noodles, rice and grains

Pasta Pomodoro Sauce

A simple pasta topped with fresh tomato pomodoro sauce couldn’t be more authentically Italian, and like most things Italian, simplicity is key in this 5-ingredient recipe that’s ready in just 20 minutes.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo

Pinch me for sure, because I am lucky indeed. I recently visited the homeland of authentic Italian pomodoro sauce, on the Amalfi Coast near Naples, Italy—the hub of authentic Italian pasta manufacturing and tomato farming. It was the trip of a lifetime, complete with amazing views of the dramatic coastal cliffs, white-knuckled winding roads I luckily didn’t have to chauffeur, so much amazing time with friends on the tour, and more real-deal authentic Italian food than I could dream of—so fresh and delicious I never wanted to leave.

But why would I expect anything less? I was there with DeLallo Foods, a brand I’ve worked with for many years and shared many recipes using their products here on the blog, and who imports only the best ingredients direct from Italy to the U.S. We were in Italy to visit their pasta factory and learn more about what makes pasta made in the small southern city of Gragnano in the Campania region of Italy, the best, certifiably authentic pasta in the world—and the only way DeLallo produces their delicious Italian pasta.

In addition to learning about how pasta is made, we took a cooking class and learned how to make this classic Pomodoro al Spaghetti from the chefs of the two-star Michelin awarded restaurant Don Alfonso, where among all of their highly regarded recipes, this is their most popular recipe. It may have been the simplest meal we had on the trip, and might be the reason it ended up being my favorite.

I couldn’t wait to get home and master this classic pomodoro sauce myself, and now, you’re about to as well. continue to the recipe… about Pasta Pomodoro Sauce

Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe With Ground Beef

Classic stuffed peppers with rice, ground beef, and a rainbow of sweet red, yellow and orange bell peppers makes the best easy dinner idea any night of the week.

Ever since I was a starry eyed pre-teen, I’ve been a fan of drawing rainbows. Now I eat them.

But as a kid, I wrinkled my nose at the sight those orbed vegetables, and when they showed up on my dinner plate, I plotted how to ditch every single bite in a napkin that was slipped slyly to the dog anxiously waiting under the table.

But just like spending Sunday afternoons lazily visiting with family or friends, or relishing the time to simply sit and read a novel, eating the food you hated as a kid suddenly becomes not. that. bad. as an adult. And sometimes really, really good.

Plus, whenever I can serve a meal in it’s own vessel, it’s bonus time. Enter, stuffed bell peppers.continue to the recipe… about Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe With Ground Beef

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Ricotta Cheese

This easy pasta dish comes together in less than 15 minutes with a fresh tomato sauce made even healthier with whole wheat pasta and spinach that’s topped with ricotta cheese. This is where healthy meets happy!

I’ve grown tomatoes in my garden for years. But the past few seasons have seen a steady downward spiral of yield thanks to my neighbor’s growing trees and some dastardly devilish varmints who snatch up the lessening fruit they finally yield. My tomato crop at the end of summer has turned into a total bummer crop instead of my oh-so-wishful bumper crop.

But I’m not going to let my less-than-stellar farmer skills get in the way of eating fresh tomatoes however I can. Between farmers markets and the farmer down the street, I’m keeping flush with my tomato loving ways.

This warm pasta dish is one of my favorite simple lunch or dinner recipes, and one reason I’m bound to this end-of-summer crop. It’s a bit like a caprese pasta but uses ricotta cheese instead of mozzarella.

The “sauce” is made with fresh tomatoes steeped in olive oil and garlic then added to the warm pasta so there’s hardly any cooking to do at all. It’s the perfect recipe for when you’re short on time but still want real good, real food on the table.

continue to the recipe… about Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce and Ricotta Cheese

Thai Quinoa Salad

This easy Thai quinoa salad combines protein-rich grains with healthy nutrients from fresh veggies, for a lime-infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite.

This easy Thai quinoa salad combines protein-rich grains with healthy nutrients from fresh veggies, for a lime-infused flavor bomb with crunch in each bite. It’s great as a side for potlucks and as a main when you add chopped chicken. It’s also an easy and complete weekday lunch too.

