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I don’t dislike baked potatoes, per se (I do have a pulse). Unlike Air Fryer French Fries or Oven Roasted Potatoes, however, I sought them more for the toppings (ahem, Air Fryer Bacon) than for the potato itself. That is, until I tried baking a potato in my air fryer. The skin becomes devastatingly dark, shiny, and crisp.The inside steams into a downy pillow, primed for fluffing.I was so pleased with the air fryer potato’s texture, I was happy with keeping the potato toppings light (though of course you can take a note from this loaded Crockpot Potato Soup and gussy ‘em up as you wish)....

My refrigerator overrunneth with condiments. Arranging our myriad of clinky jars and chunky bottles is a never-ending game of Tetris, but around here, we like our fries dunked, our chicken smothered, and our sandwiches sloppy. One condiment that I must ALWAYS have on hand is apple butter. Its rich flavor rocks my peanut butter toast, jazzes up my weekend waffles, and is essential to my Apple Grilled Cheese. It’s also my secret ingredient to these tender, flavorful apple butter cheddar biscuits (they may have just overtaken these Blueberry Biscuits as my new favorite)....

Rich and fudgy with a subtle chew, these easy brownie cookies combine my absolute favorite One Bowl Brownies and these dangerous Dark Chocolate Cookies into one sensational dessert that’s the best of both worlds. Like brownies, these cookies are decadent and chocolaty.Like cookies, they have a caramelized, buttery taste and edges you won’t be able to resist picking off and popping right into your mouth. Basically, if a cookie and a brownie had a baby, and if that baby were the most chubby-cheeked adorable baby of all time, it would be a fudge brownie cookie....

An abundance of sweet corn (like my other favorite Corn Casserole), zucchini, and peppers! An abundance of healthy whole grains! And, by way of its nature as a casserole, a deliciously gooey abundance of CHEESE. If you’re looking for an easy, healthy, family-friendly casserole, this corn quinoa casserole is it! If the word “casserole” concerns you, don’t be worried. Too often, the word “casserole” conjures foreboding images of mysterious ingredients disguised as carefully as possible beneath a mask of cheese....

I came to stuffing late in life. I know many who think stuffing is just ho-hum, and I see you. Until I started making stuffing from scratch, I used to feel this way too. Now that I’ve experienced stuffing for the totally satisfying, well rounded, and straight-up delectable, next-level carb fest that it can be, I say to you with confidence: if you don’t care for stuffing, it’s because you haven’t found the right recipe yet....

If you are familiar with the concept of a peach dump cake or dump dessert (usually made with boxed cake mix and canned peaches), this crock pot peach cobbler recipe is similar, but with one critical difference. Today’s recipe uses real, non-processed ingredients and fresh peaches. Its flavor and texture radically outshines anything you can find in a box, and, thanks to the slow cooker, it’s still quick and easy to make!...

You wake up, you walk downstairs, and before you lies an incredible, filling, and wholesome breakfast ready and waiting for you. No, you’re not at the Four Seasons. You’re not even at Grandma’s house. You’re home, and this bountiful crockpot breakfast casserole (hopefully with a side of Overnight French Toast) is yours for the taking. I do regret that you will have to walk from your bedroom to the kitchen to enjoy it....

First cousin to Crock Pot Chicken and Rice, this is one of those unabashedly unfancy, take-me-home basic crock pot recipes that is ultra useful to have in your arsenal. Chicken. Potatoes. Carrots. <—All are approachable and widely accepted additions to the dinner plate. Lemon. Butter. Parmesan. Italian herbs. <—I dare you (and anyone else to whom you serve this slow cooker chicken and potatoes) to argue that there is a single objectionable item on that list....

It’s bursting with deep, comforting flavors and will warm you to your core. The best part of all? It’s incredibly easy to prepare, and your slow cooker does most of the work for you. My hope for this tomato soup was that it would be an easy, back-pocket recipe you can count on all year long (just like this flavorful Instant Pot Tomato Soup). This recipe uses canned tomatoes and shelf-stable orzo, meaning you can whip this soup up anytime you have those items lurking in your pantry....

