Does meatloaf sound boring to you, and your family? Surprise them, and take your meatloaf to another level with the flavor of Jack Daniels Sourmash Whiskey. The alcohol will cook out and leave a mouth-watering taste. Some of the sauce will soak into the loaf as it bakes, but enough will remain on top to provide a rich sauce when you serve it, making catsup obsolete!

Pre-set oven to 350* and butter a 9 x 3 loaf pan.

1 cup bread crumbs (3 slices cubed)
½ cup chopped onions
2 eggs
2 ½ tsp. Salt
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup Catsup
¼ cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

Combine 1 cup bread crumbs, ¼ cup chopped onion, 2 eggs, 1 ½ tsp. salt and ¼ cup catsup in a bowl and stir until mixed. Then add 1lb. ground beef, mix thoroughly and spread evenly in a buttered 9 x 3 loaf pan.

The Special Sauce: mix ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, ¼ cup chopped onion, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ cup catsup and ¼ cup Jack Daniels, and stir until smooth. Pour evenly over meatloaf, making sure to cover the corners.

Bake at 350* for 1 hour 10 minutes. When the meatloaf is done the top will bubble. This serves 4 to 6 people.

If you have leftovers, make sure to refrigerate them. Thin slices are delicious in a cold meatloaf sandwich, or you can re-heat in the microwave. Either way, you’ll never think of meatloaf in the same mundane way again!

It seems everyone is in a hurry these days. This is an excellent recipe when you need something quick and simple for dinner. An easy meal, using only one dish, it will allow you to spend more time with your family. You can purchase the boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the fat already removed, or trim them yourself, and everything else is already packaged. By using onion salt and garlic powder, you can have the flavor without the additional work of chopping onions and mincing garlic cloves. This is also a very forgiving dish, if your schedule changes; you can simmer as long as you need to, adding water occasionally.

4 boneless chicken breasts, fat trimmed
1 tsp. onion salt
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 14.5oz can stewed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 package Spanish rice

Heat olive oil, just enough to cover the bottom of a medium skillet, over medium heat. Trim the fat from 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 per serving), brown them in the skillet, and then remove.

In the skillet, mix 1 can tomato paste and 1 cup water until the sauce is smooth. Stir in 1 can stewed tomatoes, 1 tsp. onion salt, 1 tsp. garlic powder and 1 package Spanish rice, and bring to a boil.

Add the chicken breasts, cover, and simmer for 25 to 35 minutes, until chicken is tender.

Makes 4 servings.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator, and just add water when you re-heat. This meal is almost more delicious the second day!

When it comes to cooking meat, one of the most basic and most important skills you can cultivate is the ability to put together a marinade. Essentially a brine with additional flavors, a marinade is designed to add long-lasting flavor to whatever you're cooking, be it chicken, or beef, or pork. A good marinade can make the difference between just another grilled meal and something very special.

One of the most common types of marinade is a one based around vinegar, citrus juice, or other acidic liquids. While conventional wisdom might hold that this acid breaks down the meat and tenderizes it, in reality the liquid is only there for flavor - the actual chemical tenderization process would require a much stronger solution and much more time than most marination applications. An acidic liquid gives a nice tangy flavor to the meat, and serves as a base for the notes provided by herbs and spices.

Another thing to consider is the length of the marinade; red meat stands up to the process well and should be marinated longer than most other types of meat, often overnight. Chicken, on the other hand, should rarely be marinated for very long at all - too long in the solution can affect the texture of the meat, rendering the final dish mealy and generally unsatisfying.

Finally, make sure to thoroughly rinse off your marinated meat before cooking. A marinade should be very strongly flavored and is often high in salt. Leaving the solution on the surface of the meat when cooking can produce a bitter, overly-strong crust that will render even the finest cut of meat unappetizing.

Everybody knows how to make mashed potatoes, right? Just boil a few potatoes, drain, mash ’em up with some liquid such as milk and add salt and pepper to taste. Boring! For mashed potatoes that get noticed try giving your potatoes a little tender loving care.

Fresh firm potatoes are important. If your potatoes have begun to get soft their texture when boiled will become too watery. The variety of potato you use is a matter of personal taste. Peel and cut your potatoes into small pieces. Smaller pieces of potatoes will cook more quickly. Don’t overcook your potato pieces. Potatoes are done when you can easily insert a fork into a piece that you have removed from the boiling water. Make sure that there is still just a tiny bit of resistance to the fork so that the potatoes will be able to retain the correct consistency when the other ingredients are added. Don't allow your potatoes to sit in the cooking water for any length of time.

Drain your potatoes and return them to the pot in which they boiled. Next, allow yourself some creativity. Do the initial mashing of the potatoes. (The potato mashers that have wavy metal wire-like mashers are preferable to the solid round mashers). Add sour cream, soft cream cheese, and margarine; nonfat or fat-free varieties of these products works perfectly well. Use equal parts of sour cream, soft cream cheese, and margarine (or butter), the amounts used will depend on the quantity of potatoes you have cooked. Mash the potatoes again and stir in other ingredients until well blended. Add salt and pepper or other herbs or spices.

