About Casual Epicure

ca·su·al [ˈkaZHo͞oəl] – not formal; relaxed in style or manner
ep·i·cure [ ˈe-pi-ˌkyu̇r] – a person who enjoys high-quality food and drink

With a love for a good bottle of wine and a perfectly cooked steak, while wearing our favorite flip-flops, Casual Epicure focuses on celebrating dishes and made-from-scratch recipes that bring the dining-out experience home.

We believe in using the best ingredients (local when possible) and time-tested cooking techniques. Our recipes draw inspiration from travel, dining out experiences, and beloved family recipes.

We Cook. We Eat. We Repeat.

We are Jim and Melissa, the husband-and-wife team behind Casual Epicure. We are happy you found our little corner of the internet. We love all things food, from cooking and eating to watching culinary series and shows. We love it when others enjoy what we cook, and we hope that you find a recipe that inspires you.

3 pulled pork street tacos on a white plate sitting on a wood board.

pork pozole verde in a white bowl topped with sour cream, avocado, and cilantro

Restaurant-quality meals at home, made with real ingredients for people who love to cook, eat, and entertain.

Explore The Recipes New? Start here!

Meet Jim

viaggiatore, recipe developer, Grill Master, mixologist

Jim was born in California’s Bay Area and spent five formative years in Switzerland before moving to Michigan. His mom recreated the food from those early years, sparking a lifelong love of cooking. After nearly three decades in Texas, split between Austin and San Antonio, Jim brings a deep appreciation for Mexican cuisine and Texas barbecue to Casual Epicure, where he leads recipe development, editing, and creative direction.

Jim’s Favorites

Meet Melissa

viaggiatore, Food Photographer, Hamburger aficionado

As a Texas native, Melissa’s earliest cooking memories are helping her Nana in the kitchen making everything from pies and Thanksgiving cornbread dressing to biscuits and gravy. She made her first batch of not-so-tasty cinnamon rolls at age 8 and has been baking or cooking ever since. As one-half of Casual Epicure, Melissa is the food photographer, website manager guru, and recipe developer.

Melissa’s Favorites

FAQ

We recommend using the specific ingredients listed in the recipe for the best results whenever possible. While you may have dietary restrictions or simply do not have a particular ingredient on hand, please remember that substituting an ingredient might change the taste or quality of the dish. We include substitutes in most recipes to assist with finding alternative ingredients.

Yes! As food photographers and bloggers, we are always excited about creative collaborations, photography opportunities, brand ambassadorship, and recipe development. If you are interested in working together, contact us at [email protected].

First, thank you for trying one of our recipes. Our intent is always to create a recipe that works for everyone. However, cooking is a science, and so many things can affect the outcome of a recipe, such as your oven or stove, the brand of ingredients, and even the climate and temperature of your location. If this happens, please email us at [email protected], and we can troubleshoot together.

All of the content and photography on this website are owned by us (unless otherwise specified) and are copyrighted material. If you’re looking to feature a recipe as part of a round-up post you are more than welcome to share ONE photograph, but it must be credited and properly back-linked to the appropriate recipe URL using a do-follow link. We ask that you send us an email letting us know that you included one of our recipes so that we can help promote the post. Please email us at [email protected] if you wish to share an image for any content designed to promote other brands, etc. (ie. brand-sponsored content, etc.) so that we can create the appropriate licensing agreement. We do not permit the reprint of recipes in full on other websites and are copyrighted material. They may not be published elsewhere without our written permission. Feel free to email us at [email protected] if you have any specific questions or requests or if none of your questions are addressed above.

You can find the nutrition information for every recipe at the bottom of the recipe card. Please keep in mind that the nutrition information provided is an estimate and the information will vary depending on the brand of products used as well as other factors such as exact quantities and substitutions. For additional information, please see our Nutritional Disclaimer.

Ways to Support Us

First things first, we’re genuinely glad you’re here. Creating recipes and honest kitchen-tested content is something we truly enjoy, and it means a lot when it helps make your cooking life a little easier or more enjoyable.

If you’ve made one of our recipes, found a tip helpful, or just spent some time poking around the site, we’d love to hear from you. A comment, message, or email always makes our day.

If you’d like to support Casual Epicure in a more tangible way, here are a few simple options that go a long way:

Leave a review on recipes you’ve tried, especially if you made a tweak or put your own spin on it.
Share recipes you enjoyed with friends or family who like to cook.
Sign up for our email list so you don’t miss new recipes, seasonal menus, or kitchen tips we only share there.
Follow along and engage with us on social media.
Come back often. Returning readers are the backbone of this space, and we’re grateful for every visit.