Alphabet Tortillas, Basketball garnishes & Easy cocktails with Bacardi and FruiTea Chillers®

This post is intended for an audience of adults age 21 and older. This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Bacardi. All opinions are mine alone. #SignatureSips #CollectiveBias

  My absolute favorite parties to host are the casual ones. There's no stress, the food is simple and the atmosphere is just fun. Since college basketball is beginning I know there is bound to be at least one party I'll be hosting for March basketball games. I tend to keep game day parties as simple as possible. Usually, I'll have a variety of finger foods and mixed drinks available. Many times I'll just pick up a few trays of food from the local catering store and put them out, buffet style. Although I keep it simple I still always to try to add a little bit of creativity to keep it fun. 

  For today's post, I'm going to show you a few fun ideas for game day style parties. We're going to make alphabet tortillas and basketball beverage garnishes. You're gonna love how easy these are to make and how awesome they look with your game day food!

Korean Fusion Mason Jar Snack with Spicy Asian Slaw

Today's post has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are 100% mine and mine alone. #SnackHonestly #CollectiveBias

  It seems like everywhere you look a new "fusion" restaurant is popping up around the corner. It's undeniably the biggest trend in dining. I think in my neighborhood alone there are no less than a dozen restaurants. There are the usual Asian fusion and Tex-Mex fusion - which I love. Then there are the more exotic ones like Japanese-American, Irish-Eritrean (still not sure what that is), North African fusion... I even saw vegan sushi fusion - don't know how that works but it sounds interesting! 

  As confusing and intriguing as they all might be, most are actually quite good. I have to admit I'm a sucker for a good Asian fusion restaurant. It's almost become a weekend ritual. Saturday night?... Asian fusion. It's something I always look forward to.
  So I thought if these flavors are great for dinner, why not turn them into a great snack for the work week. It was surprisingly easy and fun to come up with a great "fusion" snack. Using a few prep-free ingredients and an easy Asian slaw that is super simple, I put together an amazing mason jar snack that is not only better for you but really easy to make. Keep reading and I'll show you exactly how to prepare this make-ahead snack.

Ginger Citrus Sprite® Vinaigrette and WIN tickets to NYC Wine & Food Festival

  I love being able to create fun and delicious recipes using unconventional ingredients. I often find that combining simple flavors from ordinary items you have around the house ends up being unexpectedly delicious. It's also fun being able to experiment with combinations of foods that might seem out of the ordinary but work really well together. In a recipe I created last year I combined the sweet and savory flavors of Parmigiano Reggiano and chocolate in a grilled cheese sandwich. You wouldn't believe how well the flavors blended together!

  For today's post, I wanted to create a  light and refreshing vinaigrette that would work great for both fish and chicken when served with a salad as the main course.  A while back, I remember seeing a great recipe using Coca-Cola™ as one of its main ingredients in a balsamic salad dressing. It actually looked really delicious! I thought, why not try the same with its lemon-lime counter part, Sprite®. And so I did. This basic combination of flavors using these simple ingredients created a super salad dressing that is not only easy to make but really delicious. Keep reading and I'll show you exactly what you'll need for this fun and creative recipe. AND, see what we're giving away that will take you to the center of the cooking universe...hint: It's a trip, it's to NYC and there will be tons of food!

Farmhouse Style Summer Beverage Bar with DIY Watermelon Keg and Easy Agua Fresca Recipe

Thanks to Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company for sponsoring today's post, all opinions are 100% mine alone. 

   I want to kick off the last few weeks of summer by giving you guys a fast and easy tutorial. We'll be making a fun and festive farmhouse style beverage bar. The best part, and definite conversation piece, is the watermelon keg.  It's an absolute stand out!  What's even better is the quick and delicious agua fresca we're going to fill it with. It's the perfect way to celebrate the last month of summer before the kids go back to school and we head into fall. 

  I really love summer. I spend as much time as possible outside enjoying the beautiful weather. So for this tutorial, we're going to do something craaaazy! We're going to go shopping for all of our ingredients while sitting outside in the fresh air and sunshine! Yup, you heard me right. We're going to get everything we need for our beverage bar and watermelon keg shopping from the comfort of our own home. Follow along I'll show you exactly how.

