When it comes to food and holidays, are you a traditionalist or do you thrive on serving the unexpected?

(Have I been watching too many Sex & the City marathons? I feel that question was worded in the style of Carrie Bradshaw…)

Personally, I like to walk the line between the two worlds. Take Thanksgiving – of course I’ll serve turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and something green, but they won’t necessarily be prepared in “traditional” ways. Then maybe I’ll throw in a curveball of an appetizer.

You have to keep them on their toes, but you can’t leave out the classics.

That’s where spices come in.

Sunday is the Super Bowl, which of course means chicken wings!

But there is no reason they have to be standard buffalo wings. For me especially, I feel it’s pointless to attempt making buffalo wings. My grandparents live in Buffalo and I’ve had the original. They can’t be beat. So let’s just move on.

Where the idea of making Indian spiced chicken wings popped into my head, I can’t tell you. But I’m glad it did.

Why? Because this often means a yogurt based marinade, which makes for the most tender and juicy chicken possible.

These wings are baked, simply because frying things when you’re entertaining can get… tedious. Especially when there’s meat involved and you’re worried about not cooking it through, or over-cooking it, or how to keep the previous batches warm and crispy while making the current one. Nope. Not this year.

In fact, I’m not cooking at all for the Super Bowl this year – we’re going out! The 49ers are in the Super Bowl and the city is ablaze with excitement.

(And considering how things went after the Giants swept the World Series – it might literally be ablaze on Sunday.)

So if you’re entertaining for the Super Bowl, I hope these wings will make your life a little easier, a lot more delicious, and plenty unexpected for your guests.

Click here to view this recipe.

Over the past several years, I’ve made an effort to cook from scratch as much as possible. This has lead to a growing number of pre-made, shortcut-type-shenanigans that I just don’t buy any more.

Jarred pasta sauce comes to mind. In a pinch, sure I’ll grab some. But why spend $6 or $7 for what’s basically a glorified can of tomatoes when I can very quickly and easily put together my own, using all the ingredients I want and none that I don’t?

Now, I by no means want to make you feel bad if you’re a fan of the food shortcut. We all have to pick our battles.

But let’s pretend that your resolution this year is to save money. Or to eat healthier.

Making things like these Spiced Mixed Nuts from scratch works on both fronts!

Step 1: go to a grocery store that sells bulk goods and buy an assortment of nuts. Whatever kind you want! Whatever proportions you want!

Step 2: mix together some spices, sugar, and salt. Again, get wild! This is your show!

Step 3: throw them in the oven and go relax for a while – you earned it!

Step 4: pull those beauties out of the oven and give yourself a high five, a pat on the back, or whatever your style dictates.

Then take a moment to reflect: you just made an awesome snack that is way cheaper and healthier than anything you would buy pre-made in the store, AND you made it exactly how you wanted to! No picking out stupid filler nuts or wishing they were spicier. No high-fructose-partially-hydrogenated-whatever-the-hell either!

This recipe is endlessly customizable. You could make sweet ones and add holiday spices like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Make them chili flavored with things like chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder.

The recipe below is a great starting point. A little sweet, a little smoky, a little spicy. These are always a hit at parties – Superbowl, anyone?

Click here to view this recipe.

When life gets crazy, it’s nice to have something to look forward to, no matter how tiny it may be.

This September was just about the busiest month I’ve ever encountered (a close runner-up being the one when we moved to a new city and got married in the old city, in that order). I spent the month working tirelessly on the new and improved layout for West Coaster (check it out!!) and did very little cooking.

So through all my crazed late night yelling at the computer screen, I tried to keep in mind that one day soon the mailman was going to bring me an early peek at a book I’d been looking forward to with childlike anticipation: Tiny Food Party by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park of Spoon Fork Bacon.

I mean, what’s more fun than tiny food?!

(Large amounts of tiny food.)

The book takes a playful and easy approach to party food, and makes the finished product damn cute to boot.

A world of cuisines are represented, with some crazy twists on classics.

Deviled eggs? No – they’re Mini Kimchi Deviled Eggs. With a candied bacon topping. COME ON. You’re killing me ladies.

For my first mini bite, I chose to make corn dogs. There were a few reasons for this:

1. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had corn dogs. That needed to be remedied.

2. I was about to go out of town and wanted something I could freeze and eat more of when I returned.

3. Corn dogs.

The batter is super flavorful and includes bacon, so I figure I don’t really need to sell you any further.

Click here to view this recipe.

Congratulations on a beauty of a first book Jenny & Teri!

I really feel that if I keep making fish tacos, summer will never end.

This would be a welcome phenomenon because I also feel that I didn’t get to do nearly enough summery activities this year.

You know, the lounging beach/poolside, BBQing, and general carefree frolicking that comes with the summer months.

So if you’re also feeling that scarves and boots are trying to take over way too soon, I suggest making some fish tacos.

We can all be in denial together!

There are two types of fish tacos, and whether it’s grilled or fried, I want the same topping: cilantro crema. A creamy, tangy, spicy blend of sour cream, cilantro, lime juice and serrano chiles.

