Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Photo from The
Country Cook

I keep telling myself I’m done chasing new teriyaki recipes because, honestly, I already have a favorite that rarely lets me down. And yet every time I see a new recipe pop up, I convince myself maybe this will be the one that takes the top spot. Spoiler alert: not this time.

Teriyaki is one of my go-to meals whenever I’m tempted to order takeout. I finally found a local spot that nails exactly what I want in a teriyaki sauce—mostly savory with just enough sweetness to round it out without turning into dessert.

This recipe just didn’t hit that balance for me. The sauce leaned much sweeter than I prefer and never really delivered that rich, savory teriyaki flavor I was hoping for. That said, I don’t think it was a bad recipe at all—it just wasn’t my kind of teriyaki.

If you love a sweeter teriyaki profile, this one may be right up your alley. For me, the search continues… even though I probably already know who the winner is.

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Recipe from The Country Cook

Serves 4

• ½  c light brown sugar packed
• ½ c low sodium soy sauce
• 1 T garlic paste (or freshly minced garlic)
• 1 tsp ginger paste (or finely minced fresh ginger)
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1.25-1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breast tenders, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 T cornstarch

Mix the brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and rice wine vinegar together in a small bowl.

Pour half of the mix over the chicken and stir to combine, cover and marinate for 1 hour.

Once they have marinated, preheat an electric grill to medium heat.

Thread the chicken onto 3 to 4 skewer sticks.

Spray the grill grate with olive oil spray and place the skewers down evenly spaced.

While they are grilling, add the remaining sauce mixture to a small saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken a bit.

Once the first side of the skewer has cooked for 4-6 minutes or until it is no longer pink, flip it over and brush on half of the sauce from the pan.

When the other side is done, repeat the brushing process and allow the other side to caramelize for about 2 minutes. Flip it one more time to get the top caramelized as well for another 2 minutes.

Remove the skewers from the grill and let them cool for five minutes before serving with white rice, sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

Chili Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl

Shrimp is one of those proteins I’ve been trying to work into my meal rotation more often lately. The funny thing is, I’ve always liked shrimp…just usually deep fried. And while crispy fried shrimp is delicious, I really don’t love the process of deep frying at home. Plus, it’s probably not something my arteries need on a weekly basis.

I had a dish similar to this at a restaurant a while back and it really stuck with me. So when I came across this recipe from The Wooden Skillet, I knew I wanted to give it a shot. Even better, I already had a bag of shrimp sitting in the freezer waiting to be used. Yes, I’m still on my mission to cook my way through the freezer stash.

This turned out to be a really solid recipe. Of course, I made a few little changes along the way because apparently I’m incapable of following a recipe exactly as written. I think of them as guidelines.

First, I skipped the mango salsa entirely. I could not find a mango that looked good enough to justify the price tag, and I just wasn’t willing to spend that kind of money on disappointing fruit. So out it went.

Second, I ended up pan-cooking the shrimp instead of grilling them. I had already heated up the skillet and poured in the olive oil before I realized the recipe called for grilling. Honestly, that’s a shame because these would have been amazing on the new grill. I’ll definitely try that next time.

And yes, there will absolutely be a next time.

I served the shrimp with simple basmati rice and the sweet chili cucumbers from the recipe, and let me just say…the cucumbers completely stole the show. Those were unbelievably good and will absolutely be making repeat appearances at my table.

Don’t let the long ingredient list scare you away. A lot of the ingredients overlap between the different components, so it’s really not as complicated as it first looks. In the end, it came together into a fresh, flavorful dinner that felt a little special without being difficult.

