The first time I made baked spaghetti, I was nineteen, living in a little basement apartment with one window that barely let in the afternoon light. Money was tight, and most nights I made whatever I could stretch across several…
Some recipes find you just when you need them most. Years ago, on one of those chaotic Wednesday nights that start with good intentions and end with takeout menus, I opened my fridge to silence. Not literal silence, of course—it…
There are a few recipes in my rotation that feel like summer in a bowl, and this California Spaghetti Salad is one of them. I first made it years ago for a neighborhood potluck, back when my youngest had just…
It was a rainy Tuesday when I first made this creamy mushroom pasta—not one of those picture-perfect drizzles, but a full-blown, socks-on-the-heater, stew-or-nothing kind of rain. The kind of day that slows everything down. I’d just come home from the…
I remember the summer I first tried zucchini noodles—not in some chic restaurant or trendy health café, but in my sister Louise’s tiny kitchen in Charleston. It was hot, the kind of sticky Southern heat that makes you want to…
The first time I whipped up Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles, I was looking for something quick, hearty, and a little different from the usual spaghetti routine. I had some ground beef in the fridge and a craving for something with…
There’s something undeniably joyful about this Asparagus Lemon Pasta—it’s light, fresh, and packed with flavor, making it the perfect meal to celebrate warmer days. I first whipped up this dish after a trip to the farmer’s market, where I picked…
There’s nothing quite like the rich, glossy flavor of a homemade teriyaki sauce clinging to tender chicken and perfectly chewy noodles. I first created this Chicken Teriyaki Noodles recipe on a rainy evening when all I craved was something comforting…
Some of the best meals I’ve ever made came together from a craving and whatever ingredients were in my kitchen at the time. This Chicken Ramen Stir Fry was born on one such evening, when I wanted something comforting, fast,…
Few dishes check all the boxes—quick, satisfying, budget-friendly, and bursting with flavor. Chili Garlic Noodles is one of them. I still remember the first time I tasted a similar dish at a late-night street food vendor during a trip abroad.…