For more variety of flavors consider adding other vegetables to the potatoes as they boil, such as shredded carrots, peeled garlic cloves, or minced onions. Shredded or grated cheeses can be added while mashing the potatoes. Creamy salad dressings such as ranch or blue cheese can be substituted for the sour cream.

A panini is a fun and quick sandwich which is grilled and served hot. A great thing about paninis is that they put a new spin on a cold sandwich, making it feel more like a meal than a snack. It can be as sophisticated or as simple as you like. Panini presses are usually used to flatten the sandwich and heat its insides, but lacking a grill, you can use a pair of cast iron skillets to achieve the same crispy sandwich.

Although paninis are as easy to prepare as a grilled cheese sandwich, they don't need to be as boring as one. Experiment with flavor combinations, savory or sweet. Try rye breads or pumpernickel, sourdoughs and raisin bread. Jams, flavored mustards, and other spreads add interesting notes. Here are a few examples to spur your imagination and palate:

Chicken Margherita -- sliced chicken breast, basil leaves or pesto, tomato slices, mozzarella cheese

Spicy Roast Beef -- sliced roast beef, Dijon mustard, Jarlsberg cheese

Ham and Fontina -- sliced ham, sliced turkey, Fontina cheese, chutney

Grilled Vegetable -- grilled vegetables (eggplant, red peppers, radicchio), hummus, spring greens

Choco-Banana -- Nutella, sliced bananas, drizzle of honey

To make: heat up your panini grill or two heavy skillets to medium-high heat. Lightly oil one side of two slices of bread. Stack your sandwich, oiled sides out. Place in pan or grill. In the case of a grill, lower top lid and let cook for approximately two minutes. For pan-made paninis, place the second hot pan atop your sandwich and press down (be careful of the hot handle). Cook until lightly golden brown and insides are hot.

Crock pots have been used for decades as a simple way to make great meals. Most crock pot recipes allow you to throw the ingredients in with little to no preparation, go to work and come home to a perfectly cooked meal. You can cook whole roasts and chickens without losing all of the juice and flavor. The crock pot is virtually fool proof because there are only three settings: High, Low and Off. The low setting allows food to be cooked all day and is perfect for a meal that is 6-8 hours away. The high setting cooks the food in half the time of low and is good for a meal that needs to be ready within 2-4 hours. The beauty of a crock pot is that even if you can't get to your meal as soon as it's done there is little need to worry about it burning because the crock pot will automatically turn off once the cooking time is up but still keep your food warm.

Many people associate cock pots with cooking roasts, stews and other liquid based meals but there are thousands of recipes for the crock pot that include breakfast and dessert. For instance, there are breakfast casserole recipes that consist of eggs, cheese, sausage and bread which are layered with the bread on the bottom and cooked for 8 hours on low. This meal can be started before you go to bed and in the morning you have a delicious and effortless breakfast waiting. Dessert is a snap as well when you follow an easy recipe like the one for an apple caramel dessert which consists of apples, caramel candies, peanut butter an cinnamon all mixed together and cooked for 6 hours on low.

These delicious recipes, along with thousands more, can be found all over the internet and many come with a crock pot when you buy it. You can feel free to experiment with different recipes without having to worry about constantly watching your food. Crock pot recipes make home cooked meals easy and tasty, and they virtually cook themselves.

I know what you’re thinking – vegetables? Yuck! Still, eating well is part of a healthy lifestyle, and these healthy roasted vegetables actually taste great. Make this recipe as a side dish, or choose to place it inside of a pie dough for a main course. Either way, you will love these roasted vegetables (I promise!).

You Will Need: two potatoes cut up in cubed pieces; one sweet potato cut up; one onion chopped; a handful of cherry tomatoes; one bunch of broccoli chopped; three carrots chopped; sea salt; black pepper; extra virgin olive oil; cumin; oregano; and cinnamon.

To Make: place all of the above vegetables in a large baking pan and toss with olive oil until coated rather well. Then, add salt, pepper, and spices to taste. Cover the pan with a piece of tented tin foil, and place the entire dish in a slow oven (200 degrees) for about two hours (or, until all vegetables are cooked thoroughly).

The tomatoes in this recipe will create a sort of juice that runs throughout the dish. Once the tomato juice has mixed with the spices, the result is quite heavenly. Even if you hate vegetables, this dish is warm and wonderful without a lot of work. If you want a quick meal, simply grab a hunk of fresh bread and dip away – you may also choose to add other vegetables to this dish, and nearly anything will work well. Also, if you have a sweet tooth, you can drizzle a bit of honey over the top of this dish while it is baking for a sweeter taste.

Most people think tofu is a tasteless meat substitute that only vegetarians and health fanatics use. Grocery store freezer departments are riddled with tofu product that average buyers pass up every day. Don't let misconceptions fool you; tofu is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a multitude of tasty dishes.

