Tender rice with onion, bell pepper, and celery mixed with a great blend of spices adds up to bowl of Cajun rice—a simple, easy-to-make side dish that tastes like something a whole lot fancier than it actually is.

While a basic pot of rice cooks, you’ll saute the Cajun trinity (that would be onion, bell pepper, and celery) in a bit of butter, along with that mix of bold, smoky spices, and the next thing you know that plain rice becomes the star of the table.

If you’ve never cooked with the Cajun trinity before, your tastebuds are about to be very happy—it’s the Southern version of mirepoix, only with a little more attitude. The sweetness of the sautéed onion and bell pepper balances the earthiness of the celery, and that forms the flavorful base of this dish.

A sprinkling each of smoked paprika, garlic, oregano, thyme, black pepper, cayenne, along with a good pinch of salt turn this into something really tasty. Don’t be afraid of the cayenne either. It doesn’t actually provide heat here, it just gives the other flavors a boost.

This dish is as versatile as it is flavorful. Serve it as a side next to grilled chicken or shrimp—or pile the rice into a bowl and call it dinner. I highly recommend cooking up a batch of Cajun chicken bites while the rice is cooking and then serving them over the rice.

The best part is, this recipe is super forgiving and about as adaptable as can be. You can adjust the spice to your taste, double it for leftovers, or toss in whatever protein you have on hand. (It’s excellent with sliced kielbasa or andouille sausage stirred into the rice, too.) It’s a great base to build on, but it’s just as good left simple as written.

One final note, friends. Don’t skip that finish of fresh parsley. It might seem like a small thing, but it adds just the right brightness to balance out all the warm, deep flavors happening underneath.

Read more

How to Make Air Fryer Baked Potatoes (with crispy skin!)

This is the ultimate air fry baked potatoes recipe that’s crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside! All in under an hour! With minimal effort and just a few simple ingredients, you’ll get that classic baked potato taste without heating up the oven.

Whether you’re loading it up with butter, cheese, or your favorite toppings, this quick and easy method will become your go-to for weeknight dinners and weekend comfort food. Once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever baked potatoes any other way!

It’s the texture for me. There’s just something so satisfying about a classic, old-fashioned baked potato! The crisp, crackly salted skin and that soft, fluffy center melting with butter. Truly, there’s nothing better than gathering around the table for a simple dinner at home with piping hot baked potatoes on the side.

I used to think you had to wrap them in foil to get them just right (didn’t we all?), but a few years living in Idaho taught me otherwise. I became a full-on baked potato expert, and now, the air fryer is my secret weapon.

Over the past year, our recipe for How to Make Baked Potatoes in the Oven with Crispy Skin has quickly climbed the charts as one of the most viewed recipes on our site. And I get it! That crispy skin is pure gold. But I’ll be honest: while I still love the oven method, the air fryer has officially won me over. It’s now my favorite way to cook baked potatoes.

What You’ll Need to Make Air Fry Baked Potatoes

You only need three simple ingredients to make perfect air fryer baked potatoes! Plus any toppings you love. This recipe is all about crisp skin, fluffy insides, and minimal effort.

• Russet Potatoes: Starchy with thick skin, ideal for baking.
• Oil (Olive Oil or Avocado Oil): Helps the skin get golden and crisp.
• Kosher Salt: A simple seasoning that boosts&n

There’s something about strawberry sorbet that feels like pure summer in a bowl. It’s bright, refreshing, and so simple, it almost feels like a magic trick. Just strawberries, lemon, sugar, and a pinch of salt—that’s it.

Strawberry Lemon Sorbet

No fancy ingredients, no ice cream maker required if you don’t have one, and definitely no fuss. This is the kind of dessert you make when you want something sweet and cooling but don’t feel like turning on the oven or babysitting a stovetop.

The key to this sorbet is ripe, flavorful berries. If they taste amazing on their own, they’ll make an even better sorbet. That squeeze of lemon brings brightness and a touch of acidity that balances the sweetness perfectly. And don’t skip the salt—it might seem odd in a dessert, but it actually sharpens all the other flavors and makes everything pop.

Strawberry Sorbet

This recipe is wonderfully forgiving, too. You can adjust the sugar depending on how sweet your berries are, or how tart you like your sorbet. I started with a NY Times recipe for sorbet and tweaked it to our tastes.

I reduced the sugar significantly, and it’s still plenty sweet. I was taken with the idea of blending the entire lemon, much like the beloved Del’s does in Rhode Island. (And everyone LOVES Del’s lemonade!)

You can even blend this mix and freeze it in popsicle molds if you’re in the mood for something a little more playful or want to make your kids’ day with a treat on a hot afternoon.

Read more

Crunchy bite-sized pieces of fresh vegetables, herbs, and ham, combined with a light and creamy dressing, make this ham pasta salad a standout! Be the belle of the buffet or the big wig of the barbecue with a bowl of this elevated summer standard.

Ham Pasta Salad

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t want to spend a lot of time working in a steamy kitchen when it’s hot outside. But we all have to eat, so pasta salad often becomes my go-to in the summertime.

It only takes a few minutes to boil the pasta, and once you’ve drained it, all the hot work is done. Rinse that pasta in cool water, chop up some vegetables and ham, and stir it all together with dressing. If you ask me, meat, vegetables, and pasta equals a full meal.

Read more

Chilled cubes of watermelon tossed with lemon juice, salt, and a hint of spice are topped with thin ribbons of basil in this watermelon basil salad. Whether you eat it as is or top it with goat cheese or feta, it is destined to be a surefire summer hit!

Watermelon Basil Salad

Packing a surprising amount of flavor, this light and refreshing summer salad is a perfect choice to accompany anything grilled. And since it’s grilling season, this is a salad recipe you want in your back pocket.

This is best the day it’s made, but is still very tasty if eaten within a day or two. Wait to top with cheese right before serving for the best results.

Watermelon salad is mercifully easy to make when you know how to cut watermelon. And if you don’t know, check out that link for easy step-by-step instructions.

Basil is such a great natural pairing with watermelon. Both are fragrant and floral but the basil brings a little peppery zing to complement the sweet melon.

You can choose to scatter a little feta or goat cheese on top of the salad for a little briny deliciousness just before serving, but that’s strictly optional. I love the creamy, saltiness with the sweet watermelon.

Watermelon salads go into heavy rotation around here when it’s wa