Lunch

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: every family has that one soup that somehow ends up being the default cure for everything from sniffles to random Tuesday blues. For us, it’s this Creamy Cheddar Cauliflower & Roasted Garlic Soup. My sister called it the 'hug-in-a-mug soup', which sounds corny, but she swears …

Let Me Tell You About This Cold Ramen Noodle Salad (And a Little Ramen Mishap...) This cold ramen noodle salad is just one of those recipes that snuck up on me. You know, you throw it together because the fridge is giving you the stink eye and you’re fresh out of dinner inspiration — and …

So, Why Grapes in Sloppy Joes?! Alright, hear me out before you roll your eyes. If you’d told me a decade ago I’d be putting grapes into a perfectly good Sloppy Joe, I’d have laughed you out the kitchen (with a mouthful of chips, no less). But one fussy Tuesday, my youngest kid refused anything …

Gather Round, Let’s Talk About Ground Turkey and Peppers Alright, grab your apron (or a kitchen towel, I won’t judge), because I’m about to let you in on a recipe that’s basically my weeknight superhero: Ground Turkey and Peppers. Funny story—my first attempt at this dish, way back when I’d just moved out, was a …

Let Me Tell You About These Cheesy Zucchini Fritters… You know how sometimes you just want to whip up something tasty for your little people (preferably with as few dishes as possible, ‘cause who has time to scrub the kitchen all afternoon)? That’s where these low-mess cheesy zucchini fritters for toddlers come in. My first …

Let’s Chat: Why Easy Creamy Pesto Pasta is My Hero Okay, so let me set the scene: long Wednesday, fridge looking like a ghost town, and everyone's hungry (especially me). Enter my trusty easy creamy pesto pasta—the weeknight MVP. I think the first time I cobbled it together, it was just to avoid ordering takeaway …

If You Love Mushrooms, This Soup's Practically a Hug in a Bowl You ever get those grey, drizzly afternoons where all you want is something warm but you don't want anything too fiddly or rich or... you get the idea? That's when I first started hunting for the "perfect" creamy mushroom soup recipe—honestly, I think …

I swear, these Tuna Cottage Cheese Wraps honestly started as one of those "what's actually in the fridge?" kinda meals. I'm not even sure what I was aiming for, but one day I grabbed a can of tuna, chucked in some cottage cheese (I usually buy the tub and then forget about it), and just …

Can I tell you about my favorite cozy kitchen fix? There was this one rainy Tuesday (they always seem to sneak up when you least expect 'em!) when I came home, fridge basically empty besides a stray bag of spuds, half a sad box of mushrooms, and a crumple of spinach at the back. I …

So, Let’s Talk About This Shrimp Pasta Salad You know that recipe everyone sort of hounds you for at the family picnic—even though you nearly forgot the dressing once, and your cousin tried swapping shrimp for chicken but, eh... not quite right? Well, this is that dish for me. The first time I made it …

Honestly, This Bacon Egg & Cheese Bagel Saved My Morning Ever have one of those mornings where the alarm might as well have been a foghorn and you’d sell your last pair of socks for ten more minutes in bed? Yeah, me too—as in, at least 3 times a week, if I’m honest. Enter the …

Let Me Tell You About My Mac and Cheese Obsession Okay, I have to admit something right at the start: I grew up in a house where mac and cheese was basically its own food group. I mean, I have probably eaten more pasta in my lifetime than veggies (sorry Mom). But as I got …

Let’s Talk About Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing Alright, true story—my first time making this was during a heat wave, and I was about five seconds from calling the local Thai place instead. But something about chopping all those veggies (and, let’s be honest, the blissful thought of peanut dressing) kept me going. …

Sit Down, Friend—Let Me Tell You About Swedish Meatball Soup So here’s the thing. My first attempt at Swedish Meatball Soup was, honestly, a little wonky. I used way too much nutmeg (chef's confidence, misplaced, ha!) and spent way too long reading comments on Serious Eats for inspiration. But after a few tweaks—and a phone …

Let Me Tell You Why I’m Obsessed With This Panini You know those meals that start as a last-minute scramble but somehow become your go-to “how about something special?” lunch? That’s this panini for me. Picture this: it was raining (again, thanks, Vermont weather) and I’d just found some smoked prosciutto in the wobble-y fridge …

Okay, Let's Talk Broccoli Cheddar Soup Look, if you ever find yourself shivering on a cold evening and thinking, "What could possibly warm my bones?" this Broccoli Cheddar Soup has been my go-to for years. Actually, the first time I made it, I completely destroyed the cheese (note to self: don’t use high heat!) and …

If I Could Hug My Crockpot, I Would (And Here’s Why) Okay, confession time: Crockpot Mexican Lasagna is the hero meal that’s saved my sanity when everyone rolls in hungry and I've got about three brain cells left after work. You know how sometimes you plan to make something simple—and then it, somehow, ends up …

Catching Up (Over Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches) Heya—so, you ever have one of those crazy weeks where everything’s upside down and by Thursday you just want dinner to cook itself? That’s basically how these Slow Cooker Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches became my rescue squad. The first time I made them, I thought “How wrong can …

Let Me Tell You About Creamy Chorizo Potato Soup (And That One Cold Night) Alright, so friend to friend—have you ever made a soup that basically hugs you back? This creamy chorizo potato soup is that soup for me. First time I made it? Picture me, shivering in my kitchen, looking for any excuse not …

So Here's the Thing About My Favorite Rice Dish I can’t tell you how many gloomy evenings have been saved by this One-Pot Mushroom Rice. Picture this: you come home after a long, soggy Tuesday (because, of course, it started raining just as you left work), your brain is basically mush—ironically—and the last thing you …

