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Lo mein always reminds me of living in New York and ordering Chinese take out. My family would order so. much. food. and the lo mein was always my number one choice from the spread. Food is so nostalgic for me. Maybe it’s the same for you? Making a simple lo mein at home instantly transports me back to the East Coast, eating chinese food on the couch in my sweats surrounded by people I love. This recipe is easy, easy, easy, and you can mix it up to add whatever veggies or protein you’ve got. STIR FRIED VEGGIES + LO MEIN INGREDIENTS: - 2-3 cups of vegetables. For my recipe, I used cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, bell pepper and snap peas - lo mein noodles 4-6-oz works well for two adults + 2 small children - 1 T olive oil - 3 T soy sauce - 1 T sesame oil - 1-inch nub of fresh ginger, or 1/2 T ground ginger - 1 T brown sugar - 1/4 t red pepper flakes, or 1 t sriracha DIRECTIONS: 1.) Start by boiling water in a saucepan, and cook your lo mein noodles per package directions. I generally cook 2 bundles of noodles for my small family. 2.) Heat 1 T olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add your vegetables in, and cook until until tender, but still crunchy. About 5 minutes. Note: You can use any vegetables you like here and can also add protein. In addition to what I used, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, cauliflower or snow peas would be lovely choices. 3.) Whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl, then add to your veggies and mix. (3 T soy sauce, 1 T sesame oil, ginger, 1 T brown sugar, 1/4 t red pepper flakes). 4.) Combine cooked noodles to vegetables and sauce, and stir until well combined.

I am a savory gal through and through, so maybe once out of every one hundred times I’ll order pancakes or french toast instead of my usual bacon and eggs. My toddlers on the other hand could survive off pancakes if given the opportunity! I made pancakes from a boxed mix for years, but these are so much yummier. They are tall and fluffy with crispy golden outsides. And since every day is the weekend (#quarantine2020), make these for brunch on a Monday! Treat yo’ self! These are best served hot with legit maple syrup, or covered in fresh macerated berries. BEST EVER PANCAKES PREP TIME: Less than 5 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes total YIELD: Around 8 6-inch pancakes INGREDIENTS: - 1.5 cups flour - 3.5 t baking powder - 1/4 t salt - 1 T white sugar - 1/4 t ground cinnamon optional - 4 T butter, melted into 1.25 cups milk - additional butter for skillet - 1/4 cup of applesauce or one egg - 1/2 t pure vanilla extract DIRECTIONS: 1.) Mix all dry ingredients (1.5 cups flour, 3.5 t baking powder, 1/4 t salt, 1 T sugar, 1/4 t ground cinnamon) into a large mixing bowl. 2.) Pour milk into a microwave safe dish, and drop in butter. Heat on 50% power in 30-second increments until butter is melted. If you prefer to use stovetop, heat milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until butter is melted. 3.) Pour milk and butter mixture into dry ingredients along with applesauce (or egg) and 1/2 t vanilla. Stir until just combined. Lumps are okay! Do not overmix. Should I repeat myself? Do. Not. Overmix! 4.) Place 1/2 T or so of butter into skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter on top of butter, and cook until bubbles erupt on the surface. Make sure the bottom of your pancake is golden before flipping. Continue heating until cooked through. Repeat this process until you’ve got a tasty stack of breakfast. A couple notes about this recipe: 1.) First off, if you don’t feel like warming the milk, I get it. You’re hungry and in a hurry! But at the very least, melt your butter. If you go this route, the butter will harden and clumps will form in your mixture. No need to worry. It will melt as your pancakes cook. 2.) After cooking three pancakes, I quickly rinse my pan under cool water to remove any debris and burnt butter. This cleans your pan and also cools it down, which will ensure your remaining pancakes don’t burn. I recommend following this step.

