Appetizers

Fried Wontons

February 26, 2013

Crispy, hot Fried Wontons filled with pork and shrimp instantly take me back to my childhood, and the delicious homemade wontons my friend’s mother would bring over to our house. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten wontons at a Chinese restaurant – it’s always been a homemade treat, which makes them extra special to me. [...]

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Air-Fried Hot Wings…Plus an ActiFry Giveaway!

January 30, 2013

My husband declared these Air-Fried Hot Wings were a “10 out of 10!” when he came home from the gym and found them in the fridge. It was all I could do to save him some, I think I could have devoured the whole plate. I can’t wait to make more for the Super Bowl [...]

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Bacon-Topped Deviled Eggs + Land O Lakes Giveaway!

May 23, 2012

When I can bring my serving plate home empty, I take it as a sure sign that my potluck dish was a hit. And if my fellow guests even want to abscond with the serving plate itself (because it’s that cool)?? Well, that’s a whole new level of potluck success for me. I brought these [...]

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Hot Artichoke Dip

February 1, 2012

I just booked a few upcoming date nights for my husband and me – I’m so looking forward getting out together. We aim for at least one a month these days. It’s usually something simple like dinner somewhere local and maybe a movie, but it’s so nice to have the time to ourselves while the [...]

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Cheese Ball Pops

December 18, 2011

When you enter a holiday potluck carrying a basket studded with savory lollipops, people pause their conversations to check out what you’ve got there. At least that’s what happened when I brought these Cheese Ball Pops. The idea of converting the cheese log recipe I posted a few years ago into bite-sized lollipops came [...]

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Citrus Salsa…Are You Sweet or Salty? (Take the Quiz!)

January 24, 2011

Before I get to today’s recipe for a bright, refreshing Citrus Salsa – a fresh salsa made with oranges, tomatoes, sweet onions, lime juice and jalapeños – I thought we might start with a fun little (non-scientific) quiz for a change. Do you have a sweet tooth? Or do you tend to go salty? Let’s [...]

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It’s Dip Week! ~ Queso

June 18, 2010

Whenever I used to travel to Texas on business my hosts would never take me to a Mexican restaurant, assuming that since I’m from San Diego I probably have it often enough at home. But the Mexican food we have in California isn’t quite the same as in Texas. True Tex-Mex is a variety all [...]

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It’s Dip Week! ~ Fresh Tomatillo-Lime Salsa

June 16, 2010

Dip Week on Cooking On the Side continues…with Tomatillo-Lime Salsa. I wish I could let you taste this salsa through your computer screen because it’s unlike most salsas I’ve ever tasted. It’s not zesty like a pico de gallo or spicy like a chipotle salsa. It’s not sweet like a mango salsa, although the lime [...]

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It’s Dip Week! ~ 7-Layer Dip

June 13, 2010

I hit the mother lode…on the back of a bag of tortilla chips. A whole menu of fabulous Mexican and southwestern party dips is printed on the Mission Tortilla Strips bag! With lots of celebrations and family gatherings coming up this time of year I’m declaring this week Dip Week on Cooking On the Side [...]

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Bacon Wrapped Sweet & Sour Meatballs

February 2, 2010

Bacon has been a bit overhyped lately…but not for lack of a good reason. The truth is bacon really does impart such an irresistable smoky, salty flavor to so many foods. I unabashedly still love bacon, especially when it’s paired with something sweet. If you’re with me, you’re going to want to look into these [...]