So, About This Bloody Mary Chili… If you’d told me years ago I’d be pouring tomato juice (yes, like the stuff for cocktails) into my chili pot, I probably would’ve snorted iced tea out my nose. But hear me out: this chili is basically a hug in a bowl for anyone who loves that Bloody …

So Here’s the Real Deal About Smash Burger Tacos You know those nights when you’re hungry and tired (honestly, isn’t that just Thursday)? That’s when I started tinkering with these Easy Smash Burger Tacos—I just wanted that crispy beef edge you get at a good diner, and I wanted tacos ’cause, well, tacos. The first …

So, Let Me Tell You About These Burgers... First time I tried making these Gochujang Chicken Burgers with Kimchi Jam, I was 80% sure I’d made a mistake and about 100% sure my counter would never recover from the sticky mess. But wow, was it worth it. My friend Mina actually called them "wildly addictive"—she …

How I Stumbled on the Best Hawaiian Roll Grilled Cheese Okay, so let me just confess right out of the gate — this recipe came about because I was out of bread (the usual sandwich kind, you know?) but still craving something gooey and warm and cheesy on a rainy Sunday. Hawaiian rolls were all …

How Chicken Shawarma Took Over My Tuesday Nights Pulled this recipe together the first time because I was craving takeout and my wallet was giving me dirty looks. Plus, my kids declared a personal vendetta against plain roast chicken (can't say I blame them). So chicken shawarma with garlic sauce—messy, garlicky, and honestly? It turned …

Hey there, soup-season seekers! You know those blustery autumn days when the only thing that’ll do is something hot, comforting, and way easier than it looks? Well, this Comfort Fall Potsticker Soup is my family's personal hug in a bowl. The first time I made it, I burnt the garlic (classic me) and accidentally dropped …

Let’s Talk About My Not-So-Secret Snack Obsession I’ll cut right to the chase: these Crispy Cauliflower Fritters are one of those things I kinda wish I’d discovered sooner in life. It all started because someone (naming no names, but he’s the one with the dog-eared Simpsons apron) bought a gigantic head of cauliflower—what was he …

So Here’s the Thing About This Pepper Steak… If you’ve ever come home after a long day and practically stared at those sad steaks in the fridge thinking, What can I do to make this interesting for dinner? — that’s exactly how I stumbled into this Sizzling Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions situation. Really. The …

Okay, so here's how these cheeseburger flatbreads came to be I swear, the first time I made these was during one of those midweek "what-on-earth-is-for-dinner" scrambles. (You know the ones...) My oldest was hangry, my youngest was staging a protest against broccoli, and my husband, bless him, just looked confused by the contents of the …

So, Here's My Story with Chicken Shawarma and That Creamy Sauce I remember the first time I tried making chicken shawarma at home—it was a mess, honestly. I marinated the chicken, but forgot to actually turn on the oven. Oops. My kitchen smelled amazing for hours with raw chicken sitting on the counter (my cat, …

Let’s just say, this Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta has rescued many chaotic weeknights at my place. I first cobbled it together after a grocery run that, frankly, went sideways (why do I always forget the parmesan?). I’d been ravenous and my kids were lobbying for pizza, but I promised something better. Long story short: …

A Little Story First (Because Why Not?) If I'm being honest, this Easy Garlic Chickpea Soup is my trusty old friend when the weather gets grumpy—or honestly when I just can't be fussed, but still want something heartwarming. I started making this one chilly night after realising I'd eaten toast for dinner four days straight …

Alright, Let Me Tell You About This Soup I remember the first time I tried making this Slow Cooker Keto Chicken Cream Cheese Soup, I’d just come home from one of those long days where even my hair felt tired (do people say that everywhere or is that just me?). Honestly, I wanted something cozy …

Hey friend—why spring soup? Okay, picture this: it's early spring, the windows have finally cracked open after months of stuffiness, and the market is overflowing with greens. That’s when I make this Cream of Spring Vegetable Soup. It started as a way to clear out what I’d grabbed (slightly overzealously, I'll admit) at the farmer’s …

Let Me Tell You About These Smash Burgers (and Baconnaise... Oh Wow) You know, I've made plenty of burgers in my day, but smash burgers? They’re basically my cheat code for winning dinner. It's got drama (that sizzle when it hits the pan!), it's got speed (because who wants to wait?), and, honestly, the first …

Let Me Tell You About This Creamy Mushroom Soup So, imagine this—one rainy Tuesday, I came home, shoes slightly muddy, craving that warm, hug-in-a-bowl kind of meal. Penne pasta? Nah, not tonight. I opened the fridge, mushrooms staring at me mournfully. (Does anyone else anthropomorphize their produce?) That’s when I whipped up what’s now become …

Let Me Tell You About This Corn Salad (I Swear It’s Worth It!) First of all—if you’re new to the whole elote thing, let me tell you, the hype is real. There was this one summer barbecue at my cousin’s (the one where the neighbor’s inflatable pool nearly became airborne, but that’s another story), and …

So, Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potato… this one kind of happened by accident because I’d made a whole bunch of mashed potatoes (like, an embarrassing amount), then realized I was completely out of casserole dishes. But there I was, staring at these lovely baked spuds in the fridge, and suddenly thought—what if the best of both …

The Story Behind My Bacon Cheddar Gnocchi Soup I admit it, soup has sort of become my thing—especially on those weeks when the laundry never seems to finish and everyone in the house keeps asking what’s for dinner before I’ve finished lunch. A while back, I found myself staring mournfully at a bag of gnocchi, …

I made this crispy orange chicken for the first time after a long day when I should have just ordered takeout, but you know that stubborn feeling when you want something hot and glossy and yours. I had a couple oranges loitering in the fruit bowl, some chicken thighs, and a mood. Fifteen minutes later …