Tofu can be considered a blank slate for culinary dishes. It is largely without odor and significant flavor. Tofu is made of soybean curd that is gathered and pressed. Because of its lack of smell and flavor, it is very easily marinated and can be used in a wide range of dishes. Tofu is a great substitute for meats because it is low in calories and contains no cholesterol. Certain types of tofu are also high in calcium and iron. The key to creating a successful tofu meal is a good marinade geared to your dish. For example, ginger-sesame grilled tofu steaks should be marinated in fragrant ginger-sesame vinaigrette for about a half hour before they are grilled. In addition, delicious lemon-basil burgers should be marinated for at least an hour before they are grilled. If you don't have time to marinade, consider preparing a tofu dish that involves a flavorful sauce instead. A Thai coconut tofu recipe can use a simple, yet exotic sauce using ginger, green onion, sesame oil, soy sauce, peanut butter, and olive oil. If you want something more conventional, try a simple soy sauce-based sauce while making a broccoli-tofu stir fry.

Tofu is not just a food for vegetarians and health nuts. With these appetizing ideas, there should be no reason you cannot find a tofu dish that you can enjoy.

This recipe is featured on Food TV as number four of the top one hundred recipes for 2007. Paula Dean features it in her Brunch episode, which aired in the Spring. It’s rated easy to cook, has a prep time of 20 minutes and takes 40 minutes to cook.

1 loaf French bread
8 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1-cup milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Maple syrup

Slice French bread - 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. Mix the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until combined but not too bubbly. Spread mixture over bread slices, making sure they are covered evenly with the milk/egg mixture. Spread some of the mixture in between the slices. Seal with foil and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F the next morning.

Spread praline topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:
1/2-pound (2 sticks) butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2-teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix all ingredients and blend well.

Any extra bread left over can be used for toast or garlic bread. This casserole yields 6 to 8 servings and is perfect for having a large breakfast with friends or family.

This is one creamy chicken and rice casserole that is truly easy- you can fix and cook all in one skillet. One tip on the chicken: if you have to defrost the chicken, it is best to only partially do so. It is much easier to slice the chicken breasts if they are partially frozen. If the chicken is already cooked, just shred it and heat it in the olive oil.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups Minute Rice
1 13oz can Cream of Chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. Add the chicken to the olive oil and lightly brown, stirring frequently.

Once the chicken is thoroughly cooked, stir in soup, salt, pepper, paprika, onion salt, garlic powder, rice and water until thoroughly mixed, and bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes.

This serves 2 to 4 people.

Tips: To add color, serve with a dinner salad, asparagus tips or French style green beans. This is also excellent when re-heated. Cool leftovers, then cover and store in the refrigerator.

Variations: Pour into a 1½ quart casserole dish and bake at 350* for 30 minutes. This will give the top a light, crusty texture. Or, instead of Cream of Chicken, try Cream of Mushroom Soup for a delightful flavor.

Most dishes can be difficult to cook for just one or two, since most recipes serve four to six people. The key is to fix meals that are just as delicious when re-heated, and with a busy schedule, you’ll only be cooking every other day! You can’t get any easier than tuna noodle casserole. It only takes eight minutes to prepare, and you just have one pot and one casserole dish to clean. You can also add more or less noodles, according to your taste, without changing the recipe.

Preheat oven to 350*

Ingredients:
1 6oz can white tuna in water
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 15oz can peas(substitute frozen peas)
1 tablespoon salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 10oz can Cream of Celery Soup
1 1/2 cups crushed Pringles Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips

Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions, and drain, but do not rinse. While the macaroni is cooking, drain the tuna, place in 1 ½ quart casserole dish and fork apart. Add the soup, pepper, salt and lemon juice and stir with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Drain the peas and add the peas to the casserole, along with the elbow macaroni, and stir until mixed.

Sprinkle the crushed chips evenly over the top and bake for 30 minutes, until top is lightly browned.

This serves 4 to 6. Cover leftovers when cool and store in the refrigerator. Just re-heat in the microwave.

Variations: You can substitute cream of mushroom soup for the celery soup.

When you plan to relax in front of the television and eat snacks, you're probably prepared to put on a pound or two. But here's a low fat version of a popular snacking staple that will save you some calories and maybe even save you a little bit of guilt. Low fat guacamole made with your favorite brand of gelatin can be served with chips and dips, or with Mexican food.

You need: one cup of boiling water, one package (4 oz size) of Jell-O Brand or your favorite brand of lemon flavored gelatin (choose low fat and/or sugar free if you want the healthiest version), one container (16 oz.) of low fat cottage cheese, one large ripe avocado, half a cup of chopped and drained fresh tomatoes, half a cup of chopped onions, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a dash of your favorite hot sauce.

