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I love ribs of all kinds and flavors, but once you try these Chinatown Char Siu Ribs, it may be a while before you go back to any other rib recipe!  They have such a great sweet-and-savory Asian flavor that is perfect for most any occasion.  This recipe is tailored for the oven, but you can adapt it to the grill, as well.

When I was little, my sister and I would beg our parents to order the pupu platter when we went to Chinese restaurants.  Of course, part of the appeal was just the funny-sounding name and that cool mini-cauldron in the middle of the platter with the neat-looking flame, and we just about every bit of the appetizers that came on that platter, but our favorite was far and away the Chinese-style ribs, more formally known as Char Siu.  I tried this recipe, and I have to say, it may be even better than those delicious ones that I remember from my childhood.  It certainly is better than any of the cheap imitations out there.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  AmazingRibs.com.

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Quick tip: Adjust the heat by using more (or less) hot sauce.

Oh, Strawberry Heaven! Yummy!

These Strawberry Brownies are ultra-delicious, and you won’t believe how quick and easy these are to put together! These treats really come into their own in events like children’s birthday parties, but they are sure to be enjoyed by sweet-lovers of all ages. They look simply beautiful – everyone always falls in love with the color first, and after their first bite they are completely sold. I do enjoy a good brownie, even the more traditional ones.

A friend of mine regularly makes a batch of fudge brownies for the tailgate that I go to, and the adults love them even more than her grandkids do!

But, hey, variety is the spice of life.  I tried these, and boy, was I glad that I did. A bit of a warning for you, though – you’d better make a double batch if you want to save a bite for yourself, too! These will be gone in a heartbeat.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Family Savvy.

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Quick tip: Cut into bite-sized pieces and freeze for a quick treat with your coffee when you want one!

My Father Loved This Meal

Though you will probably have the biggest craving for comfort food like this in winter, something this soothing and savory can be enjoyed any time of year.

Throw together this Smoked Sausage & Potato Bake with a few fairly common ingredients, and you will have a hearty meal for the family in under an hour! When she was pressed for time, or just wanted to make good use of a few extra ingredients lying around, Mother often would slice up some sausage and onion, cook it in olive oil with a few basic seasonings, and serve that over rice.  It was delicious but oh-so-simple!  This is a baked variation of that, with potatoes added to the mix.  Oh, and did I mention that it has CHEESE in it?  So yummy!

This is such a hearty meal and you don’t have to spend hours, slaving away in the kitchen, to serve this to your family. I have a couple of very picky eaters in the house, and they’ve both told me this was the best meal they’ve ever had. So you know it’s a winner!

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Recipes From The Big Blue Binder.

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Quick Tip: This recipe is easy to double or triple when cooking for a large crowd.

It can be really difficult to put together a salad that is tasty and also very healthy.  This Creamy Broccoli & Bacon Salad recipe allows you to do so with ease.  There is no store-bought dressing in this recipe, but it is a cinch to put together.  You won’t believe that something with bacon in it is this healthy–or that something so delicious and healthy is so easy to put together!

I enjoy a nice salad, but sometimes, all of the chopping and other prep involved can be a bit taxing.  And after going through all of that, I often don’t really feel up to making my own dressing for it.  Needless to say, most of the usual store-bought options aren’t exactly all that healthy, and that kind of defeats the point of having a salad in the first place.  This recipe solves those problems very nicely.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Recipe.com.

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Quick tip: If you’re taking this to work for your lunch, make the sauce in a separate container and combine with the veggies right before serving, so they won’t get soggy.

It’s that classic Mexican dip loved by so many!  This Chunky Guacamole recipe yields a rather authentic version of this Mexican treat without too much time or hassle.  Though great just served up with some tortilla chips, it also makes a great addition to tacos and many other delicious Mexican dishes.

My sister and I ate a ton of guacamole dip back in the day, both in restaurants and at home.  We loved chowing down on a good bowl of homemade guacamole with some Tostito’s tortilla chips, and Mother would usually make some to go in tacos for our frequent Tex-Mex nights.  I hadn’t had guacamole in a little while, so I decided to give this recipe a try.  It is a bit of a variance from my typical at-home recipe, but I really liked how it turned out.

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Food.com.

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Quick tip: Adjust the heat with the amount of jalapenos!

We all have our favorite meatball recipes, don’t we? Maybe it’s the one your Grandma used to make, or your mother, but there’s just that one that really seems to beat the others. Meatballs are best known in Italian cuisine and can be done all sorts of different ways, depending on your mood.  This recipe brings all of those classic tomato flavors of southern Italy and adds that delicious wine flavoring to the mix.

With this Meatballs in Tomato Wine Sauce recipe, you can put together a lovely Italian-style gourmet dish in under an hour!  Individually, over toasted bread, the meatballs make for a great appetizer at parties.  Serve a good helping of them over your favorite pasta for a full dinner. Whatever your favorite meatball recipe is (or was), you’ll forget about it when you have a taste of these!

Recipe and photo courtesy of  Recipe.com.

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Quick tip: Make a double batch and freeze the rest for a quick meal later!