Welcome to the weekend, friends! I did a double-take when I wrote today’s date for the newsletter. Much like Anne Shirley, “I’m so very glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” The pretty leaves, the cooler weather with a promise of fall and winter activities, cozy fires (we lit the first one last night!), mugs of tea and cocoa in the afternoon, I love it all.

And not that I’m rushing things one bit, but I can hardly wait for the first snowfall. (Sorry, native Ohioans, that will never not be exciting for me!) I’ll be in Phoenix this week, and while the sunshine and visits with family and friends are always lovely, I can tell you now that I’ll be counting down the days until I’m back home to enjoy all the awesomeness that is fall in Ohio.

ON THE BLOG this week: Full of spiced ground beef and covered in tangy tomato sauce, cabbage roll casserole is a hearty stick-to-your-ribs meal. With all the flavor of the more labor-intensive Cabbage Rolls with a minimum of effort, this is a dinner-time win.

Peanut Butter Apple Dip is simple and slightly sweet, perfect to enjoy with apples, pretzels, or anything you can dip into it. Judging from the fact that at least 4 people requested the recipe the first time I made this, (and I nearly couldn’t stop laughing when I told them how simple it was) I’m calling this a success. What’s not to love about an appetizer that takes about 3 minutes to throw together?

This fully loaded Chicken Potato Broccoli Casserole starts with fluffy mashed potatoes that are mixed with tender bites of broccoli and chicken, then generously sprinkled with bacon and cheese. The result is an absolutely irresistible dinner.

Pumpkin muffins filled with melting chocolate chips and bursting with autumn spices – is there anything more quintessentially fall than the smell of pumpkin spices drifting through the house?

Baked oatmeal, loaded with summer berries and lightly sweetened with brown sugar is a great way to start the day. Berries are a mainstay in my refrigerator. The other day I had a few things that needed to be used up and baked oatmeal was the perfect way to make sure those berries didn’t go to waste.

What I’m CRAVING: These Cinnamon Coffee Twists caught my eye this week. They sound fantastic and I don’t know when I’ve seen a prettier cinnamon roll.

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are these inexpensive little jar openers. Nothing makes me feel older than when I can’t get a jar open these days. Seriously though, what’s the deal with feeling like

Welcome to the weekend, friends! Brace yourself, I’m weather obsessed once again. It was 90 degrees on Wednesday and 60 degrees on Thursday. Fall has arrived and I am so very much here for it. I love the crisp weather, the sweatshirts, the warm mugs of tea and coffee in the morning, the crunching leaves on the sidewalks, and the brilliant blue skies that turn gray in a moment. I love it all.

I spent a day this week exploring Amish country with some friends and it couldn’t have been more perfect. If you’re anywhere near my area, I highly recommend both Yoder Amish Home Tours and The Farm at Walnut Creek. (The Farm is like nothing else I’ve ever seen!) I’ve already told my family that we’re going to drive up for a day soon. I can hardly wait to see my boys experience all of it.

ON THE BLOG this week: Crisp tortillas filled with saucy bbq chicken and melting cheese add up to these BBQ Chicken Quesadillas. They are a little bit spicy, and awesomely cheesy, and they are a very popular lunch in our house.

This Pineapple Mango Smoothie is a refreshingly delicious and naturally sweet kid-approved green vegetable and fruit smoothie.

Cranberry Apple Walnut Oatmeal is a tart and sweet body-warming dish perfect for filling those bellies before a busy day.

This easy-as-can-be sheet pan dinner has become a favorite in many of your homes over the past two years. It only takes about 5 minutes of effort to toss the chicken, potatoes, and green beans in a simple lemon and herb vinaigrette before roasting until tender and crisp.

Chewy edges, crazy moist blondies, and a crackling crust add up to these mouthwatering, slightly sweet Apple Brownies. Oh. my. word. Friends! How have I never had apple brownies before now? They are AMAZING. Huge thanks to my friend Katie for telling me about them and encouraging me to try the recipe.

What I’m CRAVING: This Apple Cider Sangria sounds so good! Fall is here and I’m ready for all the fun fall flavors. 

favorite things: these cute little pill boxes, this movie, and these books

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are Read more

Welcome to the weekend, friends! I spent the past few days in Rhode Island, exploring my friend Lynne‘s favorite part of the world. The foods we enjoyed this week were truly amazing; from lobster rolls to oysters, stuffies to clam chowder, scallop rolls to dough boys, chocolates, doughnuts, popcorn and Del’s frozen lemonades on repeat.

As much as I enjoy travel, it’s great to be home again. I’m looking forward to a fun weekend with all of my boys.

ON THE BLOG this week: Have you tried Hot Buttered Rum? A warm mug of hot buttered rum brings about a full body coziness that feels like you are being wrapped in a thick warm blanket. (You can make a non-alcoholic hot buttered “rum” as well!)

These chewy, richly spiced Hot Buttered Rum Cookies are the happy result of what can I do with the extra buttered rum batter I don’t want to freeze?

