It's Not About Nutrition

A Little Sticky Chicken Story You know, some recipes just stick with you — pun fully intended. Sticky chicken has been that for me for years. I first stumbled on it when my kids were still young enough to think my slow cooker was magic (honestly, sometimes I still do). I remember throwing this together on a rainy Tuesday when the fridge looked sad and takeout menus were calling my name. Four ingredients, a quick stir, and I crossed my fingers. A few hours later, the house smelled like sweet garlic heaven and the kids were already hovering by the …

The Kind of Dinner That Feels Like a Hug You ever come home after a day that just plain wore you out — the kind where your shoulders ache, the kids are bickering about nothing, and you’d sell your left shoe for five minutes of quiet? Well, this slow cooker ham and potatoes stew with bacon won’t fix everything (I wish!), but it sure does help. I’ve been making some version of this since my kids were in grade school — back then, we’d stagger in after soccer practice or a choir concert, and the second that front door swung …

You know what? I swear, the older I get, the more I love recipes that pretty much cook themselves. Back in my thirties, I’d fuss over three pots on the stove like some TV chef. Now? If I can toss it in the slow cooker and wander off to fold laundry or chat on the porch with my husband, that’s a good day in my book. This slow cooker Alfredo pasta is one of those meals that makes everyone happy — no fancy prep, no ten dirty pans. Just that warm, garlicky smell drifting through the house while you put …

You ever notice how certain cookies just smell like a memory? These washboard cookies do that for me every single time. When I was a kid, my mom kept a battered old metal tin on top of the fridge — dented at the corners, probably older than she was. She’d fill it with these cookies on Saturday afternoons. If you were lucky enough to be around when she popped the lid, you got one (maybe two if you didn’t get caught). They’re not flashy cookies — no fancy frosting, no rainbow sprinkles. Just soft, crumbly, sweet little bites that taste …

Chicken cacciatore has always felt like more than just a meal to me — it’s a little piece of family history ladled into a bowl. Back when I was a kid here in the Midwest, my grandma would pull out her biggest pot on days when the wind just wouldn’t quit howling through the trees. She’d call it hunter’s stew — no fancy name, no fuss — just good, honest food that filled the house with warmth when our toes were numb and the windows rattled like they might blow clear off the hinges. I swear I can still see …

Oh, goodness — if there’s one dessert I’ll forever stand by, it’s this one. You know how some recipes just stick with you like an old friend who always shows up when you need ‘em most? Minister’s Delight is that friend for me. I remember making this on a rainy Tuesday back when my kids were teenagers — stomping in from soccer practice with muddy cleats and hungry eyes. I’d toss a few pantry goodies into the slow cooker before they even got off the bus, and by the time dinner was cleared, dessert was waiting. No fancy steps, no …

You know, some days just call for easy. Not fancy, not fussy — just the kind of meal that makes the whole house smell like somebody’s been cooking for hours (because, well, technically you have — but the slow cooker did all the work). When my kids were little, this BBQ pulled pork was my secret weapon. School drop-offs, dance lessons, baseball practice — I’d throw everything in the pot by 8 a.m., and by suppertime we’d sit around the table with plates piled high, sticky fingers, and nowhere else to be. It’s the kind of meal that turns an …

Back when our little community hall still smelled of strong coffee and fresh floor wax, potluck suppers were the highlight of our month. Everyone had that dish they were known for — Mrs. Voss brought her mile-high lemon meringue pie, old Mr. Danner made his fiery baked beans, and if you were lucky, you’d find my mother’s pepper steak with mushrooms bubbling away in a battered Crock-Pot near the coat rack. Those suppers weren’t fancy, but they were everything. A place to catch up, share news, swap recipes scrawled on index cards — and more than once, to sneak an …

There’s something about the smell of BBQ sauce bubbling away that just feels like home, isn’t there? I swear every time I make these Slow Cooker Sweet Baby Ray’s Chicken Drumsticks, I’m right back in my mom’s tiny kitchen — the one with the squeaky cabinet door and that floral linoleum floor we all pretended to hate. She’d toss these drumsticks in the slow cooker before church on Sunday morning. We’d come home a few hours later, the house warm and smelling like sweet, tangy heaven. Dad would hover near the kitchen trying to “taste test” — and she’d swat …

You know how every family has that one dish? The one folks hover around like they’re guarding buried treasure? Well, these Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Kielbasa Bites are ours. I swear, the first time I made them, I thought I’d have leftovers for days. I turned around — gone. Not a toothpick in sight. I even found my husband sneaking the last few pieces straight from the slow cooker when he thought I wasn’t looking. (Nice try, dear.) Why You’ll Love These Little Bites If you’re anything like me — always hunting for something easy that feels special — you’ll …