What kind of celebration can you have without a celebration punch? Here’s another punch recipe ready to serve at an upcoming holiday brunch. My friend Erin and I like to play the… Read More

Continuing on my punch theme for holiday entertaining, here’s another apple based concoction that’s fun and tasty.APPLE ORCHARD PUNCH32 oz apple juice, chilled12 oz frozen cranbe… Read More

Here is another fun punch flavor we came up with for the Monday Club. It's tasty and was one we used frequently. Hope you enjoy.APPLE MINT PUNCH2 c water4 green tea bags1 1/2 c apple juice (… Read More

Entry #10: Pumpkin CookieFrom: ShannonLocation: Santa Monica, CACookies of the World Geographic Tag: California, USANote:  So I'm not above sneaking a way to get others to participate i… Read More

ORANGE ROSEMARY PUNCH1 bottle sparkling apple juice2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice, strained1/2c rosemary simple syrup (or to taste)**1-2 tbsp fresh ginger juice (grate peeled ginger &amp&hell…Read More

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Here is another punch recipe we came up with for the Monday Club. It was a take on a recipe I found in the December 2010 issue of Southern Living.APPLE-SPICED ICE TEA2 quarts hot unsweetened… Read More

For the past five years we’ve been catering the monthly club luncheons of the Monday Club in San Luis Obispo. One of the traditions that dates back to the start of the club is to serve… Read More

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Entry #9: Mince PieFrom: JuliaLocation: EnglandCookies of the World Geographic Tag: EnglandNote: But one thing that is very English is a Christmas mince pie!!! This is a sweet thing not savo… Read More

Entry #8: Homemade Sandwich Cookie From: LillieLocation: San Luis ObispoCookies of the World Geographic Tag: California, USANote: My friend Lillie makes these every year and advised me to ma… Read More

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We’ve been having some colder weather here on the central coast. Not cold by New England standards (I can totally hear my East Coast family laughing at me), but cold enough away from o… Read More

Everyone looks for that special drink to make for a crowd during the holiday season. Look no further than this cranberry-pomegranate sangria. Easy to mix up a single recipe or multiply it ou… Read More

Entry #7: Peppermint MeringueFrom: meLocation: San Luis Obispo, CACookies of the World Geographic Tag: California, USANote: I found this recipe a long time ago in a magazine. I’m a hug… Read More

Entry #6: Baklava CigarFrom: take on a recipe from my nanaLocation: San Luis Obispo, CACookies of the World Geographic Tag: California, USANote: Growing up my nana used to make baklava every… Read More

Entry #5: Irish Whiskey Oatmeal CookieFrom: KatieLocation: Apple Valley, MNCookies of the World Geographic Tag: IrelandNote: We normally don’t bake that many Irish cookies, but being t… Read More

Entry #: 4From: Kate Zeller - Thyme for CookingGeographic Tag: FranceNote:  I’m Kate Zeller, originally from Minnesota / Wisconsin, now living in the middle of nowhere, France.&nb&hell…Read More

Entry #: 2  From: EdiCookies of the World Geographic Tag: CroatiaNote: I’m not a baker, so I got this from my mother.Vanilla Rolls250 grams flour 210 grams butter 100 grams walnut… Read More

Virtual Cookie Swap 2016Entry #: 2From: RegineLocation: WalldorfCookies of the World Geographic Tag: GermanyNote: Here’s the recipe I promised. It’s one of our favorites, very si… Read More

Entry #: 1From: Tracie A. Location: San Diego, CACookies of the World Geographic Tag: HawaiiNote: This is honestly my most favorite cookie...and one of my favorite memories of growing u… Read More

Have you ever caught yourself wondering where did candy canes originate and why are they shaped like a shepherds crook?Did you know the curved crook of the cane is called the warble?It is sa… Read More

My mom sent me this recipe many years ago. While it is normally made with chicken, I don't see why you couldn't make it with left over turkey. It's so good. Nom Nom. Thanks for the recipe mo… Read More

Have you ever wondered about Turkish Delight? Anyone that has read the children’s classic The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe is familiar with the younger brother’s obsession… Read More

I kid you not - it's National French Toast Day. So let's celebrate with a batch of nummy yummy French toast.Feel free to make basic, but I'm in the mood for flavored French toast.How do you… Read More

