Put the blue box away! This is not a mac and cheese night! Yes, you’ve had a long day. Yes, you want to put your feet up… but the whole family’s famished and the starchy orange pasta just isn’t gonna cut it tonight. It’s time for something filling, flavorful and EASY to make!

Kristietimw’s Honey Lime Pork Chops recipe includes so many savory ingredients, they’ll have you lickin’ your chops. Who knew lime and soy sauce work in a marinade?

Oh, no! A marinade? Yes, the recipe does mention marinating the pork chops for at least 2 hours, but here’s a tip if you’re short on time. When you’re cooking the pork chops, don’t just flip them over once, but two or even three times to make sure the pork chops soak up the many flavors. Also, if you’re making these on the stove top, try searing them towards the end; a nice caramelized finish will convince everyone that the chops marinated for hours.

I had a few hours to spare, so I marinated them for 3 hours, instead of over night, and baked them in the oven at 350 for 45 minutes (in a glass oven safe baking dish, with a lid). I flipped them over one time, but other than that, these pork chops practically make themselves.

Here’s another useful tip: If you don’t have any onion soup mix (like I didn’t), you can easily create your own similar blend of flavors by combining about 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp minced dried onion flakes and a pinch of garlic salt (just be sure to not add extra salt). Also, don’t be afraid to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the marinade if your pork chops are on the lean side.

Congrats! You’ve made it through another week. So it might seem we find any reason to celebrate around here, but once you see the desserts we’re sharing with you today, you’ll want to find any excuse to make them, too! This week we’re featuring SprinkleBakes as our member in the spotlight. Baking is her specialty; take a look at her blog Sprinkle Bakes and you’ll agree.

She masters the art of recipe adapting with these Chocolate Maltball Cookies. Real dry malted milk goes into these delectable chocolatey desserts. I’m thinking they’ll please the Whopper fans, what do you think?

SprinkleBakes even makes her own candy, at home! Check out her Bit O’ Honey Bars. It’s a brown sugar and honey based candy that resembles the classic treat. If your sweetheart’s been good to you, bake ‘em a batch for Valentine’s Day — let them know they’re as sweet as honey :D.

SprinkleBakes knows how to do fancy, too. Green tea gives her Matcha Biscotti with Crystalized Ginger a fun and distinctive light green hue. Heather Baird is the mastermind behind the actual recipe, but we think SprinkleBakes also deserves our attention for her beautiful execution of the dessert. Take a look — delicious and elegantly presented…

Ever find yourself in a sticky kitchen situation? No, not the kind that involves spilled maple syrup–the kind that involves not having the right ingredients for your special recipe! You spent all that time looking for the perfect dinner recipe and then you forget to buy some of the ingredients. No fear. It’s time to improvise, adapt… whatever you like to call it.

That’s what I had to do today, not just because I didn’t have the right ingredients… but because I’m one of those people that can’t stick to a recipe! I let my palate be my guide. This Coconut Curry Tofu recipe caught my eye… but I’ve been cooking with tofu quite a bit lately, so I’m willing to trust my gut these days, when it comes to preparing it a certain way. My changes?

Instead of throwing in the tofu at the very end, like many recipes suggest (along with this one), I…
Sauteed it with all of the spices and ingredients from step 1, minus the coconut milk.
I then browned it.

Why follow this route?
Browning the tofu with the spices not only gives it a nice firm texture, but it allows the tofu to really soak up the flavor of each ingredient. Beany taste is gone!

Any other changes?
I added 1/4 tsp onion powder (to the tofu, while it was browning), a bit of cinnamon and even some turmeric. So many spices! Oh yes, you can’t go wrong with these spices. The flavor of the coconut milk shines even more when paired with these savory and aromatic south asian ingredients.

The moral of this savory story? (Hmm, that’s got me thinking… I wonder if morel mushrooms would’ve worked in this recipe? ;)

Trust your gut, literally. Don’t be afraid to taste as you go. And, most importantly, don’t be afraid to do some homework; study other recipes that use the ingredients you’ll be cooking with, see what spices and veggies they use, and adapt away!

