Football

They’re so simple, it’s terrifying. Well, not terrifying…but almost. They’re a lovely twist on the tired old baked potato, and they perfectly embody a quality I always strive to achieve in my cooking: Flavorful, Crispy Surface Area.

Take that  sweet onion, stuff it with some goodies, wrap it in bacon and bake it, and it makes a terrific side dish for backyard barbecued chicken, grilled steaks or even burgers. These onions have been everywhere in some form the past few years and I love them as an addition to the cookout menu.

These rolls are super easy and super tasty!

These are as awesome as a summer carnival, the kind that rolls into town with sketchy rides that your parents forbid you to go on but you do so anyway (or so a friend once told me!),

These are pinked with raspberries, buttery with shortbread and they have that 1:1 crust-to-curd ratio that I dream of in bars cookies. They’re as happy as a summer picnic, which is exactly where they were hoping you’d take them this weekend. And by “them,” I mean me. But these will probably fit better in a tote bag, so I understand.

This recipe requires a lot of cooking time, but the prep time is really minimal. Mix up your rub ingredients, sauce ingredients and coleslaw and you're pretty much done and waiting for the low, slow oven (or slow cooker - see notes) to work it's magic on the pork.

This Jalapeño Cheddar Grilled Chicken is perfect for any summer BBQ. The chicken breast is stuffed with cheddar, jalapeño, cilantro, and is topped off with more cheese!

Apples and cheese are a favorite combination that gets even better when tucked into flaky, easy-to-make puff pastry pockets.  They're ready in less than one hour, but they'll disappear much quicker!

Here's a great way to dress up mozzarella sticks...just try this baked version that uses golden puff pastry as the "breading".  You'll find that the melted mozzarella together with the flaky pastry is a delectable combination.

I’ve gotten really good at doctoring up cake mixes to make up for my inability to make scratch cakes. I sometimes add an extra egg or use milk instead of water. I always, always, always add a teaspoon of vanilla, and use melted butter instead of oil. It makes the cake much more homemade-y.

Even the pickiest vegetable eater will be sure to love these crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside bites of zucchini. Coated in a combination of panko crumbs and finely shredded provolone cheese, they develop a nice crunch in the oven, making them a lot healthier (and easier to make) than a fried version.