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Burger Salad: All the Summer Flavor, None of the Bun There’s something about summer that demands a little less fuss and a lot more flavor. Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s the longer days - either way, I find myself craving meals that are hearty but not heavy, simple but not boring. Enter: the Burger Salad. This is everything you love about a classic cheeseburger - the juicy beef, the tangy pickles, the crisp lettuce, caramelized onions and sweet summer corn - all tossed together in a bowl. We’re layering in a spicy mayo for kick and finishing it with a generous drizzle of homemade ranch dressing that cools everything down just right. My favorite pickles by a mile are the bread and butter pickles from Trader Joes. They are downright delicious, and the slight sweetness is sooooo so good in this salad. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef – seasoned with salt and pepper, seared until browned and crisp around the edges 2-3 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped Cherry tomatoes, halved 1½ red onion, thinly sliced 10 B+ B pickles, diced Caramelized onions with corn – slow-cooked onions and fresh corn off the cob for sweetness and depth Use one full onion here, saving the remaining half for a raw bite on the salad. Sharp cheddar cheese or blue cheese Spicy mayo (see below) Homemade ranch dressing – get the recipe here Spicy Mayo ½ cup mayonnaise 1–2 T hot sauce (your favorite brand) 2 T pickle juice Whisk it all together until smooth and creamy. You want a drizzle-friendly consistency with tang and heat. 1.) Cook the beef : Heat a skillet, season your ground beef with salt and pepper, and sear until browned and cooked through. Break it up into bite-sized pieces. 2.) Caramelize the onions and corn : In the pan, cook thin-sliced onions in a bit of olive oil or butter over medium-low heat until soft and golden. Add corn kernels and cook until they’re just tender and slightly charred. Salt and pepper to taste. 3.) Prep the salad base : Combine chopped romaine, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, cheese, and the caramelized onion + corn mixture in a large bowl. 4.) Assemble : Top with the hamburger, drizzle with spicy mayo and a generous spoonful of that homemade ranch. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you’re feeling it. Extras: Add avocado or crispy bacon for extra richness Use arugula or mixed greens for a different base This burger salad hits all the right notes: savory, creamy, spicy, and fresh. It’s a full-on flavor party in a bowl, no bun necessary. Pro tip: Make extra ranch and keep it in the fridge — you’ll want it on everything this week.

Should we address the elephant in the room? The fact that I haven't made a new recipe in half of a year? Consider this recipe my gift to you for being absent for so long! Life is lifing over here as I'm sure it is for you too! I'm so excited about my new site and invite you to look around and rate some of your old favorites. And if you're new, here, have a meatball, they're delicious! xo and all my love. If you’ve never added ricotta to meatballs before—get ready. These chicken ricotta meatballs are next-level tender, light, and flavorful, and they bake up beautifully without needing to babysit them on the stove. What really takes them over the top, though, is the creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce with a little spinach and crispy bacon stirred in for that salty punch. It’s cozy, crowd-pleasing comfort food that works just as well on a busy weeknight as it does for dinner guests. I serve these over buttery mashed potatoes, pasta, or even tucked into a toasted roll for the ultimate meatball sub. They reheat like a dream (hellooo, meal prep), and you can easily double the batch and freeze some for later. These are always a win in our house and with my friends—hope you love them as much as we do! Ingredients For the meatballs: 1 lb ground chicken 6 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese (about ¾ cup) ½ cup diced white onion ½ cup panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup milk 1 egg ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese 3 garlic cloves, finely minced ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped 1½ t Italian seasoning ¼ t red pepper flake 1 t garlic powder salt and pepper to taste For the sauce: 2 garlic cloves, minced Red pepper flake to taste 4 T butter ½ cup milk 1 cup chicken broth ½ cup grated parmesan cheese Salt and pepper, to taste Instructions Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and lightly grease. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk for 2–3 minutes in a large bowl. Add the remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl. Gently mix until just combined—don’t overwork it. Form meatballs and place them on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and slightly golden on top. In a skillet, melt the butter and sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in parmesan and let the sauce thicken for 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the baked meatballs to the skillet and spoon the sauce over top. Let them warm through for 2–3 minutes. Top with fresh parmesan and fresh basil. Enjoy!

