Melissa

easy flag cake

Hello, Lovelies! Happy 4th of July! I thought I’d stop by the blog and share a cake recipe with you. I whipped up the cake last night, frosted it this morning, and decorated it right before we ate it. It’s super simple to make, and it’s a show stopper. This would make a pretty cake…

hawaiian sweet & sour meatballs

Sweet and sour meatballs over white rice is one of those things I crave a couple times a year. It’s comfort food for summer, in my opinion. Great for those rainy, somewhat cool days when you can’t really go outside. It’s warm and delicious without being creamy and heavy, and a nice change from boring…

Door County Wisconsin 2021

Jeff and I recently spent a relaxing four days in Door County Wisconsin. We used to go every couple years, but hadn’t been there since the girls were little, so we thought it might be fun to go back. It was SO nice to take a few days after the crazy year we’ve had. We’ve…

asian cucumber salad

Cucumber salad is so light and refreshing! We love to eat it all summer long. I’ve created lots of different variations of this salad so it never gets boring. This Asian version is wonderful with everything, but especially as a side dish to sushi, chow mein, and egg rolls. I like to add it to…

vegan club sandwich

Sometimes you just have to have a big, delicious sandwich. Before going vegan one of my favorite things to order at restaurants was a giant club sandwich on sourdough. Piled with bacon, and slathered with garlicky aioli. Now that I’m vegan, I like the same thing, but with vegan “meats” and cheeses. My favorite accompaniment…

air fryer maple bars {maple donuts}

Time to make the donuts! (I already made the donuts!) Remember that funny commercial from the 80s? I think it was for Winchell’s Donut Shop. I always laughed at that funny donut guy. Some of you are too young to remember. I just turned 50 (what the WHAT?) so I can say stuff like that…

strawberries & cream overnight oats

Have you ever tried making overnight oats? We love them not only because they’re delicious, but because they’re super quick to make and you can have a healthy, satisfying breakfast ready to eat the next morning. They’re great for busy mornings! I’ve made a few different kinds that we’ve all really enjoyed, such as: carrot…

frozen hot chocolate smoothie

Do you love frozen hot chocolate? I first discovered it at Dairy Queen years ago. And then, after watching the movie Serendipity, I was in love with the giant goblets of the stuff portrayed in a quaint, romantic setting. I decided to recreate a copycat version of the rich, chocolaty, icy treat. Well, guess what?…

4 ingredient fudgy chocolate pudding brownies

These brownies are super fudgy, rich, and chocolaty. Perfect for when the chocolate craving strikes. On top of being completely delicious, they’re easy to make and only call for 4 ingredients! Yes! Only 4. If you want to make these vegan, it’s very easy. Just use plain, unsweetened soy milk when making the instant pudding,…

mango black bean tacos

Hello Friends! I’ve been enjoying eating (mostly) clean these days. The majority of my meals are whole foods with nothing processed. I love cooking this way. Everything is fresh, vibrant, and delicious. For this recipe you only need a few minutes, and dinner is done. Whip up a batch of my cashew cream if you’re…