Foodwhirl Page for Dot

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About Dot

I'm sorta a crafty nerdy cook, who is layered... like pie.

http://dabbled.org
Chicken Enchilada Lasagna

This is an easy dish to make with whatever you happen to have on hand, as it’s a great use for leftover meat. I did chicken and onions as a filling, but this could be made with veggies or ground beef or chorizo, or whatever your family likes. This is also fun to make with […]

braised chicken in a cast iron pan with garlic, potatoes, olives
Weeknight Mediterranean Cast Iron Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are my new love for tasty, easy, & cost effective dinners for the family. This is a one dish meal that is easy to through together on a weeknight (although it does take a little while in the oven, so if you need fast, maybe save it for the weekend). And this one […]

Sweet Potato Shepherds Pies

Happy Pi Day! My son requested shepherd’s pie, and I was out of white potatoes, so I improvised a bit and came up with this savory sweet potato version. It’s and easy and flexible recipe (and you really don’t have to measure anything., so you can work with what veggies you have on hand. I […]

Don’t forget that Pic!

You can link to your website or facebook (or other social media) page, set your profile photo, and include something about yourself in the Bio section of your profile! But most of all, if you want to be in our featured contributors, you have to have a photo in your profile! Just go to your […]

bowl of sausage and chicken gumbo
Nancy’s Sausage & Chicken Gumbo

The weather around here has been crazy … 70 one day and 40 the next, and we can’t seem to have a cold snap long enough to have good soup weather.  Not that I’m complaining, because I’d rather be enjoying porch weather.  But there was some lovely okra at the farmer’s market the other day […]

Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala

I love this slow cooker version of Chicken Tikka from The Kitchn… variations on this theme are a go to meal for me. Enjoy! From the original site: “I didn’t think chicken tikka masala could really get much better, but then I remembered my fall-time best friend: the slow cooker. This is a curry dish […]

Technique: Steaming Eggs

This test of the best ways to cook ‘boiled’ eggs from Serious Eats was life changing! I now only steam my eggs, rather than boil them. It’s faster & easier. From the site: “Lower your eggs straight from the fridge into already-boiling water, or place them in a steamer insert in a covered pot steaming […]

Lillet Champagne Cocktail

A friend recommended this, and it sounds divine — saving it here for future reference! From the site: “If you’re looking for something different to sip this holiday but are worried about calories, try this Lillet Blanc Champagne cocktail. Lillet Blanc is a French aperitif wine that has flavors of citrus and honey, and when […]

Awesome Star Wars Cake idea : A Sarlacc Pit

For the Star Wars fan in your life, a great cake! (would also be a cool halloween idea…) “Buttery caramel flavored moist bundt cake drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce and dusted with Biscoff Cookie Crumbles. Two Biscoff madeleines with salted caramel buttercream teeth make the monster of this Star Wars Sarlacc Bundt Cake.”

Crispy EASY Oven roasted chicken thighs

Occasionally I run across a recipe that is so foolproof and versatile…that it’s ‘where have you been all my life?’ This is one of those recipes. I haven’t actually followed the exact recipe, but I’ve done variations on it several times — the key is the technique. I will note that if your thighs are […]

It’s even easier to post your recipes now…

We’ve streamlined the recipe posting process, based on your feedback.  Go Submit a New Recipe (or Share a Link) to try it out!  You’ll see the status of your post right after you submit it. Oh, and don’t forget to make sure you have a profile photo, so you can show up in our Contributor […]

Hot Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

Well, this might make surviving Thanksgiving with the family a little more doable! “This thick, creamy drink really does taste like drinkable pumpkin pie with a kick. Rumchata gives it a creamy cinnamon flavor and the whipped cream vodka is the perfect touch. If you really want to go for overachiever status, serve with crispy […]

Cranberry Gin Fizz

I’m not sure where this originally came from (if you know, comment and I’ll update with the source!) but a friend sent this to me as a great holiday cocktail idea. I love the idea of cranberries and gin, and the color is so festive! Ingredients 1/2 c Fresh Cranberries 1/4 c Granulated Sugar 2 […]

Easy Veggie Sides

Just ran across this at WellATL, and while they claim these recipes don’t require prep work like chopping, that claim pretty much relies on you purchasing pre-prepped vegetables. But if you’re in a hurry, and can find these already chopped up for you, more power to you, but I’d probably just chop them myself. Because […]

Beta version of the New Foodwhirl is UP!

