Posts

Cooking on Mondays is never easy for me, especially after a fun weekend of dining out. Getting back to the daily grind can be tough, so when I need a low-fuss dinner to help ease us back into the work week, I turn to this southwest farro salad. Here’s why: It’s the perfect Monday meal when we are in need of reprieve and some balanced home cooking. It requires almost zero cooking or cooking supplies (like other no cook recipes on Well Plated)....

If you like salty-sweet combos, cool creamy desserts, and fresh summer fruit, this Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Pie with Pretzel Crust is for you. If you like EASY desserts that take approximately zero culinary skill, won’t heat up your whole house, and are guaranteed to earn you the loving admiration of everyone at the BBQ, this Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Pie with Pretzel Crust is for you too. This mishap-turned-miracle recipe is five ingredients, takes less than 15 minutes to prep, and is one of the best summer desserts to come out of my kitchen....

Super Man had Kryptonite. For Sampson, it was Delilah; and Achilles—someone definitely should have warned him about that heel. As I am neither a comic book hero nor a Greek goddess, I’ve been endowed with not one but with many weaknesses, the most recent of which is this sweet spicy Chex mix recipe. I don’t know what it is about the combination of sweet and savory flavors in this mix (and this Roasted Chickpea Snack Mix), but they give me the insatiable appetite of a teenage boy every single time....

This meat-free version of my classic Healthy Chicken Pot Pie is easy, wholesome comfort food that you can cook with mostly pantry and freezer ingredients. No matter what is happening outside, we all need to eat. As someone who takes solace in the kitchen, I’m happy to have this recipe to fill my time, and to fill my belly too. How to Make a Vegetarian Pot Pie When thinking through how to make a vegetarian chicken pot pie, it was important to me that it be just as satisfying as its traditional counterparts....

A zucchini boat features fresh zucchini that are split in half, hollowed out down in the center to create a “boat” opening, then stuffed with any manner of your favorite toppings. Once the zucchini boats are filled, you bake them to tender perfection and dive on in. Zucchini is mild, so it lends itself well to a wide range of flavors (see this Zucchini Stir Fry for a delicious Asian-style prep)....

I realize a panini press is probably not the wisest survival tool one could choose. For all the busy nights that grown-up grilled cheese recipes like the Balsamic Blackberry Brie in my cookbook, this cheddar-apple number, or a BLT have come to our dinner rescue, however, I’ll make the case that it deserves some consideration. What’s that you say? The desert island doesn’t come with electric outlets to plug in my panini press?...

It’s common sense (as good advice often is), but when you are used to cooking the same thing over and over, it can be hard to see a recipe any other way—including when your full-time job is coming up with recipes! Case-in-point: I have long loved and frequently make baked fish for dinner. It’s easy, it’s healthy, and Ben and I both adore it. When I think of baked fish, however, my brain gets stuck on my go-to Baked Salmon in Foil....

Melty pieces of Brie cheese tucked inside personally-sized pieces of golden, buttery puff pastry, then topped with cranberry sauce, pecans, and a sprig of rosemary for festive color, these tasty morsels are a total show stealer. This easy Brie bites are the low-maintenance version of my mini Cranberry Brie Bites, which are essentially like bite-sized versions of a wheel of Brie wrapped in puff pastry. They are delicious but labor intensive....

While “soup” can cover a wide swath of recipes, from Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Soup to Broccoli Cauliflower Soup to Chicken Gnocchi Soup, when you use the word “stew” it means something very particular. A good stew has some heft to it. It’s chunky (in a good way) with hefty bites of tender veggies and protein in each spoonful. The broth is substantial. Whether it is creamy (like this Chicken Pot Pie Stew in my cookbook) or rich and saucy (like Instant Pot Beef Stew and Crockpot Beef Stew), the soup’s liquid base isn’t here to play a supporting role....

These deep, dark cookies take classic double chocolate chip cookies a step farther with THREE TIMES the chocolate. Cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a heap of chocolate chips each play a special role in making them the ultimate chocolate experience. These chewy dark chocolate cookies have a smooth, glossy, almost brownie-like dough (as Brownie Cookies know). You don’t even need to chill it prior to baking! And if all of the above hasn’t already convinced you to run to your kitchen to bake them immediately, the finishing sprinkle of sea salt certainly will....

