Korean BBQ Chicken

Photo from Creme
de la Crumb

Korean flavors have never really been my go-to. They’ve always felt a little outside my comfort zone. Kind of like Indian food for me—I may not love everything, but the things I do love? I really love.

Enter bulgogi. A friend of mine, Paul, introduced me to it, and once I made his recipe at home, I was completely hooked. It quickly earned a spot in my regular rotation.

So when I stumbled across this recipe, it immediately caught my attention. It reminded me of those sweet, savory, slightly tangy bulgogi flavors—but with its own twist. If you’ve ever searched for “Korean BBQ,” you’ve probably noticed it’s more of a flavor profile than one exact recipe. There are lots of variations, each with its own little spin. Traditional bulgogi often includes pear in the marinade for sweetness and tenderness, but this version skips that and leans into a simple, familiar combination of soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil. Different approach, same delicious vibe.

Now, let’s talk about reality for a second—because this is where my version takes a turn. The recipe called for grilling, but Mother Nature had other plans. It was pouring rain, the wind was howling, and standing outside flipping chicken just wasn’t happening. So I pivoted.

Instead, I sautéed the chicken on the stovetop and added the sauce right in the pan. Honestly? It worked beautifully. 

The end result was incredibly flavorful—sweet, savory, and just a little bit s[icy. It’s one of those dishes that feels a little different from your usual routine, but still totally approachable. And for someone who doesn’t always gravitate toward Korean-inspired dishes, this one is absolutely a keeper.

Korean BBQ Chicken

Recipe from Crème De La Crumb

Serves 4

• 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into 1.5 inch pieces
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon Asian five spice - optional
• 3 green onions - finely chopped
• steamed rice or cooked noodles for serving - optional

Korean BBQ sauce

• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce - see note
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce - or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons cold water + 2 teaspoons corn starch

Prepare the BBQ sauce

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, and garlic. Bring to a boil.

In a small bowl stir together cold water and corn starch til dissolved. Stir into boiling sauce.

Remove from heat and divide between two bowls. Reserve one bowl for serving later.

Prepare the chicken

Skewer chicken onto metal or soaked wooden skewers.

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste, and Asian five spice if you have it.

Brush chicken all over with the Korean BBQ sauce (from one bowl – remember to reserve one bowl for serving).

GRILL over medium heat 8-10 minutes turning periodically and brushing with additional BBQ sauce after each turn.

Serve over rice or noodles with reserved sauce and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!

Alphabet Soup

Photo from Little Sunny Kitchen

There’s something about alphabet soup that just hits differently. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, maybe it’s the comfort—but for me, it always takes me right back to being a kid, curled up on the couch, not feeling my best, with my Grandpa Spaid handing me a warm bowl of Campbell’s Alphabet Vegetable Soup. I can still remember the simple joy of it—slowly spooning through the broth, searching for words made out of those tiny pasta letters like it was a game.

As I got older, alphabet soup stayed in my rotation—especially on those under-the-weather days when you just want something easy and cozy. But let’s be honest… canned soup? It’s convenient, sure, but it’s also packed with sodium and never quite as good as homemade.

So when I stumbled across a homemade version, I knew I had to try it.

First of all, this recipe is ridiculously easy. Even better? I already had most of the ingredients sitting in my pantry, which is always a win in my book. The only challenge was tracking down the ABC pasta. Not exactly a staple at every grocery store! Luckily, the original recipe suggested checking out a local Mexican market or Amazon. Since I already love popping into my neighborhood Mexican store for fresh sweet breads, I made a quick stop—and sure enough, there it was.

Mission accomplished.

The soup itself came together quickly and made a big batch, which I love. There’s nothing better than knowing you’ve got leftovers ready to go. I set aside some for lunch the next day and tucked a portion into the freezer for future me (who will be very grateful, I’m sure). And, of course, a leftover portion for the Pantry Goat.

Homemade, nostalgic, budget-friendly, and just plain delicious—this alphabet soup checks all the boxes. Trust me on this one… go make it. You won’t regret it.

