Few things give me greater joy than roasting a chicken. Just imagining it now gives me all the feels. From the physical act of prepping the bird for the roast, to smelling the aromatics permeate my entire house while it is in the oven, to seeing the beautiful, crispy, golden brown skin glisten on the finished product. Swoon!

While there are infinite reasons why I love roasting chicken, allow me to just name a few reasons why it's a staple in my household. The first is that it's one of the cheapest yet most impressive homemade meals out there. Even if you're buying organic chicken (highly recommend) you are never spending more than $10 for some beautiful protein. What's even better is it takes very little to make this bird shine with flavor. A litle lemon, herbs and fat is all it takes to make a moist, flavor-packed chicken. It also goes without saying that there is quite possibly nothing more perfect and decadent than crispy, salted chicken skin. I mean, it's like nature's candy!

My favorite way to roast chicken as of late is inspired by my idol, Ina Garten, of course. Ina recently shared a foolproof way to roast chicken in less time to achieve even more flavor with a simple spatchcocking method, which essentially means butterfling the chicken to help even the cooking time. She also cooked this butterflied bad boy in a cast iron skillet because, duh! She's a smart lady, that one. Seasoning it simply with lemon, onion, fresh thyme, olive oil and a bath of white wine, the chicken comes out juicy, flavorful and succulent. 

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Spring has sprung! Which means my mind is fully focused on foods that make me feel like we're at least (sort of) on the pathway to warmer days, even if the weather is doing the exact opposite of that (Oh, Washington!) The foods I'm referring to of course are fresh, springy produce like peas and asparagus, lots of bright, fresh lemon and foods that generally look light, cheery and bright like the season that is spring! 

So if you're with me on this notion, and you already got hooked on this post solely for the fact that the photo is seriously the poster child of food porn, than this is the bright, springy recipe you need in your life! Ladies and gentlemen, my very spring forward prosciutto, asparagus and burrata flatbread is here to make all your dreams come true. 

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I am not ashamed to admit that sometimes I have the gnarliest cravings for "trashy" food, because loving food as much as I do means appreciating the boojie and the trashy all at once. So when I'm in the mood for a true guilty pleasure, I'm craving anything from McDonald's (oh, don't you dare judge) to grilled cheese with American cheese (the only acceptable way to eat a grilled cheese really) to Kraft mac and cheese (shapes > noodles, obviously) and, of course, taco pizza. 

You heard that right. Taco pizza. A perfect mashup of flavors and cuisines, it's Taco Bell meets your standard homemade pizza. Crazy? A little. Crazy delicious? Oh, you know it!

I was first introduced to the crazy concoction that is taco pizza from the local pizzeria I grew up with that had a taco-ish style pizza on the menu. Essentially consisting of a "sauce" layer of salsa infused refried beans, basic taco seasoned ground beef and lots of cheese, it's baked to golden perfection like a typical pizza but then topped with your fresh taco components like shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and/or hot sauce. It literally tastes like your Americanized taco (ie. Taco Bell) in pizza form. What could be bad about that? 

I found myself craving it the other day, and basically every single day after the initial thought. And because there's hardly a pizza place in town that's bold enough to feature such a combination on their menu, I took matters into my own hands and made a homemade version! 

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Raise your hand if you're like me and you have an unhealthy obsession with Trader Joe's? But can you blame me? Every time I walk into Trader Joe's, or TJ's as I so lovingly call it, it's like a trap to spend all of my money on all of their delicious offerings. But you know what? I'm not even mad about it! 

TJ's is not only a lifesaver when it comes to affordable and easy grocery items, but it's a gold mine for creative, new ingredients that help spice up my cooking adventures. Like the time I discovered harissa and it changed my life forever in my Hungry Ali fan favorite lemon harissa chicken. And that other time I discovered their frozen naan and my heart exploded because not only could I enjoy restaurant quality naan from the freezer section (like how is that even possible) but I could turn it into mindblowingly delicious recipes like my lamb naan pizzas. 

Well guess what? TJ's did it again and it totally inspired a new dish that I'm totally obsessed with: lamb kofta meatballs with harissa yogurt sauce. Talk. About. A flavor. Explosion.

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Well, folks, we've reached that time of year in the Pacific Northwest when life seems perpetually dark, gray and damp. Translation: it's winter and I'm realizing that it's going to take a lot of little pick-me-ups to get me through this dreary season. I'm breaking out all the candles, cozy socks, spicy tea and cuddling my pug as often as I can to cure my winter blues. Oh, and just one more thing: soups, baby, soups!

While I could probably eat soup year round (and, let's face it, I do), there is truly no better time to enjoy soups than winter. Which is why I'm just tickled I discovered this latest recipe that I will truly be making and enjoying all season long, Winter Minestrone. 

Inspired by Her Royal Highness, Ina Garten, this recipe does not shy away from the fact that it should be made and enjoyed in these wintery months. Taking a spin on a classic Italian minestrone, this winter version features seasonal butternut squash and spinach to make for one hearty, stick-to-your ribs bowl of soup. But what really sets this winter minestrone recipe apart are the knockout flavor boosters like smoky pancetta, dry white wine and store bought pesto for that extra herbacious kick. It's one of those perfect bowls of soup that's best enjoyed with a crusty piece of garlic bread for dipping along with an Ali pour of red wine and a pug on your lap (ideally). 

So go ahead, lean into the cozy with this most satisfying, heartwarming soup. 

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