• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies

    This is still a small batch of cookies, but with a much more complex (maybe even acquired) taste. The sourdough starter adds a tangy flavor to the cookies, and the texture is a bit chewier than the classic version. This is solely for flavor, not leavening.

    Read on →

  • Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

    When I want a small batch of cookies, without oatmeal.

    Read on →

  • Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

    I’m not sure I’d ever made a real gumbo before, but when I realized it was Marti Gras, I decided I had to do something. This is true comfort food, and much more in my wheelhouse than beniets or king cake.

    Read on →

  • Instant Pot Rice

    Every time I just need “basic” white rice, I end up searching online for this method. So I’m putting it here to be able to easily find it and tweak it to my liking.

    Read on →

  • Super Lazy Sourdough Bread

    I love sourdough, but most of the methods I’ve seen for it are time and labor intensive. This method, adapted from Ben Starr, is incredibly flavorful, but requires very little active work. However, like any sourdough, it does require time to develop and do the work itself.

    Read on →

  • Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)

    I love elote, but fresh corn on the cob is only available for a few months each summer, and it’s a pain to eat. This deconstructed version is much easier to eat, is just as tasty, and I can make it in the winter.

    Read on →

  • Zucchini Texas Sheet Cake

    This is great for using up the zucchini my well meaning neighbors sometimes foist on us.

    Read on →

  • Potsticker Sauce

    I don’t bother to make my own potstickers; it’s just too much effort. I buy them frozen from the store. But I do make my own sauce, and it’s so much better than the stuff that comes in the bag. Unfortunately, it only keeps for a week or so in the fridge, so this recipe makes just enough for a meal or two.

    Read on →

  • Oven Smoked Barbecue Chicken

    This method gives a passible version of smoked chicken, without the need to buy a smoker. It works great with a convection oven, but I’m not sure how well it would work with a conventional oven. This can also be done in an air fryer, though you’ll probably only be able to fit one leg quarter.

    Read on →

  • Microwave Brownies

    I know, I know; yet another brownie recipe. But I wasn’t really happy with my single serving brownie recipe, so I found something better. This one works quite well in the microwave, but is even better in an air fryer (preferred) or conventional oven.

    Read on →

  • Single Serving Brownie

    After finding that I could make myself carrot cake in 15 minutes, I decided I needed to do the same for a brownie. Dessert for one is awesome! Just double it if your significant other can have some, too.

    Read on →

  • Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls

    I haven’t had a written recipe just for rolls, so I decided to fix that. These are also great for ham sliders, especially with cranberry mustard.

    Read on →

  • Spinach Artichoke Dip

    I love this stuff at Applebee’s, but the version I used to make, based on sour cream, just wasn’t very close. My mother brought this version that she got from my sister-in-law to a family function, and I begged the recipe from her. It’s a real crowd pleaser.

    Read on →

  • Instant Pot Rice Pilaf

    I needed a side dish to go with pork chops, and I was unwilling to boil and mash potatoes. Instead I put together something akin to the Rice-a-Roni my mother used to serve.

    Read on →

  • Oven Fried Pork Chops

    Last week I bought some large packages of pork chops at a crazy cheap price, and I needed a way to prepare them that didn’t involve me frying in oil for 45 minutes. It turned out pretty well.

    Read on →

  • Single Serving Carrot Cake

    I really like carrot cake, but I’m just not much of a baker. The time it takes to make cake typically means I only do so once or twice a year. However, this recipe allows me to make a treat in about 15 minutes. Mmm, cake!

    Read on →

  • Classic Brownies

    Although I have another brownie recipe that I really prefer, the effort required means that I almost never make them. This is the recipe that we actually use on a regular basis.

    Read on →

  • Grandma’s Baked Beans

    These are one of my favorites at family pot luck dinners, so I finally had to get the recipe so I could make them myself, should I need to. Mom calls them “Lion House Baked Beans” and uses granulated onion and garlic, but I still think of them as hers.

    Read on →

  • Simple Fruit Cobbler

    This is an easy dessert that I can knock out and serve in about an hour, making it a go-to for family night.

    Read on →

  • Ranchero Sauce

    This Mexican take on spicy tomato sauce is perfect for serving up Huevos Rancheros (fried egg on corn tortilla with this tomato sauce) or Chile Rellenos. I may even try it for a Mexican inspired pizza.

    Read on →