Alphabet Soup

Recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen

Serves 8

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 1 rib celery diced (about ½ cup)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 x 15 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 4 cups mixed frozen vegetables [ JW Note: I used a can of VegAll because that's what I had on hand and I'm not a huge fan of frozen veggies]
• 1 large potato diced into ¾ inch pieces (about 1-1.5 cups), optional
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup alphabet pasta dry
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• JW Note: I added a splash of Worcestershire sauce too.

In a Dutch oven, over medium high heat heat olive oil and sauté the onion and celery until the onion is soft and translucent. About 3 minutes.

Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add a can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and vegetable stock. Give everything a stir.

Add the frozen vegetables, diced potato if using, bay leaves and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the pasta, and cook according to the package instructions (small pasta usually takes 7-8 minutes but larger shapes take longer so be sure to check the package). Season with salt and pepper. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to your preference.

Discard the bay leaves, and serve with grated parmesan (or grated hard cheese if vegetarian, or vegan parmesan), and crusty bread.

Beef Mushroom Stir Fry

It’s officially beef night here at Chez Wraspir’s… although, if we’re being real, any night has the potential to turn into beef night. There’s just something about a quick, savory beef dish that always sounds like the right answer.

Tonight’s recipe? A super simple stir fry that came together faster than I could decide what to watch on TV. You know the kind—minimal effort, big flavor, and dinner on the table before I decide to order out.

One of my favorite parts about this dish is that it leaned heavily on ingredients I already had hanging out in my fridge and pantry. That’s always a win in my book. Lately, I’ve been trying to be more intentional about using what I have instead of turning every recipe into a grocery store run, and this one fit that goal perfectly.

Now, let’s talk flavor. Overall? Delicious. But for my personal taste, it landed just a tiny bit on the salty side. I’m pretty sensitive to salt, so take that with a grain of… well, maybe not salt in this case. 

Next time, I’ll tweak it just slightly by cutting the soy sauce down to 1 tablespoon (even though I already use low-sodium) and adding 1 tablespoon of water to balance things out. The dark soy sauce brings its own deep, salty richness, and combined, it was just a little more than I needed.

Still, this is absolutely a recipe I’d make again—quick, easy, and packed with flavor. And honestly, anything that helps me clean out the fridge while putting a great dinner on the table is a keeper in my kitchen.

Beef Mushroom Stir Fry

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 4

Beef

• 1 large rib eye steak (thinly sliced)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 T cornstarch
• 2 T soy sauce

Stir Fry Sauce

• 3 T oyster sauce
• 2 T soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Stir Fry

• 2 t olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 large onion (sliced)
• 2 inch ginger piece (julienned)
• 8 ounce mushrooms (quartered)
• 3 green onions (sliced)

Prep Beef: Add the beef, baking soda, cornstarch and 2 tbsp of soy sauce to a bowl. Toss everything together and set aside.

Combine Stir Fry Ingredients: Combine all the stir fry sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.

Cook: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the beef and spread it out. Don't touch it for 2 minutes, allowing it to sear. Toss it around a bit, then add the garlic, onion, ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes, just until they start to brown a bit. Pour the sauce over everything and toss until well combined.

Garnish & Serve: Garnish with green onions and serve.

Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Copycat)

If you know me at all, you know I’m a creature of habit—especially at restaurants I go to frequently. Nine times out of ten (okay, ten out of ten), I order the same thing and at the Cheesecake Factory it's no different. I order their DaVinci Chicken. It’s my comfort pick, my go-to, my “why mess with a good thing?” meal. And I've made it before at home and it was just as good. 

But honestly? With a menu that big, I really should branch out more.

I’m not even sure if this dish is still on their menu, but it absolutely deserves a permanent spot. I mean, let’s break it down: crispy fried chicken, pasta, and a rich, slightly spicy Cajun-style Parmesan cream sauce. That’s not just a meal—that’s a whole experience. There’s really no losing with that combination.

Now, let’s talk about recreating it at home. The recipe itself had me scratching my head a bit. The steps felt out of order, so I did what made sense in my kitchen. I started by sautéing the mushrooms and onions, then set them aside. Next up was the chicken—fried until golden (well… mostly golden, but we’ll get to that). Once that was done, I moved on to the sauce, adding the mushrooms and onions back in at the end so everything could come together beautifully.

