Why I Left The Restaurant Industry

I used to be a restaurant chef. I hated it. Not because it wasn’t fulfilling…. It was. I actually thrived in it. It was hot, fast-paced, and loud. And I loved it. I was able to overcome the chaos and dive deep within myself to find clarity, peace, and creativity. I was nicknamed “ninja” because …

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Whiskey and Browned Butter Pecan Pie

I may have said it before, but one of the reasons I grew up wanting to be a chef was because of the memory-triggering power of food. One bite of a favorite food and you’re instantly transported to your childhood, your first date with your husband or wife, the first Thanksgiving you ever cooked yourself, …

Cranberry Chutney

Raise your hand if you have a soft spot for canned cranberry sauce. I do! But even though my inner child tends to crave the canned stuff every year, I always make sure to have a homemade cranberry component to my Thanksgiving table as well. This particular cranberry chutney recipe acts like more of a …

“Green Bean Casserole”

As much as we look forward to that glistening, golden turkey every Thanksgiving, I’m sure we can all admit that the real stars of the big show are those side dishes. I’m almost certain that 80% of my calorie intake that day comes from side dishes. Year after year, its those pesky sides that make …

Pumpkin Seed and Mandarin Pesto

One of the reasons I love Thanksgiving so much is because of all of the nostalgia that's wrapped up in one delicious menu — stuffing that my grandfather made, my Grandma's gravy, that traditional green bean casserole, my in-laws’ sweet potato casserole, or an old family friend’s cranberry sauce. Not only is Thanksgiving a day to enjoy the …

Homemade Applesauce

Can't decide between pumpkin, pecan, and apple pie this Thanksgiving? Why don't you sneak the best part of apple pie onto the dinner table instead of trying to cram it onto the dessert table? Making homemade applesauce is not only easy but tastes wayyyyy better than anything you'd find in the grocery store. Plus you …

Turkey Day 911

  With less than two weeks until Thanksgiving, I'm sure you're all just as excited as I have been to plan that turkey day menu. As a chef, this is my Super Bowl. A no-holds-barred marathon of food preparation, consumption, and then sleep....lots and lots of sleep. But as excited as we all get for …

Hard Pumpkin Cider and Sage Bread

I love bread. Well, I actually love all baked goods but honestly, is there anything better than homemade bread? The only problem with making bread from scratch is that it usually takes hours, or even days, to make. And even if you follow the recipe exactly, bread ingredients are so fickle and the procedures are so intricate …

Mulled Wine Biscotti

Apparently as soon as the weather dropped below 65°, I went into full holiday baking mode. These past few weeks have been taken over by my former pastry chef life... and I love it! Thanks to nostalgia, I feel the need to be in the kitchen baking nearly every day. Recently I was inspired to come …

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Chip Cookie Adult Milkshake

Congratulations! It's Friday and I think you deserve an extra special treat to get the weekend started. This recipe was created after a bottle of salted caramel Kahlua went untouched after it was used to make my grandma's 90th birthday cake (yes, that's right — Grammy rocked out her 90th with a Kahlua soaked chocolate cake. …