I used 2 bags of microwave popcorn and found that it was too hard to evenly coat all that popcorn and spread it out on a baking tray, so next time I'll just do one bag at a time.....no fault of the recipe however; just not a well-thought out execution on the cook's part, ha! Since this was my practice run, I made up treat bags and sent to my daughter's daycare Halloweeen party. Add-ins I used were: candy corn, peanut butter M&Ms, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Tasty!

Made for my daughter's Halloween party at her daycare and it went over very well! My daycare provider LOVED this idea and wants to do this each year now! I crushed an entire bag of a store brand sandwich cookie with chocolate filling, which I didn't remove because it really resembled muddy dirt (plus, I liked the consistency it gave). I used individual clear plastic cups, so each of the kids would have their own. I layered the "dirt" first, then a middle layer of pudding, and a final top layer of dirt again. Fun to make and eat, these will continue on as a yearly Halloween tradition!

Really quick and easy! Impressive enough for company too! Followed the recipe to the letter (which is rare for me) and it was a very yummy dessert for my DD and to share over vanilla ice cream last night after dinner. Subbing out pecans would be delicious too. My only change for next time would be to use a dark or spiced rum (which I didn't have this time), as I think the flavor it would impart would bump this up a star for me. Yum, yum!

Fairly quick to get on the table on a busy weeknight. I will make this again, but will definitely tweak next time. First off, I'm not a lover of "processed cheese" at all, so I'll either use less than 6 oz next time, or substitute Alouette cheese spread. Like the majority of reviewers, I also used chicken broth and a little half and half for the grits, which was nice. I used the frozen shrimp tonight, but I'd prefer raw shrimp next time. I'd even like to experiment with some turkey sausage and extra veggies. I'll also use 2 roma tomatoes, diced, instead of only one. The lemony, garlic sauce was very good, but I did toss in some parsley and chives for color. Husband inhaled this and I honestly didn't think he'd dig this dinner. Overall, an easy, tasty dish to serve without a lot of prep work or fuss.

Make sure you use good quality jumbo shells and be delicate with them! Followed the recipe fairly closely, except for sprucing up the ricotta mixture with garlic & onion powders and basil. I toasted my walnuts beforehand, as I believe it makes an honest difference to your dish. As mozzarella is a mild-flavored cheese, I chose to use a five-cheese Italian blend and it was a nice touch. I appreciated the "meaty" texture of the walnuts, though I would reduce them to a 1/2 c next time. Pine nuts would be an excellent substitution too. Preferring a thicker filling, I'll use only 1 egg next time. With plenty of wiggle room in this recipe, I can't wait to incorporate some variations (spinach in the filling, maybe using manicotti vs. shells or even making a lasagna?), as this tasty baked pasta will remain on our Meatless Monday rotation.

Using the Quick and Easy Pizza crust recipe on AR, which only takes 8-10 minutes in my oven, I knew immediately I'd need to brown the sausage first before adding it to the pizza. I used Johnsonville's half pork/half chicken sausage to save a few calories and it was wonderful! Honestly, I didn't measure out any of the ingredients, but rather, topped according to amount/taste preference. My 4 year-old DD's half only had sausage and cheese, but the adult half contained green peppers and white onion, which sauteed briefly with the sausage; pepperoni, and thinly sliced mushrooms, which I also barely sauteed with our favorite seasonings. Husband came home from a guys' night out and quickly demolished a couple pieces. He even polished off the remaining cold slices for breakfast this morning, and he's already requested this AGAIN for dinner tonight!

Using boneless/skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts, I simply eyeballed the ingredients, including spices. I used a combo of Italian bread crumbs and panko, which is my personal preference. It provides that crispy, "fried" texture/taste. To the mayo mixture, of which I used far less than 1 c, I added some garlic powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning and maybe 1/8 c parmesan cheese. I also added a few shakes of poultry seasoning to the bread crumb/panko mixture. Instead of adding salt to the dry ingredients, I simply sprinkled a bit of sea salt atop my chicken breasts. Instead of dirtying a baking dish, I lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, which I always do when baking chicken. Since I always buy the thin-sliced breasts, I only need 20 minutes at 400, which always renders perfectly done chicken. Of course, depending on the type of chicken you prepare and how hot your oven runs, the baking time/temp should be adjusted accordingly. While my chicken was baking, I whipped up some mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli. Easy, fast, and kid-friendly, this will be made when I need a quick weeknight dinner.

