Holly, Author at With Two Spoons

Good Food Reads || 02.10.17

February 10, 2017 By Holly Leave a Comment

How on earth is it already Friday and time for another Good Food Reads? I don’t know about all of you, but I am soooooo ready for this thing we call a weekend! My son recently turned four and we are celebrating his birthday with his first more-than-just-family birthday party. He is so excited and I am so tired. Lane is also having a birthday party this weekend and I know that we are both appreciating easy, comforting foods this weekend. I’m personally going to be trying a new Winter Lasagna with butternut squash and brussels sprouts tonight and making a double batch of chili and Jalapeño Cornbread for tomorrow night after the party! We are supposed to have beautiful weather all weekend – 45 degrees in Minnesota in February!! – so I think I’ll come up with something for my hubby to grill on Sunday. Can’t wait. What are you all cooking this weekend? Need some inspiration? Check out this week’s Good Food Reads…

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Good Food Reads || 02.03.17

February 3, 2017 By Holly 2 Comments

It’s Friday, folks, and I think a lot of us around here are ready for the weekend. Brunches, slow cooked dinners and – let’s not forget – the Super Bowl on Sunday (go Pats!). I’m actually working a good bit of the weekend so I won’t be able to try may of the Good Food Reads until next week, but I’m still really excited about the great recipes we’ve gathered for ya’ll. Here’s to some Good Food Reads for your weekend!

Beer and Football, right? Well, here’s a more sophisticated take on basic beer for your SuperBowl Party this weekend: Pineapple Lime Beer Margaritas from Half Baked Harvest.

Bacon Cheddar Buffalo Wings (via What’s Gaby Cooking). I have no words. Just make them, mmmkay? Similarly, this Loaded Baked Potato Dip with Homemade Chips would be a total show stopper at any football party (via The Kitchn).

If you’re still keeping up that New Year’s resolution diet, here’s a healthier take on party apps: Buffalo Hummus Sweet Pepper Poppers (Iowa Girl Eats)

Smitten Kitchen takes on guacamole. Because you obviously are going to need chips and guac to go with your margaritas, right? Or maybe serve it with these amazing Jalapeño Beer Nachos from Sugar and Charm. Anyone else feeling the need for stretchy pants yet?!?

I love a good chili bar for serving a crowd. If that’s your jam too, try our Chipotle and Stout Chili or this easy weeknight chili, featured on Food52 (from the lovely Alexandra Stafford of Alexandra Cooks).

Since we do have to eat the rest of the weekend, I’m really looking forward to trying out these Pistachio Orange Blossom Biscotti with a good cup of tea tomorrow. Perfect for a little rest on the couch with a good book, no?

And finally, if you want to get ahead for next week – try these 15 Freezable Toddler Meals. I think my little guy will love the cheesy turkey meatballs!

Ok friends, I’m off to work for the evening. Have a great start to your weekend!

Good Food Reads || 01.27.17

January 27, 2017 By Holly 2 Comments

First things first: Thank you so much for all the support on our big announcement! We are so excited about the changes coming to the blog and we think you will really love them, too. As Lane said, we will definitely have new content and recipes up on the blog while we transition to our new format so don’t forget to check back, but we have moved to our new, twice weekly posting schedule already! And that, dear friends, is why we have our Good Food Reads appearing on Friday! …

Thank You – And An Announcement!

January 25, 2017 By Holly 12 Comments

It’s been a little over a year since we officially launched With Two Spoons. In that year, we have had a great time cooking, sharing recipes, taking photos, and figuring out the blogging world. As you can probably imagine, we have had a ton of fun – and learned a thing or two along the way!

