Maple Bacon Macarons

A couple weekends ago my friends and I took a macaron cooking class. I had never tried making macarons in the past since they always seemed to be very labor intensive. Turns out there are a lot of steps involved, but they aren't actually that hard to make. If a class of amateurs manager to make multiple successful batches of these, so can you. My favorite flavor from that class was the maple bacon macaron. The filling is a caramel and maple sauce with bacon morsels. I could eat it by the spoonful (I may have done that in reality). These macarons can be refrigerated and will last a week. In fact, the flavor comes through even better on day 2.

In the top picture, the macaron has been in the fridge overnight and is much more stable and together. The bottom photo is of the macarons right after we added the caramel bacon sauce. Make sure you don't go crazy with the caramel or it will ooze everywhere. We had a few macarons where that happened if you didn't already notice. They are a very delicate cookie so take extra care when transporting them.

Pin It Now!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots

When I was younger I used to dread any meal that involved Brussels sprouts. Luckily, times have changed and I now love them! From Brussels sprout chips to grilled Brussels sprouts, I love them all. This recipe is a very simple one and you can add any roasting vegetables you like to the mix. I happened to have carrots and Brussels sprouts at home, so that is what I used. I also sometimes add chopped rosemary or other herbs to this mix.

Pin It Now!

Grilled Potato Slices

A few years ago I accidentally discovered grilling potatoes. I decided this was a must have on BBQ days. It's so easy to make and falls into the realm of comfort food. Cut your potatoes skinnier to reduced grilling time. I love serving this with a side of chive and garlic sour cream, but any dipping sauce that you love will be great. I've also made a cumin, Greek yogurt and mint dipping sauce in the past. If you think the flavor will taste good with potatoes, then go for it.

Pin It Now!

Sweet Potato-Chickpea Patties with Sriracha-Yogurt Dip

My mom found this recipe a while back and recommended it. These patties make a great vegetarian dinner option, especially if you're still on board with Meatless Mondays. I tend to eat lighter meals in the evening, so a dish like this is a great choice. The patties are also easy to make. They may seem a little difficult to work with, but once they patties begin to fry they stick together.

Pin It Now!

Quick and Easy Miso Soup

My friends and I have started a tradition where we have make-your-own sushi night. I tend to host them at my place and I usually have some appetizers ready to go since the sushi rolling process can be time consuming. One thing that I have made for each night is this miso soup. It's so simple and you can flavor it to your liking very easily. When I first made this I couldn't believe how easily it came together. I did have to go to an Asian grocery to find some of the ingredients (like the seaweed and the Japanese style bouillon). Once you have the basic ingredients on hand this soup is very easy make a second time. Enjoy this with some homemade spicy tuna rolls of Japanese style ginger and carrot dressed salad.
Pin It Now!