Mmmm shots. I love em. I love SoCo and Lime. I love Lemon Drops. I love whiskey. I even, sometimes, love Tequila. They burn when they go down, but they feel oh-so-good for the rest of the night. Not to mention the fact that they make me feel sexier, totally improve my dance moves (right?) and are just a fabulous way to bond with rando’s at the bar.

And then…the morning sets in.
Hellooooo hangover.

What the hell? Why create something so great that turns into something so…painful? If only there were shots out there that would be totally delicious and wonderful but not cause my room to spin/head to pound/body to crave bacon the next morning.

Good news!
I know you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but there are! Just read on, little ladies. Read More »

This happens to me all the time: I want to eat a nice, healthy salad, I really do—but I crave sugar instead. Usually, I end up eating a square of chocolate instead of a bowl of Romaine.

But now I’ve found the perfect solution: sweet spinach salad!

This takes less than five minutes to make, and it’s DELICIOUS. I feel like I am eating a dessert salad whenever I make it, no joke. All you need is some spinach, a few strawberries, a dab of honey, and a squirt of lemon juice.

Easy process: slice the strawberries and cut off the tops. Rinse the spinach and chop or tear it into smaller pieces. Toss the spinach and the strawberries in a bowl, and poke them for a few seconds to combine them.

Now for the fun part: squirt the lemon juice (I use about half a teaspoon) over the salad, then drizzle the honey over it. Mix everything up with your fork, and that’s IT! Dig in and enjoy… it’s the perfect side for a warm, summery day.

I’m not really into drugs and don’t know a whole lot about tripping. However, you mention the words flavor-tripping, and my ears might perk up a little. I am, after all, very into food and cooking, and while I’ve had many meals that make me feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven, I’ve never actually tripped off my food. Is that even possible?

Apparently, there is a berry that will make Tabasco sauce taste like glazed doughnuts and vinegar like apple juice. It’s a West African berry called the miracle fruit and The New York Times reported on a rooftop party last week that featured this little berry. Once you pop it in your mouth, everything you eat will taste sweeter and a bit more delicious. Read More »

So, I wouldn’t necessarily advocate this, but if you want to eat a cookie for breakfast, this is totally the cookie to go for. It has a serving of healthy (flour), a serving of delicious (chocolate), and a serving of WAKE UP (instant coffee). Really, to be honest, there’s nothing better.

Here’s what you need: ¼ c brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of soft unsalted butter, 1 egg yolk, ¼ teaspoon of vanilla, just under ½ c flour, 2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder (woo-hoo!), ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder, a sprinkle of salt, 1 tablespoon of milk, and 2-3 tablespoons of chopped chocolate. Chopped chocolate—not chocolate chips, so don’t even think about trying to substitute. The real deal makes all the difference.

This makes six nice-sized cookies, by the way.

First, warm your oven to 350. Then use an electric mixer (or do it by hand if you must, but a mixer is better for this recipe) to combine the sugar and butter until it’s creamy. Read More »

So, I set out the other night to make a crostata, but let’s just say I don’t seem to be at that level in my baking prowess yet. In my understanding, a crostata is supposed to have a nice, firm, flaky, golden brown crust… and, well, mine didn’t.

In good news, though, it tasted great. And it ended up looking exactly like something else I like a lot—pizza.

So if you too want to try dessert pizza, here’s all you need: about 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries, 1 small sliced apple (optional), 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water, enough pie dough for 1 small pie (use your discretion), 1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon milk, and a little bit (not more than a tablespoon) of brown sugar, oats, and flour. Read More »

Okay. Mother’s Day is almost here. And if you’re anything like me, you’re freaking out just the tiniest bit because A) you kinda forgot about this holiday until you saw a commercial last night B) your money supply is so low that you no longer get receipts from the ATM because it makes you too sad, and C) you’ve already maxed out every bath and body store within a 100 mile radius of your house, and your mom will disown you if you get her another bottle of bubble bath.

So what’s a poor girl to do?

Make some bitchin’ strawberry shortcake.

I have found that no matter what, strawberry shortcake hits the spot — especially with moms. It’s light, it’s fruity, it’s sweet, and with this recipe, it’s so simple you could whip it up while studying for that last final.

INGREDIENTS
2 quarts (32 ounces) fresh strawberries
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 12-ounce tube Pillsbury Golden Homestyle Buttermilk biscuits
1 7-ounce can whipped cream Read More »

After several months of going through 1-2 large containers of yogurt per week at $3.69 each, I decided there had to be a better way to get good yogurt without forking over my life savings for it.

And there is: make your own.

Yogurt is one of those foods that you never really think about making—you just buy it automatically, like milk or cheese. Once you get the hang of making it, though, it’s very easy (and CHEAPER!) to make it ahead of time for yourself whenever you want it.

This site, though a little too scientific for me (“inoculated milk” and “sterilized jars”? ummm…), gives great photographs for a step-by-step introduction to the process. It makes a TON of yogurt, though, so here are simpler instructions for about 4 cup’s worth.

First, here’s what you need: a half-gallon of milk and 2-4 tablespoons of yogurt with live, active cultures in it (most yogurts have these cultures naturally). Read More »

Amy Sedaris is a funny, funny lady. If you don’t know her, just YouTube some of her Strangers with Candy episodes. She’ll do and say anything, and isn’t afraid to be the definition of “wacky”. She’s weird. She’s absurd. She’s well spoken. I love her.

As if I needed a reason to add another candle to my Sedaris shrine, Amy has also got the best recipe for cupcakes, ever. The directions are easy, the cupcakes taste good, and the way the recipe is written is pure Sedaris.

Amy Sedaris’ Cupcakes

1 1⁄2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 3⁄4 cups of sugar

Beat well, then add:

2 large eggs
2 Teaspoons of pure vanilla
1⁄2 teaspoon of salt
2 1⁄2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 1⁄2 cups of flour
1 1⁄4 cups of milk

Beat well, fill cups, and bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. You should get 24. I get 18, ’cause I’m doing something wrong. Read More »