To make: follow standard procedure for making gelatin, which is stirring the powder into the boiling water until all of the granules are dissolved. Next, simply pour the mixture into a blender, add the remaining ingredients, cover and blend. If you prefer a chunkier style of guacamole, blend the mixture minus the avocado, onions, and tomatoes. Remove from the blender and then stir in the mashed avocadoes and chopped vegetables. Pour mixture into a serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and let chill for four hours until it is the consistency of guacamole.

Serve this tasty treat with baked tortilla chips, cut vegetables, or drizzle over cooked chicken for a Mexican flair.

Home made guacamole does not taste like the guacamole that you will find in restaurants. If you would like to turn this simple guacamole recipe into the creamy sort, simply add a bit of cream and pure the entire thing in a blender or food processor. Otherwise, this recipe has a true rustic taste, and this guacamole is hearty enough to eat between two pieces of bread in place of sandwich meat.

You Will Need: two ripe avocados; one onion; one large, ripe, tomato; salt and pepper, one lime.

To Make: cut avocados in half, remove pit, and scoop out meat with a spoon. Place avocado meat into a dish, and mash it coarsely with a fork. Chop bit sized pieces of the onion and tomato, and add them to the avocado. Then, squeeze half a lime into the mix, and salt and pepper the dish heavily.

Spread this guacamole on a thick bread, and each to your heart’s content. When ripe avocado is made properly, it has a taste that is almost like butter. Your guacamole will have a bit of a bite from the lime, but the overall taste will be smooth and delicious. You can also serve this dish as an appetizer, and it goes nicely with any summertime meal. If you choose very ripe avocados, there is really no need to add anything else to this dish, but if your avocados are slightly out of season, you can also add a bit of meat to your guacamole sandwich in order to create a superb snack. Start making your own guacamole and see the difference home made taste makes.

If you are not a fan of pasta sauce, it may be because you have not tried homemade pasta sauce. Nothing beats the taste of ripe tomatoes and fresh spices, yet homemade sauce is incredibly easy to achieve. If you have always wanted to make your own sauce, but you don't know where to begin, try this basic recipe and add on to it as you please.

You Will Need: six large tomatoes; one can of tomato paste; fresh basil and oregano, one Vidalia onion chopped, extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper.

To Make: cover tomatoes in water and place on medium heat. Allow tomatoes to boil while you sauté the onion in olive oil. Once tomatoes are boiled, add onions, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Add two Tbsp. tomato paste (until thick), and all entire pot to simmer gently for up to one hour. After one hour has passed, taste the sauce and add extra tomato paste should the sauce be too thin.

That's really all there is to making your own pasta sauce, but the taste is phenomenal. You can add sausage, ground meat, or any other type of meat to this sauce as well, or you can simply leave it plain and simple. Either way, this home made sauce will beat any other type of sauce that you can purchase, and you will make it again and again. Remember, making home made pasta sauce is really quite simple, so avoid reaching for that can of sauce ever again.

Tortillas are really easy to make, but they are also a great choice for a Friday night dinner. The whole family will love to eat these hand held treats, and you can set up a large variety of fillings to go inside each one. Tortillas will easily become the one dish that children ask for time and again, and some younger children will even love to help you make this tasty meal.

You Will Need: 3 cups of flour; 1 tsp. salt; 6 Tbsp. of butter; 1 ¼ cup warm water

To Make: mix all of the dry ingredients with an electric mixer, or by hand, and cut the butter into the mixture until the flour starts to stick together. Then, add a small amount of the water until the dough becomes soft and pliable (do not add too much water!). Finally, take the dough out of the mixer and roll it into about twelve small circles.

To Heat: place each circle on an ungreased frying pan until it turns slightly brown and bubbly, turn the tortilla over. Repeat this process with each tortilla, until all tortillas are brown, but not too crisp.

Home made tortillas are really simple, but they taste much better than the packaged kind. If you have never had a hand made tortilla, treat your family to this meal tonight. So many people think that tortillas are hard to make, yet nothing can be easier. However, these tortillas will not last more than one day, so do not attempt to freeze them. You can stuff these tortillas with anything that you like (salsa, guacamole, cheese ...), so go ahead and get creative!

If you are not from the Southern United States (where chicken friend steak comes from), you may be wondering what chicken and steak have to do with one another. Simply put, chicken friend steak is merely steak that has been breaded and friend like chicken, and this recipe is easy to make. However, you should note that true Southern chicken friend steak is not one of the healthiest things that you can eat (although it is mighty tasty), so reserve this recipe for special nights only.

You Will Need: one package of cubed steak, or steak cut into cubes; flour; salt and pepper; one beaten egg; bread crumbs; olive oil.

Tenderize: you will want to pound your steak until it is nice and tender, and then proceed with the recipe.

To Make: mix flour with salt and pepper and set aside. Then, dredge each piece of steak into the flour mixture, dip it into the beaten egg, and then coat each side of the meat with bread crumbs. Go through this process with each piece of meat until all sides are coated well.

