I love pop-tarts. Especially the strawberry kind. With frosting. And sprinkles.

Sure the ones out of the package are great – and original – but the homemade version? Wonderful. Also, I’m willing to bet that homemade pop-tarts become the next cupcake or whoopie pie in terms of small dessert trends.

These are grown-up, flaky, and have just the right amount of filling. Taking over for the frosting is powdered sugar, gracefully dusting the top. They pack well for picnics or movie nights in the park, and will be a crowd favorite among your friends and family.

Here are two options for your own homemade pop-tarts:

• Pick up the Toaster Pastry Press from Williams-Sonoma, and use the recipe included
• Do all the manual work yourself and use Bon Appetit’s recipe here

Some months ago, I came across a recipe for blue cheese sticks – as in breadsticks (or straws), not cheese sticks, string cheese, etc.

It should be noted right away that I hate blue cheese. I think it smells terrible, tastes awful, and looks unsightly. That’s right, unsightly! Ryan, on the other hand, loves it.

My solution to this minor marital disagreement is to buy it anyway, and let Ryan use it on salads or whatever else he wants, as long as I don’t have to touch it or smell it.

When Ryan asked me to make these blue cheese breadsticks for a “guy’s night” at our place, I agreed with inner hesitation. I had been wanting to make them because they seemed like such a good idea, but I didn’t like the blue cheese part.

Well…when I got home on Friday night, there was literally one stick left. I don’t know if no one wanted to eat the last one, or if they were distracted by the dry roasted peanuts, but whatever. They were obviously a hit!

I did taste one, and I liked them. Yes. But you won’t find me putting blue cheese on my salad anytime soon.

Blue cheese and chives are probably the only ingredients you don't have on hand.

Just the butter and flour at this point.

Pulse the mixture until it comes together, looking coarse.

Make sure the water you add here is super cold, like ice water.

Your dough might look green. Don't worry, it will bake out!

The size of the sticks will vary if your dough isn't rolled into a perfect rectangle. This is completely ok and looks kind of fun when the sticks are on display!

Bake them until they're golden brown, even more than in this photo.

For the record, the blue ribbon was removed for "guy's night."

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4  c  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1  c  crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3  c  finely chopped chives
• 1/4  tsp  salt
• 1/4  tsp black pepper
• 1  to 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

1. Spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and butter in a food processor; pulse to blend. Add cheese, chives, salt, and pepper; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle water into flour mixture until dough forms a ball. Roll dough into a 16 x 8-inch rectangle. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Cut dough crosswise into thin slices. Place 1/2 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool bread sticks completely on wire racks.

These banana nut muffins taste a lot like banana nut bread, but in individual portion sizes (a good thing for many of us who know and love banana nut bread). They’re made even better by being part of the “quick bread” family, needing no yeast.

These muffins were moist and not too banana-ish. I used chopped almonds instead of walnuts, and half wheat flour, half white flour.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c plus 2 TBS butter, melted
• Nonstick cooking spray, for muffin tin
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 c whole wheat all-purpose flour
• 1 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/2 c chopped almonds

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mash the bananas using a fork. In large bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In another bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, egg whites, then pour the mixture into flour mixture. Add nuts and bananas. Fold just long enough to moisten flour mixture.
3. Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop mixture into muffin tins, about 2/3 of the way full.
4. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Oh, my. My roommate/soul mate went and got married on Saturday.

Before I spent the rest of my Saturday crying at every little thing – “I’m so lonely! Amy’s never coming back!” Amy’s vows. Amy’s dad’s speech. Amy’s dad’s prayer. Zach and Amy’s stories. Honestly… – I made breakfast for her bridal party and closest friends.

At least I’m good for something other than crying.

If you love quiche, you will love this version. It is light, fluffy, and easy.  There are a ton of vegetables (hidden, for the kids maybe?) and I really like that zucchini has a starring role in here.  The most time consuming part of this dish is actually cutting up all the vegetables and sauteing them.

This would make a great breakfast/brunch entree – or even dinner. I mean, the world’s “most perfect food” should be eaten at any time of day, right? Please look past the ingredient “11 large eggs” and remember that this equals less than 1 egg per person. It’s ok, I promise.

Go wild.

Makes about 12 servings

Ingredients::

• 11 large eggs
• 3 cups lowfat Mexican-blend cheese
• 1/2  cup  skim milk
• 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
• 1  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese
• Cooking spray
• 4  cups  sliced zucchini (about 4)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1  cup  finely chopped green bell pepper (about 1)
• 2  tomatoes, thinly sliced

Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Beat eggs in a large bowl until fluffy. Add 1/2 the cheese, milk, flour, baking powder, salt, and cottage cheese.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add zucchini, onion, and bell pepper; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the zucchini mixture to egg mixture.
4. Pour mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Top with the remaining cheese. Arrange tomato slices over cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove dish from oven), and bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned and set.