I haven’t always liked eggs, but I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love them deviled! I love graduation parties and barbecue season strictly for the promise of deviled eggs (although the sunshine and the good company aren’t too bad, either). The best part about these tasty treats is that they’re easy to make! They’re also the absence of muss and fuss that you get with regular eggs, and the ability to hard boil an egg is an excellent cooking talent to have!

This appetizer is the perfect introduction to a summer (or any season, really) get-together. And if you have leftovers, though I doubt you will, they can substitute as a satisfying lunch when paired with salad! Enjoy!

What you’ll need:

• 6 eggs
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard
• 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Paprika

Growing up, my mom always knew the best ways to cheer up her children. If I was having a bad day or felt sick, she would make my favorite foods, and that would be an instant mood booster for me. One of my favorite dishes that my mom used to make was her famous chocolate eclair cake. This easy to make cake doesn’t require baking at all which is the best part! No need for an oven!

This is one of my favorite dessert dishes ever, and my mom still makes it whenever we come home for the holidays or just feel like eating some sinful dessert, she whips up this recipe and we’re all happy campers! I cannot wait to make this dish for my kids! (Awww…) It’s so easy to make and only takes a little while to get chilled and then it’s ready to serve! Enjoy this tasty dish! Read More »

With summer quickly approaching, I can’t wait to go home and…go hiking. I’ve been in my freshman year of college for the past 8-some months, and the closest I’ve gotten to a hike was pumping up the incline on the treadmill and trying to imagine some form of shrubbery around me. In the summer, I pretty much go hiking every day. Whether it’s with my dad or my best friend, hiking is one of my favorite forms of exercise because I don’t even realize I’m exercising. I can have a really nice, interesting conversation with whomever I’m hiking with, burning calories the whole time.

This burning of calories requires some form of energy-replenishing, however. It’s important to bring water and snacks, especially when the hike is really difficult and takes a long time. In this case, granola bars are my favorite thing to bring on a hike. They’re easy to throw into a backpack, they’re tasty and they just go well with nature. I started making my own granola bars (recipe courtesy of my favorite chef, Ina Garten) for this exact reason, and let me just say that I think they’re pretty damn good. Read More »

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right? Right. They also call this “Engagement Chicken” for a reason. Apparently, if you make this for your boyfriend he’ll propose to you. While I wouldn’t rely on this chicken alone to get your boyfriend to pop the question, it certainly helps!

If you don’t have a boyfriend (or don’t want a husband like the majority of us college girls) you can make this for your friends. Think about it like a “get whatever you want” chicken. Want to borrow your friend’s brand new shoes? Make this chicken. Need to apologize to your friend after she had to take care of your drunken self last weekend? Make this chicken. Read More »

I’m not even going to sit here and pretend I am some master Paula Deen-esque chef. I can barely make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without messing it up. My mom is a terrible cook as well, so I never really got the life lessons in cooking from anyone. I’m more of a frozen pizza/Ramen noodle type of girl. Every now and then I truly try to branch out and give cooking an actual meal a try. While I usually fail miserable and end up ordering Chinese, I did finally perfect the perfect pasta dish. It is now my favorite go-to recipe.

I am such a sucker for a great pasta dish and this tortellini with chicken and pesto recipe will make any mouth water. If I could get it right every time (and not gain 100lbs in the process), I would eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Check out what you’ll need and what you’ll need to do to make this awesome meal! Bon appetite! Read More »

Sometimes, I have to rely on my microwave for a little help. And that means using microwave-ready foods for assistance. One of my favorite microwave foods is actually packets of veggies — you can get them in individual servings and all you do is microwave them. They’re usually peas, broccoli and carrots — a classic combination — but you can definitely find other varieties in the store. That said, I’m a fan of this one.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a pasta lover. And while I would like to sink into a trough of Alfredo every single night (who wouldn’t, honestly!?), I know I can’t. This is a quick and easy pasta for one that you can make in just a few minutes. Read More »

Broccoli. A childhood nightmare. Didn’t we all fear it? Some kids ate it covered in cheese whiz, which in my opinion made it neither healthy nor delicious. Really, if you’re going to clog your arteries, it might as well be with bacon. But that’s beside the point. Broccoli is a tough vegetable to love — it’s the veggie equivalent of Kim Kardashian really — but it has potential.

It’s what’s known as a cruciferous vegetable — it’s related to spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens that are packed with fiber and antioxidants. They’re actually the healthiest foods you can eat, period. So if you’re trying to eat healthy, broccoli is a necessary evil. And honestly, it’s better raw and paired with foods that are equally as strong flavored. Read More »

Whether it’s Girl Scout Cookie off-season, you’re against preservatives or you just feel like baking something delicious and new, having homemade Girl Scout Cookie recipes on hand is always a good idea. Since I’m only a freshman, I don’t have a kitchen so I can’t yet get my Martha on. However, the second I move into a dorm for upperclassmen, I’m going to be all over these recipes. Watch out, future roommates: I’m coining the term Sophomore-15. If you are lucky enough to have an oven (or you’re going home at any time soon) I highly suggest you try out these recipes. Make them for your friends, crush, boyfriend, etc. and have them all fall in love with you instantly. Just don’t burn them, please. Read More »

I love cooking, but sometimes I find myself lacking culinary inspiration. This happens most when I’m craving something in particular, but either I don’t have the ingredients I need, or I don’t feel like making the same dishes over and over again. Luckily, I’ve found dinner-inspiration help from Gojee.

Gojee is a recipe search engine that features handpicked recipes from some of the web’s most popular food bloggers. Simply type in an ingredient or dish that you’re craving, and Gojee will return a photo slideshow of recipes to satisfy your cravings. You can also type in what ingredients you already have on hand to filter the results to show only recipes you can make right now. You can further filter the recipes by eliminating all those that contain ingredients you don’t like.

If that didn’t already sound awesome, the more you use Gojee, it learns what you like and don’t like, so you’re more likely to find recipes you love, without having to sift through things you’d never eat.

I’ve already found a ton of great recipes that I can’t wait to try! The only problem with Gojee is that the images are so delicious-looking, just browsing makes you hungry. Read More »

I’m sure a few of you saw the title of this post and immediately blanched at “brussel sprouts.” And maybe again that time. But brussels sprouts are not as bad as you might think. They don’t have to be boiled or cooked until they are soft and mushy. Really, they don’t. They can be delicious, I promise.

You might also be wondering why I’m using this recipe for Christmas. The reason is because, after Christmas, we’re all gonna to start doing that New Year’s Resolution thing. And one of yours might be to eat a little healthier. And really, what’s healthier than tiny little cabbages? Not much. They are packed with vitamins K and C (help prevent those winter colds!), as well dietary fiber. They’re also great with a variety of comfort foods – grilled salmon, mac and cheese…everything really. Read More »