All Posts By Olivia

  I’ll never forget the first time I made dal for my family. It was one of those chilly Sundays when everyone was craving something warm and comforting, but I didn’t want to spend hours in the kitchen (again!). As soon as the lentils started bubbling away with ginger, tomatoes, and that glorious swirl of fragrant Indian spices, the whole house smelled like a cozy hug. Even the picky eaters came wandering into the kitchen, noses twitching, wanting to know, “What’s for dinner?” Spoiler: not a single spoonful was left over. This Indian dal has become our go-to whenever we …

  I’ve got a confession: there have been more than a few “what’s for dinner?” days around here where I thank my lucky stars for a big batch of Instant Pot Shredded Chicken. Honestly, it’s kind of my weeknight superhero. Whether the fridge is looking a little sad or I just plain forgot to plan, having this easy, juicy chicken in the fridge means I can pull together tacos, sandwiches, salads—heck, even a late-night snack wrap—in under ten minutes. And if you’re the type who likes to meal prep on the weekends (or, you know, has good intentions), this is …

  Let’s just be honest—there are nights when you look at the bag of frozen broccoli in your freezer and sigh, thinking, “Well, here we go again.” That used to be me, until I started throwing it in the air fryer. Oh my goodness, friends. The transformation is real! Frozen broccoli in the air fryer comes out way better than anything I used to roast in the oven…and it’s so quick. Even my famously broccoli-skeptical husband circles back for seconds (which almost never happens with vegetables—unless they’re smothered in cheese, but that’s another discussion for another time). So now, this …

  You ever have those days where you just want to toss something together—super quick, barely any fuss—and it ends up being the best dang thing you’ve eaten all week? That’s what happened with these air fryer salmon bites. One of those “what can I do with this leftover salmon in the fridge” moments that turned into a family obsession (even my husband, a “fish skeptic,” now asks for these). Seriously, these are the kind of little bites you pop in your mouth, close your eyes, and just savor that warm crispy, juicy bliss. So if you ever find yourself …

  Some weeknights, you just need a meal that’s a little bit of a fiesta. You know what I mean? Something that’s packed with flavor, hearty enough to feed the hungriest person at the table, and—if we’re being honest—easy enough to pull off even when you’ve had one of those days. That’s the kind of night this Pollo Loco Mexican Chicken and Rice with Queso recipe was made for. I made this for the first time when my youngest came home raving about some “crazy good chicken and rice” at his friend’s house. (Hence the name… Pollo Loco means “crazy …

  If you’re anything like me, there are days when you just want dinner to cook itself. You know, the kind of meal you can set and forget while you pay bills, wrangle the laundry, or (in my world) scroll for a few peaceful minutes in the backyard. And that, my friend, is exactly what this Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken is all about. The crockpot does every bit of the heavy lifting, leaving you with tender, flavorful chicken you can pile onto tacos, salads, nachos, burritos—oh, the possibilities! I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, and …

  I still remember the first time I tried a Southwest chicken salad at this quirky café on a road trip through New Mexico. I was expecting a plain green salad situation—and what showed up was this total flavor explosion on a plate: warm grilled chicken spiced just right, sweet corn, tangy black beans, creamy avocado, bright cilantro… all drizzled with a lime dressing that somehow pulled everything together. I ended up scraping my plate, licking my fork, and telling myself, “Oh, I absolutely have to figure out how to recreate this at home!” Well, I finally did (after a …

  Has anyone else hit that “what’s for dinner?” wall lately? It seems like my family’s tastebuds are always off having some kind of adventure, but my patience is just tiptoeing around the kitchen hoping it doesn’t have to make another spaghetti. Well, this Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Beef Barbacoa has come charging in like a hero—fragrant, spicy (but not knock-your-socks-off spicy), falling-apart-tender beef that makes dinner so darn easy you’ll wish you made extra. (And honestly, you should.) I made this on a rainy Tuesday a few weeks back, and the smell alone transformed my house into the coziest …

  Maybe it’s just me, but every time I see those old-fashioned, comforting open-faced turkey and gravy sandwiches on a diner menu, my heart skips a beat. There’s something downright magical about thick slices of turkey piled on soft bread, dripping in savory gravy—like Thanksgiving snuck into a regular Tuesday night. At my house, if you ask who wants turkey sandwiches for dinner, you’ll see every hand go up. (Leftovers turn into the main event!) Why You’ll Love This It’s peak comfort food—with all the cozy, homey vibes you crave. Perfectly uses up leftover turkey and gravy after the holidays …

  Let me tell you, there’s just something about a Greek Chicken Bowl that always feels like a little vacation in a bowl—even if I’m shuffling around my messy kitchen in slippers, madly searching for the feta cheese. Every Sunday, I do a little meal prep party for myself (sometimes with an assist from my always-hungry teenage daughter), and these Mediterranean-inspired bowls make me feel like I’m actually nailing the adulting thing. They’re fresh, cozy, packed with flavor, and fill you up without weighing you down. Plus, if you’re anything like me and crave a big old toss-everything-in-there salad situation, …