And bell peppers? Hard pass. Not invited to this party.

The dredging process also threw me off. The recipe suggested mixing things in a way that just didn’t feel right, so I stuck with the classic method: flour, egg, then breadcrumbs. Foolproof, right? One trick that did make a difference—after coating the chicken, I let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes. That helps the coating really stick when it hits the pan. Totally worth the extra time.

Now, full honesty moment: I still haven’t mastered frying chicken without flirting with disaster. There’s always at least one piece that gets a little too enthusiastic about the heat. But hey, we’re learning. One day I’ll nail that perfect golden crust without a hint of overdone edges.

Until then, I’ll happily keep making (and eating) this creamy, crispy, slightly spicy pasta dish—burnt bits and all.

Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Copycat)

Recipe from Dinner then Dessert

Serves 6

CAJUN CREAM SAUCE

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded

CRISPY PARMESAN CHICKEN

• 4 chicken breasts butterflied
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

PASTA

• 1 lb Farfalle pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 red onion sliced
• 8 ounces crimini mushrooms sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup parsley for garnish (optional)

Mix the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Set a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta to a minute shy of what is listed on the box. Drain but do not rinse. [JW Response: This confused me. I never make pasta ahead of time. I try to time it so the pasta is done when the sauce is otherwise I feel like it gets sticky and gummy.]

Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and black pepper together in one bowl. [JW Response: See comment above. I did a traditional dredge of flour, egg, then breadcrumbs.]

In a second bowl whisk the eggs.

Dredge each piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the eggs, and finally back into the breadcrumb mixture.

Let chicken sit on a tray while you cook the vegetables.

Melt butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the bell peppers, onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 minutes until just starting to brown but not break down. Remove the vegetables from the pan.

Add the ¼ cup oil and cook the chicken until crispy and golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and drain the oil.

Add the pasta and vegetables to the pan with the sauce mixture. Let thicken and stir for 3-5 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking slice up the chicken. Serve the pasta with the sliced chicken on top and extra Parmesan as desired.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Photo from Dinner Then Dessert

Happy Easter, friends! Around here, Easter pretty much guarantees one thing: ham makes an appearance. And while most people pile it high on a plate, I took a cozier route this year—serving mine up in a bowl as a big, comforting batch of ham and bean soup.

Ham and bean soup has always held a special place in my heart. It was my dad’s favorite, and every time I make it, I can’t help but wonder if that’s part of why I love it so much. Either way, “ham season” (also known as Easter) feels like the perfect excuse to bring it back into the rotation.

I’ve made this soup a handful of times, and it’s usually pretty consistent—but saltiness has tripped me up more than once. This time, I skipped adding any salt altogether and let the ham do all the work. The result? Absolutely perfect. Lesson learned: sometimes less really is more.

As for servings, the recipe claims it feeds 10, but I’d say that’s a bit optimistic—unless it’s part of a bigger spread. As a main dish, it’s closer to 6 or 7 hearty servings. Between dinner, sending some home with a friend, and stocking the freezer, I’d call that a win.

All in all, this one hit the spot. Cozy, flavorful, and exactly what I wanted for an Easter dinner—with the added bonus of leftovers to enjoy all week long.

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Recipe from Dinner Then Dessert

Serves 10

• 1 spiral sliced ham, the leftover bone and 3 cups of diced ham ( I used a ham steak and diced it up)
• 4 cloves garlic , minced (just realized I forgot to add the garlic)
• 1 yellow onion , diced
• 1 1/2 cups carrots , diced
• 1 cup celery , diced
• 3 cans white cannelini beans , drained and rinsed (15 ounce cans) (I used Great Northern beans...which are the same thing basically)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I did not add rosemary. Not a fan of the flavor)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups vegetable stock ( I used Better Than Bouillon Veggie stock. It gets salt. Thus the no adding salt to this soup)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• chopped parsley , for garnish

In a pot or if your slow cooker like mine has an insert you can brown in, brown the ham bone on high until the sides are caramelized (3-4 minutes on each side).

