Lunch
Snacks & Appetizers
Dinner
Lunch
Side Dishes
Dinner
Lunch
Side Dishes
Desserts
Dinner
1Snacks & Appetizers
2Desserts
3Snacks & Appetizers
4Dinner
5Dinner
6Snacks & Appetizers
Fresh picks from the kitchen, ready to cook.
LunchThese dill pickle smash chicken tacos are one of my favorite fast meals. Ground chicken and Monterey Jack cheese are cooked thin against the tortilla, which catches a fried cheese edge. Chopped pickles and ranch dressing are added as toppings. I enjoy the contrast of cold dill pickles and hot melted cheese. These tacos can be ready in 30 minutes.
Snacks & AppetizersThese honey garlic Lil' Smokies are a popular party appetizer. Cocktail sausages are cooked in honey garlic barbecue sauce until the sauce thickens and bubbles. The slow cooker helps keep appetizers warm on a serving table.
DinnerHoney garlic salmon bites are an easy recipe to prepare when you don't have time to make a full meal but would like to offer something complete. One-inch salmon bites cook fast in a sweet-and-savory honey garlic sauce. Serve these bites with rice. Although this is a fast meal, I recommend a browned salmon edge.
LunchMexican quinoa salad is a meal I serve cold as a main dish or side with grilled chicken. Ingredients in this Mexican quinoa salad include cold quinoa and canned black beans. Red bell pepper and corn are sautéed with garlic and cumin and lime juice. Avocado and cilantro are added with cotija cheese just before serving.
Side DishesParmesan-roasted cauliflower is my favorite side dish to pair with dinner. Cauliflower florets are coated with Parmesan cheese and panko and flavored with garlic, freshly ground black pepper, and parsley. Bake at 425°F. Browning and crisping of the cheese occurs around the edges of cauliflower florets, while the cauliflower inside remains tender.
DinnerChicken Alfredo is a dish I make when I want a fast pasta dish in about 30 minutes with fettuccine and sliced chicken in a Parmesan garlic cream sauce, plus a small amount of nutmeg in the dish; I always include nutmeg in small amounts in the dish.
LunchFrench bread pizza takes 25 minutes to get dinner on the table and feed four people with one 18-inch baguette. Bread slices should be prebaked before adding sauce. Broil the pizzas until the mozzarella cheese melts and the pepperoni starts to curl (my favorite part).
Side DishesI make honey butter corn in a skillet as a quick side dish for dinner. I sauté corn kernels in a cast-iron skillet until browned, then add honey and butter and top with black pepper and parsley. It can be made in about 15 minutes. The best thing about this recipe is the eating part.
Snacks & AppetizersChocolate chip bear cookies are a simple baking recipe for a decorated holiday cookie that you can make on the weekend without extra icing and other decorations. I use a non-spreading cookie dough recipe to shape bear cookies with round heads, tiny snouts, and ears, with mini chocolate chips for the face. The cookies are soft and chewy and decorated with chocolate chips.
DessertsI prepare this Christmas Tree Cake trifle as a dessert for holiday guests. Slices of soft vanilla Christmas Tree Cake and green vanilla pudding are layered with whipped topping in a clear serving dish for presentation to holiday guests. I enjoy serving a no-bake dessert that guests can see before eating.
DinnerChicken and cheddar noodle casserole is a popular choice for feeding eight people with minimal other side dishes. Shredded chicken and egg noodles are mixed with cheddar sauce and baked with panko crumbs on top to give a crispy, golden-browned edge (a delicious treat).
Snacks & AppetizersCheese sauce for fries is a topping I offer with fries for weeknight home meals if I want to offer more toppings than ketchup. It includes butter and flour as a roux, whole milk, and sharp cheddar cheese served with fries, nachos, baked potatoes, and other foods.
