Here's another take on the boring plain meatloaf. If you liked my previous barbecue bacon cheeseburger meatloaf recipe, you will probably like this one as well. It starts with the nice mix of meats, because as any Italian knows, a meatball or meatloaf are never as good if just ground beef is used. I did not try this meatloaf recipe with bread crumbs so it can be made gluten free.

Oakland County Moms reader Michelle F won the March I LOVE Michigan contest and when she came to pick up her prize package, she brought a a container of delicious homemade toffee.

I never made homemade toffee before and Michelle told me her toffee recipe contains only 4 ingredients! Her toffee was so good I asked her for the recipe to post.

How To Make New Friends Toffee by Michelle Fusco:

I just might be the only Italian that is not a fan of Ricotta cheese, so I make my stuffed shells with a special twist - one that doesn't include Ricotta. Stuffed Shells are a favorite in our house. Stuffed Shells are easy to make and the leftovers re-heat well.

Stuffed Shells Ingredients

I think meatloaf has a tendency to get boring. So, I am always trying to think of ways to jazz it up a bit. And, really - the options are endless. Here's my latest concoction - the BBQ bacon cheeseburger meatloaf.

It's rare, but I sometimes luck out with a dinner dish that the whole family loves. I made this sausage and potato hash, and all the plates were clean within minutes and everyone said they loved it.

The key to the sausage and potato hash is finding a quality sausage. My mom makes homemade Italian sausage, so I lucked out. I would recommend hitting a meat counter and getting a decent, fresh sausage - not a prepackaged brand with a lot of fillers.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce Recipe

This Alfredo sauce recipe is so easy and, in my opinion, tastier than anything you'd buy in a jar. Making this Alfredo sauce was also a perfect excuse to break out my garlic spread recipe.

Homemade Split Pea Soup Recipe

Why did it take me so long to make homemade split pea soup? Probably because I didn't realize how easy it was.

Now, that I've made homemade split pea soup and have seen how easy and tasty is can be, I plan to have it as a staple in my fridge - ready to be heated and eaten. This split pea soup recipe has texture to it so it has a great homemade feel to it.

Homemade split pea soup is low in fat and high in fiber. Here's the recipe:

Homemade Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Up until last week, I was the mom who bought frosting in a plastic can. I got no complaints, but just wanted to try something homemade, especially since I received a copy of Big Book of Cupcakes - a book filled with 150 different cupcake recipes!

Lemon Icing Frosting Recipe

This lemon icing is perfectly tart and sweet at the same time. Personally, lemon icing goes great on yellow cakes, sugar cookies, or even dessert breads, like Trader Joe's Cranberry Bread.