Add the bone, chopped ham, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, cannelini beans, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, vegetable stock, salt and pepper to the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

Remove the ham bone and discard.

Serve with parsley, optional as a garnish

Beef Curry Slow Cooker

Photo from
The Food Charlatan

Curry tends to be one of those “you’re either in or you’re out” flavors. It’s bold, rich, and unapologetically itself—and personally, I’m all in. So when I saw a recipe featuring both yellow curry and garam masala, I knew it had my name written all over it.

This dish delivered exactly what I hoped for: deep, warm flavor with just enough spice to wake up your taste buds without sending you running for a glass of milk. It’s the kind of heat that builds gently and keeps you coming back for another bite.

What really makes this recipe shine, though, is the slow cooker. There’s something magical about letting those spices simmer all day—the aroma alone turns your house into the coziest place on earth. By dinnertime, the anticipation is almost unbearable (in the best way).

Now, let’s talk about the age-old debate: to brown or not to brown your meat before it hits the slow cooker. Traditional chefs will insist it’s a must, while plenty of TikTok cooks say it’s skippable. Honestly? I fall somewhere in the middle. I’ve done it both ways and can’t say I notice a huge difference—it usually comes down to time and motivation.

This time, I went for it. I browned the meat, followed the recipe exactly (a rare moment of discipline for me), and let the slow cooker do its thing.

The verdict? Absolutely worth making—if you’re a curry fan. And if you’re not…well, we might need to have a conversation.

Beef Curry Slow Cooker

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• salt and pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 2-3 pounds chopped stew beef or chuck roast*, chopped into chunks
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• cilantro, to garnish
• red onion, chopped, to garnish

Heat a large, high-sided skillet (or a wide-bottomed pot), over medium high heat.

Salt and pepper the beef chunks.

Add about a tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl. It should start to shimmer if the pan is hot enough.

Add 1/3 of the seasoned meat to the pan. Place the pieces of meat so that they are not touching each other (You don’t want them to steam–see photos). Turn the pieces with tongs to brown all sides. Remove the beef to the slow cooker and repeat 2 more batches, adding more oil as necessary.

Once all of the beef is browned and in the slow cooker, turn the heat on the pan down to medium. Add the water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, beef bouillon, black pepper, curry powder , and garam masala .

Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is bubbly and the bouillon has dissolved. It should thicken up a bit.

Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.

Add the chopped onion and stir it all together. Cook on low heat for 6-7 hours, until the beef is fork tender

Garnish with chopped cilantro and hot rice!

I love to serve this curry with lots of cilantro, Coconut Jasmine Rice and Homemade Naan! It's the best combo! You could even throw in a Strawberry Lassi to sip with it, if you wanted to get really fancy!

Sweet Chili Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken

Photo from Iowa Girl Eats

I think I’m finally finding my way back into the kitchen groove again. Normally, by this point in the year, I’ve knocked out a solid 40–50 new recipes (yes, I have a problem…a delicious, carb-filled problem). But this one? This marks recipe number nine. Progress…just at a much more relaxed, slightly couch-friendly pace. Most of those nine have happened in a recent burst of “okay, let’s cook again like a real person” energy.

Which brings us to this recipe—on paper, it had everything going for it. The marinade? A total dream team of ingredients. The kind that makes you pause mid-read and think, “Oh, this is going to be GOOD.” Bold, cozy, flavorful…or so I thought.

And yet…somehow…it just wasn’t.

The flavor didn’t pop. It just sort of showed up, shrugged, and left early. My best guess? Maybe too much coconut milk mellowed everything out into a bland little blur? But honestly, I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out where things went sideways.

Sadly, this one’s not making it back into the rotation. And if I’m being honest, I seem to be on a bit of a “meh recipe streak” this week. You know the kind—nothing terrible, nothing amazing, just a string of dishes that make you say, “Well…I ate it.”

Here’s hoping the next recipe brings the flavor and redeems my cooking mojo.

