscous is the perfect lazy chef’s starch.  Poaching the egg is about the most difficult part.  And adding the shrimp on the side is the perfect accompaniment.

Ingredients for Shrimp

• 16 fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Olive oil, enough to coat
• Salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, chopped

Directions

1. Toss all ingredients a bowl.
2. In a large frying pan, heat one
   tablespoon of olive oil.  Sauté shrimp
   1-2 minutes each side.  Set aside.

Ingredients for Couscous with Escarole 

• 1 cup pearl couscous
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 1 large head escarole
• 1/2 cup organic chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• White vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Toast couscous in olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat for 7 minutes.  Add salt and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heart and let simmer for another 8-10 minutes.
2. In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook garlic.
3. Add escarole (with ends chopped off) and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Note that escarole shrinks… a lot.
4. Add couscous, the chicken stock, pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. In your now emptied saucepan, add 3/4 water and a splash of vinegar.  Heat on high until bubbles barely break the surface. When poaching an egg, you do not want the water to boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low crack egg into water and give water gentle stir with a spatula. Cook about 2-3 minutes. With a slotted spoon gently transfer to paper towel. Repeat with all eggs.
6. Divide couscous mix among plates. Top each with poached egg, add a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan.
7. Add the shrimp you’ve set aside.
8. And you’re ready for eating!

-Arianna Schioldager

A few of us have tried our hand at making barbeque sauce.  Making your own jam became pretty popular for a while. And some crafty Martha Stewart types like to make their own ketchup.  But mustard isn’t really a condiment that people brag about making on their own.

Well why not!  Who doesn’t love mustards spice? And with mustard seeds or powder you can customize your own mustards with ease.

Mustard seeds are used when you want that whole grain, grittier, crunchy texture.  There are three types, yellow (this is the mildest and what’s most always used in American mustards), brown, and black.  All seeds need to be soaked for 1-2 days to soften.

Mustard powder is ground mustard seed.  You’ve probably seen a can of it and just not realized what it is.  Colman’s comes in that yellow tin and is a blend of yellow and brown seeds.  To make mustard from the powder, you need to mix it with liquid—most common of which is water or beer, and let sit over night.

Now comes the fun part! Do you want spicy? Tangy? Something to go with your hot dog??

Here’s a recipe for sweet mustard with a kick that’s made for sandwiches.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cognac
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Mix the yellow and brown mustard seeds, water, cognac, and white wine vinegar in a bowl.  Make sure the seeds are completely covered.  Cover and let the mixture sit for 2-3 days (until the seeds are soft) at room temperature.
2. Pulse the soft mixture in a blender with the brown sugar and salt until you’ve achieved your desired texture.
3. Spread on a sandwich and love!

-Arianna Schioldager

While New Years Eve may be more about drinking than eating, bite-sized foods that are simple to whip up are a much-needed accessory for that champagne glass. NYE can be a long night and you need food to keep your party going.

Brussels sprouts made a comeback in 2011. In 2012 eat them on a skewer for an update.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts on a Skew

Ingredients

• 14 Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Sea salt
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Directions

1. Cut the hard end off the brussels sprout. With a knife “x” the bottom. This helps keeps the leaves together.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium high in a large skillet and sauté the garlic for 30 seconds.
3. Add the brussels sprouts and continue cooking for about 4-5 minutes, until they are tender, but not soft.
4. Add the sea salt and brown sugar and toss together.
5. Skewer (two per is plenty) and serve.
6. Latkes are another delectable treat that pop right into your mouth and are always a party hit.

Latkes with Smoked Salmon

Ingredients
(proportions vary depending on preferred quantity) To make your own latkes check out this easy recipe from Fine Cooking, but if you don’t have the time, Trader Joe’s sells boxes of frozen latkes that are an excellent alternative.

• Applesauce
• Sour Cream
• Chopped Chives
• Smoked Salmon

Directions

1. Once you have your latkes cooked (no matter if you took the easy road or not… we won’t tell) the toppings are the fun part.
2. Each latke should get a dollop of sour cream, a small strip of smoked salmon (you don’t want it to overwhelm) and sprinkle chives over the top.
3. It may also be a good idea to leave a few without salmon and leave a bowl of applesauce on the side.