Instant‑Pot Chuck Roast Bánh Mì with Pickled Veggies I think this is my favorite sandwich. Well, it's between this, a French dip, and a BLT on fresh sourdough. But it's most definitely in my top three. I love a bahn mi. Something about the combination of the acidic and crunchy pickled veggies, the spicy mayo and the shredded, spicy beef. It's just gooood. I have only ever made my bahn mi sandwiches with chuck roast because it's an accessible and affordable cut of meat, and it hits on all the notes we need for this recipe. You may have to cut a bit of fat off, but the marbly fat is also what adds to the flavor and richness of this dish. Any leftover meat I have I'll serve over rice the next day. This is a great dish for meal prep because you can make all the components ahead of time and then compile when you're ready. Hope you experiment a bit and give this one a try! Ingredients For the beef: 2½ lb chuck roast, cut into chunks 2 t fish sauce 1 T Chinese five‑spice 2 T soy sauce 1 T hoisin sauce 4 cloves garlic, minced 1″ fresh ginger, grated 1½ cups beef broth 2 T brown sugar Salt and pepper Quick pickled veggies: 1 carrot, 1 cucumber, julienned 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar), ¾ cup water 2 T sugar, 1 t salt Building the sandwich: Baguettes or hoagie rolls, split and toasted Sriracha‑mayo: ½ cup mayo + 2 T Sriracha Fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices (optional) Cooking Steps Season & Sear: Season the chuck roast pieces with salt and pepper. Set your Instant Pot to Sauté, add a drizzle of oil, and brown the roast on all sides. I prefer 2-3" chunks. Pressure‑Cook: Add in all remaining ingredients and cook on high pressure for 45–60 minutes, then allow a 10‑minute natural release. Shred & Sauce: Remove the beef, shred with forks, and stir back into the cooking liquid for extra flavor. Quick Pickled Veggies Toss veggies with vinegar, hot water, sugar, and salt in a jar. Seal and refrigerate at least 30 minutes—up to a few hours for deeper tang Drain slightly before using. Assembling the Sandwich Spread a generous layer of spicy mayo on both sides of the toasted baguette. Add on the shredded beef. Top with pickled veggies, fresh cilantro, and jalapeño slices if you like a kick. Press the sandwich closed, breathe in the amazing aroma, then bite in for that perfect crunch/juicy combo.

Some of my favorite recipes start with a craving and a fridge clean-out—and this roasted red pepper almond pesto was exactly that. I had a few bell peppers sitting in the fridge drawer, and rather than go the usual sauté route, I roasted them until soft and caramelized, then blended them up with almonds, basil, parmesan, and a bright hit of lemon juice. It’s smoky, nutty, herby, and completely addictive. Think: romesco-meets-pesto in the best way. This sauce is magic because it’s wildly versatile. Toss it with hot pasta, spread it on sandwiches, spoon it over grilled chicken, or use it as a dip with crackers and veggies. It keeps well in the fridge, and the flavor only deepens after a day or two—so go ahead and make a double batch. Trust me, you’ll find ways to use every last drop. Ingredients: 3 bell peppers, halved and seeded ⅔ cup almonds 1 large handful fresh basil (about 1 loosely packed cup) ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 T lemon juice ½ t garlic powder Salt and pepper to taste Olive oil start with ¼ cup, add more as needed for consistency Instructions: Roast the peppers: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the halved bell peppers cut-side down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Roast for 20 or so minutes, until the skins are charred in spots and the peppers are soft. Let cool slightly. Blend the pesto: Add the roasted peppers, toasted almonds, basil, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Pulse to combine. With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil until the mixture is smooth but still textured, like a loose pesto. Taste and adjust: Add more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or oil as needed to get the flavor and consistency just right.

Super Bowl is coming and you NEEEEED these on your appetizer menu! These are crazy simple, mainly because they use our favorite kitchen appliance- the air fryer. But also because the sauce we use to coat the kielbasa bites in is also the base of the dipping sauce. A twofer! The graininess of the mustard combined with the sweetness and stickiness of the maple syrup makes an unmatched combo. These are a poor man’s burnt ends, and daaaaang are they good. By the way, don’t even attempt to only use one kielbasa. They’ll be gone in 20 seconds. Enjoy, my friends, and come back to the comments to tell us how yummy they are. MUSTARD AND MAPLE KIELBASA BITES 2 kielbasa links, sliced hassleback style 1 T worcestershire 3 T grainy mustard 2 T apple cider vinegar 2 T brown sugar 1 t garlic powder Black pepper Maple syrup, separated Chives for garnish Sauce: ⅔ cup mayonnaise Directions: 1.) Slice the kielbasa links 3/4 of the way through, then slice them into bite size pieces. 2-3 rings per bite. 2.) Combine all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl, reserving the maple syrup. Divide the sauce, saving 3-4 tablespoons to mix into the dipping sauce. 3.) Coat the kielbasa and air fry at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, shaking occasionally. At the 8 minute mark, drizzle on 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. 4.) Combine the remaining sauce with the mayonnaise and stir to create a dipping sauce. 5.) Garnish the kielbasa bites with fresh chives and serve. Enjoy!

