By Kristin Helwig
These pretzels were crispy on the outside and fluffy chewy on the inside and then you dunk into the melty beer cheese dip, it’s perfect for any get together, game day or snack. They are great to reheat in the oven for 5 minutes as …
Tacos!! Who doesn’t love tacos?! We do tacos over here quite often. (Maybe once a week) I love all the endless combinations that can be created. I also started making my own flour and corn tortillas about a year ago and I can’t go …
This soup is the perfect post holidays meal, it feels like you’re indulging when actually it’s really healthy and packed full of vegetables. You won’t even miss the meat. It’s also a really good way to use up any leftover veggies that you have. I …
We got stuck in a snow storm last night. So, with candles burning and christmas music playing, I thought it would be fun to stay in and warm up with some homemade lasagna. There is something so comforting about all the layers of melting cheese, …
Gnocchi is such a comforting food, it makes you feel all warm and cozy. I love making it when it gets a little colder outside. I got a bunch of sweet potatoes from a pizza farm my husband and I went to the other day …
My all time favorite holiday of the year! I made a little dinner the other night for my brother and his girlfriend that won’t be able to make it Thursday. There’s no better time to bring all your friends and family around the kitchen …
Happy Halloween everyone!! With fall in full swing there’s nothing I love more than brewing a pot of coffee, lighting some candles and making fall comfort food all day long! I made this for Sunday dinner. It takes about 5-6 hours for the beef …
Happy Oktoberfest everyone! What better way to celebrate the German heritage by going to Germany in your own kitchen. I marinated the beef overnight in red wine and red wine vinegar with herbs and spices to give it that sour, tangy taste. It’s rich …
As my sister is traveling over in Europe right now, I am remembering  when I traveled to Barcelona, Spain; and what an incredible experience it was.  I ate some amazing food out there. They have tapas that are like small plate appetizers that are …
In a beautiful world between ice cream and mousse is the semifreddo. It’s a semi frozen dessert that loves all fruit. It’s sweet and creamy and melts in your mouth just like ice cream but light and fluffy like a mousse. I found some …
I made these scones the other day and every last one was taken! They are so light and fluffy with sweet and chewy sun-dried tomato chunks of rich blue cheese, tastefully accented with chives. Serve with a side salad and it’s perfect for brunch or …
This is such a rustic rich Indian dish! It’s one of my absolute favorites on a colder night or if you just need some good comfort food. The chicken thighs are marinated in a spiced yogurt and then braised down with a rich spiced creamy coconut …
I finally found some zucchini blossoms at the market the other day and what better way to enjoy them than stuffing them with crab and cheese, adding tempura batter, then frying them up! They are so addicting! Â I added a little heat into the …
Need a little something to cool off on these hot summer days? This is the perfect thing. It’s dairy and sugar-free so it’s very healthy. You can also substitute almost any frozen fruit if you wish. Ingredients 2 cups cantaloupe, medium diced and …
These little desserts are heaven on earth, the texture, flavor and cloud-like color are perfect for a special get together or a late night dessert. They just melt in your mouth between the floral notes of rose water and the sweetness of the chocolate …
I made this dish a while ago for a chef’s table at work. It was so much fun and everyone loved it. The smooth silkiness of the vanilla sauce really brings out the sweetness of the red snapper along with the fluffy crispiness of …
I love to make this when it’s slightly cold outside. There are so many spices in it that make it such a bright and vibrant Moroccan stew. The key is to toast all the spices together just to enrich the flavors of each one. …
This is for when you need some good old comfort in your life. Perfect for those colder spring days. A nice twist on the chicken noodle soup. The orzo is a little lighter and the lemon just brightens it right up. It’s a very …
In honor of baseball opening week, who doesn’t love corn dogs?! Besides pretzels they are the second thing I look for at the ball park. I was making all different kinds of dogs at work today, homemade corn dogs, brats, hot dogs, even tofu dogs, …
Happy Easter my friends!! Hope the Easter bunny was good to you. I made these pancakes yesterday for a lazy Saturday. All these flavors together might sounds crazy but I’m telling you the combination of the creamy fluffiness of the ricotta, herby sweetness of …