-Arianna Schioldager

If you’re looking for an outstanding cookie to bring to your cookie exchange, look no more!  These chocolate malted cookies are adapted
from Martha Stewart Holiday Cookie magazine from a few years back.  These are impressive to look at (everyone is always impressed when they hear I made them!) and are simply decadent to eat.  Just a warning, these are serious chocolate cookies. They are a little time consuming, only because you have to make all the cookies then make them into sandwiches.  I would say they are as labor intensive as a big batch of cupcakes.  They are super easy, moist, creamy, slightly crispy on the outsides.  Everything a cookie should be.  Make these and your cookie exchange pals will start calling you the cookie goddess.

A good cookie scoop is a must for these cookies.  That will ensure that each cookie is the same size and shape, which is pretty important for sandwich cookies.  I always make sure to level off my scoops on the side of the bowl as well, to make them perfectly perfect!  Also, using a cookie scoop will also make sure each cookie gets the right amount of filling.

You will need:

For the cookies:

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose
  flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
  powder
• 1/4 cup plain malt powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons hot water

For the filling:

• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1 cup plain malt powder
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, cream, and hot water. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture.
2. Space tablespoon-size balls of dough 3 1/2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until flat and just firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.
3. Making filling: Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Let cool. With an electric mixer, beat malted milk powder and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually mix in half-and-half, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until thick, about 30 minutes. Mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Assemble cookies: Spread a heaping tablespoon filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat.

-Stephanie Wright

It seems like all the great drinks have had their time to shine.

Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage.  Vodka has been the cocktail frontrunner for some time. Champagne is so user friendly that even polite society deems it fit to drink before lunch.  Even bourbon whiskey saw a resurgence thanks to Don Draper and his Old Fashioned fixation.

But aside from a gin and tonic, gin remains that alcohol your grandparents drank while they played bridge. Well, no more.  It’s time for gin to shine (or fizz should that be your cocktail preference).

South Side

Ingredients

• 12 mint leaves
• 2 oz Gin (Hendricks is a great choice).
• ¾ oz lemon juice
• ¾ oz simple syrup
• Lemon for garnish
• Splash of soda

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker.
2. Shake, strain, and serve with a splash of soda. (Side note: for all shaken drinks, the point is to chill the ingredients and mix them simultaneously.  You want the shaker about ¾ of the way full of ice. When water begins to condense on the surface of the shaker, it’s ready to be strained and poured.  Also don’t ever add the carbonated ingredients in the shaker, unless you’re in the mood to wipe ingredients off your ceiling).
3. Garnish with a mint sprig stuffed in a lemon wheel.

Pepper Delicious

Ingredients

• 2 thin red bell pepper rings
• 12 mint leaves
• 2 oz gin
• ¾ oz lime juice
• ¾ oz simple syrup

Directions

1. Muddle the bell pepper first.
2. Add ice and then the rest of the ingredients.
3. Shake, strain, and pour.
4. Garnish with thin bell pepper slice and mint sprig.

Gin Gimlet

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 1 oz lime juice
• ¾ oz simple syrup

Directions

1. Add ingredients with ice to shaker.
2. Shake and pour.
3. Serve up with a lime wedge.

-Arianna Schioldager

Cauliflower gets a little overlooked in the market. My mom used to steam the bulbs but no matter how much she salted them, they were, in my fussy opinion, not edible.

These days, I’m still not big on cauliflower, though my pallet for veggies has indeed expanded, but a smooth, hot cauliflower soup is great for the winter months ahead.

Plus, it only takes about 40 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart chicken stock

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

½ tablespoon rosemary

Freshly gated Nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower.  Give it a coarse chop and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened. You want them to be translucent, but not browned. Takes about 5 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart. Takes about 15 minutes.

Remove ingredients from the heat. Let it cool for about five minutes.  I recommend a hand held blender to puree the soup (allows you to do it all at once), but if you don’t have the tool, fill a blender about half way, pulse on high until smooth.  To prevent heat explosions in a
blender (what a mess they make!) lift up one corner of the lid, put a towel and a firm hand over the top and pulse.  When the ingredients are the consistency of your liking, return them to the pot.

