Making pizza dough yourself is healthier, more convenient (in my opinion), and cheaper than buying it from the store. I can see the argument that buying pre-made dough is quicker (if you're going to the store anyways), but this recipe only takes a 1/2 hour. So as long as you have flour and yeast at home, don't make a special trip to the store!

Make extra and freeze for later or make pizza. Yum!

Once your basil gets taller, and before it starts to flower, it's a good idea to cut it back so it will keep producing a lot of leaves. You can use those leaves in your dinner recipe (pesto recipe), or you can make new basil plants for your friends. All you need is a cup of water and two weeks. Voila - a cute basil gift for friends!

I have to admit I've never actually made these burgers myself. However, it's a burger recipe my fiance uses all the time and they're delicious. There's a little bit of kick in there from the cayenne pepper, so caution if you don't like spicy.

This is an easy summer salad that can be mixed up to incorporate any of the fruits/veggies in your kitchen. For me the key difference between this summer strawberry salad and any other is that I use a flavored balsamic vinegar (green apple), combined with extra virgin olive oil, as my salad dressing. Delicious and better for you than store-bought salad dressing. Go crazy and pour extra without feeling guilty, I do!

I love the taste and smell of fresh rosemary bread. This recipe uses yeast and therefore requires two rising periods to get the "fluffy" feel and taste that makes it so delicious. The recipe itself is easy, but make sure you can be around for a few hours to "ready" your bread as needed. I hope you enjoy the smell of your kitchen as much as I did while making this... do you think a rosemary perfume is suddenly going to appear?

I love squash, and there are many tasty ways to make it, but I find this seasoned squash to be the most convenient for me. It involves my beloved crock pot, which allows me to be away from the kitchen while my squash is still getting nice and tender. You can also chop it into pieces (or leave in halves) and cook in the oven. The oven method is quicker, but requires you to be in the kitchen to keep an eye on the oven - I'm overly cautious about my house not burning down!!

I actually made this a little while ago and just never got around to posting it, so it could be a little late in the season for winter squash. You could probably find some, but if not then you'll have a tasty meal planned out and ready for the fall.


I went a little crazy with my spices (see below). I LOVE cinnamon so I put a ton on top and then mixed it all inside with the squash "meat". If you have a really fresh squash the flavor will be so delicious you really won't need much in the way of seasoning.

Enough talking, enjoy!

This summer pasta is simple, with just a few key ingredients, yet flavorful. It's important to use fresh basil. The leaves have such a strong, fresh flavor, it really makes the dish. The mozzarella is a nice compliment to the basil and tomatoes - and who doesn't love cheese?

Hope you enjoy this basil, mozzarella, and tomato pasta. Let me know if you come up with any other tasty ingredients to mix in.

I love chocolate! I am a firm believer in the power of chocolate to make any day better. Some nights I just *need* to make chocolate chip muffins. But with that said, I don't need a dozen and I don't need the pure butter and sugar muffin recipe. The way I see it... if I make healthier (yet still moist and tasty) muffins, then I can have two since they're better for me. Like how I just rationalized doubling my chocolate muffin intake?  :-)  Also, for those who make a whole batch of something and then end up eating them all at once, this recipe only makes four muffins so feel free to eat them all!