I have just spent the past four days in Tex-Mex food heaven. So it seemed only appropriate that I kick off my week back home with a fun south-of-the-border-inspired treat — Spiced Chocolate Popcorn!

Ok, I should backtrack.

I had the complete privilege of spending the first three days of last week in sunny California at the Dole Taste Of Spain Salad Summit with some of my favorite blogging friends. Then 8 hours after arriving home, I turned around and hopped on a plane to spend the final four days of the week in San Antonio attending their mega gourmet food festival, Culinaria. And it was amazing. From enjoying beautiful fresh salads and sangria and paella…to uber-trendy cocktails and corn “mousse” and one of the best Mexi meals of my life…the week has pretty much been this foodie’s dream come true.

But last night I came home and am now back to the world making my own food again. And my own snacks, of which homemade popcorn has always been a favorite! I realized the other day, though, that I haven’t shared many of my popcorn recipes on the blog! That’s probably because they usually consist of a little dash of spice here, and a little zest there. But still, this lack of popcorn recipes is a serious problem and must be remedied! :)

So before I left for my foodie whirlwind, I photographed my favorite Mexi-spiced popcorn. Although this time, I decided to kick it up a tad by drizzling it with some melted dark chocolate to give it a “Mexican chocolate” twist. Amigos — I’m pretty sure this one may win the prize for most addicting popcorn ever. I loved it. And now question why on earth I don’t drizzle more popcorn with chocolate. It’s so easy, delicious, and really — a little chocolate can stretch a long way with popcorn. (And when made with dark chocolate, it’s also vegan.)

Definitely a quick, easy and crazy delicious snack, and still healthier than most of the butter-drenched popcorns out there. It is without a doubt one of my favorites!

Read moreSpiced Chocolate Popcorn

I can make cupcakes galore. I can even rock a cheesecake. But pretty sure that age 30, I am just now learning how to bake a layer cake.

But look out, world. I am now a cake-baking fan. :)

I mean, seriously, why did no one tell me how fun it is to bake an enormous cake? And lather it with delicious frosting (or even rose petals)? And hear the ooohs and ahhhs from friends as you cut a big slices from those gorgeous layers of deliciousness?

Although (ahem), why did no one else tell me how hard it can be to keep those layers even? Or spread with said delicious frosting? Or even get the darn cakes out of the pan??

Yeah, there’s a reason that I used to stick to cupcakes.

But still, I am on a layer-cake-baking roll lately. And thanks to some great tips from bloggers and food stylists I work with, and thanks to lots of good ol’ fashioned trial and error, I am loving it and learning more with each cake! So I thought it might be fun to share a few little tips with you that have been helpful for me, especially on the equipment side.

Below are 5 of my new favorite “essentials” for making a layer cake, all between $5-$16. Now granted, I am fully aware that the way our grandmothers made layer cakes still works today. No fancy equipment is needed. However, I have found these 5 tools to be super helpful — especially when it comes to saving time, and just ensuring that all of the time and effort you put into a cake results in a success. So I’m hoping they might prove helpful for some of you too! Enjoy!

Read more5 Essential Tools To Make A Layer Cake

And yes, those are real roses.

And yes, they are edible!

I know, it was news to me too. I have been hearing everyone rave about the edible flowers trend right now, so decided to do some investigating. And it turns out that so many of my favorite flowers can be enjoyed in a vase on the table as well as your dinner plate — roses included! Apparently the more vibrant the rose petals — such as deep red or pink varieties — the stronger the flavor. Whereas the lighter or white roses are a little more mild.

So I decided to go red and experiment with a rose cake recipe. I began with a classic 3-level white cake, accented with a hint of rose water (see notes below for where to buy). Then I (gasp!) chopped up a single red rose and incorporated it into a yummy vanilla rose buttercream. And then for the grand finale, I layered some beautiful red rose petals along the outside. And the photos hardly do it justice. This cake was beautiful.

Still, I have to admit I was a little nervous about taste-testing a cake with all of these “edible” flowers. So I invited a bunch of friends over to join me. To my surprise, everyone loved it!!! Granted, we all are very familiar with the smell of roses, so maybe it shouldn’t have been such a surprise that we enjoyed tasting them too. But I think what was so fun was the entire experience of admiring and eating such a lovely cake. Every single layer — from the moist white cake, to the mild hints of rose in the buttercream, to the decorative roses on the cake — made for great conversation. So fun to try together!

