Category Archives: Top Picks

Low Sugar Mocha Tapioca

Tapioca pudding is such a classic “comfort dessert.”  But since some members of my family have sugar-restricted diets, I developed this version. I removed the refined sugar, added some dark chocolate, and now everyone loves it – even my sugar-eaters! A touch of espresso and a bit of vanilla delivers a lovely mocha flavor. This recipe […]

Bacon! Candied Bacon Martini

Now that Grieg is an official host on Foodwhirl, I’m updating his old posts to show they are by him. – Dot To start off Bacon Week* here at Foodwhirl, our lovely friend Grieg brings us another of his Easy Entertaining Cocktails… Per Grieg:  “My friends seem to have an obsession with bacon, so i […]

Tangtini
Easy Entertaining: The Tangtini

Now that Grieg is an official host on Foodwhirl, I’m updating these old posts to show they are by him. – Dot Foodwhirl’s lovely friend, Grieg (inventor of the Cheesecake Cookie Cupcakes), offered to share a few of his favorite easy entertaining drink recipes…  Here is the first one, the Tangtini! I present to you […]

Brussels Sprout

Wow – do Brussels Sprout have a bad rap.  Never has there been a vegetable so maligned without basis. Foolish person (aka my husband):  “Like, OMG Brussels Sprouts are like, so gross!” Me:  “Have you ever had one before?” Foolish person:  “No.  I don’t need to have one to know how much I hate it!” […]

Making homemade pasta

Although dried pasta is quite inexpensive and extremely convenient, there is something to be said for knowing exactly what is going into the food that you’re consuming.  There is also something to be said for de-stressing while enjoying a nice glass of wine and vigorously kneading an elastic ball of pasta dough.  Not to mention […]

irish car bomb guinness stout ice cream
Irish Car Bomb Ice-cream Sundae

So, you want a dessert with an Irish twist for St. Patrick’s Day? Maybe something tasty for the adults? Look no further! This ice cream dessert is fabulous. The story: A while back we had lunch at Six Feet Under across from Oakland Cemetery, and they had something similar to this for dessert. It was […]

We’re having a Fiesta! Foodwhirl’s Gone Mexican…

Maybe it’s the weather, but this week at Foodwhirl has been all about Mexican inspired dishes, that make you want to prop your feet up on the deck with a Margarita… In case you missed any of it (we know, it’s hard to keep up with everything!) here’s a roundup of some of our mexican […]

Sangria with Fresh Fruit
Sangria with Fresh Fruit

Sometimes it’s best to have something other to drink at a Mexican Fiesta than Margaritas and Cervezas, especially when you have a bunch of wine drinkers on the guest list.   This sangria is super easy to make and goes fast, so make plenty! Sangria 2 bottles red wine (I use an inexpensive blend of Malbec & Cabernet) 3 […]

A great dip or spread: Spicy Cilantro Pesto
Spicy Cilantro Pesto

I’m a huge fan of pesto, so it seemed like the perfect thing to do with my last bit of cilantro.   I had a little less than a bunch left after several rounds of ceviche, the shrimp & fish tacos, and various other uses…  so what better to do with it!  This version is has […]

Spotlight: Mehndi Cookies

A fun find for you all today… Sprinkle Bakes brings us this great idea for Mehndi decorated spice cookies.  They are so pretty and unique! I wanted to make something fun and personal, yet artful and representative of good fortune.  Ann is a talented artist with an extensive background in print making.  Early in our […]

Dinner in 15 minutes: Broccoli and Cheese Frittata

So, my husband works a second job two nights a week. On these nights, when it’s just me and the little boys, I like to do quick and easy dinners that don’t take my attention away from the children for too long. It would be super simple to open a box of something and dump […]

Dirty Rice with Smoked Sausage

I came across this dish after a  friend posted the Food Network link to it on Facebook .  I saw the ingredients (all pantry/freezer staples) and the time involved (sub 30 minutes) and immediately put it on my weekly menu.  I buy in bulk when on sale, so this entire recipe fed all of us […]

A light lunch or an exotic appetizer - Simple Ceviche!
Simple Ceviche

Ceviche is a recent passion of mine– Every time I’ve bought either fish or shrimp lately, I’ve bought some extra so I can make up a batch!  It makes a lovely appetizer for dinner guests, or I just like to eat it for lunch… This is my go-to super easy recipe… It’s incredibly flexible to […]

Ginger & White Chocolate Granola Bars

My husband and son eat a granola bar for breakfast almost daily, and while I’m always stocked on the store bought ones, sometimes I like to make them from scratch. It’s an easy process — very kid-helping-friendly, too. And it takes an hour at most from start to finish (including 25 minutes bake time) The […]

Whole-grain carrot and cheese crackers

This was an experiment loosely based on a recipe I saw over on foodtale.com.  She drew me in with her beautiful photographs and intrigued me with her carrot and cheese snack crackers. I wanted to do something similar, but use whole wheat flour and flax-seed meal to increase the nutritional benefits.  I was afraid a […]

Cheesecake cupcakes
Cheesecake Cookie Cupcakes

You had me at cheesecake. Another recipe from Grieg Wehr, a true Renaissance man – photographer, entertainer, and…nanny. Well, he prefers “manny”. Grieg brought these to a recent party and as he put the finishing touches on them, all the party guests followed him from the kitchen (where all party guests seem to accumulate) to […]

Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie and File Gumbo

Okay, well maybe just the gumbo, but it’s better than nothing, right? To be fair, I make gumbo all the time – it’s a staple in our house during the cooler months.  I love to make a big batch and freeze part of it to have at a later date.  When I was pregnant with […]

Gulf Coast Grouper Dinner
Gulf Coast Grouper w/ Asparagus & Mashed Sweet Potatoes

My man and I spent Valentine’s Day at the beach this year, having narrowly escaped the snow and rain that blanketed the Southeast.  We LOVE seafood and our first stop when we arrived was the local seafood market.  I picked out some grouper filets and my favorite, Smoked Tuna Dip, and we headed to the […]

Overnight roast pork: cook while you sleep!

This is a recipe I rely on a LOT.  It is so easy and versatile and it requires little or no attention once you’ve got it prepped.  I mean, it cooks while you SLEEP – who can’t work that into their schedule? The inspiration for this recipe comes straight from my Granddaddy Gene.  He was […]