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Mercy these are delicious! Wow! This was a creative challenge for me but I’m really happy with the results and so excited to share them with you. A friend of mine asked me to make a gluten free meal for her- anything I wanted. And my mind went … blank. Isn’t that so funny? I’m sure I cook plenty of gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian meals in my normal life, but as soon as I’m asked to make a dish with a restriction it’s like my mind goes empty. Maybe you think I’m crazy or maybe you know exactly what I’m talking about. ;) After thinking it over for a day or two I decided I’d go with orange chicken. Then I had the magical idea to turn them into meatballs. And boy am I glad I did. These babies are so tasty. I’ll share how to make these gluten free (or not). I made them both ways and they were equally fabulous. I like this twist on the traditional deep fried orange chicken that we all love so much. They’re tangy and sweet, and worked perfectly on a bed of sticky rice. If I had fresh oranges on hand I definitely would have juiced them but alas, all I had was some (organic, #thankyouverymuch) orange juice. It worked just as well! I present to you- GF Optional Orange Chicken Meatballs. This meatball mixture is definitely on the wetter side which is why they aren’t perfectly round. You can of course add more oat bran or panko, but I wanted to keep these as moist (so sorry if you hate that word!) as possible. Feel free to add more into yours if you like. This recipe will produce roughly 30 meatballs- plenty to feed your family. GF OPTIONAL ORANGE CHICKEN MEATBALLS MEATBALL INGREDIENTS: -2 lbs ground chicken -1 T fresh grated ginger -1 t garlic powder -1/2 t sesame oil -2 t raw honey -2 T orange juice -1/2 t Sambal Olek or sriracha -1 egg -3/4 c oat bran (GF) or 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs -1.5 t salt -1/4 bell pepper, minced -2 garlic cloves, grated -2 T soy sauce (omit if GF) - scallions to garnish ORANGE SAUCE: -1/2 c orange juice -1/2 t grated fresh ginger -1/2 t Sambal Olek or sriracha more to taste -1 T sweet chile sauce -1 t sesame oil -1/2 T soy sauce (omit if GF) -1/2 T brown sugar -1 t balsamic vinegar (increase to 2 t if GF) DIRECTIONS: 1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees 2.) Place all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are completely combined. I like to mix with my hands while wearing disposable kitchen gloves 3.) Roll mixture into 1.5” meatballs and place on lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop with a trigger on this to ensure they’re all the same size. 4.) Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400, until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 5.) Mix orange sauce ingredients in a small fry pan over medium heat. Allow sauce to bubble and thicken for 3-4 minutes. Add meatballs to pan and coat with sauce. Once plated, pour remaining sauce over meatballs and serve.

There is a local cafe in my town that serves the most outrageous African Peanut Soup. It is so good. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve had this soup anywhere else. My mom and I have had a thousand dates there, dunking our baguette into the spicy soup, chatting about life. My version is similar, but I don’t add any meat. You can make this totally vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. If you’ve never tried this before it probably sounds like a strange combination- especially for a soup. But it’s really flipping good! Smooth, a little bit spicy and tangy, and bursting with delightful flavors. I hope you’ll give this one a try! Serve it up with some crusty bread and enjoy. AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP: Yields 4 bowls. Prep time: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: - 1 T olive oil - 1 white onion, diced - 4 cloves garlic, minced - 2” nub of fresh ginger, grated If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand use a tablespoon of dried ginger instead - 1 T butter - 1 T flour - 1 t salt - pinch of black pepper - 1/2 t red pepper flake - 1 cup peanut butter I use a natural peanut butter with nothing but peanuts and salt as the ingredients. If your peanut butter has a lot of additives in it, substitute for a cup and a half of regular peanuts - 1 15-oz can tomato sauce - 4 c chicken broth DIRECTIONS: 1.) Add 1 tablespoon of oil to base of a pot. Add in one diced white onion, 4 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 inches of fresh grated ginger. Add a heavy pinch of salt and sauté until fragrant. 2.) Once onions are translucent, add in one tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of flour and stir until flour is fully combined. 3.) Add in red pepper flake along with additional salt and pepper. 4.) Stir in 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 can of tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer, then stir in one cup of peanut butter. 5.) Use an immersion blender to blend soup smooth. Here’s the one I love! 6.) Once soup is smooth, taste! Add additional salt and pepper if you need. Remember- salt makes your meal pop! You need the right amount that makes your meal really wake up, but isn’t too salty. Garnish with peanuts if you like!

