I can’t get enough of the summer tomatoes! And as good as they are, they just make me miss the tomatoes we ate in Italy during our honeymoon a few years ago because those tomatoes were next level. I lost count of how many caprese salads we ate. Anyways, these tomato tarts with flaky puff pastry were SO easy to whip up and full of flavor. I made a few changes, but used Cuisine at Home’s recipe for the most part. These would be great for a gathering with friends and family!

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If you’ve never made tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes, I highly suggest taking the extra step. Although I have nothing against canned tomatoes, there’s nothing like the flavor that fresh tomatoes provide. Pour this sauce atop spaghetti or chicken Parmesan, and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal!

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With wedding season in full swing, I haven’t been able to spend as much time in the kitchen. My family and I flew to our hometown, Columbus, Ohio, last weekend to celebrate my oldest brother’s wedding. The ceremony and venue were absolutely beautiful, and it was wonderful to see family I hadn’t seen in years. The only downside of the trip was that we ate pretty unhealthy. So, now that I’m back home, I’m trying to get back on track. We’ll see how long that lasts, ha!

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The other night, I realized that my pantry was overflowing with unopened cans and bags of beans, boxes of pasta, crackers, etc. It was clearly a sign that I needed to make use of some of these ingredients. Pasta is always a quick-fix meal, so I created this simple, yet flavorful, pasta dish with ingredients I’d seemingly forgotten about.

Though this recipe isn’t anything groundbreaking, it was a delicious and hearty meal after a long day at work. Granted, I probably ate a much larger bowl than those photographed above, but I’ll let you think I have portion control. :)

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Sorry SpongeBob, but this crab appetizer will put your renowned krabby patties to shame. Its got all the delicious flavor with a gourmet twist. The variety of colors and textures in this dish really make it stand out. Your guests will get the impression that you slaved over this recipe, when in reality, it will only take you about 20 minutes.

Now I wouldn’t say I’m a seafood fanatic in the least bit, but the crab in this appetizer is so subtle that I can barely tell I’m eating it. However, I’m sure the avocado, lime juice and garlic helps mask the fishy flavor that I typically despise.

This is the type of recipe that you can alter to your liking. If you aren’t a big tomato fan, don’t put as much in the mixture. If you love avocado (like me), feel free to add more. After all, this appetizer is basically an elevated version of guacamole. Since I doubled the recipe, be sure to add more of the other ingredients accordingly.

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I’m officially inspired. My friend adamantly told me the other day that I had to watch the movie “Julie and Julia.” According to her, I am Julie. After watching the movie, I’d have to disagree a little bit, as I have yet to cook such intricate meals…nor have I ever tried to bone a duck (ew). However, I do mirror Julie’s passion for cooking and sharing it with others via my blog.

I find her tenacity for taking on such a daunting task (524 recipes in 365 days) extremely admirable—especially for someone without any cooking background. Her relationship with Julia Child’s cookbook was clearly a full-time commitment.

The most recent recipe my mom and I tried out was bruschetta with rosemary, roasted plum tomatoes, ricotta and prosciutto from Bon Appetit. Just reading the ingredients makes my mouth water. A series of “mmms,” “yums” and “ooos” will be mumbled after biting into one of these decadent crostinis.

Not only do they taste delicious, but they look it!

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Disclaimer: don’t judge a book by its cover. This appetizer is absolutely delicious, but it doesn’t necessarily look it. My brothers made sure to point that out. But trust me, I wouldn’t share something that’s anything but scrumptious.

This is a pretty time-consuming dish with a decent amount of ingredients, but it’s all worth it in the end. I can guarantee that people will hover over it at any dinner party or event. Initially I was leary about the ingredients, since I’m not eggplant’s biggest fan, but this appetizer definitely erased my skepticism.

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While my mom was in South Carolina, she decided to cook a Caribbean-themed dinner for some guests. She found a goat cheese and red pepper appetizer that is absolutely delicious. Once I dove into the dip, it was almost impossible to stop. From what my parents said, their guests couldn’t get enough of it either.

* Note: I doubled the recipe for the goat cheese filling.

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