Creamy Polenta with Sauteed Mushrooms and Spinach

I don't know what has taken me so long to make polenta. I love the stuff; it is right up there with my favorite breakfast, grits. No idea what grits are? Go down to North Carolina and you'll quickly learn what grits are, along with hush puppies, the REAL way to prepare BBQ, and that Southerns don't skimp on butter or desserts. But back to polenta, it is actually quite similar to grits in texture and preparation; the main difference between the two is that each are made from different types of corn. So, basically there is no difference. Want to make creamy grits with sauteed mushrooms and spinach, be my guest!

Pasta with Creamy Avocado Sauce

Omgosh, I've been dying to post this recipe. I actually made this right before I began my detox, so I had to finish my detox posts before I could share how glorious this recipe is. Unfortunately, I've been slammed this week (a couple of 14 hour days will make a girl plop down, face first on her bed and neglect everything, including her blog), so I'm just now getting around to finally sharing this deeelicious pasta recipe.

Spicy Broiled Tilapia

My last detox recipe--so bittersweet. I've actually been done with my detox for a few days now, but this recipe was just too easy and way too delicious not to post.

Roasted Asparagus and Cauliflower Soup

First recipe post of 2014 is a detox post--go figure. I, along with probably the majority of the world's population, made some sort of resolution, promise, or goal for the new year. I usually skip this tradition and just opt for making goals throughout the year. However, this holiday season (and last six months) have been especially fun and crazy busy. And, unless you are superman or woman, usually that means less time for eating well and exercising. In my case, that can be translated to occasionally eating a vegetable in the form of a potato and casually neglecting my gym membership for months at a time. Go me!

Southern Style Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

I don't know about where y'all live, but it has been so hot and humid around D.C. lately. On days with temperatures above 90 degrees and air thick as water, I hardly want to eat, much less turn on the oven. My slow cooker and making salads or cold meals are a life saver on scorching spring and summer days.

Low Carb Mexican Zucchini Boats

I've been having some serious Mexican food cravings lately. There is something about summertime that makes me want fresh guacamole, crispy tortilla chips, an extra large margarita, and one of my many favorite Mexican entrees. Mexican food just seems like it was made to be eaten outside, with abundant sunshine, and warm temperatures.

Craisin Almond Chicken Salad

I have a weird relationship with mayonnaise. The thought of mayo almost always makes me gag. It's so white, plain, and...well...fattening. If I'm ever ordering a sandwich, I always, always make sure it doesn't come with mayo on it. I'll have mustard or hummus, please and thank you. Or if I ever do find a glob of mayo on my otherwise delicious sandwich, you better believe I'm taking a napkin to that bun and soaking up every little bit of it. I think my negative feelings towards mayo started when I learned how to read a nutrition label. As soon as I discovered that little label on the side of food, I quickly eliminated a lot of ingredients and products from my diet without even thinking twice. Darn you sneaky label with almost always disappointing information.

Clean Eating Baked Spaghetti Squash

Got another clean eating post for ya! I know "clean", healthy recipes aren't as fun to read about as delicious, rich, full of calories dishes, but work with me; I promise to give you some indulgent recipes too.

Moroccan Lentil Stew

I keep hearing all of this news about global warming, but I must say that current DC weather conditions make it hard to believe. This past Wednesday was the first day of spring, and yet I saw snow flakes Thursday morning. There is something seriously wrong with this picture. Spring should mean warmer days with crisply cool evenings...not snow. As much as I love our environment and want to do everything to protect it (reduce, reuse, recycle!), I'm really a fan of warmer weather; so, a little global warming here and there can't hurt anyone, right?

Healthy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

I love carbs: pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, corn, oats...the list goes on. If I had to pick a favorite carb, I'd have to go with freshly baked bread, with fresh pasta as a very close second. I seriously don't know how people not only accepted the low-carb fad diet that defined the 90's, but also somehow stuck with it. I might have lasted a few hours before caving. Meat and vegetables all day, every day? No, thank you.