Easy tips to creating the perfect beverage bar for your holiday entertaining

Thanks to Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company for sponsoring today's post. All opinions are mine alone! #SavorTheMemory #CollectiveBias

  My absolute favorite part of the holidays are the great conversations with family and friends.  It's the perfect time to catch up and share stories of the past year. Let me tell you, sometimes the stories are the real gift of the holidays! They can get quite colorful if you know what I mean. 

  It always seems like everyone congregates in the kitchen for the juicy gossip. That's always where the great conversation really happens. Throw in some finger food and a beverage bar and you've got the start to something good!

  I'm going to show you how you can create a really amazing fully stocked Coca-Cola beverage bar. Many times the simplest of details can get overlooked so I'll provide a complete checklist along with a few great simple tutorials. We'll make cranberry, mint-infused ice cubes and candied lemon/orange peel Christmas tree stirrers. Keep reading for the easy and fun details!

Balsamic Whipped Ricotta Strawberries with Stouffer's Bourbon Steak

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BalancedNewYear #CollectiveBias

  I love making resolutions. To me they always represent opportunity and hope. They might not all stick (and they usually don't) but that's fine. You can't succeed if you never even start. So this year instead of going to extremes I'm focusing more on balance. Instead of choosing to exercise 2 hours a day, I'll try to work in a few extra steps here and there. Rather than cut out every food that doesn't register at zero carbs I'm going for a good balance. I think that the old saying about  moderation really is the key to success.

  For this recipe I chose to use a dinner entree that is easy and delicious and combine it with a dessert that incorporates both taste and balance. It's lower in sugar and uses a variety of ingredients to keep it well rounded.  Keep reading for the incredibly tasty and super easy recipe.

Balsamic Burger with mozzarella, bacon and kalamata olives

This post brought to you by Char-Broil. The content and opinions expressed below are completely mine.

  This modern take on the classic cheeseburger really packs on the flavor. The easy recipe adds a Mediterranean twist by featuring kalamata olives, heirloom tomatoes and a balsamic reduction. The ingredients for this burger are fairly simple so you'll definitely want to use the best quality you can get your hands on. The biggest secret in flavor though lies in the way you grill the meat. Keep reading for this easy and delicious recipe as well as a few expert grilling tips and tricks.

Easy Steak Fajita Wraps On The Go -with Cilantro Lime Kale Chips

 Thanks to #CollectiveBias, Inc. for sponsoring today's discussion. All opinions are mine alone. #PowerfulProtein

   I'm always way too busy in the mornings to think about making lunch from scratch. I usually end up buying it from one of the local delis. Most of the time I can find something that's pretty healthy but usually my choices are limited to the same thing.  My lunch basically consists of some variation of salad and chicken. Not bad but, I found something a lot better.

  I just tried this new product by STOUFFER'S® FIT KITCHEN. It's actually sold as a frozen entree but I turned it up a notch and made it into this awesome wrap. It's so convenient. All you need is a package of fajita wraps and a microwave. You can have the absolute best sizzling hot steak fajita lunch outside of a bar and grill. And, who wouldn't want steak for lunch!? Oh, and did I mention it takes less than 10 minutes to make. I found my Fit Kitchen meal at Walmart in the 'convenience foods' section of the frozen entrees isle. Keep reading and I'll show you how to make these fajitas as well as a these incredibly easy (and delicious) kale chips....

Chocolate grilled cheese sandwich with M&M’s® Crispy

This recipe is part of M&M's® Crispy #CrispyComeback hosted by media company #CollectiveBias.  All opinions are completely my own. 

  Hi friends! I hope everyone is having a great early spring. You are absolutely going to love today’s post. It features two of the all time greatest foods paired in a way you’d never imagine. The first ingredient is without a doubt the greatest return in candy history. By popular demand M&M’s Crispy are back!  Yup, you heard me right. Thanks to all you wonderful folks giving shout outs to the people over at Mars candies, they decided bring them back and boy are they just as good as I remember. The next ingredient is often known as the king of cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano.  That’s right I’m pairing M&M’s^® crispy with an Italian cheese and you are not going to believe how delicious it actually is. Keep reading and I'll show you exactly what we'll be making. 

