You’ll find new posts about smoothies, pancakes and favorite food finds when you check out the new site. If you haven’t done so already, subscribe to new posts via the email or RSS feed tools on the new site. If you use a blog reader service, add HGG’s new address to your list of daily reads.

Happy Sunday, and have a good week!

Best,

Brianna

I just wanted to let you know that my first post is up on Hungry Gator Gal’s new home, http://hungrygatorgal.com/. It’s a simple welcome message, and there’s no food involved. However, a few new recipes are coming your way tomorrow.

As promised yesterday, I’m setting up the redirect from WordPress to the new site after writing this post. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at bkkolota@gmail.com if you have any comments, concerns or questions.

I hope you’ve had a wonderful Wednesday so far!

Best,

Brianna

I originally said I needed a few days before revealing my BIG plans for Hungry Gator Gal. However, a surge of productivity and many hours behind the computer Tuesday has allowed me to make the announcement ahead of schedule.

Are you ready for it?!?!

Hungry Gator Gal has moved!

This means HGG’s new home is now officially

http://hungrygatorgal.com/

After contemplating the idea for more than six months, I finally registered for my own domain, and it feels wonderful.

Initially, I hesitated at moving from WordPress, the wonderful site and community which helped Hungry Gator Gal flourish in 2012. However, I’ve grown a lot both personally and professionally since my first post and feel as though having my own domain is a better fit for this next stage of HGG and my life. With that said, I hope all my WordPress friends continue to follow HGG at its new home.

When you check out the new site, you’ll find all my old posts, recipes, and an updated “About Me” section. In addition, you may notice a few new things, including:

• An improved layout and design theme courtesy of Blogger
• Improved tools to help you keep up to date on all things Hungry Gator Gal
• Lists and links that describe what I’m reading, watching, and loving at the moment

These changes are only a preview of my plans to grow and expand HGG in 2013. Thus, don’t be surprised if you visit the site one day to find a new social media widget, list or another tool. If the change is minor, I won’t announce it in a post. However, if the change is substantial, I will let you know about it.

I’m always open to new ideas, so please don’t hesitate to contact me at bkkolota@gmail.com if you have any suggestions or comments. I’m dedicating this year to improving HGG for you, my readers, so I hope you’ll follow along to see what’s in store.

I’ll leave the WordPress site up and running for a while and try to set up a redirect to from the old site to http://hungrygatorgal.com/.

However, please don’t forget to follow the new site by email and subscribe to the new RSS feeds. Moreover, if you don’t follow me on Pinterest or Twitter, now’s a good time to start. I post HGG-related updates to these platforms daily, and you don’t want to miss out.

The fun has only begun, so I hope you’ll join me for the ride.

Best wishes in the New Year,

Brianna

Life has been anything but peaceful since the commotion of New Year’s Day, moving into a new apartment in Gainesville, and starting classes again as a full-time student. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that I’m looking for a part-time job.

Since my entire life is in transition now, it seemed appropriate to also give Hungry Gator Gal a makeover. I set some BIG goals for HGG in 2013, many of which you will find out about within the next few days.

I can’t wait to tell you all about it, but I need a few more days to finish the improvements.

Don’t worry – I’ll be back before you know it.

But first, I want to thank you for making this year, which was my first in the blogging world, truly wonderful. Your comments are inspirational and bring smiles and laughter to my life every day. I think it’s safe to say that blogging has become the one positive constant during this year’s never-ending ups and downs.

I have big plans for HGG in 2013, so I hope you stick around to see what’s in store! Best wishes in the New Year!

Hungry Gator Gal’s Top 12 Recipes of 2012

1. Uber-Chocolatey Overnight Oats

2. “Pretty Sweet” Egg and Cheese Sandwich

3. Honey Teriyaki Stir-Fry Chicken

4. Grilled Chicken Pita Pizzas

5. Chocolate, Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats

6. Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos

7. Homemade Yogurt Parfait Bowls

8. Chipotle Chicken Salad

9. Garlic Parmesan Salmon and Vegetables

10. Homemade Fire-Roasted Salsa

11. Sunny Side Up Italian Egg Salad with Balsamic Drizzle

12. Spicy Salsalito Turkey Wrap

Questions:

1. What was your favorite HGG recipe this year? (Mine is a definite tie between numbers one and two on this list!)
2. What was your favorite recipe of 2012? (My favorite recipe of 2012 is definitely Overnight Oats in An Almost-Empty Jar.)

2012 Lists from My Favorite Food Bloggers:

• Recipe Girl
• How Sweet It Is
• Iowa Girl Eats

Me, me, me!