Fry: add about ½ inch of olive oil to a deep pan and place the burner on high. Then – always place the meat away from you – put each piece of meat into the fryer, and allow the meat to cook until it is golden brown.

Most people serve this recipe with a thick buttery gravy, but you can eat it just like this as well. Chicken fried steak will easily become a family favorite, and it is an easy recipe to whip up when friends arrive as well.

Risotto is very easy to make, yet it impresses guests time and again due to its creamy texture and sinfully delicious taste. To make risotto, it is detrimental that you purchase special risotto rice (Arborio), or you will not be able to produce the same thick and velvety results. Some say that risotto is time consuming, but this is only due to the fact that you must constantly watch and stir your risotto pot. Otherwise, risotto is easy to produce, and it is entirely pleasing to the palette as well.

You Will Need: 2 cups Arborio rice; olive oil; one chopped onion; one handful of diced mushrooms (any sort); 4 cups of basic chicken stock; salt and pepper; Parmesan cheese.

To Make: (over medium heat) first, sauté the onions in the olive oil until they are translucent. Then, add entire rice amount to the pan and let it sauté for one minute. Next, add one cup of chicken stock and allow rice to absorb all the stock. Stir constantly. Keep adding stock one cup at a time until rice absorbs it, and keep stirring the rice. Once rice becomes rather thick (about twenty minutes), add the diced mushrooms to the pot and stir. Keep stirring as you add ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Once mixture is creamy and done, remove from the stovetop and add salt and pepper to taste.

When the rice is thoroughly cooked and thick, taste the mixture. If you think that the rice needs more cheese, go ahead and add a bit more. Really, risotto is up to you to taste and substitute as you see fit. In the end, you will have a large pot of irresistible rice that will make your taste buds swoon. Serve risotto as a main course with a bit of salad and fresh bread on the side. Remember, the trick to great risotto is to keep stirring it while it is cooking, and always add just a bit of stock at a time – buon appetito!

Salad dressing can be an expensive thing to purchase on a weekly basis, but if you have decided to go on a salad diet, dressing may be the one thing that you cannot live without. Still, you do not have to pay nearly $5 for a gourmet salad dressing. Instead, create your own dressing at home, store it in a dated glass jar, and use it whenever you make a delicious salad.

Honey and Olive Dressing

You Will Need: ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil; two Tbsp. honey; some fresh mint leaves; salt and pepper; half of a lemon.

To Make: Simply whisk all of the above ingredients together (salt, pepper, and lemon to taste), add them to a jar, and shake vigorously.

Soon you will have a delicious dressing that everyone will enjoy, and it’s low in fat as well. This dressing works great on light salads, but the following creamy dressing will work best if you want something a bit thicker.

Thick and Creamy Dressing

You Will Need: ½ cup sour cream; some freshly chopped chives; salt and pepper; ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup olive oil.

To Make: add all ingredients to a glass jar and shake.

Did you see how easy that was? If you want, you can also add a splash of hot sauce to this recipe, or you can mix things like bacon bits in to this one as well. Now you have two easy salad dressing recipes, and you will never have to buy expensive salad dressings again.

Who can resist the classic combination of peanut butter and cookies? Kids love these treats and adults love them too, which is why the peanut butter cookie is one of America’s favorites. While a lot of people choose to buy frozen cookie dough, creating your own peanut butter cookies from scratch is a simple thing to do, but it will delight in days of pleasure (if they last that long!) for your whole family.

You Will Need: 1 ¼ flour; pinch of salt; 1 tsp. baking powder; ½ cup butter; ½ cup peanut butter; ½ granulated sugar; ½ cup brown sugar; ½ tsp. vanilla; 1 egg.

To Make: Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together in one bowl. Then, cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars in an electric mixer. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Combine the sifted flour mixture, and mix until smooth.

To Bake: place even spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie with a fork, and bake for 12-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Allow cookies to cook completely before serving.

There you have it – warm, fresh, delicious peanut butter cookies to savor the whole week through. If you have a bit of extra energy, you can use your fork to press designs into the top of the cookies prior to baking, but that is up to you. Also, you can use chunky peanut butter if you like the taste, but the cookie will be a bit more crumbly if you do. Now, wasn’t that easy?

Whether you are sick and cannot eat, or whether you simply want to make a nice snack for your kids, home made popsicles are easy and fun. The best part about a home made popsicle is that you can ensure that your family is getting a healthy dose of fruit when they decide to eat your popsicles, and unlike packaged popsicles, home made popsicles can be a great way to sneak your kids their recommended daily amount of fruits.

To make your own popsicles, combine one banana; one cup of orange juice; a handful of strawberries; some raspberries; and a splash of apple juice in a blender. Next, simply blend all of these ingredients until you have a semi-liquid consistency. Then, pour the mixture into ice cube trays, and place a toothpick inside of each cup. Place the entire tray into you freezer, and freeze until all popsicles are solid.

