Craveables (aka Idea Borrowing)

Since I've been blogging, I've also rounded up quite a variety of foodie websites that I scoot over to read quite often. My very favorite, Heidi's 101 Cookbooks aside, most of these are not healthy foods, which is partly why I gleefully log in and comment using excessive amounts of exclamation points, as in HOLY Crap!!! Yum! That looks soooo great!!! And so forth.

Here are a few of the recipes I've flagged for testing this month, in no real order. Please visit them if you have time. I know I've wasted enough time blog-surfing to have at least weeded out the terrible ones. Take advantage of the research I've put in.

These Caramel Apple Cream Cheese Bars from Picky Palate are what I'm bringing to the football watching event this coming Sunday. Easy, yes, and filled with terrible-for-you ingredients that come together droolingly. I can't wait.

If this Chilled Ginger Cantalope Soup doesn't sound good to you, I don't know what to say. Maybe you'll find this Summertime Strawberry Soup more appetizing. Or maybe you just aren't into cold soups at all.

Hannah's sweet individual Delightful Baked Pears look somewhat healthful and yet grown up. I'm excited to try them with apples as well.

A slightly different take on pound cakes, Hannah Kaminsky's Sweet Corn Pound Cake looks tender and perfectly crumbly, and it's also vegan.

An adaptation of Molly Katzen's original recipe, these Dreamy White Beans are dripping with sage, garlic and olive oil. They sound so much like the perfect side dish for fall.

It's true that Homemade Mayo tastes entirely different from jarred, in the best possible way. Nicki's easy recipe makes it even simpler to try. Quit putting it off!

I'm guessing that leftover Sweet Corn Pound Cake would be delicious substitute for cornbread in this Corn Bread Salad, but I doubt I'll have enough left over to test that theory.

I'm thankful that the Kitchen Sink has offered me a new way to cook okra, since mine is just now poking into little pods. Once I have enough, I'm making this Roasted Potato and Okra Salad.

Perfect game-watching dip, if you're also forced into that sort of environment, as I am. Matt's Spicy Black Bean Chipotle Dip looks pretty easy and goes with tortilla chips, a key combination.

Last but not least, props to my new panini grill, which I've finally learned how to use correctly — the key is to warm it up properly first. These PB&J (&B) Paninis sound like the perfect lunchbox replacement lunch for we old, graduated folk. Plus, anything with homemade strawberry jam will be amazing.