Kitchen Tips

I Didn’t Mean to Start Making Flour at Home

Honestly? I didn’t set out to be the kind of person who mills her own flour. That always sounded… exhausting. Like something you do if you live off-grid with goats and 12 kinds of cast iron. But life has a funny way of nudging you into things, doesn’t it? It started one afternoon during that weird stretch in 2020 when grocery shelves were half-empty, and I was trying to bake bread because—well, what else was there to do? I had yeast. I had a sour mood. But I didn’t have flour. Not a scoop. I stood there in the pantry …

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Oven Baked Glazed Honey Garlic Sausages

Sticky, sweet, garlicky goodness — and the oven does all the work. So here’s the deal. Some nights, I just can’t. You know what I mean? I want something delicious, something warm and filling — but also something that doesn’t require me hovering over the stove like I’m filming an episode of MasterChef. That’s where these oven baked honey garlic sausages come in. They’ve saved my sanity more than once. I threw this together one night when I had sausages sitting in the fridge and no plan. I whisked up a little honey, soy sauce, and garlic, popped everything in …

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Slow Cooker Creamy Beef Stroganoff

The kind of meal that makes you want to light a candle and stay in for the night. There are certain dishes that just feel like home, you know? For me, beef stroganoff is one of those meals that’s tied up in all kinds of memories — snowy days when school was called off, big Sunday suppers after church, and the smell of onions and mushrooms sautéing that could make even the pickiest eater wander into the kitchen asking, “Is it ready yet?” Here in the Midwest, we love our comfort food — the kind that warms your bones and …

Slowcooker

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Alfredo Ravioli Bake

The kind of cozy dinner that makes people linger at the table a little longer. This isn’t some five-star fancy dish with truffle shavings and handmade pasta from scratch. It’s not supposed to be. This is simple, cheesy, no-fuss comfort food, made with things you probably already have in your fridge or freezer. And it hits every single time. I first threw this together on one of those days where everything felt like too much — school drop-off ran late, laundry piled high, and my “what’s for dinner” inspiration tank was bone dry. But I had some frozen ravioli, leftover …

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Low Carb Crustless Pizza Bowl

All the cozy, none of the crust. You ever get hit with a craving so strong, it practically calls your name from the pantry? For me, that’s pizza. Always has been. Something about melted cheese and bubbling sauce — it just takes me back. When I was growing up in the Midwest, Friday nights meant two things: someone would inevitably forget to thaw the chicken, and we were probably having pizza. And honestly? Nobody complained. We’d gather around the kitchen table with paper plates and a 2-liter of pop, arguing over who got the last slice. Good times. These days, …

Slowcooker

Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Kalua Pig

You ever taste something so good, so simple, it kind of stops you mid-bite? That’s how I felt the first time I had Kalua Pig — the real deal, smoky and tender, cooked underground at a Hawaiian luau we stumbled into on vacation. I didn’t even know what I was eating at first — just knew it was pork, knew it melted in my mouth, and that I didn’t want to share. Now, I live smack dab in the Midwest, where we don’t exactly have access to banana trees or underground fire pits. But we do have slow cookers — …

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Slow Cooker Amish Green Bean Casserole

A creamy, cozy classic that basically cooks itself Alright, let’s be honest. Green bean casserole doesn’t usually get folks too excited. It’s kind of always just… there, right? Hanging out on the table like it knows it’s not the star but is still hoping someone scoops it onto their plate anyway. But this version — oh honey — this one’s different. It’s how the Amish do it. And let me tell you, it’s warm and rich and tastes like something your great-aunt Mabel made with love on a chilly Sunday when the whole house smelled like bacon and something bubbling …

Slowcooker

Slow Cooker Herb-Infused Chicken and Potatoes

The kind of cozy meal that tastes like a warm hug from someone who really gets you. You ever have one of those days where the clock somehow skips three hours, your to-do list laughs at you, and dinner? Well, dinner’s just one more thing that’s gotta happen? That’s exactly where this recipe shines. This slow cooker herb-infused chicken and potatoes recipe has seen me through crazy workdays, last-minute homework crises, and yes — the occasional “let’s just pretend I planned this” dinner with neighbors. It’s hearty, it smells like comfort, and it does not ask for much. Just toss …

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Slow Cooker Apricot Dijon Spiral Ham — Sunday Nostalgia in Every Bite

You know, there’s a certain comfort that only comes from a big ol’ ham slow-cooking on the counter while the wind rattles the windows outside. Maybe it’s the way the smell drifts through the house and makes your stomach growl long before dinner’s ready — or maybe it’s just that quiet promise that no matter what the week threw at you, at least there’s a good meal waiting at the end of it. I remember one winter, my cousin Betty and I tried to speed up a ham by cranking the slow cooker to high. Rookie mistake. We ended up …

air fryer

Air Fryer Cracker Barrel Copycat Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

You ever have one of those nights where you peek in the fridge, see a pack of chicken, and just sigh? Yeah, me too. Some evenings, all I want is something good — but not fussy, and definitely not another sad frozen pizza. This little recipe has saved my bacon more times than I care to admit. I still remember the first time I ordered those grilled chicken tenderloins at Cracker Barrel — road trip pit stop, kids fussin’ in the back seat, husband half asleep at the wheel. We sat down, ordered our usual, and those sweet, juicy chicken …