I love to gaze at pictures of beautiful food to gain cooking inspiration and study food styling techniques. Recently I saw a picture on Williams & Sonoma that captured my attention. It was an heirloom tomato tart and it was visually stunning. However, I was not a fan of their recipe as I prefer baked ricotta to fresh. (It’s a texture thing) It also sounded rather bland so I decided to create my own version with bolder flavors and a blend of fresh herbs from my garden. The Inspiration Photo from Williams & Sonoma Now, I could have made my own crust but I am obsessed with the Pillsbury R ..read more

It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To This past December I hosted a holiday party and one of my appetizers was a giant fail. It had nothing to do with the recipe or my execution. You see, my appetizer was meant to cook and stay warm in one of my favorite kitchen appliances, the slow cooker. My slow cooker was only a few years old so when it just wouldn’t stay on, I figured it was my outlet or a fuse. I moved it to another outlet and tried again… no luck. My husband happens to be an electrician, so I asked him to check it out. After about 10mins of investigation the verdict was – appliance de ..read more

I happen to be one of those weirdos who truly enjoys chopping, dicing, and knife prep work. There is something very cathartic about taking time to lovingly prepare ingredients that nurture and sustain my loved ones. I must also confess that I have a bit of OCD and uniform cuts and slices satisfy my soul more than I would like to admit. There is only one thing that can deplete my love of cutting and it is a dull knife. There is nothing worse than a knife that wants to slip, crush, and otherwise mangle my food. For years I have happily used a $25 Victorinox Chef’s knife and used a pull-through k ..read more

20 years ago, Ramen Noodles were a staple of my college life. I was poor and a pkg of Ramen cost a mere 10 cents/package. It could be “souped up” with a can of chicken, a soft boiled egg, or some hot sauce if you liked it spicy. It was the perfect “poverty food”. I ate so much of it that I burned myself out and didn’t touch it again for over 15 years. But then my (then) tweenager became obsessed with Japanese culture. He loved it all: anime, sushi, Pokémon, and of course, ramen noodles. He began requesting that I buy it by the case. I obliged him and assumed it would be a short lived phase. No ..read more

Over the last year I have immersed myself into the foodie world by meeting and interviewing some of Colorado Springs most talented women in the culinary industry. Through this venture I have also made some wonderful friendships. One of these friends, Liz Deen of Cotton Blossom Caramels, mentioned that I needed to meet Jennifer Choi and try her amazing cookies. Liz said, “Not only are Jennifer’s cookies beautiful, they are delicious!” I am a sucker for a good sugar cookie and made it my mission to reach out to Jennifer so I could meet her and try some samples. Jennifer Choi of Craft and Crumble ..read more

Charcuterie (pronounced /shar-koo-ta-ree/) is a term that comes from two French words, “chair” which means meat, and “cuit” with means cooked. This basically means the practice of preparing meat products like sausage, ham, salami, and pate that can preserve the meat without refrigeration. In the 15th century, when the French invented charcuterie they did so to reduce waste. They added salt, seasonings, less desirable cuts of meat, trimmings, and fat to create the delicious artisan products we still enjoy today. In modern times, the charcuterie board has evolved to includes cheese, fruits, nuts ..read more

Figs are by far one of my favorite seasonal fruits. They are typically harvested from late June to early November, depending on the variety and where they are grown. They have a sweet jammy flavor with hints of honey and berry. The texture is soft with a slight crunch from the edible seeds. Figs are very versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. They are absolutely gorgeous and look amazing as an edible garnish on charcuterie, salads, and on/in desserts. I have several recipes for enjoying figs and I wanted to share them with you so you can start planning your fall fig menu ..read more

Shrimp and Grits is one of my very favorite meals. The ingredients with the exception of shrimp, are quite affordable. Luckily my local grocery store has shrimp on sale just about every week, so I really prefer to make this dish at home. Typically restaurants charge around $15-$25 for this entrée and you can serve 4 people for the same price if you cook it yourself. If you’re looking to entertain guests or make a romantic meal for your loved one, this meal is sure to impress! Shrimp & Grits with Braised Collard Greens Garnished with Bacon and Parsley View and Print Recipe Grits are the one ..read more

This summer I was scrolling through Facebook when I noticed some delicious looking sourdough bread on my local neighborhood page.  A neighbor by the name of Lara Osmon was selling these gorgeous sourdough boules and even offered to deliver them if we lived locally.  I immediately called dibs on a loaf, and she delivered same day.   When the bread arrived at my door, it was still warm.  I don’t know about you, but warm bread invokes feelings of contentment and coziness for me.  I don’t understand this phenomenon, but it’s real!  I had to try it while it was st ..read more

I would like to introduce Jessica “Jessie” Williams of Black Forest Brownies.  I met Jessie at the backyard market in June of 2022 after I spotted a line of hungry customers.  I usually gravitate to booths with lots of people because they always seem to have the inside scoop.  I chatted up a fellow customer and he asked me if I had ever tried a Black Forest Brownie.  I told him that I hadn’t, but looked forward to getting my hands on one.  He told me that they were the BEST brownies he had ever eaten.  That is high praise, and I am a bit of a brownie snob so I was ..read more