Chili Lime Shrimp Rice Bowl

Recipe from The Wooden Skillet

Serves 4

Chili Lime Shrimp:

• 1 pound raw shrimp, 16-20 per bag
• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• zest of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sub Tamari for gluten-free
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Mango Salsa:

• 1 ½ cups mango, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup avocado, diced
• 1 small jalapeño, minced
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Cilantro Lime Sauce:

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• zest of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Sweet Chili Cucumbers:

• 1 cup mini cucumbers, sliced (sub English cucumber)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoon honey, more if desired

Other Bowl Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice of your choice
• red onion, thinly sliced (as desired)

Prep Chili Lime Shrimp: Ensure 1 pound raw shrimp is thawed and remove shell (leave tail on, if you prefer). Place shrimp in a large bowl or reusable silicone bag. In a small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, zest of 2 limes, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Pour marinade over the shrimp. Cover and let marinate 30 minutes.

Mango Salsa: Meanwhile, combine the salsa ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add additional lime juice, cilantro, etc. as desired.

Cilantro Lime Sauce: Combine in a small bowl. Taste and add additional lime juice as desired. Cover and place in fridge.

Sweet Chili Cucumbers: Combine in a small bowl. Taste and add additional chili powder or honey, as desired.

Grill Chili Lime Shrimp: Ensure grill grates are clean. Bring grill to medium-high heat. Shake off excess marinade from shrimp and grill directly on the grates for a total of 2-4 minutes (total cook time will depend upon how large your shrimp are) or until shrimp are no long translucent. Transfer to plate.

Build Bowls: Divide rice between bowls along with the shrimp. Add as much Mango Salsa, Cilantro Lime Sauce, and Sweet Chili Cucumbers, as desired, as well as some extra red onion slices. Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

There are some meals that instantly make me happy, and shawarma is definitely one of them. Over the years I’ve made more shawarma recipes than I can count, and what fascinates me is how every version is just a little bit different. Some rely heavily on yogurt marinades, others lean into warmer spices, garlic, or citrus. It’s amazing how small tweaks can completely change the final flavor.

This recipe landed firmly in the “make again” category for me. The flavor profile was everything I want from shawarma — warm spices, savory goodness, and that comforting Mediterranean vibe that always hits the spot.

What made this one stand out was the cooking method. Instead of grilling skewers like I usually do, this recipe roasted the chicken in the oven. I honestly wasn’t sure how I’d feel about that because I’m very much a “throw it on the grill” kind of girl when it comes to shawarma (read: any meat). But surprisingly? I really liked it. The roasting gave the chicken great flavor and made the whole process incredibly easy.

The recipe wasn’t super clear on whether the chicken pieces should stay whole or be sliced first. Since it called for thighs, I’m assuming the intention was to roast them whole. But thighs and I still aren’t best friends, so I swapped them out for chicken breasts instead. I cut the chicken into chunks before marinatig. Then I chopped everything into smaller bite-sized pieces once it was cooked. No reason, it just felt right so I went with it. 

This is exactly the kind of recipe I love keeping in my back pocket. Definitely one I’ll be making again.

Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Cooking NY Times

Serves 4

• 2 lemons, juiced
• ½ c plus 1 T olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp turmeric
• A pinch ground cinnamon
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 T chopped fresh parsley

Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.

Greek-Style Garlic Bread

This recipe ended up being a total last-minute addition to my Greek Sunday dinner menu. I stumbled across it while searching for other Greek-inspired side dishes, and the second I watched the recipe video, I knew it was happening.

Photo from akispetretzikis.com/

Why? Because it featured feta cheese on garlic bread. Somehow, in all my years of loving both feta and garlic bread, it never occurred to me to combine the two. The idea sounded ridiculously good. Crispy bread, buttery garlic, and salty feta? There was no way I was passing that up.

I stayed pretty true to the recipe with only one small change. The original called for a full tablespoon of chili flakes, which felt a little aggressive for me. I like heat, but I also enjoy being able to taste my food. So I dialed it way back and used maybe about a half teaspoon instead. That ended up being the perfect amount for my taste.

Now, something unexpected happened with this bread. I only used three small garlic cloves, which honestly didn’t seem like much at all. Yet somehow this turned into the most intensely garlicky bread I have ever made in my life. I’m talking next-level garlic. The kind of garlic bread that follows you around for hours afterward.

And honestly? I’m still not sure if it crossed the line into “too garlicky.” Is there even such a thing? 

