French 75 Cocktail

This French 75 cocktail recipe is perfect for celebrations! It's made with gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and topped with Champagne. Cheers!

This French 75 recipe is my favorite cocktail. Bubbly, botanical, lemony, and lightly sweet, it’s exactly what I want to be drinking on New Year’s Eve…or anytime, really. A French 75 is easy to make at home with 4 simple ingredients. If you’re looking for an elegant, refreshing cocktail recipe to mix up for happy hours, parties, or even brunch, you should definitely try this one! In case you’re not familiar, a French 75 is a Champagne cocktail made with gin or cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Ever had a Tom Collins? It’s like that, but topped with Champagne…

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Old Fashioned Cocktail

Learn how to make an old fashioned! This simple recipe calls for just 5 ingredients, so you can easily make this classic whiskey cocktail at home.

You don’t need to go to a bar or a restaurant to enjoy an old fashioned. Nope, this classic whiskey cocktail is a cinch to make at home! In fact, it’s Jack’s favorite drink, so we always keep old fashioned ingredients on hand. They’re super simple: whiskey (Jack likes rye), Angostura Bitters, a little sugar, ice, and an orange twist for garnish. Old Fashioned Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this old fashioned recipe: Whiskey – Choose bourbon for a sweeter, oakier cocktail or rye for a drier one. Angostura Bitters – They add notes of clove and cinnamon.…

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Crustless Quiche

No time to fuss with crust? You'll love this easy crustless quiche! Filled with broccoli and cheese, it's healthy, satisfying, and delicious for any meal.

This crustless quiche recipe is for those of us (ahem, me) who love quiche but don’t love making pie crust. Like a classic quiche, it’s flavorful and satisfying, the rich egg custard studded with broccoli, herbs, and cheese. But without a crust to fuss with, it’s SO much easier to make! This crustless quiche is the perfect simple-yet-special dish for the hectic holiday season. Serve it for brunch alongside fresh fruit and mimosas, or make it for an easy weeknight dinner. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, warm them up for a healthy breakfast or lunch the next day.…

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Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

This vegan spinach artichoke dip is the ultimate game day or party snack. It's creamy, tangy, savory, and delicious. You won't be able to get enough!

You don’t have to be vegan to love this vegan spinach artichoke dip. Just ask Jack. Whenever I make it, he can’t resist going back for seconds…and then thirds… This vegan spinach artichoke dip is creamy, tangy, and delicious. Who could say no to that? Instead of the traditional mayo and/or sour cream, blended cashews make up the creamy base of this plant-based dip. Nutritional yeast and onion powder add savory, cheesy flavor, while lemon juice and Dijon mustard give it the perfect bright kick. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing party appetizer or game day snack, make this vegan…

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Vegan Ricotta

Don't do dairy? You'll love this easy vegan ricotta cheese. Just like regular ricotta, it's rich and creamy. Perfect for lasagna, stuffed shells, and more!

Good vegan ricotta is the secret to a great vegan lasagna or stuffed shells. It should be rich, thick, and creamy—so delicious that you don’t miss the cheese. I’ve tried making it all sorts of ways over the years—with nuts like cashews and almonds…even sunflower seeds! But this tofu ricotta cheese is hands down my favorite. This vegan ricotta cheese is easy to make in the food processor. The recipe calls for less than 10 ingredients and whizzes up in minutes! It has a savory, cheesy flavor and perfect creamy texture. Add it to your next plant-based pasta or homemade…

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What is a Parsnip? (And How to Cook It)

Learn how to cook parsnips! Closely related to carrots, this humble root vegetable has a sweet, nutty flavor. It's delicious roasted, mashed, and more.

The humble parsnip is one of the most underrated vegetables. It’s cheap, versatile, easy to work with, and PACKED with flavor…but most of us cook it rarely, if at all. I think it’s time parsnips got a lot more love, so I’m sharing my complete guide to them below. You’ll learn how to cook them, how to store them, and find my favorite parsnip recipes. I hope you’ll give this tasty root vegetable a chance! What is a parsnip? A parsnip is a pale, tapered root vegetable that resembles a white carrot. The resemblance makes sense, because parsnips and carrots…

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This crispy roasted Brussels sprouts recipe is my favorite healthy side dish! A delicious lemon Parmesan dressing makes it bright, zingy & addictive.

How do you feel about Brussels sprouts? Do you love them, or hate them? Over the last few years, I feel like they’ve been getting more and more popular, and I couldn’t be happier about it! Brussels sprouts are some of my favorite fall veggies – they’re fresh and healthy, but still hearty, and they pair well with all sorts of seasonings. But, in my opinion, the key to loving Brussels sprouts is preparing them the right way. No one’s clamoring for more boiled or steamed sprouts – they’re often bitter, and they have an unappealing mushy texture. So if…

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Spinach Salad

This easy spinach salad recipe is a fresh, delicious side dish! It's filled with apples, dried cranberries, and pecans. A tangy dressing ties it all together.

This spinach salad recipe is simple, fresh, and delicious. A version of my mom’s favorite salad, it’s filled with crisp apples, dried cranberries, red onion, creamy goat cheese, and toasty candied pecans. A bright apple cider vinaigrette ties it all together. *Chef’s kiss* This fall, I’ve been making it on repeat. To be totally honest, that’s a bit out of character for me, because I’m not always a fan of spinach salad recipes (something about the texture of the greens, I think). So you should trust me when I say that THIS spinach salad really works. It’s sweet, tangy, and savory,…

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Candied Pecans

Learn how to make candied pecans with this easy recipe! Ready in 10 minutes, they're a great gift or delicious topping for salads and more.

Candied pecans are a wonderful topping for salads, side dishes, and desserts…but in our house, they rarely make it that far. These sweet, crunchy, cinnamon-spiced nuts are SO tasty that Jack, the kiddo, and I usually polish them off as a snack. It’s very easy to think you’re going to have just one, maybe two, and then eat half a batch. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Luckily, if you accidentally eat all the nuts you were supposed to put on a salad, it’s quick and easy to make more. This candied pecans recipe calls for 5 ingredients and comes together…

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Roasted Honeynut Squash

Learn how to cook honeynut squash! This newer winter squash variety has an adorable small size and sweet, creamy orange flesh. Try it this fall!

Have you tried honeynut squash?! This cute little winter squash has become one of my favorite vegetables to pick up at farmers markets in the fall. I have a soft spot for anything mini, and this squash’s petite size makes it hard for me to resist. But that’s not the only reason I love it! Honeynut squash has sweet, creamy orange flesh and edible skin. Its small size makes it easy to prepare—you can simply slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast it! No peeling or difficult chopping required. I’m sharing my go-to method for how to…

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Roasted Acorn Squash

Learn how to cook acorn squash with this easy recipe! Roasted with olive oil, maple syrup, and herbs, it's a simple, delicious fall or winter side dish.

This roasted acorn squash recipe is my favorite way to cook acorn squash. It couldn’t be simpler: just cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake it with olive oil, savory herbs, and a drizzle of maple syrup. After roasting, the squash is amazingly tender, with a subtly sweet, nutty flavor. Who says recipes have to be complicated in order to be delicious?! This roasted squash is an easy side dish for fall weeknights, but it tastes so good that it would fit right in at Thanksgiving dinner too. Whether you’re learning how to cook acorn squash for…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.