This crema is also a welcome punch to any other kind of taco, or chili, eggs… anything that looks like it could use a li’l dollop of something extra.

Or maybe I’m just biased because it showcases one of my favorite herbs.

By the way, I’ll never be able to grasp how cilantro tastes like soap to some people. That’s an unfortunate trick their taste buds are playing on them.

I suppose if you’re a cilantro hater you could use parsley instead, or skip the crema all together and just garnish with sour cream and a squeeze of lime juice.

As long as we’re making fish tacos and pretending that there are more than two days of summer left (!), I’m happy.

Click here to view this recipe.

Don’t you just love when food gets all magical on you?

I’m fascinated by watching yeast bloom, or egg whites transform into meringue.

But when I read I could watch frozen bananas turn into ice cream, it just sounded too good to be true.

It also sounded delicious, so I set out to try it.

It’s literally chopped up, briefly frozen banana thrown into a food processor, and yet it creates a creamy soft-serve-esque banana dream. I was overjoyed!

Apparently this is something vegans and the rest of the internet have been hip to for years, but this was totally new territory for me.

And since it was healthy territory… I had to fatten it up a bit. Just a little!

So, naturally, I added toasted coconut to the bananas. And sandwiched it between peanut butter cookies. And drizzled them with chocolate…

…What?

Don’t look at me like that. You would do the same thing.

You SHOULD do the same thing!

Any combination of bananas, peanut butter, chocolate and coconut… and I lose it. This has ALL of them. And fancy salt for good measure.

I highly suggest giving some of these away to friends and family. They’ll love you for it, and you’ll hate yourself less because you won’t be allowed to eat all 20 of them! Everybody wins.

Click here to view this recipe.

Let’s consider this step one of incorporating real food back into my diet.

A week of awesome vacationing/eating in San Diego was directly followed by a week of sickness/sleeping, during which the most solid food I ate was an antibiotic.

Yesterday I was able to stand up long enough to leave the house, so I knew I needed two things:

-a burger, animal style

-a salad that took minimal effort and used some of those veggie type things I’d been missing out on all week.

Oh, and then I made this coffee cured pulled pork for dinner. I’m crazy. I know.

I guess I went into overdrive because I hadn’t really cooked at all this month. Not cool!

But you know what is cool? Summer veggies.

They almost make it too easy.

Gather up pretty much any grouping of summer’s bounty, throw in a bowl with some citrus and you’ve got yourself a meal.

If you can grill said bounty – well now we’re really talkin’.

If not, there’s always your old friend the cast iron skillet. He’s got your back.

I am out-of-control-obsessed with corn right now. It’s too damn good.

I swear, somehow this year’s corn is the sweetest ever! And it costs a pile of pennies! That’s always nice.

This salad would work great for backyard entertaining – it’s easy to throw together and it gives your guests the option to get some kind of health factor in there between all the margaritas and bbq ribs and burgers and whatnot.

Click here to view this recipe.

I’m pretty sure this is real.

I mean – I made it, I photographed it, I ate one three four. The hubby ate some, and promises that they’re real…

It just seems too good to be true.

Peanut butter & jelly s’mores.

And I don’t mean the kind that involves smearing some jelly and peanut butter on an otherwise ordinary s’more.

We’re talking about homemade strawberry marshmallows and peanut butter cups!

Yeaaaaaah!

Now I know at least a handful of you are getting a little sad right now. You think you can’t make s’mores.

Never fear! I, too, am grill-less, gas stove-less, beach-less and backyardwithafirepit-less. This is where a kitchen torch reeeaaally comes in handy.

If you don’t have one – you need to get on it! They’re cheap, super useful, and let’s face it – burning stuff is just fun.

Get some fire in your life!

Speaking of fire – we’re coming up on a holiday that I think suits these ooey gooey desserts perfectly. The 4th of July! w00t!

What’s more American than peanut butter & jelly, s’mores, and a little pyromania?

I can’t think of a single thing.

If you’re entertaining for the holiday, consider serving up these bad boys for dessert. Your guests will love it and you can sit back and relax while they set things on fire!

Click here to view this recipe.

It’s party time people. Swanky part time.

We’re talking bow ties, Louboutins, diamonds – the works. Pinkies up.

At least this is where my mind wanders to when I hear words like “crostini” and “canapes”.

Does this really have to be the case though? Can’t we just eat fancy, without having to be fancy? Maybe even get some elegant flavor from humble ingredients?

I say yes!

I will still take some Louboutins though… if someone is just handing them out (maybe these? or these?).

No? Ok, back to reality.

A delicious reality. And a simple one, too. One where we take common ingredients like garlic and fennel, and bring them to a whole other level of flavor simply by roasting them. Then combine them with a can of white beans, a touch of rosemary, and lemon juice.

At this point, you could eat it straight out of the food processor, in your pajamas, while watching The Chew. No judgement here.

Or, you could dollop it on some crostini, garnish with a fennel frond, and serve them up at a fancy food, non-fancy attire cocktail party like we did over the weekend.