This may have been the easiest, hassle-free dinner I've thrown together. Not only that, but it delivered exactly what I was hoping for taste and texture-wise. Following the advice of another reviewer, I only used 3 cups of liquid total (1 1/2 c chicken broth and 1 1/2 c of a combo of heavy cream and 2% milk). Before the broth/milk mixture came to a rolling boil, I whisked in some spices to taste: black pepper, a little onion & garlic powders, a dash of nutmeg, and some dried basil. With the addition of the 1 c parmesan cheese, the polenta was already thick, and honestly, I could've dug in at that moment. However, I poured the polenta into an 8x8" square glass baking dish, topped with an eyeballed amount of a hearty basil marinara sauce, then sprinkled some extra parmesan cheese and the remainder of a bag of an Italian blend shredded cheese I wanted to to use up, as well as a final sprinkling of basil. Baked for 12 minutes, and let it sit out for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven....perfect firm, yet creamy texture and taste! Served with a simple green tossed salad, this will be a regular in our Meatless Monday rotation for sure! Even paired with some Italian sausage and peppers, this polenta would be an excellent side dish as well. Bravo!

I first made these cookies a couple years ago and nearly ate myself sick! I've now made them for the second time tonight and they are every bit as delicious. Some tweaks I make with this recipe are: 1 T of orange juice instead of water, use 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder, and add more spices than called for (especially cloves, LOVE cloves). Finally, I sub out 1 c dark brown sugar instead of white, as I love the beautiful dark, molasses color I think ginger cookies should be. I've tried the balls vs. flattening them and honestly don't notice much of a difference, so I generally just shape them into balls and roll them in sugar. 8 minutes in my oven is perfect and these cookies deliver exactly the texture I love in all cookies....soft and chewy on the inside and just slightly crispy on the outside. I adore the smell of these cookies as I'm taking them out of the oven. They make my kitchen smell divine. LOVE this recipe!

Back in my hometown, there's a pizza chain, Valentino's, who makes a bacon cheeseburger pizza, which is my ultimate favorite pizza ever. My aim was to copycat that pizza, using this recipe as a guide. I had some turkey bacon to use up, so I diced it up and fried it using the drippings to sautee half a diced yellow onion. To the hamburger, I added a couple dashes of worchestershire sauce as well garlic/onion powders to taste and a little seasoning salt. I then mixed the bacon and onion right into the hamburger. I made the Quick and Easy Pizza Crust from this site too, which was wonderful. Instead of the Thousand Island dressing, I used a mix of ketchup and mustard and added a little mayo for good measure. Valentino's bakes the pickles right into their pizza, and so did I. I diced up a couple sandwich-sliced Claussens and added it directly to the ketchup-mustard mixture. I also added a thin layer of lettuce over the sauce and finally added the hamburger/bacon/onion mix. Covered with a mix of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, and an Italian blend and baked for about 10 minutes at 450. Husband devoured half the pizza by himself! This will be a repeat....I'd like to try again using the Thousand Island dressing now.

Nothing but love for this recipe! Soft and doughy is just what I wanted and this recipe delivered exactly that. This was my first time making my own crust and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. I used AP flour and garlic-infused olive oil, following the recipe exactly. However, I did let the dough rise for closer to 45 minutes, only because I got distracted with laundry. I made this crust for the Big Cheeseburger Pizza, also from this site, and will use this crust as my "go-to" every time I do a homemade pizza now. I foresee a LOT of homemade pizzas in our weekend dinner rotations, now that I feel confident enough to make my own. Thanks for such an easy recipe to help first-time crust makers like me!

I had 4 small-medium sized bananas to use up today. I'd made these muffins before for a playdate, but today, wanted banana bread instead....with this crumb topping. I used a 9x5 loaf pan instead, baked for 30-35 minutes, and added the topping at the halfway mark. Perfect! Liberties I take when using this recipe include: adding 1 tsp vanilla and 1/4 c applesauce when I mash my bananas. I also sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice into the banana mixture. I sub canola oil for the melted butter as well. Instead of all white sugar, I use 1/2 c white and 1/4 c brown sugar, 3/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp nutmeg to the flour mixture and use 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda. I follow the crumb topping directions to the letter, except for upping the cinnamon to 1/4 tsp. Love the results this way, for muffins or a loaf! My house smells heavenly on this very chilly Colorado fall day.

I honestly can't say I loved this. As written, I imagine a pretty bland, blah soup, so I immediately knew I'd have to spruce it up to suit my family's tastes. Also, 3 1/2 cups of diced potatoes in only 3 1/4 cups water? I prefer a much higher liquid content when boiling, so I upped the water and used dissolved chicken base for extra flavoring. I also sauteed an entire small, diced onion in the butter and made the roux from there. I spruced up the roux with garlic & onion powders, pepper, a dash of nutmeg, parsley, and crushed thyme. Considering I used more liquid to boil the potatoes in, I drained out a couple cups and added the roux to the soup. I know the recipe is intended as a soup, but my family simply prefers a thicker, heartier soup, so I made a cornstarch slurry, added a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and some real bacon bits. Still just so-so. Husband and daughter liked it, however, I think I'll keep searching for another ham & potato soup.

