Roasted Summer Fruit Cookie Shortcake With Coconut Whipped Cream

Summer felt different when I was a kid.

It was thick and lazy with the scent of chlorine clinging to everything. Perpetual tan lines carving their way through my shoulder blades. Rich purple plums being plucked off of my grandparents’ tree — the warm juice trickling down my chin. It was matinee movies with buttered popcorn. It was watching my dad try to put out fires we’d accidentally set with shady roadside Fourth Of July Fireworks. I can still see him running around the back yard, chasing away sparks with the lid of the BBQ. It was the beach, and family vacation. Sleepovers were long, and filled with whispers about boys. We made prank calls and ate pancakes. It was dusky evenings in the tree house–swinging in a hammock and deciding what character I’d be in The Babysitter’s Club (Claudia–always Claudia). It was the sticky packages of store bought shortcake, fresh strawberries and a canister of whipped cream. A little bit gross, but also kinda great. […]

Be My Valentine | The Let’s Get Romantic Recipe Round-Up!

Holy Cupid! It’s totally almost Valentines Day. I know this because my calendar is telling me it’s February. I’m totally on top of things. Don’t worry (okay, maybe worry a little).  I feel like I am losing track of time and space, but that’s nothing new.

Have you ever noticed how polarizing this time of year is? There’s that awkward divide between the people clamoring to get into a schmancy restaurant with an expensive prefixed menu and the slightly bitter people who feel like going out and throwing old crusty sandwiches at anyone who dares play a little tonsil hockey in front of them. Boom. Did you just grab that girls butt? You get this old pastrami right in the face. I totally get it. I’ve been on both sides of this holiday. Not that I ever chucked sandwiches… but, I’m not going to say it’s never crossed my mind. Now, as a boring-but-kind-of-in-a-charming-way-married-person, I kind of fall somewhere in the middle. It gives me an excuse to write my husband a love letter (not that I should need one) while also capitalizing on the sale of both steak and lobster. We literally call it Steak and Lobster Day. I find this to be way more exciting than a bunch of roses or even one of those singing teddy bears. Feed me some turf with a side of surf and that speaks to my heart. Is that a fillet? Let’s makeout. […]

Buckwheat Waffles with Cinnamon Apples | Gluten Free

Tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays.

It’s Steak and Lobster Day!

That’s right. Some people might refer to it as “Valentines Day,” but in this house we refer to it solely as Steak and Lobster Day. After a few years of going out to over-priced fixed menu dinners and suffering through people coming over to our tables and loudly serenading us with accordions or trying to sell us roses, we decided that we needed to go another route. One can only be serenaded by an accordion while eating overpriced lamb so many times. We started to notice that really good quality steak and lobsters were on sale at our local market during the Valentines madness. Jackpot. Thus was born Steak and Lobster day. […]

Homemade Nutella | Gluten & Dairy Free

Dear Nutella,

I want to put you on everything ever. You make me think that midnight snacks are a good idea. I’ve eaten too much toast in the past couple of days, mostly because it’s a vehicle to get you in my mouth. You also really shine paired with apples. Is it too forward to tell you that I actually ate a straight spoonful of you one afternoon? Forget it, I don’t care who knows it. I love you. Let’s make-out.

Faithfully yours,

Gina

Do you think I am coming on too strong? Maybe.

Well, Friends…HAPPY WORLD NUTELLA DAY! Yes, that’s a thing. I only learned about it this morning. If you want we can just ignore that this is purely dumb luck and high-five instead. […]