I’ve been making pies for a long time. My mom taught me to make a homemade crust when I was young, and I’ve been making them every Thanksgiving, Christmas, Fourth of July and occasional birthday since then. Here’s one I did for Thanksgiving last year (we ate it while watching football :). My mom originally […]
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Homemade Pie Crust: Everything You Need to Know

Chipotle Caesar Salad with La Vaquita Queso Fresco
Ever have a craving for Tex Mex but still want to feel good about what you’re eating? I do . . . basically every day ;) I want that spicy, smoky, salty, creamy, crunchy goodness of Tex Mex, without feeling like I need a nap after lunch. Which is why I am loving this easy Chipotle […]

Weekly Meal Plan: Taco Dinner
I posted my weekly meal plan on Monday, and then specifics for the Salmon Dinner yesterday. Today I’m posting specifics for the Taco Dinner. We usually have tacos on Tuesday (for no other reason than we just got hooked on the social media moniker “Taco Tuesday” and now we’re used to it). Plus, it’s a nice change from […]

Seasoned Ground Beef for Tacos
Well hello! So happy you’re here! But I should warn you: this recipe is not for the Tex-Mex tacos you might be thinking of (the ones with a greasy yellow shell and heavily cumin-and-chili-powder seasoned ground beef). While those tacos are delicious, these are not those. Although I hesitate to generalize, you could say these have more of an interior Mexican flavor. […]

Why I Always Buy Frozen Shrimp, PLUS a Recipe for Super-Fast Sautéed Garlic Shrimp
I made this Easy Summer Gazpacho the other day, and after the first bite I was totally craving seafood! There’s something about that cold tomato soup with cilantro, avocado and lime that makes me want a big pile of shrimp. (And crab cakes. And a cold glass of wine. And a sunset and an ocean breeze. And, okay […]

Easy Summer Gazpacho
Ahhh, summer. Three months of feeling like I need a shower. When we were kids, the heat never seemed as bad. We loved the summers, and especially the beach. In June or July or sometimes both, our family would pile into the Oldsmobile (emphasis on “old”), and head down to the Texas coast. Then for three […]

All the Mexican Recipes You Need!
I’m posting these for Cinco de Mayo, but these recipes yummy Mexican recipes are also great for easy weeknight meals, or Mexican-themed dinner parties. Of course, for a truly perfect occasion, add margaritas! Easiest Crockpot Pork Verde (gluten free) Easiest Crockpot Chicken Tinga Tacos (gluten free) Crockpot Barbacoa (gluten free) Authentic Caldo de Res (gluten free) Ceviche (gluten free) Ceviche tostadas (gluten […]

Easy Cilantro Lime Sauce
Have you made my cilantro-lime sauce yet? It really is the best sauce ever, and goes well with almost everything! But don’t take my word for it ;) This is what readers are saying: I made this for fish tacos. It was so good that my family ended up using it has a dip for crackers and veggies. The […]

Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos
I posted these chicken tinga tacos on my instagram feed yesterday and a few friends asked for the recipe. Shannon, Krista and Allison: Here it is! Hope you get a chance to try it! So there are a lot of great recipes out there for chicken tinga (basically, shredded chicken in a tomato-chipotle sauce), but unfortunately, most of them involve […]

Easy Citrus Marinade for Chicken
With summer here, doesn’t anything citrusy sound superb? Like homemade cherry limeade, Lemon-tarragon sauce, Cilantro-lime sauce, And this citrus-marinated chicken. The citrus marinade keeps the chicken light and juicy, and adds a hint of sweetness. It’s so easy, too. Just whisk the ingredients together, and then marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for a few hours (I use a […]

Gluten-Free Chocolate Tart
This chocolate tart is one of my all-time top five desserts. It’s easy to make, rich and satisfying, and absolutely stunning to serve. The other wonderful thing about this chocolate tart is its simplicity. The filling requires just a handful of real-food ingredients: butter, cream, vanilla, chocolate, and a pinch of cinnamon. The crust, however, is not […]

Stacked Pear Spinach Salad
Have you ever seen a salad so beautiful? Oh I just love everything about it. The pear goes so well with the maple-syrup vinaigrette, blue cheese and candied pecans. And the presentation, oh the presentation! You can serve this salad vertically or horizontally. And while serving it vertically makes for a truly stunning presentation, be careful […]

Jeannie’s Buttermilk Biscuits
Growing up, we spent the holidays at my grandmother Jeannie’s house in Lago Vista, which is about 45 minutes outside of Austin. (Jeannie insisted that we call her by her first name, not “granny” or “nana” or “mee-maw” or “bobo.” So we did.) Jeannie made a lot of good food—roast turkey, honey-glazed ham, mashed potatoes […]

Authentic Red Mole in 5 Simple Steps
Mole can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Really, you can make authentic red mole in less than one hour by following these five simple steps: ROAST FRY SOAK BLEND STRAIN If you can get these steps down, you just might be making mole from memory before you know it!! (Unless you are pregnant […]

Mexican Flan: Step by Step
Let’s talk flan, people. What is it? Flan is a delicate baked caramel custard dessert, popular in Mexico and South and Central America. When flan is done correctly, it’s absolutely the most heavenly dessert you’ve ever tasted. When it’s done wrong, it’s miserable (something akin to sweet overcooked scrambled eggs). My husband John was very vocal flan-hater […]

My Great-Grandma’s Apple Pie
We always make two pies on Thanksgiving. Usually, apple and pumpkin, or bourbon-pecan and pumpkin. For the pumpkin, I use Libby’s tried-and-true recipe; it’s easy and always turns out well. For the pecan, I use my own favorite recipe for Double-Shot-of-Bourbon Pecan Pie; this one is also easy (you just need one bowl!) and is absolutely […]

Seven Secrets for Killer Kale Chips
So I’m slightly obsessed with kale. No, not THIS obsessed. But I am definitely on the kale bandwagon of late. Almost overnight, I went from a maybe-Kale eater to a daily-Kale eater after watching this truly fascinating TED Talk about the health benefits of kale and other fibrous, sulfurous vegetables. (Go on … I’ll be quiet here for 17 […]

How to Make Chimichurri
Chimichurri. It is my favorite condiment of late for so many reasons: It’s easy to make. It’s light and fresh. It goes with anything. It adds a vibrant green color to your plate. It’s gluten, grain and dairy free, as well as paleo, vegan, sugar free, and raw! What’s more, the main ingredient — parsley — […]

How to Roast Acorn Squash in the Oven
Let’s talk fall for a minute. Acorn squash. On the outside, it may be dark green, orange, or beige. The ones with dark green skin seem to be more common at our local grocery stores, although Trader Joe’s had some pretty orange ones last fall. I find acorn squash easier to work with than the other amber-fleshed […]

Easy Crock-Pot Beans / Frijoles Faciles
Beans. Such a simple, primitive food. Yet so controversial in their cooking. Over the years I’ve heard infinite opinions about when you should salt the beans and whether you should soak them. (To add to the confusion, some say you should salt them while you soak them.) Sigh. As for the actual cooking part, this excerpt from The Kitchn […]