Couscous and roasted veggies. This is another meal that I hope sparks some creativity within you! I generally make this in either the height of summer, when I have loads of fresh veggies from the market, or on a day like today, when I have a lot of sad vegetables that are days away from meeting their Maker. ;) The beauty of this dish is that it is one million percent customizable. Have some chicken in the fridge? Add it in. Want to add a fried egg on top? Yum. A jammy egg? Maybe even better. No root veggies? No problem. You get my drift! For this version, I chopped up three limp carrots, two yukon gold potatoes, and a half a red and yellow bell pepper. I threw some gorgeous red onion on the baking tray as well, and tossed in some frozen peas at the end. Delicious. My littlest had two heaping portions! COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED VEGGIES INGREDIENTS: - Whatever vegetables you have on hand, particularly ones that are hearty enough to bake. I'd recommend two to three cups’ worth of chopped veg. - 1 T balsamic vinegar - 2 T olive oil - salt and pepper - 3 cloves smashed garlic - 1 cup Israeli pearl couscous - 1.5 cups water DIRECTIONS: 1.) Preheat your oven to 400, and begin roughly chopping your veggies into one-inch chunks 2.) Coat veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a hearty splash of balsamic. 3.) Add your smashed garlic, and toss together with your hands or a wooden spoon 4.) Bake vegetables on a sheet pan for 25-35 minutes, or until done potatoes will take the longest to be cooked through. I like it when my veggies like carrots and peppers still have a little bite to them, so just be mindful of the total time 5.) Halfway through cooking time, start your couscous. Pour 1.5 cups of water into a sauce pan, and heat until boiling. 6.) Lightly salt the water, add 1 cup of couscous and stir 7.) Cover pot with a lid, and simmer on the lowest heat for 8-10 minutes until cooked through 8.) Mix your veggies and couscous together, and top with a nice italian vinaigrette. Shave some parmesan cheese on for good measure, and delight your family with this pantry-clean-out meal. It's fresh, light but still filling, and it's always good to use the food that we purchase!

This recipe is adapted from Damn Delicious’ Korean Beef Bowl I stumbled across the Damn Delicious Korean Beef Bowl a couple years ago, and with a few of my changes it’s become one of our monthly go-to meals! It’s a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, has great depth of flavor, and goes together so quickly (15 minutes?) and easily! Bulgogi is generally made with thin slices of sirloin, but this allows us to accomplish similar flavors in a fast and budget-friendly way. Serve it up with some fluffy rice and maybe some stir-fried veggies, and you’ve got a fast, yummy dinner in no time. You (or your kids!) might be apprehensive to try this one, but I promise the flavors aren’t scary. This dish is so inviting. I could easily make this weekly and never grow tired of it. KOREAN BEEF BOWL INGREDIENTS: - 1 pound ground beef - 1/8 t black pepper - 3 scallions, diced - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 2-inch nub of fresh ginger, grated, or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger - 1/4 cup + 1 T packed brown sugar - 1/4 cup + 1 T soy sauce - 1 T sesame oil - 1/4 t red pepper flakes, or 1 t sriracha more to taste - sesame seeds to garnish DIRECTIONS: 1.) Heat ground beef and black pepper in a large pan over medium heat. Cook until no longer pink. 2.) Drain fat, and add in 2/3 of scallions plus two cloves of minced garlic. Add ginger and stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn garlic. 3.) In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil (1/4 cup + 1 T brown sugar, 1/4 cup + 1 T soy sauce, 1T sesame oil) 4.) Pour liquid into pan, and mix until well coated and warmed through. Add red pepper flake or sriracha and continue to mix. 5.) Serve with remaining scallions and sesame seeds on top as a garnish.

