For this appetizer, when you bite into the warm, flaky puff pastry, you are met with melty, sharp gruyere and sautéed mushrooms with fresh thyme and sherry. It’s a great flavor combination in each bite and these are so elegant, yet easy to put together!

Nothing beats cooking with summer produce! Fresh basil pesto is always at the top of my list to make all summer long. It only takes a few ingredients and a food processor or blender and boom, you’re in business!

These ingredients are everything I want in a satisfying salad on a hot summer day. The addition of crunchy dry ramen and cashew pieces along with the fresh cilantro, green onions and sesame seeds are the perfect finishing touches to take this Asian Chicken Salad over the top.

Smoked Lobster Risotto with Spring Peas is a fun recipe that almost qualifies as a one pan meal, with one extra step of smoking the lobster tails. These baby lobster tails were so cute, I wanted to create a delicious recipe that would give them their shining moment!

Beef Bourguignon is the epitome of cold-weather comfort food. There are two recipes I have made for years because honestly, they are the best. This was, after all, one of the dishes Julia Childs was most famous for.

Buffalo Chicken Dip has always been one of my favorite dips. Who doesn’t love all the flavors of Buffalo Chicken together on a crispy chip? It’s got the spicy tang of buffalo sauce, creamy dippable consistency, and lots of cheesy goodness all in one bite!

All of the flavors of Pork Banh Mi packed into a crispy Egg Roll Wrapper, served with a sweet, spicy, tangy dipping sauce, try these Pork Banh Mi Egg Rolls!

In my mind, this dish brings together the best of all variations of the dish. The linguini noodle is substantial but somewhat light and the addition of lobster takes it over the top. Lobster always reminds me of the perfect summer ingredient! Using the combination of the vodka, tomatoes, and cream makes for a beautifully silky-smooth sauce and adds luxury to the dish.

This is a dish that can be served family style or at a party and can be enjoyed piping hot or at room temp, it’s delicious either way. It makes an amazing accompaniment to a variety of dishes or can be the star of the show, served alongside a salad. It’s really easy, has TONS of flavor and is sure to impress your family & friends!

Grilling the pork gives it a nice char, while the Greek Salad is fresh and zesty and the tzatziki is cool and creamy, finish it with a bite of warm garlic naan and as I said, it’s the perfect bite! Don’t be intimidated by the various components, they are quick and easy, and this recipe is definitely doable for a weeknight dinner.

There’s nothing like the flavors of summertime! Everything is fresh, bright and uses all of the amazing ingredients that are available straight from the garden. In this recipe for Caprese Chicken with Pesto Couscous, I combined all of my favorite flavors of summer into one bite. It’s the perfect way to make a fun summertime dish and avoid the boring chicken conundrum.

This Seared Ahi Salad with Wasabi Soy Vinaigrette was created with the flavors of Hawaii in mind. The dressing is salty, tangy with a touch of wasabi heat and it packs a TON of flavor! It works perfectly with the mild ahi tuna in one perfect bite. If you’re looking for a salad you can get excited about, this is it!

Tater tots are so fun to cook with and I love the idea of making them into a crispy potato crust for a pizza instead of traditional dough. If you’re looking for something fun and want gluten-free, you need to try this recipe for Tater Tot Pizza!

This Sausage Orecchiette with Peas & Mascarpone Cream Sauce is rich and creamy, quick and easy! Works perfectly for a weeknight dinner.

There is an amazing depth of flavor that happens after the meat braises in all of the ingredients and the house smelled amazing. Our whole family loved them, and my husband actually claimed he would never eat tacos any other way ever again!

Caesar Salad is a salad in my household we can all agree on, everyone loves it! Once I started making my own salad dressings, there was no going back. On a busy weeknight, I’ve tried sneaking in a store-bought dressing and the kids know right away…maybe I’ve spoiled them with the good stuff, but I’d rather take 10 extra minutes if it means I can get some greens into them.

This German Potato Salad has a ton of flavor and it goes great with all of your summertime BBQ dishes. You can prepare it ahead and if you’re finishing up your other dishes, let it sit room temp or if you’re eating later, pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. The longer the flavors have to meld together, the better!

Tomatillo Salsa, which can also be referred to as Salsa Verde, however, it is usually referred to by ingredient rather than color. In my recipes such as the Chicken Enchilada Skillet Bake or the Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas, this my go-to recipe. It’s the perfect blend of spice and tartness and you can also serve it with chips on its own!

Whenever we go out for Mexican food, I always order a spicy margarita, it’s my go-to. So, when I decided to create my own, I wanted to add that hint of refreshing cucumber that I feel just makes it the perfect balance! Cheers to summer!

The Salmon Corn Fritters we made on the Great Food Truck Race are great for both a main course or an appetizer. Here’s the story of how it was created and won us our second culinary challenge on the show!