So much fresh bright flavor infused into this vodka. The balance of the lemon to the basil is so subtle, they balance out perfect, just giving that slight sweet herb balance. Drink this as an aperitif or after dinner drink. Perfect palate cleanser! Ingredients …
Who doesn’t love a good easy granola bar?! These are super fast and packed full of healthy delicious flavor. They are perfect to make for a snack on the go and kids will love them too! I had a couple of bananas that I had …
I made this dish at work the other day and it is absolute pure comfort food at it’s finest. The lamb is so rich tender and falling apart. The lavender gives it such a nice floral note while the wine and lemons just brighten …
I made these at work the other day and they flew off the platter!! Basil is one of my all time favorite herbs, it just brightens every dish up and in this case I tried it in a dessert. It has a sort of …
Such a beautiful little Saturday morning treat! The lavender gives them such a slight floral flavor and the almond balances out with it’s sweet nutiness. Perfect with your morning espresso or cup of coffee. The scones came out so soft, flaky and buttery and …
 Well I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!! I found this recipe of halloumi crusted lamb and thought it would be fun with chicken to make it a little lighter. If you have never had halloumi before, let me introduce you. It’s a …
The holiday season it the best time for baking and this is a perfect dessert, it’s festive and rich in chocolate! I made it for my husband’s law partners birthday. The espresso gives it such a nice coffee kick and the raspberry garnish just …
Happy holidays friends!! How fun and festive is this cake?! I made it the other day just because I was feeling in the holiday spirit. It is light as a cloud with that hint of peppermint and chocolate. It would be perfect for the …
I made this dish at work the other day for the CEO of United Health Care Group. With help I created a menu for him to choose from and this dish was chosen. I had made a shrimp pumpkin curry dish at home and …
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Who’s ready?! We celebrated a friendsgiving yesterday so I decided to take the standard apple pie and spice it up with some crystalized ginger. You can always buy a pie crust as well, but there is something special …
One of my all time favorite things is pasta, especially homemade pasta. There really isn’t anything better. I never had the patience to dry it before but I did last night and it was life changing! If you have a little extra time, try this. …
I love gnocchi and pumpkin so any time I can come up with a new gnocchi recipe I’m all over it! Combing two of my favorite things, what more can I ask for?! These say fall in every single bite. They are like little …
When I was at the market the other day I found some awesome huckleberries that were locally grown. I had to incorporate it into dinner! I then found sea bass from the fish market and thought they would be perfect together. The sauce is sweet and …
Chimichurri beef fajitas or tacos are such an easy go to around here. I just recently figured out an awesome recipe to make homemade flour tortillas. I add a couple of spices in them to make them so flavorful. They are so much better than the …
One of my favorite breads to make during the summer is zucchini bread with all the bountiful zucchini at the farmers market during the summer. The blueberries I had gotten from berry picking up in the Keweenaw Peninsula. There are tons of wild berries …
Grain bowls are one of my new favorite things ever! They are super healthy and can be loaded with anything you want. I found some awesome forbidden rice and farro so I combined the two and it’s the perfect texture! I kept it vegetarian …
I’m so excited to share this recipe! Think of a lobster roll with a twist. We can’t eat enough salmon and pesto around here and pairing it with all the fresh vegetables from the market, it’s amazing! I got all the produce from the …
When you’re trying to eat healthy, but still want that protein, fish is always a great option. We love the mild flavor and flakiness of Halibut, so we eat a lot of it. So, I’m always trying to come up with recipes to make each …
It’s berry season!! The berries this year at the market are incredible. I found some amazing blueberries at the farmers market yesterday and got some of the sweetest raspberries from my friend’s back yard. I froze half of the raspberries and the other half …
Think of a Venezuelan sandwich filled with meat and cheese! What could be better?! They are little corn flour flatbreads. I loaded mine up with spicy pulled chicken, queso fresco, creamy avocados and scallions for a little onion flavor. Be creative!! Arepas  Ingredients …
