FRUITY RECIPES

I recently spent three weeks visiting family in Florida (as you may have seen by #JessInFL on Instagram), and with that comes my mother's home cooking. My favorite part is always dessert, but a it's one that is completely guilt-free! After every meal, there is always fresh fruit. And when I say fresh, I mean fresh - it was probably picked just minutes before from my parents's backyard! With fruit on my mind, I've found delicious and colorful recipes that involve a dessert within a dessert. Just keep remind yourself it's good for you and enjoy!

Frozen Yogurt Bark - My Fussy Eater

Rustic Strawberry Peach Tart - Sally's Baking Addiction

Fried Honey Bananas - Rachel Schultz

Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt - Smitten Kitchen

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas - Sugar Hero

Pineapple Sorbet - The Girl Who Ate Everything

Berry Parfait - Daily Gourmet

Roasted Pineapple with Honey and Pistachios - Bon Appetit

Fresh Fruit Yogurt Pops - Meet The Dubiens

Brown Sugar Baked Peaches - The Kitchen is My Playground

How do you like to eat fruit?

Jess

10 EASY THANKSGIVING DISHES

With a Friendsgiving here and Thanksgiving there, there a lot of dishes to prepare and bring, but let's be real - my cooking skills suck. I don't want to succumb to bringing pre-made dish from the supermarket, but I also want to spare my friends and family a meal they have to pretend they enjoy. The thing is, it's already Tuesday and there's no time for any practice dishes! But don't worry, I've found 10 easy and simple salads, side dishes, and desserts for you to whip up and impress that yes, you actually did make that. Just get ready for them to invite you to every future potluck now.

Crispy Sweet Potato Roast - Smitten Kitchen

Pumpkin Sage Biscuits - Minimalist Baker

Double Cranberry Sauce - Better Homes and Gardens

Shaved Brussels Spouts - The Kitchn

Pretzel Parker House Rolls - Smitten Kitchen

Goat Cheese Toasts - Better Homes and Gardens

Mini Cornbread Puddings - Martha Stewart

Four-Cheese Macaroni - Southern Living

Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing - Martha Stewart

Apple Pecan Crisp - One Upon a Chef

What are you cooking for Thanksgiving?

Jess

FALL PUMPKIN RECIPES

It's as if "pumpkin" is a synonym for "fall".

We know you're just as excited as we are for all things fall, and what would a little talk about the new season be without pumpkin recipes? And with the recent discovery of what's really in a Pumpkin Spice Latte (ew!), we prefer to keep things in our own kitchen. Here are some recipes we can't wait to try!

Pumpkin Doughnuts - King Arthur Flour

Ginger Pumpkin Soup - Country Living

Low Carb Pumpkin Spice Latte - Cooking Is Pun

Pumpkin Crumb Cakes - The Kitchn

Caramel Apple & Pumpkin Pie - Zoe Bakes

What's your favorite pumpkin recipe?

Jess & Jill

LENTIL SOUP RECIPE

I've hinted at this before but I'm going to flat out say it - I'm a horrible cook... and I'm not just saying to be coy. I come from a background of excellent Italian cooks, and the talent just happened to skip me. So I'm on an adventure that is comparable to hiking the Andes (at least for me), finding recipes that are easy yet healthy. Here we go.

This weekend I cooked my mom's lentil soup recipe that I LOVE. It's perfect for cold nights and days when you're not feeling too well- I've completely ditched the sodium filled, store bought soups. It's really tasty and perfect to make in bulk and freeze. Bare with me on my instructions, I'm new at this!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

- Olive Oil

- 2 Garlic Cloves

- 16 oz. bag of Red Split Lentils (Can use brown lentils as well - this is what I used)

- 2 Large Organic Carrots

- 2 Large Organic Celery Sticks

- A can of Tomato Sauce

- You can also add onion, and any other vegetables to the mix.

RECIPE:

- Chop up your Carrots, Celery, and Garlic.

- Add 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a large pot, and heat it on the stove. 

- Add the Garlic in. Stir it until it is soft, but don't let it get brown. Remove it off the stove.