You kids will love to make these treats with you, and you can even add gummy bears and other candies to your popsicle mix. If you are making popsicles for yourself, you may even consider adding a bit of protein to your popsicles and munch down on these cool snacks after a strenuous workout. While packaged popsicles come loaded with sugars and preservatives, your homemade popsicles will be natural and delicious. Go ahead and add any type of fruit that you want to this mix, just make sure that you add a bit of liquid to compensate. Try this tasty recipe, and enjoy the nutritional snack that you now know how to make in a snap.

If you love macaroni and cheese, but you want to step it up a notch, here is a recipe that you are guaranteed to adore. The following recipe is geared towards adult tastes, but if you want to please your kids, simply change the type of cheese that is listed below. Adults love macaroni and cheese too, but it doesn’t have to come from that little blue box.

You Will Need: one box of shells, elbows, or bowties (up to you); one cup of gruyere cheese; one cup of Emmental cheese; milk; butter; salt and pepper.

Boil: make your macaroni as you would normally, strain, and place it in a baking dish.

To Make: first, melt one pad of butter with a tiny splash of milk over low heat until it forms a sort of paste. Then, add one cup of milk plus one cup of Gruyere and ½ cup of Emmental. Slowly allow the cheese to mix and melt along with the butter and milk, and flavor this mixture with salt and pepper. Once the sauce is done, add it to your cooked macaroni. Mix the entire thing thoroughly, and add the remaining ½ cup of Emmental.

Cook: cook macaroni in a 400 degree oven until the top is brown. Serve this meal with a nice tossed salad and some warm bread.

For kids, use a cheese that they like, and go ahead and experiment with the pasta shapes. Macaroni and cheese straight from the oven is simply divine, ad you will soon make this dish one of your stand by recipes.

Do you want a bit of a Spanish kick with your next meal? Why not dress up that plan white rice, and turn it all red with a bit of extra spice. Red rice will really make any Spanish meal stand out, but this rice also works great with basic main courses as well. The following recipe is rather simple, but you can always increase the flavor and add some more spice if you so desire.

You Will Need: enough rice for your family; one Vidalia onion; two cloves of chopped garlic; olive oil; your favorite hot sauce; paprika; one can of tomato sauce.

Sauté: sauté chopped onion and chopped garlic in a bit of olive oil until it is translucent. Then, add the raw rice to the mixture, and cook rice until it is toasted (this will give the rice a nice flavor).

Make: add enough water to the mix to cook the rice (two cups of water to one cup of rice), and allow the rice to cook thoroughly. When the rice is done cooking, leave it in the pot and add some hot sauce and enough tomato sauce to add a bit of red coloring. You can also add fresh spices along with salt and pepper to taste.

As previously mentioned, go ahead and play with the spice ratio for this recipe. If you like your food extremely hot, you can even add a few chili peppers to the dish. Red rice is a great way to turn regular rice into something special, and this rice dish will work well on Valentine’s Day as well. Forget about that plain old rice, and make some red rice tonight.

Do you want to put a vegetable on the table that your children will actually eat? There is hardly a kid in the world that does not enjoy a nice fry now and then, but you don’t have to head to your local greasy diner in order to get one. Instead, try this simple recipe for Steak Fries, and watch your kids gobble them up. Also, if you want a more adult friendly version, go ahead and chop up a bit of garlic to mix with these fries.

You Will Need: approximately eight large potatoes (Yukon Golds work well here); sea salt; black pepper; olive oil; and paprika.

To Make: Slice the potatoes (with skins on) into large wedges (make sure that they are large enough to grasp easily). Place cut potatoes in a large bowl with the sea salt, pepper, ¼ cup of olive oil and paprika (all to taste). Toss the entire mixture lightly. Spread the potatoes onto a large cookie sheet, and place in a 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes. Take the potatoes out of the over when they are slightly crispy. Allow the wedges to cool for a few moments, and then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

You can make these potatoes to go along with any main dish, and your children will delight in having their own, healthy, fries. If you are feeling extra adventurous, go ahead and mix up some honey mustards and barbeque sauces for your family to dip in – in fact, you can serve these with home made chicken fingers, and allow your kids to dip away. Nothing beats fries, and it can’t get any better than a home made steak fry.

Few dishes please hungry appetites better than a warm plate of chicken Parmesan. Serve this chicken Parmesan recipe with a heaping pile of spaghetti, some warm bread, and a nice tossed salad, and watch as your family’s eyes begin to bulge.

You Will Need: one package of chicken breasts; one jar of spaghetti sauce; two eggs; Italian bread crumbs; salt and pepper; olive oil; Parmesan cheese.