Happy fourth of July weekend!! What a beautiful day it’s going to be. Hope you’re all celebrating outside in the sunshine. This is going to be your perfect dessert for that backyard BBQ. Always a stunning classic! Ingredients 1 pint fresh blueberries 1 …
This is one of my absolute favorite meals. Where everyone can just gather around the table and everyone passes it around family style with a lots of juicy tomatoes, crisp English cucumbers, Kalmata olives, good Greek feta cheese, chicken or lamb kofta, babaganoush, tzatziki, garlic …
Pizza Night! Always a favorite night in this household. Artichoke Pesto with diced turkey, roasted red peppers, greens, toasted pine nuts and parmesan! I love this artichoke pesto, it’s so light and creamy. The artichokes give it the rich creaminess without all the cheese and I …
So what is one to do with all those strawberries of the season?! Make jam! There’s nothing better than homemade jam. I used strawberries and rhubarb and instead of adding the pectin I used an apple, and spiced it up with a cinnamon stick …
I have a serious love for good soft pretzels. They remind me of sunny baseball games with my husband and shopping at the mall with my mom and sister. I can’t even tell you how amazing these are, whether it be the amazing golden crust …
I had a salad similar to this when I was up in Grand Marais, MN, it was one of my favorite salads of all time! Up in Grand Marais they are known for their whitefish and happen to have some of the best right out …
I was just recently out in Philadelphia for a wedding and I came across this drink at a market. At first I was curious about the rosewater in it but let me tell you, as soon as I took a sip it was so …
 Lately I’ve been loving making homemade naan, which is an Indian flatbread. In doing some research I found a bunch of stuffed naans. So I had to try my twist on it. I stuffed it with ground lamb, feta and spinach, and topped it off …
I just made this patriotic salad the other day for Memorial Day and it was the perfect side to all the grilled food. The mozzarella is so creamy and salty and then it kind of melts when it hits the blistered tomatoes. All the …
Rhubarb is finally at the market! So what better way to enjoy this beautifully tart vegetable? It pairs perfectly with strawberries or apples but I had a ton of berries in the fridge and thought they would be perfect. Topped with the crispy light meringue….Yum! …
I have been wanting to make these for quite some time now. They are the perfect little dumpling if you’re looking to make your own dim sum. You can really add any kind of filling you would like inside. Be creative! Traditionally these are …
Happy Cinco de Mayo!! In honor, I’m doing a clean refreshing little palate cleanser. This sorbet is spicy and sweet and just perfect at the end of a rich Mexican dinner, or just on a hot summer day on the patio; go for it! …
We had a couple of friends over last night for dinner, so I wanted a dinner that didn’t need a lot of dishes. Fast clean up! This BBQ is so rich, smoky, spicy all the flavors just melt together and the longer it sits …
This is my 100th post!! I wanted to do something simple and special with my twist on it so what better way than with an awesome chicken dish. The chicken thighs are juicy with a perfect crispy skin (that’s key), sweet and creamy parsnips with …
Happy Spring! Last night’s dinner, homemade lemon herb fettuccine with a ton of bright spring veggies and a lemon olive oil drizzled over the top. This dish is so light and vibrant, you could eat it hot or save it for leftovers and eat it …
When I was at the store the other day there was an awesome deal on wild swordfish. I couldn’t resist! Swordfish is a very mild fish so you can really put any flavors you want with it. But these flavors together really compliment the …
I have been so obsessed with these Japanese noodles lately. I can’t seem to get enough of them, I find myself craving them all the time. They are very easy to make just takes a little bit of time, and just three ingredients; flour, …
It was my dad’s 60th birthday this last week so we all celebrated by throwing him a surprise party and going to CCR! We were having tacos for dinner and I know how much he loves his pistachios. There’s always a bowl down in …
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! I’m celebrating by making these little French treats with an Irish cream. I absolutely love macarons, and the fact that you can make them any flavor you wish is even more fun. These are also a gluten-free treat only made …
I made this the other day for my family when they came up for an appetizer, it lasted about 5 minutes and it was gone. I never realized how much fun it was to make homemade cheese! It so light, airy and creamy. Serve it over a …