Then, you eat the leftovers the next morning in your pajamas while watching The Chew. If I wasn’t having the party, I would’ve just skipped the whole crostini thing… and then there would’ve been a food processor in my lap. If you’re going to go this route, might I recommend those new Roasted Tomato Kettle Chips for dipping? Unbelievable.

By the way, I feel like I should mention that I murdered my fry thermometer at said cocktail party. There was a saga involving onion rings that needed some serious batter adjustment, so by the time I finally got a successful batch I was so excited to sit down and eat some that I kind of left the pot of oil on the stove with the burner on pretty high. I returned to a kitchen filled with smoke and a fry thermometer that had exploded in the extreme temperatures of the oil.

It’s not a party until you nearly kill all your guests, right? RIGHT?! Well, at least that one batch tasted really good.

Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to say is whether you’re eating it in your pajamas with chips or at a semi-fancy, nearly-murderous cocktail party on crostini, this dip/spread is delicious!

Click here to view this recipe.

It’s Friday night before The Big Game, and I’m willing to bet that if you’re even half as OCD as I am about menu planning, you’ve got your food all figured out.

Well here’s something you may have overlooked: a signature cocktail. I’ve brought up how much I love cocktails at parties before, but allow me to elaborate on the why. Of course, there’s the deliciousness factor. And that having a unique drink makes a special occasion that much more memorable (or not… depending on how many you have).

But the BEST reason by far to have a signature cocktail at a party: it makes life easier for the hosts, while still giving the impression that you went the extra mile for your guests.

On one hand, I suppose you are doing something extra by offering mixed drinks in the first place. But a party without a cocktail is no party, so let’s forget that. (I do keep beer & wine on hand for peeps that aren’t down with specialty drinks, but they’ll usually go for one if it’s offered.)

By having a signature cocktail, you don’t have to worry about stocking a full bar, or the hassle of making a million different drinks. Believe me, when people have the option to request any cocktail under the sun, they will. So then you’ve spent a ton of money on booze, and spent your whole night filling drink orders – no thanks.

A signature cocktail allows you to set out the few things required for that drink with a bucket of ice, and you’re done. You’ll be doling out drinks faster than people can gulp them down.

If you want to get extra special (as I often do), you could offer 2 sorta similar cocktails and it will still be more than simple enough to handle. For this Super Bowl, we’ll be whipping up these beautiful babies I’m showing you here, and classic margaritas. Oh, and said margaritas will be chillin’ in a pitcher, just begging to be poured over some ice and served. Both use lime, neither requires a cocktail shaker, and one will be made ahead of time! Besides, I’ve been looking for an excuse to break out the tequila we got as a wedding gift from a family friend.

These kentucky mules come from Michael Symon’s new show Symon’s Suppers, which I’m in love with. I’m also in love with Michael Symon, so maybe there’s a connection there. These drinks are bright and flavorful, and match perfectly with this not-so-wintry weather we’ve been having. In fact, they’re so delicious that my mass consumption of them last weekend is part of the reason I’m on this whole health/no booze kick right now! So uhh… be careful. Or not. It is the Super Bowl after all. So GO CHARGERS— oh um, GO 49ERS— ummm, *sigh* nevermind. Just eat lots of good food and have fun!

On a side note: if you aren’t totally OCD about menu planning and need some last minute inspiration for a game day menu, here’s what I’ll be serving:

A loaded baked potato bar with this chili, and all the usual baked potato fixin’s

Roasted shrimp cocktail - always a hit

Spicy guacamole, salsa, caramelized onion dip, and chips

Spiced mixed nuts

Peanut swirl brownies

Nothing too outlandish, and lots I can prepare/start ahead of time. When cooking for new friends, I like to keep things fairly simple.

*Disclaimer: I will still be sticking to my Not A Cleanse Eating Right Fortnight guidelines on Sunday, and I didn’t consume the drinks pictured, the hubs did.

Click here to view this recipe.

This is a recipe that really makes me miss San Diego. Guacamole used to be a fairly large part of my diet! Between my regular stops at a variety of Mexican restaurants and drive-thrus, and the near constant availability of quality guacamole ingredients, there was always an excuse to indulge in this flavorful dip.

Guacamole combines two things I love in one little bowl.

For starters, it’s Mexican food! We take our Mexican food pretty seriously in San Diego, as evidenced by our recent victory in the Burrito War. (Foil wrapped, steamed tortillas? Pfft.)

Also, it brings people together! Let’s face it – no Super Bowl or Cinco de Mayo party is complete without guacamole. I love to entertain, so anything that can be served at a party is my kind of food.

I suppose I’ve been working on this guacamole in some form or another for several years now. I didn’t start documenting the amounts of what I added until fairly recently, but it has pretty much always been made with the same ingredients.

The thing about guacamole is that it’s made from nearly all fresh ingredients, so a recipe isn’t going to be 100% foolproof. You’ll have to make some adjustments depending on how each ingredient in that batch tastes.

My guacamole tip is this: baby steps. Add maybe half of the fresh ingredients to the avocados and taste the result before adding the remainder. There’s nothing worse than finding out you got a really strong onion or an especially spicy pepper after you’ve added all of it to the bowl. Be sure to taste before you commit!

Click here to view this recipe.