All Posts By Jennifer

You know, when I was raising my kids out here in the Midwest, there were plenty of days when I felt like the only time we all sat in one spot together was dinner time. Soccer cleats kicked off by the door, someone’s backpack half-zipped with papers sticking out — and me in the kitchen trying to figure out how to feed everybody without losing my mind. That’s where this Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese comes in. It’s one of those meals that asks so little but gives so much. You brown a bit of meat, toss in a few pantry …

you know, some nights just call for something that feels like you’ve fussed all day — but you haven’t. This pork tenderloin is exactly that kind of supper. I can’t tell you how many chilly evenings I’ve come home, arms full of groceries or maybe just cranky from Midwest traffic, only to remember oh right, dinner’s been making itself all day. That’s a small miracle if you ask me. And the smell? Let’s just say it’ll have your family wandering into the kitchen asking “Is it ready yet?” — more than once. Why You’ll Love This One Sweet maple syrup …

You know those dinners that make you feel like you’ve got your life together — even when the laundry’s still in the dryer and the dog’s barking at the mail truck again? This is that dinner for me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve leaned on this French dip recipe when I know the day’s going to run long — or when I just want to feel like I’m treating my family to something a little extra, without actually doing anything extra. Back when my kids were teenagers, I swear they could sniff this cooking from the driveway. …

I still remember the first time I made this Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Beef Stew — it was one of those gray, drizzly Thursdays when the kids had soccer practice, I had a to-do list longer than my arm, and the pantry was looking… well, let’s say uninspired. I threw what I had in the slow cooker, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best. By dinnertime, the whole house smelled like Sunday supper at Grandma’s — rich, savory, and comforting enough to chase the chill away. Now, years later, it’s a standby whenever life’s busy but our bellies crave something …

You ever have one of those weeks where you just can’t bring yourself to stand at the stove for an hour, but you still crave something that tastes like you tried? That’s exactly how this pasta came to be in my kitchen — a little weeknight hug in a bowl. I still remember the first time I caramelized onions properly — the slow, patient way. It was a rainy Saturday, my kids were bickering over board games, and I needed an excuse to hide in the kitchen with my big Dutch oven. An hour later, there they were: golden, jammy …

Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Beef Stew There’s just something about beef stew, isn’t there? Maybe it’s because it tastes like Sunday at Grandma’s — or maybe it’s just the simple comfort of coming home, peeling off your coat, and smelling that rich, savory goodness before you even kick your shoes off. I first threw this little slow cooker wonder together on one of those weeks — you know the ones. Work’s nuts, kids’ sports, laundry mountain, and you’re staring at the fridge like, Well, dinner’s not gonna cook itself. Turns out, with this stew, it kinda does. Five ingredients, ten minutes …

You ever have one of those days where you mean to make something fancy, but real life says, “Not today, honey”? That’s how this soup was born in my house. Years ago, I had every intention of making my mom’s cabbage rolls for Sunday supper — the kind she’d spend all afternoon rolling up just so. But the dog got sick, my youngest had a science fair disaster, and next thing I knew, it was 5 o’clock and I hadn’t even boiled the cabbage. So I did what any slightly frazzled home cook would do: I threw everything — meat, …

Dinner that basically makes itself — while you do literally anything else. There’s a good chance I owe my sanity to this recipe. Some folks swear by yoga or those fancy weighted blankets — me? I trust a pound of shrimp, half a stick of butter, and my old slow cooker humming along while I catch up on life. Years ago, I threw this together on a whim — the fridge was bare except for a bag of shrimp I’d meant to use for a “special dinner” (ha!), and a stick of butter that I always, always have on hand. …

I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost count of the times mac and cheese has come to my rescue. Sick kid? Mac and cheese. Nothing in the fridge? Mac and cheese. Too tired to fuss with pots and pans? Well… you get the idea. Years ago, when my kids were little tornadoes tearing through the house, I figured out how to make it even easier: let the slow cooker do the work. I promise, this is the laziest, coziest way to get that cheesy goodness on the table with almost no effort — just three simple ingredients, stir it …

You know, some recipes just feel like a gathering. This one? It’s a hug in a pot. Back when my kids were little — sticky fingers, Sunday shoes kicked off by the door — there was hardly a Wednesday night we didn’t end up at the church basement, folding chairs squeaking on linoleum floors, tables sagging under every casserole you could think of. And someone — usually Miss Clara, bless her heart — always brought spaghetti. Not fancy, just good. Simmered all day, ladled out with a wink and a “Go on, get seconds.” Folks would come for the sermon, …