Prepare: crack the eggs into one bowl, and carefully beat the eggs until they are frothy. Then, place the Italian bread crumbs into another bowl. Remove the chicken from the package and pat dry with a paper towel. Next, slice each chicken piece into extremely thin pieces (width wise), and add a bit of olive oil to a skillet. Place the skillet on medium high, and line up the eggs, crumbs, and chicken next to the skillet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make: dip each piece of cut chicken into the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumb mixture. Once a piece is coated, place it into the hot skillet, and repeat this process with each piece of chicken. As each piece browns, remove it from the skillet and place it inside of a casserole dish. When all pieces have cooked, cover all the chicken inside of the casserole dish with spaghetti sauce, and then spread a generous helping of Parmesan cheese on top. Place the dish in the oven, and cook for forty minutes, or until bubbly.

This chicken Parmesan recipe is simply divine, just remember to slice the chicken very thin (this makes it crispier!), and to fry each piece before placing it inside of the casserole dish. You can season the entire dish with salt and pepper once it comes out of the oven, or you may choose to leave it as is – it’s up to you. Enjoy this recipe, and watch as your family enjoys it too.

Do you want to know what makes a burger taste spectacular? Believe it or not, the secret to making a great burger is not within a person’s grilling technique. Instead, the main reason why a great burger is unbeatable is that a fantastic burger contains a lot of high quality ingredients. So, skip the pre-frozen patties and processed cheese, and get a load of this juicy recipe – remember, don’t skimp on the ingredients!

You Will Need: one pound of hamburger meat (a little bit of fat will not hurt); diced onions; salt and pepper; fennel seeds; beef base; some excellent cheese from a cheese maker (nothing processed!).

To Make: simply mix the hamburger meat with all of the above ingredients (spice to taste), and add enough beef base to make your burgers juicy. While the burgers are cooking, place one slice of cheese upon each burger, and allow the cheese to melt thoroughly.

In the end, you will have a fantastic juicy burger that just oozes with taste. You can top your burgers any way you like them, but never neglect the spices and ingredients that go in to making a great burger. If you want to add other spices to this mix, go ahead and incorporate anything that you enjoy. Some people love the taste of barbecue sauce on their burgers as well, but if you decide to do this, keep the sauce to a minimum in order to really taste the burger. Remember, the secret to a fantastic burger is that you must use the best ingredients out there.

Are you looking for an easy dish that is both satisfying and tasty? Nothing could be easier than chicken and tomatoes, and this dish is also super fast. When you’ve had a long day and you just want to throw a quick meal in the oven, chicken and tomatoes can easily become your number one standby. Simply make this dish, throw it in the oven, whip up a small salad, and dinner is done.

You Will Need: one package of chicken thighs, or drumsticks (bone in); one can of stewed tomatoes; salt and pepper; one onion; olive oil; rosemary; brown sugar; two sweet potatoes.

To Make: pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion until it is translucent. Then, add the chicken to the olive oil, and lightly brown each piece. Next, place the chicken and onion mixture into a casserole dish, cover the entire thing with one can of stewed tomatoes, and place two sprigs of rosemary on top. Then, cut and peel the sweet potatoes until you have large chunks, and then add the potatoes to the casserole dish. Sprinkle the entire dish with a bit of brown sugar, and add some salt and pepper (to taste). Place the dish into the oven, and cook for about 40 minutes, or until chicken and potatoes are done.

This dish will be succulent, sweet, tangy, and just delicious. You won’t find this recipe anywhere else, since it is one of a kind, bit you can add your own touch to the recipe if you like. Try this base recipe once, and then add anything that will suit your needs. You will find that kids and adults love this recipe, and the entire dish is also a well balanced meal.

Although fettuccine alfredo is made from a cream sauce, pasta can often go very well with other types of cream sauce as well. The trick to making a great pasta and cream sauce dish is to know how to prepare a silky cream sauce that is not overwhelming. You can easily use a number of cheeses in order to make the following recipe, so go ahead and get creative. Pasta and cream sauce is a quick dish for those cold nights, and serving this meal with a side salad will ensure that your entire family walks away from the dinner table satisfied.

You Will Need: one box of pasta (bowties work best); one cup of cream or milk; butter; one cup of Gruyere cheese (shredded); flour; one large casserole dish.

To Make: Cook pasta thoroughly, and set it aside. Then, add two pads of butter to a saucepan over medium heat, and melt the butter thoroughly. Add two tablespoons of flour to the butter mix, and allow mixture to create a sort of paste. Then, add your milk or cream, and finally add the cheese. Allow entire mixture to cook until smooth, and then pour it over the cooked pasta tossing all thoroughly.

Bake: Place casserole dish in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, and bake dish approximately 20 minutes.

If you want to make a macaroni and cheese version of this dish, go ahead and use American cheese in place of the Gruyere. The trick here is to make sure that they butter and flour mixture is created before you place the other ingredients in the pan. The butter and flour will keep your sauce nice and thick, and your family will be amazed at the wonderful dish that you have prepared.

Sugar cookies are an instant heart warming food, and the best thing about them is that they are not hard to make. You can choose to decorate sugar cookies with sprinkles and icing, or you can simply eat them plain – either way, sugar cookie recipes are all pretty much the same. The following recipe is for a basic sugar cookie, but go ahead and get creative if you so desire.

