Keeping with my quinoa theme, I thought I would look a little outside the box.  As I said in my last post, quinoa is like a blank canvas.  So blank, in fact, that you can easily turn this tiny seed which is most often used in salads into… a burger.  Yes indeed. This recipe has …

It’s Spring Break this week and that means playdates galore. I have been trying to think of activities to keep these kids busy and today was all about marshmallows. The kids were super excited about making Marshmallows on a Stick. Talk about super easy and this activity leaves everyone with a snack at that end. …

Let’s head to the Lincoln Park Zoo! Looking for a great place to take the kids this summer? You should really consider Chicago. It is beautiful in the summer. In the winter? Eh, not so much. But that’s another story – let’s stick to summer! In the Spring and Summer Chicago is packed with things …

It’s time for another decadent dessert – Pretzel Crusted Double Chocolate Caramel Cookies. With all my baking lately, my family is starting to get in on the action. Before they were all about the eating, but now they are helping me choose what to come up with next. While I was visiting my family last …

Let’s talk about quinoa.  I’m sure you’ve heard of it, but I’m also sure many of you have walked right past it in the grocery store thinking it is 1) too intimidating to attempt or 2) looks too much like bird seed to please your meat and potatoes family.  So let’s address those issues… First, …

As a new mom of my toddler, I always felt like a magician of sorts in trying to come up with ideas for fun places to go near me that we could do together that wouldn’t a) break my bank or b) bore her (or me) to death. But with time and some creativity, I …

Let me start by saying, I’m a boxed cake kind of gal!  Actually when it comes to cakes and brownies, I rarely make ’em from scratch. A boxed mix is just too easy! After seeing this Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Cream Frosting from Bon Appetit, I thought I would venture outside of my comfortable cake …

You know that moment in the World Series where one team realizes it just won?  That final catch or the walk-off homerun or the last strike?  Some guys run around like lunatics… others fall to their knees… mouths gaping, shouting for victory… you know what I’m talking about?  Yeah… I feel that way when I …

I have been experimenting with different ways to use my favorites – peanut butter, brownies and pretzels. I could just pour them in a bowl and I’d be in heaven but that wouldn’t be very fun, would it? We’ve talked about pretzel crust before but this is a new twist. This weekend I came up …

When I was a kid I loved St. Patrick’s Day!  My mom made the milk in my cereal green, I eagerly got dressed in my green outfit for the day, and even more eagerly pinched every person in my path that was sans green.  Don’t mess with me on St. Paddy’s Day! In college, I …

Yep, I’m baking again! I have a good excuse this time and it’s not just to eat the goodies. It was my mother-in-law’s birthday this weekend and I just had to make her “my special birthday cake”. I’m a big believer that everyone should have cake on their birthday. Adults get my special “Ultimate Death …

I’ve got myself in a little baking bonanza right now. To be honest, I’m always the Baking Betty but I just haven’t shared that with you until recently. I’ve always joked with my family that the only way I’m going to look skinnier is to make them all fat around me. Hmmmm.  Maybe that’s exactly what …