Grilled cheese was one of my all-time favorite meals as a kid, along with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, cheese hot dogs, scrambled eggs, chicken nuggets, pasta, Cosmic Brownies and Pop-Tarts.

Even though I’m 20 years old and no longer eat many of the above-listed foods, I still love a good gooey sandwich. The grilled cheeses of my childhood were made with two slices of potato or whole-wheat bread; two tablespoons Country Crock Spread; and two slices Kraft American cheese. However, I tend to be more adventurous with my grilled cheese fillings these days.

Introducing . . .

Spinach-Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

Let’s just say working at Panera Bread this summer definitely improved my sandwich-making skills.

A hot, melted reminder of childhood

Serves One

Difficulty: A bit more effort is required compared to the traditional sandwich, but it’s not hard at all.

Total Preparation and Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

• One 100% Whole-Wheat Arnold Sandwich Thin
• Two large handfuls baby spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 Roma tomato, cut into four slices
• Dash of pepper
• Dash of tomato basil garlic seasoning
• 1 1/2 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced (I used BelGioioso)
• Two ounces (1/8 cup) shredded Italian-style cheese mixture (I used Winn Dixie’s variety)
• 1/8 cup diced red onion
• Cooking spray (I used Pam’s Olive Oil spray)

Steps:

1. Apply cooking spray to a small pan, place on stove and heat at a medium-low setting.
2. Place spinach and garlic in pan and stir until spinach has wilted, about three to four minutes.
3. Remove spinach from pan and set aside.
4. Split the sandwich thin and arrange tomato slices on bottom half. Top with pepper and tomato basil garlic seasoning.
5. Arrange the remaining ingredients in this order: mozzarella; diced onion; spinach; Italian-style shredded cheese; and top slice of the sandwich thin.
6. Spray pan again and be sure stove is still set at a medium-low heat.
7. Place sandwich in the pan and heat until underside is golden brown, about four to five minutes.
8. Carefully flip the sandwich and heat other side until golden brown.
9. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce for dipping and/or baby carrots and bell pepper slices for dipping into hummus.
10. Enjoy!

Questions:

1. Do you have a favorite big-kid grilled cheese recipe? If so, please share it with me.
2. What is your favorite grilled cheese side dish? (Mine is still Campbell’s Tomato Soup made with half a can of water and half a can of fat-free milk.)

Related HGG Posts:

Sophisticated Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Pizza Frittata

Healthy Monte Cristo Sandwich

You may also be interested in:

• Grilled Bacon and Buffalo Mozzarella Sandwiches with Hass Avocado Recipe (avocadocentral.com)
• Belly Bound: Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese (thevagrinda.wordpress.com)
• Hawaiian Grilled Cheese (tastespotting.com)
• Turkey and White Cheddar with Caramelized Onion & Grape Grilled Cheese (foodiecrush.com)
• Avocado Grilled Cheese (A Turtle’s Life for Me)

Introducing . . .

Whole-Wheat Cheese and Herb Drop Biscuits

I made these dense-but-fluffy biscuits for my family’s Christmas dinner, and they were a huge hit. I think my brother wolfed down seven at dinner alone! In fact, only one little biscuit remained the next morning, which I quickly patted with butter and devoured with a leftover ham, broccoli and cheese scramble.

Making the dough for these healthy, cheesy biscuits really couldn’t be easier. Just mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and combine the two. Then, you plop twelve dough balls on a cookie sheet to bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the oven. That’s it!

Due to the herbs and cheese, these puffs tasted more Italian than anything else. However, I can’t wait to experiment with different flavors, considering how simple the recipe is, which I found on Homestead Revival. The dough is truly a blank canvas, so you can adjust the flavors to fit the style of your meal. I definitely see myself trying a cheddar-garlic or honey version in the near future.

Enjoy!

Questions:

1. Do you use Bisquick?
2. Do you have a go-to biscuit or roll recipe?

Related HGG Posts:

Healthy Homemade Bread

Amazingly Moist Banana Bread

Whole-Wheat Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Other Interesting Articles:

• Nutella Drop Biscuits (twopeasandtheirpod.com)
• Robinhood Meetinghouse Layered Cream Cheese Biscuits (foodswelove.com)
• Recipe: Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits with Fermented Jalapenos (wellpreserved.ca)
• Foolproof Cream Biscuits (gourmetonthegoblog.com)

This . . .

