I’ve never claimed to be a football strategy whiz (I will however claim the title of Queen of Game Day Recipes). At the beginning of the game, I mentally note my team’s uniform color and the direction they should be marching down the field, then hope the rest will be intuitive. I cheer when others cheer and scowl when others yell expletives. Occasionally, I forget which direction we are supposed to be going and clap at an inappropriate moment....

This recipe is sponsored by Walmart. This is just the easy appetizer recipe for your holiday arsenal. A few strategic, store-bought items make it a breeze to whip up or to prep in advance. The creamy filling, trademark holiday flavors, and golden crust, however, make this appetizer taste impressive, as if you made it 100% from scratch. Let’s keep the shortcuts a Christmas secret, shall we? There’s something so festive and delightful about bite-sized miniature snacks this time of year (like Goat Cheese Balls)....

French toast sticks usher in a certain carefreeness that reminds me of being a kid on endless summer weekends. Overnight French Toast is delish, but French toast sticks? They feel like an extra treat. Growing up, we only got the Eggo French toast sticks on special occasions (I was convinced they tasted better than the cheaper store brand my mom usually bought). When she sprung for the name brand, it was A....

Clear indicators of a fantastic meal: It demands you use a hunk of bread to mop up every last lick of sauce from your plate (like Baked Shrimp Scampi).Any precious drips that found their way onto the table are also savored, because each morsel is too delicious to be wasted. This easy garlic butter shrimp recipe is one of those fabulous recipes. Decadent, dripping with flavor, and tasting just as good (and, in my opinion, better) than any garlic butter shrimp from a restaurant, this versatile stovetop shrimp recipe (hallelujah for one-pan cooking!...

Our family holidays center around food, and “eating healthy” tends to go on the back burner. The last thing that will pass our food-loving family is food that tastes too healthy (and our opinionated bunch will not hesitate to let you know as much). At the same time, however, by the time we’ve hit our third or fourth day of non-stop decadence, a few members of my family (myself included) appreciate a healthy breakfast recipe to provide some nourishment and reprieve....

Because summers here are preciously short, the city truly comes to life and residents, myself included, strive to maximize every single day. I recently attended a street festival, and the longest line of dozens of food trucks was at a homemade ice pop stand. After enjoying my pop (worth the wait!), I realized that my own pop mold had been sitting sadly in our storeroom since last year. I resurrected it to make these chocolate pudding pops, and they were sweet reminder of why I love homemade ice pops so much....

Think you don’t like kale in any circumstance, regardless of the toppings or dressing? WELL, thanks to an easy but game-changing prep tip, you’ll be delighted to find yourself enjoying this salad’s roaringly “green” ingredients too. Unlike chewy or even bitter kale and Brussels sprouts salads you’ve had before, the vegetables here are mild and tender. The transformation comes from massaging the kale and thinly slicing the Brussels sprouts. It’s a minor step that makes all the difference....

This recipe is sponsored by DeLallo If you are hosting a party or like to plan ahead for the holidays, puff pastry is going to be your BFF. Recipes made with it freeze and reheat like a dream. It’s why every year, I add a new puff pastry appetizer recipe to my repertoire, like these Ham and Cheese Pinwheels, these Spinach Puffs, and these Cranberry Brie Bites. I even ventured into puff pastry breakfast recipes with these Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls....

I also really love brown bagging. During my four years working at Target’s corporate headquarters in Minneapolis, I packed my lunch almost every single day, despite the fact that the office has a stellar cafeteria and was within walking distance of every fast food destination you can imagine. The less-than-glamorous truth is, while I look forward to going out for date night dinners and happy hours, lunch is a meal that I’ve always preferred to prepare for myself, even when it meant carrying it in a lunch box....

I might actually pour myself two blackberry margaritas, because until 1:30 p.m. yesterday when an astute follower (hi, Ashley!) messaged me on Instagram to regretfully inform me that I’d put up my #FBF post a day early, I was solidly convinced that it was Friday. The caption now reads #TBT instead. Shhhhhh. Skinny Blackberry Margarita – Make Any Day Feel Like Friday Whatever your calendar is telling you, this skinny blackberry margarita recipe wants you to know that it is perfectly acceptable to pretend that it’s Friday, even if only for one drink....

