Beef Stew in a Pumpkin

I was at a friend's house for dinner last weekend, and she made a beef stew that she prepared IN A PUMPKIN!!  Yeah, my friend's name is Ina Martha Garten Stewart, by the way.  (Just kidding, her real name is Mo.  Ina Martha Garten Stewart is my imaginary friend.)...

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Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells

You read that right, Cheeseburger Stuffed Shells.  If classic Italian stuffed shells and good ol' American cheeseburgers made sweet love and had a baby, it would be this dish.  A perfect, family friendly, crowd pleaser.  Make it ahead, pop it in the oven, freeze...

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Pinon (or Puerto Rican Lasagna)

I love sweet and savory combinations, but I usually only think of them in terms of desserts.  Well, a reader sent me this main dish that combines layers of salty meat and veggies with layers of sweet, fried plantains, and I was very excited to try it.  Apparently it's...

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Meaty Quesadilla

We almost always acknowledge Taco Tuesday's, because what else are Tuesday's for?  They aren't for humps, no no no, or for posting old, adorable photos of ourselves on Instagram.  They are for binge eating tacos and nothing else.  But sometimes I get into a taco...

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Company Pot Roast

Now that it's officially fall, with October looming around the corner (already put up Halloween decorations, yup, can't be stopped), I have been cooking more hearty meals.  After all, it's time we start thickening up our bear fur for the long winter!  Am I right, my...

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Cheddar Topped Shepherd's Pie

Did you celebrate St. Patrick's Day yesterday?  I like any excuse to drink Guinness and wear my favorite color.  But best of all, I am a huge fan of hearty Irish cuisine, like Corned Beef & Cabbage or Shepherd's Pie.  Is Shepherd's Pie actually Irish or British?...

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Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce

Have you ever moved?  Like, REALLY moved... far, far away?  Did you find yourself taking naps on piles and piles of packing paper in between unpacking box after box?  So my friends, we just moved straight across the country from California to New York.  Here...

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Baked Ziti

In this week's edition of "Random Things You Should Know About Me" (that's not a thing), I love pretending that I'm an Italian grandmother.  I like to imagine myself slaving away in the kitchen all day, making family favorite recipes I know by heart, adding my secret components...

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Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu

I can't believe how early school starts these days.  Mid-August and summer is over for kids.  What happened to Labor Day buttoning off the season??  I suppose when my kids are grown and bored, I'll be anxious to send them off to school early.  But for now,...

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