Add Parmesan.

Salt and black pepper to taste.

Grate fresh nutmeg on the top for a warm, wintery flavor.

-Arianna Schioldager

Over this long and chilly weekend in LA (yes, it does get cold here!), we lit a fire, made hot chocolate and some delicious cookies to snack on.  I will admit, I did not make these cookies from scratch, but bought them at Williams-Sonoma.  Being Gluten Intolerant, I am normally bad and eat things with Gluten and then regret it later.  To my suprise, these delicious cookies from the Bouchon Bakery are Gluten Free!

If you are an avid reader of this site, you will know that Thomas Keller is my favorite chef and I love just about everything that he makes.  That made this discovery at Williams-Sonoma that much more exciting, because not only are these Bouchon cookies, but Gluten Free to boot!   Most GF foods have a chalky taste and are just not good, but these were moist and delicious and I didn’t stop at just one! 

If you are on a GF or just like to try something new, these are the cookies for you.  The Gluten free variety are only available in the Chocolate Chunk, while the ones with Gluten are available in more varietys.  Those include Chocolate Chunk, Double Chocolate, Shortbread, and Oatmeal Raisin.  

For more information , please visit the Williams-Sonoma site.

-Jessica Brown

As we continue to indulge after Thanksgiving and before Christmas at numerous holiday parties and on irresistible pies now on sale at the market our sweet tooth starts to feel stronger and our will power weaker. If our bodies get used to the excess sugar, it will continue to crave calorie-dense goodness. The regularity and accessibility of delectable desserts makes it harder to resist temptation and fit into our jeans. However, with a few minor changes you can still satisfy your sweet tooth and fit into your sparkly holiday outfits.

I had been dealing with the evil sweet monster after eating pie (usually with whipped cream or a la mode) every evening the weekend after Thanksgiving. The feast had come and passed and I was still on the “but it’s Thanksgiving!” excuse train. When I got back to college, and thankfully, away from the leftovers, I came up with a new way to satisfy my nightly pie indulgence.

This recipe is beyond easy to prepare, low fat, and filled with the nutrients of an apple, the health benefits of cinnamon, as well as calcium and a bit of protein.

Ingredients

1 apple of your choice (I personally love Jazz and Honeycrisp apples this time of year)

Cinnamon to taste

1 tsp Smart Balance light buttery spread (or any other spread made from olive or canola oil)

½ cup low-fat vanilla ice cream (Dreyer’s Slow Churned is a great low-fat ice cream with all the flavor of regular ice cream)

1 tbsp chopped almonds or walnuts

Preparation

Cut the apple into small to medium-width chunks or slices. Put the apple slices/chunks into a bowl with the Smart Balance and then sprinkle with cinnamon. Cinnamon regulates your blood sugar, helps prevent cancerous cells, relieves arthritis pain, boosts cognitive function and memory, fights E. coli bacteria, and contains magnesium, fiber, and calcium. So feel free to go crazy with it!

Put the mixture in the microwave for 40-65 seconds, depending on how soft you want your apples. Poor on top of  low-fat ice cream and top with nuts. Enjoy!

-Emily Freeman

Some say ribs are the Holy Grail of bbq’ing. A lot of people (self-included) have felt a little too intimated to even pick up a package at the market. Granted, there are some seriously involved rib recipes look up , but for first timers (or those who have been around the block), there is a delicious and savory way to bring simplicity back to ribs. If you have 9 hours, be my guest, but if you’re craving that delicious and tender meat that just falls off the bone, you don’t have to wait all day.

You don’t even have to have a bbq (which is great considering most of us don’t fire up the grill in winter).  And while ribs are one of those hearty meals that aren’t necessarily a “traditional” December meal, but they are tasty, and you can eat them with your hands. No holiday formalities required.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs

2 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons salt

1 ½ cup barbeque sauce

Directions

Place ribs in a large pot filled with enough water to cover. A huge lobster pot works well if you have one. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, Adobo seasoning, black pepper and salt. Bring water to a boil. Cook ribs until tender.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove ribs from pot, and place them in a 9×13 inch dish. Pour barbeque sauce over ribs. (This is where your preference comes into play. Some people prefer a tangier bbq sauce, while others prefer a sweet flavor). Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F.