I grew up eating my Grammy’s strawberry shortcake. Every Fourth of July, she adds blueberries to make it red, white, and blue (my idea of patriotism), but spoiled privileged granddaughter that I was, I would often request strawberry shortcake on other occasions (it was Tuesday, for example), and my too-generous Grammy would oblige. Strawberry shortcake dates back more than 100 years, and as with any dish that has been around for a while, it has developed many iterations—some make it with pound cake, others angel food cake, and still others biscuits, to name a few....

One of my “in another life” careers is to own a bed and breakfast. We’d have a wrap-around porch, five-star rating on Trip Advisor, and be renown for our homemade breakfasts. The house special: stuffed French toast. Now that our lives are busier, cooking an all-out breakfast isn’t something I do often for just Ben and myself (or if I do, it’s a 100% make-ahead option like Overnight French Toast)....

Warm Brussels sprouts salad is not to be taken lightly. This is a big-spoon situation. The ideal serving size of will unabashedly dwarf whatever else on the plate has the nerve to call itself the “main” dish. Salty-sweet-nutty-crunchy-creamy this Brussels sprouts and farro salad is a flavor bonanza that steals the dinner show, no apologies. Now, if you paused at the words “Brussels Sprouts,” fear not. High temperature oven roasting transforms the little green guys into caramelized vegetable candy....

Kale salad is just not the sort of dish that garners the instant appreciation that’s showered upon Homemade Scalloped Potatoes. Such is the way of the world. More often than not, winter salad’s purpose at holiday parties is to be the tiny speck of green on our plates that makes us feel less guilty about all of the Mulled Wine and Glazed Sweet Potatoes we are sure to ingest. Two bites of kale salad, and we are absolved....

It is unbearably cold here (For those new to this space, I’m based in Milwaukee, WI). When I woke up this morning, the actual air temperature, without wind chill, was -7. With wind chill factored in, it was -31. Now, I’m the sort of person who is freezing in anything below 69 degrees, so when Ben’s disappeared one Sunday morning for an hour to “run errands” and came home with a space heater it felt like I was falling in love with him all over again....

Salads at big holiday meals are easy to pass over. Not this one. The varied flavors, textures, and an unexpected, absolutely delectable cinnamon dressing make it memorable and something your guests will thank you for preparing. Crisp, sweet apple slices are a natural pairing with rich, toasty walnuts and creamy blue cheese (yes, you can swap goat cheese or make it an apple walnut feta salad if you prefer). A handful of cranberries give it festive color and pops of tangy sweetness....

Avocado is one of my favorite ingredients for smoothies. It makes them lusciously creamy like a milkshake, satisfying enough to keep you full (thank you healthy fats and fiber!), and with their healthy fats, fiber, and omega-3s, avocados are nutrition powerhouse. While avocado can taste bland and have an odd texture in a smoothie on its own, if you pair it with the right accompanying ingredients, it tastes delicious and luxurious....

This recipe is sponsored by ALDI. It’s a law of social gathering that no matter what other appetizers you set out for a party, the baked brie will be the first demolished. Fortunately for the busy host(ess), baked brie is make-ahead friendly, saving you stress on an already busy prep day (for example, I’ll make a double batch of these Brie Bites, then keep half in the freezer and bake them right before guests arrive)....

Tofu and I have come a long, long way. Or should I say—I have come a long way, after learning how to properly cook tofu. Tofu has a lot going for it. It’s a phenomenal source of plant-based protein. Tofu contains all the necessary amino acids for your body. It’s inexpensive, especially compared to meat.It has a long shelf life. Keep a package in your refrigerator or freezer, and you can pull together a nutritious dinner on demand....

Chicken Francaise is flour-dredged, egg mixture-dipped pan-fried chicken cutlets, simmered in a heavenly lemon-butter and white wine sauce. Francaise (pronounced “frahn-says”) literally means “French,” but there is a twist. Chicken Francaise (or “Francese” as it can also be spelled) isn’t French at all. It’s Italian American (!). When Italian immigrants came to America, they brought their favorite recipes with them, including veal Francaise, but they began swapping in the less costly chicken for the veal, thus creating chicken Francaise....