Sweet Chili Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken

Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

Serves 4

• 3/4 cup unsweetened light coconut milk, divided
• 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, plus more for dipping
• 1 lime
• salt and pepper
• 1-1/2lbs chicken breasts

Combine 1/2 cup coconut milk, sweet chili sauce and the juice of 1/2 lime in a large Ziplock bag. Add salt and pepper then squish to combine. Add chicken breasts then marinate for 30 minutes - 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to medium-high, making sure grates are well greased. Grill chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes on the first side, then 3-4 minutes on the second side, depending on how big they are and how well done you like them. Remove to a plate to rest for 5 minutes.

Mexicali Dip

Back in March, I was assigned the appetizer. Simple enough… until life threw me a curveball and I ended up in PT rehab. Plot twist: book club came to me, which was amazing—but my appetizer plans? Not so much.

Fast forward to last night, when I was finally back on hosting duty. I told the ladies I’d be making the appetizer I intended to bring in March—because I’m nothing if not committed to delayed culinary follow-through.

I've made something similar in the past, but it didn't stand up to this one.

This one? A definite upgrade.

I genuinely loved everything about it. It was creamy, flavorful, and had just enough kick to keep things interesting. That said, when I make it again—and I will—I’d dial back the taco seasoning or opt for a low-sodium packet. As it sat, it felt like the salt lick of settled at the bottom, and a little less would go a long way.

I skipped the tomatoes (because apparently grocery shopping is optional now), but I did add green chiles, which turned out to be a fantastic decision. They brought a subtle heat and extra depth that really made the dip pop.

All in all, this is a crowd-pleaser through and through. Easy to throw together, big on flavor, and perfect for sharing. Highly recommend—just maybe keep a light hand on the seasoning.

Mexicali Dip

Recipe from Noshing with the Nolands

Serves 10... easily

• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 c sour cream
• 1/2 c picante salsa
• 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning)
• 1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/3 c green onions, divided
• 1/3 c chopped black olives, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh tomato, divided
• 1 to 2 T canned jalapeno or green chile chopped (optional)

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, and taco seasoning in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour into a medium bowl

Stir in the shredded cheese.

Reserve 1 tablespoon each of the green onions, olives, and tomato for the garnish. Stir in the remaining olives, tomato, and onions, and jalapeno or green chile if using. Add garnish to the top, as pictured above.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to a day, before serving. Serve with chips and/or veggies.

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Photo from Simply Stacie

Book club night = hosting mode activated, which means I’m looking for something delicious that doesn’t trap me in the kitchen while everyone else is laughing, getting caught up, and refilling their wine. Enter: the trusty “set it and forget it” category—casseroles, slow cooker meals, anything that lets me appear effortlessly put together.

This particular recipe has been sitting patiently on my “someday” list for years, and I finally decided to give it its moment. I went in optimistic—peach preserves and BBQ sauce sounded like a fun little sweet-and-smoky situation.

Unfortunately… it never quite showed up to the party.

I kept waiting for that hint of peachy goodness to peek through, but it was basically a no-show. My guess? The BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s) may have completely stolen the spotlight. Instead of a balanced flavor, it leaned very “BBQ-forward” with none of the fruity twist I was hoping for.

Now, don’t get me wrong—it was perfectly fine. It fed the ladies, required minimal effort, and allowed me to actually enjoy book club instead of playing kitchen hermit. So in that sense, mission accomplished.

But as far as memorable dishes go? This one’s getting a polite nod and a “thanks, but we won’t be needing a repeat performance.” 

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Recipe from Simply Stacie

Serves 6

• 3 lbs boneless country-style ribs
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup peach preserves
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ½ cup BBQ sauce

Add the ribs to the slow cooker.

Sprinkle brown sugar, onion powder, garlic salt and paprika over the ribs.

In a bowl, stir together the peach preserves, honey and BBQ sauce. Pour the sauce over the ribs.

Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Optional: place the cooked ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet and baste with a little sauce from the slow cooker.

Broil for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Photo from The
Food Charlatan

Cucumbers are one of my favorite things to throw out. Honestly, I can never use up all the cucumbers and they end up going bad. So this week, I decided to try to use them all up. 