Like I said, that green goddess dressing  has a lotttt of applications. One of the best ways I’ve used it is as the base for a creamy chicken salad. In this version I added scallions, cashews and plump green grapes. I topped my toast with an extra squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavors even more. One thing I love about chicken salad is that it gets better and better the longer it hangs out in your fridge (until a certainnpoint, of course, but you know what I mean…) . This chicken salad is soooo fresh and flavorful. It’s a great way to get protein in, and the basil and cilantro really upgrade the classic flavors. I like to eat mine open-face style on a piece of toasted sourdough, but this green goddess chicken salad is also delicious in lettuce cups or served straight out of the container. Ya can’t go wrong! Feel free to top this with additional crunchy cashews, lemon juice or scallions. A final hit of salt and pepper is always a good idea too. Enjoy! GREEN GODDESS CHICKEN SALAD Yields 2.5 cups, prep time: 10 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups pulled, cooked chicken ½ cup green grapes, sliced in half ¼ cup cashews, roughly chopped 2 scallions, sliced ½ cup Green Goddess dressing Black pepper to taste Juice of ½ a lemon Directions: Cube chicken into roughly 1” pieces. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix, mashing the chicken with the back of your fork as you go. Season with additional black pepper and salt as needed.

This is a showstopper of a salad dressing! I promise it makes everything taste better. It’s delicious on my BBT Pasta Salad  for sure, but also so delicious drizzled over grilled chicken or steak, a yummy piece of salmon, or a big ol green salad. Give this one a try. It’s always hanging out in a mason jar in my fridge, alongside its cousin, my Repeat Ranch Dressing. ;) Chive Pesto Vinaigrette Ingredients: ¼ cup rice vinegar ⅛ cup white wine vinegar ⅛ cup olive oil or more to taste 2 t brown sugar 2 t chives 1 t garlic powder 1 t dijon mustard 2 T prepared pesto Shake of dried parsley Salt and pepper Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake until combined. Add additional olive oil if you prefer. Feel free to swap vinegars depending on what you have in your pantry.

As we say goodbye to summer, I’m always looking for ways to use up fresh tomatoes. This pasta salad has been on repeat over here because it includes one of my favorite food combinations (bacon and tomato) along with my favorite fresh herb, basil. I have a black thumb so every time I go to Trader Joes I buy the $3.99 potted basil. I use it all up then go buy a new one. One day I’ll have a thriving herb garden, but today is not that day, my friends. You could add steak or chicken to this to make it a really protein-packed meal, but it works perfectly this way as a hearty side. I like that you can save the extra dressing for a green salad the next day as well! BBT PASTA SALAD Cook time: 10 minutes Prep time: 15 minutes Ingredients: 12 oz short pasta ⅓ red onion, diced 4-5 compari tomatoes ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves 6 pieces bacon Chive Pesto Vin Parmesan cheese Directions: 1.) Boil the pasta in salted water. Once cooked, drain then run under cold water. 2.) Pan fry the bacon until crispy. Chop into one-inch pieces. 3.) Dice the onion and tomatoes, then chiffonade the basil. Toss together the pasta salad. 4.) Assemble the dressing in a jar and pour over all of the ingredients. Reserve a quarter cup of dressing to pour over before serving, resulting in the highest quality final precuts. 5.) Top with freshly grated parmesan.