We've all been there. No denying it - we've all had that very same question. What do you do with all that left over turkey? My absolute favorite use is turkey pot pie. I came up with this re… Read More

It’s that time of year… Cookie Exchange time. While I’m no longer hosting a physical cookie exchange, I figure it’s just too challenging with my food allergy concern… Read More

Here's the third and last installment of the 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. Happy Shopping!Totally awesome egg molds for shaped hard boiled eggs HERE and more egg molds HERECustom engraved rolling… Read More

Death Star ice molds,  these work great - actually own these!   Sriracha to goPopcorn (!) on the cob Hedgehog toothpick holder. Who's going to get this for me? Read More

Happy Thanksgiving!Have a blessed day, free of cooking incidents and drama! Read More

I know you wonder just how to cook everything you want to cook in a single oven for Thanksgiving.Have no fear - I've got just the info graphic for your cooking needs, and best part - you can… Read More

So this isn't the most seasonal of dishes, but considering the strawberry growing season here in CA is SO long I thought I'd share this recipe as on that travels well since there are multipl… Read More

Anyone like watching old movies? I sure do. When I was growing up our local independent TV station would have play a classic movie every Saturday morning at 10am. If there wasn't anything go… Read More

As it's not too late to find recipes for Thanksgiving, here is another one. Thanks to the Food Channel, I've never had a bad time with this recipe.FRESH CORN SALAD5 ears corn, shucked1/2c re… Read More

Thought I'd share this one as it is a nice fall side dish and could be used for Thanksgiving.Not a clue where I got it, but probably pulled it for work!BEET RISOTTO1 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp dic… Read More

To help get myself into the holiday mood this year I'm once again bring back my Virtual Cookie Exchange. For 2016 I'm going to continue with Cookies of the World. I'm going to be scanning th… Read More

I stumbled onto this recipe many years backwhen my weekly produce delivery gave me celery a few weeks in a row and I suddenly had an overflow of the stuff. Celery Gratain3 lbs. celery2 1/2 t… Read More

With Thanksgiving right around the corner I would be remiss if I didn't post up my husband's tried & true recipe for how to cook an amazing turkey. Keep in mind - in 19+ years of marriag… Read More

I found the most wonderful (and easy) recipe for buffalo wings - another one from Suzanne Somers. Not only was this easy to make, but it tasted so good - we ate the left overs all week.Buffa… Read More

To help get myself into the holiday mood this year I'm once again bring back my Virtual Cookie Exchange. For 2016 I'm going to continue with Cookies of the World. I'm going to be scanning… Read More

Easy - Travel Well Appetizers for the Holidays Granted not all of these aren't my recipes, nor have I tried them all out, but a friend asked me what apps I would recommend for Turkey Day tha… Read More

BACON WRAPPED DATES 35 dry dates, pitted (plan on a minimum of 5 pieces/person)18 slices bacon - slice in half (1/2 slice per date)White Peach-Balsamic Vinegar (we purchase this at WeOlive… Read More

I saw this in a cookbook - and can't remember which one. But I figured what the heck - bacon + chicken, must be good.BACON WRAPPED CHICKENChicken breasts - sliced into 1" x 2" slices (cut li… Read More

To help get myself into the holiday mood this year I'm once again bring back my Virtual Cookie Exchange. For 2016 I'm going to continue with Cookies of the World. I'm going to be scanning th… Read More

I gotta give a shout out for Costco and the enormous log of goat cheese you can score there for under $6.00! Oh the uses.... Not to mention how handy this recipe will be for Superbowl Weeken… Read More

This is another recipe from work. We had a customer ask for empanadas, and they wanted something different than what we normally made. The husband looked around and found this recipe –… Read More

To help get myself into the holiday mood this year I'm once again bring back my Virtual Cookie Exchange. For 2016 I'm going to continue with Cookies of the World. I'm going to be scanning… Read More

There have been times I’ve been tempted to participate in a “recipe tree” mailing – think chain letter, but instead of asking for money, you’re sending along a… Read More

Who doesn’t love a crab cake? This is a go-to for the husband. He’s been known to whip up a batch of these when we have a lazy Sunday afternoon (not that we’ve had many of… Read More

