August 16, 2010

Fajita Pasta Salad

August 16, 2010/ Lisa Carpenter

For years and years and years I made the same macaroni salad. Parties, picnics, summer dinners, it was always "Mom's Macaroni Salad." This is not that macaroni salad. This Fajita Pasta Salad is a recent addition to my repertoire, a more grown-up macaroni salad recipe, one I altered from its original hot-dish form. It's spicy and filled with chunks o' yum. For a complete meal, add cooled grilled chicken tenders and serve with rolls. Enjoy!

July 11, 2010

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

July 11, 2010/ Lisa Carpenter

Jim typically refuses to eat zucchini. But he's hard-pressed to find anything wrong with this bread, even exclaiming "I really like this" the first time he gave in to my pleading for him to try it. You'll really like it, too, as long as you like moist and chocolatey goodness in a quick—and easy—bread.

July 04, 2010

Fourth of July Breakfast

July 04, 2010/ Lisa Carpenter

I consider this dish breakfast because it's what we've eaten on the morning of the Fourth of July for umpteen years, but I'd say the patriotic fruit plate could be served any day, for any meal. I found the recipe in a Kraft cookbook, those paperback ones you see while waiting in line at the grocery store, fifteen or twenty years ago. It's light, refreshing and — best of all — red, white and blue! Oh, and it's super easy, too!

June 14, 2010

Blueberry Cobbler

June 14, 2010/ Lisa Carpenter

Warm fruit dishes topped with vanilla ice cream are among my most favorite of things in the universe. This cobbler, a tweaked version of "Patsy's Blackberry Cobbler" from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook, is one of my very favorite of all. If blueberries aren't your thing — or if there's a great deal on another fresh or frozen fruit — take heart in knowing that two cups of any fruit can be substituted for the blueberries.

May 03, 2010

Chewy Chocolate Cookies

May 03, 2010/ Lisa Carpenter

This is my second most popular cookie recipe, after chocolate chip cookies. It's a Hershey's recipe that I've tweaked a bit. I like using white chocolate chips, but it's also great with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. You may even want to try it with the cherry chips you can find in the baking aisle for a chocolate-covered-cherry version.