Greek-Style Garlic Bread

Recipe from Akispetretzikis.com

Serves 10-12

• Loaf of bread
• 2 clove(s) of garlic
• 80 g olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili flakes
• 100 g feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 240°C (460° F) set to broiler.

Add the olive oil and the garlic finely chopped into a chopper blender, and beat them well until the garlic is completely crushed.

Add the oregano, chili flakes, and 40g feta cheese into pieces, and beat them well until homogenized.

Transfer the whole mixture to a bowl.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Cut the bread into slices and arrange them in the pan.

Brush the bread slices with the mixture, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with 60g grated feta cheese.

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the garlic bread for 5-10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and serve the garlic bread with parsley.

Green Beans with Warm Pistachio Vinaigrette

Photo from Simply Stacie

For some reason, I had it stuck in my head that pistachios were very Greek. I honestly have no idea where that came from, but once the thought settled in, this recipe immediately earned a spot on my Greek Sunday dinner menu. Naturally, I had to Google it just to make sure I wasn’t completely making things up. Turns out pistachios really are tied to Greek cooking, especially on the island of Aegina where they’re a huge part of the agricultural history. So I’m counting this as a win for my random food instincts.

The minute I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it — Greek dinner or not. There was just something about the combination of pistachios and green beans that sounded perfect to me. Crunchy, nutty pistachios with crisp-tender green beans? Yes, please.

And let me tell you, this dish absolutely delivered. It was fresh, flavorful, and just a little different from your average vegetable side dish. The pistachios added such a great texture and richness without overpowering the green beans.

I only made one change to the recipe, and what I thought was a tiny tweak ended up making a huge difference. Instead of red wine vinegar, I used sherry vinegar. I’m convinced it made the dish even better. The flavor was a little softer, slightly sweeter, and worked beautifully with the pistachios.

This is definitely going into the “make again” pile. It’s easy, delicious, and feels a little fancy without requiring much effort at all. Honestly, this would be the perfect side dish to bring to a dinner party or holiday meal because it looks impressive while being incredibly simple to throw together.

Green Beans with Warm Pistachio Vinaigrette

Recipe from Simply Stacie

Serves 4

• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup shelled pistachios chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 lb green beans trimmed

Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add pistachios and saute for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add vinegar, water and salt to frying pan. Stir to combine.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and blanch green beans for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Toss beans with vinaigrette.

Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe with Tzatziki

Greek food has been on my Sunday dinner theme list forever - well since last year's Greek cruise. It was actually supposed to happen back in October, but thanks to all the foot drama last year, it kept getting pushed aside. So when this dinner finally came together, I was more than ready for it.

I haven’t explored a ton of Greek dishes over the years. Some I’ve absolutely loved, while others…not so much. Sorry, grape leaves, we’re never going to be friends. But one thing I can always count on loving is Greek souvlaki. Tender chicken marinated in bright lemon, garlic, and oregano is pretty hard to beat.

I’ve made a couple of different versions of souvlaki over the years, and honestly, they all turn out delicious. This version was no exception. I let the chicken marinate for about 2 1/2 hours, which turned out to be the sweet spot. I also cut the chicken into larger 1 1/2-inch chunks because I didn’t want the lemon juice to break the meat down too much and make the texture strange. It worked perfectly.

One thing this recipe suggested that I don’t usually get in restaurants was serving the souvlaki with pita bread. I decided to go for it, and wow…game changer. Warm pita wrapped around juicy chicken with cool tzatziki is absolutely the way to go.

For serving, I kept things simple with pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, and tzatziki. Full confession: the tzatziki came straight from the grocery store deli section, and I have zero regrets about that. Sometimes shortcuts are worth it.

This ended up being one of those meals that feels fresh, light, and packed with flavor while still being incredibly satisfying. Definitely worth the wait.

Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe with Tzatziki

Recipe from The Mediterranean Dish

Serves 10

For Souvlaki Marinade

• 10 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp each Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 bay leaves

For Chicken:

• 2 1/2 lb organic boneless skinless chicken breast, fat removed, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Pita Fixings

• Greek pita bread
• Tzatziki Sauce (make according to this recipe)
• Sliced tomato, cucumber, onions, and Kalamata olives

Prepare the marinade. In the bowl of a small food processor, add garlic, oregano, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, olive oil, white wine, and lemon juice (do NOT add the dried bay leaves yet). Pulse until well combined.

Place chicken in a large bowl and add bay leaves. Top with marinade. Toss to combine, making sure chicken is well-coated with marinade. cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Soak 10 to 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 to 45 minutes or so. When ready, thread marinated chicken pieces through the prepared skewers.

Prepare outdoor grill. Place chicken skewers on grill until well browned and internal temperature registers 160°F on instant read thermometer (it will continue cooking to 165°F as it rests). Be sure to turn skewers evenly to cook on all sides, about 5 minutes total. 

Transfer chicken to serving platter and let rest for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, briefly grill pitas and keep warm.

Assemble grilled chicken souvlaki pitas. First, spread Tzatziki sauce on pita, add chicken pieces then add veggies and olives.

Scallion Meatballs with Soy-Ginger Glaze

I’m apparently on a full-on meatball kick this year, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. There’s just something about a good meatball that hits every time, especially when it leans into those bold Asian-inspired flavors. These definitely delivered.

They weren’t wildly different from the batch I made last night, but the flavor profile shifted just enough to make them stand out. These had a stronger scallion flavor, which I actually preferred, and the sauce leaned much more savory than sweet. Lots of soy goodness happening here. I really enjoyed them, though halfway through dinner I realized these would have absolutely benefited from a squirt of sriracha. Next time, for sure.

I cut the recipe in half, but apparently I also failed to read it carefully. The recipe called for half of a slightly beaten egg, and my brain somehow translated that into “throw the whole thing in.” Oops. The mixture ended up way too wet, so I added some panko in hopes it would soak up the extra moisture. I’m not entirely convinced it helped much. The meatballs were super delicate and required a gentle touch while frying so they didn’t completely fall apart.

I should also mention that I used ground beef again instead of the pork-and-chicken combo the original recipe called for. I had already thawed the beef by mistake the night before and wasn’t about to pull out more meat just to make half a recipe. Honestly, the beef worked perfectly fine here, but I am curious how the lighter chicken and pork combination would change the texture and flavor. That might have to be another meatball experiment for another night.

Scallion Meatballs with Soy-Ginger Glaze

Recipe from Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy

Makes 3 doz meatballs

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce, preferably Japanese or reduced sodium
• 1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped peeled ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 4 whole black peppercorns

For the Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 4 large scallions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Splash of fish sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Vegetable oil for frying

Make the sauce: Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar melts completely. Reduce heat to medium-low and add soy sauce, mirin, ginger, coriander and peppercorns. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.)

Make meatballs: Combine chicken and pork in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times. Mix meat mixture, scallions, garlic, cilantro, egg, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, pepper and cornstarch together in a bowl. Roll tablespoons of mixture into 1-inch balls, about the size of a walnut. Line the meatballs up on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge until you’re ready to cook them.

Coat the bottom of a heavy skillet with vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat, . Working in batches to avoid crowding, place meatballs in pan and fry, until lightly browned all over, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through.

Arrange on a serving platter, spoon a little glaze over each meatball, and serve with toothpicks.

The Best Teriyaki Beef Meatballs

There’s always a little risk involved when a recipe calls itself “the best.” That’s a bold claim in a world overflowing with recipes promising greatness. Sometimes they absolutely deliver, and sometimes…well, they’re just fine. I think it all balances out in the end.

These meatballs? I’m not sure I’d crown them “the best,” but I will happily call them delicious and repeatable.

As usual, I couldn’t leave the recipe entirely alone. I genuinely tried to follow it closely, but somewhere along the way my very specific meatball opinions took over. These are fairly new opinions, mind you, but I stand by them wholeheartedly now.