This recipe can be made into a large dish or put into mini muffin pans for a hand held bite perfect for holiday gatherings. Unfortunately I can’t remember exactly where this recipe ori… Read More

My family really likes eating mushrooms – stuffed, grilled, sautéed with onions, and sautéed with marsala wine. After searching around we finally found a Marsala Mushroom… Read More

As we move into the final two months of 2016 we enter into the most heavily entertained part of the year. With that being said I know many of you are looking for tasty appetizers to serve at… Read More

To help get myself into the holiday mood this year I'm once again bring back my Virtual Cookie Exchange. For 2016 I'm going to continue with Cookies of the World. I'm going to be scanning th… Read More

From my family to yours Happy Halloween! Here we are: blue ninja, R2D2 and a witch.The kid had quite a successful night thanks to all the college kids living in our neighborhood and hardly a… Read More

The answer is simple - take out.Whether it be shrimp tempura rolls or simple chicken salads from Costco's food court - we're not picky. Just don't make us cook at home after we spent the ent… Read More

This past summer the hubs obtained a commercial fishing license and occasionally supplies fish to our favorite fish store Pier 46 in Templeton, CA. If you’re in the area and want reall… Read More

Next time you're at farmer's market be sure to pick up some fresh basil so you can make this amazing vinaigrette. If you're lucky enough to shop at one of the markets here in SLO county be s… Read More

Here’s a flash back to a winery cooking demo. Hope you enjoy it. LITTLE SCALLION & CILANTRO PANCAKES Dipping Sauce1/2 cup low sodium GF soy sauce2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar1… Read More

We’ve been getting folks asking for our recipes now that they know we’re closing down Two Cooks. Some of these I’m happy to share – others not so much. Not to mention… Read More

Now that we’re closing down Two Cooks I’m being faced with a career change I wasn’t 100% prepared for. The hubs, he’s golden – heading off to an amazing job as… Read More

As it’s almost Halloween what better way to ring in the holiday than with pictures of Halloween cookies? Among all my other food obsessions I have a thing for cookie cutters. I love th… Read More

Fall is the time for apples and nothing beats taking a family outing to a local farm – taking a hay ride out into the orchard, picking a bushel and going home with the spoils.Here is a… Read More

No – I meant it when I said I was popcorn obsessed…. That is all Read More

On one of my cooking weekends last year I cooked up a HUGE batch of vegetable soup with homemade chicken stock. In preparing for future lazy days where you just can’t fathom cooking &n&hell…Read More

With as busy as my week days are, weekends occasionally slow down and are a time for baking. After I’m done sifting through cookbooks and plotting the weeks menus (when I’m motiv… Read More

Some weekends I try really hard to get my “mom” act together and make batches of foods that can go into the freezer for a fast thaw on a busy school night. My go-to tends to be l… Read More

As you all know I’ve been diary free for over 2 years now and while there are quite a few options out there for those that can’t or won’t eat dairy products, some things ar… Read More

Then there are the nights when I’m really feeling lazy. Which is a lot of the time these days as I’m still recovering from a fully ruptured Achilles tendon (which is another stor… Read More

Continuing on with my love of Indian flavors – I bring you to my next easy peasy dinner – vegan mac-n-cheese (I really like the “white cheddar” vegan mac by Earth Bal… Read More

I adore cinnamon toast – any time day or night, it’s a big hit in my book. I think it started because when I was very little my father managed a fuel oil company in Maine. If a c… Read More

RUSS’ LAMB KEBABS1 leg of lambCubed into 2” cubesSalt & PepperGaram Masala rubSkewer cubes of lambCook medium-medium rareFor 2” size cubes, cook approximately 7 minutes… Read More

Over the years we’ve done quite a few cooking demos and we’re always being asked about our house made garam masala rub. It’s a really easy recipe and is the perfect rub for… Read More

Halloween is just around the corner and here are some fabulous food ideas for the upcoming holiday:Pumpkin CarvingScary TreatsFrankenstein CookiesHalloween Cupcakes Read More

Since I brought up my avocado pie, here it is again for your reference. It’s a total crowd pleaser. Enjoy!Click HERE for the recipe. Happy Cooking Read More

We were recently asked to participate in a new food & wine event that kicked off the Avocado & Margarita Festival in Morro Bay. The Taste of the Grove was an intimate event for just… Read More