Roasted Vegetable Greek Salad

As soon as I wrote my Skinny Secrets post, I found myself surrounded by so many temptations. If I said I didn't go out and enjoy a few drinks and a humongous slice of pizza this weekend, my nose might grow a few inches. It's funny how sharing skinny tips and tricks is so much easier than sticking to them. Oh well...good thing bikini season is still a few months away!

Crock Pot Creamy Spaghetti

Do you ever feel like you have bad picture days? No matter what angle you stand at, no matter how you smile, no matter what clothes you wear, no matter how you wear your hair...you just look like poop. Well if I could imagine what this Crock Pot Creamy Spaghetti feels like, I would say that it is having a bad picture day.

Healthy Chicken 'n' Dumplings

All of this snow and cold weather is making me miss the south. While "home" is only a four hour drive from DC, I feel like the weather is usually significantly different better. The sun always seems to shine, the temperature is always a good five or six degrees warmer, and there is hardly ever any snow or ice. DC...you should take lessons from the South. Work on this please.

Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry

Sometimes I get in a rut. I'm definitely a creature of habit. When I find something that works, I stick with it. For example, I may or may not have packed the same lunch every day from kindergarten to eighth grade. And the only reason I had to switch things up was because I got braces (and sandwiches are not braces friendly). While finding a recipe that works is great, I constantly have to remind myself to switch things up a bit and try something new.

Healthy Recipe Roundup

With everyone talking about losing a few pounds, toning up, and eating healthier, I thought I'd share some of my favorite good-for-you recipes. These are ten of my go-to breakfast, snack, dinner, and dessert recipes that help me feel satisfied without packing on the pounds. Here's to hoping these recipes can help you stick to your weight loss and overall being healthier goals!

Skinny Triple Chocolate Cookies

{So rich and delicious that it will be hard to stop at just one! Good thing they only have 100 calories per cookie.}

Crock Pot Curry Chicken

One of the great things about Cooking to Perfection is that it has opened my eyes to many different ingredients, preparation methods, recipes, and dishes that I might not have ever come across. By meeting other bloggers, reading recipes posted on other websites and blogs, and asking friends and family about ideas of what they'd like to see on Cooking to Perfection, I've learned so much more than I ever would have without this blog. Growing up in a household that always made and ate homemade meals together and had the Food Network on all day long, I thought I knew a thing or two about cooking, baking, and all things related to food. While I feel like I am fairly knowledgeable, there are a lot recipes and ideas that I'm still discovering and am anxious to try.

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

I've been counting down the days until I go back to North Carolina for the holidays just about as soon as I returned to D.C. after Thanksgiving. There is something about being in NC with family that gives me a sense of comfort and pure happiness that no other place on earth has or can give me. And there is no denying that the southern hospitality and food have something to do with the happiness I experience.

Ham and Sauteed Apples

There is something about the combination of ham and apples that makes my mouth water. Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved ham paired with sweet  fruits and sauces. In particular, I had to order this ham dish served with raisin sauce at this restaurant that my family would go to. I would practically beg my parents to go there on a weekly basis just so I could get my ham and sweet raisin sauce fix.

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

With the seasons and weather changing, I often find myself craving the utmost comfort foods around this time of year. With the days growing shorter by the minute and with it getting dark before I even leave work, some nights all I really want to do is curl up in a comfy sweatshirt and sweatpants, eat the most comforting meal (in this dream world, my meals would already be magically made), and watch a movie or my favorite shows all night without worrying about school, work, my to-do list, or any responsibilities. In short, these cold, dark nights make me downright lazy. Does anyone else feel this way?

Easy Homemade Rice and Beans

With the holidays getting closer by the minute, I feel confident in saying that none of us have time to be slaving away in the kitchen making dinners. This time of year, every minute is crucial for planning, shopping, studying, working, traveling, or just taking 20 minutes to breathe. Whether you are a student studying for finals or a mom trying to organize all of your upcoming holiday festivities, you will appreciate this super easy and filling meal.