Now that winter has returned, there is nothing better than a home-cooked dinner...and nothing smells better than an Old Fashioned Pot Roast with Vegetables, cooking away in the slow cooker! 

And there are only a few words necessary to describe this..."World's Best!"

So yesterday we hit a record 77 degrees - hottest day ever in February, and everyone was wearing shorts, flip-flops and walking around the neighborhood with their dogs and kiddos.  It has been a stretch of the warmest, sunniest weather you can imagine - the nicest spring we've had all winter!  A day later, winter has returned with a vengeance - thunderstorms, lightning, snow and incredible winds.  So today we're relaxing at home, and it's time to cook up a hot winter dinner and forget about the grilling days of the past two weeks!

Before we moved to Ohio years ago, we had never heard of "Cincinnati Chili" - but it is a real thing!  Skyline Chili is famous around here for their recipe, but my slow cooker recipe has caused quite a following in years past as well! 

​Hot spaghetti, topped with a flavorful homemade chili, and topped with shredded cheese, chili beans, chopped sweet onion, shredded cheddar cheese and an dollop of sweet cream - what's not to love? 

One of our holiday family favorites is traditional Chicken Cordon Bleu - a chicken fillet breaded with seasoned crumbs, and stuffed with brown sugar ham and thick slices of aged Swiss cheese, drizzled with a delicious cream sauce and served over Wild Rice Pilaf.  It takes a bit of time to make, which is probably why we only have it for special occasions.

​I wanted to shake things up with a simply skillet version - and you will die for this Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Dijon Sauce!  Easy enough that you will have this on the table in less than 30 minutes, but delectable enough that you could serve for a special dinner!

There are times, and potlucks, where you sometimes need to bring a little treat that will serve more than a few people...and this Yellow Sheet Cake with Fluffy Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting will have the crowds raving!

​Wonderful and moist, with the fluffiest Milk Chocolate Buttercream frosting ever!  Just add lots of sprinkles, and you'll be ready to party!

So who ever dreamed that we'd be enjoying a February weekend with sunshine and 70 degree temps?  My hubby just looked at me in horror when I asked him if we could get just a FEW pieces of our patio set out from storage for the weekend...but can you ever remember such wonderful weather this early in the year?  It's time to celebrate!

​And these Brown Sugar Bacon & Brie Sweet Potato Fries are the perfect appetizer for enjoying a winter weekend on the deck!  The perfect little snack - sweet, salty, spicy and with just a little bit of kick!

So I have to keep looking at the calendar and pinching myself!  Instead of snowy blizzards and freezing temps, it's sixty degrees outside and so sunny that many around here want to cancel what remains of winter and just move on to spring!  I've got doors and windows wide open to get fresh air in the house, the kiddos are out riding their bikes and we've got the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to go explore in just a little bit! 

​I was up at the crack of dawn in order to get a jump on what looks like will be the best Saturday ever!  We've got so much we want to do today that I'm hoping that these delicious Wake & Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches will hold everyone over from breakfast thru lunch.  This is one kind of wonderful! 

There are periods of time when my kiddos just like old-fashioned favorites.  They get plenty of new recipes to try and are usually pretty good guinea pigs - for the most part.  Generally if a new twist on an old favorite gets their thumbs up, I know if it good to go.  But this is one recipe that they just don't like anyone messing with...ooey, gooey, soft and chewy!

​But that doesn't mean we can't get creative with the SHAPE, right?  I've been making and enjoying these treats since I was a kid, but every now and then, I still like to shake things up!

Is there anyone that doesn't love homemade Italian Lasagna?  Layer after layer of delicious tender goodness, and this so much better than anything you can get even at an Italian restaurant!  (I don't serve unlimited breadsticks, but we make a mean Garlic Parmesan Bread that everyone is even crazier about than breadsticks!)

​We've got a lot of love to celebrate this Valentine's Day - and this is a family favorite that everyone LOVES!

I don't know what it is about Valentine's Day that everyone thinking about chocolate...but these Chewy Fudgy Brownies with Milk Chocolate Frosting are better than any boxed chocolates in a frilly red velvet box!

This is our go-to recipe for chewy, deep dark chocolate brownies, which are actually pretty perfect all on their own.  But add a slathering of rich Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting on top and a generous sprinkle of Valentine hearts and sprinkles, and you've got brownie perfection!

My.Oh.My...company's coming and she LOVES German Chocolate Cake!  My sweet sister-in-law is flying in for a long weekend, and we are looking forward to a relaxing and fun time! 

​My mom-in-law always made Mary a homemade German Chocolate Cake for her birthday up until a few years ago, so I thought this would be the perfect time to surprise her with a homemade and absolutely World's Best German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Filling and Dark Chocolate Ganache. 

​And when I tell you that this tastes even more wonderful than it looks, you're going to want some too!