A few days later and I’m still dreaming about this meal and how good my kitchen smelled. Holy moly it was so good! Some of the reasons why I loved it so much: 1.) A whole meal in one pot. Helloooooo! I’m sure one day I’ll go back to making entreés with sides and all that jazz… But considering I have a 4 year old, 2 year old and 7 week old, I’m just gonna live that one-pot-meal life and call it good. 2.) It was really freaking good. So flavorful with really simple ingredients. 3.) I used local poultry from a small farm up in Ferndale. Oak Meadows Farm gifted me this gorgeous bird along with a few of their other products to try, and I am so impressed with the quality and taste! The chicken was so tender and juicy, and I really love that their chickens are humanely raised. No hormones, no antibiotics, no steroids, and lots of sunshine! I encourage you to check out their farm (their freezer is currently well stocked!) and see all that they have to offer. Alrighty. Let’s get into the in and outs of roasting a whole chicken. If you’ve never handled a whole bird before, don’t be nervous. It’s far less intimidating than you think it’ll be. And just a reminder that plain chicken and potatoes need a lot of seasoning. It's going to feel like overkill on the salt but I promise you it won’t be. All that salt and butter will result in a crazy juicy and delicious chicken (and the potatoes and onions at the bottom- haaaave mercy. They’re so dang good). A note about my chicken: I decided to roast it upside down to see if it would result in juicer breasts. While it was super super delicious, I’d recommend cooking breast side up like normal. WHOLE ROASTED CHICKEN DINNER INGREDIENTS: - 1 whole chicken, roughly 4-5 pounds - 6 T butter - salt and pepper (lots and lots!) - 6-8 garlic cloves, roughly minced - 1/4 t paprika - 1/2 t dried rosemary - 1/2 t dried thyme - 1 whole lemon, cut into quarters - 2 white onions, roughly chopped - 6 medium sized Yukon gold potatoes, thickly sliced DIRECTIONS: 1.) Preheat oven to 450 F. 2.) Get your chicken ready. I recommend letting the chicken sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes before starting this process. Truss the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine. 3.) Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Generously (like- generously, people) salt and pepper the inside of the cavity. I’d recommend at least a tablespoon of salt, and at least half a tablespoon of pepper. 4.) Chop onion into quarters and place on base of dutch oven. Tuck onion scraps into chicken cavity. 5.) Cut potatoes and place on top of onions. 6.) Cut lemon into quarters. Squeeze one lemon piece over potatoes and onions. Place rind and the remaining three lemon pieces into chicken cavity, along with half of the minced garlic. 7.) Microwave 6 T of butter in a glass bowl for 20-30 seconds until nice and soft. Add in remainder of minced garlic, 1/4 t paprika, 1/2 t thyme, 1/2 t rosemary, and additional salt and pepper (1/2 T salt, 1/2 T pepper). Generously rub butter mixture all over the outside of the chicken, and underneath the chicken skin. Be careful not to rip the chicken skin. 8.) Place dutch oven in the oven without the lid. This will allow the skin to get deliciously crisp! Roast at 450 for 18 minutes. 9.) Lower temperature to 350, and cook (still with no lid) for 20 minutes per pound of chicken or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 10.) Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Mix the potatoes and onions in the schmaltzy liquid, and serve alongside chicken. 11.) Invite me over for dinner. ;) Cheers friends! Enjoy and be proud of your efforts!