First, the sauce. It was really good, just not quite as teriyaki-forward as I expected. To be fair, I halved the recipe, and sauces can get a little wonky when you start adjusting measurements. Still tasty, just missing a little something for me. I added about 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste, which immediately nudged it closer to the flavor profile I wanted. I also swapped the sake for Shaoxing wine because that’s what I had on hand, and honestly, it worked beautifully.

Now onto the meatballs themselves. Flavor-wise, these were fantastic exactly as written. Well…mostly. I accidentally used ground beef instead of pork because apparently I can no longer identify freezer packages correctly. Happy accident, though, because the beef gave them a richer flavor that I may have actually preferred. Once again, I used Shaoxing wine in place of sake and had zero regrets.

But here’s the big change — the one tied to my newfound meatball philosophy: I browned them before baking.

I know it adds an extra step, but that golden crust creates so much more flavor. It gives the meatballs a deeper, savory richness that you just don’t get from baking alone. In my opinion, that little bit of browning takes these from “pretty good” to “I’m definitely making these again.”

Halving the recipe gave me about 24 one-inch meatballs, which felt like the perfect amount for dinner plus a leftovers for me and the pantry goat.

The Best Teriyaki Beef Meatballs

Recipe from Cafe Delites

Makes 40 meatballs

MEATBALLS:

• 2 pounds ground beef mince or pork, chicken, turkey
• ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 2 scallions or green onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cooking Sake or Shaoxing, Chinese wine or dry sherry
• 1 pinch salt to taste
• 1 pinch pepper to taste

TERIYAKI SAUCE:

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced, or 2 teaspoons
• ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin
• ¼ cup sake
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha or more, adjust to your preference of spice

TO SERVE:

• 1 pinch sesame seeds
• 1 green onion finely sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F.

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

Mix together all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl until well-combined. Spoon out 1 ½-inch of meat mixture with a cookie scoop (or tablespoon), shape into balls and place onto 2 large baking sheets or trays lined with baking or parchment paper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden browned and cooked through.

While the meatballs are baking, make your sauce!

FOR THE SAUCE:

Heat a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Whisk ALL of the sauce ingredients together (except cornstarch and water mixture) in the pan until well blended. Bring to a simmer, pour the cornstarch mixture in and give it a quick good mix until it dissolves into the sauce. Continue cooking until sauce thickens, while stirring occasionally to prevent burning or sticking on the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes).

COAT:

When meatballs have finished cooking, pour ¾ of the sauce over them and toss gently to evenly coat. Transfer the glazed meatballs to a serving dish or tray.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions (if desired), and serve warm with toothpicks or mini forks, and with remaining sauce for dipping.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Asian Marinade

Marinades really are the workhorses of my kitchen. Give me a good marinade and even the most basic chicken dinner suddenly feels exciting again. They’re easy, dependable, and somehow always make it seem like you put in more effort than you actually did. My favorite kind of recipe.

This recipe has been sitting in my “make this someday” pile for years. It’s popped up on my meal plan more than once, but for whatever reason I always skipped over it at the last minute. This week I finally committed to making it, and now I’m wondering why I waited so long.

The thing that caught my attention from the beginning was the curry powder in the marinade. Curry usually shows up in sauces, soups, or dry rubs, but not very often in marinades. I used a basic yellow curry powder, and the second the chicken hit the grill the aroma was incredible. That warm, savory curry smell drifting up to my nostrils instantly made me excited for dinner.

The rest of the marinade had all the classic Asian-inspired flavors I love — simple, familiar, and packed with flavor. But the curry gave it something a little unexpected that made it stand out from the usual grilled chicken routine.

This one was definitely a winner. I made extra chicken specifically for lunches the next day, and I was very thankful I did. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that quietly sit in your files for years just waiting for the right moment.

