Appetizers

Pull Up a Chair—We're Talking About My Favorite Game Day Food If you're anything like me, halftime is less about the analysis and way more about diving into something a little gooey, a little melty, and definitely finger-licking. Enter: The Game Day Half-time Ham And Cheese Sliders (With a Winning Mystery Sauce). I started making …

I’ll tell you straight—these gourmet ham and havarti cheese sliders have been my secret weapon since that fateful New Year’s Eve when my oven went rogue and dinner needed saving, stat. My cousin Tim still talks about those little sandwiches (mostly because he ate about six in one sitting). There’s something a bit magical about …

Let Me Tell You How These Jalapeno Poppers Saved My Party So the first time I tried to make jalapeno poppers for a crowd, I basically turned my kitchen into a warzone (cheese everywhere, seeds in my socks, regret). Then I stumbled onto this super simple, three-ingredient version—no deep frying, no fancy gadgets, nobody's eyebrows …

Let Me Tell You About These Treats... Alright, so picture this: it’s a rainy Saturday, everyone in a grumpy mood (the dog too, somehow!) and nothing in the fridge looks remotely inspiring. That was when I decided, a little out of sheer laziness, to whip together my now go-to: Crispy Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry …

So, Why Am I Always Making This Jam? If you’ve ever gotten a whiff of caramelized onions and roasted garlic swirling together in your kitchen—oh man, you get me. I first stumbled into making Roasted Garlic Onion Jam by accident when I totally overestimated how many onions I’d need for a Sunday roast. My kitchen …

Catching Up Over French Onion Dip and Crunchy Chips I don't know about you, but there’s just something about homemade dips and chips that makes me feel like I’ve got my life together—well, at least until the dishes pile up! This French Onion Dip with Homemade Chips recipe has seen more game days, birthday parties, …

Let Me Tell You About These Bites (And My First Disaster!) Okay, you know how every family has that one recipe that officially means the holidays are coming? For mine, it's these Cranberry Brie Bites—though, the first time I made them, I absolutely butchered it. Long story short: melted brie everywhere, forgot the muffin tin, …

Let’s Dive Into This Soup Story Alright, you're probably expecting the usual "this soup changed my life" intro, but honestly, Veg Hot And Sour Soup mostly reminds me of that one monsoon season when I tried to impress my in-laws and ended up with soup everywhere (truly, even the dog was wearing some). Still, despite …

If You’ve Never Tried Cowboy Caviar… Buckle Up Okay, let me tell you a quick story. The first time I made Cowboy Caviar, I thought it was going to be one of those sad, soggy salads you leave behind at potlucks (there's always one, right?). But nope. Ten minutes in and everyone’s standing around the …

Let Me Tell You About Cheesy Bacon Rolls (and Why I Keep Making Them) Alright, so I have to confess: the first time I made Cheesy Bacon Rolls was mostly because I’d bought way too much bacon (don’t judge) and my cheese-to-toast ratio was horrifyingly imbalanced. The rolls smelled so good, though, that even my …

Kicking Off with a Cheese-laden Tale Alright, so let me paint you a picture. Sunday afternoon, everyone's yelling at the TV (for reasons vaguely related to football), and someone shouts, "Where's that sausage Cheese dip you make?" I can’t even remember when I started making this Crock Pot Sausage Cheese Dip recipe — probably back …

Let's Talk About Crock Pot White Cheese Dip (AKA Game Night Gold) I’ve made this Crock Pot White Cheese Dip Recipe more times than I’d care to count—if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me for the recipe, well, I could probably buy a fancier slow cooker. The first time I whipped …

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. …