Make-Ahead Recipes
Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust
If you’ve struggled to create a gluten-free graham cracker crust that stacks up to the regular version, your wait it over! The first time I made a gluten-free graham cracker crust several years back, I simply replaced the regular graham cracker crumbs in my traditional recipe with a gluten-free alternative. Cup-for-cup gluten-free flours tend…
Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Alabama White BBQ Sauce is a tangy, creamy twist on traditional barbecue sauce that can be slathered on grilled chicken, pulled pork, fish, and burgers. It’s an equally delicious dressing for coleslaw and dip for corn ribs, fries, and chicken wings! If you’re from the south, Alabama barbecue sauce needs no explanation. If you…
Corn Ribs
Corn ribs are the food you didn’t know you were missing, and you can make them at home with simple ingredients and a few helpful tips. The flexible recipe can be air fried, grilled, roasted, or pan fried. Corn ribs? When my husband and I noticed them on the menu at Basic Kitchen, a delightful restaurant…
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
A short list of ingredients comes together with ease for this wholesome, vegetarian salad that can be enjoyed warm or cold. Easy meal alert! (We all need them, right?) This flavor-packed salad is super simple to prepare with minimal ingredients. Ripe for customization based on what you like and have on hand (I’ve included…
Favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette
A year-round staple that pulls double duty as a flavorful marinade for chicken, this versatile homemade dressing will add zip to a wide variety of vegetables and basic pantry ingredients. The key to fresh, flavorful meals that feel effortless and truly enjoyable? Find a few homemade dressings and sauces that you enjoy and keep…
Baked BBQ Tofu
Sweet, savory, smoky, and spicy notes come together with ease in this protein-rich recipe that will make a tofu fan out of the toughest critic. Enjoy as is or use the tofu as a topper for grain- and veggie-based bowls. Tofu has long been a polarizing food. Equally adored and reviled in decades past,…
A Field Trip to Suncatcher Farm (Plus a Loaded Veggie Omelet)
Fountain Avenue Kids goes on the road with this informative, beautifully photographed video that offers something for kids and adults alike. Farmer Aidan also shares his family’s favorite omelet recipe! My early memories of Aidan are dotted across our region’s various cross-country courses. Aidan was the “big kid” when my older son started running…
Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Best described as a handheld brownie sundae, these make-ahead treats will be the star of any party or potluck! Who doesn’t love a classic ice cream sandwich? The memory alone takes me back to my childhood. It was the perfect summer treat and exactly what I wanted when I heard the distant melody of…
Cajun Seasoning
This classic spice blend mixes up quickly with common herbs and spices and adds a savory kick to a wide variety of recipes, from simple grilled chicken and shrimp to eggs, rice and beans, and popcorn. A good spice blend offers one of the easiest ways to inject nuanced flavor into your cooking with…
Quick Russian Dressing
Five minutes is all you need to prepare creamy, tangy Russian dressing that will elevate Reubens, Rachels, burgers, and more. The first time I prepared this sauce, I was making Rachels and Reubens and realized as the meal was underway that I had no Russian dressing, a necessity in the classic deli fare. Thousand Island…
Smashed Green Peas
This speedy but special side dish reinvents a bag of frozen peas and can be enjoyed in place of regular peas, as a fancy base for salmon, or as an economical and always fresh alternative to avocado toast. Fresh peas in the summer are a treat. Happily, I have found that frozen peas can truly…
Perfectly Broiled Salmon
Perfectly cooked salmon with a golden crust is endlessly versatile and can be on your plate in less than 10 minutes, start to finish. In my early days of cooking salmon, I always broiled it. As a young mom trying to get a good dinner on the table fast, I appreciated the speed and…
