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Okay, so gather round because I'm about to share the story of how I started serving Blue Hawaiian Margaritas at all my family BBQs. A couple summers ago, my neighbor brought over the *bluest* cocktail you ever did see. It looked, honestly, a bit like Gatorade had gone on holiday, but one sip and... well, …

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 …

Okay, friend, you know that feeling when you're suddenly craving apple pie but it's like, who actually has time (or patience) to roll out a whole crust on a weeknight? That was basically me last month, standing in the kitchen while the kids circled like hungry sharks. Enter these Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs. They're …

Candy-Making Memories (Yes, Even the Sticky Ones!) So, picture this: It’s December, my kitchen smells like vanilla and good intentions, Christmas music playing (you know the Mariah song, I can’t help it), and I’m elbow-deep in powdered sugar. Soft Christmas peppermints have been my go-to for years—partly because, honestly, I’m a pushover for anything minty, …

Honestly, every time I make these Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies, I think about the one Christmas when my cousin Jay tried to sneak the entire batch into his suitcase. He failed miserably — we heard the clattering of the cookie tin a mile away! But, seriously, these cookies have become a bit of a …

Hey there! So, Cherry Garcia Fudge—let me tell you, the first time I tried to mash up the flavors of that ice cream with a melt-in-your-mouth fudge, I had this grand vision. Picture me, eight years old, sneaking extra cherries form my mom's baking stash and leaving a trail of sticky fingerprints everywhere... yeah, not …

Pull Up a Chair: My Fudge Memories So listen: every winter, after the mystery tins of store-bought chocolates are all but gone, that's when I finally get around to making buttered rum fudge. It's become a sort of tradition (procrastination is a tradition in my house, I guess?) and there's always this warm, cozy feeling …

A Little Story Before You Bake Okay, confession time: I made these Salted Caramel Apple Mini Pies last Thanksgiving, mostly because I didn't want to fuss with a full-sized pie (the dish was at my mother-in-law's and her oven is a mystery to mortals). Turns out, everyone preferred the minis and the crust ratio just …

Let Me Tell You About These Chocolate Peanut Butter Ruckus Cookies Okay, story time: The first time I made these, it was a rainy Tuesday night, and I was mostly just looking for an excuse to crank the oven on and dodge doing the laundry. You know how that goes, right? Anyway, I called them …

Let Me Tell You About This Creamy Jalapeño Chicken Skillet Okay, you know how some recipes just happen on a random Thursday when you’re rummaging through the fridge, about to throw in the kitchen towel? Well, that’s exactly how I stumbled into my now-beloved Creamy Jalapeño Chicken Skillet (and nearly burned the onions because I …

Okay, so let me set the scene: rainy afternoon, kids are (very) grumpy from being stuck inside, and I needed something sweet to quiet the mutiny. That’s pretty much how my love affair with this Biscoff Banana Pudding with Caramel began. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure it would work the first time—I mean, Biscoff with …

So... Why Maple Bourbon Cheesecake? You know those days when you crave something sweet, but the idea of turning on your oven makes you want to pack it all in and order takeout? That's pretty much how this No Bake Maple Bourbon Cheesecake was born. One summer, I accidentally bought maple-flavored bourbon for a BBQ …

Catching Up Over No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles Look, I have to admit up front: I first made these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles because I’d forgotten I’d promised to bring a dessert to a party. You know that cold sweat where you open the cupboard and just sort of pray something speaks …

So There Was This One Autumn Afternoon… Alright, gather 'round, because let me tell you about the dish that’s weirdly saved more of my weeknights than I’d like to admit: Brown Sugar Roasted Butternut Squash. You know how some people have family secret recipes, like written on fading cards with mysterious measurements? Yeah, this isn’t …

Let's talk about this caramel corn (and my old oven disaster) Okay, confession time: every time I make this easy caramel corn with sweetened condensed milk, I'm thrown right back to my old college apartment where, honestly, the oven ran hotter than a desert in July. There were a lot of... crispy experiments. But this …

So, Peach Pie Cruffins – Here’s the Story You ever have one of those kitchen days where nothing sounds good but you can’t be bothered to make an actual pie? That’s honestly how I first stumbled on these Peach Pie Cruffins. I’d seen everyone online raving about cruffins (that croissant-meets-muffin business) and got inspired. The …

That Time I Set Dessert on Fire: My Bananas Foster Story You know how some folks have fond stories about cookies or pie from their childhood? Well, the first time I made Southern Bananas Foster, my kitchen almost became a fireworks show. (Luckily, the only thing that got scorched was my dignity.) Truth be told, …

You Need To Try This Reese’s Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake—Trust Me So, picture this: it’s raining buckets outside, the house is a mess (story of my life), and I really wanted something kind of ridiculous and fun to bake. Reese’s Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake popped into my brain—no joke—when I noticed the bag of mini …

Let Me Tell You Why I Love These Bites Ok, first things first: if you ask my friends, they'll tell you I'm obsessed with all things peanut butter (which is true, can't even deny it). And one hot July day, after melting while waiting for my old freezer to finally spit out more than three …

Hey, Pull Up a Chair—Here's My Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin Story So, confession: the first time I made Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin, half the cheese somehow vanished from the bag before it hit the baking dish. I blame the kitchen elves—well, actually, it was mostly me "taste-testing" (totally necessary research, right?). Anyway, this recipe began …