Ultra moist and densely chocolatey, these Guinness brownies are one of those exceptional desserts that, despite their decadence, are mysteriously easy to eat en masse. I blame the Guinness, which adds a malty depth to the brownies. The Guinness keeps the brownies from being overly sweet, and thus makes second (and third) helpings dangerously easy to enjoy. And if it’s not the Guinness in the brownies that is to blame for their irresistibility, then surely it must be the Guinness frosting that’s spread on top....

I married Ben because (among many reasons) I loved him, but the truth is—I fell in love with his family too. They are some of the warmest, most welcoming, fun individuals I’ve ever met, and as any of them will tell you, on Ben’s mom side they are 100% Italian. Every November, Ben’s aunts, a few uncles, and family friends gather at his Nonna (grandma) and Nono (grandpa)’s house for the annual “Ravioli Day....

If you’ve never tried Irish soda bread, you are in for a treat. Don’t expect life-altering flavor complexity or a tastebud explosion—soda bread’s beauty is its simplicity. Classic Irish soda bread recipes combine wheat flour (I used whole wheat for the recipe, though all-purpose is more traditional) and buttermilk and are made to rise with baking soda instead of yeast. It also often contains caraway seed, whose flavor is more savory and reminds me of rye bread, and some recipes also call for dried currants, which taste like an enchanting cross between a raisin and a cranberry....

Prepare this simple dough and top with your favorite ingredients for a bread that’s low on fuss and will make you feel like you’ve scored bread basket gold at your favorite Italian restaurant. If you’ve never had homemade focaccia bread, you’re in for a treat. Among one of the easiest bread recipes to make (this Oatmeal Bread is a close second), no knead focaccia is perfect for beginners and master bakers alike....

Old fashioned pea salad is a Midwestern potluck/family reunion/parish cookbook stalwart. These classic creamy pea salads of the past are made with bacon, a mayo-based dressing, and red onions. Some versions include cheese; others are made with ranch dressing. If you can’t tell, we have a rather liberal definition of “salad” here in the Midwest ;-). Grape Salad would know. For today’s recipe, I wanted a more modern take on the creamy pea salad with bacon that I grew up seeing at summer gatherings....

DID I MENTION THE CARAMEL POOL? This easy dessert recipe truly is magic! I realize that calling a pecan pie cobbler (or any dessert) “magic” might not have the same persuasive oomph coming from someone who is prone to superlatives (for the record, this Vegan Apple Crisp really is the best fruit crisp EVER. This Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler is the best easy fruit dessert; the Pumpkin Pecan Pie is the best pumpkin pie, etc....

Looking back at that culinary experience, I’m not sure which impresses me more: our resourcefulness (that dorm kitchen was equipped with little beyond a rusty pot and a few forks “donated” from the dining hall) or our audacity—we made vodka sauce on a campus that doesn’t allow vodka. After one bite, we felt validated. The pasta tasted creamy, glorious, and absolutely worth the risk! When I think of meals that are “worth it” penne alla vodka is the epitome....

I realize I’m likely to be condemned for high summer treason for what I’m about to suggest, but I feel it must be expressed: let’s skip the grill at our next barbecue. Before the High Court of All Barbecue strips me of my tongs and denies me access to all summer cookouts, please hear my plea. Yes, burgers are good (especially these Italian Turkey Burgers). Yes, a hot dog during June and July is a necessity....

With their flexible ingredients, ease of prep, leftover prowess, and all-around comfort factor, soups are one of the most important genres in my healthy dinner collection. From creative Curried Carrot Soup, to Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken Gnocchi Soup, to fancy-feeling Mushroom Soup, there is a soup for any mood and occassion. When it comes to ultimate comfort, however, cheese and potatoes have magical powers (I love you Cream of Asparagus Soup, but it’s just not the same....

Pumpkin energy balls are the Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler you wanted to eat for breakfast last Friday while your family wasn’t watching, transformed into a healthy bite you can happily gobble anytime of day. These pumpkin energy balls taste like morsels of pumpkin pie, take less than 15 minutes to prep, and are so wholesome, even the training staff at my gym (the latest recipients of my healthy treats) approved!...