I remember being at a Weight Watchers meeting where a woman emphatically stated that she did. NOT. like. quinoa. There was no changing her mind. But in my head I couldn’t figure out why she was putting up the quinoa roadblock.

Quinoa is one of my favorite protein sources, probably because it’s so unassuming. Like a seventh grade girl, it takes on the flavors it’s paired with.

For this quinoa salad, that means the salty flavors of a limey Thai dressing with plenty of veggie crunch. It’s the perfect side dish or main meal if you’re feeling the hug of your waistline just a little too much.

Quinoa is a bona fide super food. It’s gluten-free, packed with protein, fiber and flavonoids with studies showing it as an anti-inflammatory. It’s also loaded with antioxidants to keep those free radicals at bay.

continue to the recipe… about Thai Quinoa Salad

Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

This easy spicy Thai Basil Chicken recipe infuses authentic Thai flavors into a coconut sauce that’s dynamite over rice or noodles for a fast dinner you will literally find yourself craving.

When my stock of summer’s sweet basil is ready for harvest, I make a mad dash for caprese salads and homemade pesto. But my love of basil roots don’t stop there.

Each spring I go beyond the bounds of planting traditional sweet basil. In my garden, I always make room for at least 3-4 Thai basil plants, just so I can have them to make this Thai basil chicken recipe. It’s creamy, spicy, and when using rice noodles, it’s gluten-free.

In high school, my sister Holly spent a year in Thailand as a foreign exchange student, and our family’s taste buds haven’t been the same since. Holly originally introduced me to the traditional recipe of Pad Krapow Ga. Then my mom found a variation to this Thai Basil Chicken recipe in an old issue of Sunset magazine.

Over the years I’ve added this and that to make the recipe my own, and come late summer, it shows up nearly every week on our dinner table, taking full advantage of that sweet but savory, homegrown Thai basil.

continue to the recipe… about Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

31 Quick Dinner Ideas for Easy Summer Nights

This list of 31 quick dinner ideas will have you in and out of the kitchen (or manning the grill) with plenty of time left to chill out on any hot summer night of the week.

Hello August = Hello end of summer. Please! Say it isn’t so!

There’s no time in what’s left of the quickly dissipating summer schedule for cooking all day in the kitchen. Suntans still need to be worked on. Outdoor activities must be conquered. So with summer readying to sing it’s swan song, laid back summer eats are what’s called for now.

But what should you make for dinner on a hot summer night? Make it real, make it good, and make it happen fast.

This list of 31 favorite summer dinner recipe ideas will put the savor in your last days of summer. So sit back, relax, and chill out with these easy seasonal summer eats.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Quick Dinner Ideas for Easy Summer Nights

Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale

A clean, herb-infused broth makes this slow cooker tortellini soup with Italian sausage a favorite to keep in your weekly meal plans.

This post is in partnership with McCormick.

“Oh babe, this is so good. Hey! Don’t eat all the broth! That’s mine.” My husband. He’s usually really good about sharing. “Oh. This is really good.” Until it comes to soup. He LOVES a good soup. And he wants it all for himself.

I’ve said it here before. My man is a soup aficionado. And if you can spell aficionado without having to hit dictionary.com, you are one swell spelling bee winner, because I can’t. But back to the crockpot tortellini soup…

Not only does the slow cooker create a broth for this tortellini soup that tastes flavorful and ultimately craveable, but the perfumed scent of sausage, onion, celery and garlic that wafts from the kitchen as it cooks will also have you wishing you could give that lid on the slow cooker just a crack to dip a spoon in for juuuuuust a bite for taste testing.

Or better yet, dip in a big old slice of sourdough. Fancy that. We’re a family of dippers.continue to the recipe… about Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale

BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

This creamy, easy pasta salad recipe is loaded with tomatoes, arugula, and avocado, plus crispy bacon that’s all topped with a super simple Ranch-style dressing made healthier with a combo of Greek yogurt and mayo.

You could say my collection of pasta salad recipes here on the blog are my children, and just like any mother of kids, it’s nearly impossible to choose just one as my most favorite. But, if you’re a fan of a creamy pasta salad, or an ultra easy-to-make pasta salad that’s loaded with healthier goodness (plus bacon!), this avocado and bacon pasta salad is for you.