-Arianna Schioldager

One of my favorite parts about the fall and winter months is the crisp mornings. There’s nothing like waking up to the warm smell of oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles in a soft, cozy blanket as the winds howl outside. The comfort of a healthy and hearty breakfast in the winter is undeniable. Breakfast can also be a way to get that extra jolt and get motivated in the dark months. I find that the crunch of some granola usually does the trick.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I wanted to make sure I had a balanced and fiber-filled breakfast each morning to help hold holiday dietary transgressions at bay. Bunnery Natural Foods’ granolas, oatmeal, and pancake and waffle mix were the perfect options! The company has a bundle of wholesome breakfast choices for whatever nourishment you crave on a chilly morning! Their guiding philosophy has always been to provide healthful and deliciously enjoyable foods made from the freshest, highest quality ingredients. They carry four satisfying granola flavors, Original Granola, Banana Honey-Nut Granola, Cranberry- Nut Vanilla Granola, and my personal favorite Blueberry Granola, as well as O.S.M. Oatmeal with Sunflower Seeds and Millet and O.S.M. Pancake and Waffle Mix with wheat flour, oats, and bran.

Pair any of their vitamin and fiber packed granolas with low fat, fat free, almond, or soy milk or make a yogurt parfait with some creamy Greek yogurt.  Get creative with their oatmeal or pancake and waffle mix and top them with nut butter or raw chopped walnuts, almonds, or seeds for added protein and iron. Add some fresh seasonal fruit to any of these combinations for additional nutrients! You can also add any of their products to home made muffins or cookies for delicious and fulfilling treats. More fun and yummy recipes can be found here!

-Emily Freeman

For the longest time, I assumed anything with a hard exterior would be difficult to cook.  Not so.  In fact, squash are easy to cut open, pop in the oven, and they are a definite crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

5 acorn squash (about 1 pound each)

4 cups boiling water

7 ½ cups Corn Bread, cubed into about ½ inch squares

1 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 finely cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, pending preference

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cut and arrange corn bread on greased pan. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until corn bread is toasted. Set aside.

Decrease oven temperature to 350°.

Cut each squash in half lengthwise, and empty out the innards. Paint the squash with olive oil and place them, cut sides down, in a baking pan at least 2 inches deep. Add 2 cups of boiling water. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove the squash from pan.

While squash is in the oven, put the cranberries in 2 cups of boiling water in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Strain.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, sage, garlic and sauté all for about another 3 minutes.

Place the toasted corn bread, cranberries, onion mixture, broth, and remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss.

Spoon about 1 ½ cups of the mixture into each squash half. Place the squash halves in pan, cut sides up.

Bake at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.

-Arianna Schioldager

Even though some of us don’t have any Betty Crocker in our blood, pumpkin pie is one of the easiest desserts to make, and is always a hit amongst family and friends (especially when topped with homemade whipped cream!).

You don’t have to make your own crust, but I recommend at least attempting. Practice makes perfect pie after all.

To make the graham cracker crust!

Ingredients

1 ½ cups crushed Graham Crackers

6 tablespoons butter

¼ cup sugar

Directions

In a small saucepan melt the butter.

Place about 24 graham crackers in a plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to crush finely.

Measure 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl.

Add the sugar to the graham crackers.

Add the melted butter.

Stir or blend together with your hands.

Press into the pie tin or plate.

To pre-bake the piecrust, bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F. oven.

Now for the Pie!

Ingredients:

15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin?

14 oz. can sweetened, condensed milk?

1 egg?

1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (will be used for pie and topping) ?

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg?

½ teaspoon clove spice

½ teaspoon salt?

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar?

2 tablespoon flour?

2 tablespoon cold butter?

¾ cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°

In large mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, egg, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and salt.

Pour mixture into your homemade crust.

Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the streusel topping, combine sugar, flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix in butter until crumbly. Easiest to use your hands. Stir in nuts.

Remove the pie from the oven.

Reduce oven temp to 350°.

Sprinkle streusel mixture over pie.

Bake 40 minutes or until set. Cool and serve with whipped cream.

-Arianna Schioldager