Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

Some bloggers are really lucky.  Some bloggers get to just blog.  They stay at home developing and testing recipes.  They don't have to fight the clock to take pictures with good lighting.  They probably get to watch tv while they're doing all of their cooking and editing and photographing.

Then there are the rest of us.  Those of us who are not 'professional bloggers.'  Those of us who work 40+ hours a week at a different job.

For us, we have to rush home, make the food, take pictures with the fading light, stay up late staring at a computer screen editing and writing.

And then, every once in a while this magical thing happens: your 9-5 overlaps with your food blog.

I understand that I'm in a unique position since technically I write and edit blog posts at work too, but sometimes the overlap is even more apparent.  Like, when I made this warm brussels sprout salad and when I wrote this blog post for work.

7 Up Salad

In case you didn't know this about me, I'm from Utah.  Technically, I lived in Indiana until I was 11, but since I would never be able to find my childhood house without a GPS, I don't really consider that home.

I feel like I am really from Utah.  It's where I went to middle school, high school and college.  It's where I learned to love the outdoors and where I got married on a cliff edge.

And in Utah, we love our green Jell-O.  Actually, I don't know if that's at all true, but that is the stereotype and I'm just going to go with it.  So it's just a little bit ironic that this recipe is not something my family found upon our migration to the West, but rather something we brought with us from the Midwest.

Doesn't really matter where it's from.  It's delicious.  A little weird, yes.  And yes, you'll probably get strange looks the first time you serve it.  But remember, it is delicious.  We've been having it as part of our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for as long as I can remember, and now you're welcome to add it to your spread!

Sweet Potato Casserole

On Saturday, Austin and I had the best intentions to go snowshoeing, but when we got up into the mountains, we realized there was really no need for the snowshoes.  So we went for a hike instead.

Once we were back there, it turned into a blizzard though!  We had to keep our heads down as we walked about 4 miles back to the car to keep from going snow-blind (not really, but seriously it was snowing hard)!

Then, this morning we woke up to the thinnest layer of snow covering the ground.  Quite frankly, not the white Christmas I'm hoping for, but that's what we're getting used to in Utah.  My point is: I'll take it.  The littlest snowflakes make me want to start up a fire, sip some cocoa and watch Miracle on 34th Street.

I'd also like to eat some holiday food.  When it comes to holiday food, sweet potato casserole has always been and will always be my favorite.

Sweet potato mash that's been made even sweeter topped with a pecan streusel - I mean, what's not to like?

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

Green beans were one of the few vegetables my sisters and I could all agree on as 'the vegetable' when I was little - Darcie was a little picky.  Just the plain old canned version.  The ones that squeak against your teeth.

Actually, I still like them, but when you're asked to bring the beans to a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, you can't really just show up with a can.  Well, you can and if you did, you'd be my hero, but if you're like me, you feel the pressure.

And while I like canned green beans just fine, I felt like using the fresh ones this go around.  I snapped off the ends of what felt like 80,000 green beans Thanksgiving morning and mixed them with some cheesy buttermilk ranch sauce.

Of course, you can't even call it a green bean casserole if it doesn't have the french fried onions.  So there's some of those mixed in with the panko bread crumbs and a little extra cheese for good measure.

If you want to switch up your sides a little bit for your Christmas dinner this year, this recipe is going to be the one.  It's different, but it's not too different.  It's the good kind of different.

13 Holiday Sides, Appetizers, Desserts and Cocktails

I really don't like when people call Thanksgiving 'Turkey Day.'

Part of this is because I think we should just remember that we're supposed to be thankful tomorrow (and every day), but more importantly, it's really not about the turkey. 

It's about the pie.  And the sides.  And the cocktails.

If you're at a loss for what to bring to your in-laws' tomorrow...well, you're quite the procrastinator, but I applaud you for taking the 'it-will-all-work-out' mentality to heart!  Here are some last-minute sides, appetizer, cocktail and dessert ideas for you.*

And remember to have a happy Thanksgiving!

*Click on the pictures for the recipes.

1. Chestnut Mashed Potatoes

2. Sweet Potatoes au Gratin

3. Confetti Quinoa

4. Artichoke w/Lemon Rosemary Butter Sauce

5. Jalapeño Popper Dip

6. Baked Brie

7. Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

8. Apple Cider Moscow Mule

9. Cranberry Margaritas

10. Eggnog

11. Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

*Or try Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie or Sweet Potato Pie.

12. Cranberry Pecan Pie

13. Salted Caramel Apple Pie

*Or try Aunt Betsy's Apple Pie or Dutch Apple Pie.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

I'm not the type of person to get super pumped about a salad.  That's not to say I don't like them, I just don't usually love them the way some people do.

What it really comes down to is that I like carbs.  The heavy, dense, complex ones.

Quite frankly, a meal just doesn't feel complete without at least 1 potato.  So a salad with a potato in it seemed like a pretty good compromise to me.

Add in some quinoa and you're practically a health food guru.

Jack Daniels Gravy

Austin helped making our registry, I promise he did.  But that didn't mean that when we were opening the china and the kitchen accessories after the wedding that he didn't seem a little...unenthused.  (Despite the fact that he got things he specifically registered for too!)

I don't know if this was just our experience, but I'm guessing it's not.  I'm guessing when a lot of newlyweds start opening the presents, the excitement is not exactly evenly distributed.

The thing Austin just couldn't seem to get over was why we needed a gravy boat.

'Can't we just eat gravy out of the pan like we always do?'

