Italian Red Raspberry Swirl Ricotta Cheesecake

This is a twist on the popular American version of cheesecake as an Italian cheesecake is made of Ricotta Cheese, which makes it light and fluffy.

Although most Italian-style ricotta cheesecakes are crustless, this one is with a favorite cookie crust that compliments this delicious cheesecake.

The fresh red raspberry topping makes a smashing hit presentation when served to family, and friends at any dinner party or gathering.

Italian cheesecake is beaten with eggs, ricotta, sugar, and just the right amount of sugar.

We also prefer to use a water bath to make the filling steam as it cooks together perfectly.

You may also like to try out Nutella Ricotta Frangelico Cheesecake, it's another family favorite like this one.

Although we used a raspberry topping, other suggestions below can be made to substitute if it's not your favorite fruit topping.

Scroll down to our recipe card for the complete printable easy step-by-step recipe.

Baked Nut Crusted Halibut

Need a new weeknight dinner idea? This pan-seared nut-crusted halibut is a flaky mild white fish that doesn't have a strong fish taste and is such a great alternative.

For those nonfish lovers, this nutty crust is also good for chicken and we have several other suggestions to use the coating for.

The coating gives a crunchy nutty-earthy flavor to the crust and provides a good source of protein and polyunsaturated fat nuts.

Nuts have many supporting health benefits such as reducing inflammation and strengthening your immune health and the halibut has good oils to support a healthy heart.

If you can't find halibut, no worries you can also be substitute haddock, cod, or another mild white fish you prefer.

Scroll down to the recipe card for this gourmet style easy halibut recipe.

Semi Homemade Baking Mix Brownies

These Semi-Homemade Baking Mix Brownies are a moist, scrumptious rich fudgy chocolate square of heaven in every bite.

Our easy-doctored baking mix looks and tastes like a gourmet bakery made from scratch and is one of the first desserts to go no matter what party I take them to.

If you're not fond of baking this short cut using any brand of baking mix will shock you on just how delicious they are.

Just check out the alternative mix-ins we suggest below to make them gourmet as well below and fool everyone that these weren't 100% made-from-scratch brownies.

If you love brownies like we do try our  Oreo Stuffed Brownies or our Peanut Butter Ritz Cracker Stuffed Brownies both are simple to make and two others to add to your list of must-makes.

You may be familiar with Impossible Pie recipes from baking mixes over the years and we have 5 Impossible Pie Recipes using these mixes you may have come across that are also perfect for a quick dinner meal.

This recipe was fun to improvise, easy to make, and semi-homemade using a baking mix is innovative for new bakers especially just scroll down to our printable recipe card, and let's get baking.

How To Make Sundried Tomatoes

Sundried tomatoes are great homemade and have so many uses.


Scroll to the bottom for printable instructions, tips, and more.


These instructions are for economical dehydration of plum tomatoes done in your own oven and perfect for when you have an abundance of tomatoes and it's summertime!

Nutella Dipped Frozen Bananas

Nutella-dipped frozen bananas are one of the childhood memories and a very quick treat.

There is really no cooking involved and with just two ingredients and some parchment paper, if you are a chocolate-covered banana lover, this will be heaven on a toothpick stick!

Delicious especially on a hot summer's day!


I like to tell myself, they are a frozen ice cream treat that's healthy because they're bananas!!


We all know these are full of sugar in the Nutella so healthier they aren't but they sure are delicious!

A little summer indulgence never hurts!

Nutella is a delicious hazelnut spread confection I use in many desserts like my Nutella Frangelico Cheesecake, Chocolate Nutella Rice Krispie Treats, and my Nutella Chocolate Mousse Tart.

Chocolate on Chocolate Boston Cream Pie

If you're a Boston Cream Pie lover, then you're familiar with the vanilla cake batter, cream filling and chocolate ganache so we recreated it with chcolate on chocolate Boston Cream Pie!

Chocolate cake, chocolate filling and chocolate ganache which makes this the family favovrite way to serve this popular bakery cake from the 1970s.

