Bloody Mary

Skip the Bloody Mary mix—this Bloody Mary cocktail recipe is easy to make from scratch! Spicy and savory, this classic vodka drink is great for brunch.

Skip the Bloody Mary mix—this Bloody Mary recipe is easy to make from scratch! This classic brunch cocktail is a simple combination of tomato juice, vodka, and a few salty, spicy ingredients you likely have on hand. Fresh lime and lemon juice give it a bright, tangy kick, horseradish adds peppery flavor, and Worcestershire sauce and celery salt make it deliciously savory. I can’t promise that this Bloody Mary recipe will be an effective hangover cure, but I can tell you that it will wow guests at any brunch. Want to seal the deal? Load it up with garnishes like…

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Espresso Martini

Learn how to make an espresso martini! This caffeinated cocktail recipe is rich, foamy, smooth, and sweet. Coffee lovers, you have to try it!

Let’s make an espresso martini! This coffee cocktail has had a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. If you like coffee and you’ve never tasted one, you should definitely give this recipe a try. An espresso martini is smooth, rich, and sweet, with a delightful layer of foam on top. The coffee gives it a kick of caffeine, so it’s a fun beverage to sip at the start of a party (or with brunch!). Its luxe coffee flavor also makes it a perfect post-dinner drink. I’m sharing a classic espresso martini recipe below, along with tips for making the…

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Waffle Recipe

This easy waffle recipe is a delicious breakfast! These classic waffles are crisp on the outside and fluffy inside. We love them with maple syrup.

This waffle recipe is one of the best breakfasts for lazy weekend mornings. I love it because it’s super simple. This waffle recipe calls for basic pantry ingredients and comes together in a matter of minutes. It’s also delicious. These homemade waffles are crisp and golden on the outside and light and fluffy inside. I always load mine up with a pile of fresh fruit, but they’re great with a pat of butter and maple syrup too. So break out your waffle maker! This waffle recipe is a fun treat to have in your morning rotation. I hope you enjoy! What You’ll…

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Roasted Fennel

These roasted fennel wedges are tender, sweet, and deeply caramelized. Garnished with lemon zest and/or Parmesan, they're a delicious side dish.

This roasted fennel recipe is one of my all-time favorite side dishes. I adore roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, and roasted carrots, but I might love roasted fennel most of all. Raw fennel has a distinct anise flavor and crunchy texture. Roasted fennel, on the other hand, is beautifully tender, almost silky. As it caramelizes in the oven, its licorice flavor transforms into something sweeter, nuttier, and richer. There’s nothing else quite like it. If you’ve never tried roasted fennel, I hope you will soon. Serve it as a side dish with any weeknight dinner, or dress it up with garnishes like lemon…

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French Toast

This French toast recipe is a delicious, easy breakfast. The thick slices are fluffy, tender, and warmly spiced with cinnamon. Serve with maple syrup!

This French toast recipe is one of my favorite things to make for brunch. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a holiday or a regular old lazy weekend morning: just thinking about French toast makes my mouth start watering. What could be more crave-worthy than thick slices of bread with tender, fluffy middles, crisp edges, and a mound of fresh fruit on top? This French toast recipe is delightfully quick and easy, so I make it whenever we have day-old bread in the house. Still, it has the flavor of a special occasion treat. An egg batter makes it nice and rich,…

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Mulled Wine

This mulled wine recipe is perfect for the holidays! Simmered with citrus, apple cider, and warming spices, it's cozy, festive, and delicious.

Jack and I love to make this mulled wine recipe during the holiday season. Packed with notes of citrus, apple, and aromatic spices, it’s cozy, flavorful, and festive. Sipping a steaming mug of it is the best way to warm up on a cold winter night. This mulled wine is the perfect drink for holiday parties. For one, the recipe is easy to scale up or down depending on the size of your group. It also makes your kitchen smell amazing. The heady, spiced aroma on its own is reason enough to try it! Mulled Wine Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need…

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45 Christmas Breakfast Ideas

With recipes for cinnamon rolls, breakfast casseroles, French toast, waffles, and more, these Christmas breakfast ideas include something for everyone.

All our best Christmas breakfast ideas, all in one place! In case you’re still figuring out your menu for the holiday morning (don’t worry, I’m right there with you…), I thought I’d share some of my favorite festive brunch recipes today. They include Christmas breakfast ideas of every size and style—sweet ones, savory ones, ones you can make ahead, and ones you can whip up at the last minute. Some are great for a group, while others are meant for smaller celebrations. I hope you find some you love! Christmas Breakfast Ideas for a Crowd Serving a crowd on Christmas…

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Popovers Recipe

Made with a simple 5-ingredient batter, these popovers are light, airy, buttery, and delicious! Enjoy them plain or top them butter, honey, or jam.

I love pulling a pan of popovers out of the oven. In that moment, they’re beautifully puffed, almost lifting out of the pan. They have crisp, golden brown exteriors, and they smell like melted butter. Freshly baked popovers are pure delight. I’m sharing my favorite popover recipe below. It’s super simple (just 5 ingredients!) and SO delicious. The popovers’ crisp, golden outsides give way to airy, custardy interiors. I’m happy eating them plain, but they’re also wonderful with butter, honey, or jam. What are popovers? Popovers are light, custardy rolls. They’re made with a simple batter of eggs, milk, flour, melted butter,…

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Creamy Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and bursting with savory mushroom flavor. Make it with or without cream—it's delicious either way!

This mushroom soup recipe has become one of Jack’s favorite comfort foods. He loves anything and everything with fresh mushrooms, and this creamy, savory soup is positively packed with them. One and a half pounds of mushrooms cook down with onion, garlic, and tamari to create the soup’s umami base. Fresh thyme brings out the mushrooms’ earthy flavor, and white wine adds a nice tang to brighten it all up. I puree part of this mushroom soup, so it’s creamy with or without heavy cream. Jack likes the rich flavor of the cream version—it tastes like a classic cream of mushroom…

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Caesar Salad

This classic Caesar salad recipe features crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, and Parmesan cheese. A creamy, tangy homemade dressing ties it together.

This Caesar salad recipe is classic and delicious. It features a base of crisp romaine lettuce topped with crunchy croutons and plenty of shaved Parmesan cheese. A creamy, tangy homemade Caesar dressing ties it all together. I’ve shared Caesar salad recipes with extra add-ins and other twists in the past (looking at you, kale Caesar), but this classic Caesar salad is the one I make most often. I love it because the ingredients are SO simple and the creamy dressing is easy to stir together (no raw egg yolk here!). It’s the perfect side salad for dinner parties or holiday gatherings. Even…

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Homemade Caesar Dressing

This homemade Caesar dressing recipe beats any store-bought salad dressing I've tried. With a mayo base, it's creamy, tangy, and easy to make.

A great Caesar dressing is the secret to a great Caesar salad! This Caesar dressing recipe is my favorite. I love it because it’s easy and delicious. Unlike a traditional Caesar dressing, which is made with an emulsion of raw egg yolk and oil, this one has a mayo base. It’s super simple to stir together (and it doesn’t contain raw eggs!). Still, it’s rich, creamy, and packed with tangy, savory, umami flavor. Try it on your next Caesar salad, and you’ll never get a store-bought Caesar dressing again! Trust me, this homemade version is so much better. Caesar Salad Dressing…

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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.