Well, yes, we can.  But now we don't have to!  And I promise when we have people over or maybe when we host our first Thanksgiving, he'll be excited that we can do it properly.

*We didn't have a gravy boat when I made this Jack Daniels Gravy, otherwise there wold be pictures of my our very pretty, new, teal gravy boat :)

Watermelon Baby Carriage

At this point you've all seen the 'Pinterest fails.' And, they're really funny, sure.

But they're also kind of sad.

Nothing upsets me more than spending a lot of time and energy on something and then having it look like a scary mess on the plate.  Not a hot mess.  A scary mess.

This watermelon baby carriage was a Pinterest find, but it actually worked!

If I'm being totally honest with you, I didn't actually make this.  My mom did.  But since my mom is a real person and not a Pinterest liar, I think you can still trust that it is doable.

Also, when you're hosting a baby shower, it's pretty much a must.  Every. Single. Guest will comment on it and say how amazing you are as a hostess.  Promise.

Potato Salad

What's a barbecue without potato salad?  Just eating outside, I guess.

Potato salad is the glue that holds it all together.  It's the peanut butter in your PB&J.  When it comes to inviting people to eat 'al fresco,' you have to have the stuff.

...Even if you're not the biggest fan.

You just have to.  People will seriously notice it's missing from the table if you don't.  On multiple occasions, I've heard people scan across the table, and you can just see their heart sink as they say, 'oh, I guess we should've brought potato salad - I thought everyone would've brought potato salad.'

This recipe is my grandma's and it's the best I've ever had.  Not that I'm a real potato salad connoisseur per se, but I have dabbled in many different recipes at this point.  It's got the perfect balance of flavors with the potato base, crunchy celery, creaminess from mayo and sour cream, just a little hard-boiled egg and the salty/briny bite of the olives and olive juice.

Apple Coleslaw

You know when you go out to get barbecue or fried chicken and you have the option for 2 or 3 (or more) sides and there is a big list, usually hidden in the back of the 30 page menu with the options and you didn't see it and you didn't even know you got sides, then the waiter asks you what you want, and you panic and you make them recite the whole list for you?

Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about.  Exactly everyone has been in that situation.

Well, I always get coleslaw and mashed potatoes with gravy.  Mostly because those are my 2 favorites, but also because I hate to be the person that is fumbling at the dinner table.

It's a safe bet for me.  I love all mashed potatoes.  With the skin on or off, real or even boxed, seriously, I'm not picky.  Same goes for coleslaw.  Sure, there's a difference and some are better than others, but I like it all.

Of course, if I got a choice, I'd choose this variation.  A little bit tart from the vinegar, but still a creamy dressing.  Plenty of the classics: cabbage and carrots, with an added sweet/sour element from the apples.  Yep, I know what I want!

Orzo Salad

It is full on barbecue season!  Days are long and filled with activity.  Vegetables and fruits are fresh and juicy.  And yet, I have a tendency to forget about food during the summer months.  Maybe it's because it does stay light so late.  By the time it's dark, it's bedtime.

So, I either throw something together really quickly or order takeout.  It's really a shame because then I'll spend all winter wishing I had the fresh, brightly colored veggies of the summer.

The exception is really when people are coming over.  And then, you have to make a lot of stuff.  Stuff that can be made ahead of time.  And if you're like me, you're really terrified someone is going to get sick because of the food that you made.  For that, I recommend you stay away from mayonnaise-based salads when you're going to be sitting outside for hours (or when the time could slip away from you).

So basically, this orzo salad is the answer to all your barbecue woes, whether hosting or attending.  As a side dish, this recipe could easily serve 12 and while it's best kept cool, no one is going to die from warm tomatoes and pasta.

Campfire Potatoes

I love love love love love campfires.  I am not the type of person that can just sit idly and stop thinking.  That's why I have to put 'meditation' on my to do list.  Oxymoron?  Yes.

But with a campfire, I can sit for hours and just stare at the flames.  Maybe move some logs around every once in a while, but for the most part it's just a lot of sitting and staring.  I also love the smell of campfire smoke in your clothes and your hair for days to come.  And there's nothing better than food cooked over an open flame.

When we were little, we used to make these campfire potatoes when we'd have fires at my Aunt Linda and Uncle Don's house.  They are so simple (just 4 ingredients, 5 if you count smoke), but taste so amazing!

We used to make them in a tin coffee can, but when I tried to do that this time around, I realized that coffee cans are now cardboard!  Who knew?!  So foil worked just fine.

They take a while to make (about an hour), so make sure you put them in right when you're starting your fire, but it's really more about the experience anyway.  Enjoy the time sitting and staring.

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

I am generally the type of person that is resistant to change but I'm trying to be more laid back about it and just accept it.  Probably because with everything going on in my life right now, I've been pretty much forced to get used to it.  No use resisting the inevitable right?

I am definitely a routine-oriented person.  I like to get up at about the same time every day, go to the gym, come home and drink my coffee.

The only things that I do like to change up pretty often are my hair (cut and color) and my food.  That's about where my adventurous side stops.

This morning I cut off 3 inches of hair and I made mushroom asparagus risotto!  Crazy, right?!

I guess you'd have to know that I don't like mushrooms to understand why that would be even remotely adventurous for me.  (It's definitely a texture issue.)  So in this risotto, I just chopped up the mushrooms really little so it has all the flavor still but none of the sliminess.

Most of the time, Austin and I eat risotto as a main dish, but you could easily serve this as a side dish alongside any protein really.