Don't forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow! Add my Avocado Crema to your fiesta!
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados, cut in half lengthwise & pitted
1/2 cup Tufutti Better Than Sour Cream
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sea salt
Place all ingredients into large bowl. Combine ingredients with hand mixer until smooth. Transfer mixture to pastry/decorating bag with round tip & drizzle over tacos or nachos.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
In honor of National Grilled Cheese Day…
Ingredients:
2 slices sour dough (California Gold Miner)
1 cup parmesan, freshly grated
1 tsp rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp butter (Smart Balance-Orginal)
In a small bowl, combine parmesan and rosemary. Spread 1 tbsp butter onto each slice of sour dough. Place one slice sour dough, buttered side down into skillet over medium heat. Top with parmesan rosemary mixture and second slice sour dough, buttered side up. Heat until parmesan begins to melt and flip to cook other side. Flip sandwich as needed until parmesan completely melted and both sides browned.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
When mom sends Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract…you find reasons to use it!
Ingredients:
6 slices, French loaf
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
5 tbsp butter
maple syrup
powdered sugar
In a large bowl, combine milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Whisk in eggs. Dip each individual slice into egg mixture, allow each side to absorb mixture. Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Place slice into skillet and brown on each side. Plate and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
Modifying any cheese filled recipe can be a challenge, but I’ve found that parmesan always saves the day!
Ingredients:
6 oz jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente (Barilla)
16 oz Tofutti Better Than Ricotta Cheese
3 cups parmesan, freshly grated
1 egg
1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
1 jar Trader Joe’s Arrabiata Sauce
1 lb Italian Sausage
1 sweet onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, sliced thick
6 oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & ground pepper
Italian seasoning
parsley, dried or fresh
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine egg, “Better than Ricotta Cheese”, and 2 cups of parmesan. Set aside. In a large skillet, sauté garlic and onion with olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned. Add sausage and cook until browned. Add crushed and diced tomatoes, seasonings and stir to combine. Cover skillet and turn heat to low to simmer. Cook pasta according to directions, drain and pull shells apart. Let shells cool. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spread at least one cup of sauce to cover bottom. Fill each shell with cheese mixture and place in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce, optional amount of marinara sauce and remaining parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes and serve immediately.
Please note, this content uses referral links for products I have used and loved.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
Who said lactose intolerants can’t have it all?! For me, this is the definition of winter cooking.
Ingredients:
6 thin cut chicken breasts
7 carrots, peeled and diced
1 sweet onion, diced
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups lactose free milk
2 refrigerated pie crust, each divided in half
1 egg white, beaten
2 tbsp lactose free butter (I used Smart Balance Original)
2 tbsp flour
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, sauté diced onions in drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Remove from skillet when onions translucent and set aside. Sauté carrots in same skillet with olive oil until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add drizzle of olive oil and 3 chicken breasts to skillet over medium high heat. Cook evenly on both sides until cooked through and browned. Remove from skillet and cook last 3 chicken breasts. When chicken is cooled, cut into small bite sized chunks. Add butter to same skillet and melt over low heat. Whisk in flour slowly, 1 tbsp at a time. Once thickened, add in chicken stock over. Whisk together over medium heat and allow stock to reduce. Add in milk slowly, 1 cup at a time and whisking continuously. Simmer until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Add in onions, carrots, peas and chicken. Use ladle to divide into 4 ovenproof bowls. Cover each bowl with pie crust and use a knife to trim excess dough. Use a fork to crimp edges of crust and a knife to add 3 1/2 inch slits in center of pie. Brush each crust with egg wash. Place all bowls on baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes or until crust is browned.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
I recently found these thumbelina carrots in the produce section and quickly became enamored! They are perfect for roasting.
Ingredients:
10-15 thumbelina carrots, washed
2 tbsp honey
extra virgin olive oil, enough to cover carrots
sea salt & ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss carrots in olive oil, honey and season with salt & pepper. Add to a foil lined baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Flip carrots to other side and continue baking 30 minutes longer or until slightly browned and tender. Serve immediately.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
It’s that time of year again…Thanksgiving! Add this side dish to your list of must haves!
