Appetizers

Okay, Story Time Before We Guac! Let’s just get this confession out of the way—I used to line up at Chipotle just for the guacamole. No shame; my family knows. One year, I tried making their guac for a Taco Tuesday, expecting I'd mess it up (I mean, the bar is high—who hasn’t thought, "mine …

Let Me Tell You About My Favorite Party Trick So here's the deal: every New Year's Eve, like clockwork, somebody ends up asking me for that cheese ball recipe (not gonna lie, sometimes I'm secretly pleased because it's so easy and yet somehow makes me look fancy). It started off as a panic dish when …

You know those foods people hover near at parties? Well, that's my Pasta Salad Cups; seriously, I've seen grown adults sidestep conversation just to swoop in for seconds. The first time I made these for my cousin’s graduation, I way underestimated how much folks can pile into one little cup—lesson learned! They're quirky, portable, and …

Let Me Tell You About These Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies Alright, pull up a chair (or, if you’re like me, just perch on the edge of the kitchen counter with your coffee). I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve whipped up these Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies for everything from New Year's shindigs to those …

Catching Up Over Spinach Artichoke Dip Bites So I have this friend, Sam, who claims she “doesn’t snack between meals.” I’d believe her, except whenever I make these Spinach Artichoke Dip Bites, she’s suddenly parked by the tray, snackin’ like there’s no tomorrow. I honestly don’t blame her. The first time I brought these out …

Let Me Tell You About These Mini Baked Potatoes Every year—without fail—someone in my family asks me to bring “those little potatoes” to the New Year's party. The first time I made them, I basically forgot about the main dish because folks ended up grabbing for these instead (I mean, can you blame them?). Honestly, …

If you ever find yourself in that classic hosting panic (sweaty palms, is-there-enough-chips anxiety, frantic hunting for where you left the cilantro), let me tell you about the absolute best save-my-bacon snack: Mexican street corn dip. First time I whipped this up, it was kind of an accident. We were supposed to have elote—on the …

The Story (and a Little Chaos) Behind My Cranberry Brie Bites So, let me spill: the first time I made these Cranberry Brie Puff Pastry Bites, it was for one of those last-minute holiday gatherings where I realized ten minutes before the doorbell rang that I hadn't actually, you know, made anything. I panicked, grabbed …

So, You Want to Make Steak Crostini for the Holidays? Alright, let me level with you—every December, it's like clockwork. My family asks, So, are you doing your steak crostini thing again? And every year, I pretend it's a real debate. Truth? I kind of love the fuss (though my shoulders ache after caramelizing onions …

Okay, so let me tell you how these Iowa Party Bites became my go-to move for every Midwest get-together (and a few, um, barely-held-together school potlucks, not gonna lie). The first time I tried making these, I dropped half the cheese on the floor. Did I eat it anyway? Of course not... but I definitely …

The Great Pickle Relish & Salsa Mash-Up You Didn’t Know You Needed Alright, friend—pull up a chair. So, the first time I made Pickle De Gallo, it was totally by accident and (brace yourself) very much not salon-fancy. Picture this: I’d run out of regular tomatoes for pico, had an existential fridge crisis, and out …

Okay, you ever have one of those recipes that's a little weird on paper, but the second it hits the table everyone—seriously, everyone—suddenly becomes a dip evangelist? That's Fried Pickle Ranch Dip at my house. The first time I made it was on a muggy Saturday for a backyard hangout. I wasn't quite convinced (pickles …

You Won't Believe How Fast These Disappear (Story Time!) I have to laugh a little every time I make fried pickles because the first time I tried, I nearly set off the smoke alarm—true story. Luckily, I figured it out, and now they never last long at parties (or even just for 'movie night' at …

You know those recipes that just kind of sneak into your life? Well, dill pickle dip was that for me. First time I tried it, I was actually at my cousin's backyard BBQ in Winnipeg—folks were raving about some "legendary" dip Aunt Flo brought (Aunt Flo's famous for her loud laugh and maybe her dips, …

