2 3/4 cups of milk
Sometimes the best dinners are the ones that create themselves. A little leftover bacon, a bundle of fresh asparagus needing to be eaten and a bowl of lemons catching my eye paved the way for this pasta dish. 
-Preheat grill to a medium heat. Meanwhile, holding the center and the cut end of the asparagus, bend to snap off dried-out end (it will naturally break at this point); discard ends. Create a make-shift pan out of aluminum foil and evenly spread out spears. Drizzle with e.v.o. and heavily season with salt/ pepper. Roll them around to evenly coat, returning them to an even spread. Grill on the top rack for about 20 minutes, while occasionally rolling them around for even cooking. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!
Talk about your meat and potato kind of dinner. This marinade is so basic, yet so wonderful. With a cut of steak like this, you don't really need to tenderize or season it, but just to enhance it. And what better way to do so than to top it off with garlic buttered mushrooms. Serve it along with some of my Mashed Potatoes and some steamed veggies. And relish in a hearty home cooked dinner that you made yourself. 
After making my basic Pumpkin Bread, I thought about embellishing it a little. And boy oh boy is this the way to do it. By combining two recipes into one, I have created a wonderful and tasty new seasonal treat. It's like Pumpkin Pie meets Dutch Apple Pie in a loaf of bread. I have never seen a more beautifully crowned and crusted quick bread.
I realized that I have never had nor made a carrot cake before. So, I began to play around with the idea and came up with this. The carrot is almost like a hint of sweetness to an other wise spice cake. I loved the warmth of the cake along with the cool creaminess of the frosting. What a wonderful cake this was.
Whenever I spy some over-ripened bananas on sale, I immediately think of whipping up a loaf of Banana Bread. We always have a loaf of this sitting on the counter. It goes great with a spread of cream cheese and a hot cup of coffee.
These beans were fresh and tangy, a very nice switch-up from your average side. And they were just gorgeous in their bowl with the bright red of the berries and the deep green of the beans. I was afraid of the "Christmas" colors, but it looks summery to me. Some of my most favorite concoctions are made from what's left in my fridge.
This particular recipe comes from my childhood weekends up in Michigan. My Aunt Deby made these occasionally for breakfast for all of us at her lake house. And I can remember that they were delicious. And I knew then and there that I wanted to make these for my children when I grew up. That's how I have always thought about great food. How I want to share it with others. What a wonderful treat these are now in our home. I like to surprise my children with these sugar biscuits every once in a while. I think that my daughter likes to help make them almost as much as she loves eating them. Thank you Aunt Deby for giving me endless memories and good food. 
Good Morning. That's what some biscuits and gravy says to me. Growing up in a Southern family, I have had my fair share of biscuits and gravy. And if I do say so myself, mine aren't half bad. Probably one of my top three. Because we all know that no one has anything on either one of my Grandma's or Aunt Deby's recipe.
As if it were yesterday, I can still remember the first time I had this burger. My Grandma Neva (my kitchen hero) had already prepared the burgers and set them out on the table as usual. I was probably around 10 or so at this time. So, you can imagine my reaction being slightly more dramatic than necessary. Nevertheless I was skipping in for dinner, as usual. I came gallivanting into the dining room and excitedly flopped into my seat. Smiling I picked up my burger and as I was about to "go to town" on it, I spied something different. Something was not right. Something was terribly wrong. For some reason, my Grandma probably being too busy and not paying attention, put Cole Slaw on my burger! I was more than upset. I was appalled. I could not eat this. I would not eat this. And I am pretty sure that I cried. I had never really had Cole Slaw before, but I was adamant that I did not like it. And I was positive that it did not belong on my burger. My Grandma calmly looked at me and stated, "That's dinner Tonya. That's how I made it. And that's how you are gonna eat it." Reluctantly I took a bite. Then another. Then another. Holy shit, Cole Slaw belongs on burgers!
Nothing says loving like some apples baking in the oven. My Mom used to make whole baked apples as a special treat when I was a little girl. And I will never forget how excited I would become when I would notice their sweet aroma coming down the hall. Sometimes natures most basic gifts are the best.