I’m sure there will be all sorts of questions about this rose cake recipe, from what kind of roses to buy, to where you find rose water, to whether to coat the rose petals, etc. So I’ve included a brief Q&A below, but also encourage you to do your own research on edible flowers if you’re interested, since I’m no expert. But this was definitely a really fun one! So if you love roses and are feeling brave, I completely recommend giving it a try. (And if you do, you must send me a picture!) :)

Happy rose-cake-making!

Read moreRose Cake

At my most recent book club, my friend Kerry served a delicious tomato basil bruschetta. And I have been craving all things caprese ever since. So this weekend, I gathered some fresh ingredients from the market and decided to create a new appetizer — Caprese Phyllo Cups!

These simple little phyllo cup appetizer could not be easier. All you need are five ingredients — any kind of tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and of course, my favorite little phyllo cups (or you can make baked cups with wonton wrappers). And less than ten minutes later, you can have an entire batch ready to serve and enjoy. So quick and easy. And so fresh and delicious!

I’m already looking forward to making these again. I have a little hunch that may happen a lot this summer. ;)

Enjoy!

Read moreCaprese Phyllo Cups

This has been the week of Gatsby!

Last Saturday, my delightful book club spent an entire evening talking all things Gatsby and Fitzgerald (which led to a 90′s hits dance party…of course). Then on Monday night, three of us Gimme Some writers had the chance to attend an early screening of Baz Luhrmann’s new film at our favorite movie theater downtown. But people, this wasn’t just any screening. Full-on 20′s costumes were required, vintage cars were parked up and down Main Street, old movie posters lined the theater, and everyone came ready to have a roaring good time. Our friend Malina, a remarkably talented and gracious costume designer, was to thank for most of our group’s amazing costumes (including some great hats!). Our own Sarah from Gimme Some Film gave a rockin’ interview after the screening. And the movie — well, you must experience it for yourself. It’s epic Luhrmann, and a given must-see.

Although before or after you check it out, I highly recommend reading Sarah’s Great Gatsby review on Gimme Some Film. And entering our Great Gatsby giveaway and checking out a reading by Carey Mulligan and some Fitzgerald poetry on Gimme Some Reads. And checking out this Gatsby art project on Gimme Some Style. And if you haven’t already, pick up the book!!! It’s only 120 pages, and makes for a great Saturday afternoon read.

Of course, I couldn’t let the week go by without posting a recipe for mint juleps. Although for a different “sparkling” twist, I decided to try making some with my favorite ginger beer. Crazy good! All you need are 3 ingredients, and you get all of the goodness of a classic mint julep, but also a perfectly sweet and fizzy spin.

(If you, like Gatsby, think that “it’s a great advantage not to be drinking around drinking people”, these are also yummy without the bourbon.)

Cheers to an amazing American novel. Hope you enjoy, Old Sport!

Read moreSparkling Ginger Mint Juleps

Last week, I received a random afternoon text from one of my neighbors who is just learning to cook. He had walked across the street to our neighborhood market and picked up a fresh pineapple for a whopping $0.50. (Oh yes – one of the many reasons I moved to live next door to this market!) But when he arrived home, apparently he was a little unsure about how to cut a fresh pineapple. So he called the resident food blogger in the building. And being that I am obsessed a big fan of pineapple, I was more than happy to give him a little tutorial.

And then it reminded me of the other handful of friends over the years who have asked me the same question. So as I was making my fresh pineapple margaritas this week, I decided to whip up a quick tutorial on how to cut up a pineapple. It’s definitely not rocket science, but it can be a little confusing the first time.

The main tips I’d give is to be sure that you choose a ripe pineapple (it should smell fragrant, and the upper leaves should pop out easily with a little tug), have a sturdy sharp knife for cutting, and to always, always use fresh pineapple versus canned when you have the opportunity. The taste and texture are heads and tails better than the stuff in the can.

So here’s my quick how-to!

Read moreHow To Cut A Pineapple

This past weekend is going down in the record books as one of my favorite in history.

Well, in all of my 30 years, to be exact. :)

Since you only turn 30 once, and since I happen to be obsessed with Mexican food, I decided this year seemed like the perfect occasion to throw a big Cinco de Mayo birthday fiesta. It was a night of all of my favorites — my favorite family (including my sis and brother-in-law who surprised me by flying in from Chicago!), my favorite friends, my favorite food, my favorite drinks, and all of this took place in my favorite coffee shop. I was pretty much smiling from ear to ear all night. My friends and family blow me away with their awesomeness.

