Stress-Baking: Hot Cocoa Cookies and PB Chocolate Chunk - Recipes

So finals are here, so what do I do? Study? Write my essays? Do some research? Finish my report? No, I'll bake cookies.

I stress-baked two delectable types of cookies this weekend--a peanut butter chocolate chunk, and hot cocoa cookies. They're delicious, and the perfect little pick-me-up for a study break! I'm linking to the recipes, and let me tell you, they're both winners. 

I rolled my PB cookies in coarse sugar, and added some chocolate morsels for extra deliciousness. I followed the recipe for the hot cocoa cookies to a T, and they're excellent. Next time you need a cookie fix, these were easy, required very few ingredients, and sure satisfy my sweet tooth. 

Peanut Butter Cookies (Fourless) - Claire Robinson (Food Network)

Hot Cocoa Cookies - A Few Shortcuts (blog site)

Flourless Chocolate Chunk Cookies - Recipe

I made these yummy chocolate chunk
cookies for Valentine's Day!

I made these awesome and incredibly simple cookies for Valentine's Day, and they may be one of my new favorites. With so few ingredients, and taking very little time to make, they're a college student's stream, and satisfy any chocolate craving! No flour, no butter. Give this recipe a try! I know you'll be hungry for more!

Balanced Breakfasts: Oatmeal, Smoothies, and More! - Recipes

I'm a yogurt eater. My breakfast usually consists of fat free plain greek yogurt, fresh fruit, a dash of cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract or cocoa powder. But after the disappearance of our local grocery store, keeping Greek yogurt (and fresh fruit) in the fridge has been a struggle, considering how much I actually eat in a week. So I've had to get creative and come up with some new breakfasts that I can make on a daily basis that are equally fast, easy, and of course, healthy and filling. Oatmeal, Smoothies, and Hard-Boiled Eggs have become my new domain.

Trying Times: Grocery Store Woes, Oatmeal Addictions, and Super Easy Taco Crockpot Soup

I know I haven't written a new post in a while, but part of my absence is due to the fact that it is COLD outside in Chicago this winter! Combine that with the absence of my local grocery store leads to a couple of depressed DePaul students.

Dominick's, the local grocery store chain right near my apartment, closed its doors in December, and with the sub-zero, snowy weather, I don't have enough warm clothes…or motivation…to venture out to Trader Joe's. So things around here have been a little…interesting.

Sinful Onion Gravy - Recipe

Last night, we had a twist on a wonderful classic: meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a delicious onion gravy reminiscent of the onion gravy served on brats that we had on our visit to Switzerland a few years ago.

To kick this classic dish up a few notches, we added some beautiful shredded parsnips to our meatloaf, and topped the whole thing with balsamic glaze and fresh tomatoes, which roasted and caramelized in the oven. The mashed potatoes were made "Tom" style in honor of our friend, who says that the best method for making mashed potatoes is to boil the potatoes with the onion and garlic in the pot of water in order to infuse the flavor. Everything was delicious, but the onion gravy was the star.

Although we put it on our meatloaf (and on mashed potato cakes with eggs for breakfast in the morning), this gravy is incredibly versatile. It would make a great topping for steak, on burgers, a veal cutlet or pork chop, or maybe for bangers and mash. The flavor is potent--rich, salty, and oniony. But I could seriously drink this stuff, and the rest of my family would probably agree.

A Twist on an English Classic: Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower Topping – Recipe

This Cottage Pie is perfect for a cold winter day

As I posted a few weeks ago, I’ve been craving Shepherd’s Pie. The traditional English dish is hearty, perfect for a chilly winter day. My first day in St. Louis for winter break warranted such a dish, and boy, was it delicious.

Now the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie is the meat that is used for the filling. Though many refer to the dish collectively as Shepherd’s Pie, a true Shepherd’s pie contains lamb meat. Since we prepared the dish with beef (although you could use any ground meat, including turkey, chicken, lamb, veal, or even sausage), it is technically a Cottage Pie.

Roasted Broccoli and White Bean Soup - Recipe

While trying to use up items in our pantry and refrigerator, my mom and  I came up with this broccoli soup recipe that is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.

Pureeing the white beans gave the soup a creamy texture, without the extra fat or calories, which is something I'd consider doing in the future as a replacement, adding a healthy dose of protein! My mom and I are thinking about trying this with a potato soup; we'll keep you posted on how it turns out!

This soup is rich, creamy, and loaded with flavor. Unlike many dishes that fit this description, however, this dish is very healthy.

Healthy Holiday Side - Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Almonds - Recipe

Eating healthy around the holidays can be a challenge. This dish, however, is both healthy, easy, and sure to please at your next holiday party or even just a dinner at home!

I made this dish earlier in the week, and it just hit the spot. Brussels sprouts are one of my all-time favorite vegetables, and when combined with the tartness of fresh cranberries and the sweet toasted almonds, this dish has all the right flavors and textures going on at once, and it's so easy to prepare!

