Arugula and Ricotta Calzones

I was craving a calzone, and it occurred to me I had all of the necessary ingredients right in my fridge. Don’t you love it when that happens?

Eggplant, Zucchini, & Tomato Stacks

Yummy layers of fresh herbs, eggplant, tomato, zucchini, and mozzarella, topped with parmesan cheese. A little labor intensive in the prep, but a cinch to pull together. Use those summer veggies and make this! Step by step photos after the jump.

Bacon and Feta Stuffed Oregano Chicken

So, even though this has BACON and CHEESE, I wasn’t wildly excited about this meal. Until I ate the first bite. Then, then I was in love.

Roasted Yellow and Green Beans

WHY HAVE I NEVER ROASTED GREEN BEANS BEFORE????

Earlier this week I sent a desperate plea to my former boss for some recipe ideas. I am/was in a recipe funk — so uninspired that I couldn’t even put a shopping list together, which is a sign of trouble. She sent over some great ideas, including this one. I just so happened to receive a couple of cute bundles of fresh beans at my CSA later that day and I immediately knew that their destiny involved snuggling in a hot oven with some shallots and onions. Yay, and thanks, KT.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Part of the reason baking has always seemed so daunting to me is all of the directions. Keeping dry away from wet, sifting, making butter and flour look like “peas”, etc. It’s all so exhausting. What is most difficult for me is actually remembering to use all of the ingredients you’re supposed to use. This has happened on more than one occasion. This here blueberry zucchini bread was baked twice this week in my household, because the first time I completely forgot to add the sugar. Now, because it was still delicious without the added sugar (just a little tart, but still yummy), I could have totally just played it off as a south beach friendly baked good. Before I go messing with recipes, I like to make them as intended first, so I can taste what I like and dislike about it. Enter loaf #2. Also, delicious, not overly sweet, but definitely sweeter than the original. Verdict: I liked #2 better. Either way, you won’t go wrong with using berries and squash fresh from the farm.

Sicilian Spiedini

This recipe reminds me of summer. The flavor that the bay leaves imparts to the steak is fab. Next time you buy steak tips, try this recipe.  This can also be done with boneless chicken or veal.

Pecan Praline Crunch Bars

So anyone who knows anything knows that baking is just not my thing. 1) I hate measuring,  2) To a certain degree, I am afraid of the mysteries of my oven, and 3) I actually don’t have a huge sweet tooth. Until Friday. Friday I craved sweets all. day. long. Brian almost went out to find me a brownie at 9pm because that’s all I was talking about. I was obsessed. I managed to make it through the night, but the first thing I did Saturday morning was look at some of my “to try” lists for something sweet and easy to make. This recipe is exactly that, and it’s totally my baking style because it takes a couple nice little shortcuts. Sweet.

Turkey and Kale Meatloaf

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of this dish. It was the end of the week, and I had some ground turkey and a big bunch of kale that never made it into what I had planned for them earlier in the week. What to do? Make a loaf of meat, that’s what. This is fool-proof and really pretty good.

Faux Mashed Potatoes

While nothing will replace the mashed potato in my eyes, these are a great fake-out. And, as a person who dislikes cauliflower, serving another person who hates cauliflower, I can confidently say that these are a pretty darn good substitute for mashed potatoes. And a lot healthier and easier too. Brian didn’t even know it was cauliflower! Try it!

Spice Cabinet Civilization

I’ve been wanting to organize my spice shelf foreverrrr. I am definitely a person who enjoys a nice, crisp font labeling my various sundries…if that makes me a geek, so be it.

Tilapia with Citrus Bagna Cauda

I was looking for interesting tilapia recipes and I was immediately drawn to this because it involves anchovies. I adore anchovies. There, I said it. I love anchovies so much, I may have tripled the amount I used in this recipe. They’re not fishy AT ALL — really. Trust me. Bagna Cauda translates to “hot bath” in Italian. I would not mind bathing in this. Num num num.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Lately I’ve been into stuffing stuff. I get a ton of stuffable veg from my CSA, but I have yet to see a mushroom, which I am always strangely craving. I was in the process of trying to manage my completely out of control freezer, and I found a few of my favorite fatty provolone and garlic pork sausages tucked away. I knew they must be stuffed. This filling is really delicious — so delicious, that I couldn’t help but sample a few spoonfuls during the stuffing process. Salty, cheesy, herby, savory. MMM.

Sesame Seeded Perch with Lemon and Basil

After over-indulging on some very delicious, but very fried, chicken wings Saturday night, I decided to cook something a little lighter tonight for dinner. I went to the grocer without much of a plan, but that I would like seafood to be invited to the party. The perch looked super fresh, and since I hadn’t tried it yet before, it came home with me. Sauteed in a combination of butter and olive oil, the skin gets nice and crispy…and I’m a sucker for crispy skin. Perfect for a quick, healthy meal.

Whole Wheat Couscous with Scallions and Parmesan

This is my go-to cous cous recipe. I love the crunchy freshness of the scallions, and the cheese adds a fantastic salty creaminess. And it’s on the table in 10 minutes or less.

Philly Cheesesteak Mac & Cheese

I was in need of some comfort food and this popped into my head out of nowhere. Anyone who has read this blog, particularly in the colder months, knows how I like my mac & cheese. This one is another gooey sample from my favorite mac & cheese collection.

Crostini with Cheddar Scallion Butter

Because my bachelorette meal was so darn healthy, I decided to fat it up a bit. I have had this recipe in my “naughty recipe file” ever since I saw it on giada’s show a year ago. Tonight, it happened. And it was incredible. The gooey, cheesy topping is a great counterpart to the crispy bread. Eat this!

Balsamic Grilled Vegetables and Basil Quinoa Salad

I heart my CSA. I LOVE getting fresh summer veg each week, straight from the farm. I was having the girls over for dinner and drinks (and bachelorette finale…don’t judge), and thought this would make a great vegetarian meal. I was not wrong (unlike Ali, whose bachelorette choice was questionable).