Tag Archives: recipes

Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Lemony Pasta Salad

April 5, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

Hair metal, parachute  pants…..and pasta salad? Yes pasta salad was huge in the 80’s. That fun colorful fusilli wrapped in herbs and whatever else mom had on hand that day. So for tonight’s Top 8 result’s show on American Idol I’m whipping up (literally) the quickest recipe I’ve done to date. And I get an excuse to use up some extra veggies sitting in the fridge.

I didn’t watch last night’s episode but from the recaps I’ve been reading the song list seemed a little weak. As my friend Lyndsey Parker said, how do you have an 80’s night without Depeche Mode or Duran Duran. Blasphemy.

Did you watch? Who was your favorite?

Give this recipe a try. It’s easy, flavorful and delicious. Don’t forget to check out tonight’s dish on Reality Rocks HERE!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Wonton Pizza Bites

April 4, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , 2 Comments

Everything seems to make its way  back around, especially the 80’s. No matter how much I wanted the decade of acid washed jeans and New Kids on the Block to remain in my rear view mirror forever, alas, it’s back. But like most reincarnations the heart and soul is in tact, but with a little different look.

So in honor of tonight’s 80’s themed American Idol episode I’m doing a little recreating of my own. As an 80’s baby one of my favorite after school snacks was pizza bites. I had some extra wonton wrappers left over from my Lasagna Cups recipe so I thought I would make a healthier version of the old school classic.

Tonight’s recipe is featured on Lyndsey Parker’s Reality Rocks blog. Check it out HERE!

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Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers: Guacamole Salad

March 29, 2012 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

You know that moment when you see yourself about to do something that not only you’ll regret, but it’s like you see yourself in slow motion, doing it, yet you do nothing to stop it. It was like I was having an out of body experience when I decided to not just sprinkle, but DUMP chile powder and cumin all over my beautiful green guacamole. As soon as I did it my heart stopped as I watched it turn from a beautiful shade of green to putrid brown. FAIL!

Don’t worry, I didn’t make that mistake while writing this recipe. You can sprinkle in the small amount of spices into your guac with confidence that you will not defile it like I did. Of course I still ate it, and it was quite good, but it was like having a bite of guac with a pound of spices. I will definitely NOT be making that mistake again.

Moving on…

This week I’m cooking up recipes from my culinary inspirations in honor of the top 9 American Idol contestants singing songs from their idols. All year long I’ve been providing tasty (catastrophe aside you can eat this with confidence) treats for Lyndsey Parker and her Reality Rocks blog. Last night i took some inspiration from Mario Batali with my Lasagna Cups with Spicy Ground Turkey. Tonight, I’m taking a cue from my ultimate culinary Idol, Bobby Flay.

Bobby Flay just speaks my language. Peppers – check! Spices – check! Southwest cuisine – my fuel! So for this recipe it was a no brainer. My favorite snack besides chips and salsa combined with some sauteed peppers and crispy romaine. Damn I’m hungry again.

Check out tonight’s feature on Reality Rocks HERE!

Happy Eating!

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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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Quick & Easy Snacking – American Idol Top 24

March 5, 2011 By in Recipe Experimentation, Snackin' with Sarah Sellers Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Phew it’s been a crazy few months. I have SERIOUSLY neglected my foodie duties and haven’t had a proper food post in way too long. Amidst all the madness a fellow blogger has brought me back to some very solid roots and got me cooking again!

Yahoo’s super fabulous Lyndsey Parker of Reality Rocks was kind enough to give me some props after my way too short lived Idol run (damn I wanted a taste of that Idol mansion)! 😉

Her new series Snackin’ with Sarah Sellers delivers a new snack idea before each live Idol show from now until the season finale in May. So, what this means is I’ve had to get my little tush in gear and start creating some fun filled recipes for your reality snacking pleasure.

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Real Foods of India Pt. 3

June 29, 2010 By in A Taste Around the World Tags: , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

You are checking out Part 3 of the Real Foods of India cooking series.

I learned so much from the “Real Foods of India” cooking class at Milestone Culinary Arts Center, led by Minal Jhaveri. We’ve already covered some amazing recipes in part 1 and 2, and now I wanted to share with you two more amazing recipes for, Saag Paneer and Saffron & Nuts Pulav.

I enjoyed my experience so much that I recently attended an Indian Breads cooking class led by Mrs. Jhaveri. I can’t wait to share all five of the amazing breads we made in another series. So enjoy the following culinary treats and don’t forget to check back for my final blog of the series next week. You don’t want to miss the final two lip-smacking recipes!

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Real Foods of India: Pt.2

June 22, 2010 By in A Taste Around the World Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

You are checking out Part 2 of the Real Foods of India cooking series.

I recently attended the “Real Foods of India” cooking class at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center in Dallas, led by Minal Jhaveri from Gourmet Journey. Four hours of culinary fare and eight delicious dishes later…I walked away one step closer to mastering another challenging cuisine.

The following two dishes were preceded by the cool and refreshing flavors of a Mango Lassi and Cucumber Raita, described in Part 1 of the series.

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Real Foods of India: Pt.1

June 16, 2010 By in A Taste Around the World Tags: , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Due to all of the fabulous recipes and great information I’d like to share I’ve made this into a four part series. So, here’s Part 1 of Real Foods of India. Check back soon for more great recipes and tips.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the “Real Foods of India” cooking class at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center in Dallas, led by Minal Jhaveri from Gourmet Journey. Not only was it an educational evening, but it was every bit a piece of heaven to my taste buds.

Working for an Indian owned company has definitely broadened my horizons when it comes to different types of food. Needless to say, I have fallen madly in love with Indian food and was really excited to delve in to the culture’s many different tastes and techniques.

There were 8 dishes prepared and each one had its own do’s and dont’s that could make or break the dish. Lets start off the first series with two amazing recipes to get an Indian themed culinary evening started off right! Continue reading →

4 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Weeknight Meals

May 16, 2010 By in Heaven to My Taste buds Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Things have been so crazy lately that sometimes I don’t even have time to eat dinner, let alone cook. It’s always good to have an arsenal of recipes under your belt when your running short on time. When I have a busy week coming up I reach into my quick and easy recipe box for a few regulars that I know will not disappoint. So here are 4 of my all time favorite meals that make their way to my table multiple times a month. Give them a try!!

*Disclaimer: Yes…I am partial to Cooking Light. They are quick, easy, and HEALTHY!!! So the majority of my recipes come from them. Hit me up Cooking Light!! 🙂 Continue reading →

Pierogies with Bacon, Sautéed Onion, and Sour Cream

April 12, 2010 By in Heaven to My Taste buds Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Things just never seem to slow down sometimes. So when I don’t have a lot of time to cook I turn to quick and delicious meals from my favorite magazine, Cooking Light. It’s really easy to grab something quick and fattening when you’re in a hurry, and healthy is always first on my mind.

I first heard of Pierogies from last month’s Martha Stewart magazine. They looked amazing and next time I have an afternoon set aside for culinary experimentation I will try some of her homemade recipes. In the meantime, for us busy folks, try this quick and easy Pierogie recipe. I have to say…it’s pretty awesome. The husband was quite pleased as well! Continue reading →