• Entree

    Caprese Pasta

    If you love caprese salad, you’ll love this pasta! So easy and inspired by your favorite simple Italian dish. Recipe Snapshot Serves: 4 Time: 20 Minutes Level: Easy 1 Package Linguine 1 Cup Pesto - See Note 1 Package Fresh Mozzarella balls 1 Cup Fresh Tomato Chunks Salt & Pepper Cook pasta according to package directions – make sure to salt the water! That’s your only chance to flavor the pasta. Cut up fresh tomato into large chunks and sprinkle with salt while on the cutting board to draw out some moisture. When pasta is ready, drain noodles reserving some of the pasta water and return back to pot. Add…

  • Dips and Spreads,  Entree

    Homemade Pesto

    My mom has always loved taking care of a basil plant, so my family loves to enjoy this versatile pesto recipe! Recipe Snapshot Serves: 5 Time: 5 Minutes Level: Easy 2 Cups Fresh Basil 1, 2.25 oz Package Pine Nuts 2 Cloves Garlic 1/2 Cup Olive Oil 1/2 Cup Parmesan - I use grated 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice Salt & Pepper In the bowl of a food processor, or blender, add the basil, 1/2 the pine nuts, garlic, and 1/2 the olive oil. Blend until almost smooth, and still not cohesive. At this time open the food processor and scrape the sides with a spatula. Add in the rest of…

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  • Entree

    Parmesan Crusted Chicken Pesto Panini

    Say that five times fast! This sandwich is so easy and the parmesan crusted bread is crunchy ASMR goodness. Recipe Snapshot Serves: 1 Time: 15 Minutes Level: Easy 2 Slices Crusty Bread - I used a Vienna loaf from a local grocer 1 Tbsp butter, softened 2 Tbsp Grated Parmesan 2 Tbsp Pesto - see Note 3-4 Slices Deli Chicken Breast While heating a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium high heat, prepare the bread slices by evenly spreading the butter on one side of each slice. You’ll want the butter to be soft enough to spread nicely without messing up the integrity of the bread, but not so soft…

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  • Snacks

    Game Day Nachos

    An easy crowd pleaser great for casual family snacking, or sharing with friends! Recipe Snapshot Serves: 4 Time: 15 mins Level: Easy 1 Bag Tortilla Chips Fool-Proof Shredded Chicken 1 Bag Shredded Cheese Blend of your choice 1 Jalapeno - finely diced 1 Bunch Green Onions 1 Small Can Sliced Olives Sour Cream Salsa + Any other toppings you like! Pre-heat oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place half the tortillas in a single layer on the baking sheet. Layer with half of your toppings and repeat to create a second layer. (This is the key to getting even topping and cheese distribution throughout.) Bake in…

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  • Entree

    Fool-Proof Shredded Chicken

    The perfect shredded chicken for any occasion – and yes, it uses the slow cooker! Recipe Snapshot Serves: 3-6 Time: 3 hours Level: Easy 1 lb boneless skinless Chicken Breasts 1 Can Chicken Broth or Stock 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil Place chicken in slow cooker and top with broth and oil. Cook covered on low about 3 hours, or until chicken is cooked through and very tender. Take out of slow cooker and shred, adding some of the liquid back into the shredded chicken to keep it moist. From here, you can use the chicken to make any type of recipe you need! I like to use this chicken to…

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  • Entree

    Caramelized Onion Chicken Breasts

    The inspiration for this recipe was a giant onion I purchased from the grocery store. Recipe Snapshot Serves: 4 Time: 1 Hour Level: Easy When people started stockpiling groceries during the Coronavirus pandemic, we were all pushed to be a little more creative in the kitchen. I usually go into the grocery store with meals in mind, but now I had to be ready to change course. When the only onions left in the store were the size of my head, I decided I needed to caramelize. This recipe is so easy and packed with flavor, not to mention it’s a one pot meal! 4 Thinly sliced chicken breasts (or…

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  • Entree

    Pizza Dough

    This dough is incredibly easy, delightfully airy, and sturdy enough to hold all your favorite toppings! Recipe Snapshot Serves: 4 Time: 2 hours Level: Medium 3 ½ C All Purpose Flour + more to perfect the dough  2 tsp Sugar 1 rounded tsp Kosher Salt 1 Packet Instant Yeast 1 ½ C Lukewarm Water 2 Tbsp Olive Oil In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift the flour and sugar together. Next, sprinkle in the salt and yeast. Fit your mixer with the dough hook attachment, and start it mixing on a low speed. Slowly stream in the lukewarm water – stopping once about half the water is added. Pour…

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  • Sweet Treats

    Oatmeal Scotchies

    These cookies prompted my co-workers to say they had been made by a “seasoned baker.” Recipe Snapshot Serves: 24 Cookies Time: 30 minutes Level: Easy These cookies are so easy, and they are a little different, so they are sure to be a crowd pleaser. My mom refers to them as “healthy” cookies because they have oats in them. Listen, I’m not going to correct her! 1 1/2 C Flour 1 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1 C Butter (2 sticks) 3/4 C Sugar 3/4 C Packed Brown Sugar 2 Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla 3 C Oats (I like old fashioned rolled oats) 1 12oz bag Butterscotch…

  • Sweet Treats

    Grandma’s Molasses Cookies

    These cookies have been passed down for generations and they are sure to make you smile. Recipe Snapshot Serves: 24 Cookies Time: 1.5 hours Level: Medium I love this cookie recipe because it really brings up a lot of cherished memories. My grandma would always make a big batch for our family vacations, or other family members would bring them as a sweet treat to gatherings. I once spent a summer day with my grandma where she taught me how to make them myself, and she mixed the whole batch by hand. I have since tried to re-create, but I am simply not strong enough – it takes some serious…

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  • Salad,  Side Dish,  Veggies

    Your New Favorite Kale Salad

    I promise you’ll like it – the magic is in the kale massage! This salad is the perfect salad for summer. The kale, quinoa, and nuts add heartiness to keep you full, while the citrus dressing gives the dish a light and fresh feel. I love making this salad as a lunch meal prep, in fact I think it was the dish that originally inspired my meal prepping in the first place! The story behind this salad always makes me smile. There is a grocery store located on my college campus that sells a similar type salad, and it sells out multiple times a day. I used to purchase a…

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