Nutella thumbprint cookies

Last week we were crazy enough to participate in Drew's Polar Bear Plunge - brrrrrrrrrrrr - and took these chocolate Nutella thumbprint cookies along with us. Yum!

Chile-rubbed steak nachos

It was Game Day - Razorbacks vs Auburn- and Robert was craving nachos. He picked this recipe for chile-rubbed steak nachos from the Food Network website, and it was an excellent choice!

Bacon, potato, rosemary & fontina pizza

 Last week we tried Tyler Florence's bacon, potato, rosemary & fontina pizza, and it was delicious!! The recipe calls for topping it with arugula and a squeeze of lemon. We tried it that way plus plain, and liked them both. If you already have arugula in the fridge, use it -if not, just serve it without. The pizza tastes great leftover, too!

Pumpkin spice marshmallows

I've been interested in trying homemade marshmallows for a while now, and when I saw this pumpkin spice version on Taste and Tell, I knew this would be my inaugural attempt. I don't know what to say about these other than they're AMAZING. They are fun to eat plain, but oh my goodness, add a few to your morning coffee and WOW! These rival Starbucks' pumpkin spice lattes, which are a personal favorite of mine. Next, I'm going to try them in hot chocolate and S'mores. The recipe says they last a week in the fridge, so we banished some to the freezer to make them last longer. Seriously, make these today - your coffee will never be the same!

Nutella crepes

Robert and I recently went to France (fantastic!), where we feasted on some very fabulous food. One of my personal favorites was just a lowly street food - the Nutella crepe. Mmmmmm. I knew these would be easy - and necessary - to recreate at home, so I used this crepe recipe from Alton Brown (the sweet variation at the bottom, minus the liqueur), and added about 2 tablespoons of Nutella once both sides were cooked. Simply fold and EAT!

(Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread that you'll find on the peanut butter aisle at the grocery store).

Bacon burgers

We were craving big, beefy burgers last week, and this bacon burger recipe from Tyler Florence/Food & Wine magazine really hit the spot. We followed the recipe as is, except we scaled it back to feed 2. But bacon and beef weren't enough - we added to the gluttony with these cornmeal fried onion rings. YUM!

Brie and apple quesadilla

Last week we tried Cooking Light's brie, apple and arugula quesadillas. Again, Robert was skeptical - no meat? - but we enjoyed them just the way they were!

Tomato minestrone soup with garlic bread croutons

It's finally starting to feel like Fall outside, and that means soup weather! We made Rachael Ray's tomato minestrone with garlic bread croutons this weekend, and loved it. Robert was a little tentative about minestrone - it just didn't sound like his style - but he was pleasantly surprised and changed his tune. I think he was afraid it would taste like vegetable soup with pasta thrown in, but the pancetta, crushed tomatoes, and delicious garlic bread croutons added layers of flavor that he approved of!

Pimiento cheese

Robert has developed cravings for pimiento cheese because he loves the one served at The Capital Hotel Bar. We're having a lazy weekend at home, and thought it was a great opportunity to make a batch for sandwiches and snacks. This version has toasted pecans, which gives it a little twist!

Banana bread cobbler

We made banana bread cobbler a few weeks ago at the lake, and it was a big hit! This was Robert's perfect dessert because he isn't as much of a chocolate fan as the rest of us. It's easy to make, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it extra-special!

Chicken tamale casserole

Last week we tried chicken tamale casserole from Cooking Light - it was simple, hearty, and yummy! I used 1 large egg instead of egg substitute, and habanero shredded cheese for extra heat.

Pumpkin chocolate chip bread

I can't believe my favorite recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip bread hasn't made an appearance on the blog until now. My friend Kady brought a loaf of this to the office when I worked in DC, and I've been hooked ever since. I don't even want to know how many loaves of this I've made since then - it might embarrass me. Try it, you'll love it!

1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first five ingredients and mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Mix together and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

(I usually cover mine with foil for the last 10 minutes or so, to make sure the edges don't get too dark while the middle finishes baking).