Once the garden tomatoes come into harvest, BLT sandwiches are a staple at our house. And the only thing that makes them even better is adding avocado for them to become BLATs. Bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwiches that are now a BBQ pasta salad staple.

So when my daughter requested I make a pasta salad that included her beloved bacon in the BLT mix, avocado was an obvious addition to make.

continue to the recipe… about BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Homemade pesto is one of the quickest ways to brighten any dish from caprese chicken to pizza and even to macaroni and cheese. This is my tried and true method to make the perfect basil pesto recipe every single time.

I’ve made homemade pesto many times and totally loved it. And just as many times I’ve totally screwed it up. Why? There are likely several reasons, but it’s mainly because I veered away from my perfected proportions and added too much garlic or not enough olive oil or didn’t season my basil pesto sauce nearly enough.continue to the recipe… about How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil bring summertime flavors to a classic dinner of Shrimp Scampi Pasta.

Fresh tomatoes, garlic and basil. Three ingredients that magically transform into very special recipes when a few simple additions are made. Add toasted bread and you have Bruschetta. Add mozzarella and you’ve just made a classic caprese. This recipe for shrimp scampi pasta takes those simple, classic flavors and with a twirl of a fork wrapped around slinky angel hair pasta puts the fresh taste of summer smack dab on your dinner table.

When the summer temps hit 95 degrees and up, as they do from July through August since I live in the desert mountains of the West, you won’t usually find me in the kitchen cooking over a hot pot on the stove. I’m much more of a grill girl when it comes down to dinnertime in the summertime.

Correction: I’m much more of a watching my guy grill when it comes to dinnertime. That’s why if we’re having shrimp, it’s usually been seasoned and skewered and lit up on the charcoals. But a summer of grilling isn’t always what I’m craving when I’m chilling.

The essence of summer was what I was craving when I saw shrimp at the grocery store and had a bunch of ripe tomatoes on my counter. Toss in some fresh chopped garlic, a handful of basil from the garden and I was on my way to a summer dinner wonderland.

I made this with low-carb pasta, which requires less time to cook than traditional pasta, making it an even quicker cook than usual. Getting me out of the kitchen and back to summertime chilling.continue to the recipe… about Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe for Steel Cut Oats or Rolled Oats

This oatmeal recipe made in an Instant Pot makes make-ahead oatmeal so easy that it’s become my new favorite method for both steel cut oats and rolled oats!

This recipe is brought to you by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

The Best Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe

I’ve made oatmeal fast in the microwave, low and slow in the slow cooker, and overnight in the fridge, but this oatmeal recipe made in the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker makes make-ahead oatmeal such a cinch, and so convenient, that it’s become my new favorite method. And even better, it works with both steel cut oats and rolled oats, for a healthy breakfast that I can make different every day of a week that doesn’t require any babysitting or tending as it cooks.

Today I’m sharing how to make Instant Pot oatmeal with both steel cut oats and rolled oats, plus 10 flavor combinations—from fruit or kale, to chocolate chips and nut butters—to make this oatmeal totally your own.

My family has a long history of eating oatmeal for breakfast. As a kid, I never even knew you could make oatmeal on the stove top, because my mom would always buy the instant quick oats oatmeal packets, placing them easily within our elementary school arm’s reach so my little sister and I could boil the water for the packet of oats and mystery ingredients to make our own breakfast before school.

My mom was smart that way. We learned how to fend for ourselves and she earned herself a little extra mom time in the morning with her coffee and the Today Show.

As I moved on in life, I sort of fell off the oatmeal-for-breakfast train and favored scrambled eggs, or cottage cheese and toast, or my fave microwave egg whites and spinach toasted bagel as my made-in-the-office breakfast instead.

But then last year when my sister served me her recipe for Instant Pot steel cut oats alongside her famous latte, I made the return to dosing up on my own morning oatmeal once again.

This Instant Pot oatmeal recipe has been perfected by my sister. If there’s one thing that Holly does and always does right, it’s making sure that she measures, that she takes notes, and that she makes it perfect. She’s a scientist, and that’s why she is such a good cook. Because sure, cooking can be art, but it all starts with science.

