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So, About These Almond Sweet Rolls... Can I admit something? I started making these almond sweet rolls by accident. (Literally. I thought I was making cinnamon rolls one sleepy Saturday, realized halfway through I'd run out of cinnamon, and grabbed the almond extract instead. Oops? Turns out, my whole family prefers these now. 🙃 Now, …

Let Me Tell You About My BBQ Chicken Pizza Obsession Alright, so picture this: it's a Thursday night, I desperately want something that feels indulgent but I can't face greasy takeout—again. The answer, at least in my kitchen, is always BBQ Chicken Pizza. Honestly, it started as a slightly disastrous experiment (someone forgot to buy …

The Story Behind My No Bake Christmas Peppermint Pie So, here's the deal—Christmas Eve is always a little bananas at my house. One year, I was panic-searching for a dessert because my oven was full (ham, casserole; you know the drill). My cousin Jill showed up with this ridiculously pink pie, and everyone, including my …

Honestly, Fries Are My Love Language (And Here’s Why) You know that craving you get at 9 PM on a random Tuesday where nothing but fries will do? That’s me basically every week. I remember the first time I tried making homemade fries—let’s just say, if fries could talk, those ones would have shouted for …

Let Me Tell You About This Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey If you’ve ever found yourself pacing between the fridge and the pantry, biting your lip while friends and family hover expectantly (hunger in their eyes), then you know big holiday meals can be, well, a whole thing. My first run-in with this recipe was one …

If you love strawberry crunch ice cream bars and cheesecake and, for some odd but delightful reason, tacos, you are in for a treat, my friend. I still remember the first time I cobbled these Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos together for a sleepover, mostly because I got powdered sugar all over my socks and the …

Let’s Talk About My Slight Obsession With Autumn Wild Rice Soup Okay, so you know that point in fall where the air finally gets crisp, and your neighbor starts putting pumpkins everywhere? That's exactly when my brain yells: It’s wild rice soup time. One year it rained for two weeks straight and I just kept …

This Isn’t Your Grandma’s Turkey—But She’d Probably Approve Alright, so listen: I’ve been the self-appointed "Turkey Wrangler" in my family for the past seven Thanksgivings (if you count the year I forgot the giblets and still got compliments, which, sure, let’s count it). I used to think Thanksgiving turkey had to be some sacred, untouched …

Let Me Tell You 'Bout These Pumpkin Bars Alright, so—true story—I only started making these pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting because a friend at work (hi, Jackie!) brought them in ages ago and I totally underestimated how dangerous they were. Next thing you know, I'm eating more bars than I care to admit and …

A Little Story (or How I Learned to Love Baileys Irish Cream Panna Cotta) Okay, confession—I first made Baileys Irish Cream Panna Cotta because I had a leftover bottle I didn't want to just, you know, drink straight. (Don't judge! Or do, I'm not your mum.) Anyway, I remember the first time I tried to …

So, Let Me Tell You About This Cozy Gin and Tonic If you’d told my January self that one of my best winter pick-me-ups would be a gin and tonic, I’d have laughed (or at least raised a skeptical eyebrow). But honestly, there's just something about this "Winter Wonderland Gin and Tonic" that feels like …

Let's Talk About Crockpot Lasagna Soup (Pull Up a Chair!) Alright, so picture this: it’s raining, my dog is whining (because he thinks thunder means the pizza guy’s coming?) and I’m staring at a half-empty box of lasagna noodles, zero motivation to layer anything, and zero time for all that fancy kitchen acrobatics. That’s how …

Oh, You Want Gingerbread Truffles? Here’s My Take! Okay, so—let me tell you about the first time I made these Christmas No-Bake Gingerbread Truffles. I was in a mad scramble, trying to juggle wrapping presents (that I'd obviously left till the last minute, classic me), entertain my cousins’ kids, and not burn anything in the …

