When it comes to hosting a party, snacks are every bit as important as music, and Halloween is no different. I’m all for having a full dip bar, so you have plenty of options to choose from. In addition to the classics — French Onion, Ranch, salsa — and last year’s pick (Spooky Spicy Black […]
Party Foods
#Halloween13: 6-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins with Streusel Topping (Day 3)
There are few things cuter than a micro muffin topped with streusel. It’s like a toddler dressing up in his parents’ closet. Like, “aw, you think you’re all grown up!” Cue mushy talk and squeals. That’s basically the reaction I had when I pulled these treats out of the oven. I wanted to test out […]
Bacon-Cheddar Frittata Cups Recipe
Noon games = brunch watch parties. Really, there’s no better way to ease into the weekend than inviting a bunch of people over (face paint optional, but highly encouraged) to cheer, shout and cringe over a pile of bacon, fresh fruit and mimosas. Figuring out what to make for said crowd can be tricky: You […]
Collegiate Cook’s Nutella-Filled Birthday Cake
Happy 5th birthday, Collegiate Cook! In blog years, this site is practically a senior citizen. In college years, it’s probably still a semester or two away from graduation (perhaps perpetually a semester or two away). Several times over the past few years I’ve thought about shutting it down, passing the baton or evolving it into […]
Baked BBQ Pulled Pork Wontons
I always thought wontons were so difficult to make. Much too difficult for me. And then, I spotted them: A lone package of wonton wrappers near the produce section of Target for $1.79. For less than two bucks, I thought, why not? I can experiment. I can totally fail at making wontons, but hey, what if […]
Oven-Baked Cap’n Crunch Chicken Tenders
When you’re at Planet Hollywood, there’s really only one acceptable dish to order: Cap’n Crunch Chicken. The sweetness of the corn cereal breading! The savory chicken! It’s basically the entrée’s answer to salted caramel and chocolate-covered pretzels, a veritable, “hey, we can do the salty-sweet thing too.” It’s an ingenious combination, but it can also […]
The Best Guacamole We’ve Ever Tasted. Period.
By far, the hardest part about making the Best Guacamole You’ve Ever Tasted is choosing the right avocados. It really comes down to two questions—ones you might not normally think to ask yourself: Are you planning on making guac today or in a few days? What happens when you gently squeeze the avocado? If you’re […]
Date Night Recipes: Cheesy Gorgonzola Bread
Any time I make a recipe that requires a spice, cheese or other ingredient I don’t normally buy, two things run through my head: First, can I get away without using it (or subbing in something else)? Second, what else can I make with this ingredient? For the gorgonzola-crusted steaks that kicked off our Date […]
Cookie Dough is the New Bacon
Most of us are powerless when confronted with cookie dough. It sings to us from the mixing bowl, and even the most iron-willed, “I don’t care for sweets” person struggles not to sample a tiny bite (or tablespoonful). Its siren-like pull is nothing new, but it seems like most companies are slowly awakening to […]
The Best Thing to Do With A Frozen Vegetable Medley
Dilemmas, dilemmas. So when I was staring down a $1 bag of vegetable medley — you know, that mix of carrots, broccoli and cauliflower — I realized I had to do something other than steam it this time. I found Smitten Kitchen’s recipe for Broccoli Fritters, and got experimenting. It turns out, vegetable medley works […]