But Is Instant Pot oatmeal actually easier to make? Yes!

The Instant Pot is still enjoying its run as the trendy appliance of the season or two, but here’s one more validating reason it’s worth the cupboard space: I like making oatmeal in the Instant Pot rather than over the stove or in the microwave because there’s no monitoring involved to be sure it doesn’t bubble over and cause a mess like mine does in the microwave 50% of the time, or stirring to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Instead, you simply set it and walk away until the timer rings. And even better, it’s awesome for making a big master batch to keep in the fridge and warm up anytime with your favorite fixins’.

Cooking steel cut oats the traditional way can take up to 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time. But when you toss them into the Instant Pot, the cooking time is cut to 3 to 4 minutes with the resting time of about 10 minutes where the grains continue to soften. Be sure to allow time for the pressure cooker to come up to heat, about 7-10 minutes more.

I’ll take that for $500, Alex!continue to the recipe… about Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe for Steel Cut Oats or Rolled Oats

Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Filled with herbs, veggies, and grilled shrimp, these fresh shrimp spring rolls take some patience to assemble, but they’re so flavorful!

One of the things I’ve read in self-help business books, absorbed from my favorite podcasts and basically just learned along the way of life is that the most successful people are the ones who delegate.

Delegation = Getting Shit Done.

Once upon a time I fancied myself a great delegator. I could look at a situation, see the vision of what needed to get done, figure out the most efficient path to achieve it and direct the peeps in my camp to go forth and prosper. But lately, I feel like I’ve lost my knack in finding the track. And it’s left me feeling a little defeated and floundering like a fish out of water.

That said, my husband will still say I’m bossy. I prefer to call it delegating to others by educating them in my view of efficiencies. Okay, I admit it, I’m a nag. So why is it so hard to let others help? To not just do it all yourself? To share those details you’ve learned in the school of hard knocks? Hey, it’s okay to stop being the martyr!

One of the best and worst parts of working as a solopreneur behind the curtain of a 27-inch HD computer screen is exactly that: you work by yourself. You do the drudge work, you own the good with the bad.

But you can also find yourself reverting to that 6-year-old who has to learn how to share—all over again. Because when you share, good things happen.continue to the recipe… about Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

30 Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long

Easy classic pasta salads are the trademark of summer BBQs, picnics, pool parties, and potlucks. This list of 30 pasta salads will keep your picnic table full all summer long.

I’m just going to put this out there now…with all of summer’s shenanigans and goings ons, this is a post you are going to want to bookmark/Pin/save and share for future reference. Break out the red-checked picnic tablecloth, it’s BBQ, picnic, and potluck pasta salad time!

Summer just wouldn’t be the same without a variety of pasta salads making the recipe rotation for summer party donations. Sure, it’s easy to pick up a pint-to-go from the deli counter, but pasta salads like this list of recipes are so much better and healthier than the pre-made glop.

Recently a few friends commented that whenever they think of FoodieCrush, they automatically think of fresh, healthy salads. As a pasta salad lover, I’m totally okay with that. They make the perfect accompaniment to simple summer dinners or meal prep for whole meal lunches all week long.

After taking a look at my salads and sides recipe archives to see if it was true, I realized that hot damn! I do have a lot of pasta salads shared here on the blog. But I’m not the only one. That’s why I’ve composed this list of 30 pasta salad recipe favorites from here on FoodieCrush and from other bloggers too.

So what are you waiting for? Put a stock pot of water on to boil (don’t forget to generously season with salt), and let’s pasta some salad. continue to the recipe… about 30 Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

This 5-ingredient pasta salad recipe has all of the flavors of traditional Caesar salad with the addition of kale and sweet roasted cherry tomatoes for an easy and healthy potluck pasta salad.

Most often you’ll hear me professing my love of making and using homemade dressings. I make a lot of them. Why? Because they’re easy and healthy and I know exactly what’s in them.

But sometimes, I need a pasta salad recipe in a hurry, something I can throw together quick. That’s when I turn to my pantry and the impromptu creating begins.

