Spinach, Mushroom, and Feta Crustless Quiche

You may have noticed that I don’t have a whole lot of breakfast recipes around here.  It’s not that I have anything against breakfast, or that I don’t like to cook it.  It is true, however, that I have no interest in things like blueberry cheesecake stuffed french toast or cinnamon roll pancakes with cream cheese-butter-maple-syrup icing. Those things sounds delicious, but, in all honesty, I think if I ate them for breakfast I think I would either pass out from the sheer force of sugar or, at the very least, not make it til  nap time.

Brie, Bacon, and Red Onion Burgers

It’s been a particularly frigid winter in the Chicago area, with lots of days spent inside drinking tea and dreaming of summer.  A frequently recurring daydream around here involves the smell of burgers on the grill with a cold beer in hand, lounging around in the backyard. Unfortunately, burgers on the grill are just not going to happen anytime soon.  When we start getting a little forlorn at this prospect, these burgers come to the rescue.  They’re easy to put together without the help of a charcoal grill, and are so flippin’ delicious that it blows memories of Labor Day barbecues away.

Falafel Salad with Cucumber Dill Dressing

Happy New Year!  I hope that 2013 was a fabulous year for you, and that 2014 will be even better.  Once again, I am entering the new year unencumbered by resolutions, which has become my own kind of tradition, I suppose.  Sure, there are projects to be done, a whole house full of rooms to be organized, and there are certainly pounds to be lost.  But I can’t be bothered with all that in the face of a brand new year, fresh with possibilities.  Also, I’m extremely distracted at the moment by this falafel salad.

I’m fully aware that the blogging world is probably glutted at the moment with “recipes” for salads.  But this isn’t that kind of salad.  This is a salad that is only a salad because it really wants to be.  What?!  I don’t even know. I just ate a big plate of this and I’m giddy about it. It’s so good.

Earl Grey Truffles

Mmm… is there anything better than a hot cup of earl grey tea on a cold day?  Oh wait… there is… and it’s that cup of tea, plus chocolate and cream and cocoa.  I’m not even a chocolate person (I know, the horror!) and I seriously love these.  They are rich and decadent, but also subtle and perfectly balanced.  In a season when I tend to go overboard and binge on other sweets, I find myself completely satisfied savoring just one of these.  Ok, maybe two.  Which is good, because my whole point in making these was to make some tasty homemade gifts for people.  But who could blame me for sneaking just a few?

Cheesy, Crispy Green Bean Casserole

After plopping that picture at the top of this post, I considered not even writing anything.  I mean… do you have to be convinced to make this?  Did you see the gooey cheese?  The creamy sauce? The buttery, crispy bits on top? The perfectly tender-yet-crisp green beans? Well, yeah, that’s pretty much the whole story right there.