Zombie & Monster Men Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

October 11, 2017 Amanda Plott

I have to admit that baking can sometimes scare me. It's such an exact science that when I go to make my usual adjustments, I sometimes end up with a failure. Baking is not a forgiving medium by any means. Over the years, I've taken my past failures and worked through them as best I could to start building up my baking confidence and knowledge.

Cut-out style sugar cookies have been part of that fear factor for me since they are one of the most simplistic and yet horribly technical cookies out there. However, I think that I've finally cracked the code!...

Fall Harvest Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

October 9, 2017 Amanda Plott

Holy moly! It's been a busy weekend over here. I'm ready for the monotony of a Monday. For sure. It's still pretty warm here in Texas, so while the weather is working on slowly cooling off, I'm working on salads still over here.

Of course, I still need to get my fix of Fall inspired veggies. So... I decided to load this salad up with plenty of Fall-friendly veg. I started this salad off with a base of baby spinach. It's one of my most favorite salad starters, and I think that's because it's such a versatile and nutritional green...

Tomato, Mozzarella & Avocado Salad (Sponsored)

August 22, 2017 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BaronessPatches #CollectiveBias

We made it! I finally got back from our end of the summer spur of the moment vacation road trip across two states with just myself, my mom, and my little girl. It was a blast! The girl trip that we've always wanted with three of our four current generations of ladies among my family. That being said, we literally got home with one day between us and back-to-school! Talk about flying in hot.

What else does back-to-school mean? Meal time chaos at it's finest. Add in a touch of being exhausted from the trip and you've got the perfect mix for bringing in my favorite wing mom. The Baroness...

Champagne & Grapefruit Adult Popsicles + zzysh®!

August 2, 2017 Amanda Plott

Messaging below is intended for ages 21+ and is intended to be enjoyed responsibly, in moderation.

It's summer and it's hot. Like real hot here in Texas. The sort of heat that will take your breath away when you step outside. There isn't a whole lot you can do to stay cool outside of water, fans, and some nice cold fruit either. One of my favorite summer fruits has to be grapefruit! It's refreshing and bright and perfect to help beat the summer heat.

Another summer favorite of mine is sparkling wine; namely brute rosé! I love that it's crisp and refreshing. Outside of drinking it, I like to come up with fun recipes and ideas to use wine and sparkling wines in recipes; giving me many different ways (other than drinking it) to enjoy an opened bottle repeatedly!...

Avocado Chickpea Feta Salad

July 13, 2017 Amanda Plott

Who doesn't love a good cool avocado dish on a hot HOT summer day? Okay, you caught me. I'm not going to lie. I love avocados year round, but there's just something about them during the summer that just brings even more joy and rapture to my soul.

This 'salad' is being called a salad because it sort of reminds me of what a vegetarian style 'chicken salad'. It's loaded up with plenty of avocado and summer flavors that bring a perfectly fresh and refreshing bite, and I've been looking for a good reason to use chickpeas again since they're one of my personal favorites...

Healthy 7 Layer Fourth of July Dip

July 2, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's the fourth of July weekend! While I'm spending it rather lazily at home as I recuperate from a few weeks of busy, busy, busy - I'm still finding the time to have fun and be festive! With an impromptu visit from my brother, I decided to toss together a quick 'snacky' meal that we could all graze on throughout the day at our leisure.

Naturally, my first inclination was a 7 layer dip. I think that's because it's one of those things that has something it in that everyone likes! It's one perfect montage or mashup of everything I love. Plus, it's perfectly light and cool for a hot summer day. And of course, since it's around the 4th of July, you just know I had to arrange this dip into the shape of the American flag to be all the more cute and festive!...