If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants get their roast chicken so juicy and full of flavor, the secret is simple — it’s all in the brine! This brined Roasted Chicken and Potatoes is one of those meals that makes you slow down and savor every bite.

The kids voted this was the best chicken and potatoes I’ve ever made and it was one pan and so dang easy.

The overnight brine infuses the meat with moisture and a subtle, herby flavor, while the garlic butter under the skin keeps every bite tender and golden. Add in roasted Yukon Gold potatoes that crisp up in the chicken drippings, and you’ve got a family dinner that is pure comfort food — with hardly any effort.

Why Brining Makes the Juiciest Chicken

The short answer is science! First, the salt in the brine breaks down the tight protein strands in chicken (or any poultry) which makes the structure more open to holding liquid molecules so it can retain more moisture.

When the chicken is submerged in the brine, the chicken soaks up the brine making it more juicy and more flavorful. The additional flavor in the brine like the lemon, fresh herbs and garlic all soak into the chicken so it’s flavored from the inside out!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Brine

• Water: The base that helps distribute the salt and flavors evenly.
• Kosher Salt: Draws moisture in and out of the chicken, resulting in juicy, seasoned meat.
• Honey: Adds a subtle sweetness and helps with browning during roasting.
• Peppercorns: Infuse mild spice and depth into the brine.
• Lemons: Brighten the flavor and help tenderize the meat.
• Bay Leaves: Add an earthy, aromatic note.
• Parsley & Thyme: Fresh herbs that lend light, savory flavor.
• Garlic: Deepens the flavor and complements the herbs beautifully.

For the Chicken

• Whole Chicken: The star of the recipe — roasting the entire bird keeps it juicy, flavorful, and beautifully golden while naturally basting the potatoes as it roasts.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances flavor, draws out moisture for crisp skin, and seasons both the chicken and potatoes evenly.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps the skin turn golden and crispy while keeping the meat tender and moist.
• Garlic: Brings depth and savory aroma to the butter mixture and infuses flavor into the chicken and potatoes.
• Fresh Thyme: Adds bright, earthy notes that complement the chicken’s richness and balance the buttery flavor.
• Lemon: Infuses the meat with a fresh citrus aroma, helps tenderize the chicken, and

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Can you even believe that today is the first of November? I’ve had a bit of a bug all week, so I’m enjoying a lazy weekend at home with hot tea and honey to soothe my throat.

I have a stack of books (metaphorical, of course, since they’re all on my Kindle) and several games waiting to be played with the kids. They’re all home today and I’m loving it. Now that they’re mostly grown, it’s kind of rare to have most of us at home at the same time, so we try to make the most of it. 

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Soup season is officially here, and I don’t know about you, but I could happily live on cozy bowls of soup all fall and winter long. To make things easy (and extra delicious), I’ve gathered the top 10 fall soup recipes people are cooking right now.

This recipe for Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a timeless classic. Carrots and onions simmer in the rich broth for hours, while the beef gets so tender that it practically falls apart on its own. How could we say no?

These Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes take a classic and make it even better. We’re talking about velvety smooth potatoes, bursting with rich cheesy flavor. This is the kind of side dish that everyone is still talking about, long after the potluck is over. (And you’re going to want a scoop of these potatoes alongside that amazing pot roast!)

Before we move on, yes, I KNOW how weird this one sounds, but once you’ve tried this Cheesy Broccoli Cornbread, you’ll understand. It’s the kind of side that starts with “I guess I’ll take just a small piece,” but always ends with me going back for more. 

The first time I tossed broccoli florets into the air fryer basket, I honestly didn’t expect much. But when the timer dinged and I opened the basket, I was thrilled with how gorgeous the Air Fried Broccoli looked. The florets had golden brown to slightly charred edges, and vibrant green stems that weren’t mushy at all. This has become one of my go-to snacks and easy sides when there are just a few of us at home.

Classic pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are super soft and moist, the kind of dessert that melts in your mouth and makes you wonder why you ever waited until fall to start baking with pumpkin.

You’ll savor every spoonful of this M&M Ice Cream, where the unmistakable crunch of M&Ms collides with the smoothness of luscious vanilla. 

