Zesty Roasted Chickpeas

This a delicious snack food that is easy and economical to make at home. When the chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are roasted for a long period of time, they take on a wonderful crunchy texture. Many different spice mixes can be applied to these. They'd be great with just salt and pepper! However, I am a lover of all things garlicky and oniony so I present these delicious (and addictive) roasted chickpeas. Serves 2 (or 1, really).

Vegetable Lasagna

This is a vegetarian lasagna worth making and eating tonight! The lasagna's step of roasting the vegetables with copious amounts of garlic really brings out everything wonderful about eggplant and summer squash. The original Cook's Illustrated recipe leaves out the traditional layer of creamy ricotta—I put it back in because it just adds so much. This lasagna was supposed to have 3 layers of traditional noodles, however, I ran out of them. I substituted penne in the top layer, and I must say, the crunchy, nutty taste of it was intoxicating—like eating a slice of baked ziti (mmm...baked ziti). This makes 8 slices in a deep lasagna dish.

Blueberry Scones

It's that time of year again when the blueberries are on sale! I got a box for my 4th of July party and had a bunch of leftovers for my favorite scone recipe. These are delicious with a dollop of whipped cream or eaten with cup of hot coffee. Makes 8 "Starbucks-sized" scones.

Dill Potato Salad

For our 4th of July festivities this year I made my new favorite potato salad. Potato salad and I have had a difficult relationship in the past. I do not like pickles (although I love the taste of dill), eggs, or liberal use of yellow mustard in my potato salads—all of which dominate at most family gatherings. This recipe is perfect for those that like the scrumptious flavors of dill and sour cream. Enjoy! This serves 6 to 8 people.

Slow-Cooker Tequila Lime Chili

It's been hot all week and today I finally got smart and remembered my slow cooker. I discovered this amazing, summery chili recipe in America's Test Kitchen's Slow Cooker Revolution. With very little prep in the morning, I had a flavorful and nutritious dinner by the heat of the evening. My husband and I topped our bowls with only some shredded cheese—nothing else necessary! Serves 6.

Simple Italian-Style Meat Sauce

Lately, this is my go-to, easy spaghetti sauce. It comes together quickly with minimal effort, but tastes like its been simmering on the stove all day! Oh, and the sauce gets even better the next day. For an extra veggie punch, you can put 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree in the sauce when adding the tomatoes. Serves 8-10 (feel free to freeze 1/2 of the sauce for later!).

Chicken Saute with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

Delicious food in 30 minutes with minimal effort is my goal these days with a seven-month-old baby, so I was pleased to discover this recipe today at Central Market in Poulsbo. This has big flavor with in-season ingredients and was a definite crowd-pleaser in my house this evening. Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

Good Indian food in a slow-cooker? Yep, that's exactly what this is. Also, inexpensive and completely from the pantry? Again, yes, unbelievably. When I want something tasty, inexpensive and done by dinner, this is my new go-to recipe. It's completely hands-free when I make brown rice in my rice cooker. At that point, it's basically take-out because you can eat at any time you'd like. This meal is awesome especially because I've got a new baby in the house!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

First of all, sorry for the lack of a picture. I could take a picture of the empty stockpot, but that would do us no good. Yes, this disappeared as quickly as it was made, if that's any testament to just how good this version of Mexican tortilla soup is. Forget any sorry excuses of this soup you've had in the past—this is where it's at. Serves 6-8

Spaghetti with Bolognese-Style Sauce

The key to this classic dish is "low and slow." Indeed, the sauce takes a whole three hours from start to finish. Is it worth the time? Yes. Yes it is. The flavors are meaty, satisfying, and downright beautiful. With an easy ingredient list, this recipe is great to prepare all-year-round. This recipe was adapted from Mark Bittman and makes about 4 cups of sauce.