Chicken Enchilada Dip is a creamy, cheesy, spicy chicken-filled enchilada dip, a hit with everyone who tries it. Hearty enough for a main dish, this was an enormous success for our family movie night.

This skillet is a delightful combination of sweet potatoes, fresh corn, asparagus, and bacon with a drizzle of balsamic. It was something unexpected that I pulled together for a dinner side dish a few years ago, using odds and ends from the refrigerator. What resulted was a skillet full of magic. I know that sounds like I am exaggerating but I promise you I am not. This dish is so good it qualifies as a company coming over meal.

Espresso Ice Cream is quite easily one of my favorites. I love a simple, smooth yet rich and creamy authentically coffee-tasting ice cream. This is a simplified and egg-free version of my Cafe con Leche Ice Cream – and we LOVE it. 

What I’m CRAVING: Lobster Rolls! (Thanks a lot, Lynne.) I’m loving this version from my friend Heidi. She combines the buttery awesomeness of a hot lobster roll with the creamy dressing that I love on a cold roll. I need to try these lobster rolls soon!

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are these cheap little cork coasters. I have them all over the house. I originally bought them because my coffee was cooling way t

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I have big big news today. Some of you caught on with last week’s sneak peek – as I can tell by the recent flood of new email subscribers over there we launched a BRAND NEW WEBSITE this past month!

VegetableRecipes.com is up and running and if you are anything like I am, this is exactly what your meal planning needs! 

ON THE BLOG this week: Peaches and cinnamon pair perfectly in this recipe for Baked Peach Oatmeal. Eaten on its own or topped with whipped cream, it’s a hit. Anytime I bake peaches into something it reminds me of my favorite peach cobbler or crisp. What’s not to love?

Cabbage Soup with Sausage is loaded with great flavors and it’s filled with far more vegetables and meat than broth. Today, I’m giving you the first new soup recipe for the fall and I couldn’t be more excited about it – Italian White Bean, Cabbage, and Sausage Soup.

Sweet fresh peaches are baked between layers of brown sugar and oats to form a chewy sweet crust for these irresistible Peach Oatmeal Bars. It only takes a few minutes to stir the crust together and press half of it into the pan. Toss the peaches in sugar and spices and layer them over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining buttery crumbles over the peaches and pop it in the oven.

Sweet Potatoes with Sausage is an easy-as-can-be one pan dinner that my family would willingly eat every night. Weeknight meals especially need to be quick and easy, not only on the prep but the clean-up as well. This easy sheet pan dinner with baked chicken thighs, baby potatoes, and fresh green beans has become a favorite in many of your homes over the past two years.

What I’m CRAVING: I’ve been craving this Mango Corn Salsa ever since I made it. My original plan was to share it with my family, but after the first bite of sweet mango, crunchy corn, and mildly spicy jalapenos, I might as well confess that I stashed the rest of it in the back of the fridge for later snacking. This Watermelon Salsa is on my radar now  as well and I can’t wait to try it.

My FAVORITE THING this week is my new waterpik. This water flosser is so very cool! Put it on your Chr

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m looking forward to a few days off and I will be filling them with friends, family, and some of my favorite summer foods. (Looking at you, Ramen Noodle Salad and Six Threes Ice Cream!)

The weather is starting to cool off here, but it’s still plenty warm and humid most days. I am getting excited about fall though – isn’t everyone??

ON THE BLOG this week: Warm crisp tortillas layered with melting cheese and then filled with an abundance of vegetables add up to these loaded vegetable quesadillas and we love them! They’re absolutely irresistible for snacking or for a meal on their own.

Juicy, tender pan-fried chicken thighs with a golden-crisp skin are possible with just a spoonful of oil and a bit of patience. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting while they slowly cook on the stovetop. You want the skin to be golden-brown with all the fat rendered before you turn them over. This chicken is completely worth the wait!

Peach Crisp with fresh, sweet juicy peaches and a cinnamon, brown sugar topping served warm from the oven is a bowl of deliciousness. If you’re anything like me and can not get enough of the summer’s fresh peaches, this is happiness guaranteed.

Peach Crisp Ice Cream is creamy vanilla ice cream filled with chunks of peach crisp, a peach lover’s dream come true. With chunks of buttery brown sugar and oat crisp with syrupy peaches in every bite, this ice cream is irresistible.

Have you tried Hash Brown Waffles?! These are hot, crispy potato perfection (I filled the last batch with cheese and bacon too!) and there is absolutely no way you can eat just one, they are so good.

If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover grilled corn after this weekend, this grilled corn dip really needs to be on your list to try next. It is creamy, spicy, and slightly sweet and I could devour a bowl full of it pretty much any time of day. With loads of great flavor from cilantro, lime, chili powder, and cumin, this is an irresistibly dippable version of Mexican street corn.

What I’m CRAVING: Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos sound so good right now. (My friend Holly never fails to make me hungry when I run across her recipes!) Topped with plenty of pineapple salsa, this is a surefire w