This is my twist on a southwest salad. I loaded it up with tons of colorful vegetables, blackened shrimp and a spicy cilantro lime dressing that’s sweet, spicy, and I want to bottle it up and eat it every day! It’s so good. …
I am in love with lavender! I love baking with it, lotions, essential oils, the flowers, candles, and how can you beat that smell?! Clearly, my whole wedding revolved around herbs and especially lavender. It just makes me happy, everything about it. I always have it …
I have a ton of dill growing in my kitchen right now and thought what better way to use up all these beautiful herbs. The lemon compliments the dill amazingly. This little dish is like taking a trip to Athens without leaving your kitchen! I …
Just getting done with my run, there’s nothing I love more than a little fresh juice. When water just doesn’t quench that thirst this tropical juice is everything you need! Ingredients 2 cups pineapple, large dice 2 blood oranges, peeled 1 orange, peeled 1 mango, …
In honor of Mardi Gras I thought what better way to celebrate than by making these light and fluffy little pillows of love! I wanted to bring the excitement of New Orleans Beignets into my Minnesota kitchen. They are perfectly crispy and sweet and I …
My all time favorite go to snack is popcorn! I feel like I could eat it everyday. It’s so much better homemade than out of the bag, first you can control how much butter and salt goes on it, then you can spice it up …
On cold winter nights there is nothing better to me than a spicy warm broth with noodles, especially homemade broth! The longer it sits and simmers on the stove the better. It just gets richer and more delicious. Also the beautiful thing about these …
Happy almost Valentine’s Day loves! I never need an excuse to eat chocolate, I love it in every way. But these are such a fun way to spread the love this V-Day. The balsamic gives the chocolate a little extra intense complex sweetness that just …
On days when I feel I need to eat healthier this is now my new go to. The herb caper sauce is packed with so much flavor, lemony, briny, spicy it’s a perfect balance on the baked halibut and brown rice. I’m sure it …
I feel like during the winter I could eat spicy noodles every day! There is just something so warm and comforting about it. These are super quick and easy noodles. You can always make them with no vegetables as well but I love the …
Happy citrus season! What better way to appreciate all these beautiful fruits. The balance between the anise flavored fennel, sweet tangy citrus, and salty buttery salmon with the creamy avocado with the peppery arugula mixed in to balance it out….I’m telling you it’s the best …
I love anything almond and this is no exception. I can’t get enough of this heavenly cake. It’s so light and airy it feels like your eating clouds. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup cake flour 1 1/2 cups egg whites …
With it being the middle of winter I am in love with blood oranges, especially blood orange juice! So after I ran yesterday I decided to throw some coconut water in there to add a little extra sweetness, and club soda for effervescence. Perfect! …
This is the classic burger made healthier with turkey instead of beef. I promise you, you won’t miss the beef! The spicy homemade pickles give a little extra kick to this burger with their crisp, spicy dill flavor. You can top it with whatever …
These are the perfect little appetizers! I made them for my friends baby shower. So light and fresh, the herbs just brightens it right up. The pesto would be perfect to spread on a pizza or sandwich as well! Ingredients Pesto 1 (10 ounce) bag …
There’s nothing I love more than good homemade bread. This was a recipe my grandma used to make for her family. It takes a little bit to make but it’s so worth it. The smell of warm bread in the oven just fills the …
Happy New Year everyone!! Anyone feeling a little under the weather today? Ready to start the new year out right? Try this delicious little green detox juice. It will make you feel so good from the inside out! Your body will thank you later. If you …
 Over the holidays I’m constantly trying to find homemade gift ideas. Finally I found an awesome one…Spicy pickled vegetables for my dad! He loves anything spicy so I thought what better way to spread the love. Anything homemade just brings that extra little special …
Who can resist a nice warming cup of holiday cheer over the holidays? I know I can’t! I made up the perfect little cup. I used almond milk to switch it up and add a little nutty richness. Out shopping the other day, I found the peppermint …
