Quick 30-Minute Meals - cookingwithcassandra.com

Simple Shirazi Salad

Shirazi Salad | cookingwithcassandra.com

I’m so excited to share another Persian recipe with you guys because whenever there’s food involved, it’s always a good idea to go back to your heritage, am I right? With that said, I love trying new things and tasting food from different cuisines. What is your favorite dish from your culture or heritage? Let me know by commenting on this blog post – I’d love to know! Shirazi salad or Salad-e Shirazi is a vibrant, colorful salad that is commonly served in any Iranian household, including my own. It is known for this really uniform look since everything is cut to about the same...

One Pan Parmesan Crusted Chicken With Potatoes And Zucchini

Parmesan Chicken with Potatoes | cookingwithcassandra.com

Here is a one-pan meal that I can never get sick of, and for good reason: parmesan crusted chicken. It features oven-baked chicken tenders that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Together with the baby potatoes and zucchini, the garlicky parmesan crust is so delicious, people will be grinning from ear to ear. Say cheese! Why I love this recipe: It’s a one-pan recipe, which means less time spent cleaning and more time spent relaxing. I count it as a blessing when I’m having an extremely busy day and still want to put something yummy on the table that’s...

Easy Chocolate Avocado Mousse

I don’t compile a lot of sweet dessert recipes, but if I do make a dessert recipe, you best believe it’s got to be special to make it into the blog. This avocado chocolate mousse never fails to catch anybody – and I mean ANYBODY – by surprise. Like… a dessert made of avocado? Are you for real? Think of it as your favorite, most decadent chocolate mousse, minus the complication of egg yolks, whipped egg whites, and getting proportions right. Adding avocados is the lifehack you didn’t know you needed. Say hello to a smooth and creamy healthy dessert. I’m obsessed with this...

Refreshing Strawberry Margaritas

Strawberry & slice of lime Margarita | cookingwithcassandra.com

I am a huge margarita fan! Aside from wine, tequila is my go-to for my cocktail of choice. Recently, I shared my margarita pitcher recipe which is great for serving big crowds. While a classic margarita makes for a delicious cocktail, sometimes I like to switch it up, especially if I’m feeling particularly creative. Today, I’m sharing a variation of the traditional recipe: a frozen strawberry margarita. This homemade strawberry margarita recipe uses frozen strawberries, tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and honey. When blended together, the mixture turns a very pretty pink...

Pasta With White Wine Lemon Sauce

Lemon Pasta topped with Cherry Tomatoes and fresh Basil | cookingwithcassandra.com

When life gives you lemons, what do you do? If you’re Cassandra Morris, you concoct a divine lemon sauce with white wine to go with fettuccine pasta. This lemon white wine pasta sauce recipe is the ultimate game changer. While I do love myself a rich carbonara and a light aglio olio, this white wine sauce is the perfect in-between. If you’re someone who loves to experiment with new flavors, you are going to love this one. This pasta is coated with a lemon-infused garlic cream sauce, and the white wine does wonders that you can only experience when you’re cooking this...

Baked Garlic Parmesan Salmon

Need to throw together a quick seafood dish with the simplest ingredients? This parmesan crusted salmon recipe will satisfy your criteria and your appetite. This baked salmon filet is coated in a garlicky, cheesy herb crust. It is one of my favorite fish recipes, along with this lemon butter salmon. And since you only need to bake a large salmon filet once (instead of individually cooking a filet for everyone at the table), you can use the spare time to complete the meal with side dishes, like: A side of roast potatoes and cauliflower (a source of healthy carbohydrates)Asparagus...

Easy Baked Salmon with Lemon Butter

Salmon is one of my favorite seafoods to work with. One, because it's so versatile, and two, because it’s rich with Omega-3 fats and that makes for a healthy meal! This lemon butter salmon may look like a sophisticated dish, but trust me: it’s easy peasy, lemon squeezy. I just put all the ingredients together, then I let the oven do all the heavy lifting while I kick back and relax. No oven at home? Good news! You can also use a frying pan (See Tips & Variations section for details). It is especially a lifesaver for the days when I have guests coming over and...

Garlic Butter Baked Shrimp

Garlic Butter Shrimp | cookingwithcassandra.com

Does anyone else find themself frequenting the frozen dinners aisle at Costco a lot more than they should? That was 100% me before I began my cooking journey… There are just so many different things to try! Who can say no to an easy, no-frills, microwaveable meal every now and then? My days of frozen dinners are behind me, but I recently thought about this garlic butter shrimp scampi I once had which actually tasted amazing. I decided to recreate it with my own spin on it. I present you: the best garlic butter shrimp you’ll ever have. Instead of going the pasta route, this...

Healthy Strawberry Summer Salad

Strawberry Summer Salad | cookingwithcassandra.com

Every summer, my husband and I host barbecue parties for our family and friends. Because I like having variation, that means needing to think of different sides and fixings for each party. One of my must-haves is a salad – it’s healthy, refreshing and helps to balance the “heaviness” of all the grilled meats. But you’ll never see a boring salad at my party! I love serving steak salads (like this delicious steak salad with yogurt dressing), but when I need to fix something quick and easy, this strawberry summer salad is a great option. You really can’t go wrong with this salad. It’s...

Overnight Zucchini Bread Oatmeal

Zucchini Bread Oatmeal | cookingwithcassandra.com

From the popular peanut butter-banana combo to the annual pumpkin spice, there are many ways to upgrade boring oatmeal into a delicious treat. My latest conquest involves zucchini bread overnight oats, which turned out to be surprisingly good. All it takes is some creativity and courage to experiment with new things! What is zucchini bread? Zucchini bread, typically made by baking a bread mixture of grated zucchini and walnuts, is well-loved for being adequately sweet and moist. When baked in a loaf, this summer squash makes a heartwarming treat for any time of...

Homemade Margarita Pitcher

Margarita Drinks | cookingwithcassandra.com

The margarita is a drink that needs no introduction. Every Mexican bar or restaurant has a margarita on its menu, and it’s a popular cocktail everyone can recognize from a mile away. Those salt-rimmed glasses filled with an iced cocktail and a fancy lime wedge? Iconic. But what really sets a good margarita apart is the cocktail mixture. If you combine just the right amount of high-quality tequila, sweet triple sec, and tangy lime juice, you’ll get a smooth margarita that tastes divine! In this recipe, I’ll be showing you my best homemade margarita recipe for a serving of 16....

Easy Homemade Pico De Gallo

Homemade Pico De Gallo Recipe | cookingwithcassandra.com

What’s a tangy, fresh dip that goes super well with chips? You guessed it – salsa! No more buying bottled salsa, my friends. Today, I’m showing you exactly how to make authentic pico de gallo. It isn’t exactly salsa, though it is just one step shy. The only difference is that salsa is a puréed form of the same ingredients, whereas pico de gallo (or salsa fresca) keeps its vegetables in solid form. In Mexican restaurants and fast food joints, pico de gallo is found in fish tacos and meat burritos, acting as a sweet and spicy relish. Plus, it’s the perfect dip for tortilla...