- Fill the pot 3/4's the way with water and add your lentils.

- Put the pot on high until it boils.

- Add your chopped up Carrots, Celery, and can of Tomato Sauce into the pot (This is also when you would add your onion, or any other vegetable you want to use). 

- Lower the heat to low/medium and cover the pot. 

- Cook for 45 minutes. Add pepper. Enjoy!

Happy Cooking!

xx Jill

CHRISTMAS IN FLORIDA

We miss Christmas, so we've decided to relive it with our readers. We both went to Florida for the holidays - Jess went to Central Florida to her sister's house and Jill went back home to South Florida. Palm trees and sunny skies are our version of a white Christmas and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Jess's Christmas

Pack 22 people speaking three different languages, and that's a Christmas with my family. I don't get the chance to see my family too often and some of my family members are from Venezuela and only come once a year, so it's a very dear time for all of us. It was also the first Christmas with my boyfriend, so it was extra special! I am an aunt to two adorable twinsies, so my camera was stuck on them the whole time. They're just so freaking cute! Family, laughter, food (and wine) is the perfect recipe for us.

My Christmas tree in Chicago.

My gift wrapping this year.

My nephew, just like Aunt Jess.

Best Christmas gift ever?

And that was only one side of the tree.

Traditional Portuguese food.

Little things in life.

All 22 of us!

Jill's Christmas

Merry (very late) Christmas! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays as much as I did. I flew home to Florida for 10 days, where I enjoyed time spent with my family and friends in 75 degree weather. I have to keep reminding myself how much I love Chicago when I see the cold temperatures I come back to!

I wanted to share some pictures of my Christmas, specifically the amazing food my parents made for our guests. Coming from a traditional Italian family, you can imagine how delicious every dish is. The cooking gene skipped me (Seriously... I once put pizza upside down in the oven, but that's another story) so you better believe I brought back leftovers to Chicago.

We have SO many Christmas decorations that it's impossible to put them all out. A lot of them have been in our family for awhile or were handmade by my brother and I when we were children (he's the artist in the family, so don't judge my skills too hard). They bring back so many memories! My favorite piece of the house they decorate is their turn of the century piano that came from a Brothel in San Francisco. Besides it being a conversation piece alone, it looks extra festive around this time of year.

Details of our tree.

One of my favorite ornaments.

My brother's cat Twiggy, waiting to attack the tree.

My parents' piano with decorations we made as children.

Centerpiece.

My two favorite parts of a celebratory meal are the appetizers and desserts. I could honestly have just that and be perfectly content, so I wanted to show off some of my favorite dishes from both.

Breaded clams.

Antipasto.

Provolone Cheese, Sicilian Green Olives with Garlic and Oil, Artichoke Hearts, and Roasted Red Peppers. Topped off with Dressing made of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Chopped up Garlic, Salt, Pepper, Basil, and Sugar. 

Sliced Tomato, Water Mozzarella Cheese, drizzled with the Antipasto dressing.

Mini Pina Colada's with mini straws.

After filling up on appetizers and having a main course of Baked Ziti, Italian Sausage and Peppers, Salad, and much more, we needed a little time to wind down before round three.

"Vera's Tarts": Cream Cheese dough, Brown Sugar andWalnut center, topped off with Powdered Sugar.

"Mary B's 'S' Cookies": My Grandmother's recipe for butter cookies.

Doughnuts.

Cookies.

Strawberry Shortcake.

Empty wine glasses, of course.

Intense Jenga game!

My favorite tradition in my house comes on Christmas morning, when my mom makes homemade waffles after we open our gifts. I have a heavy hand when it comes to the powdered sugar, if you couldn't tell.

Waffles.

Waffles.

And lastly, one of my favorite gifts I gave this holiday was courtesy of Etsy. My family is obsessed with The Walking Dead and since my mom loves to garden, I knew these Zombie Gnomes would be the perfect gift. While we're on the topic of favorites, this should make me the favorite child, right? ;)

You can shop the Gnomes here and here!

Time to restart the Christmas countdown!

We hope you're keeping warm.

xx Jess & Jill