Catching Up in the Kitchen: Let Me Tell You About This Cheesecake Alright, let me paint you a picture: it was a rainy Sunday (seriously, proper sideways drizzle), and I decided, as you do, that I'd finally combine my two absolute favorite treats—classic crème brûlée and New York cheesecake—into one over-the-top, kind of ridiculous, totally …

Well, Here’s Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe So, let’s just say there are weeknights when the idea of preheating an oven feels like running a marathon (and I own a good pair of slippers, not sneakers). That’s when these slow cooker BBQ meatballs save my bacon—though, weirdly, there’s no actual bacon involved. …

Alright, let’s talk about why this pumpkin cake is a keeper If you’d told me when I was a kid—knees propped up on grandma’s sticky kitchen stool—that I’d someday be baking pumpkin cake for brunch crowds (or, honestly, for dinner because cake is cake), I wouldn't have believed you. Yet here we are. My first …

I Have to Tell You About This Cake You know how some days the only thing that keeps you going is the promise of something sweet at the end? That’s me, usually a Tuesday, typically raining, only three socks found in the laundry. So, let me introduce you to my secret pick-me-up: the Chai Spiced …

You’re About to Meet My Favorite Sugar Cookie Okay, true confession time: The first time I tried making these heart-shaped sugar cookies, I totally got distracted (I think The Great British Bake Off was on) and completely forgot to chill the dough. What a mess. They still tasted okay, but let's just say, the hearts …

Let Me Tell You About This Marbled Banana Bundt Cake Okay, so you know those recipes you keep tucked away for a rainy Saturday? This chocolate marble banana bundt cake recipe is mine. It’s the cake I bake when the kitchen’s got a few too-ripe bananas yelling for attention and I’m itching to play with …

Cake Stories Over Coffee—Why I Keep Coming Back to This One You ever find yourself with a bunch of pears past their prime, sitting next to a jar of ginger you forgot you bought? That’s how my upside down pear gingerbread cake was born (well, sort of). I call it my 'rainy day cake'—a treat …

Let Me Tell You About *the* Banana Cake This cake recipe? Oh, it’s been through a lot—bad ovens, forgotten birthdays, even that time my dog nearly stole the cooling rack (true story, but I’ll get to that). If I could bottle the bittersweet smell of ripening bananas sitting on my windowsill, I would. My family’s …

The Cookie That Saved a Rainy Afternoon Let me tell you, these Iced Apple Cider Caramel Oatmeal Cookies aren't just a mouthful (though, yeah, you will want a mouthful) – they're kind of the unofficial hero in my fall baking routine. Last autumn, my niece and I got caught inside during that freak thundercloud that …

Let's Talk Cabbage Roll Soup (Trust Me, It's Easier Than Actual Rolls!) This Cabbage Roll Soup is one of those recipes that happened in my kitchen not because I'm clever—but because I'm lazy (or smart? I'll let you decide). See, there's this memory I have of making actual cabbage rolls with my grandmother (and wow, …

So, About This Turkey and Biscuits Casserole... Okay, so let me just start by saying this is not an exact science kind of recipe. The first time I made Turkey and Biscuits Casserole with Lemon and Dill, it was the day after Thanksgiving, and I was jazzed to find a way to use up leftover …

Cake and Coffee with a Side of Chaos Picture this: it's Sunday afternoon, rain's tapping at the window, and I'm elbows deep in flour, trying (for the third time this month) to replicate that glorious fritter cake my Aunt Peg brought to our last family get-together. Except, as always, I've got apples rolling off the …

Alright, let me tell you straight up—if you haven’t tried making Birthday Cake Fudge yet, you’re missing out on the easiest birthday win imaginable. I still remember the first time I tried it: my niece’s 4th birthday, chaos everywhere, and somehow this fudge stole the show from even the bounce house (I mean, that’s saying …

If You Love Salads but Hate Boring Dressings, I'm With You Hey friend! So, wanna know my secret for not falling asleep in my salad bowl? It’s this zingy, totally craveable balsamic vinaigrette with a handful of fresh herbs. I started tinkering with vinaigrettes years back after one too many limp, sad restaurant salads (you …

