Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It sure did feel extra cold this week, after spending so much time in Phoenix. The fall leaves and accompanying chilly weather have arrived and I’m loving my beautiful Ohio world. There was even talk of snow here this week, but I didn’t catch a single snowflake. Did you? 

Are you ready for sweater weather and winter coziness? Or are you wishing for a few more days of sunshine and shorts? My meal plan for this coming week sure is ready for the cold nights, so I hope I am too!

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Cajun dipping sauce is the supporting star of so many meals, providing a fiery, smoky punch with each bite. (Not a fan of too much heat? Just dial down the cayenne in the recipe below.)

We did a stovetop seafood boil this week with shrimp, potatoes, corn, and sausage, boiled in a flavorful spicy broth, and added an abundance of additional fresh vegetables! This was a serious winner of a meal, my friends – and it was so EASY to do at home. It’s going to be on the regular rotation now.

With plenty of buttered corn flavor, Corn Spoonbread is a classic comfort food that will keep you coming back for more.

All of the savory flavors of classic lasagna are packed into a sweet and slightly charred bell pepper to make these Lasagna Stuffed Peppers. This dinner is a guaranteed win for anyone who loves lasagna and can’t get enough of bell peppers.

Is it a salad or a dessert? A dreamy mix of cream cheese, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream is loaded with juicy bits of sweet tropical fruit in this Pineapple Fluff Salad.

Cinnamon Ice Cream is a sweet, rich, vanilla custard ice cream spiced with enough cinnamon to linger after each bite.

Spiced pumpkin puree is topped with a crunchy, cinnamon sugar oat crumble in this Pumpkin Crisp, making it the perfect fall treat.

What I’m CRAVING: Have you heard of a Yogurt Pie?? My friend Jen’s pie caught my eye this week and now I can’t get the idea out of my mind. I can’t wait to play with some fun flavor combinations!

My FAVORITE THING this week is this inexpensive ladle. It’s a silly little thing to get so excited about, and until you’ve tried it you might not understand. A friend of mine had a similar ladle a while back and I’ve been on the hunt for one of my own. 

The front of the ladle is flat, making it possible to easily scoop every little bit of food from the bottom of a soup pot. Why aren’t all ladles made this way??? It’s positively brilliant!  

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Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’ve been in Phoenix this week, catching up with friends and family, visiting my cousin’s church, and soaking in as much of the spectacular weather as possible.

As much as I adore Ohio, (and don’t miss living in the Valley of the Sun), it sure is fun to visit when not in the middle of melting summer temperatures.

ON THE BLOGS this week: Fluffy eggs, savory ham, and bright peppers are topped with plenty of cheese in this Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole with a wonderful flaky crust.

So. Much. Fun. There are a whole lot of adjectives I could use to describe my introduction to a Louisiana Crawfish Boil, but WOW sums it up nicely. I’ve laid out all the steps so you can set up and cook a Louisiana seafood boil with shrimp or crawfish. It turns out that doing a Louisiana-style seafood boil on the stove is much simpler than you might think!

Ground beef and potato casserole is a hearty, comfort-food dish that combines ground beef, sliced potatoes, and a rich, creamy sauce. Baked together under a layer of cheesy goodness, this Ground Beef Potato Casserole is a dinner the whole family enjoys.

With only a handful of ingredients, these Glazed Sweet Potatoes form an amazing caramelized brown sugar crust on top as they roast and broil in the oven. When I tell you these potatoes are AMAZING, trust me, they truly are.

Tender, sweet pearl onions in a luscious cream sauce make up the Creamed Pearl Onions which are a classic side dish.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls pack a punch of rich peanut butter with the earthy taste of oats and that hint of sweetness we all crave.

Thick, chewy, fudgy brownies with generous chocolate icing are enticing enough to have me eating these Lunch Lady Brownies for dinner.

Crunchy, chewy Oreo pieces and chunks of decadent brownie mingle together in every scoop of this Oreo Brownie Ice Cream.

What I’m CRAVING: My friend Lynne’s cheesy chicken enchiladas! You already know that we’re an enchilada-loving family, and her enchiladas need to happen again soon. 

My FAVORITE THING this week is my Read more

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Our visit with family this week was wonderful and my brother and I made it out to walk as often as we were able. The fall colors are at their best these days and I can’t get enough of them.

Has the weather finally cooled off where you are? Ohio has been fabulously chilly all week, however, I’m headed back to Phoenix tonight. I’m really not looking forward to 100 degrees again! (Although it is supposed to cool off beautifully there later in the week. My fingers are crossed that the promised rain will actually arrive while I’m in the valley.)

ON THE BLOGS this week: Flavorful and tender marinated boneless skinless chicken thighs can be cooked on the grill or baked in the oven. We eat a great deal of chicken in this house and this is one of my favorite ways to cook boneless skinless thighs in the oven.

In this hummus-inspired dip, roasted cauliflower takes the place of chickpeas making it a low-carb, full-flavored spread. A whole head of garlic roasts with the cauliflower, adding an irresistible caramelized sweetness to this cauliflower hummus.