This is the perfect winter salad when the oranges and pomegranates are in season. The sweetness from the oranges and tartness from the pomegranates are the perfect combination! It’s light and refreshing and balances out nice with all that delicious comfort food that’s going around. …
Happy holidays and cookie season!! This is my favorite time of the year. Everywhere you go it smells like Christmas  trees and with their sparkling lights there is just a certain magic in the air. I love to make all kinds of cookies and this is …
My favorite combination! The crispy outside of the buttery salmon, freshness from the dill and sweet citrus from the lemon just brightens this dish right up. We eat a lot of fish and I love changing up the combinations of flavors, to see what brings …
One of my favorite fall vegetables along with many is the deliciously sweet butternut squash. I always grew up eating lots of acorn squash so I wanted to make a soup with both and add just a touch more sweetness and tartness from the …
I absolutely love homemade pizzas. There is nothing better than homemade crispy, crunchy crust, endless toppings, and gooey melted cheese. The crust is like a blank canvas awaiting your imagination! Last night I had a bunch of left over greens and mushrooms in the fridge; and then found …
I find over the holidays that I always have leftover pumpkin puree that needs to be used up. So what better way than a festive smoothie. It’s perfect for breakfast or after a workout! Ingredients 2 frozen bananas sliced 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1/4 cup …
I absolutely love anything almond and especially almond cookies! These are just amazing so butter and flaky, and the green tea ice cream adds just that little something special. If you don’t prefer green tea you can always substitute, be creative! The options are endless!! …
This is my absolute new favorite salad! I found a whole bunch of kale and baby arugula from the farmers market and was craving this after my run yesterday. The arugula gives it a nice peppery spicy bite, while the squash and cherries add a …
I love love love making homemade pasta! There is nothing quite like it. There’s something very soothing and rustic about kneading dough. I have been thinking about adding pumpkin to homemade pasta for a while and this is what I came up with. The …
This is an absolute favorite of mine to make for a fall dinner! It’s hearty, sweet, savory, and creamy with a touch of cinnamon! All of the best flavors together in one dish!! Ingredients 1 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive …
Happy apple season!! We went to the apple orchard on Sunday and filled up with tons of apples and found these awesome apple brats, so I had to make these. The apple sauce is so rich and delicious and easy to make. Your …
I can’t even describe how delicious these are! There are just so many flavors and textures in these salmon burgers, sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy. You definitely need two hands to eat this! Salmon Burger  Ingredients 1 lb. wild Atlantic salmon filet, …
I have been playing around with the idea of purple potato gnocchi for a while. I finally found some amazing purple sweet potatoes at the farmers market and I couldn’t resist. So happy fall!!! This is my twist on the traditional sweet potato gnocchi …
This is such a fun twist on couscous! It makes the couscous nutty and crunchy, packed with all the delicious Mediterranean flavors. Ingredients  2 tbsp. scallions, sliced 1 tbsp. capers, minced 1 cup kalamata olives, chopped ½ cup red bell peppers, cored, seeded and …
This is perfect for all the end of the summer corn. It’s creamy and rich and total comfort food that will warm you right up on a cold day!  Ingredients 1 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil ½ cup yellow onion, small …
This is my twist on the classic Friday night fish and chips. I found some really awesome tilapia and decided to pan fry it with some roasted sweet potato fries so it would be healthier. I then paired it with the lemon caper sauce …
I made this bread yesterday with a couple ripe bananas while I was cleaning the house. So as you can imagine the house was super clean, decorating for fall and this delicious bread was baking in the oven making the whole house smell like cinnamon …
Happy fall!! My favorite time of the year! I made these the other day when we went to the Brewer game for tailgating, and they got taken into the game by the pocketful. They are chewy and delicious and pack full of all those favorite fall …
These are so easy and so much fun to make! They will get eaten by the handfuls so make sure to make extra! The pecans are full of so many flavors, nutty, sweet, salty and spicy. My family can’t get enough!  Ingredients 1 lb. …
