I come from a family of avid taco lovers. We eat tacos of some sort at least twice a week (in fact, we had tacos last night), and every single week, when I ask my brother what I should make for the blog, he tells me to make tacos. The only thing that rivals my...
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Green Goddess Dressing
Bright and herbaceous Green Goddess Dressing is a tangy, creamy dream! Brimming with fresh basil, dill, and parsley (or whichever tender herbs you need to use up), this dressing is bursting with vibrant flavor. Use it on salads, drizzle it over proteins, dunk your veggies in it, or pour it over all your favorite dishes....
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
These Roasted Cherry Tomatoes are bursting with garlicky, caramelized, and sweet flavors. Perfect for using up your summer harvest or wrinkly end-of-season cherry tomatoes, this versatile recipe concentrates natural sugars and flavors into a rich topping for pasta, pizza, bruschetta and more. Never Waste Another Tomato As tomato season starts winding down, it can be...
How To Pit Cherries
Is a recipe chock full of fresh cherries calling your name? Here's how to pit cherries without the fuss (or cherry pitter)! You're going to be using these methods all cherry season long. Sweet, tart, juicy cherries are way up there on my list of favorite fruits. But if I'm honest, there is one thing...
Easy Roasted Tomato Soup
This is the best homemade tomato soup I've ever had, and it really couldn't be easier. Made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs, this simple recipe will change the way you think about tomato soup forever. ROASTED TOMATO SOUP (FOR THE SOUL) As someone who really isn't the biggest fan of tomatoes to...
Pesto Pasta
Pesto Pasta is one of those restaurant-worthy recipes that couldn't be faster or easier to whip up at home. But it also takes a tiny bit of know-how to do it the right way. Learn how to get the perfect coating of pesto to cling to your pasta without resorting to excessive amounts of oil...
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Sheet Pan
This simple sheet pan dinner is filled with flavor (but low in carbs) thanks to andouille sausage and Cajun-spiced shrimp and vegetables. It's incredibly fast and easy for a weeknight dinner or meal prepping, and you can swap out the green beans, zucchini, and bell peppers for any veggies you have in the fridge! I'll...
Mojo Verde (Canarian Green Mojo Sauce)
I'm not exaggerating-- Prepare to put Mojo Sauce on EVERYTHING. This version, called Mojo Verde, is a tangy, garlicky, herb and chile pepper sauce that adds fresh-flavored magic to all it touches. Added bonus: it only takes a few minutes to make. WHAT IS MOJO SAUCE? Mojo is an uncooked, fresh and vibrant sauce that's...
Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai)
Savory, salty, spicy, sweet, and sour-- these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps have it all. The classic fresh, flavorful, and easy-to-make filling is also known as Larb Gai, and it’s so delicious that you’ll almost forget that it happens to be healthy, too. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE THAI FOOD, BABY The most common question I’m asked...
Magic Mac and Cheese
Magic Mac and Cheese is a no-boil, no-roux, and no-nonsense recipe for the richest and most flavorful baked mac of your life. While its flavor is deliciously complex, its foolproof method is (truly) simple to cook and customize. Consider this my Mac N Cheese Manifesto. This spring I set out to create the easiest, cheesiest,...
Chili Garlic Noodles with Crispy Tofu
If you’re craving spicy Asian food, these Chili Garlic Noodles with Crispy Tofu are saucy satisfaction in a bowl. Make it a big bowl, by the way, because you’re going to want to load up. The noodles can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature and-- bonus-- they taste even better when made ahead...
5-Minute Garlicky Tahini Sauce
5 Minute Garlicky Tahini Sauce is a traditional Middle Eastern sesame seed based sauce that's tangy, nutty, creamy, and silky smooth without any help from dairy. The secret that makes this recipe the best (and easiest)? Blending a whole, unpeeled head of garlic with fresh lemon juice. It sounds weird, but if you read on...