Since nobody-never-ever says no to a quick and simple healthy-ish pasta salad, having this potluck salad recipe with store-bought dressing on hand is my golden unicorn.continue to the recipe… about Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

31 Plant-Based Recipes That Aren’t Salads

There’s no need to go fully vegan or vegetarian to take advantage of the benefits of a plant-based diet, and there’s no better time than now to start adding more of them into your diet with gusto.

The two main reasons we as humans eat are a) for health and b) for taste. Food is what makes life possible, and that much better, and so much more tasty and delicious.

But eating for health doesn’t have to mean sacrificing all of the things that make food so enjoyable. But with so many popular elimination diets out there right now (that often contradict each other), balancing this issue can seem complicated.

But it doesn’t have to be!

continue to the recipe… about 31 Plant-Based Recipes That Aren’t Salads

10 Ways to Waste Less and Save Money at the Grocery Store

These 10 helpful tips for how to grocery shop smarter will not only save money, but waste less food at home so you’ll eat healthier too.

This post is sponsored by Kroger

I hate wasting food and yet I do it almost every week. I’m one of those shoppers who has grand aspirations to cook every meal, and then life gets in the way, plans change, and I don’t. I see my veggies languish in the crisper or watch bread go moldy in the pantry. I’m guilty of buying too much and not using what I have.

If you’re like me, you’re probably asking how can I spend less money and shop smarter at the grocery store? It starts by answering the question, how can I stop wasting food?

That’s why I’m changing my food wasting ways by thinking about the end result first, before I even start my grocery shopping.continue to the recipe… about 10 Ways to Waste Less and Save Money at the Grocery Store

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad Bowls with Berries

This Vietnamese rice noodle salad is a vegetarian-forward version of the traditional bún salads drizzled with nuoc cham—the popular Vietnamese dressing and dipping sauce—with spring lettuces, crunchy fresh vegetables and sweetened with the season’s best fresh berries.

Yes, this noodle salad does taste as good as it looks. And it’s just the beginning of my job to convince you to try this baby soon.

I’ve been a fan of fresh and crunchy Vietnamese vermicelli noodle salad bowls (bún) since my college days way back when, and ever since visiting Vietnam last Christmas, lighter, healthier, simpler recipes with a flare of these worldly-inspired Asian flavors have been at the top of my must-have cravings.

Today I’m sharing this recipe for vermicelli noodle salad to be served as a main meal noodle bowls for four. Or, the salad can be served in smaller portions as a side dish to this lighter chicken satay, tossing it all together in one big bowl the same as I do in my basic, fresh and easy Vietnamese noodle salad for serving to a party or salad recipe for a potluck or bbq.

There’s no cooking involved with this salad, just some peeling and chopping, so let’s get on to getting our salad cravings cured.continue to the recipe… about Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad Bowls with Berries

The Best Homemade Mac and Cheese

The combination of creamy gouda and havarti cheese make a silky, cheesy homemade mac and cheese sauce that tastes far better than the boxed kind.

Easy Homemade Mac and Cheese

There are several basic, classic, everyone-loves-them-because-even-when-we-shouldn’t-we-still-crave-them recipes I am driven to master.

The best steak. Check.

The juiciest roasted chicken. Got it.

The best potato salad. Double check and thank you mom.

The best homemade fudge. Ever. End of story. Period.

I’ve made several macaroni and cheese recipes on the blog, one with lobster, another with gobs of cheese and bacon, and yet another loaded with veggies and such, and I’ve deemed each of them a wonder in their own right.

But I was missing something. I was missing the basic, homey, comfort food classic of a good old-fashioned baked mac and cheese. But not anymore.

This easy baked mac and cheese recipe, affirmed by all of the “mmm-this-is-so-unbelievable,” “can-I-have-more-please” comments, THIS recipe, with it’s incredibly silky, cheesy sauce, is the best classic yet.

continue to the recipe… about The Best Homemade Mac and Cheese

The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna

No-boil lasagna noodles layered with a mix of cheeses, spinach and store-bought marinara make this vegetarian spinach lasagna recipe one of the easiest dinners you’ll prepare all week.