You Will Need: 2 ¾ cup flour; 1 tsp. baking soda; ½ tsp. baking powder; ¼ tsp. salt; 1 cup of butter (good quality) at room temperature; 1 ½ cups of sugar; 1 egg; and 1 tsp. of vanilla.

Mix: butter and sugar until creamy, then beat in egg and vanilla.

Sift: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt

Add: add flour mix to butter mix, and beat well.

Heat: 350 degrees for about fifteen minutes, or until cookies are golden brown.

As previously mentioned, you can decorate these cookies when they cool down, or you can just dunk them in a tall glass of milk. Sugar cookies are a great treat during the holiday season, but they can be wonderful as a sort of tea cookie during the summer months as well. Also, sugar cookies are great for a special occasion when you decide to decorate them to match a certain event – some people even include sugar cookies in their wedding reception food! If you want a simple cookie recipe, nothing is quite as tasty as a great, old fashioned, simple sugar cookie.

Do you love to cook? I mean, really love to cook? If you are glued to the food channel and you can’t get enough of the latest cookbooks, Epicurious is for you. Epicurious is a cooking website that lists hundreds of different recipes, techniques, and tricks – and they’re all free. Any serious chef knows that a great recipe can either make or break any important meal, and great chefs head to Epicurious in order to find that perfect dish.

Sorting through the Epicurious website is a very easy thing to do. Simply head to the site, enter the sort of recipe you are seeking, and watch as hundreds of recipes are pulled up in an instant. Once you have selected a recipe, go ahead and click on “reader’s reviews.” Every person that has tried a certain recipe will likely comment on the overall result, and when you sift through all the comments you can really come away with some sound advice. Of course, you can rate a recipe once you have tried it too, and in this way chefs from all over the world help each other out when it comes to making that perfect meal.

One of the greatest features on the Epicurious website is the personalized recipe box. If you want to add many different recipes to your own box, so that you don’t lose track of them, simply sign up to have your own Epicurious account (it’s free). There are so many great things on this site that it is hard to find any fault with the site at all. Though you have to be a serious cook to use the recipes on this site. If you are looking to open a can and mix things together, do not use Epicurious. But, if you are looking to combine wonderful ingredients in order to make an elaborate dessert or meal, this is the site for you. All you serious cooks out there -- you must give Epicurious a try.

Not sure what to make for dinner tonight? Why not come up with a meal that is tasty and warm? Stuffed shells are easy to make, quite filling, and they will please nearly everyone that you intend to serve. Make a tossed salad to accompany the following recipe, and you will have a satisfying meal in no time.

You Will Need: one box of pasta shells; two eggs; one good hunk of ricotta cheese; one pound of mozzarella cheese (shredded); two cloves of garlic chopped; nutmeg; spaghetti sauce; and parmesan cheese.

To Make: boil the shells until they are soft, but do not thoroughly cook them. Mix the ricotta cheese, the eggs, the chopped garlic, and the nutmeg together. Stuff each shell with this mixture, and pour a thick spaghetti sauce over the top of the shells. Cover the entire dish with parmesan cheese and mozzarella.

Bake: bake shells at 350 degrees for twenty to thirty minutes, or until the cheese becomes brown and bubbly.

Stuffed shells make a great meal, and you can even add to this recipe if you like. Sausage would make an excellent addition, and you may decide to add spinach and mushrooms as well. Once the shells are in the oven, simply let them cook and when they are ready you will have a superb meal. Most Italian recipes are straightforward and simple, so the better the ingredients that you use, the better this dish will taste. Whatever you do, do not skimp on the quality of the ingredients that you are going to cook with, and take the time to put a bit of love and care into each recipe you bake.

It’s been proven time and again – eggs are good for you. So, why not skip the scrambled and fried, and try something new for a change? Eggs are so versatile, you can really make them work in just about any dish, but one dish that will really go beyond your “eggspectations” is a quick quiche.

You Will Need: five eggs; a bit of cream; one chopped onion; one package of spinach; one can of mushrooms; one pie shell; some shredded mozzarella cheese.

To Make: Mix the eggs and the cream with all the other ingredients. Empty all mixed ingredients into a ready made pie shell, and cover with cheese. Bake entire quiche for approximately 30 minutes, or until the pie is golden on the top.

Did you see how easy that was? The above recipe is for a spinach quiche, but you can really add anything you like to this basic recipe. Ham would be an excellent addition, as well as a variety of vegetables; different spices; bacon; various cheeses – really, anything that you think would work best. Of course, any recipe will be much tastier should you choose to use fresh ingredients (you will have to sauté them first), but if you are in a hurry, canned ingredients will work just fine. Also, a home made pie crust is always better, but again, if you want to make a quick quiche, you can buy a pre-made pie crust at nearly any grocery store. A quiche will make an excellent dinner choice, and since everything is in one dish you will not have to make anything else to go along with this recipe. Enjoy!