Classic Crispy Top Macaroni and Cheese
This is basic mac and cheese at its best – easy and cheesy with just the right amount of crusty topping! Do you have a favorite comfort food? Good old macaroni and cheese is my 10-year-old’s usual request and he asked for it several times recently and I hadn’t gotten around to it. Then, he…
Greek Pasta Skillet
I like to keep a package of fresh pasta and a package of sausage–turkey, chicken or pork are all good options–in my refrigerator for a quick, easy meal. These two ingredients, paired with any number of vegetables, cheeses, and herbs can be the foundation for what is essentially a delicious pasta stir fry. Since the…
Tex-Mex Chopped Salad
With the right ingredients, a salad can be a hearty, delicious, and wholesome meal. Good proteins, healthy fats, and different textures help. So does a homemade dressing. The simple mixture of salsa and ranch dressing lends great flavor and a little kick to this dish. While you could substitute your favorite store-bought dressing, I really…
Root Beer Pulled Pork Tacos with Vinegar Sauce
This pulled pork is a slight variation on my Lean and Mean Pulled Pork which has really become a favorite in our house. While I have always been a fan of tomato-based barbecue sauce, my Southern friend, Lisa, is partial to a vinegar sauce. She shared here recipe with me and it just might win…
Honey Sesame (or Flax) Pork Tenderloin
A little kitchen experimenting yielded fabulous results in this easy-to-make, Asian-inspired recipe that’s become a favorite with kids and adults alike. As cooler weather arrives, I am using our grill less frequently and returning to some of my favorite oven and slow cooker meals. The following pork tenderloin recipe is simple yet flavorful and pairs…
Indian-Spiced Broiled Salmon
Many people have mentioned to me over the years that they don’t cook seafood because they can’t tell how long to cook it. While it is difficult to give an exact time to cook fish — as this will vary depending on the thickness of the filet and one’s desired degree of doneness — I…
Pesto Pasta Pizza
A combination of cheeses adds great flavor to this novel crust. Add your favorite pizza toppings and serve with extra sauce, if desired. A few months ago, I started experimenting with “crusts” made from pasta. I tried various binder combinations of eggs, cheese, milk, and olive oil until I hit on this version. …
Pasta Crust
A few months ago, I started experimenting with “crusts” made from pasta. I tried various binder combinations of eggs, cheese, milk, and olive oil until I hit on this version. We love it. The concept is fun, the taste is delicious, and the crust can be a base for all sorts of toppings. While I…
Balsamic Pesto Tomato Sauce
The taste of marinara sauce made with fresh tomatoes is divine. Finding the time to peel and seed the required tomatoes can be enough to make you buy a jar! I decided to try a new approach which eliminated these tedious steps. The first time I made this, I turned around and bought more tomatoes…
Gorgonzola Noodles
As I was returning from my older son’s cross country meet just in time to run my younger son to swim practice, there was not a whole lot of time for cooking and no leftovers to speak of. As I reached for the eggs–a favorite quick dinner in our house–I spotted a jar of leftover…
Apricot Ginger Shrimp Kabobs
Tender shrimp with Asian-inspired flavor is easy to prepare, quick to cook, and makes a popular appetizer or entree. At a cookout years ago, my friend Judy dished up grilled shrimp that was absolutely delicious: light tasting and tender with just a hint of sweetness. I jotted down the recipe, which was mayonnaise-based…
Pizza with Goat Cheese, Thyme & Honey Lime Chicken
Years ago, a friend who runs a local cooking school called Essen suggested topping a grilled pizza with Manouri cheese, honey, and thyme. Manouri cheese is a Greek goat’s milk cheese with which I was not familiar at the time. What threw me, however, was the honey. Honey on pizza? I like to mix sweet…
