Meat Lasagna with Mozzarella and Spinach

After watching Eat Pray Love, I just had to go Italian.  I call up my mother who’s on the way to the snow, stuck on hwy 80, I might add, and behind two other stuck cars all in the spirit of New Years.  Despite dinner sounding like the best thing with since sliced bread, she gave me the run around on how she likes to do things.  Lord knows, she had the time to chat food.  From there, I accumulated my favorite renditions of the grand Italian dish.

Lemon Pistachio Cake

If you like nuts, this cake is for you. And if you like lemon, than it’s time you get to the kitchen.  Thanks to Stacey Snacks, who is quickly becoming a "go to" food blogger for fun food- this nutty cake calls for a roaring applause, and seconds.

The lemon: a top five favorite ingredient for me in the kitchen, I should grow a tree.

Ann’s Chair Cookies with Chocolate and Butterscotch

Just to die for...

OK, we’re obviously on a sweets kick.  And when I think sweet, I think Grandma.  Both of my Grandmothers were and are great cooks.  One recipe that my mother adopted from Grandma Ann when she married into the Bridges’ family was Grandma’s cookie recipe.  1) Because

Rice Pilaf with Saffron, Almond and Sweet Onion

I needed a fun new side dish.  It was getting a little boring.  I needed some COLOR.

A few months back I felt the need to beef up my spice library.  At Trader’s I found a cute little steal of a deal on Saffron.  Usually this stuff can be pretty pricy and you don’t use it every day, so I thought what a perfect little treat!   I try and buy

Banoffee Pie (WARNING: banana explosion!)

Sweet toffee caramel meets banana cream?!   I had never heard of this goodness, but when I partook of “just a small slice” at a Western women and wives event- that was it.  I knew I had to make it for Thanksgiving!  We were gonna switch it up this year!

Banoffee Pie  recipe compliments Janice Ma

Who are we kidding with a “just a small slice?”  It’s a nice way of saying