If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants get their chicken so juicy and flavorful, the secret is simple — it’s all in the brine! This easy chicken brine recipe takes just a few minutes to mix up, and it transforms your whole chicken into something truly special.

The salt and honey work together to lock in moisture while the lemon, garlic, and herbs add a beautiful depth of flavor. Once you try it, you’ll never roast chicken without brining again!

Why Brining Makes the Best Chicken

Brining helps poultry stay juicy. The salt in the brine actually changes the structure of the meat’s proteins, allowing them to absorb and hold onto more water. That means less moisture loss during cooking and a tender, succulent bite every time.

The salt also tenderizes the meat slightly, breaking down muscle fibers so the chicken cooks up more tender and evenly.

Instead of just seasoning the surface, brining also lets flavor soak deep into the meat. Every bite tastes perfectly seasoned — not bland in the center and salty on the outside.

Simple Ingredients for a Flavorful 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.
• Whole Chicken: The star of the show — brined to tender, juicy perfection.

Step-by-Step: How to Brine a Whole Chicken

1. Dissolve: Mix the water, salt and honey in a large pot over medium heat and stir until the salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let the water cool.
2. Brine: Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, then add the chicken to the brine solution and let it brine in the fridge overnight.

How Long to Brine Chicken

For best results, brine your chicken for 8–12 hours, or overnight.

Once you start brining your chicken, you’ll never go back! It’s such a simple step, but it makes all the difference — juicy, flavorful, and perfectly tender every time. Whether you’re roasting for Sunday dinner or meal prepping for the week, this chicken brine will take your cooking to the next level.

Now if you’re wondering how to cook this perfectly brined whole chicken, our go-to chicken recipe is our melt-in-your-mouth b

There’s nothing quite like a classic pumpkin pie made completely from scratch. Forget the store-bought stuff—this homemade version has a creamy, spiced filling, a buttery crust, and that nostalgic Thanksgiving flavor we wait all year for. If you’ve ever felt nervous about making pumpkin pie from scratch, don’t worry…I’m walking you through every step so your pie bakes up smooth, creamy, and perfect every time.

Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving or just craving a cozy fall dessert, this is the only pumpkin pie recipe you’ll need.

Oh, pumpkin pie, oh pumpkin pie, thy flavor is so lovely… Who needs the Christmas tree song when we could be singing about pie?

I know we have some haters out there (haters gonna hate, hate, hate. Thank you Taylor Swift.) I can’t even understand the hate, but it’s fine. It exists. I believe that every blog should share their favorite classic recipes and this one is one of my favorites. Well this, and Mom’s Lemon Meringue Pie. 

Thanksgiving For Me Growing Up

Thanksgiving was always one of my favorite holidays growing up. We’d pack into my grandpa’s house in Le Grande, Oregon—cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone—filling every corner with folding tables and chairs. There were always more people than the house could technically hold, and more than once we kids ended up on the floor with our plates.

If we stayed home in Vancouver, Washington, the house still filled with family, plus a few people from church who didn’t have anywhere to go. Dad always made sure no one spent Thanksgiving alone. The cousins played nonstop, the adults snacked and chatted, and we’d finally sit down for “dinner” in the middle of the afternoon. After cleanup (always paper plates because… sanity), the ladies and kids did Christmas crafts, the men watched football, and then—pie time!

Honestly though, my favorite part was the next day: lazing around with movies, leftovers, and turkey sandwiches on rolls. I loved those even more than the big meal.

Thanksgiving at Our House Now

As an adult, Thanksgiving looks a little different. Where we live now, most people have deep roots and big family gatherings of their own, so it can feel a bit lonely when you’re not traveling. It’s not the bustling holiday I grew up with, but it’s taught me something important—be like Dad and always look around to see who might need a place at the table.

Our traditions have changed, but we still have pie… and honestly, pie makes everything okay.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie

You’ll want to start by making my favorite pie crust recipe or Mom’s failproof magic crust. Both recipes make a double crust, so you’ll only need half the dough for this pumpkin pie.

If you’ve been searching for the best brownie recipe, these Lunch Lady Brownies are it. These brownies are rich, chewy, and unapologetically fudgy! The kind with crackly tops that melts in the middle. Made with simple pantry staples and a silky cocoa frosting, they taste like the brownies your grandma should’ve made.

No fancy tricks, no boxed mix, just pure, old-school chocolate perfection.

Lunch Lady Brownies are moist, full of chocolate flavor, and feed a crowd! My roommate taught me the power of brownies with frosting, and they totally remind me of the ones I had as a kid that the lunch ladies served in elementary school, but this homemade version is better, thanks to one secret! These are rich and fudgy brownies, not crumby and cakey brownies.

Ingredients For Lunch Lady Brownies

Cake

• Unsweetened Cocoa: Adds deep chocolate flavor
• Butter, melted: Makes the brownies rich and fudgy
• All Purpose Flour: Provides structure
• Salt: Balances sweetness. The secret!
• Sugar: Sweetness that caramelizes beautifully
• Eggs, large: Adds richness and helps set the brownies
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances chocolate flavor

Frosting

• Evaporated Milk: Makes frosting creamy and smooth
• Butter, softened: Adds richness and fluff
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting
• Unsweetened Cocoa: Intensifies chocolate punch

These ingredients come together to make the ultimate fudgy brownies topped with rich, chocolate frosting.