There's a reason nearly 5,200 people love this recipe so much! I'm no exception, but I did make some adjustments while following the heart of the recipe. First off, I used a 1lb pkg of boneless/skinless thighs in lieu of breasts, which I "crockpotted" in 1/2 c chicken broth and spices to taste (pepper and onion/garlic powders), then coarsely shredded. I boiled my veggies (potatoes added) in chicken broth as suggested, and reserved 2 c of that deliciousness. I sauteed half an onion (diced) in butter, adding some pepper, minced garlic, and thyme. Added the 1/3 c flour and used the entire reserved 2 c broth and 3/4 c of a combo of 2% milk and half & half. Once thickened, I combined it with my crockpotted chicken and added 1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese, just because. I transferred the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and topped with two puff pastry sheets (prefer those over regular pie crust) brushed with an egg white. Baked at 375 for 25 min. Once out of the oven, I let it rest for a good 15 minutes before I served it. Not dry, not runny.....just absolutely heavenly, and I will definitely make this over and over again!

Bravo to a healthier alternative cookie, and I'm pleased with how nicely these turned out. Since it's easy to vary what ingredients you've got on hand (or just personal preferences), here's how I tweaked them: 3/4 c brown sugar and a healthy squeeze of two of honey. I added a few tablespoons of peanut butter just because I like it (and wanted a little extra protein since I intend to eat these as a "grab and go" breakfast cookie). I used a whole egg and subbed 1 tsp baking powder instead, desiring a puffier, cake-like cookie. Not measuring, I tossed in some pomegranate craisins, grape nuts, and chocolate chunks (would've used the mini morsels, but I was out). I didn't have pecans, which I'll add toasted next time, nor did I have sunflower seeds, which I adore in anything trail mix-y. Overall, these were a cinch to throw together, baked up exactly how I imagined, and I can't wait to experiment further with these!

I liked it, but I didn't LOVE it, which I really wanted to. Taste and texture-wise, it wasn't that far off from the way I normally prepare stovetop oatmeal (boiled in milk or vanilla soy milk with brown sugar stirred in at the end of cooking). I was hoping to get a different outcome with the addition of the egg, but the only benefit was some added protein, which provides a hearty, filling breakfast for my 4 year-old DD (who devoured this, by the way). The only differences I made were to add a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of vanilla, reduced the brown sugar to 1/4 c, and I added a 1/2 c more oatmeal, as we prefer a thicker consistency. The proportions were then spot-on for our liking.

This was nothing spectacular, but it wasn't bad either, hence the 3-star rating. I sauteed an onion in a little oil, then added my green chiles. I then melted the cream cheese in the same pan and added the remainder of the ingredients, omitting the mushrooms. I love them, but somehow they didn't seem like they belonged in this dish. I did use a combo of 2% milk and regular half and half, since it's what I had on hand. I seasoned the chicken breasts to taste and then poured the warm sauce over them. I covered with foil and only baked for 20 minutes, since my chicken was the thin-sliced variety. With the warm sauce already poured over the chicken, I didn't want to risk overcooking either. I mixed some white rice into the sauce after the chicken was done and also served a zucchini/squash/onion/tomato stir-fry on the side. Good for busy weeknights, and husband really liked, but not something I'll remember enough to repeat.

Husband won't touch cucumbers, which is fine by me, since I can enjoy this tasty little salad all by myself! Generally using English cucs, I always use the garlic-flavored or seasoned rice vinegar and whisk in a couple pinches of dried ginger, a pinch of garlic powder and a quick shake of black pepper. I always omit the sugar, as I prefer the tang of the vinegar. I like to toss in a few paper-thin slivered raw onions. Other variations which compliment this salad include shredded carrots or thinly sliced radishes. Experiment and enjoy!

Easy peasy! I tossed my tomatoes in a garlic-infused olive oil, added some sea salt, pepper, basil, and onion/garlic powders to taste. My oven runs hot, so I roasted my tomatoes at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. The last few minutes of roasting, I boiled angel hair pasta, tossed with pesto, and used the tomatoes as a topping. Playing around with spices, you could easily make these to suit a Mexican dish, a Greek dish, a Middle-Eastern dish....

Absolutely delicious! This was our weekly "Meatless Monday" dinner and it turned out very well. As a tweaker, I did some things differently, as I wanted my zucchini cakes to turn out more like Ruby Tuesday's mini zucchini sliders. I added roughly 1/4 c of diced (jarred) roasted sweet red peppers as well as a handful of feta cheese, breaking up some of the bigger chunks. I was in a hurry and could've done a better job squeezing out my zucchini, as the "batter" was a tad too wet to actually form into patties when I started the first one. Improvising, I added more breadcrumbs, and I also threw in some Panko as well. Perfect! I loved the addition of the Old Bay...they actually tasted like crab cakes to this Midwestern girl! I added my usual garlic/onion powders to taste, some black pepper, and subbed mayo for the melted butter. I fried them in garlic-infused olive oil (used just enough to coat bottom of my skillet.) Served with sweet potato fries and sliced avacado, my husband, and even my 4 year-old daughter, cleaned their plates. Thanks to the extra zucchini from my MIL, I'll be making these little beauties again this week. Next time, I'd like to do the slider version on some sweet rolls with butter lettuce and tomato. *Drool*