blog - For the Love of Gourmet

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

My kids go through phases with bananas and I never know what the week will bring. Sometimes they each want a banana every single day (and we have four kids!), and sometimes they don't want any of them. That means that at the end of the week I may have a lot of ripe bananas! Between my healthy chocolate chunk banana bread recipe, smoothies, and this banana bread baked oatmeal, we always have a way to use up ripe bananas. I love making a cozy baked oatmeal for breakfast because I can quickly whip ... continue reading...

Mains Recipes Snacks and Apps

Spinach Artichoke Flatbread

Spinach and artichoke dip is one of my favorite appetizers (isn't it everyone's?), and I wanted to combine those flavors and make a crispy flatbread that you can enjoy as a simple meal with a salad or as an appetizer when you entertain! Mission accomplished because this spinach artichoke flatbread is the perfect combination of flavors: a crispy base of your favorite pizza dough topped with a spinach and artichoke mixture that's heavy on the spinach to make it feel a little healthier. A sprinkle ... continue reading...

Mains Recipes

Garlic Butter Shrimp with Orzo

I love a good thirty minute meal, and I love pasta! This recipe is one that I'll want to make again and again because it's so easy but tastes restaurant-quality. Garlic butter shrimp with orzo is made with a simple sauce of garlic, butter, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and a generous handful of shredded parmesan cheese. This is a meal that's easy enough to make on a weekday, but delicious enough to serve guests or make for a date night in. And if you're like us with four kids, you ... continue reading...

Recipes Soups and Salads

Southwest Chopped Salad

I have a salad almost every day for lunch and I'm always looking for a way to make them more exciting. This southwest chopped salad is packed with veggies, topped with crunchy tortilla strips, and all tossed in a homemade jalapeno cilantro lime ranch. I read somewhere that there are three ways to make your salad restaurant-quality. First, chop everything into small enough bites. A chopped salad is the perfect way to do this! Second, assemble your salad and toss it with the dressing in a large ... continue reading...

Mains Recipes

Sheet Pan Chipotle Chicken Legs

I love a good sheet pan meal. Everything cooks together and I have easy cleanup! But I'm particular about them too. Many sheet pan dinners that I've tried leave one ingredient overcooked or undercooked, or I find the whole meal lacking flavor. That's not the case with these sheet pan chipotle chicken legs! Not only are they full of flavor, but everything is cooked properly. To make that happen, the broccoli is added for the second half of the cooking time to prevent it from being overdone. ... continue reading...