The current issue of Simple & Delicious is loaded with fabulous recipes from Pesto stuffed Chicken to Apple-Almond Muffins and Wheat Berry Salad. The magazine has mouth-watering desserts and easy 5 ingredient fixes for the Christmas holiday to save your shopping time for ‘merrier’ things. It also happens to contain the latest publication of my cousin Charlotte!

Charlotte is an accomplished novelist and has a series of imaginative books in the works, starting with the published The Elemental Rise of Shade. And although she has the cool artsy life of pouring herself into her writing, she doesn’t spend all of her time in front of her typewriter. (Okay she uses a computer, but somehow the typewriter sounds more romantic, am I right?) Anyway, she also happens to be a solid recipe developer and has had several published recipes. Most recently in the December/January 2016 issue of Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious. (On stands now!)

If you turn to page 67 of the magazine you will find a cute picture of Charlotte herself and a delicious Spinach-Basil Lasagna, a healthy version of an Italian classic full of flavors like feta and Parmesan and good for you baby spinach. As if that wasn’t outstanding enough it is also health conscious with only 229 calories per serving. (Which also happens to be 1/9th of a 13×9 inch pan, so a good size serving!)

For years Charlotte has made many tasty recipes including (but not limited to) a baked potato pizza and pepperoni pasta salad that have been printed in books and periodicals. Lucky for you, I have access to her culinary genius and will be posting some of her recipes in the future! In the meantime you can check out her developments yourself; I found my mini-magazine near the check-out of my local grocery store.

Happy Birthday Charlotte!