Twelve years ago (gosh, has it been that long?), while I was a student at the Culinary Institute of America, I met Michele. She was taking a bread class from one of my favorite instructors and I was assisting the students in the class. We were instant friends.

Over the years, much has changed in the landscape of our lives but one thing has remained a constant, Michele and I love teaching people how to cook delicious food at home.

This spring, for the first time, we taught a joint class. Michele handled the main course and I taught desserts. It was a delight to teach with Michele. And the food, her food, was delicious.

During the class she shared a recipe for "Pasta with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto." This pasta dish has quickly become one of my favorites. It is remarkably easy to make--you even cook the asparagus in the pasta water--and takes advantage of the lovely flavors of summer.

Make this pasta when you are in the mood for something "a little special" but don't feel like spending oodles of time in the kitchen. This recipe is like a warm hug from a friend: tender, soft and always just what you need. . . . keep reading

I've been tinkering with gluten-free macaroni and cheese for some time now. (Tough job, eh?) Anyway, this was my goal: I wanted a mac and cheese that was 1. easy 2. creamy 3. slightly sharp and tangy 4. Not too expensive to put together.

Let's take them one by one. Easy. When you are in the mood for mac and cheese, in my opinion, you are in the mood for something comforting. This means the dish should have lots of reward and not a ton of prep. Believe it or not,I created an over-the-top delicious gluten-free macaroni and cheese that doesn't require you to make a white sauce!

Creamy. I wanted my mac and cheese recipe to be velvety smooth. I can't stand dried out mac and cheese. YUCK!

Slightly Sharp and Tangy. The best mac and cheese has a bit of a bite. I knew a good sharp cheddar would do the trick but I wanted to make it a fairly inexpensive dish. Which leads me to...

Not too expensive to put together. Some mac and cheese recipes use five-year-old cheddar and other pricey ingredients. While there is a time and a place for indulgence that wasn't the type of recipe I wanted to create. This is a go to the local grocery store, pick up four ingredients and, boom, you are done-type of recipe.

After a great deal of tinkering, I finally created a recipe I am super, duper pleased with. The mac and cheese is soft, tangy (It reminds me of Swanson's mac and cheese but in the best way possible.) super easy to make, and best of all, inexpensive.

You must give this recipe a try. Your belly will be happy you did! . . . keep reading