It’s no exaggeration to say I think about food day and night. Really… I go to bed thinking about food, and I wake up excited about what I’m going to eat. So it’s only natural that I look at any holiday as an excuse to eat yummy things! I know I’m not alone in this by any means. After all, we tend to create weekly holidays just for eating. I mean… why not make an ordinary Tuesday a ‘Taco Tuesday’?...
When I’m craving a brownie, what I’m after is a fudgy, ultra-chocolatey experience. A little bit of chewiness and a lightly crackling top are also necessary parts of the package. No fluffy or cakey brownies to be found here. I found the perfect ‘better than the box’ recipe a few years ago. And I would make it from time to time for the occasional guilty indulgence. It was straight-up white sugar, white flour, and all the processed ingredients....
We had the most magical morning for the Cavell Meadows Hike. The clouds were lifting between storms, and everywhere you looked the views were like a fairy tail. We tried to do this hike several years ago, but due to bad weather we didn’t make it. The trail is often closed until the first part of July to protect the fragile upper meadows area. You have 2 different options for this hike, and both of them are stunning....
Corona Arch was one of our favorite hikes from our time in Moab. Even though we usually prefer really quiet trails, this one wasn’t too busy! We also got super lucky and arrived at the arch just in time to see some paragliders come through. The other bonus on this trail is you pass by Bowtie Arch right before you reach Corona. And there’s a side trail you can take to see Pinto Arch as well....
We started our one and only day in the Tetons in a small gravel parking lot just south of Yellowstone National Park. We had spent some wonderful days up in the Beartooth Pass area and wanted to see Grand Teton National Park. Our ‘vacation’ was just a break between one construction job ending for Tyler, and another beginning. So the amount of time we had was unknown. And so like 2 people that should know better, we decided to brave entering Yellowstone on the 4th of July....
These easy-to-make Fajita Veggies are part of our Mexican ‘build a bowl’ series. Last week we started with the Chipotle Chicken and Best Guacamole. And now we’re adding some tasty fajita veggies to the mix. Mexican-inspired meals are something we never get tired of. And so you’ll find us eating some sort of a ‘build your own bowl’ almost every single week of the year. These types of recipes are also perfect for meal prepping as well....
We make many variations of these salad bowls because we love them so much! They’re great with rice or rice noodles. And in the summer, I like to make them with extra lettuce and no rice for a lighter meal. These salad bowls are a great way to add lots of fresh flavor in the middle of the winter because they rely on simple vegetables that are easily available year round....
We love a good cream sauce around here, both for weekend dinners and entertaining. This simply flavored garlic parmesan cream sauce is very versatile and pairs with any protein, veggies, or pasta. But it’s also great tossed together with pasta, sautéed chicken/shrimp, and served with roasted veggies. All in all, this quick and easy sauce is one of my go-to’s for entertaining and it’s also easy enough for at-home date nights, without spending forever in the kitchen....
We stood next to this impressive waterfall just a few weeks ago, and it’s even more impressive than you can describe. Tyler and I have been visiting Kootenai Falls for 13 years, and I’ve been to this spot at least 20 times now. And even though we go every June, it never disappoints or fails to impress. From there we headed back down the trail and over to the Kootenai Falls swinging bridge which gives you another vantage point of the river....
Do you remember those creamsicle popsicles, or orange sherbet… or Orange Julius smoothies? You name it, all those creamy – dreamy orange concoctions from childhood are the best! Today I have a simple, 3-ingredient smoothie that’s good enough to keep me away from coffee in the morning – at least for a couple of hours anyway. This one tastes even better than the Orange Julius smoothies I remember getting from the mall....
There’s a reason Montana is called Big Sky Country – I mean… just look at that blue sky there’s really no end to it! We had a beautiful cloudless day to hike Piegan Pass with stellar views every step of the way! From the top of the pass, you’ll see into the Many Glacier region of the park where the red rock begins, (photos below). It can be a through hike like Siyeh Pass, but it’s a bit more problematic because the end of the trail is so far from the beginning....
Since I shared my smoked chicken breast a few years back, I’ve meant to get my chicken thighs written down and shared too. You can go the classic way and brush them with barbecue sauce in the last bit of cooking. Then, serve them with a simple salad and grilled potatoes or potato salad. Or you can keep them plain and serve them with just about anything you can imagine!...
I’m really quite predictable with my seasonal cravings. With every fall that arrives I’m overly enthusiastic about all things apple and of course sweet potatoes. But as the months wear on into winter I start longing for the summer produce again. I know there’s things in season for a lot of people, but from where I’m sitting, the world outside is a winter wonderland, and it’s a chilly 2ºF right now....
I think sweet and sour was the first kind of stir fry I ever tried. And since I was quite young, the super sweet nature of it was very appealing. But funny enough even as a sugar addict, it was always a little too sweet. And time and again I went back to my standby which was Egg Drop Soup. However sweet and sour is a classic that has always had a place in my heart, even if it’s never been a regular in my menu until now....
Just picture a perfectly spiced cake, weighed down by loads of apples and a crunchy streusel topping. And if that doesn’t sound tasty enough… it’s all drizzled with a maple glaze. There’s just so much fall flavor in this tasty cake! How to make this recipe step by step I really hope you enjoy this Almond Flour Apple Cake recipe! If you do get a chance to make it, I’d love to hear from you in the comments....
Sunshine on crisp fall mornings is one of my favorite things. The temperatures drop, and the leaves start turning color. Best of all, I turn my oven back on and start baking again after a summer filled with all things grilled! Weekend mornings become filled with yummy baked goods and fresh hot coffee. These muffins are the definition of perfectly moist, (if I’m allowed to say that word) topped with cinnamon pecan streusel and lightly glazed....
The inspiration for this recipe came to me years ago when my sister-in-law pulled a bag of pre-made meatballs out of the freezer for a quick meal. I instantly fell in love with the convenience of it and knew I wanted to create a homemade gluten-free version. These are also good in a stroganoff sauce, in chicken soup, or dipped into a myriad of sauces like a chicken nugget. And I can attest they’re great in BBQ sauce, my Dairy Free Ranch, Honey Mustard Sauce, or even ketchup!...
This Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with Mixed Herb Chimichurri is a showstopper and so easy to make! Grilling on a cedar plank is the perfect way to make anything look incredible, and the flavor is so good with everything I’ve tried. The first time I ever used a cedar plank, I couldn’t find anything that was big enough to soak the plank in – which is something I didn’t think about when I bought the big pack of cedar planks from Costco....
My favorite part about the last hurrah of summer is when tomato and corn season finally collide. We’re a little behind everyone else seasonally here, which means local corn just showed up last week! So to celebrate, I took the now classic Mexican Street Corn, and turned it into an absolutely loaded dinner salad. Picture perfectly spiced grilled chipotle chicken over a bed of greens topped with loads of street corn salad....
Do you ever find yourself in need of a showstopper dessert, something that looks impressive but doesn’t take 3 hours and countless layers/fillings/frostings to assemble? I find myself in this situation all the time, and so I developed this recipe that even the busiest person can manage. It’s most definitely the easiest dessert I’ve ever made, and you don’t even have to turn on the oven! It’s a simple brownie crust that comes together in mere minutes in the food processor....
