Recipe Raves

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I love to cook. (I hate to clean up, but that's another story . . . ;)) Probably most of you also know that one of my favorite cooking blogs is Tammy's Recipes. I have found SO many "keeper" recipes on her site. Plus, I love reading about her life and family. I know I've linked to a lot of my favorites in the past, but I wanted to link to some more that we've enjoyed recently!

First up is Creamy Guacamole. I love, love, love guacamole. I didn't actually discover my love of avocados till I was an adult . . . but now, I would seriously grow an avocado tree (if, of course, an avocado tree would actually grow in NH :))! (Do avocados grow on trees? And is there an "e" in avocado(e)s, like in potatoes? I just realized I'm not quite sure.) Anyway, we usually make a simple guac just by mashing up an avocado and sprinkling in some granulated garlic and lime juice. Easy peasy. But then I saw Tammy's guacamole recipe . . . which also includes cilantro and sour cream . . . and, oh MY! This is soooo delicious.

And along with it, I had to try these homemade Whole Wheat Pita Chips. I had made Tammy's whole wheat pitas before, and it turns out that they make very delicious chips, too! Admittedly, it's more work to make your own pita chips than it is to buy a bag of Stacy's (which I love), BUT it is also a lot cheaper. I wouldn't go to the trouble to make these every day, but for a once-in-a-while treat, it's worth it. They are good plain, but even better served with guacamole or hummus!

Another new favorite recipe is Thin-Crust Chicken Bacon Artichoke Pizza. We eat a lot of pizza around here, but usually it is just plain ol' pepperoni--quick and easy. This one is a bit more work, but it's super yummy. I think I've made this recipe three times so far, and Jim and I both love it. I have skipped the artichokes each time, because we're not crazy about them, and it's cheaper to leave them off, anyway. :)

This Saucy Broccoli Chicken Bake is comfort food at its best. As is this yummy Creamy Macaroni and Cheese. With both of these, I will usually make the recipe as is, but divide it into 2 9x9 pans and freeze one for later. Both freeze quite well, and it's nice to have a couple extra meals to pull out of the freezer on busy days!

And of course, there are desserts . . . if you are trying to lose weight, like me, it might be better not to look at all of the amazing cheesecakes that Tammy and her husband create! I have only tried one so far--this easy Lemon Meringue Cheesecake--but there are lots more on my "want to try" list! Another dessert we have enjoyed greatly is this Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcake. Mmmmm. In fact, with our strawberries ripening up, I think I just might have to make one of these within the next week. :)

I also wanted to share a couple of other favorites--not from Tammy's Recipes--yes, I do occasionally find "keepers" on other websites. ;) This Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade is destined to become a frequent summer indulgence around here (I made mine with plain water rather than sparkling). It tastes a lot like Applebee's strawberry lemonade, in my opinion! Another recipe I tried recently was this Rhubarb Cheesecake. It was pretty easy and very tasty! I drizzled a simple strawberry glaze over the sour cream topping to give it a little more color, as I didn't have fresh strawberries on hand at the time to garnish it with.

Well, I know there are lots more recipes I could share, but this post is long enough for now. :) Hope some of you may try these; maybe they will become new favorites for you, also!!