I make a lot of one--pot dishes in my house, because they are 1.) easy, 2.) delicious and 3.) a lot easier on the clean-up (my least favorite part of cooking. The dishes just never end!). There was one random night when I whipped this up, and Sam looked at me and said, "This is one of the best meals you've ever made." I always laugh when he says this because he generally mentions it when I make these wildly easy dishes... Not when I spend all day slaving over the stove. I'm not complaining, but also, be impressed with my soufflés and tartines! (jk, I don’t make soufflés…) ; ) All this to say, this dish is a great weeknight meal for when you're coming home from work or soccer practice. It all comes together in under 15 minutes. Adapt away, and enjoy this spin on a classic dish. HOMEMADE ONE POT HAMBURGER HELPER INGREDIENTS: - 1 T butter - 1/2 onion, diced - 1 large carrot, diced - 2 T tomato paste - 1 T dijon mustard - salt and pepper, 1/2 t of each to start - 1/2 t paprika - 1/2 t garlic powder - 1 pound ground beef - 2 cups milk - 1 cup beef broth - 2 cups elbow pasta DIRECTIONS: 1.) Sauté butter over a medium high heat pan. Add your diced onions and carrots, and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. 2.) Add your ground beef, crumble and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat from pan. 3.) Add all your seasonings to the pan, and stir to release the fragrance (2 T tomato paste, 1 T dijon mustard, 1/2 t paprika, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t of both salt and pepper). Coat your veggies with mustard and tomato paste before moving on to the next step. 4.) Add your pasta, 2 cups of milk, and 1 cup of beef broth. Stir to combine. 5.) Place the lid on, and lower the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 7 minutes, until al dente. 6.) You should be left with a delicious and creamy sauce, a combination from the milk and starch from the pasta. Any remaining fat will rise to the top with the bubbles. Don’t be alarmed! Either skim it off with a spoon, or mix it into noodles. Sometimes we top with a little grated cheddar cheese, or a heaping tablespoon of sour cream to mix in, but it’s luxurious and delightful without it as well! Make sure you taste and add more salt if need be before serving.

I made this soup for my book club a few months back and the amount of enthusiasm it received was almost comical. The whole giant dutch oven of soup (I doubled this recipe) was devoured as we stood around my kitchen island for an hour, dunking crusty bread into our bowls and spending very little time discussing the actual book. All the girls requested I send over the recipe, so you can trust that this one has been approved by lots of people who love good food! Speaking of Book Club… Ours is a little more like a wine club, where no one reads the book but we always show up for the conversation and libations. ;) Have any good book recommendations?! SAUSAGE TORTELLINI SOUP INGREDIENTS: - 1 pound crumbled sausage hot italian works, or you can doctor up basic breakfast sausage. - 1 t olive oil - 1/2 white onion, diced - 3 cloves garlic, minced - 2 t italian seasoning or a combination of basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary and garlic powder. - 1/4 t red pepper flake or more, depending on preference - 1 16-oz can plain tomato sauce - 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth - 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, any flavor - salt and pepper to taste - 1 9-oz package refrigerated tortellini - freshly grated parmesan to garnish DIRECTIONS: 1.) Pour olive oil into large stock pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Crumble in sausage, white onion, and 2 t of italian seasonings. Continue to break apart sausage and stir until cooked through. Towards the end of the sausage cook time, add in your minced garlic and stir. 2.) Drain fat if needed, but leave a tablespoon behind. Add in 1/2 t pepper flake, one can of tomato sauce, and 3 cups of broth. 3.) Once soup is at a low simmer, add in cream cheese. The easiest way to get a smooth mixture is to use a rubber spatula and glide the cream cheese along the side of your pan. This will melt it more than mix it. 4.) Add in tortellini, and cook until tender. Tortellini generally only takes 2 minutes to cook through, but if your soup is at a simmer instead of a boil, it will take a few extra minutes. 5.) Taste, and add in salt and pepper to taste. 6.) Garnish with freshly grated parmesan, and enjoy! A few notes: To add some healthy greens to the mix, add in fresh kale or spinach when you add in the tortellini. Allow it to wilt in the soup as the tortellini cooks through. If you want an even more luxurious soup, you can also add 1/2 cup of heavy cream in addition to the cream cheese. If you go this route (first off, YUM), just be sure to add in additional seasonings to make up for the extra liquid. This can also be easily adapted in your Instant Pot. Just turn it onto sauté mode and cook away. If you have the time, once you’ve finished step two, put your lid on and cook on manual pressure for 2 minutes to really bring the flavors together before you continue.