Decadent Penne Alla Vodka is a true pleasure, but its high calorie count puts it on our special indulgence list. If you follow a vegan diet or eat dairy-free, it’s on the no-no list, since most vodka sauces are made with heavy cream or half-and-half. Until now…. Thanks to two tricks, this sneaky penne is entirely dairy free, and if you decide to skip the chicken, it’s (gasp!) vegan too!...

Deck the halls with boughs of holly—and a mug of easy hot chocolate— fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la! To me, there’s nothing more holiday than spending a chilly December or January afternoon watching a Hallmark holiday moving while sipping on a mug of easy hot chocolate. Trust me, I know How to Make Hot Chocolate. To date, I have a number of homemade and easy hot chocolate mixes under my belt, such as this Crockpot Hot Chocolate and French Hot Chocolate....

Packets of store-bought hot chocolate mix were a fixture in our home growing up and eventually followed me to college, where I “cooked” steaming mugs for friends by boiling water in my fire hazard of a hotpot. It didn’t matter which hot chocolate brands I tried. My hot chocolate attempts always ended the same way: me, poking at stubborn lumps of sugary cocoa floating on top of milky water, attempting to get the mix to dissolve smoothly....

While it’s tempting to load my list with big-ticket items—the camping trip Ben and I have been talking about for years but have yet to take, riding a ferry across Lake Michigan—I want to focus on small, everyday activities too. Summers here in Wisconsin are precious and brief. Rather than wait for a one-time weekend camping trip, I’m challenging myself to live the summer high life in one little way each day....

When the question is, “should I?” healthy carrot cake responds with a resounding “YES!” Nuts? Of course.Pineapple? Absolutely.Spices? Mandatory (for this Pumpkin Sheet Cake too).Coconut? Not even a question.Raisins? Let’s go there. This healthy carrot cake recipe took one look at the kitchen sink and said, “Of course, we are including that.” Carrot cake (including in the form of Carrot Cake Cupcakes) will forever be one of my favorite desserts—it’s homey, signals that spring is near, and is an excellent excuse to eat irresponsible levels of cream cheese frosting....

With Pumpkin Energy Balls, Pumpkin Overnight Oats, and Healthy Pumpkin Cookies all vying for attention, it’s easy to wonder if a simple loaf of pumpkin bread is really what you should be rushing to make when the seasons turn. Let me put it this way: if you haven’t baked this healthy pumpkin bread recipe yet, you can’t even call it fall. This is the BEST healthy pumpkin bread recipe you’ll ever make!...

One of our favorite local restaurants does a weekly “KFC night” as in Korean Fried Chicken. One full order of chicken is supposed to feed four people, but Ben and I always manage to polish off the entire thing on our own. It is too good to resist. Today’s air fried Korean fried chicken wings are inspired by our local KFC night, with the twist of the air fryer....

Are you a leftover person? Because I am! Perhaps it just comes with the territory of being a food blogger, but I will always vote for lunch leftovers over a cold sandwich. This quick and easy pork stir fry is my latest leftover obsession (as is this Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe). It’s easy to pack, can be reheated in a microwave, and will keep you full all afternoon....

Is the weather a dominant topic of conversation where you live too? It comes up often in Wisconsin. I wonder if people in California or Florida talk about the weather with the same frequency? Can you bond over pleasant temps and abundant sunshine the way you can over frigid air and permaclouds? While I can’t give you that answer, I can say with certainty that, no matter the temperature and region, we can all unite around simple, delicious weeknight dinners such as these spaghetti squash boats with chicken and bacon (or one of these other healthy baked casserole recipes)....

After all you’ll tell yourself, why should you dress up, pay good money, wait for a seat, and suffer outrageous markup on wine in a restaurant, when you can make a chef-level dish like this elegant spinach stuffed salmon at home? Michelin star who? Michelin star YOU! Even if you’ve never baked salmon before, you can nail this recipe. The steps are very straightforward. For even more tips (including what kind of salmon to buy and more), check out this post on How to Cook Salmon....

I’ve been making this easy appetizer recipe since I was a new-ish college grad with minimal culinary skill and maximum desire to make friends. I discovered quickly that having people over to your house for appetizers and Mulled Wine fast-tracked friendship. While I have expanded my appetizer game to include impressive crowd-pleasers like Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms and Spinach Puffs, I still love to make this crostini recipe. It brings me tender memories, is a snap to make, and hits the spot with guests every single time....