Bulletproof Coffee with Imported Butter

  A few months ago I wrote a post for Bulletproof coffee that I want to revisit  today. You may be wondering what the heck Bulletproof coffee is. Simply put, it's coffee with healthy fats substituting the cream and sugar normally added. The benefits of adding pure, real butter as well as coconut oil are proving to be pretty interesting.  Research suggests you can expect increased mental clarity as well as keeping hunger satiated for hours. Dr. Weil, well know pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, suggests a diet rich in good fats like the kinds used in bulletproof coffee are essential for good health. I incorporated simple recipe for making this coffee using only 3 ingredients. Keep reading and I'll show you a new, great...healthier way to start your day.
 

Peperoncini Mashed Potatoes

  There’s nothing better than being able to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. It’s a time to get together, share memories and enjoy some great home cooked meals. One of my favorite parts of the holidays is the time spend around the table. You just can’t beat great food and great conversation with the people you love.

  I want to share with you a great holiday recipe a friend of mine has been making for years. I decided to kick it up a notch adding a unique twist in this classic holiday dish. It’s really going to knock your taste buds into overdrive!  I’m also going to show you how you a chance to enter the 31 Days of Gift Baskets Giveaway sponsored by Mezzetta foods. Keep reading to see how…

Bulletproof Coffee with natural healthy fats, organic ingredients and no sugar

  Hi guys. Today I want to share with you something that one of my friends has been trying to get me to try for years. Recently I've been seeing this all over the organic health and Paleo blogs. I never new it had a name until now. It's called Bulletproof Coffee and it's becoming a fast growing trend among all sorts of people no matter what their diet.
  The essence of this coffee is that your adding good fats and eliminating sugars. These fats contain all sorts of vitamins, fatty acids and nutrients that are great for fat burning and brain function - couldn't we all use a boost of THAT first thing in the morning! Another claimed benefit of drinking this coffee is that it leaves you both satiated and energized. So let's give it a go. Here's a list of the ingredients needed to make this delectable morning beverage.

Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie with freshly ground Cinnamon

  Hi guys! Well fall is now officially underway. Besides the wonderful cool weather there is something I love even more about this season. It’s the time of year when they bring back one of my favorite beverages. You guessed it, the pumpkin spice latte!! What could be better than that!? Coffee, pumpkin & cinnamon all in one delicious morning cup of goodness. 

  After a week and several dozen cups of these high cal. hot and frozen lattes, I decided that I need to come up with some sort of healthy alternative. Well I think I may have done just that; a cold smoothie version. Not only is this delicious but it’s really good for you and it’s low in sugar.

Spicy Cilantro Lime Corn with Chili’s® At Home Chicken Fajita Rice

  Hi everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the great summer we've been having. Before you know it fall will be here so I intend to spend all the time I can outside. This past weekend I had a few friends over for an impromptu casual get-together ... you never need a reason to BBQ right! At first we were going to go out to eat. Since the weather was so nice we decided to stay home and enjoy the outdoors. We all had such a great time.  I want to share with you a great recipe one of my friends made. It's quick, super easy and you only need a few ingredients....Spicy Cilantro Lime Corn.

   I also want to share with you what I made as the entree. Well to be fair I didn't actually "make" it, I basically just heated it up. It turns out that Chili's® restaurant now makes frozen entrees you can have at home. You're not going to believe how good these are. Just throw 'em in a skillet and heat.
  Keep reading and I'll show you how easy these are to make...did I mention Chili's® has COUPONS  for these on their website!

SUGAR FREE LEMON CHEESECAKE BARS with Splenda Granular, Sugar Free Cake Mix and Jello Instant pudding & pie filling

   I've been searching and searching for a great lemon bar. The catch was that it needed to be sugar free. I've looked in bakeries, grocery store and of course online. I quickly came to the conclusion that I needed to make my own. I really wanted to come up with a recipe where I didn't have to start from scratch. Everyone wants to save a little time when they can, right. Well here's a recipe I came up with that uses boxed mix and Jello instant pudding.  Grab a few fresh lemons and you're ready to go....