Best ever. Did I say it? I did. Give it a try and I know you'll love it! I tried a zillion recipes for this, and while I love the traditional satay style sauce that's made with coconut milk and fresh curry, I wanted to find a recipe that was no-heat (aka, easy ). And this is it! It's bright, tangy, sweet and satisfying. This makes a perfect dip for veggies, a great sauce for chicken skewers, or a yummy sauce for my Cool Thai Peanut Noodle Salad. BEST EVER, EASY PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS: - 1/2 cup peanut butter natural, unsweetened I don't mean to be a stickler here, but it really does make a difference using natural unsweetened PB vs a commercial brand. It's super affordable at the grocery store, and a lot of places you can grind it yourself. If you don't have any, cut down on the brown sugar by half. - 2 T low sodium soy sauce - 1 T rice vinegar - 1 T fresh lime juice about half a lime, squeezed - 2 T brown sugar - 1 t chili garlic sauce or Sriracha - 1 large garlic clove, grated - 1 T fresh ginger, grated - 2 T water DIRECTIONS: Mix all your ingredients in a bowl, saving water for last. Combine together with a flat whisk. Add water slowly at the end depending on thickness of sauce. Try not to devour it in one sitting! The fresh ginger and garlic are necessary to this recipe, as they add a bite and tang that you can't get with dried spices.

This is another standby dish that I seem to make when I'm all out of creativity, but want something I know my whole family will love. It's simple, but bursting with fresh flavor. This tastes best, in my opinion, served alongside a cold glass of white wine out on the porch. But ya know, it's good in all the other seasons, too! Full of pantry staple ingredients and a few fresh veggies to add some life into it, I know you'll love this one! Give it a try and invite me over for dinner when you do! COOL THAI PEANUT NOODLE SALAD INGREDIENTS: Before I start, know that you can really adapt the salad ingredients to whatever you have on hand. For the noodles for instance, you can use rice noodles, ramen noodles, or angel hair pasta. I used brown ramen noodles this time, and while they tasted great, they were a little gummier than I like. Next time I’ll stick to angel hair or classic ramen noodles. - 12-oz noodles of choice see note above - 1 cup Best Ever Peanut Sauce - Julienned veggies of choice, around 1/2-2/3 cups of each Green or purple cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, snap or snow peas all work wonderfully - Cilantro and lime to garnish DIRECTIONS: 1.) Cook your noodles to package directions. 2.) While they’re cooking, assemble your peanut sauce in a small bowl. 3.) Julienne (thinly slice in long strips) your vegetables. For my version, I used purple cabbage and carrots. 4.) Assemble your salad and coat with peanut sauce. Leave some extra sauce on the side to drizzle on right before serving. 5.) Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