For anyone that hasn’t been following either the company or my blog’s FaceBook pages we’ve got some big news and exciting things happening in 2017. Rather than rehash, forg… Read More

The other night there was a post on one of the FB food groups I follow where a participant was wondering how to successfully add more fruits/vegetables into the diet of her young child. Many… Read More

Apple Uses in RecipesApples grow on trees in plenty. As a fruit, there are several varieties. As a cooking ingredient, they are versatile. Here are some suggestions for using apples in recip… Read More

Apple Varieties The one thing about apples is that there are plenty of them. Over the years since apples were introduced, they have been crossed with other varieties to come up with new app… Read More

Nutritional Makeup of the Apple We know that the food pyramid tells us to get a certain number of servings of fruits and vegetables a day. But, all fruits are not created equal. They may al… Read More

Well I sure do crave apples as soon as the first hint of fall's crispness hits the air. So I hunted around looking for apple facts and came across this:: The Origin of the AppleWe all love t… Read More

Here's another dish I made for the 2015 Earth Day Food & Wine Festival - black bean & rice salad. I forget how fast & easy this one is to make, and just how tasty it turns out.Br… Read More

For 2015 Earth Day Food & Wine Festival I made a blanc biscotti. This is so yummy and easy to make.Blanc Biscotti 1c gold raisins1c Pinot Blanc wine1/4 lb unsalted butter (at room t… Read More

Steak kabobs with rice. Yes I know – steak again! I think hubs just likes the convenience of the gas grill I got him two years ago. As much as he fought me and as much as he didn&rsquo&hell…Read More

Found another new product. A dairy free pizza by BOLD. The only draw back is that the crust is gluten free which I don’t need. You can find it at your favorite local health food store… Read More

Here’s my favorite dairy free cheese obsession – Chao Cheeseby Field Roast. This is such an interesting product – fermented tofu from Vietnam made into “cheese&rdquo&helli…Read More

As I’ve been poking around online I keep seeing people referencing “Walking Tacos” and being the dutiful researcher that I am I had to look it up because I had no idea what… Read More

Kid approved breakfast - for reals. This isn’t one that I do on a school day, unless I happen to feel motivated on a Last Start Monday, but will happily make on the weekends.Flavored F… Read More

Easy pasta salad – and when I say easy I mean EASY!Cook up one package of elbow pasta. Once cooked al-dente, run under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the noodles completely do… Read More

Fried green tomatoes are an absolutely favorite food. If you’re lucky enough to find green tomatoes at your local farmer’s market buy them – I promise you wont be disappoin… Read More

Another fast dinner is a teriyaki beef over rice with chopped up green onion. A quick way to do this on a school night is to cook your rice of choice, we like basmati. While your rice is coo… Read More

I’m a HUGE Linda Coss fan. I mean HUGE – her cookbooks/recipes are not only tasty, but easy for the non-cook to whip up. You've seen me write about her recipes ever since I start… Read More

As most of you know I’ve been dairy free for the last two years. I’m happy to report that there are a lot more options for dairy free cheese these days. I’ve been slowly te… Read More

Since fall is just around the corner we decided to change up our typical pancakes with a batch of Apple Pancakes. How yummy does that sound? It’s pretty simple. The cheater version jus… Read More

Popcorn has always been a big staple in my house – from the time I was a little kid until now. My dog even loves it and will not stop barking from the time he hears it until you give h… Read More

Pizza. That is all.PS - I'm totally in love with Papa John's Pizza. They're the first restaurant made pizza I've found where I live that has a dairy free crust. I can get a pizza delivered w… Read More

One of our favorite family dinners isn’t dinner at all – but eating breakfast for dinner. Pancakes are always requested and I have a hard time saying no. When I was little we gre… Read More

Tuesday nights are fairly crazed in our house. Immediately after school the kid went to her riding lesson – flash forward to us arriving home at 5:15pm and that means I don’t hav… Read More

I have no problem finding carb based snack foods – I do however have a problem finding things to snack on that are protein based. I discovered this recipe for soy sauce marinated roast… Read More

I love potatoes. Can there be another food that's so versatile and tasty?  This recipe for potato salad is one that I've been making for years, but sadly cannot remember where it came f… Read More