I love cucumber salads. And this one exceptionally good. The dill really added some freshness to this salad. Though, next time I'd use fresh dill. 

Asian Cucumber Salad

The Food Charlatan

Serves 4

• 1 large Cucumber, seedless English variety, very thinly sliced
• ¼ sweet onion, very thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon dill , minced & fresh dill or ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you can without slicing your hand. Or go buy a mandolin.

Throw your tablespoon of sesame seeds into a small dry frying pan. Set over medium heat and stir occasionally until the seeds just begin to brown. You don’t want to overdo it.

Gently toss together all of the ingredients until everything is evenly coated. Put in a container with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Marinated salads like this always improve with time, so feel free to make this ahead of time. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Gently toss again before serving.

Dynamite Shrimp

Photo from Creme
de la Crumb

I'm trying to eat more fish. I hear it's good for you. My problem is there's very few fish types I like. Shrimp is one I'll eat. I don't make enough shrimp. It's quick and easy and usually delicious.

This was an odd recipe. And I can't say it was all that great. 

My first issue was the panko. You marinate the shrimp in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and then dunk them in panko. The thing is the panko won't stick too well. I had more panko in the baking dish than on the shrimp. It needed a binder. 

The sauce was SPICY. Which I expected. It was just a little too spicy for me tonight. Which I didn't expect. It was good though. I'd use that sauce again for something. Like maybe dipping dumplings into. 

Bottom line: I won't make this again. 

Dynamite Shrimp

Recipe from Crème De La Crumb

Serves 4

For the Shrimp:

• 1 pound large shrimp - peeled and de-veined, see note about tails
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs

For the Dynamite Sauce

• ½ cup Asian chili sauce
• ⅓ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Next, stir together 4 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. The, add the shrimp and give it a toss. Cover the shrimp marinade and chill for 10 minutes.

Now, toss the shrimp, one by one, in the panko breadcrumbs and coat them as thoroughly as possible. Then, arrange them in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. 

Put the crusted Asian shrimp in the oven and bake for 15 minutes till golden brown. 

Stir together chili sauce, mayo, soy sauce, and sriracha. Microwave for 45 seconds to heat it up, then add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Serve over steamed white rice.

Blackstone Smash Burger

Photo from The Wooden
Skillet

My mom was a cheeseburger aficionado. The more it dripped down your arm, the better was her motto. She was a LOVER of In N Out burgers. Having grown up on them, they were her favorite. But that never stopped her from trying different burgers. Never stopped her from looking for the best burger ever. 

Unfortunately (or fortunately) she passed on her love of burgers to me. Our main difference though I I'm a burner minimalist. I don't like a lot of stuff on my burgers. Buns, meat and sauce is usually all I get. Or, occasionally, bacon can be added to that list. No veggies for me on my burger. 

Smash burgers have become all the rage in the last several years. Most smash burgers I've seen are mostly burger, cheese and bun. My kind of burger. 

I stumbled onto this recipe while reading a recipe from another writer. Blackstone is a brand of griddle/grill. Griddles have also become all the rage. I'll stick to a grill thankyouverymuch. Still, I figured I could do some smash burgers in a skillet and get the same result. AND the best part is I had gotten some "smash" burger patties free from Omaha Steaks a while back and needed to use them up. 

I did question whether this was considered a "recipe". I mean I can make burgers in my sleep. The burger sauce though, that's new. And so, my blog. My rules. I'm counting it. 

I cheated and didn't cook my bacon. I had microwave bacon that I used. Would it have made a difference if I cooked my patties in bacon grease? Maybe, but for me, I'm ok with  not doing that.

The sauce was too sweet for me. I added more dill pickles and dill juice to it and it was perfect. Helped with the drip factor that's for sure. 

I grilled my smash burgers and two things I now know. 1) they need to be on a griddle and 2) they need to be smashed more. 

Overall, good recipe. 