Here is yet another wonderful way to utilize your over-ripened bananas. My husband and all of my children are banana lovers, so I buy a bunch every week. Sometimes they eat them all, and sometimes there are a few left behind by the time I go back to the market. So, this is when I usually whip up some Banana Bread, Banana Muffins or if there is any sort of occasion a Banana Cake. And since I have received my waffle iron this year, I have been experimenting whenever possible. And this particular experiment is a keeper.
This was simply delicious. The sauce was so very thick and cheesy with a deep roasted flavor from the peppers. It complimented the soft tortellini's perfectly. And, basically, it got my daughter to eat her vegetables. She didn't even notice that some of the tortellini were cheese and some were spinach. Score one for Mom.
Now this may be the most notorious recipe in the country, but not necessarily the same directions. I for one and sick and tired of losing my bacon out the back of my BLT. By weaving the bacon together in one large square, it creates a flat solid panel of meat. So, when you cut it into four smaller squares, you get a perfect sheet of bacon that stays put. Not to mention that it cuts down the time for the preparation. You only have to do one batch of bacon instead of a few pieces at a time. I am also a fan for that reason. And, remember when you are making a recipe that calls for very few ingredients, you always want to use the freshest one's available to you. Notice how the lettuce seems greener and fluffier than iceberg or Romain,that's because it's Hydroponic Lettuce-grown in water instead of dirt! Not only does it give a great presentation, it makes the sandwich taste fresh and amazing.
-Weave bacon together by laying strips across your skillet in one direction, then lift and tuck bacon in the opposite direction. You should end up with a large woven square. Cook on medium-high heat trying to turn only once (I used 2 wooden spatulas to flip it-not too bad I was a little scared). Once bacon sheet is nice and crispy, remove from skillet and plate. With a long knife, cut the bacon into four equal squares. Assemble sandwich with a slather of mayo on each inner side of the toast and top with lettuce, tomato and your bacon square. No more lost bacon! Serves 4. Enjoy!
What a gorgeous fusion of flavors these kabobs have. There was spice from the chili powder, sweetness from the fresh pineapple, heat from the red pepper flakes and a great tang from the vinegar. Talk about a party in your mouth all right. What a perfect meal for a hot summers night, or more likely, for wishing it was a hot summers night.
Here you go, this is an all-time favorite of everyone. Who doesn't think of Mom when they hear of Chicken Pot Pie?! This is a wonderful quick and easy meal, that can be put together in not time with no mess. But let's not forget the best part of this dish, that it really does look amazing. A crust this beautiful can make anything look good!
If a rich indulgence is what you are in search of, or frankly in craving of, then these decadent brownies are for you. They are thick and cake-like while still being soft and gooey. The makings of every killer brownie out there. The white chocolate chips are a nice sweet addition and seem to lighten it up some. While the natural cocoa gives them their notorious bitter-sweet flavor. These are definitely a crowd pleaser. Hands down.
These are just as fresh and as sweet as they look. With a bright tartness from the fresh lemon juice and a creamy sweetness from the white chocolate, these little delights were simply amazing. I absolutely love the scent of lemon so these were not only a treat to eat, but also from me to make.
This is probably my personal favorite way of having "Pot Roast" for dinner. The steak seasoning really makes for a delicious roast and an incredibly flavorful gravy. And just think, all you have to do is pan sear your roast, toss all three ingredients into your slow-cooker and push a button. Dinner is done.
What wonderful muffins these are. They have such a great rise and shape to them, along with a beautiful coloring and texture. Remember that we don't just eat food with our mouths, but also with our eyes. And eye candy couldn't taste any better than these do. 
This is springtime to me for sure. It's a light and healthy way of spicing up your average chicken dinner. You can also just roast your own chicken in the oven, but the rotisserie chicken from the market has a great distinct flavor. I love the contrast of flavors and textures myself. The chicken is so very moist, while the green apples and red onion bring the crunch and the red grapes add a burst of sweetness. Combined with the savoriness of the basil sauce and the soft pita, this is a perfectly unboring way of having a chicken dinner. And not to mention, this is a healthy way too.