Over the past few months, Lane has done the vast majority of work on the blog as I’ve taken time largely off to focus on being a new mama. She has been absolutely amazing (seriously, did you see the peanut butter cookie dough she posted last week!?!?!). In the midst of all that work (both blog and baby!) we both realized that we need to change up the way we do things around here, for both of our sakes. We want to continue to bring great content to the site. In fact, we want it to be even better, with fresh new recipes, menu plans, and more exciting stuff. We are working hard to improve With Two Spoons with (hopefully) an improved design for the site and a more clear focus for who we are and what we do as home cooks and novice writers. We also want to keep the fun in producing all of the foodie goodness you get here and for right now that means bringing down the volume of posts just a bit. Yup, we are dialing back on quantity so that we can really do it right. Quality over quantity. So, on to the big announcement…

Starting on Friday, we are going to be changing up our posting schedule. We will be sharing new content every Tuesday and Friday instead of our current Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule. Starting in April, look for new recipes on Tuesdays and a variety of fun things to start your weekend right on Friday mornings. In order to get this reset going, we may be taking some time off intermittently over the next few months – so you may find some oldies but goodies making repeat appearances, mixed in with Good Food Reads and some occasional new recipes as well. We will return, full force, in the beginning of April with a whole new With Two Spoons that I think you’re going to absolutely love.

Most importantly, we want to say thank you so much for your support this past year. We are so excited to share the new and improved With Two Spoons very, very soon!

XOXO,

holly & lane

Good Food Reads | 01.18.17

January 18, 2017 By Holly Leave a Comment

Since welcoming my daughter in October, I’ve been on a bit of a mini-maternity leave from the blog, focusing mostly on Good Food Reads each week while Lane (bless!) has really taken over the cooking posts. As many of you know, having a newborn really limits the time for cooking and kitchen shenanigans. Well, I’m starting to slowly dip my toes back into the land of the cooking! As I think about things that I’m excited to make (and combine that with the constant hunger associated with nursing a baby – wow! I could eat ALL THE TIME), I continually get excited about Good Food Reads and have found so many things I want to share. …

Good Food Reads | 01.11.17

January 11, 2017 By Holly Leave a Comment

I woke up early this morning to the most beautiful of winter snowfalls. Big, fluffy flakes falling softly and covering the still dark streets in a blanket of white. Days like this make me crave comfort foods like soups and stews and rich desserts even more than I usually do and have certainly inspired my picks for this week’s Good Food Reads.

Herby Lentil and Sausage Soup from Cooking Light is on the menu for tomorrow night. I’m hopeful that this one will even get the thumbs up from my preschooler! I’m also looking to try out this other recipe from CL for Hearty Tortellini Soup.

Speaking of my preschooler…are you guys familiar with Weelicious? It’s a great website for anyone with kids who loves food and wants to feed their kids real food that adults will love as well. This week, I’m loving their 15 Hacks for Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken and can’t wait to try out the California Style Cauliflower Rice and Beans as well.

Like many others this time of year, I’m trying to reset a little in my diet after a season of pure indulgence. I’ve always found that when I eat a hearty, healthy breakfast, I tend to snack less throughout the day and generally make better choices. These Fruit, Nut, and Brown Sugar Freezer Oatmeal Cups will be perfect for days when I want a great breakfast but don’t really want to cook! (via Better Homes and Gardens)

And for those days when I want a really comforting breakfast but don’t care about calories (i.e. just about every Sunday!), I give you: Blood Orange and Cardamom French Toast (Spoon Fork Bacon).

I bought a large chunk of feta cheese last week for an appetizer I was making and have quite a bit left that needs to be put to use ASAP! I think these Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts should do the trick (via Better Homes and Gardens).

And finally, an easy dessert sure to please just about everyone from Kelsey Nixon of Cooking Channel fame: Caramelitas.

Friends, those are your Good Food Reads for the week. If you have recommendations for recipes, helpful cooking websites, or cookbooks to feature on GFR, let us know! We’d love to share the love.

