A few people have reached out to me and asked me to share this cranberry-orange margarita I created a few years ago because the site I posted it on originally is no longer live, so here it is! This is the same post from 2013 (WHAT?!) but I figured while I was at it I should take some new photos, and I couldn’t resist using a blood orange this time—they are so pretty.

I love cranberry and orange for Christmas, and if you add a little cinnamon and tequila, you’ve got something really festive. Cheers!

Ingredients: (Makes two)

• One cup of fresh cranberries

• Three cups of water

• Two teaspoons agave nectar or honey (You can use more or less, and I prefer honey)

• One teaspoon cinnamon

• Zest of one orange

• 1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

• 1/3 cup tequila

Instructions:

To make the cranberry syrup:

1. In a saucepan, bring cranberries and water to a boil. Add agave or honey, orange zest, and cinnamon.

2. Reduce to a medium-low heat and simmer for forty minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and strain.

3. Let cool and store in a jar/container.

To assemble the cocktail:

1. Sprinkle some salt on a plate and combine with a dash or two of cinnamon and a pinch of orange zest. (You could also add a little sugar—I had a margarita the other day with both sugar and salt on the rim and it was so good!)

2. Cut orange in half and reserve one slice for a garnish. Moisten each glass with orange and place rim in salt plate.

3. In a small pitcher or cocktail shaker, combine equal parts orange juice, cranberry syrup, and tequila (1/3 cup each). Stir or shake.

4. Fill each glass with ice and pour cocktail. Garnish with an orange slice.

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes when I’m trying to cut down on my carb intake. It’s delicious and filling and so easy to make! Almost every week I make one cheeseburger casserole (and one roast chicken—usually at the same time) and it does really well in the fridge for a few days—I’m usually able to get a couple meals and maybe even a few snack portions out of it! It does usually go fast at my house so I like to make a double batch whenever I can.

You could also add bacon, mushrooms, more veggies, or a different kind of cheese if it sounds good to you! The basic recipe is great but I love how easily you can customize it however you like. My new favorite thing is to serve it with a side of pickles!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/4 of a white onion, diced

• 1 pound of ground beef

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese, divided in half

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil.

2. Add the onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add the beef and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until browned, stirring well to break up meat. Season with salt and pepper. Drain and transfer to a baking dish.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, cream, tomato paste, and half of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the cheese mixture over the beef. Gently shake the dish and tap on the counter to ensure the cheese mixture makes it through to the bottom and sides of the dish, covering the beef. Top with remaining cheddar and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is set and the cheese has melted. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

It’s as easy as that! You can serve it right away but I actually think it’s better the next day, which makes it great for meal prep. This is one of the most popular recipes in my keto cookbook, so if you like this one make sure to grab a copy for yourself—there’s lots more where that came from!

I know what you’re thinking—another recipe already? I used to post recipes so regularly and then I had a baby and basically stopped cooking every day (and I definitely stopped using my camera). I’ve always loved sharing recipes with you guys on this blog, and you guys seem to love it too! Anytime I ask for post requests, most of you ask for more food. And I am so happy to be getting back into it!

A few months ago I got a utility cart to house all my camera stuff and props and I now really look forward to shooting recipes, where before it was starting to feel like a chore. In 2019 I hope to focus more on food and words, which is a little tagline that kept coming to mind when I was working with Kelly on my new logo and soon-to-be new blog design.

Okay, that’s a lot of non-food related chatter when what I’m really here to talk about today are these spicy Buffalo Brussels sprouts.

When Rob and I lived in Minneapolis, there was a restaurant we used to love called Butcher & The Boar. It was definitely more of a special occasion place, so we went to dinner there for our anniversary one year; but we soon learned that they had a happy hour in the beer garden that was much more affordable and just as delicious. On both menus are these super spicy Brussels sprouts tossed in Buffalo sauce and served with homemade Ranch, and they quickly became one of our favorite things to order.

We loved them so much that we started making them ourselves at home, and even five years later they’re still on our meal planning rotation. They’re an awesome side dish, snack, or a great vegetarian lunch or dinner when served over rice with a little crumbled blue cheese on top. If you’re vegan you could skip the blue cheese and swap butter for coconut oil! I love this recipe because you can cook your rice and roast the sprouts ahead of time, and then just whip up the sauce and reheat everything whenever you’re ready to serve it.

Ingredients:

• About a pound of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup Frank’s RedHot sauce

• Crumbled blue cheese, for serving

• Chopped green onion, for garnish

• 2-3 cups of cooked white rice

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375. Transfer quartered Brussels sprouts to a baking sheet and pour olive oil onto them, mixing well with your hands to make sure they’re covered on all sides. Season with salt and pepper and spread everything out so it’s in a single layer.

2. Roast Brussels sprouts at 375 for 20-25 minutes, giving them a stir and a flip halfway through. (While the sprouts are roasting, you can cook rice according to package directions if you haven’t prepared it yet.)

3. In a large skillet, heat hot sauce over medium-low heat. Add butter and stir until butter is melted and sauce is smooth. Transfer sprouts to the skillet and toss to combine.

4. Spoon rice into bowls and top with Buffalo Brussels sprouts. Add bleu cheese, if desired, and a sprinkle of green onion before serving.

You could do this with broccoli, cauliflower, or even some diced chicken if you prefer. Enjoy!