Want a healthy treat you and your furry friend can feel good about? Feed your dog these. My puppy, Becca, loves ’em.

You can put just about anything unexpected into chili: beer, pepperoni, even dry ranch dressing mix.

If you add two special ingredients — dark chocolate and cinnamon — you will come up with something people will rave about.

What they won’t notice is that they’re eating their veggies.

I don’t remember where I got this recipe; it’s a great one-pot meal for a Sunday.

Pudding. Pumpkin pie. Cool Whip.

All of them are delicious on their own, but how about combining them into one dessert?

This time of year, we can’t help but look forward to the annual apple orchard trip. Sure, you can make a pie when you get home — or you can set yourself apart with this cookie recipe from Hershey’s.

You’re looking for something different to bring to that summer cookout. Something quick and easy. Something that won’t “go bad” in the sun. Something theoretically good for you.

I famously hate cheese and often order my pizza without it. So when I found this recipe in USA Weekend a few years ago, I thought it was tailor-made for me: no mozzarella. Plus heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter, my favorite food of all time.

Winter is the perfect time for casseroles, soups and shepherd’s pie — all of which allow us to throw in everything but the kitchen sink.

This pie, courtesy of Rachael Ray, has a long list of ingredients, but it’s worth the time.

Go ahead and try a few shortcuts, like using precooked bacon, omitting sour cream and celery or substituting “fake” mashed potatoes. I’ll never tell.

Smoky Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
    3    large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed

Gingerbread cookies and pancakes: What do they have in common? They both can be tricky to make.

But together? The result is a simple staple that’s good for you — and decent as cold on-the-go leftovers.

No matter what our backgrounds, one question unites all families: “What’s for dinner?” And never is this more important than on the holidays.

Turkey, green bean casseroles, ham and mashed potatoes show up in glass dishes and metal pans on most dining room tables in the Rockford area. But many women make special recipes that reflect their heritage, such as tamales, chitterlings or lasagna.

This one, for chocolate éclair torte, can be made with almost all fat-free or sugar-free ingredients.

Chocolate Éclair Torte:

1 box graham crackers

2 boxes French vanilla instant pudding

3 cups milk

1 8-ounce tub of whipped topping

1 16-ounce can of fudge frosting