Hello hello hello! It’s my first post in two months! Things have been busy over here... In November we welcomed our third and final kiddo, a girl! Her sex was a surprise and I was confident we’d be adding another boy to the mix. But our daughter Noa Violet burst in the world and as corny as it sounds, we absolutely can’t imagine our family looking any other way. We adore her. She sleeps, eats, and coos all day long. Life is so good. We were blessed by a meal train for the first month of her life and I was able to take some time off from cooking. It was soooo lovely to not have to cook and clean, but the second I started chopping onions and sautéing veggies I felt at peace. I just really, really, really love to cook. If you think you would make it through this post without seeing a baby picture… well, you’d be crazy. Here’s our Noa girl (thanks jen fox photography!) Okay okay okay. Now let’s get to the other yummy part of this post… Beef stroganoff is a favorite over here. My husband Sam loves it, and declares it one of his “favorite meals” that I make. He says this for quite a few things though, so maybe don’t trust his enthusiasm? Ha! We don’t do mushrooms over here which I know is nuts considering I’m a food blogger in the Pacific Northwest, but they’re just not my jam. This is a cozy classic made with sautéed onions, dijon mustard, a splash of your favorite wine and green peas at the end to add a little oomph. I add a bit more broth and sauce than your average stroganoff recipe because we find the pasta really soaks up the sauce. Nobody wants dry stroganoff, right? I hope you enjoy my take on this dish! And thank you as always for being here. BEEF STROGANOFF INGREDIENTS: - 3 T butter - 1 T olive oil - 1-1.5 lbs stew meat or diced chuck roast - salt and pepper - 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced - 2 large cloves garlic, minced - 1 T flour - 1.5 t dijon mustard - 1/2 cup red wine Cabernet is my favorite to use! But truly use whatever you like to drink - 1 T Worcestershire sauce - 2 cups beef broth - shake of cayenne pepper - 2/3 cups sour cream - 1/2-2/3 cup frozen peas - shake of dried parsley - additional salt and pepper to taste - 1 package egg noodles DIRECTIONS: Note: I often make this in my Instant Pot. Steps 1-4 should happen on “Saute” mode. Once you’re ready to cook your meat, cook on high pressure mode for 15 minutes. Then natural release for at least 5 minutes. 1.) Add 1T olive oil to dutch oven or large sauce pan, and place over medium-high heat. Heavily salt and pepper stew meat and place seasoned-side down on pan. Sear until browned then flip. Salt and pepper opposite side and cook until browned. 2.) Add butter to pan along with minced garlic and diced onion. Sauté until garlic is fragrant and onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. 3.) Sprinkle flour over top of onions and stir to combine with pan juices. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup of wine, stirring constantly and lifting any burnt bits off bottom of pan. Stir until there are no lumps of flour left. 4.) Add in 1.5 t dijon mustard, 1 T Worcestershire sauce, 2 cups beef broth, and a shake of cayenne. 5.) Cover pan with lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for one hour or until meat is totally tender. 15 minutes before finishing stroganoff, cook noodles to package directions. 6.) Combine 2/3 cups sour cream and frozen peas to stroganoff mixture. Add dried parsley, and additional salt and pepper if necessary. Warm through. 7.) Combine noodles and sauce and mix for a minute or two. Let them become friends in the pan before you dive in.