Until next week…

Good Food Reads | 01.04.17

January 4, 2017 By Holly 4 Comments

Here we are: 2017. After a crazy end to 2016 in so many ways, I am enjoying the mental reset that a new year brings. I’m not generally one for a whole list of resolutions, but I do tend to enjoy the common January focus on health, organization, and goal setting. This week’s Good Food Reads definitely reflect my current need for light, cleaner foods, and ways to get myself a little more put together – especially in the kitchen!

As we begin the new year, we are also looking to bring some changes to the bl0g. We’d love to know what you want to see more of in this space. We always love to hear from you and would be so grateful if you took a minute or two to drop us a line via email, Facebook, or Instagram and share your thoughts.

Good Food Reads for January 4, 2017

I’ve been keeping my eye out for new smoothie recipes that I can use for a quick snack or breakfast with my little guy. To be honest, I’m a bit over the green smoothie and I think this Carrot-Orange Smoothie might be just the thing to change up my routine a bit.

When it comes to breakfast, there’s very little my son loves more than pancakes. In an attempt to get a little more nutrition into those glorious carb filled breakfasts, I’m going to try these Cottage Cheese Pancakes from Weelicious.

The end of my maternity leave is fast approaching and I’m looking for some go to recipes to bring for lunches and dinners when I’m at work. The nature of my job means that I need something nutritious, easy to eat, and that doesn’t really require heating. I think these Lentil Protein Bowls from Heartbeet Kitchen will be a great option!

You guys know I’m a huge sucker for a one-pot recipe. I love to cook. I do not love to do dishes. My latest find is this recipe for Garlic Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken and Potatoes (Cafe Delites).

Mini Salmon Cakes with Roasted Red Peppers and Feta from Andie Mitchell. These little beauties are on my menu for later this week. Can’t wait to try them!

I will never stop loving brussels sprouts. I know, I know. But pair them with some salty bacon or prosciutto and they really are a thing to behold. Here, they are placed in a salad with pomegranate seeds, prosciutto and feta cheese. So many of my favorites all in one dish! Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Prosciutto (Happy Foods)

Simple Carrot Ginger Soup from Love and Lemons. This is one of those recipes that makes me feel all virtuous in my food choices. It’s also just really darn good!

And…because I’m really not that virtuous in my food choices: Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce from Let’s Eat Cake. It’s all about balance, right?!?!

2016: Our Favorite Cookbooks

December 23, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

One of my favorite things about this time of year are all of the best-of lists and year end reviews. Novels, movies, cookbooks, news reviews – I love them all. Given the focus of With Two Spoons, it should be no surprise that both Lane and myself are total cookbook addicts. We read them like novels, devouring the pictures and plotting our way through the recipes. Thus, when the year end lists of the best cookbooks come out, I scour them for a new treasure I might not have seen yet….

Good Food Reads | 12.21.16

December 21, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

The countdown is ON. With only a few days until Christmas (and Hanukkah, too!), my kitchen is a busy place. With a newborn at home, I’m leaving most of the holiday baking to my amazing mother and focusing on simple dinners for my family – hearty, comforting foods that warm up the cold Decmeber days. We’ve been eating a lot of soups and slow cooker dishes, but also experimenting with roasted fish and comforting curries. This week’s Good Food Reads are basically what I’ll be making this week in my home. What are you cooking these days?…

Good Food Reads | 12.14.16

December 14, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

Happy Wednesday, friends! I don’t know about you, but I’m smack in the middle of holiday preparations around here. Christmas is coming and with it – lots of food and fun (and presents to wrap!). While I’m busy planning our holiday menu contributions, I’ve also got a family to feed each day and this week I want festive but easy things to fill our table. This week’s Good Food Reads are a little selfish because they’re all things that I want to cook this week! I’ve got some healthy-ish things on my list as I like to save room for those Christmas cookies that inevitably find their way into our home. Also included are some appetizers and a great chicken salad dip as well as a recipe for gorgeous linzer cookies. Finally, I’ve got a great list of cookbooks, perfect for gifting. I hope you enjoy this week’s Good Food Reads as much as I do! …