Simple Rudolph Gingerbread Cookies

Christmas time is here and what better way to ring in the holiday than with some baked goods! Gingerbread cookies are a classic for this wonderful season and instead of the traditional gingerbread "man," why not change it up with an easy Rudolph twist? I hope you enjoy these delicious and easy to make holiday staple!

Pumpkin Pecan Maple Pie

A couple years ago I made this pie about eight times during the holidays and then gave it a rest last year. I posted a #tbt on my Instagram account (@withaliltwist if you didn't know :) ) showcasing this delicious holiday treat over a month ago and people have been asking for the recipe every since. So, low and behold I present to you Pumpkin Pecan Maple Pie (try saying that 5 times fast)! Enjoy and happy holidays :)

Tomato, Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Tomato, basil soup has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. Same goes with grilled cheese. In order to put my lil' twist on this classic dish, I thought the best way to do it was to transform a plain, old grilled cheese into a crispy, tasty crouton. Below is my rendition of a childhood staple, turned up a bit. Hope you enjoy!

Cranberry, Currant CousCous {with butternut squash + pistachios + green onions + a lemon vinaigrette, too!}

The first time I tried couscous was when I was 14 and in Morocco...and I did not care for it one bit. Now, you'd think couscous from a country famous for it would be hard to hate (I blame my adolescent taste buds), yet I did. Recently, I've been seeing couscous everywhere. I finally gave it a try (after mistaking it for quinoa) at work and quickly became obsessed (hooray, taste buds matured!). Seeing that fall is my favorite season and that this is the time when people start to gain their "winter coat," I thought I'd turn my new found love of couscous (which is low in calories) into a fall/winter staple without feeling any guilt after eating it. Below I present to you the most delicious, tasty couscous you will ever try. It is light, yet with seasonal staples everyone loves. I hope you all enjoy!

Perfect Chocolate Chip {Chunk} Cookies

Everyone needs a go-to chocolate chip/chunk cookie recipe. My personal favorite (and what I think makes a perfect cookie) is when it's thin, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. And my recipe below delivers just that. Perfect for the holidays just around the corner or for a simple Tuesday night, share this delicious, perfect chocolate chip cookie with the ones you love (or a treat just for you!).

One Pot Breakfast Potatoes

You can never go wrong with potatoes for breakfast. You know what else you can never go wrong with? Bacon. Now, potatoes with bacon is a home run (the third hit being some flavorful caramelized onions). I'm keeping this intro short and sweet, because the food can do the talking.

Pumpkin Spice Macarons

I've been making French Macarons for a couple years now and what peeked my interest about these little delicacies (besides their deliciousness) was how "difficult" it was said to make them. That presented me with a challenge and I had to conquer it. And I think I've been pretty successful in doing so. Below is a perfect macaron that goes hand-in-hand with the most wonderful season of the year: fall. Enjoy :)

Mini Pumpkin Pies with a Cinnamon Shortbread Crust

Pumpkin pies are one of my favorite holiday desserts. But what I loved most about the dessert was the crust (like any other human being). So, to amp up the crust to filling ratio, I've made these absolutely delicious pumpkin pie bites that will surely be stored in your recipe box for every fall/winter holiday from here on out!

Crockpot {Slowcooker} Chicken + Corn Tacos

Around LA (southern California in general) people love their Mexican food, and I am no exception. There's something very comforting about digging your mouth into a mixture of flavorful meat, cilantro, guacamole, salsa and cheese. Mouthwatering, I know. So to give a nod to the famous "Taco Tuesday" (yes, yes I know it's Wednesday, but this is just for your records for next week) I've slowcooked some very flavorful chicken with roasted corn and roasted salsa, as well as a spicy homemade seasoning. What's even better about this recipe, besides the outcome, is that it's easy. Throw it all in a crockpot in the morning, and come home from whatever you do all day (work, school, meandering) and not only will you come home to deliciousness, but you'll smell it the second you walk in your door.

Kentucky Mule Goodness

I was introduced to the popular Moscow Mule a couple years back and immediately was in awe with the copper cup that it came in (and of how delicious it was, of course). It was almost perfect. Almost being the key word. Whiskey has always been my drink of choice, so when I found out there was a rendition called a Kentucky Mule that used bourbon whiskey instead of vodka, I was sold {ecstatic}. So, below, I present you a Moscow Mule with a lil' twist (aka a traditional Kentucky Mule) just because it is too delicious not to share. Drink up, my friends.

Note: I unfortunately did not have those beautiful copper cups that go hand-in-hand with these wondrous cocktails so I had to use the next best thing (a mason jar mug) and it got me just as buzzed :)

BLT + EA with a Garlic, Basil Aioli

The BLT has only recently become a favorite of mine. Why? Because I only started eating bacon within the past three years (weird, I know). Over the past few weeks I've been having egg cravings (even weirder) and thought that including an egg to a traditional BLT and adding an avocado for a lil' pizzazz would be...amazing. To make it even more amazing, and to add my lil' twist on it, I decided instead of traditional mayo to add a flavorful homemade garlic and basil aioli.  After all of that hard thinking, I made it into a reality, and below I present you pure amazingness.