I mentioned this on my Instagram stories (@mydailydelish) today, but my husband loves a good casserole. He’s the type of person that combines every component of his Thanksgiving dinner into each and every bite. (This will either delight you or make you cringe depending on what type of person you are. Ha!) In the fall and winter especially I love to make a cozy meal for Sam when he gets home from work. I woke up this morning and knew that I had some leftover pulled chicken and a couple of heads of broccoli that needed to be used up, so I put on my chef’s hat and came up with a plan for dinner. Broccoli is a perfect best friend to cheddar cheese, so adding cheese into the mix was an easy decision. One of my dear friends came over today and whipped up four homemade pie crusts for me (gah. What a friend, are you kidding me?!), and that was the final perfect component for this dish. I wanted this pot pie to be a bit different from a traditional pot pie recipe, so I kept it simple with my veggies and skipped out on some of the usual seasonings. If you like broccoli cheddar soup, then you’re going to love this creamy, cheesy casserole version. If you are vegetarian, skip the chicken and add in an extra head of broccoli. I promise this recipe won’t let you down! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, and make this dish for yourself or someone you love! xo INGREDIENTS: - 1 T olive oil - 1/2 white onion, diced - 1/4 t thyme - 2 corn cobs, or 1/2 cup frozen corn - 1 large head broccoli - 2 T flour - 1 c water or chicken broth - 1.5 t dijon mustard - 5-7 dashes worcestershire sauce - 1.5 c pulled, cooked chicken - 3/4 c heavy cream - 1/4 t cayenne pepper - salt and pepper to taste - 3/4 c shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese - 3 T fresh grated parmesan, optional - 1 pie crust link to pie dough recipe at bottom of recipe - 1 egg + tablespoon of water for egg wash DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375. 1.) Heat 1 T of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced white onion, a sprinkle of salt and 1/4 t of thyme. Cook until onions are translucent and cooked through, about 3 minutes. 2.) Slice corn off of cobs and add to skillet. Remove broccoli florets from stems and add to pan. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. 3.) Coat vegetables with 2 T of flour and stir. Slowly add in one cup of water (or broth) and mix until a thick liquid is formed. Add in chicken, 1.5 t dijon mustard, a few shakes of Worcestershire and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Save remaining 1/4 cup of cream until later. 4.) Season with salt and pepper and a few shakes of cayenne pepper. Add in 3/4 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir. 5.) Taste and add additional seasonings if necessary. Add final 1/4 cup of cream at this point and stir to combine. Remove from heat and pour filling into small casserole dish or pie dish. 6.) Sprinkle fresh parmesan on top of filling before adding pie dough. Optional 7.) Top with pie dough and brush with egg wash. Add a sheet pan underneath dish, and cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until pie dough is cooked through and browned. Egg wash: Crack an egg in a small ramekin along with a tablespoon of water. Stir, and use a pastry brush to brush on top of pie dough. Here is the link to the pie dough my friend made for me! It’s found on Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Youuuu get pumpkin french toast, and youuuuu get pumpkin french toast! Let’s just make this short and sweet, so that you can get onto the most delicious french toast of your life. It’s custardy, vanilla-y, pumpkin-y… Sweet, but not too sweet, filling, satisfying and downright delicious. All you need to do is mix up the custard, dunk your bread in, and fry it up until the outside is crisp and the inside is nice and fluffy. It’s pumpkin season, and this is the best way to celebrate! Serve it up with a cup of coffee and enjoy a nice slow morning with the people you love. PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST INGREDIENTS: - 8 slices thick cut bread (challah or fluffy white bread) - 1/2 cup milk - 1/2 cup heavy cream or substitute milk and heavy cream for one cup of half and half - 3 eggs - 1/2 cup pumpkin pureé - 1 t pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 t ground cinnamon, 1/4 t nutmeg and 1/4 t ground ginger) - pinch of salt - 1 t vanilla extract - butter for greasing pan DIRECTIONS: 1.) The first step here is crucial. You need good bread (do I sound like Ina Garten here?!). As much as I love offering substitutes, you just really can’t use thin, wheat sandwich bread here. Challah is the best, but if you can’t get your hands on it, grab some thick sliced white bread. You’ll need 8 slices. 2.) Mix milk and heavy cream, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup pumpkin pureé, spices, salt, vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. 3.) Use either a griddle or large pan, and heat a tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. 4.) Dunk both sides of your bread in cream mixture, and scrape off any excess custard. Add bread to pan and cook until first side is crisp and a crust has formed. Flip and ensure the second side is nice and crispy as well. Add additional butter to the pan and repeat the process. 5.) Top with your favorite syrup and powdered sugar and dive in!