Super Easy No Bake Healthy Snack Bars

  Recently I've become obsessed with these protein bars called KIND. They are snack bars that are completely natural, organic and have no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. I've been trying to eliminate all added sugars from my diet and I'm finding it fairly easy but only with the help of  artificial sweeteners. With so many of these sweeteners everywhere and such excess consumption; how safe is this. That is why I am lovin these bars. Nothing but natural ingredients and they still taste great.
  I wanted to try to replicate these in some way. I wanted to see if I could make something at home that was completely from scratch and completely natural. I went in search for a copy cat recipe online. I found a few but my problem was they involved lots of fancy ingredients. It was going to be costly. I decided to give my snack bar making skills a test drive with some simple household ingredients. So before rushing out and buying all natural fresh organic milled brown rice syrup  I thought I should try using some simple ingredients first. Read on and I'll give you my  easy recipe that anyone can make and is sooo delicious.

Honey Peanut & Roasted Almond Snack Bar

  This recipe is super simple. You don't need to know how to cook or bake. You simply microwave the peanut butter and honey then mix them into the dry ingredients. Anyone can make this, it's loaded with nutritional benefits and you know exactly what goes into it. The ingredients are simple and easy to find in any grocery store.

  So let's get started. Grab a bowl, pyrex measuring cup, 13x9 baking pan, parchment or wax paper and a spatula. Most of the following ingredients you probably already have so the cost of these snack bars is really minimal.

Ingredients

• 1c.      Oat Flour*
• 1/2c.   Oatmeal (instant or quick oats)
• 1/2c.   Whole Natural Almonds
• 1/2c.   Natural Super Chunky Peanut Butter
• 11/4c. Puffed Rice (rice krispies cereal)
• 1/3c.   Whey Protein Powder, vanilla
• 1/3c.   Clover Honey
• 1tsp.   Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4c.   Ground Flaxseed  (optional**)

Instructions

First you're going to want to lightly roast your almonds. Roasting them takes just a few minutes and it really brings out the flavor. Set the oven to 300F and roast in a single layer on a cookie sheet for 10min. That's it... super easy right.  Set them aside and when they're cool put them in the food processor. Pulse a few times to coarsely chop.

.

In a glass pyrex measuring cup add peanut butter, honey and vanilla and slowly stir together with a wooden skewer or chopstick. In 10 second increments microwave and stir the mixture. Using a wooden skewer allows you to leave it in the mixture while you microwave. Repeat this process until thoroughly mixed and hot.

Add the liquid to the dry mix and stir with a spatula to completely coated. Add the mixture to a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread evenly covering about 3/4 of baking pan. (Coating the entire pan will result in thin, flat brittle bars.) Using parchment cover the top of the mixture and pack down with your hands. Refrigerate about 1 hour to set.

After about an hour take the baking pan out and prepare to cut. To ensure accurate nutritional information you want to measure the bars before cutting.  Mark 1 1/2 inch intervals down the center of the pan with a toothpick. Use this as your cutting guide. With a dough cutter or large metal spatula cut into even bars.

Wrap bars in plastic wrap. Refrigeration is not necessary but will prolong freshness. That's all there is too it. You have your own homemade snack bars that are super healthy and require no baking.

NUTRITION PER 2oz. BAR

total calories. 227, fat 13g, total carbs. 27g, sugars 10g, protein 9g

*Oat Flour can be replicated by using a food processor to pulse/grind the oatmeal to a powder-like consistency. note: Oatmeal does not have to be cooked to have the same nutritional benefits.

** slightly increases fat and calorie content

Easy To Make Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark

  Well I gave in. Despite my strict diet of zero added sugars. (which I have to admit wasn't so strict during that long period between Thanksgiving and New Years day) I decided to give in and try one of the latest  trends in desert making. The salted caramel. I must admit I was skeptical about the concept that adding salt completely changes the caramel. Well  to my surprise it actually does. The salty accent really compliments the caramel's sweetness and enhances the taste. If you want to try this yourself I came up with this super easy recipe.