Make-Ahead Recipes

Easy Fruit & Yogurt Popsicles

Two basic ingredients are all you need for wholesome, creamy, refreshing popsicles that can be customized to taste.   I have a vivid memory of running through the sprinkler with my sister on a hot summer day, only to hear the distant melody of an ice cream truck. No sound was more thrilling or inspired…

Teriyaki Salmon Bowls

This heart-healthy, flavor-packed meal takes advantage of the cook-once-eat-twice method and can be customized to taste!         When considering foods that taste good as leftovers, lasagna, chili and the Thanksgiving turkey likely come to mind. Fish, not so much. Once cooked, however, leftover seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator for…

Dinner (and leftovers) out of one 3-ingredient marinade

Minimal ingredients come together with flavor-packed ease in this wholesome, all-in-one meal that can be customized to taste. Effortless summer cooking at its best!    So, I did what I have been strictly avoiding for a very long time. I cooked on live TV.   The thought of preparing something delicious in two to three…

Cold Brew Coffee

This easy process creates a base that can be diluted with water or milk for your favorite cold coffee drinks. Economical and cafe-worthy!     As far as I’m concerned, coffee should be piping hot or iced cold. There’s no middle ground for my dad either. Throughout the hot days of summer, he never thinks…

Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream (easy 5-ingredient recipe that’s dairy-free and naturally sweetened)

Luxuriously sweet and creamy, it’s hard to believe this ice cream is dairy-free and naturally sweetened – and incredibly easy to make.    After years of developing mostly healthy recipes, people logically assume that I am one of those really virtuous eaters. And I truly enjoy lots of wholesome foods. Truth is though, I also…

Shortcut Soft Pretzels

Roll these clever pretzels into letters and spell out names for special occasions or twist them into the traditional shape. Either way, they’re a fun project and a crowd-pleasing snack!     Throughout all my years of being a mom, I can say with 100% certainty that my favorite gifts have been homemade. A handcrafted…

Greeked-Out Gorgonzola Dressing

Blue Cheese Dressing was the first salad dressing I ever tried at a restaurant, at a long-shuttered establishment called The Rose Bowl.  It became a favorite and still is.  Nowadays, I often pass it by because–tasty though it is, it’s so laden with fat.  Happily, the following recipe is an option that is every bit…

Southwestern Confetti Coleslaw (no mayo)

Classic, creamy coleslaw is a perennial picnic and cookout favorite. Like potato salad and baked beans, coleslaw plays a popular supporting role on any plate starring fried chicken or barbecued ribs. While I adore a thick slaw with a hearty dose of mayonnaise, many people prefer a lighter vinegar base. Smoky cumin, tangy lime and…

Dark Chocolate Jar Cakes

Curling up with a new cookbook always feels like a treat to me.  When said book happens to be penned by a dear friend, is loaded with colorful photos, and literally takes the reader on a magic carpet ride from one end of the globe to the next, that cookbook rivals anything on the New York…

Make-Ahead Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Parfaits

Perfect for busy mornings and great as a filling snack, this simple recipe is protein and calcium-rich, fruity and refreshing, and substitutions are easy. Plus it’s portable!   Everyone in my family likes to eat a good breakfast, but no one is willing to sacrifice precious minutes of sleep to prepare one before heading out…

Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

Four simple ingredients come together with ease in this vibrant sauce that adds sweet and tangy flavor to yogurt, oatmeal, vanilla ice cream, pound cake, and more. Or enjoy it by the spoonful–just like applesauce. Freezes well too.    For many years, my maternal great-grandmother taught in a one-room Amish schoolhouse. That meant teaching all…

Crunchy Amaranth Granola Rounds

I loved to collect the mail when I was a child.  The thought of a special letter or magazine waiting for me fueled the anticipation.  Now, letter writing is practically an ancient art form and most of the mail goes directly into the recycling bin.  But when a new cookbook arrives unexpectedly…now that’s a good…

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