More stories and photos to come on Gimme Some Life. But of the many highlights of the night, I’d have to say that the margarita machine and our tequila tasting turned out to be delicious fun. I was generously supplied by Casa Noble with 3 different kinds of organic tequila for the party so that we could host a tequila tasting. And my friends and family were more than happy to participate. We even Googled (and then posted signs with directions) for the fancy steps for exactly how to taste tequila, which resulted in endless amusement and some terrific photos. Such a great idea for a party!

Afterwards, we still had some tequila remaining, so yesterday I whipped up some fresh pineapple margaritas to celebrate. The super sweetness of the pineapple was absolutely perfect with the tart lime margaritas, and the good-quality tequila definitely made a difference. Can’t wait to make these again soon!

Read moreFresh Pineapple Margaritas

I turned 30 yesterday!!!

Feels a little crazy, but also really good. I’m ready for a new decade, and all of the adventures and life lessons that I’m sure are to come!

I have decided to take a few days off from blogging to spend time with some friends and family who are in town for the weekend. (I’m having a big Cinco de Mayo fiesta to celebrate!) But in the meantime, I thought I’d offer a link to a post I shared yesterday on my Gimme Some Life page if you’re interested in checking it out — 30 Things I Have Learned At 30. I like to make lists, so it’s a big one. :-)

Happy Almost Cinco de Mayo, and I hope you have a fabulous time celebrating with lots of delicious Mexican food!

Ok, I have officially updated my list of food that is hard to photograph: quesadillas, popsicles, soups with clear broths, and taquitos!!!

Gah. For some reason, I could not seem to take a remotely satisfying photo of these yesterday. The lighting was all wonky, the shrimp looked weird, and I could not seem to find the right angle to save my life. So finally after way too many failed photo attempts, I did what any good food blogger should do…and just ate them. :)

And then life suddenly seemed so much better.

These Shrimp, Avocado and Roasted Corn Taquitos are actually a spin-off of one of my favorite salads. And once again, the ingredient combination proved a big winner. And when pan-roasting the corn on the stove, they ended up falling into the “quick and simple” category and were ready to go in less than 30 minutes. Definitely a fantastic appetizer to serve for Cinco de Mayo or game day, or even just to serve for a quick and delicious dinner.

And trust me…they look and taste much better in person. Enjoy!

Read moreShrimp, Avocado and Roasted Corn Baked Taquitos

Toto, I think we’re back in Kansas City now. But if I eat this Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad, I just might be able to pretend like I’m still in California at the Big Traveling Potluck!

That’s right. This past weekend, I traveled to beautiful So-Cal to spend the weekend with about 75 other food bloggers for a non-conference-y conference. There were no sessions on SEO. No 5-point plans to grow your business. No huge crowds to press through. Instead, it was a wonderfully low-key weekend overflowing with encouragement, avocados, great conversations, breathtaking California sunsets, make-your-own-spritzer bars, avocados, late-night chats, a surprise raffle win from Whole Foods (crazy exciting!), warm sunshine, great wine, guacamole contests, margaritas, and some truly amazing people. Oh, and did I mention avocados? It’s true. From celebrating the release of Gabi’s new Absolutely Avocados cookbook, to taking a tour of a stunningly beautiful avocado ranch from a self-proclaimed “gentleman farmer”, to a make-your-own-guacamole contest, to a gourmet 4-course avocado dinner, to an avocado toast breakfast bar, I had no idea that this conference (sponsored by the amazing California Avocado Commission) was going to treat us to a taste of avocado heaven. Such a treat!!

More than anything though, I was so excited to be reunited with some good blogging friends. And then to really-and-truly “meet” some bloggers I have known for years online, as well as some brand new friends. I have to admit that going to a big networking conference where it’s 24/7 social time had made this introvert a little nervous, but everyone was so friendly and welcoming that it turned out to be a ton of fun. And I came away really inspired by so many of the conversations and speakers. Definitely a great weekend!

So to celebrate those delicious California avocados and California strawberries that we enjoyed, I thought it only appropriate to share one of my new favorite salads — this Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing! The classic strawberry spinach salad has been a favorite of mine for ages, but when you throw in some creamy avocados and gorgonzola, I fall in love with it all over again. So simple, so fresh, and SO good. Makes me happy.

Thanks so all of you Potluck bloggers (especially our inspiring and generous organizers, Three Many Cooks) for such a delightful weekend. Hugs from Kansas City, and can’t wait to see you all again soon!

Read moreAvocado Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing