GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CREAM CUPCAKES

I am very lucky in the food department. I don't have any allergies or sensitivity to any certain types of foods. However, I know that is not the case for many and a very good friend of mine suffers from Celiac. I had never even heard of this disease before. Now that I know about it, I am so glad there are so many options these days for gluten free diets. I have experimented with several recipes to try to make a delicious meal or desert for her so she doesn't miss her gluten and these are another winner.

SPICY BLACK EYED PEAS WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE

This is by far the tastiest batch of black eyed peas I've ever had. This dish is perfect for New Years' or anytime.  You can make it spicier by adding an addition 1/2 tsp of Cayenne or a Jalapeno. These flavors blend well together and even my picky son loves these! I hope you enjoy them too. They are easy to make and a crowd pleaser!

CHEESY CHICKEN SPAGHETTI BAKE

I was in the mood to make something warm and hearty for my family since it's so cold outside, so tonight we are having chicken spaghetti! I have an 8 year old that eats about 5 things and this had been added to the list making it 6! It's super yummy and easy to make. The recipe calls for items that are already diced or cooked, so you can do this in advance, even the day before to save time.

CHICKEN AND LIME TORTILLA SOUP

I LOVE soup! I'm so happy it's fall and it's soup season. I came across this recipe a while ago when a friend pinned it and I knew it was one of the first things I would make when fall arrived. Well, I shouldn't have waited! I think you can make this ANY time, it's that good. I love beans, so I added black beans at the end to the portions that I would be eating because my husband despises beans. They were yummy! 

I hope you like this as much as I did!

PINOT POT ROAST

I love slow cooked meat. I especially love slow cooked meat with wine! This pot roast when paired with Pinot Noir and seasonings is delish! It's great when served with a side salad or potatoes and a nice glass of Pinot! Summer or not, slow cooker meals are easy and yummy!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

This soup is my all-time favorite soup! I love soups, I make them all the time, but something about this one reallly gets me. It's super healthy and I make it in huge batches so I can freeze it in single servings so I am able to enjoy it anytime.

YOGURT, PLUM, GRANOLA AND HONEY PARFAIT

I really love having greek yogurt for breakfast when it's hot outside. I am always looking for a different variety of ingredients to liven things up a bit. Things one seems to fall into the mix quite a bit. It's even more fun when you eat it out of a pretty glass! 

GREEK YOGURT GRANOLA BREAKFAST

 I am really trying to be good so I can make it to summer without putting on any extra pounds. I LOVE this greek yogurt for breakfast in the spring.

LUNCHMEAT LENTIL SOUP

It's a gloomy rainy June day here in Sunny California! Has me less than motivated. Great day for soup!! I just harvested and dried some basil from my garden and was looking for some inspiration from it. I glanced through the pantry and spotted the lentils. I love lentils. Here is an awesome soup I put together.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I hope the sun comes back out soon!

BACON, EGGS AND POTATO BREAKFAST BURRITOS

My husband loves breakfast burritos. They are the perfect portable breakfast. I keep them in the freezer so he can just grab one and take it to work with him. They are easy and yummy!!

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

In honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day I decided to make my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's a unique recipe, using dark brown sugar and almond extract and the oatmeal gives it a chewy texture which is what I love so much! 

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family does!

HOMESTYLE MEATLOAF

 I love a good meatloaf! This is not your simple 5 ingredient meatloaf, but most of these ingredients you should have in your pantry. It's a few more steps, but well worth it! I love serving this with a cheesy polenta or mashed potatoes and asparagus or broccoli. A great homestyle recipe that your family will love! 

RUSTIC PEA SOUP

Wow, it's been quite a while since I last posted on my blog. Not since cupcakes took over my life. For those of you that don't know, I opened a cupcake bakery (Copper Lantern Cupcakes) and had cupcakes and buttercream coming out of my ears! I was living out a dream and took a hobby of mine into a full time retail space! Exciting! Well, it was also more than what I and my family bargained for. Lots and lots of time away from home and too much stress to run a family full time and a business full time. I know I'm great at multi-tasking, but somewhere in there I ran out of hours in the day to get it all done and ultimately decided to close the retail space and concentrate on what I really loved to do. Cooking and baking and blogging! Yay!!  So, I'm back to cooking, baking, blogging, cleaning, yardwork, kids, homework, sports, etc and I LOVE IT!! (Gosh, that list is long)