-
Thanksgiving Dinner-Prep like a Pro
Alright, Thanksgiving is a week away. Let’s get to it. Now, I am going to share all of my pro chef tips in this Thanksgiving dinner-prep like a pro post for you. I have cooked many Thanksgiving dinners in my day. Believe it or not, this is the first year I am actually hosting Thanksgiving at my house for my family. Now, I know what you are thinking. Umm… Chef Steph, didn’t you just say that you have cooked many Thanksgiving dinners in your day? How can this be the first year you are hosting? Yes, you read correctly. I have cooked 100’s of Thanksgiving dinners in my day, they just so happened…
-
Better than Take out Beef and Broccoli
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you will never order Chinese food out again. Yet, this better than take out beef and broccoli will be a favorite weeknight meal in no time. My whole family loves this better than take out beef and broccoli. I love it because it is quick and easy to make any night of the week. During the week is so tough to get a good, healthy, home cooked meal on the table. It is even more difficult to make a good, healthy, home cooked meal that the whole family will enjoy. This better than take out beef and broccoli will accomplish both of these things.…
-
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This soup screams Fall and could not be simpler to prepare. Also, if you are vegan or vegetarian you can enjoy this soup. It is creamy and delicious but does not actually contain any cream. Win-win! I am always trying to make restaurant quality meals that are quick and easy for anyone to make. This roasted butternut squash soup is the definition of a restaurant quality meal that is quick and easy to make. You literally just need to cut and roast all of the veggies in the oven. I remove the celery before I puree the soup. This will give you the flavor of the celery without the fibrous texture of the…
-
Roasted Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Pancetta and Sage
Fall is here!! Shout it from the rooftops! My favorite season has finally arrived this year! WHOO HOO! Nothing says Fall like butternut squash and sage. That is why this roasted butternut squash gnocchi with pancetta and sage is one of my favorite Fall dishes. Truly I love everything about Fall in the Midwest. I was talking to my sister the other day and realized we are spoiled at Fall here in the Midwest. We really have the most gorgeous Fall’s. We have leaves changing colors from bright greens to deep, rich red, oranges and yellows. I love that the air turns a little crisp and cool. We have apple picking and pumpkin…
-
The Perfect Pot Roast Recipe
I don’t know about you, but on a chilly Fall day I love a good hearty, slow cooked meal. Enter, the perfect pot roast recipe. This recipe is warming and soulful. The pot roast is melt in your mouth tender and juicy. Not to mention the perfect cooked carrots and the sauce, oh the sauce. I love everything about a perfectly cooked pot roast. I spent a lot of time perfecting the recipe and this is truly the perfect pot roast roast recipe. Here is why. How can I know this is the perfect pot roast recipe? For one thing, the roast itself needs to be perfectly tender, while staying juicy. I have…
-
Taco Salad with Crispy Homemade Taco Shells
I am a taco salad junkie and with the crispy homemade taco shells, these are like ordering it from a restaurant. I am all about the restaurant-quality easy weeknight meals at home and this is exactly that! In fact, that is exactly why I came up with this recipe. I was having such a taste for a taco salad in that crispy homemade taco shell from my favorite Mexican spot. I was tasting it for days and there was no time to get over there to order one. Then I thought, wait, you can make it! So, here we go… How did I get the shell right? In the testing of this recipe…
-
Pasta Al Forno
This is one of our all time favorite, go to pasta dishes. I would say it is definitely a comfort food. My kids love it with the mini meatballs inside, which is something I actually learned from my mother in law. I really also love it with ricotta cheese inside. If you are feeling crazy, (and if your kids will eat it), add both! YUM! In this particular case, I will give you the recipe with the mini meatballs. If you would like to make it without, you totally can. Just do it the same way and don’t make the meatballs. If you would like to add ricotta instead of the meatballs, you…
-
Summer Tomato Pasta
I love a meal that I don’t have to think too much about. That I really don’t even need to plan too much ahead. A meal that comes together quickly and easily with little effort but tastes like I just walked into my favorite restaurant. Well, here you go… This recipe is all of the above and did I mention delicious? It is so delicious. I adapted this from Ina Garten’s Summer Garden pasta recipe. I love Ina Garten. I have loved her and her recipes for years. Yet, the thing about Ina is that almost all of her recipes are either time consuming or take a lot of ingredients and/or steps. This…
-
Best Stove Top Mac and Cheese
I feel like getting a really good mac and cheese recipe is like striking gold when you have kids. There are a million recipes out there and for the longest time, my kids would only eat the blue box! Yes, even having a chef as their mom, they wanted the blue box! I tried so many different recipes for mac and cheese and this s hands down the winner! My kids love this mac and cheese, my husband loves this mac and cheese. I not only love this mac and cheese because it is creamy and delicious, but because it comes together super quickly and right on the stove top. Mom-win for sure!…
-
Tomato and Mozzarella Pie
I will start by saying, I am not a tomato fan! You are probably like, um… then why do you make this pie?!? The answer is… I cannot get enough of it! LOL I think because the tomatoes get nice and charred and do not have that raw flavor anymore. I don’t know, I just know that I am obsessed with this tomato mozzarella pie. The crust in this pie is flaky and light, the filling is mozzarella cheese, (how can that be bad) and the tomatoes as I mentioned get charred and sweet and a little tangy. This is the perfect dish to make as the weather continues to warm up. What…