I’m going to be honest. I could not possibly care less about the turkey on Thanksgiving. But what I do care about is an abundance of ONLY the good  sides. My plate is generally 40% mashed potatoes, 20% green beans, 30% stuffing, and the remaining 10% a slice of ham and tiny sampling of the other offerings. The stuffing and potatoes are my clear victors (hello carbs, I love you). As I mentioned in one of my last Thanksgiving posts, my family is massive and we get together each year to celebrate. My mom always brings the stuffing. For years I’ve sat at her kitchen island and watched her chop apples and bread and celery to make a delicious stuffing to feed 40 or 50 people. This is not her recipe, but my riff on years and years of memories of eating it. I love the sweet crunch of the apples and how the sausage bulks up the dish. The onions and celery are homey and comforting, and the smell is so delicious… Even now, if I close my eyes I’m transported to my parents house on the lake, stuffing ingredients sautéing on the stove, and the Macy’s parade on in the background. My happy place. This recipe can easily be made and assembled the day ahead and cooked in time for dinner. I would just remove it from the fridge 30-45 minutes ahead of time so it doesn’t take too long to bake. I like to make my own bread crumbs because it’s easy and I prefer the texture. You can do this one of two ways. Option one is to cut the loaf and a half of bread into 1” cubes the night before and lay them all out on a baking sheet to dry them out overnight. Option two is to cut up your bread and toss it into the oven for 12-15 minutes while the oven is preheating, turning them into croutons. This is the method I usually go with. I like to use sourdough or French bread, or often a combination of the two. You’ll need to get your hands a bit messy with this recipe, but it’s important to make sure every single morsel is soaked through with all o! This stuffing is so freaking good, I hope you’ll try it. I guarantee it’ll become your new standby for years to come. SAUSAGE AND APPLE STUFFING Yields 8-12 servings Prep time: 25 minutes, cook time 45 minutes INGREDIENTS: 20 oz bread cubes roughly a loaf and a half 5 T butter 2 white onions, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 5 celery stalks, diced 1½ T chopped fresh sage 2 t fresh or dried rosemary 1 t parsley 1 t thyme 1½ t salt 1 t pepper 1 lb ground sausage 1 honeycrisp apple, diced 2 cups chicken broth 2 eggs DIRECTIONS: 1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Toast your bread cubes if they aren’t yet prepped. 2.) Add the the butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the diced onions and celery, along with the garlic and all of the seasonings. Cook the vegetables for 7-9 minutes until the onions have softened. Pour in the chicken stock, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits from the base of the pan. Pour the contents of the pan over the breadcrumbs in the prepared casserole dish. 3.) Back in the same pan, cook the sausage. Use a wooden spoon to break it into small crumbles. Add the cooked sausage to the casserole dish. Begin to toss the mixture with your hands once it is cool enough to handle. Everything should be evenly coated, and quite wet. 4.) Dice the apple into small half-inch pieces and fold into the stuffing mixture, along with two beaten eggs. 5.) Bake the stuffing at 350 for 45 minutes. If the tops of the breadcrumbs are browning too quickly, tent the dish with foil. If the stuffing feels too wet at the 45 minute mark, add an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh sage and rosemary.

A little taste of summer amidst a grey PNW day! We were nearly out of groceries, and definitely out of motivation and inspiration, so an easy meal was key. I happened to have some pizza dough I bought from a local store in my fridge, so this whole meal came together in 15 minutes flat. Lots of small pizza joints will sell you their homemade dough, which takes a lot of the work out of pizza night. If you don’t have access to fresh pizza dough, here is a recipe  I often use for homemade. Feel free to change this and adapt it to your taste, but this is a great basic recipe that I guarantee you’ll love! PESTO PARMESAN FLATBREAD INGREDIENTS: - 12 to 16-oz of pizza dough - 3-4 T prepared pesto - flaky sea salt, to taste - 2 inch chunk of fresh parmesan - 6-8 cherry tomatoes - 1 T balsamic glaze Balsamic glaze is so simple to make! Take 2 cups of balsamic vinegar, and a half a cup of brown sugar. Stir in a saucepan over low heat for roughly 20 minutes, until the glaze is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Keep it in the fridge in a glass container. DIRECTIONS: 1.) Preheat oven to highest possible temperature (use convection if available). Preheat pizza stone or sheet pan while oven reaches temperature. 2.) Allow your pizza dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. 3.) Roll dough out with your hands. Pinch the sides, and flatten the dough from the inside out. Finish once the dough is around 1/4-1/2 inch thick, and lay on top of parchment paper. 4.) Spread pesto sauce all over dough, leaving a crust around the edges. 5.) Sprinkle on flaky sea salt. 6.) Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise, and lay seed side up all over pizza. 7.) Thinly grate parmesan over entire top of pizza. 8.) Once oven is heated, gently lay pizza on top of preheated baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until top is browned and dough is cooked through. 9.) After pizza has cooled for a minute or two, drizzle balsamic glaze over top. Slice up and enjoy!