Rice and potatoes are the staple side dishes we serve up when we’re short on time and/or ideas. But we all appreciate a little variety and change. Even if you’ve only got a half hour to spare, you can still serve up something special alongside the pork chops or steak, here’s how…

I like what TheFoodieForkful has to say about preparing a tasty dish, “…it’s really all about getting some great quality ingredients and letting them sing together.” And that’s what happened with TheFoodieForkful’s Crispy Polenta with Bacon Tomato Gruyere Cream Sauce. A simple ingredient like polenta gets a savory makeover, thanks to a bit of cream, tomatoes and, my personal favorite, bacon!

Polenta and grits are very similar in texture but they differ in flavor. Grits are like a blank canvas, you can add almost anything to them. But if you want to keep it simple and classic, make Checkett’s Cheesy Grits. This southern comfort food can also be served up around breakfast time, it’s a versatile cheesy treat.

Whole grains and beans deserve some attention, too. Amandaveronica’s Warm Garbanzo and Quinoa Salad is rich in protein and fiber, just like she says. If this is a salad, then where are the greens? You ask. This is a warm salad, but you’ll find a healthy portion of spinach in every bite. Ricki’s Lentil Pistachio Patties are also loaded with protein and fiber. If you’re short on time, don’t be afraid to experiment by using canned chickpeas or even garbanzo beans in the patties.

You know the familiar aroma that hits your nose at a mall food court? It’s a combination of mozzarella cheese (from pizza), hot dogs on a stick, Chinese food and… what are we missing here? Salty pretzels, of course! Some of you shopaholics might insist that it’s the delicious smell of a sale you’re picking up, but I say it’s the pretzels. Here are a few you’ll want to sink your teeth into…

Those who like to plan ahead will be delighted that we’re featuring Cacelia’s Chocolate Caramel Covered Pretzels. They’ll put mall food and pre-packaged boxes of odd flavored chocolates to shame! I’m thinking Valentine’s Day…

What if you can’t decide between pizza and pretzels at the food court? Head on home and make trf0ster’s Pizza Pretzels. Soft pretzel fans will find their mouths watering over these cheese filled Italian inspired treats.

Let’s say you’re like me and tend to snack while you shop. Jackie618’s Miniature Soft Pretzels will fit in your purse or your pocket. Perfect for on-the-go snackers, these are unlike the ones you’ll find at the grocery store because they’re soft. Prefer a crunchier version? Try Fred’s Homemade Hard Pretzels.

I tend to be more of a softie when it comes to pretzels, though :).

Beneath their tough shell, almonds are actually pretty sweet… to bake with! :) If you’ve never tried using almond flour as an alternative to, or in addition to, all-purpose flour, I highly recommend it. Not only will you please the gluten-free crowd, but you’ll find that they really do add sweetness and extra flavor (and protein) to your baked goods. Hmm… I wonder what Dr. Atkins would say about eating a slice of almond cake? ;)

Cooks’ Friands recipe will give you a good idea on how to use almond meal in a recipe that also includes all purpose flour. These little cakes can be topped off with your favorite fruit. If you’re allergic to almonds, you can substitute the almond meal with other ground nut flours, such as hazelnut meal.

You know those sweet and tasty almond cookies they serve at Chinese restaurants? Ah, I used to love those. Now we can have them at home, thanks to longhornfans’ Chinese Imperial Palace Almond Cookies. Cake flour makes these tender… and the almonds? You’ll find them in the cookies; their flavor is enhanced by the almond extract.

Travsgoneglutenfree’s Almond Fudge Shortbread Squares will remind you of a cookie and your favorite candy bar. What does that mean? Your Valentine’s Day is covered… in chocolate! Bake up a batch of these chocolatey squares and give them away to all of your Valentines :).

Ever find yourself pureeing veggies and adding them to a savory broth, just so everyone in the family will get at least one serving in for the day? How about finely dicing veggies and throwing them in a meatloaf or, better yet, chili — like my folks used to do? What if you could throw veggies into an even more appealing snack — like a dessert?

You can!

These days, particularly on Key Ingredient, you can find veggies in the most unexpected places. I never thought I’d see myself enjoying butternut squash with my favorite bowl of cereal in the morning, but Foodycat’s Butternut Breakfast Muffins have definitely changed my mind about that one.

And since we’re talking about trying to eat healthier by sneaking in more veggies, let’s also talk about chocolate’s health benefits… So it has plenty of antioxidants, right? I just eat it because it’s addicting, especially in Elle’s Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread. There it is, another veggie — zucchini in bread, 2 whole cups of it in this recipe!

