Chicken and Biscuits Casserole {No Canned Soups}

There's little more comforting than homemade Chicken and Dumplings. This recipe is a slight twist on the classic version. The recipe begins with a couple of chicken breasts simmered until tender in a rich, savory broth. Next, the broth is thickened with a cornstarch slurry and a splash of heavy cream. Then, instead of dropping biscuit dough into the thick, steamy broth to cook on the stove top, the chicken and "gravy" is loaded into a casserole dish, topped with half-moons of buttermilk biscuits and popped into the oven to bake to golden, bubbly bliss.

The result is the familiar flavors present in classic Chicken and Dumplings, of course, But, the biscuits are taken to new heights due to the browning on top of the casserole. The bottoms of the biscuits bake up - moist and soft - submerged in bubbling gravy while the tops of the biscuits puff up to golden, magical perfection.

Serves 4 - 6.

Potato and Sweet Corn Chowder

Tender chunks of potatoes and crisp, fresh-off-of-the-cob sweet corn come together in this thick, ultra-luxurious chowder that is just perfect for the transitional weeks between late-summer and early-fall. Sweet corn is in abundance. Many of us start experiencing cooler evenings. And, if you're anything like me, cravings for fall and soup weather creep up oh, right around mid-August. This is a great way to satisfy those yearnings.

Don't get me wrong ... this is an awesome chowder to make at any given time of the year. It's the ultimate comfort food for cold, blizzard-y evenings in say, January or ideal for lunch on a cool, rainy Sunday in April. If you can't get your hands on fresh sweet corn, frozen corn that has been thawed would be a great substitution. But, frankly, I think there's little more fabulous this time of the year than at-its-peak sweet corn. Incorporating a few ears into this chowder is highly recommended. And, don't throw out those stripped ears of corn after cutting the kernels off ... toss a few into the chowder as it cooks for extra flavor. Absolutely amazing.

Yields 4 - 6 servings.

Touchdown Loaded Mexican Bean Dip

When you need a fun, hearty dip for parties, game night at home or family movie night, this fabulous recipe is the answer. It's, also, awesome for packing up to take along when tailgating. It has a lot of things going for it. It comes together in just a matter of a few minutes. It is the perfect make-ahead dip. It's pretty inexpensive to make. And, it's easily customizable. Oh, and it's just downright delicious and always impresses.

The base is a couple of cans of refried beans that get seasoned up with spices that you probably already have on hand. A layer of sour cream gets spread on top of the bean layer. Then, the sky is really the limit as to the toppings that you heap on top. Basically, anything that you like on tacos can make an appearance here ... cheese, lettuce, avocado, onions, olives, tomatoes or jalapeños. Serve the whole thing up with tortilla or corn chips. Super amazing.

No-Bake Triple Coconut Mini Cheesecakes with Pretzel Graham Crust

I've shared a plethora of desserts with you here on the blog. This one, though ... this one is pretty darn scrumptious and one that just might "take the (cheese)cake." I didn't necessarily set out to create a mind-blowing, so-good-ya-need-to-smack-yer-momma type of recipe with this one ... I was simply working this past week in the kitchen testing out some different ideas that I had for incorporating coconut into cheesecake. I wanted something simple. I wanted something that didn't require the oven be fired up. (It is mid-August after all.) And, I really wanted a cheesecake that I could work coconut into in a few different ways.

I adore the flavor of coconut - especially toasted coconut. And, I adore cheesecake (but, I usually hate the hassle of making it from scratch).

So, I tinkered around with a few boxes of no bake cheesecake mix (found in the pudding and gelatin section) that I had stashed in my cupboard. (What a time-saver.) This recipe, basically, takes a couple of boxes of cheesecake mix (no shame in my game) and turns them into magical, coconut-y bliss in the form of mini cheesecakes. I truly do prefer to make things from scratch in my kitchen. But, as a busy mom, wife, blogger and super hero (ha!), I, occasionally, take a little help where I can get it when I'm in a hurry (or just feeling lazy). Typically, though, if I do use a boxed mix of some sort (like cheesecake mix or cake mix), I put my own spin on things. Jazz it up. Make it my own.

For this recipe, I fancied up the crust by incorporating some crushed pretzels and coconut oil (in addition to the butter) into the crushed graham crackers included in the boxed mix. I, then, subbed in canned coconut milk in place of the regular milk. Finally, I topped the cheesecakes with toasted coconut.

When it all comes together, it is heavenly. A little saltiness is present in the crust due to the pretzel inclusion. The cheesecake is ultra creamy and luxurious with just a hint of coconut flavor. And, the toasted coconut brings amazing texture and really drives home the coconut flavor.

NOTE: I choose to utilize my muffin tins that have jumbo/king size wells. However, this could be made in traditional muffin tins, if desired. Obviously, the result would be smaller cheesecakes, but the recipe would yield a larger quantity of cakes. Additionally, this could easily be made into one large cheesecake by using a large pie pan or medium size casserole-style glass dish.

Yields 8 mini cheesecakes. (See NOTE above.)

Sixteen Sensational Salads to Make Before Summer Ends

For many of us, we'll soon be turning our thoughts to stews, soups, casseroles and baking as we look ahead to the cooler fall weather on the horizon. But, there's still a few weeks to savor these final hot days of summer. Don't let them slip by without pause to enjoy some warm weather pleasures. A few more chances to fire up the grill. A few more lazy moments to sip some icy, refreshing drinks on the porch. A few more weekends for friends and family to come together to eat, swim, visit and play.

I've brought together sixteen must-make salads that are a perfect way to embrace the flavors and ingredients of summer ... before it's too late. Whether you're looking for a healthful pasta salad to serve up as a side dish at your next cookout, a simple loaded salad bowl for a weeknight family dinner or a killer chicken salad to spoon into flakey croissants for lunch ... I've got you covered with this list of sensational salads.

Creamy Balsamic Corn and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

I am a sucker for pasta salads during the summer. I have a few favorites like, my Veggie Overload Pasta Salad and my Mandarin Orange and Spinach Pasta Salad {with Teriyaki Dressing}. This version is loaded up with fresh-from-the-garden sweet corn, chopped sun dried tomatoes, a variety of other fresh vegetables and some fun, twirl-y pasta. And, although those components are all fabulous in their own rights, it's really the creamy dressing that makes this pasta salad swoon worthy. A hint of fresh garlic, a little oil, a few spices, some dashes of a good-quality balsamic vinegar and creamy mayonnaise get whisked up together to create what I consider the ultimate pasta salad dressing.

Of course, you can choose to switch up the veggies that you use, but this recipe calls for a combination that I find works great together. The sweetness and pop of the fresh corn compliments the chewy, flavor-packed sun dried tomatoes. The cucumber lends a cool, refreshing component to the salad while the radish brings a slight peppery "bite" to the party. And, a subtle onion flavor is present by way of the scallions.

I've chosen an Italian Trottole pasta (such a neat shape), but any small or medium size pasta works here. Just be sure not to overcook the pasta ... you certainly don't want mushy noodles in this fabulous summertime side dish.