I’m kind of a stickler when it comes to rules—rules set by other people, that is. Unfortunately (or perhaps naturally?), over the course of my graduate school career I’ve gotten a bit lax about some of my self-imposed rules (e.g. making the bed every morning, hanging up my clothes every night, washing all the dirty dishes before going to bed, etc.). But you know which Mara-made rule I always abide ...
cream cheese
Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
After making whipped feta crostini a few weeks ago, I had a little extra cream cheese to use up. I didn’t want to buy bagels, because I knew I’d run out of cream cheese before I’d run out of bagels, and then I’d be tempted to buy more cream cheese—it's a vicious cycle, you know? As it happened, I also had a bunch of strawberries I needed to finish. Because who goes to Costco and buys two pounds of ...
Whipped Feta Crostini
When I first started hosting dinner parties for friends, I thought it was crucial to make as much of the menu as possible from scratch. As the menus grew more elaborate, however, I found that the preparation started stretching into a full-day event…and then even into the preceding day. Eventually I realized that it’s not about having a 100% from-scratch meal, but rather, it’s about knowing where ...
Mango Carrot Cake French Toast Casserole
When I first described the concept of this mango carrot cake French toast casserole to my mom, she replied, “You’re just trying to have dessert for breakfast, aren’t you?” She knows me so well. ...
Apple Maple Pecan Cheesecake Bars
Today, I'm excited to share with you one of the most quintessentially fall recipes I have ever created. It’s got apples. It’s got maple syrup. It’s got pecans. It’s got gingersnaps. It does not have pumpkin, but there are more pumpkin recipes in the works, so worry not! I’ve been planning out the details of these apple maple pecan cheesecake bars ever since our trip to the apple orchard a few ...
Cherry Cheesecake Mousse with Gingersnap Granola
Hello, hello! It’s been a few weeks since my last post, and a busy few weeks it has been! I've been laser-focused on studying for the last (and arguably most comprehensive) of my five PhD qualifying exams – which, thankfully, I passed! – and could hardly find time to cook anything at all, let alone think about new recipes. ...
Tart Cherry Cream Cheese Muffins
O tart cherries, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. In pie, in muffins, in coffee cake…okay, you get the idea. ...
Very Berry Cheesecake Squares
The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays – cookouts, beach bonfires, fireworks…ah, fun times! One of the things I love about this holiday is how laid-back it is: you don’t have to worry about figuring out gifts to give or fancy outfits to wear, because what’s more important is just spending time with friends and family and hopefully enjoying a great meal. ...
Apple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Muffins
I’ll start with a warning: store these muffins in the fridge! The first time I made muffins with cream cheese centers was during my senior year of college, when I was living with three other girls. As it turns out, the average fridge is not designed with enough space to accommodate the different food preferences of four people, so it was like a never-ending game of tetris to find a place for a ...