My mouth is drooling as I type this! While this isn't the most traditional bolognese recipe on the internet, it's damn good, and happens to be one of my favorite meals to create. (Also, if you're wondering, the pronunciation is bowl-uh-naze). I love letting the house fill up with the yummy smells of onion and garlic. I let the sauce simmer in my dutch oven for a few hours, and by the time dinner rolls around, I've already snuck no less than 20 spoonfuls. So wonderfully good. This sauce works great layered in a lasagna, but is also delicious mixed into a long noodle (I prefer pappardelle), with a little fresh grated parmesan on top. This is one of those wondrous dishes that takes very few ingredients, but will always leave your guests wanting more and thinking that you're a pro in the kitchen. If you have ground beef in your fridge or freezer, add this to your weekly lineup and give it a try. Grown-ups will appreciate the well-rounded depth of flavor, and kiddos will love slurping up this sauce on their noodles (Eden and Jase approved). Traditional bolognese sauce generally calls for beef chuck, but I most frequently have 80/20 beef in my freezer. I generally use this, and the sauce comes out perfectly every time. BOLOGNESE SAUCE INGREDIENTS: - 1 pound ground beef (80/20 is my preference) or beef chuck* - 1 small white onion, diced - 4-6 garlic cloves, smashed - 2 celery stalks, diced - 1 large carrot, diced - 2 T olive oil - 3 ounces tomato paste - 1 cup dry white wine sauvignon blanc is my choice - 2-3 cups beef stock start with 2 cups, and add more as your sauce begins to thicken - 16-oz can unseasoned tomato sauce - salt and pepper to taste - 1 cup whole milk DIRECTIONS: 1.) Heat your oil in a large dutch oven, over medium heat. Add your ground beef, and season with salt and pepper. Break up meat until just about fully cooked, drain some fat if necessary, but leave at least a few tablespoons. It adds so much depth and flavor. 2.) Add diced onion and smashed garlic, stir until fragrant. The garlic will cook down and break up during the cooking process, so no need to mince here. 3.) Add diced carrot and celery, stir for a minute or two. 4.) Add in 3 oz tomato paste, and stir until well combined. 5.) Deglaze pan with one cup of wine, and scrape up any burnt bits from bottom of the pot. Let this simmer for a minute or so. 6.) Add tomato sauce and 2 cups beef stock, and season with additional salt and pepper. 7.) Once liquid is warmed, mix in your cup of milk. 8.) Turn your heat to the lowest heat, and cook uncovered for 2-4 hours. Yes, I know, it's a vast time difference. But the longer the better! Two hours will produce a delicious end result, though, and is what I would consider the minimum. Stir occasionally, making sure the sauce doesn't stick to the pan, and add more beef stock or water if necessary to thin your sauce. Around the hour and a half mark, be sure and really pay attention, making sure it's not burning on the bottom. This is generally the time when more stock is required. Don't be intimidated by the lengthy cook time. The hands on time is less than 15 minutes. Enjoy! *If using beef chuck, use one pound, and cut into 1” cubes

Listen. One thing I don't claim to know how to do is bake. I kind of loathe baking... It's all too precise for me and my style of cooking, and I always end up covered in flour. So I did something genius and learned how to make one type of cookie that is literally so insanely delicious, there's no need for any other kind. Truly. It's that good. It's gooey, salty + sweet (I'm a savory girl, so I need a little salt for it to win me over), and the layers of shaved chocolate just take it over the top. Make this cookie and spread the love. SALTED CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES INGREDIENTS: - 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature - 2 T white sugar - 1 cup packed light brown sugar - 1 large egg - 1 T vanilla extract every recipe always calls for far less vanilla, but just hear me out on this one - 3/4 t baking soda - 1/4 t salt - 1 3/4 cups flour - 1 3.5-ounce dark chocolate bar, chopped I usually grab a 72% bar - Flaky sea salt I use Maldon, which you can grab on Amazon here DIRECTIONS: 1.) Heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. 2.) In a large bowl, cream together a room temperature stick of butter and sugars (2 T white, 1 cup packed brown) until nice and fluffy. I usually get bored after about 2 minutes, but it seems to get the job done just fine. 3.) Add egg and 1 T vanilla, and mix until combined. 4.) Add 1/4 t salt and 3/4 t baking soda, and mix until combined, then add flour (1 3/4 cup) on a low speed until it comes together. 5.) On a cutting board, chop up your chocolate bar into small pieces. You'll get lots of small shards of chocolate, too. Make sure you scrape them all up into the mix. 6.) Use a wooden spoon to combine chocolate. 7.) Scoop cookies into large, 1.5" balls. Do. Not. Roll! Just drop! 8.) Sprinkle each cookie top with flaky sea salt. Please don't skip this fabulous step! 9.) Bake at 350* for 10 minutes. You'll want to pull them out when they're set, but still a bit gooey in the middle. 10.) Let them cool for as long as humanly possible before sneaking a bite or two at least a couple minutes so you don't burn your fingers!