I had forgotten how much I love these things, and then a friend and I went out for dinner last week and both ordered one. Holy yum. The tender beef, rich jus sauce, caramelized onions (which are a non-negotiable for me on french dips)… It all culminates in the perfect sandwich. This is a bit more of a labor intensive meal, just because you have to roast up the onions, cook the meat, and then assemble and bake or broil the sandwiches. But I have to say that there is something really lovely about cooking a delicious meal while wearing sweatpants and puttering around for a few hours, right? It soothes my soul, and maybe it soothes yours too. Without further adieu, I present to you the drippiest, yummiest, most fabulous french dip sandwiches! Take the time to read through the whole post before you start making it so you’re well prepared with your plan of attack. FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES Yields 4-6 fully loaded sandwiches, depending on amount of meat you purchase Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 1.5 hours-7 hours, depending on method INGREDIENTS: - 3 pounds chuck roast This is the right amount for 4 full sandwiches. Up this amount if you have a larger crowd to feed. I’d say you need roughly 2/3 a pound per person. I know, it sounds like a ton! But trust me! If you have a particularly fatty cut of meat, trim it as much as you can. For meat rub: - 1/2 T salt - 1/2 T pepper - 1/2 T garlic powder - 1/2 T onion powder For meat/sauce: - 1 large onion, roughly chopped - 1.5 T worcestershire sauce - 2 t soy sauce - 2 cups beef broth If using oven method, up this to 3 cups - salt and pepper - 1/4 t cayenne pepper - 1/4 t italian seasonings - 1/2 t dried thyme - 1/2 t dried rosemary - 3 garlic cloves, minced - 1 T cornstarch For sandwich assembly: - French hoagie rolls, 1 per person - 1.5 slices swiss or provolone cheese per sandwich - 1 large onion, sliced and caramelized - 2 T butter For spicy mayo: - 1/2 c mayo - 2 T Sambal Oelek or sriracha - 1/4 t paprika DIRECTIONS: There are a few ways to make this meal: You can dirty two pots (which is what I did), and caramelize the onions on a stove while you cook your meat, or you can caramelize the onions in the dish first then remove and set aside while you cook your meat. You’ll also need your oven at the end to crisp up your sandwiches and melt the cheese. 1.) Either way, first you’ll need to caramelize your onions. Slice an entire onion (up this to 2 onions if serving more than 4 people) into long slices. Add to a pan with 2 T of butter, and caramelize slowly over medium low/low heat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 20 or so minutes- stirring frequently- until onions are a deep brown color and fully cooked through. Set aside to later top onto sandwiches. 2.) Next up, make a spice rub for your roast. Combine 1/2 tablespoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Rub over all sides of meat. 3.) In a large dutch oven, Instant Pot or Slow Cooker, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear all sides of your roast for 2-3 minutes per side. You want to develop a delicious crust on the meat, and lock in the juices for the cooking portion. Add additional butter or oil to pan if you need. Browning is the goal! Watch your burner so the spices don’t burn too much in the pan. 4.) After searing meat, add additional ingredients to the pot. Note: If the base of your pan is burnt, remove your meat and add some water to the pan. Scrape off any burnt bits and pour it out and then proceed. Add 1 onion roughly chopped, 2 cups (or 3 depending on cooking method) of beef broth, 1.5 T worcestershire sauce, 2 t soy sauce, 3 minced garlic cloves, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a few shakes of cayenne pepper, italian seasonings, dried thyme and rosemary. 5.) Cook your meat. If using Instant Pot: Cook for 75 minutes on high pressure or “Meat” setting. Let naturally release for at least 15 minutes. You can also cook this in a dutch oven in the oven, or in a slow cooker. For a slow cooker, I recommend cooking on low setting for 6-7 hours. For a dutch oven, I recommend cooking in a 350 degree oven on the lowest rack for at least 3 hours. 