Blog

You’ve Gotta Try This One-Pan Wonder Okay, let me tell you: if there’s a meal that’s saved my bacon on a crazy Tuesday (or a mellow Sunday when I just can’t be bothered), it’s this ground beef zucchini sweet potato skillet. It started because I had ground beef and a couple sad sweet potatoes giving …

Let Me Tell You About This Macaroni Salad... You know that one dish you end up making for every potluck, BBQ, or random Tuesday when you’re craving something a bit tangy and creamy? For me, it’s this Macaroni Salad with Olives and Pickles. The first time I made it, I overcooked the pasta so it …

So, Let Me Tell You About This Grilled Cheese... You know those recipes that sneak up on you? The ones you throw together because you’re hungry, but then—bam!—they become a family favorite? That’s exactly what happened with this Mediterranean Spinach Grilled Cheese. It started as a last-minute lunch (I’d forgotten I’d invited my cousin over, …

If You Need a Vacation... Make This Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan So, the first time I whipped up this Hawaiian Chicken Sheet Pan, I was actually trying to use up a can of pineapple and some chicken that was threatening to stage a coup in my fridge. You know those weeks where grocery shopping is …

So, Here's Why I Love Making Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Roll You know those recipes you keep in your back pocket for the days when you need to impress but you've also got a pile of laundry the size of Everest? This Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Roll is my secret weapon. I first made it for my …

Let Me Tell You About This Brisket Pot Pie (and Why I Love It) I first made this Brisket Pot Pie on one of those drizzly Saturdays when I opened the fridge and found leftover brisket from Friday night (honestly, what a win). You know how sometimes you’re just not in the mood for another …

Let's Talk About Easy Cool Whip Candy (and Why I Keep Making It) Oh boy, if you’d told me a few years ago I’d have a recipe so simple it practically makes itself... I probably would’ve rolled my eyes. But, Easy Cool Whip Candy is that one recipe I bust out when I need a …

Pull Up a Chair: Let's Talk Tea Cakes Okay y’all, so here’s the deal—if you’ve never had an old fashioned southern tea cake, you’re in for a memory-lane sort of treat. My first memory of these is honestly not even baking them myself but sneaking (okay, outright stealing) the soft middles off the cooling rack …

Let Me Tell You About My Chicken Shawarma Obsession So, first things first: chicken shawarma has a special place in my heart (and, honestly, my kitchen). I remember the first time I tried to make it at home—let’s just say half the spices ended up on the counter, my cat nearly licked up the marinade, …

Let Me Tell You About the Day I Discovered Gooey Brownies So, here’s the thing: I did not grow up baking. Actually, my first attempt at brownies was more like chocolate-flavored bricks (my brother still teases me about it at every family get together). But one rainy afternoon, I decided to try again—armed with too …

Heard of Toasty Tuna Melt Muffin Stacks? Let Me Tell You... Alright, so pull up a chair. You know that feeling when you come home, it's raining (or just feels dreary), and you want something that's warm, slightly crunchy, cheesy, and just a bit retro? That's when I whip out my Toasty Tuna Melt Muffin …

Let Me Tell You About This Sloppy Joe Mashup Alright, so picture this: one rainy Saturday, I had a craving for something, well, messy—in the best way. My brain basically went, "What if I Frankenstein a classic American sloppy joe with those sweet-salty Korean BBQ vibes I can't get enough of?" Next thing I know, …

Let Me Tell You About My BBQ Salmon Bowls with Mango-Avocado Salsa Okay, so imagine this: it's one of those sticky summer evenings, and I've got a fridge full of random stuff (doesn't everyone?). I wanted something fresh, filling, and not another sad salad. That's when these BBQ Salmon Bowls came to life. Honestly, the …

Let Me Tell You About These Tacos… Okay, so—picture this: it’s a random Tuesday, I’m hungry (when am I not?), and my fridge is giving me the side-eye with a couple of limp-looking poblanos and some chicken that really needs using up. Enter: these crispy poblano chicken tacos. The first time I made them, I …

Let’s Talk About This Apple and Brie Stuffed Chicken Magic I swear, every time I make Apple and Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast, it’s like a little dinner party for my taste buds. The first time I threw this together was during a cold snap in late October—apples everywhere, brie leftover form a cheese board (don’t …

Starting Off—Why This Salad Has Stuck Around So, picture this: last summer, family barbecue, my cousin Dave's got a new grill he's dying to show off (he actually burnt half the sausages, but who's keeping score?). And there's me, showing up with this Easy Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad. I mean, I almost didn't—because between finding …

Alright, pull up a chair! I have to tell you about the time I first tried making cookies chocolat in the airfryer. It was a rainy afternoon, my kids were bouncing off the walls, and I was out of patience for waiting on the oven. So I figured, why not give the airfryer a whirl? …

Let Me Tell You Why I Love This Bowl Okay, so beef and pepper rice bowl is one of those things I threw together once when the fridge was looking a bit sad and, honestly, it's been on repeat since. I think the first time I made it I was actually trying to copy something …

Let Me Tell You About These Rhubarb Cookies… You ever try rhubarb cookies? Oh man, the first time I made these was a total accident—honestly, I meant to bake a pie, but I sort of ran out of patience (and, uh, flour). So, out came the cookie sheet, in went the chopped rhubarb, and the …

Alright, let me just start by saying: if you’re ever craving something stupidly easy but it’ll trick people into thinking you spent way longer in the kitchen, this Sweet Baby Rays crockpot chicken is your ticket. I started making this on a random Wednesday when my fridge was looking a bit sad, and I didn’t …

