This one-pot chickpeas and orzo dish is simmered in a creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, basil and spinach. So delicious and ready to go in 30! “Marry me” chicken recipes have been flooding the internet over the past few years, and with good reason — a pan full of creamy, sun-dried tomato and basil chicken can’t help but be a winner! Here in our house, though, I wanted to make a version that my vegetarian husband and pasta-loving toddler could enjoy too. Thus, this orzo and chickpeas dish was born. ♡ It’s basically just a “marry me” take on our family’s favorite lemony spiced orzo a ..read more

Learn how to make a lavender latte (hot or iced) with this simple recipe that’s easy to customize to your liking. After moving back to KC last summer, one of my good friends introduced me to her favorite drink at our neighborhood coffee shop — an iced lavender latte — and it was love at first sip. ♡ I’ve long been a fan of pairing lavender with earl grey tea to make a London fog latte. But this was the first time I had ever tasted lavender paired with espresso. And when out for a morning stroll around the neighborhood with our iced lattes on a hot summer’s day, that extra hint of delicate flo ..read more

Homemade lavender syrup is easy to make with 3 ingredients and can be used in everything from lattes to cocktails, lemonade, baked goods and more. This has been the year of lavender syrup here in our house. ♡ Ever since I fell in love with our neighborhood coffee shop’s lavender iced latte last summer — and then pivoted to making my own here at home for a fraction of the cost (recipe coming tomorrow!) — steeping a quick batch of homemade lavender simple syrup has become a regular part of our weekly routine. And over time, we’ve come to find that it’s useful for so many other delicious treats ..read more

This blueberry cake recipe is easy to make and bursting with fresh blueberries. Blueberry season calls for my favorite blueberry cake! ♡ I first shared this blueberry cake recipe here ten years ago. And now, over a decade later, it still continues to be a favorite tradition of ours each spring when blueberry season rolls back around. It’s loaded up with a full two pints of fresh blueberries, which add a burst of vibrant sweetness to each bite. Then when mixed with a simple vanilla white cake batter, baked up in a bundt pan, and drizzled lightly with a sweet glaze, this cake is downright lovel ..read more

This ravioli lasagna recipe is super-easy to make with 8 ingredients and only 15 minutes of hands-on prep time. Say hello to one of my longtime favorite shortcut recipes — ravioli lasagna. ♡ We’re all big lasagna fans here in our house. But let’s be real, layering up a pan of classic lasagna is a labor of love, and one that rarely seems to fit into my schedule in this season of life with two little ones. Ravioli lasagna, however, couldn’t be easier! Simply sauté a big pan of Italian sausage, onion and garlic and combine with your favorite marinara to make a quick meat sauce. (Or you can skip ..read more

This one-pot lemony chicken stew recipe is simmered with hearty vegetables in a creamy lemon-herb broth. Easy to make and always so comforting and flavorful. After the past few years living in the blissfully temperate Mediterranean, I have to admit it’s been a bit of an adjustment returning to the roller coaster that is spring weather here in the Midwest. In the past week alone, we’ve swung from summery temps to blustery cold winds to heavy thunderstorms to a sprinkling of snow flurries this morning…with a weekend in the 70s forecasted ahead. (Lol, naturally.) But while I’m very much eager fo ..read more

This Irish-inspired colcannon soup is easy to make with creamy potatoes, kale and cheddar cheese. The last time I made colcannon (traditional Irish mashed potatoes with kale), the thought occurred to me while gathering the ingredients that they would also be perfect in a soup! So…here we are. ♡ I’m pretty sure this isn’t a traditional soup in Ireland, so I make no claims for authenticity here. But the traditional ingredients in colcannon (potatoes, kale, garlic, bay leaves, cream) form a fantastic base for a potato soup. And when simmered with extra leeks in veggie broth, partially blended un ..read more

This Irish kale colcannon recipe is perfectly buttery and fluffy and easy to make with a handful of basic ingredients. St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and I vote we celebrate with some homemade colcannon. ♡ We love making these classic Irish mashed potatoes anytime during the year that we happen to have some leftover kale and scallions in the fridge. But I recently learned that colcannon is traditionally served in Ireland on Halloween, when little trinkets are often hidden inside to predict your future for the coming year. Fortune-telling mashed potatoes…so fun! Well whether you d ..read more

Hello hello! Just wanted to pop in with a cute little life update. ♡ I’m delighted to share that our sweet son, Milo Alexander Martin, came to join our family this Valentine’s and we could not be more in love. After another long road to reach this point, we feel deeply aware of how fortunate we are — how many tiny miracles had to come together — to have him here with us. Currently soaking up all the snuggles and showering him with a million kisses each day because, as we’ve learned, this all just goes too fast. I can’t wait to show you the world, beautiful boy ..read more

This vibrant lemony broccoli pesto pasta is quick and easy to make and full of fresh flavors. Your veggies, greens, and pasta…all in one gorgeous dish! ♡ We’re all big fans of this lemony broccoli pesto pasta here in our house for different reasons. Teo, our toddler, loves the vibrant color and has taken to calling this recipe “super-green pasta”, since we have a lot of toddler-talk lately around here about how green veggies help keep our bodies nice and strong. My husband, Barclay, has yet to meet a pesto or broccoli dish that he doesn’t love, so this one was already a hit the first time I e ..read more