3.5 hours on the safe side. Make sure your lid is on. 6.) Once your meat is cooked and completely tender, remove and slice into thin strips. Place the strips of meat back into the liquid and let it all hang out for a few minutes. Taste a small piece (or, ya know, a huge bite), and add salt if necessary. Remove the meat again and set aside until it’s assembly time. 7.) In a small bowl add one heaping tablespoon of cornstarch and a couple tablespoons of water. Mix until combined. Add this slurry back into your sauce, and stir over medium heat (sauté mode on Instant Pot), until your sauce is thickened. This will be your jus dipping sauce. Strain out any bits of meat and onion and pour into individual ramekins for dipping. 8.) Sandwich Assembly: Make your spicy mayonnaise, and spread onto both sides of your french roll. Add a hefty pile of meat, then caramelized onions, and top with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes. Watch it to be sure it doesn’t burn! If you used your oven to cook your meat, just place the sandwiches back in the hot oven and cook for a few minutes until the bread is crisped and the cheese is melted. I know this is a more lengthy process and description than what’s normally found on Daily Delish, but I think this ends up being a really fabulous and delicious meal. It’s well worth the time! I hope you love it! xo Katy

I’m sure I’ve said this before on this site, but potatoes are my favorite, favorite, favorite food. Fries? Yes. Twice baked? Yesss. Mashed? Baked? Tots? Hashbrowns? Anyway. You get it. ;) This soup has all the amazing flavors of a baked potato, but in a simple soup form. The texture can be what you want it to be, but I like mine to have some bites of potato amidst the backdrop of smooth, creamy soup. Top it with sharp cheddar, chives and bacon and you’re all set. One thing to keep in mind when you make this is that potatoes are tremendously bland on their own. They need a lot of salt to wake them up. Add some salt, stir, taste, and go from there. Remember that you can’t remove salt once you add it, but you also need to reach that magical point where the salt lifts up all the flavors of your meal. It’ll go from meh to amazing once you hit the perfect amount! This amount will feed a crowd. Enjoy! LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP: INGREDIENTS: - 6 strips thick cut bacon, diced - 1/2 white onion, diced - 3 T butter - 3 T flour - 3 cups chicken broth - 3 cups milk - 5 russet potatoes chopped in large chunks - 1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper - 1/2 T garlic powder - 2 t salt may need more! - 1 t pepper - 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, separated - 3 chives, finely diced - diced scallions, optional - sour cream for toppings DIRECTIONS: 1.) Heat your Instant Pot on sauté mode. Dice bacon into 1/2-1” pieces, and drop onto base of pot. Stir and cook until browned. 2.) Remove bacon and set aside. Remove majority of grease, saving 1 T in pan. Add diced onion to pot. Cook until translucent. 3.) Hit “Cancel" and add butter to pan. Once melted, add flour. Stir to create a roux. Cook together for a minute or more, then drizzle in 1 cup of chicken broth. Slowly combine until the mixture gets nice and thick. Slowly add remaining 2 cups of broth, stirring constantly to create a congruent mixture. 4.) Add milk, potatoes (peeled and diced into large chunks), cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 5.) Add lid to Instant Pot, and cook on Manual mode for 11 minutes. 6.) Let soup natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release and remove lid. Stir in 1/2 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese. Using a potato masher, break down the potato bites until you reach desired consistency. I like a mainly smooth soup, with some bites of whole potato throughout. 7.) Sprinkle in half of chives and bacon bits, leaving remaining amounts for toppings. 8.) Taste! Add salt and pepper as necessary. Top individual bowls with scallions, chives, bacon, cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!