Blackstone Smash Burger

Recipe from The Wooden Skillet

Serves 4

House Smash Burger Sauce:

• ½ cup mayo
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon dill pickles, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon pickle juice
• ½ teaspoon soy sauce, sub coconut aminos
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Smash Burgers + Toppings:

• 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut in half
• 4 hamburger buns
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 4 slices American cheese
• burger pickles
• optional white onion, very thinly sliced

Make Burger Sauce: 

Add the classic Burger Sauce ingredients to a small bowl, stir to combine. Set aside.

Prep Burger Balls: 

Add 1 pound ground beef, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper to bowl. Mix to combine. Use a scale to create 1/4 pound balls with your hands and set aside.

Prep Other Ingredients: 

Make sure the bacon is halved an ready to go. Butter both sides of the buns. Have cheese ready to go, some salt + pepper for seasoning, as well as an extra plate to put your cooked burgers on. Having everything prepped and ready to go is essential, because the cook time goes real quick.

Cook Bacon: 

Bring Blackstone or flat top to medium-high heat. Add bacon and let cook to your liking, 3-4 minutes (more if you like them extra crispy). Warm up your burger press a bit so the bottom isn't cold (especially if you store it outside). Move bacon off to the side, but make sure the bacon grease is nice and distributed.

Cook Burgers + Toast Buns: 

Place burger balls on flat top. Slowly press down on each ball to flatten until the patties are approx. 1/4 inch thick. This will take 15-20 seconds per burger. Let sit and cook for the next 40 seconds (feel free to season patties at this point if you want). Flip and immediately add a slice of cheese to each – this is also when you will put the burger buns down (buttered side down). Close lid and let burgers cook approx. 2 minutes. Open lid and remove burgers and buns to clean plate.

Build + Serve Burger: Take a toasted bun and place the cooked burger on top (or stack two). Top with two slices bacon, burger pickles, and burger sauce – also add onion if you want. Enjoy!

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Beef stroganoff is one of those comfort food recipes that I crave. I have my own "kick ass" recipe that's my go to when I want to make stroganoff without thinking. Then every once in awhile a new recipe comes along where I'm hooked and must try it. 

I've not been cooking much this year and this recipe was a great one to get me back into the rhythm. 

This one earns a solid five stars from me—and not in a casual “everything tastes good when you’re hungry” kind of way. The depth of flavor here is legit. The ingredients come together into something rich, hearty, and unapologetically beefy—the kind of meal that feels like it should be eaten while wearing stretchy pants and making zero apologies.

And let’s talk about the pasta choice for a second. Pappardelle? Absolute genius. I almost never use it (honestly, I can’t remember the last time I did), but those wide, ribbon-like noodles were made for this kind of dish. They hold onto all that creamy, savory goodness like they were born for it. Safe to say, I’m officially a pappardelle convert now.

Of course, no kitchen adventure is complete without a little improvisation. My “whoops” moment came when I completely missed the timing for transferring everything to the crock pot. Rather than panic (or, you know, read more carefully), I pivoted: into a 300°F oven it went, lid on, for about two hours. And you know what? It worked beautifully. Honestly, I might just do it that way on purpose next time.

I did make one intentional change, though. The recipe suggested dolloping sour cream on top when serving. That sounds lovely and all, but I’m not trying to win plating awards here. Instead, I stirred about half a cup of sour cream right into the dish and called it a day. For me, sour cream isn’t a garnish—it’s the heart and soul of stroganoff. And “dolloping” feels a little too fancy for something I plan to eat in pajamas.

Final verdict: cozy, flavorful, and just the right amount of rustic. Definitely going into the 2026 Favorite list.

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, I used light olive oil
• generous salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, (half stick)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1 to 2 cups sour cream, to add after cooking
• 12-16 ounces pappardelle pasta, plus water and salt
• fresh parsley, to garnish
• fresh chives, to garnish

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the chuck roast into 2 inch chunks. Separate all the pieces out onto a work surface (I had mine on a cutting board) and dry them all over with paper towels.

Salt and pepper the pieces. Be generous. I used at least 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt.

Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.