Scroll down to our printable recipe which we made step by step directions to make this easy chocolate cake.

Samoas Knockoff Cookie Bars

If you love Samoa Girl Scout cookies then this easy bar cookie is for you. What an awesome treat. I have to say this is genius easy! Enjoy! Samoas Knockoff Cookie Bars are so much easier

Zucchini Coconut Spice Bread

Easy, quick Zucchini Spice Bread made with shredded zucchini, coconut, and fall spices, is a combination we love all year long and this is how to make Zucchini bread fabulous!

This is easily adaptable zucchini bread, and the additions can be anything from dry to fresh fruits.

If you're not fond of coconut, try our other suggestions below to omit and add something your family enjoys and create your own recipe!

This basic recipe is on the card below, just hit print.

Maple Filled Whoopie Pie Cookie Recipe

If you're a fan of maple and oatmeal these whoopie pies will be your new favorite cookies.

These are soft cookies filled with fluffy maple flavored icing that is quite addicting.

Easy to make sandwiched together with two cookies then fill it and that's it! These homemade oatmeal whoopie pies feature sweet, fluffy, maple buttercream sandwiched between two thick and chewy oatmeal cookies!

Take a look at our easy pantry ingredients and make your own whoopie pies instead of buying them with all those preservative ingredients.

These also freeze well, just freeze them on parchment paper flat on a cookie sheet and take them out as you need them.

Perfect for school lunches or anytime you want to bring to a picnic outing, these are so delicious bring the recipe with you, everyone will ask you for it!

Just scroll down to the printable recipe card.

Frozen Peanut Butter Cheese Pie

I make this quite often, a peanut butter pie that is easy, quick, and perfect for the peanut butter and chocolate lover! If you read this post until the end you will find an interesting version for the crust.



My baby boy was born on June 19th, 1982 and he loves Peanut Butter Pie, so 29 years later Happy Birthday, Curt and still making his favorite desserts!!

Veal Scallopini

This popular classic Italian-American veal scallopini is one simplified recipe any one can make in their own home and it's so tasty.

Perfect for any weekend meal but elegant to serve to guests when hosting a party.

It’s a beautifully rich dish bursting with citrusy lemon flavor in a wine sauce with garlic and capers, and we also love the addition of mushrooms.

This 5-star dish in a restaurant is very pricey, but making this in the comfort of your own home with this easy, foolproof veal scallopini recipe is a cinch, I promise.

The result will be a fork-tender veal, tender, melts in your mouth in every bite, and very flavorful.

This easy step-by-step instructions printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post, hit the print bottom for ease and reduction of ads.

Italian Style Zucchini Crudo Vinaigrette Salad Recipe

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 3 lemons (1/2 cup total juice)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon honey
Few dashes of Tabasco sauce
2 10-inch zucchinis, chilled
2 10-inch yellow squash, chilled
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or  blanched slivered almonds, toasted and cooled
1/3 cup diced fresh basil
1 cup small chunks of mozzarella

Pulse in blender making a smooth vinaigrette,  garlic, zest, and juice of lemons, salt, honey, and Tabasco. Turn blender on low and slowly drizzle in oil until well blended. Set aside.

Slice ends off each side of the zucchini and squash then slice into paper-thin slices. 

Much easier and neater to use a mandoline or potato peeler for long strands.

In a bowl place and toss the squash and zucchini slices, add the pine nuts or almonds, and basil. 

Top with the fresh-cut cubes of mozzarella. Sprinkle with some of the vinaigrette to taste, you can save the rest for another use.

Chocolate Krispie Treats with Nutella Drizzle

Gourmet Chocolate Krispy Treats are just how they sound, chocolaty and topped with a drizzle of Nutella.

This combination is a perfect match and blended with chocolate rice krispies, and marshmallows but that topping is so delicious you can't stop after one.

These little chocolate krispie treats can be thrown together in no time.

Just some simple ingredients to keep on hand are chocolate Krispie cereal, butter, Nutella, and marshmallows.

If you don't want to view our tips and suggestions just scroll down to the printable recipe card hit print and all the ads will disappear.