This recipe is from Rachael Ray’s “Express Lane Meals” cookbook, page 130. I thought it was great and it only took me about 35 minutes to make from start to finish. I substituted imitation crab meat. Someday I’ll try it with real crab. I also didn’t have fresh thyme on hand so I used a sprinkle of dried thyme instead.

Most people don’t like meatloaf, but I think if you find the right recipe it’s pretty good! Most recipes call for 9×5 loaf pans…I only have an 8×4 loaf pan, so I actually use an 11×7 pan instead.

I was hungry for tater tot hotdish, but didn’t have a recipe, so I adapted several recipes I found online to create my own.

I think my mom makes the best stuffing in the world. Because I don’t always get to spend the holidays with her, I’ve been determined to find a recipe that I could make that would serve as a substitute. I finally found it! This is adapted from the Rival Crock Pot Cookbook.

We ordered this once at a restaurant (Pepper’s) while living in Fargo and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since. I love making it for parties, potlucks, get-togethers etc. It’s super easy to make and always a hit. I haven’t listed amounts because sometimes I use an 11×7 pan and other times I use a 9×13 pan, so the amounts vary.

Not sure why this is called Russian Tea, but it’s something I grew up drinking and still love to this day. It’s soothing when you’ve got a sore throat and warming on those cold winter nights. I’ve seen a lot of recipes with cinnamon and cloves, but I prefer it without.

This recipe was adapted from the August/September 2009 issue of Healthy Cooking magazine. It’s different, but pretty good and it’s quite filling. I usually don’t care for whole wheat penne, but the flavors of the recipe disguised the “whole-wheatiness” well.

This is a very easy and delicious breakfast recipe that I adapted from a Gooseberry Patch recipe. It can also be prepared ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator overnight, then baked in the morning.