Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s chilly outside, and this feels like an excellent day for a waffle brunch. We like all kinds of waffles – from sweet to savory (I’m looking at you today, ham and cheese waffles), so it’s unlikely I’ll have any complaints from my family if I break out the waffle iron. And since I happen to have some leftover rosemary in the fridge? There’s also certain to be a batch of the best ever sausage gravy to pour over some of the waffles. (Can you tell I woke up HUNGRY today?!)

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Creamy cheesy polenta is love at first bite! Buttery, soul-satisfying, and creamy, this cheese-laden polenta is perfect served alone or topped with any braised meat, vegetables, or stew. 

Hands down, my favorite way to serve polenta is with chile verde. This Mexican pork and tomato chile verde and classic pork chile verde are what my comfort food dreams are made of these days.

Want to turn a simple head of cabbage into a side dish that will actually be enjoyed? This Cajun cabbage recipe does just that. It is bright and tender-crisp, with a kick that will have your taste buds smiling.

‘Tis the season and these thick and soft iced pumpkin cookies are an awesome way to welcome fall. The oatmeal in these cookies helps add a bit of nutty chewiness to these pumpkin cookies.

And if you love cozy fall flavors, this pumpkin sheet cake with brown butter icing is about to rock your pumpkin-spice-loving world.

If you can’t get enough of the fall flavors, this sweet potato ice cream is about to blow your mind. Once you take a bite, you’ll understand. It turns out that sweet potato ice cream tastes like frozen pumpkin pie.

What I’m CRAVING: I’ve spent this week craving soups and the breads to dip in them, so tonight’s dinner plan is a big pot of this creamy vegetable soup and a basket of easy drop biscuits. 

And if I wind up getting just a little more ambitious while I’m in the kitchen, Tricia’s Bakewell Tart is on my must-make-soon list. If you adore almonds and almond-flavored things as much as I do, it should probably be on your list too.

My FAVORITE THING this week is my ne

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m spending the day slowly catching up on work and planning to get out for a walk this afternoon, too. I love lazy days like today. The odds are good that there will be a puzzle in my future as well.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Half a box of pasta, a pound of sausage, and some green cabbage that was tucked in the fridge added up to a winning last-minute meal. This sausage pasta was such a hit with my family that it’s become a regular player in our dinner rotation over the past few years.

Brimming with juicy pineapple and colorful bell peppers, this pineapple chicken stir fry is a little bit tangy, a little bit sweet, pretty to look at, and absolutely full of flavor. (I’m making it tonight, subbing shrimp for the chicken – can’t wait!)

These steak kabobs are calling my name again. The steak rests in a simple Asian-inspired marinade for a few minutes before being skewered along with slices of colorful bell peppers and red onions.

Creamy mushroom pasta is cream sauce perfection with sauteed mushrooms, garlic, parmesan cheese, and spaghetti noodles. I like to serve this with smashed Brussels Sprouts or these extra crispy roasted green beans. 

Peanut butter oatmeal balls pack a punch of rich peanut butter with the earthy taste of oats and that hint of sweetness we all crave. With the addition of a handful of chocolate chips and some mini M&M’s, these are a sweet treat you’ll be making often.

These chewy, dense, peanut butter cookies are an unforgettable memory from my childhood. Made with just an egg, a scant cup of peanut butter, and a cup of sugar, 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are an old-fashioned cookie that everyone loves.

If you or someone you know loves Butterfinger candy bars, this is about to become their all-time favorite ice cream. Butterfinger ice cream is swirled with flakes of Butterfinger candy bars and loaded with bite-sized chunks of candy bar too!

What I’m CRAVING: My friend Christi’s insanely delicious chocolate peanut butter cookies. When I tell you that these are the best chocolate cookies I have ever tasted, I’m not being dramatic or even remotely exaggerating. She first shared them with me about ten years ago, and they are firmly established now as the greatest chocolate peanut butter combination possible.

My FAVORITE THINGS this week are t

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Are you enjoying the cooler fall weather as much as we are? My brother is in town and I’m looking forward to much laughter, delicious food, and some board games, too. Since the weather is supposed to be great through the weekend, I’m hoping that we’ll be outside as much as possible in the cool mornings.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Tender pieces of flank steak are simmered in their own juices creating a rich and super flavorful broth to make the Carne en su Jugo (a.k.a. Meat in its Juices) that my family loves so much.

When I say that my family loves this, what I really mean is we LOVE LOVE LOVE this meal. So much so that my oldest son has requested Carne en su Jugo for his birthday dinner for the past five years now.

​​This easy-as-can-be sheet pan chicken dinner has become a favorite in many of your homes over the past two years. And my family continues to make it at least once a month. It only takes about 5 minutes of effort to toss the chicken, potatoes, and green beans in a simple lemon and herb vinaigrette before roasting until tender and crisp.

Honey glazed carrots are a welcome side dish combining the natural sweetness of carrots with a light and buttery honey glaze. This recipe can be made in just ten minutes, about the same amount of time it might take to steam some vegetables. And while I do enjoy a good many steamed vegetables, the wow factor of this glazed carrots recipe is a step or two above that.