This post is in partnership with Kroger

Creating This Spinach Lasagna Recipe

When Kroger asked me back in July to join them for a blogging event at Kroger HQ in Cincinnati, I didn’t hesitate to say yes. When they said we’d be celebrating Christmas in October, the lights in my eyes saw sparkles of red, green and white.

See, while most of you are thinking, “Why is Christmas stuff already up in the stores when the Halloween candy hasn’t even been doled out?”, I’m researching and plotting my Christmas gift giving list, secretly listening to my Christmas carol playlist, and praying for snow. Like NOW! BRING ME SNOW!

I’m the original Christmas girl.

So when Kroger broke out the ugly sweaters for each one of us, we all jumped on a bus en route to visit the largest Kroger in the U.S. of A., and broke out in mismatched caroling harmony to this Mariah classic. It totally put me in my element, and a holiday state of mind.

Our goal for the day was to create a holiday recipe to share with our fellow bloggers at the Kroger Bloggers Banquet. I didn’t have to think too hard about what my dish would be, I just channeled my sweet Aunt Jill and her Christmas Lasagna, the dish we had every Christmas Eve and all the best Christmas Eve’s of my youth.continue to the recipe… about The Cheesiest Spinach and Cheese Lasagna

Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peas

This healthy recipe for pasta with turkey sausage and peas makes a fast Italian skillet dinner for any night of the week.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

My dad loves sausage. My husband loves sausage. I love sausage. What is it about the comforting flavors of sausage and pasta that feels like a big family hug in a bowl?

But sometimes that big sausage-ey hug can feel a little too tight, a little too snug; just like my jeans. That’s why I’m lightening things up where I can and making small changes toward a healthier diet. For me, my husband, my dad, and you.

Subbing ground turkey for pork sausage is an easy switch to make, and it’s one that’s not even noticed because I have the secret to losing the fat but keeping all the flavor, and it’s all thanks to adding the same herbs and spices to ground turkey that make regular sausage taste so good.continue to the recipe… about Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Peas

Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni

Sweet Italian sausage, roasted red bell peppers and thick layers of cheese make this easy baked rigatoni pasta recipe a family favorite.

This post is in partnership with DeLallo Foods

Crusty and melty. Officially these descriptions are opposites. But not when you’re talking baked pasta, because then they go hand in hand. If there’s one thing better than pasta and sausage it’s pasta and sausage with melty layers of cheese baked through and crisped and crusted on top.

Talk about the ultimate cheese pull.continue to the recipe… about Baked Sausage and Cheese Rigatoni

Lemon Chicken Stew

A one-pot dinner is a must-make meal for any new mom and dad. And with a lemony twist on the classic chicken and rice soup—this time with orzo pasta that helps thicken this flavor-filled cooking bonanza—my Lemon Chicken Stew, is a spunked up contribution to a virtual baby shower for my fellow food blogger Liz at The Lemon Bowl.

Every mom needs to catch a break, especially in the kitchen. While I’m a lover of the cookin’, I’m not much of a fan of the washin’.

That’s why this lemon chicken stew is the perfect one-pot dinner—with leftovers for the next day—for any new mom and dad ready to pucker up and kiss those newborn baby toes.

One pot, that’s all. Dinner is served.

I met Liz of The Lemon Bowl when we were visiting the farmers who put Dole Salads onto dinner tables across America, and I was immediately drawn to her wit and punchy personality. This girl has charisma to spare.

So when a group of food bloggers invited me to join in her virtual baby shower party I was more than happy to join the party.

In my opinion, baby butt wipe warmers and all of the other needless baby junk can easily be bypassed at the typical baby registry. What really counts as a present is keeping mom and dad out of the kitchen so they can grab some zzz’s and spend their time where they should and shouldn’t be: away from the dish soap, and instead, snuggling with their baby love.

Liz already has a toddler to keep her busy, so with a new babe on the way, I had a feeling a dish that is a minimizer in the kitchen but is full of comfort is a sure winner in these new parentals’ cookbook.

Did I mention it’s her birthday this week too? This is a serious double header.continue to the recipe… about Lemon Chicken Stew

Skillet Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This easy and extra cheesy one-pot cauliflower mac and cheese dinner gets a heathified veggie bump thanks to caramelized cauliflower added to the velvety cheese pasta to create a whole new take on a comfort food favorite.

