My Cooking Spot

When Girl Meets Kitchen

Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Pinwheels

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Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Pinwheels | Looking for a party app that feeds a crowd and is delicious? These Pesto and Tomato Pinwheels, stuffed with pesto (homemade or store-bought!), sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese, are the perfect starter! @speckledpalate fo

It’s been a while, but I absolutely love hosting a good party.

Whether it’s a dinner party, a sports-related party or a get-together with friends, I love them all. I love opening up my home to entertain, and I love spending time with people I care about and making fun food to go along with whatever event we’re celebrating.

However, I’m not the best when it comes to making party-friendly appetizers and finger foods.

Main dishes? I’ve got those in the bag.

Dessert? I could probably bake something up in my sleep.

But starters? Umm…

I generally either forget about apps until the hour before my guests arrive and then frantically have to throw something together or tap a friend to bring a starter because that’s not really my forte.

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Soft Honey Oat Bread

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If you asked me about my favorite smell, it would probably be a tie between earth after rain (which is called petrichor–isn’t that a cool word!?) and freshly baked bread. But what I love even more than the smell of freshly baked bread, is cutting it open while it’s hot, and slathering butter and jam all over a still steaming piece of crusty, golden goodness.

This soft honey oat bread is my absolute favorite bread to make at home. The crust has the perfect, nutty chewiness to it, and the inside is soft and delicate. It’s perfect for toast, sandwiches, or eating hot with butter and jam.

As far as bread goes, this is a really simple recipe. It only has a few ingredients and the steps are very straightforward. You basically throw everything in the bowl of your stand mixer (or you can work out some tension and knead by hand!)…

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Beet Pickled Eggs

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There are some meals that you will always love and think of your childhood as you enjoy them – mac n cheese, Oreos, square pizza . . .  pickled eggs. All those foods that are bad for you and you can’t eat on a regular basis.  Unless you have a very high metabolism.

There are also foods that people just won’t understand why you like them. This is me and pickled eggs. I understand. I get it. Pickled eggs . . . They sound gross if you’ve never had them. Plus, they’re pink eggs. Eggs aren’t supposed to be pink. I’ve had friends asked me to send pictures because they’re so confused as to what a pickled egg could be. They’re response? “Girl, eggs aren’t supposed to be pink. But they are beautiful and delicious. I promise.

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Apple Spice Muffins

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There’s something about a warm muffin with a pat of fresh butter and a cup of hot tea in the morning. It’s what greets me most mornings as I roll out of bed before the sun rises, searching for something to soothe my dry throat from the allergies that come along with Spring.

For our family, these muffins are the perfect breakfast and snack, and usually last all of 24 hours.

They have a slight spice from cinnamon and all spice and the familiar sweetness of gala apples. I love the chunks of apple bites that keep the muffins moist but add a crunch as well. My 1-year-old gobbles them up!

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