You’ll notice some changes around here… we have a brand new look, that’s more mobile-friendly, showcasing even more of our contributors lovely recipes!  There are still features that need to be implemented, but for the most part, this is the new look.  So take a look around and let us know what you think!       […]

Salty Spicy Roasted Cauliflower Snacks

This is one of my favorite snacks (or side dishes, but I will seriously roast up a pan of these and eat them as snacks over a few days.) You really can’t beat them for a healthy alternative to salty snack foods. And they are Paleo, Vegan, & Gluten Free, so most anyone can eat […]

Freezing Chicken Stock (and other ingredients too!)

I was so excited to get silicone muffin pans, and muffin cups… They seemed like such a good idea. Well, I use the cups for actual muffins, on occasion, but I’ve not been happy with the muffin pans at all. But I’ve found an even better use for my silicone muffin pan, rather than baking […]

Ready to eat!
How to Make Homemade Yogurt

Yogurt is a staple around our house – vanilla yogurt is one of the picky child’s favorite foods, and I’m a big fan of thick and creamy plain Greek yogurt. Yogurt is one of those foods that’s quite easy to make at home, but rarely attempted.  You don’t need a yogurt maker (although I think […]

How to make valentine's day cupcakes by hello naomi
Top cupcakes with fondant (valentine’s version)

Many people are intimidated by fondant, but it’s really not that hard to make really lovely cupcakes with fondant and a few simple techniques.  Hello Naomi did this great tutorial on making these simple cupcake toppers, perfect for valentine’s day.  The technique could of course be used for all sorts of occasions– you’re only limited […]

Sweet Potato Mini Tarts

So the Fall Entertaining Season begins!  I adapted this from my full sized sweet potato casserole with cranberry-macadamia topping .  It’s a great party dessert / appetizer.   Here’s how you make the Tartlet Shells… they were very easy and inexpensive to make, but if you’re pressed for time, you can use any type of pre-made […]

Paleo Pumpkin Bread

Fall is in the air and around here that means pumpkins. Here’s a paleo version of pumpkin bread, featured at WellATL, to get you in the spirit. From the original site: The challenge with pumpkin bread is to make sure it’s somewhat dense. With almond or nut flours, you’ll often end up with a version […]

Cheese: What’s Parmesan, Pecorino, Asiago & Romano?

Wanna know more about Italian cheeses? I know I never can keep them straight, so I loved this article by Foodwhirl’s lovely friend Talk of Tomatoes.  It’s a very cool post detailing the differences between Parmesan, Pecorino, Asiago and Romano cheeses. Interesting and informative! I was really tempted to categorize this post under ‘main course’ […]

Creamy Avocado Smoothie – Perfectly Paleo & Vegan

I’ve never really been a big smoothie fan. It just seemed like a quick way to drink a whole bunch of calories, and i’m not really into sweet drinks. But I’m doing a Fall fitness challenge this month at FitWit, and I’m trying to eat healthy and get all my fruits and veggies in. So […]

Paleo chicken pot pie from Perry's Plate
Paleo: Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potato Biscuits

Mmmmm… For you paleo peeps out there, of just if you like sweet potatoes and chicken pot pie, this recipe from Perry’s Plate looks delish! … and it’s dairy and grain-free. A miracle? Perhaps. Get the recipe: Chicken Pot Pie with Sweet Potato Biscuits (Paleo)

homemade heart shaped donuts... cute for valentine's!
So cute! Homemade Heart Donuts

Quote: This might be a chubby thing to say, but honestly, can you think of a day that wouldn’t be a good day for donuts? I couldn’t either. As a result, I took it upon myself to update the everyday deliciousness that is donuts, and turned them into cute bite-sized treats perfect for this upcoming […]