Creating amazing food one recipe at a time,
and making your favorites even better!
Welcome to Prep My Recipe!
I am a multicultural Southern California native with a lifelong passion for all cuisines. A retired corporate executive, now loving life as a recipe developer and food blogger.
Micheline
Prep My Recipe is a food blog featuring California-style recipes, step-by-step instructions for how to make delicious food and drinks, printable recipe cards, helpful recipe videos and tips & tricks, as well as recommended products for all budgets. Blog pages also spotlight “Pimp My Recipe” ideas for how to customize each recipe for a variety of dietary preferences. Please go to the Recipes menu at the top of this website to browse all categories and access all recipes.
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Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas
Fresh, crisp, and garlicky, these Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas are so yummy that you’ll wish you doubled the recipe! Gently sautéed garlic combines beautifully with the natural sweetness of sugar snap peas. And, their bright green color becomes more vivid as it’s cooking! Prepped and cooked in under 30 minutes and using only 5 ingredients, this is a quick and easy side dish that the whole family will love.
Easy Roasted Zucchini
Our Easy Roasted Zucchini recipe is as simple as it gets! This clean eating side dish recipe is quick and easy to prepare, and tastes delicious. The roasting process lightly browns the edges, and allows the zucchini to retain its fresh flavor. For an extra burst of freshness and saltiness, the zucchini is finished with a sprinkling of fresh lemon zest and a light dusting of sea salt flakes. Roasted in minutes, this 5-ingredient recipe is the perfect side dish for a quick weekday meal, or even when you are entertaining.
Cheeky Cucumber Gimlet
Our Cheeky Cucumber Gimlet is a refreshing libation that is perfect to enjoy all year round, but especially during spring and summertime when fresh cucumbers are prolific in so many gardens. This easy cocktail recipe for two uses only 4-ingredients. It’s a great drink to serve when you are entertaining, as it can be made ahead of time and increased to entertain a crowd. This tasty drink has a cool and crisp flavor that is not too sweet and absolutely delicious!
Arrabbiata Sauce
If you love spicy sauces, then this Arrabbiata Sauce recipe is for you! Full of heat, this homemade tomato sauce adds a punch of flavor that is missing from a mild marinara sauce. Our favorite way to serve this is in a penne arrabbiata, but this easy sauce is great on any kind of pasta or beans, especially when finished with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. And, this delicious pasta sauce is vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free!
Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
Our Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade is just as refreshing as it is vibrant in color! With the perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, this tasty non-alcoholic beverage is a nice change from traditional lemonade. This 4-ingredient recipe can be made ahead, and is easy to make in large quantities, too! The festive color and fizz make this drink great for summer barbecues, pool parties, or gatherings with family and friends - especially when strawberries are in season.
Tomato Bruschetta
Our Tomato Bruschetta is a lovely appetizer to serve before any meal. Garlic is slowly simmered in extra virgin olive oil, then combined with fresh vine ripened tomatoes, aged balsamic vinegar, and fresh basil. The quality of the ingredients is key in this easy recipe, since there are so few. The tangy and herby flavor pairs perfectly with our crusty homemade garlic crostini. This Tomato Bruschetta is sure to satisfy even the most traditional Italian palate.
Deviled Eggs
Our Deviled Eggs are a deliciously smooth and creamy starter to any meal. As a fresh twist to this classic appetizer recipe, we used Dijon mustard and a touch of fresh lemon juice and zest to brighten the flavor. This easy recipe has only a few ingredients, and makes a perfect addition for a barbeque or picnic. To create a fancier hors d’oeuvre, just pipe on the deviled egg mixture to create a lovely swirl!
Champagne Paloma Cocktail
Our Champagne Paloma Cocktail is the perfect grapefruit cocktail for spring or summertime! Full of tangy and bright citrus flavor, this tequila based cocktail is made with fresh squeezed juice, and topped off with a bit of Champagne (or Prosecco). The first sip of this light and effervescent cocktail will likely put a smile on your face.
Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Our Chicken Stuffed Poblano Peppers may very well become one of your favorite Southwestern style dishes to make at home. Mild poblano peppers are roasted, then stuffed with a deliciously spicy chicken filling, and topped with pepper jack cheese. Served right out of the oven, these yummy stuffed peppers are garnished with salsa verde and fresh cilantro. This Southwestern style dish is not too hot or too mild. It is perfectly spiced with a medium-mild heat that enhances the entire dish. For a complete meal, serve with rice, beans, or vegetables.
Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting
So silky and creamy, our Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting will become the crowning glory for your cupcakes or cakes. This frosting is subtly spiced with the warmth of ground cardamom, along with a touch of fresh citrus to brighten the flavor. Our recipe is so easy to whip up, and seriously addicting! After tasting it you’ll likely want to find an excuse to make it again for all your other bakes! Originally created as a frosting for our Kumquat Cupcakes, this recipe also complements the flavors of many other cakes.
