Happy Monday, everyone! First of all, just to let you know that the image of baby spinach, below, has nothing to do with the rest of this post. It’s just a picture I like and I figure every blog post on a food blog needs to have at least one picture.

I’m going to start a new Monday morning series, where I highlight a few favorite posts and/or recipes from the blogs I feed. I think it’s a nice lead into the rest of the week. I’m also hoping that by linking some things here, it might encourage me to make some of these recipes instead of saving them to my favorites folder and then promptly forgetting about them! (A bad habit of mine – she says, looking at about 150 favorites links that she hasn’t gotten to yet.)

So here you go – my quick favorites from the first week of August.

Pimm’s Cup – Cajun Style: Pimm’s Cup is a staple summer cocktail in my house. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m also all about the Cajun/Creole/New Orleans influence as well. So this cocktail really caught my attention and I’m dying to try it.

Brownie Cutters : I’m not big on what Alton Brown calls kitchen uni-taskers, but these really tickled my fancy. I think it would be fun to be able to make shaped brownies and bar cookies for the office, family get-togethers, or even just as gifts for friends.

Zucchini, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Tart: I’m dying to try this as well. I saw the recipe and the photo and it was an instant crave.

Tomato, Chickpea, and Spinach Soup: This also looks incredible and I think it would be great to take to work for lunch. I am inclined to leave out the pasta, just to make it a little lighter – at least for summer time.

Tex-Mex Squash Casserole: I always find something on Lisa’s blog to make my mouth water. Not only does she cook with the flavors that I grew up with (Ro-Tel anyone?), her recipes and memories bring back memories of my own family in Texas. I’m definitely making this casserole this week.