I marinaded the chicken for the standard 2 hours and I served it along side this delicious cucumber salad.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Asian Marinade

Recipe from Kalynskitchen.com

Serves 4

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (see notes)
• 1/8 c peanut oil  
• 1/8 c olive oil  
• 1/4 c soy sauce 
• 1 T Asian sesame oil
• 1 T garlic puree
• 2 tsp ginger puree
• 3 T fresh lime juice (see notes)
• 1 tsp Madras Curry Powder or any curry powder you like will work
• salt, pepper to taste

Mix together the peanut oil (or more olive oil), olive oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic puree, ginger puree, fresh lime juice, and curry powder to make the marinade.

Trim chicken, removing all visible fat and tendons.

Cut chicken breasts into 4 or 5 crosswise strips. (For thighs, cut into two pieces each.)

Arrange chicken in single layer in Ziploc bag, pour marinade over and marinate at least 8 hours in the refrigerator. If you’re going to be home, turn it a few times, but it’s not essential.

To cook, drain chicken in a colander in the sink and let it come to room temperature while you preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium high.

Spray the grill with non-stick spray or brush with oil before you heat. (You can also brush a little oil directly on the kabobs after you’ve assembled them.)

Thread chicken on to skewers, folding each piece over so it won’t spin around on the skewer. I like blade shaped skewers (affiliate link) or double skewers (affiliate link) to prevent the meat from spinning.

Put chicken on grill and cook about 8 minutes, rotating a partial turn a few times for maximum grill marks.

Then turn chicken over and cook about 5 minutes more, or until chicken feels firm but not hard to the touch.

For best results, use an instant-read meat thermometer (affiliate link) and take the chicken off when it reaches 165F/75C. (See more about safe temperatures for food.)

Serve hot.

Leftover grilled chicken would be great on a salad like this one.

Monterey Chicken Rice-A-Roni Casserole

Photo from
Plain Chicken

Mother’s Day was yesterday, and it’s always a hard one for me. The day usually starts with sadness, but somehow by the end, the memories come flooding back — the kind that make me laugh, smile, and miss my mom all at the same time.

And somehow, like so many memories in my life, they always circle back to food.

Mom loved to cook. Dad did too. Our kitchen was always busy growing up, and every once in a while Mom would channel her full 1970s casserole-era energy and throw together a dish with a handful of ingredients that made you question her at first… but somehow worked perfectly together in the end. Back then casseroles were practical, comforting, and big enough to feed the family for days.

This recipe is a similar version to hers. I actually still have the handwritten recipe tucked away in her old gray recipe box. Her version included broccoli, but otherwise the flavors are almost identical. I decided to make it in her memory this weekend. The only snag? I realized halfway through Sunday that I didn’t actually have the chicken. So after a quick lunch break grocery run today, dinner plans were back on track.

Since it’s just me these days, I cut the recipe in half. Honestly, I’m still not entirely sure how the original fits into a 9x13 pan using only one package of Rice-A-Roni — although it does call for four cups of chicken, so maybe the original recipe leaned heavier on the chicken. My smaller version definitely became more about the rice than the chicken, but honestly, that’s not a bad thing.

This tasted exactly like the casseroles I remember from childhood: simple, comforting, filling, and surprisingly satisfying. Nothing fancy. Nothing trendy. Just the kind of meal that feels nostalgic from the very first bite.

Will I make it again anytime soon? Probably not. But for one evening (and one leftover), it felt good to sit with those memories, eat a meal that reminded me of Mom, and think about all the love that used to come out of her kitchen.

I miss her every single day.

Monterey Chicken Rice-A-Roni Casserole

Recipe from Plain Chicken

Serves 6

• 1 box chicken flavor Rice-A-Roni
• 1 (10.75-oz) can cream of chicken soup
• ½ c sour cream
• 1 (10-oz) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 c cooked chopped chicken
• 1½ c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (6-oz) can French fried onions, divided

Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Prepare Rice-A-Roni according to package directions. Add soup, sour cream, spinach, garlic, chicken, cheese, and half of the fried onions. Stir to combine.

