Crisp, tart, slightly sweet, and always fragrant, the classic mojito is a classic cocktail that I never get tired of sipping.

I’ve been a fan of mojitos for a while now. I tried my first mojito about 15 years ago, while on a camping trip with several families. Our friend Tony made the mojitos and I was hooked.

(Yes, that would be Tony, the same person who introduced us to the crazy delicious Slow Cooker Baked Beans recipe and Italian Cream Liqueur.)

We’ve tried quite a few mojito recipes over the years. I enjoy the Pineapple Mojitos and Basil Mojitos as well, but I always circle back to the classic cocktail made with plenty of fresh mint, lime, and rum.

Classic Mojito

Add in a refreshing splash of club soda and you have summer in a glass. This cocktail recipe is ideal for sipping at a garden party or for relaxing on the porch with friends on a warm summer evening.

And since I lived in one of the hottest cities in the US for a very long time, this drink became a favorite pretty much year-round.

I’ll warn you now that once you start making your own mojitos at home, you won’t be nearly as happy with anyone else’s. The exception to that is my friend Holly. She makes an absolutely fabulous mojito and I never turn one of hers down.

You can check out Holly’s recipe here,  if you want to give her version a try. You might notice our recipes are close to identical. (That just might be the reason I love hers too!) Great mojito-loving minds obviously think alike.

Mojito Ingredients

A classic mojito is simultaneously elegant yet simple. It brings to

Saucy BBQ pork tucked into melted cheese in a buttery crisp tortilla? That’s something I can’t possibly resist. This pulled pork quesadilla is a quick and easy way to get a hearty meal on the table, even on the busiest of weeknights.

Pulled pork is one of my favorite food leftovers to have in the house and these quesadillas make the most of it.

BBQ Pork Quesadilla

The beauty of quesadillas is that you can fill them with almost any cheese, meat, or vegetable combination and they taste delicious. Chicken and caramelized onions? Check. Cheesy pepperoni pizza? Definitely. Meat lover’s steak and cheese? Oh yeah. Fully loaded with all the vegetables from the fridge? Every chance I get.

There isn’t a quesadilla you can make that my crew won’t devour. (Or, if there is, I haven’t found it yet.) At our house, bbq pork, green chile shredded pork, and carnitas are made on a regular basis and plenty of that pork gets tucked into the freezer for quick meals later.

For something a little bit different, this Honey Lime Pork Roast is a little bit spicy and a little bit sweet, with just a hint of citrus.

Slow Cooker Mexican Pork is some of the best pulled pork you can make at home and it requires about 5 minutes of prep time before you turn on the crockpot and walk away.

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Roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts are combined with spicy sausage and plenty of cheese to create an irresistible dinner.

Quite a few years ago, I stumbled across a dish that combined Brussels sprouts with pasta and potatoes. Several days later, I couldn’t get that combination out of my head.

Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

As I started playing with the idea of using Brussels sprouts in a main dish, I wanted something a little heartier than the bacon that I typically pair with Brussels sprouts.

Sausage is one of those magic recipe ingredients. It almost doesn’t matter what you add to it, sausage has the ability to flavor all the other ingredients brilliantly.

I paired some spicy sausage with the Brussels and I LOVED the combination of flavors in this meal. One of my boys pointed out that the very best bites were the ones with a potato chunk, a sprout, sausage, and cheese together; I couldn’t agree more.

The first time I made this, I tasted it before taking a picture and then I couldn’t stop sneaking bites as I was attempting to photograph it. I lasted for about 30 seconds worth of clicks and then we dove into this meal.

In the years since then, I’ve attempted to reshoot this recipe multiple times in order to update the photos, and without fail, I decide not to bother with photos as soon as it’s out of the oven. This is one of my all-time favorite recipes on this website.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally practiced enough restraint to shoot new photos before diving into this and I’m still as much in love with this recipe as

Iced Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

Sweet, tart, moist and perfect for a spring brunch with the ladies…this iced lemon poppy seed loaf cake comes together in no time and is so outrageously delish!

If you’re going to have an iced lemon loaf cake, then you better have an iced lemon poppy seed loaf cake too because lemon and poppy seeds just belong together! I love the added flavor and texture the poppy seeds add.

Here’s the proof…glazed poppy seed bread, lemon poppy seed muffins, cinnamon lemon poppy seed bundt cake, lemon poppy seed cake. I’m just a little obsessed! We have all our poppy seed bases covered! I love a good loaf cake though, so I had to figure out the perfect recipe for a lemon poppy seed loaf cake. It just looks a little prettier with that glaze over a loaf.

Ingredients Needed for Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

You’re going to see lemon infused in every part of this cake. The loaf cake is soaked with a lemon glaze and then topped with a lemon icing. Here is what you will need for each part:

Cake

• Flour
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Sugar
• Lemon Zest
• Meyer Lemon Juice
• Lemon Extract
• Butter
• Eggs
• Sour Cream
• Poppy Seeds

February 18, 2023

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Sean and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this past week with a few days away on our own. We stayed about an hour from home and it was a lot of fun to explore a new-to-us part of Columbus and a few new restaurants too.

So, that’s my excuse for the later-than-usual weekly newsletter today. I’m happy to be home now and ready for the fresh new week ahead.

ON THE BLOG this week: All the ingredients we love in classic Chinese Egg Rolls come together in this Egg Roll Stir Fry recipe. This is an irresistible bowl of deconstructed egg rolls and you’re going to love it.

Fluffy mashed sweet potatoes top a saucy mixture of seasoned ground beef and vegetables to make this Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie.

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is filled with carrots, onions, celery, garlic, wine, and a hint of bacon. If you enjoy smoked salmon, you will love this chowder.

Crisp buttery blueberry waffles are a spectacular breakfast treat that will have you coming back for just one more bite until they are gone.

Speaking of breakfast treats, fluffy buttermilk pancakes filled with crumbled breakfast sausage add up to a whole lot of awesomeness in these Sausage Pancakes.

You know how much I enjoy making my own seasoning mixes, right? Smokey, salty with a hint of pepper, homemade french fry seasoning takes fries to a whole new level.

Roasted and drizzled with pure maple syrup, these classic maple roasted carrots are almost candy-like in their sweetness.

Sweet and just a little bit spicy, this honey sriracha chicken stir fry is filled with bite-size sticky sweet chunks of chicken and tender-crisp peppers. The whole recipe comes together in under 20 minutes.

favorite things: this cuticle oil, this movie, and this book

What I’m CRAVING: Have you tried Sticky Toffee Pudding? It’s one of those things that I can not resist when it’s on a dessert menu. Soft, fluffy, incredibly moist cake smothered in a toffee caramel sauce is unforgettable. This recipe is on m