How to Make Lunch Lady Brownies

If you’ve been searching for the best brownie recipe, this is it. We’re talking a thick, fudgy texture that comes together fast and tastes like they’re straight from a bakery. No fancy steps, no waiting overnight, just pure, chocolatey, from scratch bliss in under an hour.

1. Preheat: Set oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13&n

These potato rolls don’t require any kneading, and honestly, they’re hands down the best rolls we’ve ever had. Soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, they’re our #1 most requested roll recipe.

These rolls are ridiculously easy to make — no fancy equipment, no complicated techniques — and perfect for any meal, holiday dinner, or special occasion. Once you try them, you’ll see why everyone keeps asking for this recipe.

These are seriously the best potato dinner rolls ever. They are so soft and seriously melt in your mouth. They are ridiculously buttery. 

Suggested Products

These are all affiliate links for amazon but you can go to a store to find a lot too. Amazon is just easiest.

• Potato Gems or Pearls – We use these dehydrated potatoes as they seem to give the best flavor and texture.
• Dough Scraper – Any ol’ scraper will do but we prefer a plastic scraper to scrape the dough and flour off our counter and out of bowls for 10x faster clean up.
• Silpat Baking Mat – We bake everything on a silpat; cookies, rolls and even loaf breads cook evenly and without sticking! No spray needed!
• Nordic Ware Cookie Sheet – The cookie sheet you use absolutely can make or break your recipe. If it’s too dark it will cause your food to look dark and over-bake. You want a cookie sheet that bakes evenly and won’t affect color.
• Stainless Mixing Bowls – I love glass mixing bowls, but the truth is, everyone should have good stainless bowls in all sizes and these are great ones.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sugar: Feeds the yeast to help the dough rise and adds a touch of sweetness that enhances flavor. It also promotes browning, giving your rolls that beautiful golden color.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter adds richness, tenderness, and flavor to the rolls. The fat coats the flour proteins, which limits gluten development — that’s why your potato rolls turn out so soft and melt-in-your-mouth.
• Milk: Milk makes the dough tender and adds subtle sweetness and flavor. The natural sugars in milk also help with browning, while the proteins contribute to a soft, rich crumb.
• Potato Flakes: This is your secret weapon! Potato flakes (or mashed potatoes) make the rolls extra soft and moist by attracting and holding onto moisture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness, enhances flavor, and strengthens the gluten structure so your rolls rise evenly and hold their shape.
  • PRO TIP: Always add salt after the yeast has been mixed in with other ingredients to avoid slowing yeast activity.
• Instant Yeast: The leavening agent that makes your rolls rise. Instant yeast works quickly and doesn’t require proofing in water first — just mix it right in with the dry ingredients.
• Eggs: Eggs add richness, flavor, and beautiful go

This Nutella and Dulce de Leche Puff Pastry Christmas Tree looks impressive, but it’s actually one of the easiest Christmas desserts you’ll ever make! Layers of rich Nutella and creamy dulce de leche sandwiched between flaky puff pastry! It tastes like pure holiday heaven.

A few years ago, puff pastry Christmas tree recipes started popping up everywhere, but I hadn’t seen one featuring Nutella and dulce de leche, so of course, I had to create my own!

Every Christmas Eve, my mom made homemade donuts. Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan; they’re not quite sweet enough, yet somehow too rich at the same time. Don’t worry, she doesn’t love them either. Go figure.

Last Christmas, I wanted something that captured the nostalgia of those donuts without actually being one because deep frying is messy, smelly, and a bit of a hassle. That is how this adorable puff pastry Christmas tree was born!

Ingredients for This Recipe

This festive puff pastry tree comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients, and the result is the yummiest pull-apart Christmas Tree dessert. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 Sheets Puff Pastry, partially frozen: The base of the tree.
• Nutella: For rich chocolate flavor.
• Dulce de Leche: Adds creamy caramel sweetness.
• Egg Yolk: Used as an egg wash to brush on the pastry for a glossy, golden finish.
• Water: To mix with the egg yolk.
• Unsalted Butter: Optional, brushed for extra richness.
• Cinnamon Sugar: For sprinkling on top.

That’s it! Just a few ingredients for a dessert that looks impressive and tastes incredible. Now let’s get baking!

Other Fun Puff Pastry Christmas Tree Fillings To Try

This puff pastry tree is a versatile base for all kinds of delicious fillings! While we love the classic Nutella and Dulce de Leche version, you can easily swap in apricot jam, strawberry jam, raspberry jam, fig jam, or even chocolate sauce! Feeling savory? Try ham and cheese, pesto with chicken, or chicken and Parmesan for a flavor-packed alternative.

How to Make This Puff Pastry Christmas Tree?

These Christmas Trees look fancy but are surprisingly easy to make! Flaky puff pastry layered with rich Nutella and creamy dulce de leche makes a festive, show-stopping dessert everyone will love.

1. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat. (Parchment paper also works, but be warned: melted dulce de leche tends to stick more to parchment than to Silpat.)
2. Cut: Unfold the puff pastry sheets and stack them on top of each other. Using a sh