Spread rice mixture into prepared pan. Top rice with the remaining fried onions.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Chicken Biryani

I’ll admit it — chicken biryani was always one of those dishes I’d heard about more than actually experienced. Before making this recipe, I’d never ordered it at an Indian restaurant and honestly wasn’t entirely sure what all went into it. My only real introduction to biryani was at an Indian-themed Sunday dinner a few years ago when a guest brought a homemade version. It was memorable, but somehow I never circled back to making it myself… until now.

And now I’m wondering what took me so long.

This dish checks just about every box for me: chicken, garam masala, rice, garlic, ginger — basically a lineup of flavors I already know I love. On paper, there was no way this shouldn’t work for me.

Overall, this biryani was really good, but I did run into a couple hiccups along the way. The biggest issue was the instant basmati rice I used. It had a slightly odd flavor that threw me off a bit — lacking that light, clean, aromatic basmati taste I was expecting. Next time I’d definitely go with regular basmati rice instead.

It also ended up a little saltier than I anticipated, which surprised me because I barely salted the marinade and even used low-sodium chicken stock. It wasn’t overpowering by any means, but enough that I noticed it.

And fair warning: this dish brings some heat. Between the garam masala and chili powder, there was definitely a spicy kick happening. I personally enjoyed it, but if you’re spice-sensitive you may want to dial the chili powder back a touch.

Even with those small issues, the flavor combination here was fantastic. The warm spices, savory chicken, and fragrant rice all worked beautifully together. With a few little tweaks, this could easily become one of those recipes I make on repeat.

Chicken Biryani

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/2 c whole plain yogurt
• 3 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 to 1 tsp red chili powder
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3 T ghee or butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger, grated
• 2 packages (8.5 oz each) instant basmati rice
• 1/4 chicken stock or water
• 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and lemon juice and mix until combined. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least one hour, and up to 4 hours.

When chicken is done marinating, heat the ghee or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 2 minutes more.

Add chicken to skillet, along with all of the marinade. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice and cilantro, and pour chicken stock or water over the top. Cover and let simmer until rice is soft and everything is heated through, 3-4 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Skillet Chicken Gyros

Photo from Closet Cooking

I had lunch today with the fabulous Meg-a-rooni, and as usual, our conversation found it’s way to food. I told her all about the shawarma I was planning to make for dinner that night, talking it up like I had my whole evening mapped out.

Well… turns out I wasn’t making shawarma at all. I was making chicken gyro. Very different flavor profile, and honestly, not what I had been craving all day.

Once I got home and started throwing together the marinade, I realized my mistake. By then I was committed, so gyro it was.

One thing about me: I do not love frying meat. Give me a grill any day of the week. I grill year round even in questionable Seattle weather and would rather do that than stand over a frying pan splattering oil everywhere. But I decided to trust the process and cooked the chicken exactly as the recipe instructed — right in the skillet.

I let the chicken marinate for my usual two hours, then sautéed it up in the pan. The end result? It was… fine. Not bad, not amazing, just kind of there.

What this recipe desperately needed was a sauce. Some sort of creamy garlic sauce or tzatziki would have brought everything together and added the punch of flavor it was missing. Had I realized that sooner, I could’ve whipped a garlic sauce up in no time. Instead, halfway through dinner, I grabbed some hummus from the fridge in an attempt to save things.

It helped, but not enough to make this a repeat recipe for me.

In the end, it wasn’t terrible — it just wasn’t what I was hoping for, especially after spending the entire afternoon thinking about shawarma.

 Skillet Chicken Gyros

Recipe from Closet Cooking

Serves 4

For the chicken gyros:

• 1 lemon, juice and zest (~1/4 cup juice)
• 1/4 c greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)
• 3 T oregano
• 1 T smoked paprika (optional)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the gyros:

• 6 pitas (optionally warmed/toasted) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
• 1 1/2 c lettuce, sliced
• 1 1/2 c tomatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 c cucumber, diced
• 6 T pickled red onions, sliced (or fresh)
• 6 T kalamata olives, sliced
• 6 T tzatziki
• 6 T feta, crumbled

For the chicken gyros:

Mix the lemon juice, zest, yogurt, garlic, oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Mix the chicken and marinade and let sit, covered, in the fridge, for 30 minutes to overnight, before shaking off any excess marinade.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until cooked through and lightly golden brown on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.

