Stuffed Manicotti

Photo by Katie Kay

I used to make this recipe in jumbo shells until I realized how much prettier it is in manicotti.  It looks like so much more effort! (but it's not!)  These manicotti shells are stuffed with a delicious meat, spices, and cheeses mixture and topped with a chunky tomato sauce.  

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Photo by Katie Kay

This picture doesn't do this dip justice.  This Jalapeno Popper Dip is cheesy, spicy, and super freaking awesome.  I adjusted the original recipe slightly to make it more spicy, and I think it has achieved perfection.  I've made this many times for parties, and it's always plenty of dip to serve everyone.  If you're worried about not having enough, you can double the recipe in the same size pan.

Apple Tarts

Photo by Katie Kay

I'm totally infatuated with Puff Pastry sheets.  I think you could put anything in them at all, slather them in butter and egg, and they'd be super yummy.  As far as my favorite desserts go, it's a tie between anything chocolate or apple.  Apple dumplings, apple crisp, apple pie, apple cheesecake, apple kabobs, apple creole, apple gumbo...

Pimm's Cup Cocktail

photo by Katie Kay

I went to a party several years ago and a guest brought this delicious drink.  I desperately wanted the recipe, but she said it was a classic English mixed drink and this liqueur couldn't be purchased in the United States.  To my delight, I found it almost a year later at Spec's Liquor store in Houston!  

Dijon Chicken with Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds

I took this picture before I added the toasted almonds, oops!

I am a Dijon super-fan.  My favorite stuffed mushroom recipe has Dijon mustard, I love it on my lunchmeat sandwiches, and I love it on my chicken.  Oooh--my favorite Cheddar's menu item is Dijon Chicken & Mushrooms.  To. Die. For.

Honey Glazed Carrots

Matt smoked a turkey this weekend (a brand new experiment for him) and since I didn't really think it was going to be edible, I was ill-prepared with side dishes for this meal.  How could I have doubted him?  I'm not the only one in this family who loves to cook.  He just usually defers it to me, and I forget what a knack he has.  Especially on the grill.

Crockpot Chili Verde

There are certainly easier and faster ways to make Chili Verde, (like green sauce from a jar) but nothing makes me feel like more of an awesome homemaker than making something from scratch.  I like to do some pre-work a day in advance, then I put the sauce in a crockpot with the pork and let it cook until I get home from work.  You can adjust the spice in this recipe, but as I've written it, it's perfect for the whole family. (...if you have a family who likes a tiny bit of spice.  We don't call it spice.  We call it flavor.)

Chocolate Basketball Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

"Well, that's like summer in a bowl!" - Joey Tribbiani

I got a heads-up that a snack sign-up sheet was going to be passed around to the parents at Jenson's basketball practice for their end-of-season pizza party.  The moment I arrived at practice I asked the Coach if I could sign up--I wanted the pick of the litter.  I didn't even know what I wanted to make, but I knew it had "cupcake" written all over it.

Campfire Caramel Chocolate Bananas

We went camping in the Smokey Mountains when we first made a recipe similar to this one.  We used chocolate chips and mini marshmallows, and it was divine!  When the banana cooks, it releases its natural sugars and turns into a sweet, tasty dessert.

Hawaiian French Toast

This is my hands-down favorite breakfast food.  Which isn't a tough competition given my dislike for most breakfast foods.  (Breakfast sausage = nasty.)  Using the sweet Hawaiian bread turns ordinary French toast into something spectacular!  This is fairly sweet and very flavorful, so only a minimal amount of maple syrup is needed.

Tortellini Minestrone

I love Pinterest!  Mostly just for food and drink inspiration.  Desserts are my favorite, but I do have a family to feed so I have to branch out.  I found this recipe a week ago and I've been dying for an evening without basketball practice or gymnastic lessons so I could try it.  

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

Calling this a "coffee cake" is misleading to me and it sets misleading expectations.  I'm no connoisseur of coffee cake, but to me it should have cinnamon swirls and brown sugar.  This is more like a really moist, lemony breakfast cake.  Awesome, but not a classic coffee cake.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Photo by Katie Kay

These are exactly as awesome as they sound.  I made these for a SuperBowl party last weekend and Matt sampled a cookie in the car on the way.  If I recall correctly, this was his reaction:
"Ohh....mmmm.....mmmffgggg....hmm.  That just melted onto my tongue like butter.  Sweet chocolatey goodness.  I don't think I even chewed it.  Can I have another one?"

Tuaca Lemon Drop Cupcakes

Happy Birthday, Beth!  Today we are celebrating my manager's birthday by inventing a cupcake in honor of her favorite shot:  The Tuaca Lemon Drop!  The things we do for the people we love, right?  Alcohol in the workplace is perfectly acceptable in a baked good.  And is it really taboo if it's a vanilla citrus liquore?  That's like saying Bailey's and coffee isn't a breakfast drink!