Carefully place about 1/3 of the pieces of beef into the pan, one by one. Leave at least an inch or two of space in between. If you put them too close together (or just dump the meat in all at once), your meat will start to steam itself, and no browning will occur. (You may as well just skip the entire browning process altogether and dump the raw meat straight into the crock pot.)

Let the meat sear for about 1-2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each piece. When you see nice brown edges on both sides, transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

Continue searing the rest of the beef in one or two more batches, depending on space. Add more oil as necessary, and reduce the heat to medium if your pan starts to smoke. Remove all the meat to the slow cooker, but don’t clean out that pan. We need all those gorgeous brown bits.

Turn the heat off if you need to take a moment to chop your onion and slice your mushrooms if you haven’t already.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium high heat in the pan you seared the meat in. When it’s melted, add the chopped onion and quartered mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 tablespoon dried parsley. Saute for 5-8 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are soft.

Add 1 tablespoon smashed and minced garlic. Saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste. I love to use these refrigerated tubes of tomato paste, so I don’t have to throw away the rest of a 6-oz can.

Add 1/2 cup red wine (I used cooking wine) and 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base.* Let the mixture come to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for another 5-7 minutes until it has reduced a bit.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, adding in every last drop. Stir it together with the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Fill a large pot with water and about a tablespoon of salt (it should taste like seawater.) Bring the water to a boil and add the pappardelle pasta. Stir constantly to make sure the noodles don’t stick. Cook according to package instructions, usually about 3 minutes. Boil until al dente, don’t over cook.

Drain and add olive oil, stirring to coat.

Add some pasta to a serving plate.** Top with beef stroganoff. The chunks of beef may be big, but it’s so fork tender your guests can take care of it themselves at the table.

Add a big dollop of sour cream to each plate. Top with fresh parsley and fresh chives.

One-Pan Dumpling Bake

Photo from Chelsey's
Messy Apron

I did it. I fell victim to an Instagram viral recipe. It just looked too good to not try. I had all the ingredients and so I went for it.

It was ok. It needed more spice, IMHO. Or salt. I'm not really sure. It was just meh. 

I have a bunch of recipes for this that differ slightly. I may give them a try too. 

One-Pan Dumpling Bake

Recipe from thecontrarianmoney/instagram

Serves ?? Instagram didn't say

1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)

2 tbsp red curry paste

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp fresh ginger, minced

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp rice vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

4 cups bok choy, chopped

15–20 frozen dumplings (pork, chicken, or veggie)

Optional toppings: chili crisp, green onions, sesame seeds, cilantro, lime

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a 9×13 pan, whisk together the coconut milk, curry paste, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, oyster sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.

Squeeze in the lime juice.

Stir in the chopped bok choy.

Arrange the frozen dumplings on top in a single layer.

Cover with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through.

Finish with chili crisp, green onions, sesame seeds, lime and cilantro if desired. Serve hot.

Homemade Beefaroni

Chef Boyardee Beefaroni has been an all time childhood - and frankly adulthood - favorite. Chef Boyardee ravoli is a close second (Spaghetti O's with Franks are the all time favorite). As an adult, though, I feel I have to limit my Beefaroni intake. There's always a can in the pantry for those days I just don't know what to have for lunch or I crave it. It's not too often, but it's still there. 

When I saw this recipe from Butter Your Biscuit, I knew I had to try it. The photo on their recipe page had me drooling immediately. 

My dish turned out a little saucy-er than their picture. If When I make it again, I may cut back on the beef broth by a half of a cup or so. Or add more pasta. Either way, this was a winner. 

Homemade Beefaroni

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 6

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 1/2 cups dried ziti
• 2 cups beef broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Fresh parsley

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add the ground beef, and diced onions and cook until browned about 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder Italian seasoning salt and pepper and cook another 30 seconds. Discard any extra fat.

Add in the tomato paste and cook another minute.

Add in the pasta sauce and sugar, mix and bring to a simmer.

Add in the dried pasta and beef broth, stir and make sure the pasta is covered with liquid.

Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat cover and for 12-15 minutes until pasta is tender.

Stir in the heavy cream and simmer on low 8-10 minutes.

Add fresh chopped parsley or basil and serve!