Let Me Tell You About This Thanksgiving Mac and Cheese... If there’s one thing my family expects at Thanksgiving (besides my uncle’s all-too-honest opinions), it’s this Mac and Cheese. I still remember the first time I brought it; Aunt Debbie asked if I’d picked it up store-bought! (I didn’t know if I was supposed to …

So, Let's Gab About These Thanksgiving Crack Green Beans There’s this one dish I always make for the holidays—well, honestly, whenever I need to win people over or just want to see my dad go back for thirds. It’s those ridiculously more-ish, sweet-salty Thanksgiving Crack Green Beans. The name sounds a tad dramatic, but if …

Why This Stuffing Means So Much (And Why You'll Love It) Okay, let me set the scene—every Thanksgiving from when I was knee-high to a turkey drumstick, my grandma’s house would fill with the scent of roasting herbs and buttery bread at least a day before dinner. I still remember the sound her old wooden …

Okay, Let's Chat Turkey (Literally!) So, a few years back, I volunteered (possibly under influence of a little too much mulled wine) to cook the Thanksgiving turkey. Spoiler: I had never done it before, but I was armed with optimism, an internet connection, and about a week’s worth of nervous energy. The first time was, …

What Even Is a "Garlic Thanksgiving Turkey"? (And Why I Keep Making It) I’ll tell you what, the first time I made this garlic Thanksgiving turkey, I was pretty sure I was going to set my oven on fire — picture me, apron half tied, juggling about five cloves of garlic and dropping half of …

Scooch Closer, Y'all! My Sweet Potato Casserole Story Alright, friend, gather round the (virtual) kitchen island. I’ve got coffee in one hand, sweet potatoes in the other, and a casserole dish that’s seen more Thanksgivings than family arguments about football. (Okay, maybe not quite that many.) This Southern Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is the one …

Catching Up Over Gingerbread Truffles Alright, so picture this: It's mid-December. The kitchen smells like Christmas (ginger, cinnamon, maybe a faint whiff of laundry because I'm multitasking here). I used to stress about baking fancy cookies, but last year my oven went on strike. What did I do? No-Bake Gingerbread Truffles! Now they're my thing. …

Okay, friend, let me tell you about the time I turned a tired, boring holiday cheesecake into a proper celebration—using sugar cookie dough. This Sugar Cookie Cheesecake Christmas Dessert is basically what happens when you get a little impatient with fancy baking but still want to bring out a show-stopper for the big family meal. …

So Here’s the Thing About This Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake… I have to start with a confession: the first time I tried making this Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cheesecake, I accidentally doubled the apples because I was distracted by my neighbor yelling at her dog; turns out, you can kind of never have too …

A Chatty Welcome (Pull Up a Chair!) Alright, here’s the thing—I never actually thought I'd be THAT person who puts pickles in their dinner, but after discovering this Dill Pickle Parmesan Chicken recipe, I can’t help myself. I first stumbled onto it after a weirdly long afternoon cleaning out the fridge (don’t ask how old …

Let Me Tell You About This Frittata (And My Awkward First Attempt...) Oh, the first time I made a frittata was a complete fiasco. I thought I could just wing it (as usual!), but let’s just say burnt eggs and a slightly smoking oven aren’t my proudest kitchen memories. Still, I learned. These days, whipping …

Let's Talk About Manicotti—And Why I Love It You know that dish you make when you want to impress your in-laws, or just show your family they actually do mean the world to you (even if they never do the dishes)? For me, that's this stuffed manicotti. The first time I tried making it, I …

This One’s for the Sunday Snoozers (Like Me) I’ll admit it: I’m not what you’d call a morning person, especially on weekends. Flipping pancakes one by one at the stove? Not happening. One time, I burned three in a row because I was too busy watching cat videos. Then, my friend Rachel texted about her …