Kumquat Cupcakes
These Kumquat Cupcakes have such a bright and fruity, burst-in-your-mouth flavor that hits you on the first bite! They are a little sweet and a little tart, and so very tasty. For the perfect complement, they are topped with a delectable cardamom cream cheese frosting that is seriously addicting. These yummy cupcakes have a unique citrusy flavor that tastes like spring! So if you want a change from the same old cupcake flavors, you must try this recipe.
Kumquat Martini
Our Kumquat Martini is a refreshingly sweet & sour cocktail. This 4-ingredient cocktail is so simple, yet stunning. Ripe kumquats are muddled in a cocktail shaker along with agave or simple syrup, then shaken with your favorite vodka. This icy cold libation is then poured into a sugar rimmed martini glass, and garnished with a few slices of fresh kumquats. What’s not to love about this deliciously fresh tasting cocktail?!
Salmon Piccata
Our Salmon Piccata is absolutely mouthwatering! Pan seared salmon is perfectly cooked, then bathed in a wine, butter & garlic sauce to create a melt-in-your-mouth worthy one pan main dish. Made right in the same pan as the salmon, the piccata sauce is filled with yummy ingredients like white wine, lemon, garlic, and capers. The salmon is then bathed in the buttery sauce to make it deliciously moist, and will leave you wanting more! This recipe is also keto friendly.
Lemony Pearl Couscous
Lemony Pearl Couscous is a quick and easy side dish that makes any meal more interesting. A few simple ingredients turn tri-color pearl couscous into something really special. Sautéed with fresh lemon zest and shallots, this Israeli couscous has a savory and lemony flavor that will make you want seconds. This healthy side dish is surprisingly low in calories, and offers a more unique, and almost boba-like texture than traditional couscous. And, it’s great served with vegetables, and chicken or fish. Can easily be made vegetarian or vegan.
Marvelous Margarita
Our Marvelous Margarita is so smooth and deliciously refreshing. It’s perfectly balanced, so it’s not too sweet, not too tangy, and just right! Made with only the best ingredients, this on-the-rocks cocktail recipe is sure to please. Finished with a chili salt rim, this delightful margarita might easily become your go-to recipe for margs! This single serving cocktail recipe can easily be made for a crowd, so keep it on file for Game Day, Cinco de Mayo, or your next social gathering.
Easy Jalapeño Poppers
A traditional appetizer for a game day spread, these Easy Jalapeño Poppers bring delicious taste to this simple make ahead recipe! With a lightness and flavor that is not always found in the deep fried version of jalapeño poppers, our Easy Jalapeño Poppers are baked with panko breadcrumbs to make them crispy on the outside, and a secret ingredient to make the filling extra creamy and yummy. Easily customized to make them mildly spicy or extra hot, this appetizer is sure to please all who try them! And, can you believe these are healthy and even keto friendly?!
Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Our Hearty Vegetarian Chili is so rich and flavorful that it’s hard to believe it is vegetarian! Packed with green lentils, 3 types of beans, vegetables, and lots of flavorful spices, this vegetarian chili will leave you completely satisfied for hours. We used a few secret ingredients to make our chili taste extra special. Our easy to make Hearty Vegetarian Chili can be made ahead and easily feed a crowd, making it great for casual get togethers or game day. Put together a variety of garnishes and let your guests customize their own chili. Don’t be surprised if this is the best vegetarian chili you have ever made!
Sweet & Spicy Cranberry Brie Bites
These Sweet & Spicy Cranberry Brie Bites are the perfect start to a special dinner. Served right out of the oven, these little bundles of sweet, tart, and mildly spicy flavor will bring a smile to your face. The traditional recipe was pimped up by combining my Cranberry Topping, orange zest, fresh rosemary, chopped pecans, and some cayenne pepper. These ingredients are baked atop brie cheese and puff pastry to give these delicious little appetizers a flavorful boost. They can easily be customized to your preference to make them milder or more spicy.
Vesper Cocktail
Made famous by James Bond, this Vesper Cocktail is crafted with gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc, then finished with a lemon twist. With subtle citrus and floral notes, this sophisticated cocktail is a lovely alternative to a straight martini. Simple but luxurious, this libation offers the best of both worlds to those that are partial to only one type of martini (either gin or vodka). Whether you like it shaken or stirred, this cocktail makes an impression from the first sip!
Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart
Our impressive Dark Chocolate Ganache Tart is definitely for chocolate lovers, and is surprisingly easy to make! Made with 72% dark chocolate and a walnut and speculoos (Biscoff) cookie crust, this decadent dessert is so deliciously rich and creamy that one tart can easily serve between 12 to 16 guests. This elegant make ahead dessert is perfect for entertaining! To complement the flavor and texture of this delectable dessert, serve with some homemade vanilla whipped cream!