Let's Chat About Toffee—And Why This One's The Best Right, so—I probably shouldn't admit this—but I first made this toffee after a disastrous fudge attempt one cold November. Turns out if you cook sugar a bit too far it goes not to caramel, but toffee, and honestly, I wasn’t even mad. Now folks ask me …

Oh Man, You're Gonna Want This Easy Pumpkin Cream Trifle Alright, so let me tell you: last Thanksgiving (which, honestly, feels like it just happened yesterday, time is a flat circle), I found myself staring at half a can of pumpkin puree, leftover Cool Whip, and a pack of those shortbread cookies I bought by …

Honestly, Fudge Like Grandma Used To (Well, Sort Of) Okay, you know that recipe everyone in the family asks you to bring to the potluck—like, every single time? For me, it's Aunt Teen's Creamy Chocolate Fudge. I still remember the first time I tried to make this; I nearly glued myself to the saucepan (long …

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 …

Let Me Tell You About the Stuffing That Actually Gets Eaten So, you know that one dish that everyone claims not to care about, but somehow it's vanished the second you go back for a real serving? That's my stuffing. Swear. I mean, every Thanksgiving it’s the same: my cousins act like it’s just a …

Let's Chat About Soft Pumpkin Cookies (Over a Cup of Tea, Maybe?) Look, I know what you're thinking—do we really need another pumpkin cookie recipe floating around the internet? Ha! I asked myself the same thing last October while staring at that half-used can of pumpkin purée wobbling precariously in my fridge. So, these soft …

You Ever Get So Hungry You Start Wrapping Stuff in Bacon? Okay, here's the deal: the first time I ever made these Nashville hot bacon wrapped mozzarella sticks was after a football game, and honestly, I wasn't sure if I was a genius or just really hungry. The kitchen smelled so good the neighbor's dog …

Let Me Tell You About These Brown Butter Dulce de Leche Rice Krispie Treats... If you’d told me when I was a kid that playing with cereal and marshmallows in the kitchen would someday become my “fancy dessert trick,” I would’ve laughed. (And probably splattered sticky marshmallows in your general direction. Sorry in advance!) But …

Let Me Tell You Why I Love Making This Cozy Bean with Bacon Soup You know those damp, drizzly evenings where it feels like you need a jumper and a hug? That’s exactly when I crave my Cozy Bean with Bacon Soup. I first made this after a truly chaotic soccer match where everyone came …

So, About This Wisconsin Apple Kringle... Alright, first off—thanks for stopping by! If you’ve ever spent a cold morning in Wisconsin, you know there’s nothing quite like a slab of apple kringle (and sure, maybe a hot cup of coffee too). I remember my first attempt at making one: flour all over my kitchen, apples …

So, Nutella Cookie Pie: Why I Keep Making It (Even When I Shouldn't) Right, pull up a chair. I have to tell you about this Nutella Cookie Pie I’ve been baking on lazy Saturdays—sometimes on not-so-lazy ones, too, honestly. The first time I made it, I’d accidentally doubled the sugar (Math in the kitchen is …

So Here’s the Deal with These Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies You know that one recipe that’s been with you for years—sometimes taped on the inside cupboard, sometimes floating around as a crinkled photo on your phone? Well, this is mine. Chewy oatmeal raisin cookies: my study break snack circa university, my most successful peace offering …

Let Me Tell You About Cake Pops (And How Mine Usually Turn Out) Alright, so—cake pops. The dessert I first attempted in my catastrophically tiny London kitchen, and I almost gave up because I dropped the first batch on the floor (don’t worry, I didn't serve those). But honestly, nothing beats the thrill of finally …

Let Me Tell You How I Fell for Lotus Biscoff Cake Okay, so imagine you're craving something a bit more exciting than your usual chocolate cake. That's pretty much how I stumbled into Lotus Biscoff Cake territory. I blame my friend Mira (she's got a sweet tooth that borders on scandalous)—she brought it over once, …

So, About These Maple Bacon Bars (and My Slight Obsession) If there was ever a dessert that made my friends text me 'are you making those bacon things again?'—this is it. I stumbled over this flavor combo at a potluck (you know, one of those awkward events where someone always brings raisin salad and you …

Let Me Tell You About My Hash Brown Egg Cup Morning I don’t know about you, but there are mornings when I just can’t face another bowl of cereal. Days like that, I always think about the one time my neighbor (hi, Sue!) showed up at my door with these Hash Brown Egg Cups. I …

So Here’s the Story About Lentil Mushroom Stroganoff (Pull Up a Chair) If you’ve ever found yourself with a craving for something super hearty—but, you know, not wanting to unbutton your jeans straight after—you’re in good company. This Lentil Mushroom Stroganoff is exactly that kinda dish. The first time I made it was one damp …

Making This Soup Feels Like a Warm Hug—Seriously So, you ever have one of those days when you open the fridge, stare blankly for a full minute, and then just kind of sigh? That was me a couple of years back, post-holiday chaos, when I cobbled together what became the family favorite: Easy Creamy Parmesan …

Let Me Tell You About This Maple Bourbon Cheesecake If you ever came over to my house in November, chances are I’d make you try this no bake maple bourbon cheesecake before your coat was off. I still remember the first time I made it—my brother joked I was trying to sneak breakfast into dessert …

Let Me Tell You About This Strawberry Soup Adventure Okay, imagine it’s a lazy Saturday, your socks don’t match, and you’re somehow craving something super fancy—but not in the mood to actually put in real effort (hi, that’s me right now). So, years ago, we splurged on a breakfast at Disney’s Grand Floridian and I …