It takes just 15 minutes and a few simple seasonings to air fry frozen broccoli and cauliflower into irresistibly crispy and delicious bites! I’ve been making this and snacking on it in the afternoon for weeks.

Zucchini Cobbler. Zucchini??? Cobbler? YES. You read that right and you should definitely keep reading. It turns out that zucchini cobbler tastes a whole lot like apple cobbler, my friends. I didn’t believe it either – until I tasted it.

Creamy peanut butter is blended with ripe bananas to make these peanut butter banana pancakes, resulting in a rich, nutty sweetness with a hint of banana throughout each fluffy, golden pancake.

These coconut chocolate chip cookies are loaded with both white and dark chocolate, in addition to a good amount of coconut. They are delicious warm from the oven and every bit as fantastic two days later.

Oatmeal cream pie ice cream starts as a creamy vanilla ice cream with hints of brown sugar and cinnamon, and then it is generously filled with pieces of oatmeal cream pie cookies.

This one-bowl praline cake is almost ridiculously simple, yet it delivers the perfect balance of moist, tender buttermilk cake and the irresistible chewy crunch of caramelized pralines. You just might find y

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Not only am I looking forward to a week of gorgeous chilly fall weather, this is also going to be a week filled with family. My brother will be here, as well as my aunt and uncle. AND my middle baby will be turning 18 in just a few days! The teen years really do fly past, my friends.

ON THE BLOGS this week: Creamy, chewy oats, bananas, and pecans are topped with a generous drizzle of maple syrup to make this warm and filling maple banana nut oatmeal. Less than 10 minutes of effort is required to put this hot breakfast on the table. 

This uncomplicated yet incredibly flavorful meal is created by roasting Brussels sprouts and potatoes and then stirring them together with zesty sausage and a generous helping of cheese. As much as we enjoy each of these ingredients on their own, when combined the result is greater than the sum of its parts.

These BBQ chicken foil packets are easily made with chicken, a sprinkling of spices, a handful of mixed vegetables, and a brushing of barbecue sauce.

Tender, slightly crisp green beans sauteed in butter and tossed with plenty of fresh herbs are a side dish that everyone enjoys.

Cheesy broccoli mashed potatoes were inspired by my family’s fondness for Irish colcannon, the ever-popular loaded mashed potatoes with cabbage. 

Creamy hazelnut spread and melted chocolate are tucked inside flaky, buttery pastry dough before being baked into these irresistible chocolate babka bites.

Creamy chocolate fudge filled with peanuts and marshmallows makes a chewy, crunchy, salty, sweet rocky road fudge that all ages will enjoy.

Have you tasted arroz con leche? This is a Mexican rice pudding made with sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and plenty of cinnamon. You’re going to love it!

My FAVORITE THING this week is this contoured sleeping mask. I’ve used a contoured mask for years now and swear by the difference it makes. This mask is a bit nicer and fancier (more contouring and thicker padding around the edges) than my older ones and I love it. There is zero light sneaking in, not even a teeny tiny edge around my nose. I slept like a rock each time I wore it this week and it was very comfortable throughout the night. I don’t think I adjusted it even once – at least not

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! My friend Lynne was here this week working in the kitchen and photographing recipes with me and as a result, today I’m dreaming of Thanksgiving dinner and all of the side dishes we’ll be making. 

Do you have a non-traditional favorite holiday dish? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment on this blog post telling me about it.

ON THE BLOGS this week: This Homemade Shrimp Ramen is a quick and satisfying twist on the classic Japanese dish. With simple ingredients and minimal prep, this easy recipe offers a flavorful shortcut to a delicious bowl of noodles, succulent shrimp, and aromatic broth.

Chunks of savory, smoky ham are added to perfectly seasoned, gooey, melted cheese. Mac and Cheese with Ham is a dinner you’ll make more than once.

Juicy, raw corn kernels are tossed with crisp bell peppers and tangy tomatoes in a light dressing to create this zesty Fresh Corn Salad.

Tender potatoes mingle with crisp fresh vegetables in a creamy, herb dressing to take this Loaded Vegetable Potato Salad over the top.

Ripe, juicy tomatoes dance with garlic and fresh herbs, all tossed together a zesty lemon dressing in this irresistible Fresh Tomato Pasta.

Puff Pastry Baklava Bites are delightful, bite-sized treats that offer a modern twist on the traditional Greek dessert, baklava. These miniature pastries are made by filling buttery, flaky puff pastry cups with a sweet honey and nut filling.

Filled with slightly chewy pieces of black walnuts, this sweet and fragrant Black Walnut Ice Cream is a decadent treat.

The sweet, juicy burst of blueberries complements the subtle tang of buttermilk in this delightfully moist and tender Blueberry Buttermilk Cake.

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are these tweezers. Once again, these tweezers came to the rescue this week. Splinter removal has never been easier.

What I’m WATCHING: Book Club: The Next Chapter. This movie caught my eye a while back and I finally watched it this week. Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen were perfect in their roles. Wh