Football is back! I don’t know if that means much in your house, but in my family… this is it’s own holiday! We love cozy Sundays watching all the games, eating all the delicious things, and wearing sweats and our jerseys. I made this kielbasa based chili this weekend for opening weekend, and it was so good. The kielbasa adds such deep flavor, and of course the toppings are really what kick it up a notch. Use whatever you want for toppings, but for mine I used corn nuts (throwback! Trader Joe’s had giant corn nuts on sale and I couldn’t pass them up. So crunchy and yummy!), cilantro, scallions, sharp cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy this cozy elevated Fall favorite! It can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stove, whichever you prefer. INGREDIENTS: - 1 T olive oil - 3 cloves minced garlic - 1 medium white onion, diced - 1 pound ground beef - 1 12-oz kielbasa link, cut into rounds then diced in half - 1/2 red bell pepper, diced - 2 T chili powder - 1 T cumin - 1 T paprika - 1/2 fresh jalapeno with seeds, finely minced - 1 T Worcestershire sauce - 1 T brown sugar - 1.5 c beef broth - salt and pepper - 1 14-oz can tomato sauce - 3 cans of beans, drained. For my version, I used one can of cannellini beans, and two cans of kidney beans - 1/2 - 2/3 cup sour cream Toppings of your choice: Some ideas: cilantro, scallions, cheese, sour cream, salsa, bacon, tortilla chips, corn nuts, corn bread crumbles… Yum. I’m salivating! DIRECTIONS: I made my chili in the Instant Pot, but you can easily adapt to make in a dutch oven or large stock pot, or slow cooker. Totally up to you! 1.) Add olive oil, diced onion, garlic, and cumin to the bottom of your pan over medium heat (or sauté mode on IP). Sauté until onions are tender and cumin is nice and fragrant. 2.) Add diced kielbasa, ground beef and bell peppers. Stir frequently until beef is cooked through and kielbasa is browned. Drain fat. 3.) Add all additional ingredients, and stir to combine. 4.) If using Instant Pot, add lid and hit “cancel" to change settings. Cook on manual for 25 minutes, then natural release for 5-10 minutes. If using dutch oven or stock pot, add your lid and cook on low for at least an hour, preferably an hour and a half. Check and stir every 15 minute or so to prevent anything from burning or sticking to the base of your pot. 5.) Taste-check and add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Top with your favorite toppings! I suggest cheese, cilantro and sour cream at a minimum. Enjoy!

Okay that title is kind of a mouthful, but hey- so is this pasta! Fresh corn is one of my favorite ingredients because it adds such a delightful crunch and sweetness to any meal. I knew I wanted to whip up a summer pasta dish, and I think I nailed it with this one! It has a carbonara-esque vibe to it. It’s very obviously not carbonara, but the crunch of the bacon and the way the sauce glistens on the pasta makes it feel reminiscent. We’ve got a few more weeks of corn season and I hope you’ll give this one a try! I don’t eat a ton of pasta, so when I do, I want it to be reallllly good. Like, REALLY good. This hits the spot, and it’s also a quick one-pot dish (and all the mamas said ‘amen’). My husband and kids loved this one, and I think you and your people will too! CREAMY PESTO + PAN-FRIED CORN PASTA Yields 4 portions. Cook and prep time: Roughly 20 minutes INGREDIENTS: - 16-oz spaghetti or angel hair pasta - 2 T butter, separated - 2 ears of fresh corn cut off the cobs - 10 to 12 grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise - 4 pieces thick cut bacon, diced - 3/4 c heavy cream - 3/4 c freshly grated parmesan cheese - 1 heaping tablespoon prepared pesto - salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS: 1.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti to package directions. 2.) Stand corn up on cutting board and slice down the sides to remove kernels. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet over medium heat, and sauté corn kernels until brown and crisp. Add salt and pepper to taste. 3.) Remove corn from skillet and set aside. Add diced bacon to pan, heat until browned. Remove grease, leaving a teaspoon or so behind. 4.) Slice cherry tomatoes lengthwise and sauté over medium heat in remaining rendered bacon grease. Remove once tomatoes are blistered and browned. 5.) Add remaining tablespoon of butter to pan. Pour in heavy cream and warm over medium heat. There will be a bit of tomato juice in the pan still- just scrape this off the sides and mix it all in! Once butter and cream are combined and simmering (don’t boil!), stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese and pesto. Turn off heat and stir until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember, fresh parmesan is quite salty. Don’t overdo it. 6.) Add all ingredients (corn, tomatoes, bacon, noodles and sauce) to pan and combine until the noodles are nice and coated.

