Light yet satisfying and loaded with flavor, Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps are easy to make, fun to eat, and offer advance-prep options. A few months ago, my friend, Jen, was one short week into the Whole30 program when she found herself in need of some inspiration. She was desperate for satisfying recipes that would…
“I have more than enough quick-and-easy dinner recipes.” Said no one ever! Without a doubt, the need to keep the quickies coming is feedback that I receive often…and the irony on how much time I spend working to make meals that are not only fast, but healthy and delicious, isn’t lost on me! A handful…
All the flavor of the classic Irish dish in soul-warming soup form. Easy, satisfying, and leftovers are a treat! I was jinxed! The very same day a friend asked me if I had ever made something that flat-out flopped, it happened. Usually, my kitchen disasters hinge on my general clumsiness, like dropped salad bowls…
The classic takeout appetizer is reinvented as a complete, one pan meal that comes together quickly with ground beef, pork, or your favorite plant-based alternative. For several years when her children were young, one of my good friends hosted an annual Chinese New Year’s party. Her youngest child was adopted from China, and the yearly…
A great bowl of chili is just minutes away thanks to a handful of economical pantry ingredients. Top with a simple sprinkle of cheese or load it up with chopped avocado, crushed tortilla chips, minced onions, etc. The wee hours of Christmas morning last year found my extended family in an airport.…
I was 13 years old when the blockbuster movie Witness was filmed in Lancaster. Without a doubt, it was a very big deal to have Hollywood heartthrob Harrison Ford come to our town. A good bit of the production took place in the vicinity of my childhood home. My friends and I tried to catch…
The use of mushrooms and a simple technique seamlessly adds nutrients and flavor to regular ground beef, making it an ideal way to incorporate more plant-based eating into our diets, even if we still enjoy meat. Ground beef that tastes “meatier” and is healthier, too? This kitchen hack tastes great and, at the same…
There’s something special about the aroma of a roast as it slowly cooks to fork-tender perfection. The savory smell is homey, comforting, and makes me want to curl up on the sofa with a good book. Curiously, I recently read that one’s sense of smell accounts for 75 to 95 percent of a food’s perceived…
My make-at-home version of this classic Greek dish, which is often compared to lasagna, is lighter than the traditional recipe yet still packed with flavor. A family favorite for sure. November is bookended by two incredible feasts. Thanksgiving is the obvious end-of-month celebration, but if you live in my hometown of Lancaster, you may very…
8-ball zucchinis offer a fun option in this all-in-one meal, but if they aren’t available, by all means use regular zucchini or summer squash. The savory filling can even be used for stuffed peppers. The first time I laid eyes on an 8-ball zucchini, I was intrigued. Its forest green skin with pale green striations…
You’ll never miss the bun when you serve a juicy, protein-rich burger over this crisp wedge salad…and you need not be cutting carbs to adore this meal! Various sources credit the early fame of the wedge salad to diners in the 1950s and 1960s. Its appeal waned in the 1970s as consumer…
Slow Cooker Mexican Flank Steak combines veggies and lean protein in one, easy-to-assemble meal that can be customized with a variety of toppings. It’s family-friendly and worthy of a spot on the weekly rotation! I’m a big fan of recipes that incorporate a variety of vegetables with a basic protein in one,…