I’m a sucker for a good bowl of pasta. I don’t make it a lot in our home, but when I do I go big. Lots of flavors and calories, just how I like it! This is a simple alfredo sauce, with a side of peas that burst in your mouth when you bite into them. My main tip for this recipe is to stay away from pre-shredded parmesan, and grate your own instead. The pre-shredded cheese has ingredients mixed in to keep it from clumping in the bag, which will hinder your attempts to make a smooth alfredo. Pepper, parmesan and peas are the stars of this show. The Three P Trifecta! My kids love this one-skillet meal, and I make it when I’m running low on groceries, because I always have these ingredients on hand. PEPPERY ALFREDO WITH PEAS: INGREDIENTS: - 12 oz bowtie pasta or mini penne - water and salt for boiling - 1/2 cup frozen green peas SAUCE: - 3 T butter - 1 clove minced garlic - 1 cup heavy cream - a squeeze of fresh lemon - 1 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish - 1/4 - 1/2 t black pepper - salt, to taste DIRECTIONS: 1.) Fill your pot with water, and a couple tablespoons of salt. 2.) Cook your pasta to package directions, subtracting a minute of cook time. 3.) In a separate pan, heat butter and minced garlic over medium heat. 4.) Slowly stir in heavy cream, stirring constantly. 5.) Once bubbling, turn off heat, squeeze in the juice of half of a lemon, and whisk in your parmesan. 6.) Stir until you have a congruent mixture, and sprinkle in black pepper. Taste, and add a pinch of salt if necessary. Reminder that parmesan is quite salty, so go easy on the additional salt. 7.) Remove a few tablespoons of your starchy pasta water, and mix into your alfredo sauce. Next, mix your cooked and drained pasta into your skillet. 8.) Add your peas, and mix until warmed through. You may need to turn your burner back onto low for this step. 9.) Top with additional fresh parmesan, and an extra pinch of black pepper, to taste.

I love a good lettuce wrap. The sweetness and tang in each bite, the crunch of the lettuce, the sauce that gets in every nook and cranny... What's not to like? This recipe is highly adaptable in that you can use ground pork, turkey, chicken, or a combination. You can also easily sneak extra diced veggies in to bulk up the meal. My kids thankfully enjoy most vegetables, but it's always great when I can hide even more inside a tasty meal. This is in the Fast Faves category because you can make this easily in under 15 minutes. Perfect for a summer night on the deck! FAST + FRESH LETTUCE WRAPS INGREDIENTS: - 1 T sesame oil olive oil works fine if you don't have sesame on hand - 1 pound ground chicken - 3 cloves garlic, minced - 1 small white onion, diced - 1 small carrot, cut lengthwise then diced - 1/2 a bell pepper, any color, diced - ¼ cup hoisin sauce - 3 T soy sauce - 2 T rice wine vinegar - 1 to 2 inch nub fresh ginger, grated on microplane - 1 t chili sauce or more, depending on preference - 1 8-oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and diced - 3 scallions, thinly sliced - salt and black pepper, to taste - 1 head butter lettuce - ¼ cup cilantro to garnish DIRECTIONS: 1.) Add sesame oil and ground meat of choice to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned, and drain excess fat. 2.) Stir in garlic, diced onion and carrot 3.) While the veggies cook, in a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup hoisin, 3 T soy sauce, 2 T rice wine vinegar, ginger and 1 t chili sauce. Add to skillet and mix. 4.) Stir in water chestnuts (I always dice the rounds to mix them even more uniformly with the meat), bell pepper and 2/3 of green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes. 5.) Season with salt and pepper. 6.) Spoon a few scoops into each piece of butter lettuce, and top with additional scallions and cilantro.