Sheet Pan Chili-Lime Chicken and Sweet Potatoes
When you want a ton of flavor without a ton of dishes, this recipe for Sheet Pan Chili-Lime Chicken and Sweet Potatoes is your answer. Juicy chicken thighs, tender chunks of sweet potato, onion, and bell pepper are all tossed in a spicy, sweet, and citrusy marinade before baking all together for a one pan, healthy recipe. I...
Dreamy, Creamy Avocado Cilantro Sauce
This Dreamy, Creamy Avocado Cilantro Sauce takes just 5 minutes to make and is perfect for serving on tacos, over salads, with sweet potatoes, or simply with a side of chips for dipping. Let's be honest, you're going to eat it on everything. There was a time when I was in an exclusive relationship with guacamole. It was...
Clams Casino Dip
Clams Casino Dip. The retro hors d'ouerve is transformed into a creamy, easy-to-make dip complete with a bacon-panko topping. This recipe for Clams Casino Dip was also featured on Serious Eats. Clams Casino-- the flavorful, open-faced clams with bacon-spiked breadcrumbs-- is a dish I've spent almost all of my life eating. My dad always ordered...
Lemon Garlic Chicken Orzo Soup
Inspired by Greek "Avgolemono", this Lemon Garlic Chicken Orzo Soup recipe is thickened with a mixture of lemon juice, pureed garlic, and egg to create a flavor-packed, citrusy, velvety soup. Let me start by saying that the idea for this recipe is not anywhere near "inspired" enough to warrant a blog post intro-- there was...
The Great Kitchen Kapers Holiday Gift Guide and GIVEAWAY 2018
We've made our list and checked it twice: Check out our round-up of the best kitchen gifts for everyone (and we do mean everyone) on your list, whatever your budget. Don't tell anyone, but I haven't bought any Christmas presents yet. I can't believe we're already through week one of December and quickly moving on to...
15 Minute Thai Basil Chicken
15 Minute Thai Basil Chicken. When it comes to Thai recipes, this stir fry is one of the most popular and easiest to make. It's flavorful, fast, and is going to become one of your favorite quick dinners. If you ask my old college roommate, Jackie, whether or not she would personally make a recipe...
Charred Cherry Whiskey Lemonade
Charred Cherry Whiskey Lemonade. Grilled or sauteed cherries add great flavor (and a little edge) to these sweet and tart whiskey cocktails. Yesterday, while scheduling out my to-do-lists for recipe-making in the next few weeks (which, by the way, is a very ambitious schedule that's definitely going to result in lots of How Did I...
Sweet Mustard Pork and Potato Packets
Sweet Mustard Pork and Potato Packets. They say good things come in small packages. These tangy, sweet, and smoky pork chop foil packets prove it-- and they’re extremely easy to make, to boot. This post is brought to you by French’s. All opinions expressed are my own. It’s summertime, and the living is easy, because...
Crispy Hearts of Palm Tacos with Chipotle Baja Sauce
This post is sponsored by Reese Specialty Foods, who inspired me to broaden my taco horizons-- for which I’m always grateful. Once you try these Crispy Hearts of Palm Tacos with Chipotle Baja Sauce, trust me, you’ll be grateful, too.
Salted Caramel S'more Dip with Cinnamon Sugar Chips
Hold on to your sweet tooth, because this dip is all dressed up and ready to party. James-- being the resident dessert-fiend-in-chief that he is-- has been asking me to make something sugary for, gosh, probably two months now. But since I'm selfish and prefer salty foods usually inspired by more savory ideas, I just finally got around...
Mushroom Carnitas Tacos
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena​ #CollectiveBias Ah, Lent. The time of year when, on top of the normal "what should we have for dinner" daily conundrum, many people also have to consider what indulgence they've given up for 40 days, and what...