Ingredients:
1/2 pound medium shells
3 cups parmesan, freshly grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 cups lactose free milk
2 tbsp dairy free butter (I used Smart Balance Original)
2 tbsp flour
Splash of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & ground pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil pasta according to directions and drain. Set aside. Add splash of olive oil, garlic, and rosemary to skillet. Stir for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour 1 tbsp at a time to form a roux. Continue whisking while adding in milk. Whisk for 1-3 minutes or until liquid starts to thicken. Add in 1 cup parmesan at a time, combining until smooth. Season with salt & pepper. Remove from heat and combine sauce with shells. Spoon into 4 small ramekins and bake for 15 minutes or until slightly browned on top. Garnish with rosemary. Serve immediately.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
I just love galettes. They look so rustic and beautiful to me, yet are so simple to make. This galette is the perfect Fall dessert for you to enjoy or to give as a gift!
2 honey crisp apples, sliced thin
4 tbsp turbinado sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pie crust (I used Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie crust on a lightly floured surface and set aside for 15 minutes. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Meanwhile, slice apples. Place room temperature pie crust onto parchment paper. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar onto center of pie crust. Arrange apples slices, overlapping, on center of pie crust and leave a 2 inch border. Fold excess dough border over apples, pleating as you fold. Sprinkle remaining sugar and cinnamon over apples and dough. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!
Always wanted to attend a taping of Dancing with the Stars?! Here are my tips on how to get tickets and snag a seat!
First, go to on-camera-audiences.com and click on “Dancing with the Stars”. Click on “Join the waitlist”. Register for the waitlist and wait for that very exciting email stating dates with available seats! Once you receive the email notification for a line voucher, choose your date quickly. Five minutes after I chose my date, all of the available dates were gone.
Day of the show tips:
* Dancing with the Stars tapes at CBS Studios 7800 Beverly Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90036 -Corner of Genessee and Beverly Blvd. gate
* There is a mandatory dress code of upscale, elegant attire. I wore a black sequined cocktail dress with heels! I believe sequins might actually get you in and possibly a better seat!
* Park at The Grove. It will cost $24 for a full day. Street parking is available but it is metered.
* Arrival time on the ticket states 3pm. I was there around noon and was number 34 in line. I recommend arriving early (11am-12pm) if you have a line voucher that is not a guaranteed seat. The line becomes long very quickly and not everyone will get in. Make sure to have printed tickets and ID with you.
* I brought snacks & water with me. However, there were sandwiches, snacks and drinks for sale from a street vendor. I think they only accepted cash.
* Chair rentals are $10 cash and completely worth it! It was nearly 4pm when I went through security and that is a long time to stand in heels!
* There are Porta Pottys available that you can use while waiting in line. I was not excited about these at first, but I was pleasantly surprised. They were all very clean with a mirror, a place to hang your purse, and a sink/toilet with running water! So fancy, CBS studios!
* Cell phones/cameras will be taken from you when you enter security. You will receive a ticket to retrieve your phone after the show.
* If they ask you to be a “Seat filler”, say Yes!!! I got so lucky and was asked to be a seat filler for a VIP section. Fortunately for me, the VIP’s did not show up and I was featured in a 5 second clip! My family and friends on the East Coast could not believe it! I still can’t believe it!
* Once you’re inside the studio, get ready to dance! 30 minutes before the show begins, they invite the audience members to dance on the floor. Tony Dovolani came to the stage and led us all in several group dances!
I hope these tips help you get a seat in the audience! It really is a special experience if you’re a fan of the show! Send me a note on twitter or instagram if you have any other questions! @LiveLoveSaute
Anyone that has met me knows that I adore Queenstown Public House in San Diego’s Little Italy! I rave about it to everyone. I am in love with their (weekend only) brunch menu, specifically “The Oink”. It has layers of deliciousness and it starts with Jalapeño Cornbread. So, for those who can’t wait for the weekend or maybe you just need a little spice in your life…I give you my version of Jalapeño Cornbread!
Ingredients:
1 can corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
2 jalapeños peppers, seeded and minced (3 peppers if you’d like more heat!)
2 eggs, beaten
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
1/2 cup butter (or butter substitute, I prefer Benecol)
1 cup sour cream (I prefer Tofutti brand-lactose free)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Moderately spray or grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow bread to cool 10-15 minutes before serving.
Don’t forget to add love, it makes all the difference!