What I’m CRAVING: My brother made this Chicken Pot Pie Casserole this week and raved about it so much that now I’m craving it! I’m putting it back on the menu

Our Easy French Toast Casserole is a classic recipe for brunch or breakfast, especially a holiday breakfast! You’ll go nuts for the cinnamon crumb topping. 

It has been years and years since we’ve updated this old post for our favorite, simple french toast bake, but I’m finally getting around to it. Every year I’ve made it for a special breakfast, vowed to take new photos and then gobbled the entire thing up. 

Well, a few months back we lost a few of our older posts in a tragic mishap on the blog, so here we are, desperate to get this baked french toast back up because it’s the perfect holiday breakfast!

Ingredients for French Toast Casserole

There’s nothing too surprising here, but starting with a good bread is crucial! Other than the bread, you’ll probably have everything else at home already. Here is your ingredients list:

• Challah, Brioche or Sourdough Bread: you want a dense sturdy bread and day old is best
• Eggs: large eggs, medium and you’ll need more eggs, extra large and you’ll need less
• Milk: don’t use fat free milk, but any other milk will work fine, we prefer 2%
• Heavy Cream: essential for the custard base of the casserole and adds richness and flavor
• Sugar: any granulated refined sugar works great
• Brown Sugar: adds flavor and richness
• Cinnamon: any brand of cinnamon is great
  • NOTE: If you’re a nutmeg fan, you could add a little pinch of nutmeg too. I especially love that during the holidays!
• Vanilla: real vanilla extract is preferred

Topping

• Butter: chilled and cut into small (1/2 inch-ish) cubes
• Flour: just all purpose
• Brown Sugar: I never need a reason for brown sugar…haha…but really it’s all the flavor and sweetness
• Cinnamon: combined with the brown sugar and it’s all the flavor you need
• Salt: just a little pinch enhances all the flavors
• Optional: Top with powdered sugar and fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.

How to Make French Toast Casserole

This is a great recipe for the holidays because you can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning. In fact, it’s better if you let it sit overnight. Overnight french toast casserole makes breakfast on Christmas morning so easy! Just a thought! Here are the simplified steps for making this breakfast casserole:

1. Prep: Tear or slice the bread into bite size pieces and prepare a baking dish by spraying with cooking spray. Place the bread into the pan.
2. Whisk: Whis

You’ll savor every spoonful of this M&M Ice Cream, where the unmistakable crunch of M&Ms collides with the smoothness of luscious vanilla. Bonus? It takes just a few minutes of effort to whisk everything together for the ice cream maker.

M&M Ice Cream

This ice cream is on the simpler side of the recipes I’ve developed. But, simple is a good thing with this M&M Ice Cream. How could I complain about being able to serve freshly churned, colorful, and fun ice cream with very little fuss?

While M&Ms aren’t my favorite candy, I do keep them on hand. They appear in some of my favorite recipes, like this incredible cookie dough ice cream which was inspired by my grandma’s monster cookies. But, it’s not like M&Ms are my whole identity, ok?

This one is for you, Miles.

I feel the need to point that out because my brother Miles has a long and storied history with the yellow M&M. It started in 1995, the year he started high school. That was when M&Ms first gave their animated candies distinct personalities.

Miles used the yellow M&M as his calling card in his candidacy for high school president (which he won!). And so my siblings and I have been surprising him with Yellow M&M swag pretty much ever since. As a result, this ice cream makes me think of him when I eat it.

Ice Cream Mix Ins

There are so many different candies, treats, syrups, nuts, and more that can be used as ice cream mix ins. I’ve made a ton of recipes like this M&M ice cream, already. And, one thing I’ve found is that ice cream is so versatile, you can use what you have on hand.

I used minia

Soup season is officially here, and I don’t know about you, but I could happily live on cozy bowls of soup all fall and winter long. To make things easy (and extra delicious), I’ve gathered the top 10 fall soup recipes people are cooking right now.

Fall Soup Recipes

We’re talking creamy favorites, vegetable-packed goodness, and a few hearty classics you’ll definitely want on repeat. So, grab your favorite pot, you’re going to want to try them all!

Italian Vegetable Beef Soup​

Hearty ​Italian Vegetable Beef Soup​ is filled with chunks of ground beef, plenty of vegetables, and generous Italian spices. This soup has been a family favorite for over 20 years.

Lasagna Soup

With spicy