Okay, Story Time: Why I Started Making These Stuffing Balls You know how everyone claims they have that one dish their family asks for every single year? Well, for me, it's these Cranberry Turkey Stuffing Balls. The first time I tried making 'em was because I royally flubbed cutting the Thanksgiving turkey (totally hacked it …

So, Here's the Story on These Cranberry Meatballs I always think of this recipe as the thing that saved my bacon at last year's work Christmas party. Picture the scene: I'm juggling a tray of slightly suspect mince pies, my phone's blowing up with relatives RSVPing last minute, and then my neighbor walks in gripping …

These pinwheels? Honestly, they’re my secret weapon for holiday chaos You know that moment just before guests arrive—you’ve vacuumed like a tornado, but then realize there’s nothing snacky on the table? That’s basically how I landed on these cranberry cream cheese pinwheels with feta and herbs. I made them for the first time right before …

So, Let’s Talk About These Cranberry Brie Bites Okay, here’s the truth: I didn’t even know what brie was until I was like, 23 and a half. Now, these cranberry brie bites show up at nearly every holiday gathering, sometimes in totally different shapes (once, I did triangles; disaster). One year, my uncle asked, “Did …

Let Me Tell You About These Meatballs… So, I've got this ritual. Any time I host friends (which, let’s be real, isn’t as often as I’d like because life) someone always requests those sticky, sweet-and-spicy meatballs. And yes—these honey buffalo crockpot meatballs are the very ones. I started making them after an accidental Pinterest spiral …

First things first: if you’re looking for a fuss-free snack that comes together almost magically (and makes you look a bit fancier than you actually feel), these Fresh Vegetable Tortilla Roll Ups are absolutely the ticket. Years ago, my sister and I made about four dozen of these for a block party—we were convinced we’d …

Let's Talk Turkey Crescent Ring—Real Life, Real Crowds So, I'll be straight with you—this Turkey Cranberry Crescent Ring has saved me from awkward family silences after Thanksgiving more than once. I first made it after staring at a mountain of leftover turkey and not a clue what to do. Fast forward to now, and it …

The Sauce My Family Can't Stop Arguing Over (In a Good Way) Okay, so you know that one dish you make every holiday because people would complain if it went missing? For me, it's this cooked cranberry sauce. I've been making it since my first Thanksgiving away from home—mainly because I forgot the store-bought stuff, …

Let Me Tell You About My Crispy Ranch-Breaded Mushrooms Okay, story time. One autumn, my nephew said mushrooms were "just weird rubbery things," which, alright, kind of made me laugh (and a tiny bit offended since, well, I grew up thinking they were basically vegetable candy). So on a rainy Saturday—with nothing better to do …

So... Onion Rings, but Like, in Chip Form? Tell Me More! Honestly, I never thought I’d be the person raving about something called “Viral Onion Ring Chips”—I’m usually a plain ol’ potato chip gal at heart. That said, the first time I tried these, I was standing in my kitchen, eating basically the entire batch …

You Have to Try These Easy French Dip Sliders (Trust Me!) Alright, let me start by painting you a little word picture: It’s a wet Saturday, the kind that makes you want to hibernate, and somehow you’ve got a hungry crowd in your kitchen (or, in my case, a teen and his perpetually ravenous friends—seriously, …

Alright, so picture this: it’s Christmas Eve, everyone’s hungry (again), the tree lights are blinking, and I’m frantically trying to get something crowd-pleasing on the table before my dad eats all the nuts. Enter the Holiday Pigs in a Blanket Wreath—honestly, this wreath has saved me more than once. The first time I made it, …

Honestly, Fries Are My Love Language (And Here’s Why) You know that craving you get at 9 PM on a random Tuesday where nothing but fries will do? That’s me basically every week. I remember the first time I tried making homemade fries—let’s just say, if fries could talk, those ones would have shouted for …

