S'more Skewers

My hubs is a huge fan of chocolate and marshmallow.  Smash them between two graham crackers, melt them in rice krispies, layer them on a giant chewy cookie, mix them in ice cream....if you add carbs, and that all you require to make him a very happy man.  No, happy is an understatement....a child who's just found Wanka's golden ticket after a cavity-free dental exam is more accurate.  So naturally, I do my best to turn him into this wriggling child of delight by making all sorts of goodies out of marshmallows and chocolate.  Take S'more Samoa Squares, for example.  First made while he was studying for the biggest exam of his medical career, he now requests these whenever he has a truly tremendous exam on the horizon.  But for those times in between, this is his favorite little creation to have lying around.

Fresh Apple Streusel Muffins

I love weekend breakfasts.  They are the two times during the week when the hubs and I can sit down together and enjoy a hot, fresh breakfast.  Our all-time favorite is fried eggs, peppered bacon and a fresh pastry.  And it is very likely one of yours, too.  It's the perfect morning mix of savory and sweet to jive with your java.  We swap in various pastries every weekend, but one of our all-time favorites are fresh apple muffins.  Every time I make them, the hubs cannot stop gushing about how good they are.  And sometimes I can even stop shoveling them in my mouth long enough to grunt back in agreement.  

Pesto Pomegranate Pasta

The best weeknight meals have two very important standards.  One, they should be easy to prepare.  The last thing I want to do after working all day is come home and truss a duck.  I'm tired, likely slightly cranky from traffic and just want to relax for a few minutes with my hubs and pup.  The other problem with a Tuesday-night duck is the time it takes to roast.  Now we have many, many friends who find nine o'clock is a perfectly acceptable time to eat dinner.  However, the hubs and I are more of a half past six duo.  After all, morning rounds come at the same time regardless of when we go to bed.  So keeping those two family standards in mind, we have a few favorites for Thursday nights such as these.  And this is one of those favorites.

Arrabbiata Caprese Pizza with Shrimp

Do you ever have a hard time choosing between two different types of pizza?  Lord knows I do.  Ask the hubs and he will tell you that I am the absolute queen of indecision.  When we go out to brunch, I'm the annoying one who asks the waitstaff which dishes they prefer, if their cheese is broiled or melted, and if they substitute egg whites free of charge (and all this helps me pick between my final two or three runners-up).  The hubs then quickly follows up with a simple "eggs benedict" much to the relief of the person taking our order.  Indecision seems to be my lot in life.  But just like it typically helps me get the perfect breakfast, it also helps me made delicious new recipes such as this amazing pizza.

Roast Tomato, Onion & Smoked Gouda Burgers

There are times in life that call for a burger.  Football games, cornhole parties, random Thursdays, backyard games of badminton with a court spray painted onto the grass...are all a little better with a big beefy patty.  For events such as these, the original with lettuce, tomato and ketchup will definitely suffice.  But there are occasions that call for a supremely stepped up burger.  For the hubs and I, our favorite of these occasions is great bottle of red wine.  And my-oh-my, do I have a delicious burger for your next big-bodied red.

Red Hot Candy Cookies

Valentine's Day is all about the sweets.  Sweet gents, sweet ladies, sweet children, sweet pups, sweet tarts.  And plenty of sweet desserts.  But my hubs, in addition to being super sweet, is also pretty hot.  So to contrast the abundance of sugar-spun romance topped with frosting and hearts, I bring to you today a fantastic little cookie with a cinnamon kick.  Slightly sweet, slightly hot.  Perfect.