Bubbly, cheesy goodness filled with eggs and veggies and topped with meatballs

Pizza Frittata

Recipe slightly adapted from Minimalist Baker

Serves Four

Difficulty: Easy

Total Preparation and Cook Time: 30 to 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 7 eggs + two splashes of milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Two teaspoons Mrs. Dash tomato basil garlic seasoning
• 1/4 cup red onion and 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• Two large handfuls of spinach
• 1/3 cup tomato or marinara sauce
• Four ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 20 mini chicken meatballs, homemade or store-bought

Steps:

1. Cook meatballs according to package directions and slice in half when finished cooking.
2. Lower oven heat to low broil.
3. Place oven-safe medium skillet over medium heat on stove top.
4. Whisk eggs and milk in medium-sized bowl, then add salt and pepper and set aside.
5. Once skillet is hot, sauté broccoli and onion for a few minutes and season with tomato basil garlic seasoning. Throw in spinach and sauté for an additional minute.
6. Pour eggs over veggies and stir a few times to incorporate the mixture. Then place lid on to allow to steam for a minute or two.
7. Next add spoonfuls of marinara or tomato sauce, and place the cheese on top. Put under broiler (without lid) and cook for 10 minutes. Remove carefully with oven mitt.
8. Serve immediately and top with meatballs and additional cheese, red pepper flakes or fresh parsley.

It’s definitely a surefire way to squash a pizza craving with one bite.

Tomorrow’s breakfast may call for a slice (or two) of this pizza.

P.S. WIAW will return next week. Christmas day was so crazy that I completely forgot to take pictures of my eats. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Questions:

1. Have you ever made a frittata? This attempt was my first!
2. What’s your favorite pizza topping?

Related HGG Posts:

Grilled Chicken Pita Pizzas

Spicy English Muffin Minis with a Salsa Veggie Scramble

Italian Omelet

Other Interesting Articles:

• Today’s Recipe: Pizzas with Eggs and Bacon (williams-sonoma.com)
• Cast Iron Skillet Grain and Gluten Free Pizza (thedomesticman.com)
• Chunky Vegetable Marinara Sauce (ourlifeinfood.com)

Sprinkled Cinnamon Roll Cookies (recipe courtesy of Krusteaz)

I just wanted to pop in quickly to share a recipe for an awesome holiday treat I made Saturday night. As I mentioned earlier,  I had an itch to bake because Saturday was quite chilly by Florida standards. I concocted the following Christmas treat as I snuggled up in a blanket to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation by a warm, crackling fire.

The following dessert isn’t exactly healthy, but what would Christmas be without a few indulgences?

Double Chocolate Gingerbread Nut Bars

Like me, you’ll probably be heading out to a holiday party or two soon if you’re not hosting one at your own home. These dense but moist and cakey treats would be a perfect addition to any gathering.

Even though the recipe calls for a mix, you can let everyone “ooh” and “aahh” about your dessert. Don’t worry – your secret’s safe with me.

Serving Size: 24 snack bars

Difficulty: Zero!

Total Preparation and Baking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• One package Betty Crocker White Chip Macadamia Nut cookie mix
• 1/3 cup softened butter or margarine (I used Country Crock Calcium plus Vitamin D)
• Two large eggs
• One teaspoon nutmeg
• One teaspoon cinnamon
• Two teaspoons ginger
• 1/4 cup molasses
• One teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Splash of milk (for the eggs)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chunks (I used Nestle’s semi-sweet variety)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-by-13 inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Open and pour cookie mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the spices and stir.
3. Whisk eggs, vanilla, milk and molasses in a separate bowl.
4. After whisking, add the egg mixture and butter or margarine to the cookie mix. Stir by hand with a spatula until the mixture is well-combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the pan and place in the oven. Set timer for 25 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven when 15 minutes remain and top the somewhat-baked bars with the chocolate chunks.
7. Return pan to oven to finish cooking. The bars are completely cooked when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top of the bars have a deep golden-brown color.
8. Allow the bars to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.

You can enjoy a bar (or two) with this healthier homemade eggnog or top with warm milk like I did.

These little snackers also taste pretty darn good all by themselves.

Questions:

1. What treats are you baking for holiday parties?
2. What is your No. 1 holiday indulgence?

Related HGG Posts:

Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

Glazed Pecans

Other Interesting Articles:

• peppermint cookie crunch bars. (frugalfoodiefamily.com)
• Run, Run, as Fast as You Can… (bittersweetblog.wordpress.com)
• 6th Day of Christmas: Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting (thiscountrygirlcooks.com)
• Gingerbread Men: Three Ways to Bake Them (sweetdanib.com)
• Espresso Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (thehooteats.com)
• Gingerbread Men: Three Ways to Bake Them (sweetdanib.com)
• Espresso Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (thehooteats.com)