I feel like beef stew is just one of those meals that everyone loves. It's warm and cozy, hearty and filling, and full of simple but bold flavors. Making this in the Instant Pot makes it easier than ever. In just shy of an hour, the meat is pull-apart tender and tastes like it's been braising all day long. Make a double batch and put half in the freezer to enjoy at another day, or drop it off on a friend's doorstep. Please, please, please enjoy! INSTANT POT BEEF STEW INGREDIENTS: -1 T olive oil -1 pound beef stew meat, heavily salted and peppered -1 medium white onion, roughly chopped -3 T tomato paste -1 T worcestershire sauce -2 cups beef broth -1 cup red table wine I prefer cabernet, but any red wine you like to drink works fine -1 t italian seasoning -1 t garlic powder -2 large carrots, roughly chopped on a diagonal -2 large potatoes, roughly chopped yukon golds are my favorite -1 T cornstarch + water -1/2 cup frozen peas -additional salt + pepper around 1 teaspoon of each DIRECTIONS: 1.) On sauté mode, add oil until rippling hot 2.) Pat stew meat dry, then heavily salt and pepper. Place in IP. Flip when browned, and brown other side 3.) Add roughly chopped onion, tomato paste (3 T), worcestershire sauce (1 T), wine (1 cup), broth (2 cups), and seasonings (1 t garlic powder, 1 t italian seasoning blend). 4.) Place IP lid on, and turn on "Stew" mode or 35 minutes on high pressure, manual 5.) Let steam naturally release for at least 10 minutes before doing a quick release. This is important so your meat doesn't tighten up. 6.) Remove lid, and add potatoes and carrots 7.) Make a cornstarch slurry in a separate bowl, and stir it into your liquid for 30 seconds A cornstarch slurry is a way to thicken your liquid. Put equal parts cornstarch and water in a small bowl and mix together until there are no clumps remaining. Pour this into your stew and mix it all together for 30 seconds. 8.) Replace lid, and heat on manual for 6 minutes 9.) Quick release, remove lid, and stir in frozen peas. They'll warm up almost instantly, and this dish is ready to serve. One last note- salt is what really wakes up this dish and makes the flavors come alive. You'll need to taste at the end, and very possibly, add a bit more salt. Just add 1/4 teaspoon at time to make sure you don't overdo it. I also add a shake of cayenne at the end, just to give it a little extra oomph. Serve and enjoy!

Listen I know that’s a long title but all of these words are crucial! The caramelized onions - oh my gahh. So insanely good and rich. And on a sheet pan? Think of all those crispy, cheesy edges. Scalloped potatoes? Creamy and gooey and layered and gahhhhh… the star of the Thanksgiving table. Have I mentioned how much I love potatoes? So here’s what we’re gonna do. You’re going to get your onions rolling in the pan. Slice them up nice and thin and add them to a pan on low with some butter. Top them with a hearty shake of thyme and rosemary, a bit of salt and pepper, and let those puppies work their magic while you move onto your next task.Slice up your potatoes and get them soaking in a cold water bath which will prevent them from browning. Final step before assembly is getting your cheese sauce together. I like to utilize my food processor for this step, but the most important thing here is to not use pre-grated cheese. As soon as your onions are nice and caramelized, remove them from a pan and start on your roux. A roux is equal parts butter and flour and is used to thicken a sauce. Once you’ve combined the roux, drizzle in the milk. Season the sauce with your spice mixture and then slowly mix in the grated cheese. Allow this to get nice and bubbly, then start to assemble. Bake those babies and then the real challenge comes… Don’t eat all of the edges before you serve! Impossible, I know. But try your hardest. Here’s the full details. Promise me you’ll come back and tell me how much you loved these. :) CARAMELIZED ONION SHEET PAN SCALLOPED POTATOES Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 3 large white onions, thinly sliced 4 T butter, separated 1 T thyme ½ T rosemary Salt and pepper, to taste 1 T brown sugar 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced 2 T flour 1½ cups freshly grated sharp cheddar or gruyere 2 cups milk 1 t ground mustard powder 1 t garlic powder Directions: Preheat your oven to 375. 1.) Thinly slice the onions and place in a pan above low heat, with 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Allow the onions to cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. Towards the end of their cooking time, add in a tablespoon of brown sugar. The brown sugar isn’t necessary as onions release their sugars as they cook, but I like to add a bit of additional sweetness to temper our all the salt from the rest of the dish. 2.) While the onions are cooking, begin to prep your potatoes. Slice them into rounds and place into a water bath to prevent them from browning. 3.) Grate the cheese to begin the cheese sauce. As soon as the onions are soft, brown, gooey and delicious, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining 2 T of butter to the pan and mix with 2 T of flour. Slowly drizzle in the milk, stirring constantly until you have a congruent mixture. Pour in the mustard powder, garlic powder, and additional salt and pepper. Dump in your cheese and mix until thick, hot and bubbly. 4.) Assemble the dish on a sheet pan. Potatoes, onions, cheese sauce, repeat. Top with a light sprinkle of salt and black pepper, then bake for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and the top is bubbly and brown. I love burnt cheese more than I love my own children, so I like to broil for 30 seconds at the end. But this is optional, and if you go this route, make sure your morning Thanksgiving mimosa doesn’t distract you. We want brown and golden, not burnt!