This post is in partnership with Cache Valley Cheese

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a 783 times. There’s nothing like sneaking a little healthy into dinner and knowing the thrill of everyone at the table loving it. And even better when they ask for more.

Break out the mom victory dance!

It’s one of my secrets when it comes to feeding kids of all ages. For instance, my husband. He’s the biggest kid I know and not the biggest fan of cauliflower. But when that bulbous head of a vegetable is cooked to become caramelized and sweet, and mixed with macaroni that’s coated in a silky, creamy, cheese sauce? Suddenly, he’s just as much a fan as Smudge has been since she was a wee toddler.

Sneaking healthy in. It’s my secret weapon at meal time.

This year I couldn’t be more pleased to be partnering with a brand I grew up with. Not only grew up with, but honestly ate every. single. day. I don’t think I can even remember a time when Cache Valley Cheese wasn’t in my parents’ fridge waiting for me to slice and layer in one of my famous turkey sandwiches, melt over a freezer burrito, or add a perfectly cut square slice to my liverwurst and pickle topped Triscuits for my after school snack while watching re-runs of The Brady Bunch. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

And please, don’t even judge me when I admit to slathering thick slices of mild cheddar with mayo and eating it just. like. that.

Cache Valley Cheese has been with me and my family forever, and I can’t wait to share my food memories and favorite recipes featuring it’s high-quality, calcium-rich cheeses here on the blog this year.

So let’s get started!

continue to the recipe… about Skillet Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes

The Mediterranean Diet has been named 2019’s diet of the year, and this list of 50 breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes makes it easy to add more of the Med-inspired lifestyle to your weekly meal plan.

The Best Diet of 2019

Just as we were setting our sights on eating better with the New Year, US News and World Report came out with their standings of the best diets to follow for 2019, and for the first time, the Mediterranean Diet took top honors. CNN reports the diets were ranked on: “how easy it is to follow, its nutritional completeness, its ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss, its safety and its potential for preventing and managing diabetes and heart disease.”

Unlike many of the trendy, silver bullet diets that are at the bottom of this year’s list and you see everyone jumping through hoops to try (and ultimately bail out on), the Mediterranean diet is a centuries-old lifestyle for long-term health and wellness instead of a quick weight loss fad that never seems to really last.continue to the recipe… about 50 Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

I’ve been making this easy vegetable lasagna for years. It’s layered with a smooth butternut squash puree, shiitake mushrooms, a creamy white sauce, and melty cheese to make an irresistible layered lasagna noodle you’ll love digging into.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

It’s not even Christmas yet and I’ve already been looking toward the new year and listing out a few of the goals I plan to hit next year.

One of the biggies in my new year goal making sessions is to eat more meatless meals. It’s easy for me to do for breakfast and lunch, but where I tend to run into a road block is when I make meatless dinners because that’s not exactly my husband’s idea of a meal. But I’ve found it’s a whole lot easier to convince the family to join me on my veggie train when I’m serving dishes like this vegetable-loaded lasagna where nobody ever misses the meat.

I used to make this vegetable lasagna every.single.year when I hosted the volunteer holiday party for my fave animal rescue, where everything had to be served vegetarian. We were an animal rescue, not an animal eatery.

So did anyone (aka my husband) miss the meat? Not a chance! Why not? Because this Italian dinner recipe is completely delicious! That, and the layers of cheese don’t hurt to convince any doubting Thomas too.continue to the recipe… about Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushrooms

Sesame Soba Noodles

This Japanese Sesame Soba Noodles recipe makes a simple Asian side dish or easy main meal that can be served hot or cold, and is on the table in 20 minutes or less.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

When we talk about where to go if we’re eating out, 8 out 10 of our favorite spots are going to be Asian. Funny enough, Chinese is probably the lowest on the list, with Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and of course Japanese all vying for our taste buds top spot.

When we go out to eat, we don’t even think about how complicated a dish might be. But when we cook at home, you can bet your chopstick that simplicity is a big part of our dinner-making decisions.