Seafood Fra Diavolo
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HuntsHasHeart #CollectiveBias In the typical sigh-inducing retail fashion, there's been Valentine's Day decorations out at the drugstore since right after Christmas. Heart-shaped candy boxes, heart plush toys, and heart-covered wrapping paper abound. There are obnoxious pink and red glittery hearts...
Thai Curry Turkey Burgers with Spicy Mayo and Coconut-Lime Slaw
For all of the things I get nervous about-- and trust me, despite my totally cool demeanor, there are a lot of them: flying, accidentally stepping on bugs when I'm barefoot, and parallel parking, for example-- I'm not one to hesitate when it comes to experimenting with seasoning and spice. What comes of these fearless forays into flavor-town? Sometimes it's...
Smoky Shrimp Pasta Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette
This Smoky Shrimp Pasta Salad with Chipotle Dressing is about to make a lot of people reaaaal popular this summer.
Easy Cheesy Pretzel Sticks
This certainly isn't the first time I've made soft pretzels for the blog. (Proceed with caution, there's a flood of old posts ahead.)Â There's been pretzel buns, pretzel dogs, pretzel skillets, pretzel pinwheels, pretzel bread, and chicken cheesesteaks served on-- you guessed it--Â pretzel rolls. It's also not the first time I've professed my undying love for...
Pad Thai Potstickers
How do you make Pad Thai even better? Put it in a potsticker. Pad Thai is a street vendor style noodle dish from (you guessed it!) Thailand. Rice noodles are stir fried along with eggs, tofu, and often shrimp or chicken, and then it all gets a kick of flavor from tamarind and fish sauce....
Cajun Shrimp Dip
A few months ago, on the Host the Toast facebook page, I asked people what their favorite recipes on the web were.  I got some great responses from people telling me about "Chocolate Lasagna" and "Banana French Toast Cupcakes" and other things that are making me too hungry to think about on a Monday morning. Then,...
Strawberry-Kiwi Frozen Mojitos
When I bought them, I had every intention of using my fresh strawberries and kiwis into a fruity summer salsa. I imagined scooping it on top of crisp tortilla chips or flaky fish tacos, and was enthralled at the idea. But then I thought, What if I added rum to the salsa? That would be delicious. ...
Spicy Fried Shrimp
The first time I ever ordered Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill, I sang "She Bangs" (you know, the song by Ricky Martin-- but I sang it like William Hung) for about a week. It was a silly association, but it was so severely stuck in my head that it was driving me crazy. I...
Watermelon Bruschetta with Whipped Feta, Basil, and Balsamic Drizzle
As you might already know, this weekend James and I went to North Carolina to visit my cousin Ashley and her fiancé Evan, and just as I promised, you're going to hear a lot about it in the next few weeks, starting right now. First of all, let me just say that Mother Nature...
Bourbon Peach Sweet Tea
I've been reading your facebook statuses. (Well, I mean, only if we're friends. There's no NSA-esque business going on over here.) I've been hearing about your lovely vacations around the country and around the world. (And I've been missing my usual partner in culinary creation, Amanda, who is currently in Hungary. Or Austria. Or Prague. ...
Grilled Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
Considering that I was obsessed with roasted red peppers for the first few years of learning to cook, I can hardly believe that I have included just one lonely recipe that uses them as an ingredient since starting this blog. In fact, obsessed might be an understatement here-- it was extremely rare that I ever made...
Maryland Crab Cakes with Horseradish-Sriracha Remoulade
It all started about 2 months ago, when my good friend and past housemate (and avid reader of this blog-- hi, Rachel) mentioned that she wants to meet up at Chickie's & Pete's some day over the summer, which may or may not be my favorite sports bar due to it's abundance of shellfish, mollusks,...
Paper Snowflake Decorations
(Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas) I'm sure you've noticed by now that Host the Toast's "12 Days of Christmas" are ending the day before Christmas. Â This is because 1) Christmas advice won't help you much if I post it ON Christmas, and 2) You and I are both going to be...