Finals Week Fungi: Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms - Recipe

It's finals week at DePaul, meaning I don't have much time. After working an eight hour day at my internship and having spent a little too much time working on my final 18th Century English Literature essay, I needed a quick and easy dinner solution that would be delicious, but require minimal effort.

My solution? Stuffed mushrooms.

The Taste of Autumn - Recipes for the Season

I've been incredibly busy lately, so I haven't had much time to cook. But that doesn't mean that I'm not searching for new recipes to try! I love warm, fall flavors, and as soon as I'm on winter break (only 10 days!) I'm definitely going to give these recipes a try.

Healthy Fall Breakfast - Cinnamon Apple Greek Yogurt Parfait

Try this autumn breakfast parfait for a sweet and satisfying breakfast treat!

I've been eating apples like a fiend lately, and this morning as I was looking at the most perfectly round and shiny apple I've ever seen sitting on my counter, I decided to throw together a delicious and healthy fall breakfast-- a Cinnamon Apple Greek Yogurt Parfait. Packed with protein, probiotics, immune-boosting cinnamon, and a shave of dark chocolate for an added treat, this fall breakfast is sure to satisfy your tastebuds and an empty stomach!

Healthy Eggplant Mini Pizzas - Obsession

Hello Everyone! I hope you're enjoying your weekend. I've been tirelessly writing essays, but I figure it's the perfect time to take a break and share with you one of my favorite quick and easy meals that I've been crazy about lately.

I saw this idea on Pinterest originally, but I've definitely put my own spin on it and made some modified versions--I've been making tons of mini pizzas out of eggplant recently, and they're absolutely delicious and low-carb!

Bobby Flay's Sweet Potato Gratin - Recipe

The weather in Chicago this week officially crossed over from cool fall to cold winter, and when I need to be warmed up, and sweet potatoes may be the king of winter foods.

I cannot take credit for this recipe, although it is one of my favorites. Bobby Flay's Sweet Potato Gratin is the ultimate comfort food. I LOVE this recipe. With only 3 ingredients (plus a little S&P), it's perfect for a college student like me, especially since sweet potatoes are only 99 cent/pound at my grocery store. Though the dish is not necessarily healthy, sometimes you need something a little rich...especially when you're like me and refuse to turn the heat on until at least November.

Single Serving Soup: Creamy Chicken Cheddar and Orzo - Recipe

Earlier this week, I mentioned buying one of those rotisserie chickens from my grocery store. I used about half the meat for my Creamy Tomato Italian Chicken and White Bean Soup, and had the rest for leftovers. But after about five days of just sprinkling the chicken over my salad for some added protein, I decided to get creative.

Single Serving Succulence: Chocolate Chip Mug Cake - Recipe

"Everywhere I travel, tiny life. Single-serving sugar, single-serving cream, single pat of butter. The microwave Cordon Bleu hobby kit. Shampoo-conditioner combos, sample-packaged mouthwash, tiny bars of soap. The people I meet on each flight? They’re single-serving friends."

Fight Club has long been one of my favorite movies, so a few nights ago when I was craving just one single-serving cake, I couldn't help but think of that line from the movie. So in the name of Tyler Durden, I made myself a single serving cake. In two minutes. In the microwave. How awesome is that?!

Creamy Tomato Italian Chicken and White Bean Soup - Recipe

I love those rotisserie chickens from the grocery store. They're deliciously juicy and they lend themselves to a broad range of recipe functions from chicken salads to buffalo wing dips to no-hassle soups.

I'm getting more and more busy, and the weather is getting colder. When I saw that my local grocer was offering a sale on the rotisserie chickens this weekend, I just had to buy one and make a soup I could freeze, making an easy dinner some night when I don't have any time or patience to cook.

This recipe is incredibly simple and completely improvised. It basically is a combination of common kitchen ingredients that I had on hand, and I was able to make it in less than 30 minutes. It's a healthy, hearty, time-saving meal! Enjoy the recipe! I'm certainly going to be making this in the future.

Rustic House Copycat Ahi Tuna Tartare - Recipe

A few weeks ago, my mom came to Chicago, and we dined at a restaurant in Lincoln Park called Rustic House. Our meal was great--duck l'orange, veal cheek ragout, and some incredible desserts. But one of the best parts of our meal was our appetizer: Ahi Tuna Tartare.

Pinterest Deliciousness: Some of My New Favorite Recipes - Obsession

I love Pinterest--even if I don't follow a recipe 100 percent, it still gives me some great ideas and I've learned things that I never would have thought to do before.

Chipotle Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup - Recipe

I know it's not quite autumn yet...and it's still pretty warm outside. But yesterday, I got a craving for pumpkin and my apartment is pretty cold, so I figured: why not make a winter soup if it's what I want?

Tuna Croquettes with Citrus Aioli - Recipe

This may be the ultimate money saving meal. I made this a few nights ago for my roommate and I before we went to the movies--we wanted a light meal so we could binge on movie theater snacks (oops) and these tuna croquettes were delicious, satisfying, and the best part? They're incredibly inexpensive to make, which is important for anyone trying to live on a tight budget.