Simple Yet Gourmet

Like many of you that know me, I hate to make the same thing twice! So I had a preschool picnic to go to and was asked to bring a dessert. I have had this recipe for a while but was waiting until the fall to give it a try. I figured the end of August was close enough so I made them this past weekend. They were really great. Tasted just like fresh apple pie, but easy to eat bars. I will make these again in the fall, but would eat them warm with ice cream!! Enjoy.

With school starting, I have been looking for quick and simple meals to do during the week. My mom had mentioned this recipe to me and so I had to give it a try. Man was I glad I did! This dish was super easy, delicious and nutritious ! The recipe does not call for any veggies, but I add veggies to anything I can. I cut up 2-3 cups of veggies and sauteed them in garlic and olive oil. I added them to the pasta and poured the sauce over the whole thing. One thing I suggest is to make a batch and a half of the sauce to accommodate the veggies you added. Enjoy, we sure did!!

Football season is right around the corner, and what's a football game without some yummy food to eat while you watch? Mexican Layered Dip is a tradition in our house and it never fails to please! Make it several hours in advance or up to a day ahead and enjoy with a bag of Tortilla chips!

A while back I came across this fantastic recipe for Honey Lime Enchiladas. It was an instant hit with our family. Aaron loves these so much he even requested them for his Father's Day dinner! I had delayed posting these since Kirsti had already posted a delicious recipe for Honey Lime Enchiladas, but as these aren't identical and since they are in our top 5 meals I feel they deserve to be posted anyway :)

On Sunday mornings I like to make muffins for my family. While they are cooking we can all get ready for church, then eat them as a family before we leave. For many of you that know me, I am never satisfied to make the same thing very often. So this morning I decided to look for a new banana muffin recipe and came across this gem. I never seem to make the recipe the way it is given to me, I like to add or change things up. This recipe was no different, I added chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips, which I thought made the muffin. Also, I sprinkled brown sugar and chopped pecan on top before baking for a nice crunch. When all was done, they reminded me of a warm granola bar!

I was looking for a new meatball recipe and came across this recipe as well as a Roasted Garlic and Basil Marinara sauce. With my tomato plants in full bloom, I am always looking for a good way to use all my many tomatoes. Looking at the recipe for the meatballs you see mushroom, but do not worry, you grind them up very fine and what they add to the meatballs is moister . I promise you will like them, my family who all hate mushrooms, ate them all!! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.

If you are a fan of the Cheddar Bay Biscuits served at Red Lobster you will love these! They are light (in texture, not calories) and flavorful, the perfect side to almost any meal.

When it comes to corn, I love corn on the cob or corn on the side, but I hate corn in anything! But when I tried this recipe, I had to change my mind a little. I had never tasted corn pudding, but my mother-in law made it one night and to be polite, I tried it. To my surprise I really liked it! So a word to the wise, try something at least once, you never know what you're missing!! This goes great with soups or chili's!

I needed a quick treat this weekend and came across this yummy treat! It was very easy to make and tasted divine. My only suggestion is to let it cool completely before trying to cut it. Once cooled, the bars cut nicely and retain their shape, other wise you get a hot pile of cookie dough! Which by the way is yummy as well!

With zucchini season in full bloom, I am always looking for new recipes to use it up! My motto is the more veggies the better and this recipe does just that! My mom gave me this one while in MO a couple of weeks ago. I know, it's hot and who wants to eat soup, but it is a great recipe, even Mike liked it! I served it with sliced apples and corn bread pudding, which recipe I will add next. I have a chocolate zucchini bread recipe I will post soon as well, seeing I have zucchini coming out my ears!!

I have come to really enjoy these little treasures. I love to make these with soup or pasta, they are a nice change from the boring roll. They are quick, easy and super yummy, Mike eats a whole tray of them along with his dinner, plus more before he goes to bed. Give them a try, I'm sure they will become a family favorite as well.

If you have ever wanted to impress someone special with a fancy breakfast, then here's the recipe for you. This dish is made the night before, which makes for a very easy breakfast in the morning. I made a cinnamon/buttermilk syrup to drizzle on top (recipe below), which really added to the french toast. This is a must try breakfast, I promise you won't be disappointed and you will be the hero of the day!

I am always looking for something new and exciting to cook for dinner. I have never fried chicken and have been afraid to do so. But I was glad I tried something different and learned a new skill as well. Our family is a fan of Chinese food so I thought I would give it a try. If you like Seasame Chicken, then you will like this recipe. It is not hard to do, just takes some time to cook all the chicken. The sauce is very easy, but I would double it next time, we like a lot of sauce on our chicken. Give it a try, my kids loved it!

Okay, with summer winding down I hope to get back into posting great recipes again! Pam has been busy moving and I have been on vacation, so I am sorry for the lack of attention. But here is a great and easy cookie recipe to add to your recipe box. These can be made in less than 20 minutes. It's a twist on the Gooey Butter Cake Recipe, making them into a cookie as well as adding Nutella to the ingredients. They are crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside, divine. Do not over back them, they're suppose to be soft and chewy. Enjoy then with a cold glass of milk!