The combination of tomato, basil and mozzarella is an absolute favorite of mine. In fact, the only two things I have growing in my garden (which- let’s be honest, is a reeeeal stretch to describe the three pots I have in my backyard) are tomatoes and basil. This pasta dish is SIMPLE. And it comes together in a flash mainly because tortellini takes only two minutes to boil. Pro tip- remember you can freeze tortellini and boil it from frozen. Just add an extra minute to your cook time. Enjoy the delicious flavors of balsamic, basil and garlic. This is a summer treat that you and your family will love! Parmesan isn’t traditional with caprese, but I love the nutty and salty addition it brings t o the meal. I like to grate fresh parm on top and season with a bit of additional pepper. TORTELLINI CAPRESE SALAD INGREDIENTS: - 16-oz cheese tortellini - 2 T olive oil, separated - 1 large garlic clove, minced - 1 T balsamic vinegar - 1/2 - 3/4 T maldon salt substitute table salt if necessary - pinch of black pepper - pinch of red pepper flakes - 5-oz buffalo mozzarella or mozzarella balls - 7-8 large basil leaves - 10-15 cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half - grated parmesan optional DIRECTIONS: 1.) Boil salted water in medium saucepan. Cook tortellini for 2 minutes, then transfer to colander and drain. Run cool water over pasta and mix to avoid clumping. Let rest. 2.) Add 1 T olive oil and minced garlic to the warm saucepan. Heat on medium heat until garlic is sizzling and cooked through, but not yet browned. 3.) Combine olive oil and garlic mixture, additional tablespoon of oil and tablespoon of balsamic in a small bowl. 4.) Add tortellini to a large mixing bowl, and coat with oil mixture. Add 1/2 T of salt, pinch of black pepper and red pepper flakes and stir. Taste! Add additional salt if needed. Remember, salt is what wakes up flavors. You need enough to make the ingredients pop, but not so much that it overpowers the dish. 5.) Add mozzarella, basil, and sliced tomatoes. See note. 6.) Serve with grated parmesan and additional basil. Note: If using buffalo mozzarella, slice rounds into one-inch pieces. To chiffonade basil: Stack basil leaves on top of each other with largest piece at the bottom. Gently roll the leaves together lengthwise, then slice into thin strips.

It was 10:00 at night, I had pizza dough, and I was hungry. What’s a pregnant mama to do but make some pizza?! My house was also hovering around 80 degrees, so I had to get creative. I used our outdoor grill to cook up a delicious pizza and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to making it in the oven. The grill replicates a pizza oven and allows the heat to hit the pizza from all angles. The cast iron also helps build a really beautiful crispy crust on the edges and base. Please please please give this a try! Most important thing to remember is to get a little grease on the base of the pan before you add your dough in. This will help build your flavor and the perfect crunchy bite. Enjoy and get creative. I love traditional margherita, bacon and onion, sausage and fennel, and a million other options. Make it. You won’t regret it! GRILLED CAST IRON PIZZA INGREDIENTS: - 16-oz pizza dough - 6-oz pork sausage or topping of choice! - 1/2 cup sliced onion - 1/3 cup marinara sauce - 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese - pinch of fennel seed - pinch of red pepper flake - optional: fresh basil leaves DIRECTIONS: This pizza is highly adaptable. I love using sausage and onion, but use whatever toppings you like. If you are not using a topping that needs to be cooked, skip step two and instead add 1 T of olive oil to cast iron pan, and heat over medium. Remove pizza dough from fridge one hour before cook time. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with a towel. Let sit until ready to use. 1.) Preheat grill to 500 degrees. 2.) Cook crumbled sausage and sliced onion in cast iron pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil if necessary to start process of rendering fat. Add a sprinkle of fennel seed and red pepper flake. Stir until cooked through and onions are caramelized. 3.) Remove toppings and add pizza dough to skillet. The key here is that you want some form of fat/grease/oil at the base of the pan. This will help build the crust. Use wooden spoon to push against the sides of the dough to build an edge/crust. 4.) Add sauce to dough. Cover with mozzarella and toppings. 5.) Place cast iron on grill and close lid. Keep temperature hovering around 500 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes or until dough is baked and toppings are melty. Enjoy! I love to top my pizza with fresh basil.