Have you ever wondered what would happen if Goldilocks jumped down Alice's rabbit hole? Well it might look a little something like my quest for amazing homemade churros. It took some experimenting, you see. The first round of churros? Good but not great. The second batch? Still not quite. Third time? Well you know what they say — third time's the charm!

When I hear the word appetizer, I often think of dinner gatherings or cocktail parties. When folks are standing around waiting for the larger meal or event, it's nice to have something to nibble on. But what about when it's just you and your partner or family at home making dinner? That's occasion enough for appetizers too, and in my opinion, toasts are often the answer! More

Frozen pizzas have their time and place, like as back-up meals when we don't have time to shop and easy heat-and-serve dinners for babysitters. Nothing wrong with a good store-bought frozen pizza in these situations, but making your own homemade frozen pizzas from scratch will probably save you some pennies — plus you get exactly the toppings you want! It's easy to do: just two little tricks and you can fill your freezer with all the made-ahead frozen pizzas you could ever want.

I'm a total meatball fiend, whether they're of Swedish, Italian, or Southern descent. (Grape jelly ring a bell?) In a sloppy sandwich, meatballs become even more appealing — and doubly so when in "small-bite" slider form. Take my spin on Chicken Parmesan. Chicken meatballs are stuffed with cubes of mozzarella, doused in marinara, and finished off with a generous dusting of Parmesan. Think it sounds like too much hassle for lunch? Check your freezer first.

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I usually tuck some type of whole fruit in my bag to eat with lunch or snack on later in the day. It might roll around a bit or — if I put it directly into my backpack or purse — encounter who-knows-what at the bottom of my bag. To protect apples, pears and other fruit with edible peels, I've come up with an quick way to keep them clean and protected from bruises.

Okay guys, this is big. Big for snacks. Big for me, anyway. A while back, I stumbled upon some roasted coconut chips with a ridiculous price tag. I tried them and was hooked. But they were quite expensive, and seemed even more so as the bag weighed only a few ounces and could be devoured in one sitting. So I avoided them. Until now. Trader Joe's sells delicious, amazing coconut chips at a fraction of the price! Prepare yourself. More

Yes, I've jumped on the chia seed bandwagon. How could I not? The little seeds, which are packed with nutrients, have a magical quality of turning liquids almost to gel. And they pack an added punch as a snack! More

Have you ever tried making your own crackers? Your very own crispy, crunchy, seed-topped crackers? My recommendation: try it. Definitely. Crackers are surprisingly easy to make at home with just five basic ingredients, a rolling pin, and a baking sheet. Make yourself a quick batch tonight and have homemade crackers for lunches, snacks, and dinners all week long.

Most energy bars, whether store-bought or homemade, include nuts as a primary ingredient. That's why I was thrilled to discover The Good Bean's Fruit & No-Nut Bar, a wholesome snack for the nut allergic or those looking for something different. More

Whizzed into smoothies, swirled into yogurt or spread on toast, peanut butter adds a welcome boost of protein and fat to all kinds of breakfasts. But there is a whole world of butters beyond the usual peanut variety, from an irresistible Almond-Joy-inspired butter to a nut-free and nutritious pumpkin-sunflower seed butter. Ready to get out of your nut rut?