So Here's the Story On Spicy Shrimp Cucumber Sushi Boats If I'm being totally honest, the first time I tried making something sushi-adjacent at home, it was purely because I was craving sushi but my wallet was, let's just say, not in favor. Rolling real sushi? Not happening—I never quite got the hang of that. …

Let Me Tell You About These Turkey Cranberry Sausage Rolls... Okay, so the first time I made these Turkey Cranberry Sausage Rolls, I was desperately trying to use up some leftover turkey and a half-empty cranberry jar (the one everyone moves but no one eats at Christmas, you know the type). Didn’t have a plan, …

Well, Here’s Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe So, let’s just say there are weeknights when the idea of preheating an oven feels like running a marathon (and I own a good pair of slippers, not sneakers). That’s when these slow cooker BBQ meatballs save my bacon—though, weirdly, there’s no actual bacon involved. …

Cranberry Meatballs for When You Want to Impress—But Can't Be Bothered Alright, so let me paint you a picture: It’s Christmas Eve, the in-laws are about to descend, and I realize (yet again!) I forgot to plan an appetizer. Flashbacks to the year I served cold pizza bites haunt me. Enter: quick Christmas cranberry meatballs. …

Catching Up Over a Bowl: Gazpacho Memories & Mishaps So, here's the deal—every summer, without fail, I end up making gazpacho even if no one asks. I think I got hooked after a sweltering trip in Andalucía, where a local grandma (who probably thought I was lost) handed me a mug of bright red gazpacho. …

Catching Up Over Bang Bang Chicken Skewers I don’t know about you, but there are just some days when dinner needs to be both punchy and ridiculously simple. You know, the days where you’re hungry, kids are hangry, and you realise you forgot to defrost the beef (again). That’s when I started making these Bang …

So, I Accidentally Fell In Love With Whipped Brie You ever start a recipe not really thinking it'll be a home run—then next thing you know, your friends are emailing for the "fancy cheese thing" you made? That was me the first time I made whipped brie. I literally only tried this because I had …

Catching Up While Making Mini Chicken Pot Pie Muffins Alright, gather round. So here's the deal: mini chicken pot pie muffins are one of those accidental delights I stumbled into after an evening of total fridge chaos. (I swear, half the battle is just opening Tupperwares and hoping for a miracle.) One rainy Saturday, the …

Let Me Tell You About My Weird Obsession With Stuffing Balls So, years ago—right after a classic Thanksgiving kerfuffle over who burned the rolls—my cousin Trish brought these cranberry turkey stuffing balls. I was skeptical (aren't we all with new twists on the classics?) but, honestly, I ended up eating more of these than actual …

These Turkey Stuffing Balls Always Steal the Show I’ll tell you straight up: if there’s ever leftover stuffing after Thanksgiving or Christmas at my place, I get mean looks, because apparently it means I didn’t make enough. A few years back—feels like forever now—I started making Turkey stuffing Balls so everyone got more of that …

Let Me Tell Ya About These Maple Chicken & Beef Bacon Sliders Alright, so you know those days when you're just not in the mood for a big fancy dinner, but you want something a little more exciting than, say, beans on toast? (Not knocking beans on toast. Classic.) Well, that's exactly where these maple …

Let Me Tell You About the Magic of Cottage Cheese Chips Oh man, cottage cheese chips. If you'd told me a couple years ago that I'd be baking cheese into crispy little wafers and calling it a snack, I'd have given you some serious side-eye. But let's be honest: sometimes, you want something crunchy and …

Cranberry Meatballs: My Go-To Christmas Cheat Code Alright, friends, so you know when you’ve agreed to host (or, okay, maybe you just kind of volunteered and then regretted it a tiny bit) and suddenly, Christmas is basically tomorrow? That’s exactly how I stumbled into the wonderful world of quick cranberry meatballs. I remember last year …