If you love nostalgia with your sugar rush, you’ll love this Let me tell you, cornflake candy is basically my answer to those days when you want to whip up something sweet but also be lying on the couch in, oh, ten minutes. I first made this candy with my aunt on a rainy Saturday; …

Let Me Tell You About This Pineapple Strawberry Mimosa (It’s a Story!) Okay, so, the first time I ever made a Pineapple Strawberry Mimosa, it was for one of those family brunches that start chaotically (kids playing with the dog, spouse nowhere to be found) and then everyone wanders into the kitchen demanding something fun …

Hey You, Ready for a Raspberry Mango Daiquiri Adventure? If you’ve ever wondered what summer tastes like, I’m pretty sure it’s this drink. Raspberry Mango Daiquiris have saved more than one of my backyard BBQs (and once, a particularly dull Tuesday night). I first made these kind of by accident – I meant to make …

Catching Up Over Mango Salsa (And Random Backyard Stories) Look, if you’ve ever been stuck in a kitchen with a mountain of ripe mangoes and no idea what to do—welcome to my summer afternoons. I swear, half my best kitchen ideas happen when I’m standing at my counter, halfway through a mango, with juice running …

Let's Talk Popsicles (And My Freezer Fiasco) So, here's the thing—I never really planned on making Kiwi Watermelon Fruit Popsicles until one blazing hot afternoon last July. My niece, who was basically melting into a puddle on my couch, begged for something 'cold, fruity, and not just boring old ice cream.' (Her words, not mine, …

Let Me Tell You About Mango Float (And Why I Can’t Stop Making It) You know those recipes you just fall into making over and over—like, you mean to try something new but, next thing you know, you’re reaching for the same can of condensed milk? Well, that’s Mango Float for me. The first time …

Okay, so let me set the scene: It’s game day, everyone’s hanging out in the kitchen (isn’t that always the way?), and my brother’s eyeing the fridge like he’s expecting snacks to just leap out. That’s when I whip up these spicy chili garlic deviled eggs. The first time, I accidentally used way too much …

Let me tell you about my Deviled Egg Potato Salad obsession Okay, so here’s the thing. Deviled Egg Potato Salad isn’t just a recipe in my house—it’s practically a family member. My first attempt (years ago, at my cousin’s barbecue) ended with a bowl so yellow it looked like sunshine exploded. We still joke about …

Let me tell you, every time I make this loaded baked potato salad, I’m instantly reminded of those chaotic family BBQs at my aunt’s place, where someone (usually my cousin Ben) always managed to nudge the grill off balance. I guess that’s why I love this salad—it’s nearly impossible to mess up, and it’s way …

Come On In—Let’s Talk Potato Salad Honestly, if there’s one dish that quietly steals the show at family BBQs, it’s classic potato salad. I still remember the first time I tried making it myself—I was about 16, pretty sure I overcooked the potatoes, and my cousin declared it tasted like "heaven in a bowl." (I …

Creamy Loaded Potato Salad: The Dish That Disappears Fast Okay, you know those recipes you sort of stumble into—like, you make it once for a potluck, and suddenly everyone expects you to bring it every single time? That’s this creamy loaded potato salad for me. I still remember the first time I made it for …

Let Me Tell Y’all About Southern Potato Salad (And The Great Pickle Debate) When I think about summertime, church picnics, or basically any family get-together where there’s more food than people, this Southern Potato Salad is always invited. I remember making it with my grandma in her tiny kitchen that somehow fit every cousin and …

Let Me Tell You About This Salad (and That One Time I Forgot the Cheese) Picture this: it’s a Tuesday night, my kitchen is hotter than a jalapeño in July, and I’m eyeing a pile of tired tomatoes on the counter. There’s a bit of leftover farro in the fridge, some wilting basil, and I’m …

Let's Chat About the Best Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo) Okay, so let me just say—I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made salsa fresca. It’s like my kitchen’s version of a little black dress; it works for everything, never goes out of style, and, honestly, it’s saved my butt on more than one …

Let Me Tell You About My Guacamole (It's Honestly Simple) I can't count how many times I've made this guacamole—sometimes for a crowd, sometimes just because I wanted a snack and had sad-looking avocados on the counter. My first attempt, I'll admit, was basically avocado baby food. But over the years (and after a few …

Let Me Tell You About This Million Dollar Mac and Cheese I swear, this recipe has saved me from dinner boredom more times than I can count. The first time I made it, we were halfway through a snowstorm and I just wanted something, well, cozy. A little overboard with the cheese? Maybe. But you …

Let Me Tell You About These Kabobs... Alright, picture this: it's a sticky summer evening, the grill's fired up, and the air legit smells like a vacation. That's what comes to mind every time I make these Hawaiian Chicken Pineapple Kabobs. I started making them back when I was still using those wobbly metal skewers …

Bread Memories With a Side of Flour on My Shirt Alright, so you know how some people have a go-to comfort food? For me, it's honestly German bread. The smell alone? Instantly makes my kitchen feel like my Oma’s house (and also like a minor flour explosion happened). I first tried making it after a …

Let Me Tell You About My Meatloaf (Yes, This Meatloaf) I know, meatloaf isn’t exactly the fanciest dish you could serve, but honestly, it’s one of those meals that reminds me of home. The first time I made it, I was fresh out of college, living in a (shockingly) tiny apartment with an oven that …

Casserole Nights: Why I Keep Making This Teriyaki Chicken Thing Let me tell you a secret—I never planned on inventing a Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Casserole. But you know those nights when you open the fridge and everything just seems to stare back at you, daring you to make something edible? Well, this casserole was …