Bruschetta with Avocado, Tomato and Corn

Bruschetta is absolutely delicious. Putting anything on a toasted baguette is bound for success. With my lil' twist mindset, I decided to give it a go with bruschetta. I will never be making traditional bruschetta again. I urge you to try this recipe while it's still warm enough to use the grill (to anyone viewing this outside of southern California), although it is so amazing that using an inside grill (or oven) will suffice just the same.

Grape Tomato, Arugula Pasta Salad

Pasta is one of my favorite foods. This recipe especially has been one of my go-to's over the years and it is absolutely delicious every time. I started making this pasta salad in college and it has been requested repeatedly ever since. What I love most about this pasta salad is that it is just as delicious hot as it is cold, making it perfect for the fall season coming up or for a classic summer barbeque that is so presently frequent.  Enjoy my take on hot or cold pasta salad.

Farmer's Market Friday's: Skinny Potato Salad

Today I'm showcasing one of my favorite summer sides, Skinny Potato Salad. I usually love potato salad, but can only eat so much when it's smothered with mayonnaise, so I decided to make a lil' twist on this popular traditional staple.

Farmer's Market Friday's: Sweet Potato Stuffed Zucchini Flowers with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

One of my favorite kind of pastas is sweet potato stuffed ravioli with a sage brown butter sauce, so when I saw zucchini flowers for sale at the Farmer's Market this week, I thought this would be a great substitute for the ravioli. This rendition is absolutely delicious and I can't wait until the next time I make it!

With A Lil' Twist's 5-Minute "Caprese" Bites

This past weekend I was having dinner at a friend's house and we had Caprese pasta. I absolutely love anything Caprese (salad, pasta, sandwich), but wanted to see if the concept could be taken with different ingredients. As it turns out, it can, and I believe this is a perfect little summer appetizer that you won't regret eating in the morning. Below is the recipe for Caprese appetizer bites...with a lil' twist.

Tipsy Pig's Strawberry Fields...with a lil' twist

A couple of weeks ago I took a trip to San Francisco to see some friends who live in the Marina. If you're familiar with the area, I'm sure you've heard of The Tipsy Pig and their famous Strawberry Fields drink. It. Is. Delicious. And in my opinion, I may have made it even more delicious.

This is the perfect summer cocktail, and a full-proof crowd pleaser. I can't wait to showcase it in a couple of weeks at a going away party!

Strawberry, Blackberry and Lemon Zest Jam

I wanted to do something I have never done before, so this weekend I made my own jam. I'm usually not a huge jam fan (mostly because it's too sweet) but I think I may have turned myself into a lover after dabbling in some homemade fun. I decided on strawberries and blackberries because (1) they're my favorite berries and (2) the farmers market by my work had a ton for a very great price. I added lemon zest as my lil' twist on it, because I've never seen it in any other recipe and I like the taste it gives with berries in general.

With A Lil' Twist's Funfetti Cake

Hello everyone!

I know it's been awhile since I posted a recipe, but I hope this delicious cake makes up for it. Last weekend was my best friends 24th birthday and her all time favorite cake is Funfetti. I wanted to do something special for her and make my own recipe for a cake and add a nice frosting touch that would definitely have a "Wow" factor. I do have to apologize in advance though, I wasn't able to take pictures of me actually frosting the cake because I was finishing extremely close to her surprise time! So, I promise I will make up for it in another post dedicated to frosting a cake :)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this cake recipe, because it absolutely surpasses the standard box one!!

Blueberry, Lavender Cupcake With Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Today was Easter and I was trying to figure out the perfect dessert to make for this wonderful Spring holiday. I realized I had a large bag full of dried lavender in my cabinet that I've been wanting to utilize and immediately started to develop a recipe. What I came up with was a moist blueberry, lavender cupcake with a lemon cream cheese frosting and to top it all off, a drizzle of lavender honey (you can find it at a specialty cheese store or at a Wholefoods by the cheese section).

This cupcake is definitely a "luxurious" kind of cupcake with a ton of flavor, but I can guarantee it will not disappoint! Hope you all enjoy.

Tip: Freeze fresh blueberries so they will cook evenly within the cupcake.

Lemonade's Quinoa...with a lil' twist

If you have ever been to the restaurant Lemonade in southern California, then you know its a cafeteria-like set up filled with health-friendly foods to choose from. There was a seasonal dish at the Lemonade by my house that consisted of quinoa,  cherry tomatoes, Lima beans and a light lemon dressing. I always though it was good, but it definitely could be better. So, below is my rendition of Lemonade's Quinoa Salad, just in time for a bikini-filled summer.

Welcome to With A Lil' Twist

Hi everyone!

I'm excited to start my new journey in the blogging world and showcase my food creations for all to enjoy at home!

I got the idea of WALT after I found myself eating out almost every night because I was too tired to prepare a meal after a long day at work. When eating these treats, I always caught myself saying "I like it...but I think I would like it more with my own lil' twist." So, that is how this lovely blog got brought into this world.

I will be showcasing everyday food that anyone can easily make at home (and fast!) with my lil' twist on it.

I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave any feedback and/or questions!!

Love,
Nicole