All Recipes

Every year, right around mid-December when I’m knee-deep in wrapping paper and trying to remember where I hid the Scotch tape, I start craving these. Not fancy truffles. Not artisan shortbread. These messy, sticky, colorful little bars of joy. The first time I made them, I didn’t even plan to — I had odds and ends in the pantry and needed a last-minute dessert for a cookie swap. Threw ’em together in under 10 minutes. They were gone in five. Now, I make them even when there’s no party. They’re that good. We call them Christmas Magic Cookie Bars, and …

Because sometimes you want something creamy and peppery, but your brain’s not up for complicated. So look, this started because I had chicken thighs and nothing resembling a plan. I’d been scrolling past “steak au poivre” recipes for years — they always looked delicious, but also kinda like something a person in a silk robe would make. Not me. I’m more of a messy bun and butter-splattered tea towel type. Anyway, I didn’t have steak, but I did have chicken. And peppercorns. And cream. And let me tell you — this ended up being one of those “oops, I made …

A comfort food classic with a name that tells you everything you need to know. Let me just say this right off the bat: this is not health food. This is comfort food. The kind you make when you’ve had a long day and you want dinner to cook itself while you sit down and not think for a while. The first time I made this, it was one of those “what can I throw together without going to the store” nights. I had chicken thighs, a can of French onion soup I didn’t remember buying, and a sad stick …

All the campfire feels — no mosquitoes, no smoke, no shoes required. You ever make something and immediately think, oh, this is dangerous? That was me the first time I made this S’mores Casserole. It started as a “just for fun” dessert for a weekend dinner, and I wasn’t expecting much. You know how sometimes crescent roll desserts can be a little… meh? Well. I was wrong. I pulled it out of the oven, chocolate all melty, marshmallows golden and puffed, cinnamon sugar glistening on top — and I knew I’d made a mistake. Not because it didn’t turn out. …

Soft. Chewy. Sweet. Like the cookie version of a big comfy sweater. You know how some recipes just feel a little luxurious, even though they’re ridiculously easy to make? That’s these cookie bars. They’ve got that buttery, rich, chewy middle, the crisp golden edges, and those fancy little white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts that make you feel like you’re eating something from a bakery — even if you’re just standing at the kitchen counter in slippers. I started making these when I wanted cookies but didn’t want to scoop dough. I know that sounds lazy, but listen… some days …

The dessert that perfectly matches the vibe of December 23rd at 6:42 p.m. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but not every holiday dessert needs to be a Pinterest masterpiece. Sometimes you just need a cake that’s fast, a little messy, and full of the kind of sweet, nutty, tart chaos that feels right for Christmas week. That’s exactly what this cake is. It’s got cranberry sauce. It’s got pecans. It’s got a surprise cream cheese swirl situation that bakes into the middle like a little present. And the best part? You throw it all into a 9×13 …

The meal I make when I’ve got 5 minutes, no patience, and people to feed. So this is one of those recipes I almost feel silly writing down — not because it’s not good (it’s so good), but because it’s barely a recipe. It’s just… food that makes itself. The kind of thing you toss together at noon with a kid on your hip and a to-do list you gave up on two hours ago. But here’s the thing: every time I make this, someone at the table says, “Oh my gosh, what is this?” and then they go back …

Hot, cheesy, garlicky — and impossible to stop picking at once it hits the table. Listen, if you’ve ever stood around a hot appetizer with a group of friends and slowly abandoned your manners in favor of just eating with your hands — you’re my kind of people. And this pull-apart bread? This is exactly that kind of food. It’s warm, cheesy, full of garlicky spinach-artichoke goodness, and baked with biscuit dough that gets crispy on the edges and pillowy in the middle. It’s not fancy. It’s not health food. But it is the kind of dish that disappears faster …

A little political, a lot delicious I have a soft spot for old recipes—the kind written in cursive on index cards, tucked behind cookbooks with broken spines. This one? Oh, honey, this one’s got a bit of presidential flair. Supposedly it was a favorite of Nancy Reagan’s—Vienna Bars. But honestly, you don’t need to care a lick about politics to fall head over heels for these sweet little things. The first time I made them, it was purely out of curiosity. I had leftover raspberry jam and a craving for something… old-fashioned. Not in a boring way, but in that …

You know how every family has that one holiday dessert? The kind people whisper about from the kitchen doorway, secretly hoping there’s an extra slice stashed in the back of the fridge? For us, it was always White Christmas Pie. It wasn’t the loudest dessert on the table — not like the caramel-drizzled cheesecake or Aunt Linda’s mile-high chocolate cake. But it was the one that disappeared the fastest. Light, creamy, not too sweet — kind of like snow if it were dessert. My mom would make it a day ahead, hiding it behind the cranberry sauce like it was …