Here’s a recipe you’ll want to have on hand during the fall: Cookie65’s Acorn Squash Cakes. Cake in squash? I’m just as surprised to hear about it as you are, but with cinnamon and cider in the mix, you really can’t go wrong with this one. Give it a whirl..

What’s your favorite veggie dessert? How about carrot cake? Ah, the ultimate veggie dessert, I’d say. Check out this one.

By the time late January rolls around, we’re all missing the warm sunny days of summer and the tasty food associated with the season. My best friend this time of year? Funny but true — a simple bottle of liquid smoke! Barbecue sauce is incomplete without it, in my opinion. It’s too chilly to grill or barbecue outside, so warm up with these sizzling recipes and take a break from winter stews and casseroles.

Thegreatpablo’s Kai Bi (Korean Barbecue Short Ribs) will bring the rosy color back into your cheeks that theses cool winter days have taken away. This is a “mom” recipe, yum… you know you can trust it. And if you’re worried that this is going to take all night to make — fear not, your flavorful meal is just a few steps away, literally.

What if you’ve only got half of the ingredients required to make your mouthwatering barbecue dinner? Pankey’s Alabama White Barbecue Sauce will come to your rescue. Instead of using tomato sauce as the base, this recipe calls for an unexpected ingredient… mayo! But don’t worry, the brown mustard and horseradish give it a good kick.

Even if you’re missing the big juicy ribs, you can still enjoy a barbecue meal tonight, thanks to ktbnkr’s BBQ Spaghetti. In under half an hour, you’ll have a sweet and savory dish that’ll please the whole family. Here’s the crowd pleaser…

Though mushrooms are known for their ability to enhance the flavor of the meal you’re preparing, knowing which dish to add them to, and how to cook them, can determine whether or not the flavor of your dish will shine. Stir-frys and salads have their place, but mushrooms were also meant to be stuffed (with a variety of ingredients), sauteed (in olive oil, butter…) or even covered in cheese! Here are a few more ideas.

You’ve probably had a potato gratin dish, but how about polenta and mushroom gratin? CorbettCook’s Polenta Gratin with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms. This could be a side or main course. If you’re just starting to cook with mushrooms, no need to worry about which ones to buy for this recipe. CorbettCook says you can use the mushroom mix from your local grocery store.

Hearty dishes like Cookie65’s Rustic Farro Soup with Sausage and Mushrooms are what you should serve when you’re not sure how mushrooms will go over with the whole family; it’s got a variety of familiar ingredients. Mushroom broth makes up the base in this filling vegetable and sausage laden soup.

Mushrooms and sea food might seem like an unlikely combination, but Dionysus proves otherwise with his Spicy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. A recipe adapted from an Emeril original, this appetizer will make everyone’s mouth water.

It gets all over your fingers, it leaves traces behind on your plate… many crumbs, it’s flaky… it’s buttery puff pastry. If desserts with some kind of fruity filling are all you think of when you hear about puff pastry dough, then it’s time to introduce your family to these savory pastry recipes.

Start the night off with something lite, puff pastry works well in appetizer recipes. Impress dinner guests with cookie52730’s Puff Pastry Purses with Zucchini, Brie and Prosciutto. If you’ve never tried prosciutto before, know that it’s similar to bacon in flavor but it’s a bit more mild and cut in much thinner slices–it’s ideal in elegant appetizers like this one.

Pizza fans looking to explore new ways of combining cheese, tomato and carbs will enjoy lovedeniseh’s Tomato Mozzarella Tart. The best part? No knead to… knead or wait for the dough to rise, because you’ll be using pastry dough this time around. If you still insist on making the dough from scratch, try fireandfrost’s Puff Pastry Dough recipe.

Though we mentioned we’d be introducing you to a few savory pastry recipes, this one can count as a dessert or appetizer. Patticakes South Padar Pastry with Coconut, Pistachio and Raisin is for those with a sweet tooth… and it’d probably impress the baklava fans. It’s a recipe that relies on spices and naturally sweet ingredients for flavor, you won’t find this at the local bakery!

Check out the following pastry recipe from our Featured Recipes Page for another delicious way to serve up puff pastry…