Dessert

Strawberry Angel Food Cake

Every summer, like clockwork, someone in my family asks, “You making that pink cake this year?” And they don’t mean just any cake — they’re talking about this Strawberry Angel Food Cake. I don’t even remember where I first got the recipe — probably scribbled on the back of a church bulletin or clipped from a magazine in the checkout line. But it stuck. And now it’s our cake. The one that shows up at BBQs, pool parties, potlucks…and sometimes, honestly, just a Tuesday when it’s too hot to cook and everyone needs a little pick-me-up. It’s light and fluffy, …

Side Dish

Herb-Infused Baked Potato Balls with Parmesan

Crispy outside, cheesy-herby magic inside. Okay, real talk — I have a soft spot for potatoes. I mean, who doesn’t? They’ve been part of every holiday, church potluck, and Sunday dinner since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. Mashed, scalloped, fried… we Midwesterners know our way around a spud. But these little beauties? They’re something special. Herb-Infused Baked Potato Balls — kind of like if mashed potatoes decided to dress up a bit, roll around in some breadcrumbs, and become the life of the party. They’re cozy, crispy, cheesy, and oh-so-satisfying. I started making them years ago when I had …

All Recipes

Old-Fashioned Beef Spaghetti Pie

A cozy little dish with a big personality (and even bigger flavor) Okay, let’s talk comfort food. Not the “I’ll just heat up a frozen meal and call it a night” kind — I mean the real deal. The kind that makes the kitchen smell like home and brings everybody wandering in asking, “What’s for dinner?” even though they already know just by the smell. This spaghetti pie? She’s been around the block. She’s not flashy, not trendy, not trying to be the next viral TikTok recipe — and I love her for that. She’s reliable. Familiar. A little cheesy …

Dinner

Herb-Infused Smothered Baked Pork Chops with Apple Cider Glaze

I still remember the sound of my mom’s oven door squeaking open on Sunday afternoons—like clockwork. You’d smell those pork chops before you even got to the kitchen. No matter what kind of week we’d had—tests, work drama, cold weather rolling in—everything felt calmer when the house was warm and smelled like herbs and something a little sweet bubbling away in the oven. Now that I’m the one cooking, I still lean on those kinds of meals. The ones that feel grounding. Familiar, but just a little fancy. These herb-infused smothered baked pork chops are exactly that. They’re everything I …

Casserole

The Hamburger Casserole That Saved Tuesday Nights

There are a few meals that just stick with you — not because they’re fancy or complicated, but because they worked. They filled your belly and warmed your heart. For me, Hamburger Casserole is one of those meals. My mom used to make it on those hectic weeknights when dinner needed to happen fast, and nobody had the energy to argue over it. You know those nights, right? When you’re digging through the fridge with one sock on, trying to remember what meat you thawed? Mom’s casserole always came through — no drama, no fuss. Just simple ingredients, warm cheesy …

Dinner

Southern Baked Chicken Ricotta Meatballs with Spinach Alfredo

There are just some meals that feel like home — warm, familiar, and full of good memories. Around here in the rural South, we don’t take supper lightly. It’s not just about feeding bellies — it’s about feeding hearts too. This baked chicken ricotta meatball dish? Oh honey, it’s one of those feel-good meals that folks talk about long after the dishes are done. You know the kind of dinner where everyone keeps sneaking second helpings and someone always says, “Mmm, you’ve gotta make this again”? Yep. That’s this one. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made …

Slowcooker

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Balsamic Pork

A Cozy Midwest Classic for Busy Days and Big Appetites Let me just start by saying this: if you’re looking for a fancy, fussy pork recipe with 17 steps and ingredients you have to Google… you’re in the wrong kitchen, sweetheart. But if you’re after something honest, warm, and downright delicious — something that fills your house with that mouthwatering “Sunday dinner is coming” smell — then pour yourself some iced tea and settle in. You’re gonna love this one. Out here in the Midwest, we don’t always do things fast — but we sure try to do them right. …

All Recipes

Bread Pudding with Warm Vanilla Custard

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—some of the best recipes come from trying not to waste food. That’s the honest truth. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood in front of a bag of dry, half-forgotten bread thinking, “Should I toss this?” only to hear my mama’s voice in my head saying, “Waste not, want not.” So, I made bread pudding. Again. And let me tell you something… it’s not just about the bread. It’s about the warm, sweet custard. The cinnamon. The vanilla. The way it puffs up golden in the oven and makes …

Dessert

Strawberry Whipped Cream Delight: A Sweet Taste of Summer

There’s something about summer strawberries that feels like a reward, isn’t there? I still remember picking wild ones with my grandmother — tiny, sun-warmed, and impossibly sweet. We’d bring them home in a wicker basket (always a little squished), rinse them off, and she’d whip up something magical with just a few pantry staples. That’s the kind of dessert this is — simple, nostalgic, and full of heart. This Strawberry Whipped Cream Delight is one of those recipes that sneaks up on you. It looks fancy in the glass, like something you’d serve at a bridal shower or garden party, …

Dessert

Baked Apple Fritters (That Don’t Need a Deep Fryer to Taste Like Heaven)

You ever bite into something that just feels like a warm blanket? That’s these fritters. I remember the first time I made them — not fried, but baked — my husband looked at me sideways like I’d broken some secret fried-dough rule. But then he took a bite. And then another. And before I could even sit down with my own, three were gone and he was reaching for a fourth like it was nothing. And let’s be honest — anything with apples, cinnamon, and a golden crust already feels like a win. But when it’s baked? Less mess, less …