Category Archives: Recipe Experimentation

My Top 10 Super Bowl Snacks

February 5, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Tonight is the big night, Super Bowl XLVI (46), and you can’t have a football game without snacks. So whether you’ll be cheering on your favorite team, picking your favorite commercial, or waiting to see what Madonna will do during her halftime performance, you’ll be deciding which snack to munch on the most.

I thought I would pull together 10 of my favorite snacks from over the last few years. Some of the pics aren’t that great (the little PowerShot that could), but the food is definitely a must try.

Who will you be cheering on? I know I’m excited to see what the Queen of Pop will be conjuring up. I also want to some additional ideas for  my get together tonight so let me know what your favorite snacks are in the comments below.

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Toasted Ravioli with Marinara Dipping Sauce

February 2, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Last night American Idol took us to one of my favorite towns, Portland, and I was cooking up a local favorite from a Portland native, Shrimp Spring Rolls (or Salad Rolls as she calls them).

So for today’s edition of Reality Rocks by Yahoo! music blogger extraordinaire, Lyndsey Parker, I’m cooking up a St. Louis classic. While doing my research on St. Louis I found out that they have a huge Italian scene and that Toasted Ravioli is a must have, pre dinner snack. Not only was this incredibly simple to make, but we finished half the batch before I could photograph the final result. You have to try it.

How are you liking the talent so far on American Idol? Let me know in the comments below.

Check out today’s feature on Reality Rocks HERE!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls

February 1, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Matt and I visited Portland last fall and I absolutely fell in love with the city. From the diverse culture to the sky high trees and roses lining the freeways, there is a ton of stuff to do and PLENTY of food to eat. So for tonight’s episode of American Idol I new exactly what to cook for the Portland auditions.

My dear friend was born and raised in Portland and always makes the most amazing vietnamese cuisine. When we were in town I was a bit surprised at how many different asian restaurants there were. I have to say, it’s the best asian cuisine I’ve ever had. So I sent an email to Kim and asked her what dish I should make for Lyndsey Parker’s readers on Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers and she suggested this mouth watering treat. I kept true to her recipe for the most part with only a few minor adjustments. For some reason there were no bean sprouts to be found the night I was making it so I substituted it with shredded carrots.

The recipe is very simple and delicious and you can get as creative as you want with the filling. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Click HERE to read today’s post on Reality Rocks!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Grilled Avocado with Black Bean Corn Salsa

January 26, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Last night we got to see the great talent in Colorado and tonight American Idol is headed to my home state TEXAS! So needless to say for tonight’s Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers I felt right in my element.

I would consider myself an expert on all things tex-mex, and nobody (in my very biased opinion) does Mexican food better then Texas. So for tonight’s episode in Galveston/Houston I thought I would make a beach friendly appetizer that stays true to the best cuisine a girl could ever ask for.

Check out Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers on Lyndsey Parker’s Yahoo! blog, Reality Rocks…HERE!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Bison Sliders with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

January 25, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

American Idol is officially in full swing and tonight they’re headed to Aspen, Colorado for the second week of auditions. I was a little confused at first since the audition city posted on the website is Denver, so I’m assuming the call back rounds were held in Aspen. Nevertheless I cooked up a Colorado inspired appetizer for tonight’s episode.

Lyndsey Parker of Yahoo! Music was gracious (and adventurous) enough to include my recipes on her weekly reality music blog, Reality Rocks, for Season 10 and now Season 11. It definitely makes my last stab at Idol worth it that much more (see my audition here). 🙂

Check out Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers on Yahoo’s Reality Rocks HERE!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: California Style Shrimp and Pesto Pizza

January 22, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

The first week of Idol auditions has come and gone but tonight they’ll be airing a special audition episode from sunny San Diego. So far I’ve paid homage to the south with my Grits Cakes with Creamy Crab, then back north to Pittsburgh for some Cheesy Kielbasa Pierogies.

For tonight’s episode I’m serving up some yummy Shrimp and Pesto Pizza, California style. Things have been so crazy I haven’t had time to watch any of the episodes. What do you guys think about the talent this year?

Check out Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers on Reality Rocks HERE!

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Sauteed Mussels with Shallots and White Wine

January 20, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

This week has been an absolute whirlwind. Between work, music, and Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers premiering this week I’ve barely had time to think. Last night I had another recipe to invent and document. After all is said and done (photographs, video, etc) it usually takes me a couple hours per recipe, even if it’s a simple one. So to not starve my husband I thought I would make a quick appetizer to tide him over.

We love mussels and they couldn’t be easier to make. Usually your fish monger will already de-beard them so all you have to do is wash them before you throw them in the pot. Definitely give this recipe a try…it’s delish!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Cheesy Kielbasa Pierogies

January 19, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

After my brief debut on American Idol last year (watch my audition here) I was lucky enough to catch the eye of music blogger and reality TV aficionado, Lyndsey Parker. A season later and countless snacks to boot she’s having me back to contribute to her Reality  Rocks blog.

Last night American Idol made it’s season 11 debut in Savannah and I was cooking up a hodgepodge of southern classics with my Grits Cakes with Creamy Crab. For tonight’s episode I’m marrying two of Pittsburgh’s most popular eats, Kielbasa and Piergoies. A labor of love, yes…but totally worth it. So pull up your sleeves and dive in to this scrumptious recipe. Dare I say it’s one of my most delicious creations yet.

Check out tonight’s post on Reality Rocks HERE!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers – Grits Cakes with Creamy Crab

January 18, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I can’t believe it’s that time of year again. This time last year I was nervously waiting to see if my American Idol audition would air live, and it did. Because of my audition (see it here) Reality Rocks blogger extraordinaire, Lyndsey Parker, reached out to me to become a contributor to her popular reality music blog.

So for tonight’s Idol episode, and my 100th post (yay!!!), we’re heading south to Savannah and I decided to whip up the most southern appetizer I could think of. So throw your healthy resolutions out the window tonight and test out this scrumptious recipe! It’s pretty tasty.

Check out tonight’s post on Reality Rocks HERE!

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Rotisserie Chicken Tostadas with Black Bean Corn Salsa

January 14, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

Tostadas are perfect for weeknight meals because of their versatility and the ease of minimal cooking. They’re quick, easy, and delicious. Rotisserie chicken is great for Tostadas. It’s one less thing you have to cook and the roasted flavor of the chicken pares perfectly with the crispy shells and spicy toppings.

Start with the black bean corn salsa.

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