It’s sweet, umami, sticky, and just a bit spicy. I use it to make General Tso’s Chicken, one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes, but it’s also great with any stir fry! Alpana is pretty much addicted to all Asian food, but somehow I’m usually the one who cooks the stir frys. I don’t mind, she cooks all the complicated curries, so I’m happy taking care of the easy stuff....

If you complains about boring, dry pork chops, then German schnitzel is the perfect solution for the other white meat. The tender schnitzel is crisp and golden on the outside but never dry in the middle because it cooks so quickly and is covered with a delicious pan sauce made with sliced mushrooms and onions. Our version tastes just like the ones we enjoyed while living in Germany and I’ve broken down how to make schnitzel with step-by-step pictures so it’s easy to see the process....

Taking just about 30 minutes, it’s a crowd pleasing dish that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner! When you want an easy dinner, it’s hard to beat ground beef. From classic Spaghetti to foreign flavors like Latin Picadillo and Indian Keema, it’s one of the most versatile ingredients around. Today’s recipe is just like the popular beef stroganoff, but even easier. Why You’ll Love It You’re going to love this Beef Stroganoff recipe for its incredible blend of simplicity and flavor....

We LOVE sugar cookies at our house, but I don’t always have the time for chilling the dough, rolling out the cookies, carefully decorating each of them, and cleaning up the mess involved. Enter these easy sugar cookies bars that can be made in around 20 minutes (plus cooling time between baking and frosting) and are super holiday and kid friendly. If you enjoy Halloween as much as I do, then you’ll no doubt love other great Halloween recipes like Poison Candied Apples and Chocolate Blossom Sprinkle Cookies....

Every bite of these juicy Hawaiian burgers has a blend of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors that’s quite unlike any other burger. They are a fusion of American burger culture and Hawaiian-style grilling, making these Hawaiian teriyaki burgers offer a unique and gourmet twist on the classic beef hamburger. The addition of crispy bacon, grilled pineapple, teriyaki sauce, and other island-inspired ingredients transforms the humble beef burger into a tropical sensation....

Carrot Cake Muffins When I’m looking for a fun way to serve up vegetables to kids, I tend to think of muffins. And these carrot muffins are a delicious—and super easy—snack, side dish, or breakfast option to share with the kids. I actually love this recipe so much that I make them regularly for myself. These muffins are low in added sugars and contain whole grains from rolled oats and whole wheat flour....

It feels so special when you’re in a restaurant and they bring your soup out in a bowl made of BREAD! There is something so delicious and fun about being able to eat the container your meal came in! Our kids especially love it! When you’re cooking at home and wanting the same level of food comfort from your own kitchen, you can whip up these homemade bread bowls in the morning or afternoon so they are ready to serve with dinner....

Whenever the weather is warm (and the entirety of my pregnancies), I love making frozen yogurt. It’s so much easier than you might think! All you need for this recipe is frozen fruit and yogurt. That’s it! To me, this is the perfect dessert or afternoon snack because the fruit flavor is balanced with some protein, so it’s both a nice source of nutrients and super yummy. And…you can eat it instantly....

How to Cut Butternut Squash We love having winter squash around in fall and winter—and I like to use butternut squash in both sweet and savory dishes. It’s inexpensive to buy at the farmer’s market or store, and is packed with Vitamin A and C, as well as fiber. It’s a nutritious addition to family meals! I do realize that many grocery stores now sell precut butternut squash, but I find that it can sometimes smell funny (because it might not be the freshest?...

This recipe was sponsored by Nature’s Greens. Growing up, pakoras were a frequent and favorite treat. Crispy, savory, with juicy bits of onion and spicy bites of pepper. We’d dip them into tamarind chutney (my favorite), cilantro-mint chutney (a close second), and sometimes even ketchup. They were a quick snack to throw together, and could quickly feed a crowd of hungry kids or visiting friends. I especially loved sharing them with friends!...

We love our Mongolian Beef, based off of the popular takeout dish, but this time we’re simplifying it for you. Give this easier, ground beef version a try in your kitchen tonight! Ground meats make some of the quickest stir fry dishes. You can skip all that cutting and just get cooking. Two of our favorites are Ground Beef Bulgogi and Thai Basil Chicken. This time we’re transforming your restaurant favorite…...

Oven-Roasted Asparagus I love making roasted vegetables to share with my kids, including Roasted Carrots and Roasted Broccoli. And this roasted asparagus is a favorite, too, especially since the flavors of the asparagus caramelize a little and get yummier as it cooks. You can use any thickness of fresh asparagus in this recipe and serve it as a simple side dish at any time of the year. Oven-roasted asparagus is particularly yummy in the spring when asparagus is in season and at its sweetest....

Lamb is one of my favorite meats because its flavor is rich and complex, but it is also simple and easy to cook. This recipe makes perfectly succulent lamb chops in a cast iron skillet in just over 20 minutes! We love Grilled Lamb Chops and also a delicious Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb, but cooking lamb in a screaming-hot skillet on the stovetop is another one of my favorite tried-and-true methods for serving up a dinner that can rival any high-end restaurant....

Try my hearty, delicious one pot stew, where melt in your mouth meat pairs well with tons of unique veggies. I like to ladle the warm stew over steaming rice with a few plantains, and I am all set. Embrace it with the largest bowl you can find for this Sancocho… If you ask any native from Caribbean island countries, what is their happy place? More than once they will say a family all around the table with some cracking simmering bowl of meat stew that’s been cooking all day....

Sauteed Carrots I know we often feel pressure to make lots of complicated recipes for our kids, but most of the time, simple is just as good! These Sauteed Carrots are an example of the types of veggie recipes for kids I make regularly when I’m in a time crunch come dinner (which is always!) and my kids love them. They’re mild, the flavors of the carrots shine through, and you can let them cook unattended on the stove top while you get the rest of a meal ready....

We’ve slowly but surely been expanding our repertoire of soups for kids this year and I’m so excited to have this noodle soup in the mix. Made quickly by simmering the ingredients in flavorful broth, this is an easy weeknight meal—a satisfying dinner to make any day of the week. I love this recipe because there’s minimal chopping, and it’s incredibly versatile. You can change the type of noodles according to what you find at the store and alter the protein and veggies as you like....

We tried our hands with Tteokbokki some time back and became big fans of this new Korean sensation. Those chewy rice cakes were so much fun with a good amount of heat that we sure wanted to try the same thing with our favorite ramen. We highly recommend adding fried dumplings and soft boiled eggs to the mix, as everything combined is one great ramen meal. We Love This Upgrade For So Many Reasons Combination of Flavors: Rabokki is a great mix of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors....

You can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes, right? Be sure to also check out our Copycat Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies! These cookies are the creation of my oldest daughter, who has recently become really interested in my job as a food blogger. A few weeks ago we had bought a bunch of raspberries just for snacking and Clara said, “Mom, I’ve got a great idea....

Just fresh broccoli, a little olive oil, and some simple seasonings are all you need. And it’s super versatile, and can go with just about anything. So fire up your oven, because once you try roasting broccoli, you’ll never go back to plain old steamed! We love roasting vegetables. Some extra level of umami deliciousness comes out when they are baked. From Asparagus to Brussels Sprouts, the oven always bring out the best in veggies....

I mean, how can you beat plump, succulent shrimp sautéed in a Mediterranean inspired sauce all atop creamy parmesan polenta? It’s too good! The next time you’re craving seafood, this is the recipe to make… I have to tell you, I’m a big fan of shrimp and grits. It’s almost ridiculous. Of course there’s our favorite Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits. But we’ve also gone a little wacky with these creations:...