Crispy Cajun cauliflower brings a kiss of heat to this tasty, slightly crunchy side dish. Cauliflower is a wonderfully blank slate when it comes to playing with different flavors. This makes it a perfect canvas for roasting and adding seasonings to pair with any dish.

Chock-full of bacon and beef, sweetened with molasses, and simmered until thick and sweet, cowboy baked beans are sure to impress! This recipe has been my favorite way to make baked beans for years.

An orange banana smoothie is proof that the simplest things are often the best. With just two ingredients and under five minutes, you can make the easiest smoothie ever. (And if you choose to include the bonus ingredients, it gets even better!)

This chocolate pudding bundt cake is pure chocolate lover’s heaven! Rich, deeply chocolatey, and super moist, this cake gets rave reviews and recipe requests every time I serve it.

Creamy sweet vanilla ice cream with a hint of fruity olive oil on the back is an unexpected grown-up flavor treat. I absolutely loved this Read more

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m in Santa Fe, NM this weekend with my sisters. We’re soaking up the cool, rainy day today and enjoying our coffee this morning with vacation pastries. (Anyone else make the most of the fun pastries when traveling and rarely do that at home? I’m all about it.) We’ll be playing games, likely doing another puzzle or two, and heading out for more walking as well, if and when the weather clears. It’s thrills a minute over here – just the way I love it.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Have you seen the new website design? I’m loving it so much. Hopefully, you’ll find it easier to navigate and find exactly what you’re craving!

We’re making all my favorite and easiest recipes this weekend, and I’m looking forward to everything. Egg roll in a bowl ramen is an irresistible skillet of deconstructed egg rolls tossed with ramen noodles, and I’m telling you now that you are going to love it.

And you can’t have an egg roll bowl without the drizzle of bang bang sauce, can you? It’s simply irresistible. This sweet and spicy sauce has become a staple in my fridge over the past few years. 

I’ve been making this chicken waldorf salad on repeat every week for months now, and it’s the lunch plan for today. I’m nowhere near tired of it. 

I’ll give you one guess what’s for breakfast over here. At home or when traveling, it’s my go-to meal. And these jammy eggs will be happening as well. 

Hot tea and steamed milk are all you need to make a London fog. Made with or without caffeine, this is a drink you’ll enjoy all day long. And I plan to enjoy at least one later today while it’s rainy outside and I’m cozy inside. 

Is there anything more cozy than a piping hot melting grilled cheese on a rainy day? Ours will have to wait until tomorrow’s lunch, since the bread won’t be ready until then, but it will be worth the wait. (Also, if you aren’t using sourdough for your grilled cheese sandwiches, you’re missing out! It’s a real game changer.)

These hibiscus margaritas are deeeelicious. Jenny made them for us last night and added a chamoy rim – 1000 stars, highly recommend. I’ll be sharing our version of the recipe soon! 

What I’m CRAVING: My little sister has been making sourdough for a while, and it’s soooo good. She is a big fan of Maurizio Leo (highly recommend his site for Read more

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m in fall-inspired cleaning and donating mode and have been clearing out closets, posting things in our local buy-nothing group, and enjoying the roomy new spaces in our home very much. 

Question – where do you donate or give things away? While it takes a little more effort, I’ve been enjoying the buy-nothing process so much more than dumping things at donation centers. We still donate that way as well, but when the items are nicer and we just don’t need them any longer, I try to remember the local groups for giving things away.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK: Tender broccoli florets and chunks of spicy sausage are scattered through every bite of this hearty, satisfying pasta. When you’re craving pasta comfort food, but still want to enjoy a generous serving of vegetables (without messing around with a salad), this broccoli sausage pasta is the answer.

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.

Fresh green beans are tossed with Sriracha, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil and then roasted to hot, crisp perfection to create these immensely snackable spicy green beans.

You’ve never had sweet potatoes like these glazed sweet potatoes. They roast up with the most irresistible caramelized brown sugar crust. Tender, sweet, and savory all at once, they’re the kind of side dish that makes any meal feel special.

Pumpkin + coffee cake = fall dessert magic. Layers of soft sour cream coffee cake, creamy pumpkin filling, and a crunchy cinnamon-sugar pecan topping make this pumpkin coffee cake downright irresistible. One slice and you’ll be hooked! 

Buckeyes, also known as Peanut Butter Balls, have a smooth peanut butter center and chocolate shell. I’ll warn you now that once you’ve tried them, you’ll be making this simple buckeye recipe for all of your Christmas treat trays and holiday food gifts.

Creamy homemade chocolate ice cream is loaded to the absolute limit with bite-sized chunks of Oreo cookies to create this chocolate lover’s cookies and cream ice cream.

What I’m CRAVING: My friend Rebecca (yes, last week’s brownies were hers too. She’s really been making me hungry lately!) introduced me to the idea of swapping co