Caprese Chicken

There are so many things I love about this dish, but the big fat juicy slices of tomato take center stage.  The aroma that will waft from your oven is phenomenal.  Crisp smoky bacon, fragrant fresh basil, all topped with a gooey slice of mozzarella.  Need I say more?  I am in love, and even my five year old has been begging me to make it again. 

Monster Meatloaf

These tasty Halloween-worthy meaty monsters will delight your little ghouls, and in truth I'll divulge that the Daddy Ghoul enjoyed them most.  Be warned: while making these bad boys you will be unable to withhold maniacal laughter and the occasional outburst of "It's Alive"!

Oreo Bat Pops

I've always wanted to try my hand at making cookie pops, but for some reason I envisioned them to be terribly messy, deeply intricate, and only for the truly crafty at heart.  I am happy to report that I was not only wrong, but these stinkin' cute cookie pops are delightfully easy to make.  Plus my girly's had a ball being my big helpers and making a few lovely deformed ones for themselves.  Yes deformed.  But cute.

Blueberry Muffins. The heavenly kind.

It has occurred to me that most anything worth baking will naturally call for the use of either butter or buttermilk.  These heavenly muffins wisely require both.  And the batter- oh trust me when I say that one taste will never suffice, and your muffins may never make it into the oven. 

The Galaxy's Best- Easy Dinner Rolls.

I meant what I said.  These pillowy rolls are so easy to make- no kneading, no letting them rise three times, or any of that nonsense.  They are perfectly fluffy, yeasty, and need no further introduction.  My only stipulation is that you try one hot out of the oven, schmear on some butter, and promptly die and go to heaven.

Broccoli Cheese Soup - done right.

This soup is the epitomy of comfort food.  This week our weather has suddenly turned to Fall, and this annual phenomenon never fails to get me gleefully excited about soup.  This one is gloriously creamy, cheesy, and with lovely vegetables left honest and chunky-as they should be. 

Honey Lime Enchiladas

This is officially my new favorite enchilada recipe.  It's both deliciously flavorful and very easy- which is a big deal for me these days.  The lime and honey is a killer flavor combination, and you'll love the creamy sauce which gives the dish an enchilada-suiza-esque flair.  Put this one on the menu, you won't regret it.  Cross my heart.

Macaroni Salad - Hawaiian Plate Lunch Style

This recipe brings me back to my very first introduction to the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. Confession: I still dream about that day. I was in Kona, 18 years old and completely oblivious to the future obsession that I would develop for duplicating that irresistible Polynesian cuisine. This mac salad recipe is spot on, it's a perfect balance of flavor and texture, and a cool creamy side kick that compliments the more bold and often spicy tropical flavors you'd enjoy with a traditional Plate Lunch. Heck it'd go well with just about anything, but the next time you BBQ be sure to give this one a try.