New Years Day is one day we won’t be heading out anywhere to eat. For us it’s all about taking it easy and cooking at home. Asian noodles are a traditional New Years Day dish, with signifying longevity, good luck, and starting the year with a clean slate. Plus, these soba noodles are light yet savory, and filling enough to cure any of the aftereffects of New Year’s Eve’s shenanigans.

This Sesame Soba Noodle recipe ticks all of our favorite recipe-making boxes. It’s fast. It’s easy. It’s healthy. It’s totally flavorful. And it goes with so many of our favorite mains, and it even makes a main meal all in itself.

continue to the recipe… about Sesame Soba Noodles

Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

This crockpot lasagna soup is like a deconstructed lasagna made in an Italian tomato broth full of vegetables with a creamy dollop of a three cheeses mixed in.

This recipe is brought to you by DeLallo Foods

Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

If you’ve found yourself trolling Pinterest there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen the meaty stove top version of this easy vegetarian lasagna soup floating around. And there’s a perfectly good reason for that.

Because it’s so dang good!

I’m very much into giving my favorite comfort foods a different spin to make them brand new again. And when it comes to lasagna, I have a couple of recipe twists on this classic Italian comfort food up my sleeve, or at least, in my recipe box.

This time around, a healthy change-up to everyone else’s lasagna soup was in the works.continue to the recipe… about Vegetarian Crockpot Lasagna Soup

30 Days of Soups, Stews, and Chilis Made to Keep Winter Warm

Sign me up for this list of 30 days of soups, stews, and chilis on repeat to warm up this body of mine and soothe my ever-loving seasonal soul all month long.

I know, I know–wintery weather blows in just about every 365 days from right about today, yet I’m never quite ready to give up on the gorgeous warmth of Indian summers and the fall leaves a-falling. I love me a snowy white winter, but fall has my heart.

While winter doesn’t officially begin until Christmas is nearly here, the change in weather and my freezing cold feet—now clad in fuzzy socks and boots— is the sure-fire signal for me to start craving the heartiest of rib-sticking comfort food.

This list of 30 soups, stews, and chilis are sure to warm us up and fill us up, but not fill us OUT, because each of these recipes are made with healthy, real good, real foods.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a spoon and dig in!continue to the recipe… about 30 Days of Soups, Stews, and Chilis Made to Keep Winter Warm

Curry Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash and Greens

Simple vegetarian soups are easy to come by, but this healthy curried lentil soup recipe serves a purpose, too.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

My best friend is one of the most enthusiastic people I know. She is a PhD. She is a dreamer. She is a CEO. She is an avid, and I mean AVID animal rescuer. She travels, she mentors, she’s curious, she’s beautiful, she loves mimosas, and in business and in life, she is the ultimate planner.

And my best friend has Stage 4 Metastatic HER2 Positive Breast Cancer.

Wait. Hold up. This is not part of Kim’s plan.

Stage 4. Cancer. Those words…they’re so scary to hear. I have no idea what it’s like to live with them banging about in your brain, rattling your heart, day in and day out.

Ironically, I received her call about the cancer diagnosis on a Saturday morning while at a Kroger retreat in Detroit. She had been to the doctor the day before. She told me the cancer was back. She told me she wished that five years ago her insurance would have allowed her to have the double mastectomy she wanted, instead of just the one she did have. I’ll never forget that phone call as I paced the floor, talking to Kim, my head spinning out and my heart breaking for my friend.

And now, here I am, sharing our story and a very special recipe in a post sponsored by Kroger’s Sharing Courage breast cancer awareness program for women, their families, and their support systems. And each and every one of them are very important stories to tell.continue to the recipe… about Curry Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash and Greens

Easy Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta

This easy 5-ingredient couscous recipe combines the Mediterranean flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, green onion, toasted pine nuts and feta cheese for a healthy 10-minute side dish.

This recipe is brought to you by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Mamma Mia! Here we go again! Literally.

We don’t need many excuses to eat good Greek or Mediterranean food at our house, but when we can make a themed night of it, it’s even that much more fun.

So when I was asked to create a recipe that ties into the DVD release of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Sing-Along Edition (yes! more Abba to sing along to while I cook!) it was just another reason to get the party started.

continue to the recipe… about Easy Couscous with Sun-Dried Tomato and Feta

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continue to the recipe… about Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)

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