There’s something about the sweet and smoky flavor combination that just works. And this Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon proves it with every perfectly caramelized bite of salmon that practically melts in your mouth.

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

I love how the brown sugar glaze balances everything out with just the right mix of sweet, savory, and spicy. And since the salmon is cut into smaller pieces, it cooks lightning fast, and you get the perfect glaze-to-fish ratio in every bite.

I’ve served this salmon with pineapple rice and also with this easy Asian rice. And it’s a terrific light meal with this orange parsley salad, too.

Salmon Bites

Inspired by this brown sugar salmon that we first made in the air fryer, these salmon bites are everything I love about that smoky, sweet salmon, made even better with more caramelized edges.

My New Favorite Lunch

Salmon bites have become my hands-down favorite way to cook salmon over the past year. I often cook them for lunch when I’m on my own, and in that case, the air fryer is my go-to cooking method.

However, when I’m cooking for a family meal, the broiler does a great job in the same amount of time and provides enough salmon for all of us.

There aren’t many things that can beat a big pot of pork chile verde simmering on the stove. It fills the house with the kind of aroma that makes you hungry long before it’s ready.

Made with pork shoulder, roasted tomatillos, poblano and jalapeno peppers, Pork Chile Verde is hearty, New Mexican comfort food. When it all comes together, the result is melt-in-your-mouth pork coated in the most delicious green chile sauce you can imagine.

Pork Chile Verde

It does take a little time, but that’s part of the beauty of chile verde. This is a recipe that rewards patience. It’s the kind of dish you make when you want your house to smell incredible all afternoon. Most of the time is hands-off, while the pork simmers in a broth infused with onions, garlic, cumin, and oregano until it’s fork-tender.

Towards the end of that simmering time, you’ll pop the tomatillos and peppers under the broiler to bring out their smoky, slightly sweet flavors. Toss those roasted vegetables into the blender along with the cilantro, and turn it into the chile verde sauce that is going to transform that tender pork.

Chile Verde Pork

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion
• 6 cloves garlic 
• 2 teaspoons ground
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken base
• 2 pounds fresh tomatillos 
• 4 fresh poblano chiles 
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers 
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro

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How cool is it that this quick chicken recipe is the easiest chicken we make, and it is also some of the tastiest chicken we make? Seasoned with plenty of terrific flavors and quickly cooked in any number of ways, this chicken is the weeknight main dish that the whole family enjoys.

The Fastest Way to Cook Chicken

You only need a few minutes to get this chicken ready to cook and you’ll be sitting down to eat just ten minutes later. The chicken is great on its own with a side of raw vegetables and ranch dip. It can also be sliced thin for sandwiches, or chopped bite-size for soups, salads, or pasta.

I’ve been making this chicken probably every other week for over 5 years now. And yes, it’s taken that long for me to share it here on the website.

The recipe is another favorite from The Weeknight Dinner Cookbook. However, I use the chicken in so many other recipes, I decided it was past time to share the original here.

Why make this chicken?

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This garlicky, orange shrimp packs a whole lot of awesome flavor with little more than some orange juice, fresh garlic, and a dash of spices.

Orange Shrimp

Orange garlic shrimp has been one of our favorite shrimp recipes for so long; I went years without making a different shrimp dish after I made it the first time about 15 years ago.

It seemed as if, whenever I bought shrimp, planning to try a new recipe, I would change my mind at the last minute and make this orange shrimp instead. It really is fantastic, and my entire family loves it. When they were younger, my kids would literally jump up and down with excitement when they saw this for dinner.

Served over this rice pilaf or with lemon butter pasta, this is a meal that we all enjoy. The shrimp also makes a mouthwatering appetizer, and I’ll admit it is the reason I haven’t ordered shrimp from a restaurant in years.

In the years since I first shared this here on the blog, I’ve learned to appreciate shrimp in countless other ways as well. However, we still return to this family favorite several times a year.

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Pizza and salad might sound like total opposites, one’s cheesy, gooey, and indulgent, while the other is light, crisp, and refreshing. But put them together? You’ve got the best of both worlds in one bowl.

My love for big green salads has no limits, and I’ve been known to transform all kinds of comfort food into my kind of salad. I’m laughably known for my Fritos-Every-Day-Diet, as corn chips are my salad topping of choice most days.

Street tacos meet the Big Green Salad in this Carnitas Salad Bowl that I can’t get enough of lately. Crunchy lettuce is layered with juicy carnitas, tomatoes, avocado, onions, corn, beans, and cheese, then topped with a squeeze of lime. While I’m a huge fan of homemade salad dressings, this salad is so flavorful I just squeeze a lime over the top and finish with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

This BLT Salad is fully loaded with crunchy romaine lettuce, sweet tomatoes and fresh corn, salty bacon, rich and creamy avocado slices, cubed cheddar cheese, crunchy croutons, and the perfect ranch dressing.

BBQ chicken salad with sweet potato fries has become one of my favorite lunches over the past couple of years. This is a cold garden salad tossed with warm and saucy barbecue chicken, then topped with crisp, hot sweet potato fries.

All the awesomeness of the popular grinder sandwich is tossed into this salad with crunchy greens, juicy tomatoes, and a medley of meats and cheeses. Then it’s drizzled with a delicious creamy dressing to make this Italian grinder salad.

Pizza Salad

Fresh garden salad is topped with warm and cheesy pizza “croutons” for a fun and totally satisfying twist on pizza night. It’s playful, delicious, and as much fun to eat as