Lunch ideas

I still remember the first time I made these crockpot meatballs—it was one of those chilly evenings when the house felt too quiet, and I wanted something slow-cooked and comforting to fill it with life again. My kids were still…

There are certain recipes that feel like home before you even take a bite, and for me, mac and cheese casserole has always been one of them. I can still remember the first time I baked one from scratch. I…

I can still remember the first time I had truffle fries. It wasn’t at some fancy restaurant, surprisingly, but at a tiny local bistro that opened just down the street from where my husband and I used to live in…

There are recipes that become part of your life story, and for me, lasagna is one of them. I still remember the first time I attempted it—I was newly married, eager to impress, and armed with nothing but a box…

There’s something about summer squash that feels like home to me. I grew up in a small Southern town where gardens weren’t just hobbies—they were a way of life. My grandmother’s back porch always had baskets of yellow crookneck squash,…

I still remember the first time I made chicken pot pie casserole. It wasn’t planned, and in fact, it came about because I had promised my family a “real” pot pie on a weeknight when I knew I didn’t have…

I still remember the first time I made chicken broccoli casserole, though I’ll admit it wasn’t the smoothest of experiences. It was during my very first year of marriage, and I was determined to prove I could whip up hearty,…

When I think of apple cobbler, I’m instantly carried back to my grandmother’s kitchen on a chilly October evening. She never measured a thing, yet somehow her cobblers came out golden and bubbling every single time. I remember standing on…

I still remember the first time I made stuffed peppers the traditional way. It was a rainy weeknight, the kind where you just want something hearty and comforting, and I thought I’d try to recreate the peppers my grandmother used…

Every holiday table in my family has one dish that always makes an appearance, no matter the season or who’s hosting. For us, it’s green bean casserole. I didn’t grow up with it—my mother leaned more toward roasted vegetables and…