For the gyros:

Assemble the gyros in the pitas and enjoy!

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Photo from Insanely Good
Recipes

Book club this week. We rotate everything — who hosts, who brings appetizers, who’s on dessert duty — and yes, we actually have a grid for it. The hostess handles the main meal and sides while the rest of us fill in the fun stuff. It’s organized chaos and honestly one of my favorite nights of the month.

This month it was my turn for dessert.

At our last gathering I joked that every single book club somehow ends with brownies showing up. Not that anyone is complaining — especially me. Brownies are undefeated. We also have a gluten-free queen in the group (shout out to Sherrie), so we’ve all become loyal fans of gluten-free brownie mix (my favorite is Ghiradellis). It’s ridiculously good, easy to make, and nobody would ever guess it’s gluten free.

But I decided if I was bringing brownies again, they needed a little personality. Theme brownies. Elevated brownies. Book-club-worthy brownies.

Enter: Mississippi Mud Brownies.

Now technically this recipe includes homemade brownies, but I skipped right past that part and grabbed my trusty GF boxed mix instead. No shame in that game. My mission was all about the toppings and the over-the-top chocolate situation happening on top.

In an attempt to clean out my pantry, I swapped regular marshmallows for freeze-dried mini marshmallows I already had on hand. Unfortunately…that experiment did not exactly succeed. They sort of melted into the brownies instead of staying soft and gooey. You could tell marshmallows existed at some point, but it definitely wasn’t that classic sticky marshmallow bite I was hoping for. Lesson learned: real marshmallows matter.

The frosting instructions also threw me for a loop. The recipe has you spread the frosting over the brownies immediately after they come out of the oven. At first I thought I had completely ruined them because the frosting melted everywhere. But once I cut into them, I realized that messy, drippy situation is kind of the point. The frosting runs down the sides and turns into this gloriously chaotic chocolate layer that honestly fits the “Mississippi Mud” name perfectly.

Messy? Yes. Rich? Extremely. Worth bringing to book club? Absolutely.

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 16

For the Brownies:

1 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons oil

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups mini marshmallows

For the Optional Topping

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 325°Fahrenheit. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Make the Brownies: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well between each spin, until smooth.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the sugars with the eggs on medium speed until thick and pale, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir the vanilla and melted chocolate into the bowl, followed by the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix until about halfway combined, add the remaining chocolate chips and the marshmallows, and stir just until no streaks of flour are visible.

Pour the batter into the baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until slightly puffed in the center with a crackly surface. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs.

Make the Frosting: While the brownies bake, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until melted and smooth.

Remove the pot from the heat and mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Set aside.

When the brownies come out of the oven, immediately sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows. Then, drizzle the warm chocolate frosting over the top.

Cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving. For clean cuts, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (after cooling to room temperature). Enjoy!

Thai Cucumber Salad

Phhoto from
Butter Your Biscuit

This Thai cucumber salad was the perfect side dish for a any weeknight dinner, but especially for the Red Curry Dumpling Soup I made tonight. 

Crisp cucumbers, tangy lime juice, sweet chili sauce (YUM), and crunchy peanuts come together in a way that tastes so fresh and bright. It’s one of those recipes that feels restaurant-worthy but takes almost no effort to throw together. And makes enough to have as a leftover.

The dressing is the real star here. It’s sweet, savory, a little spicy, and somehow makes plain cucumbers completely addictive. 

Thai Cucumber Salad

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 6

• 2 English cucumbers sliced ¼ inch thin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ red onion halved and sliced ¼ inch thin
• ½ cup peanuts chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 2 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 clove garlic minced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste

Place 1/2 of the sliced cucumbers in a strainer and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over them, then place the second layer followed by another teaspoon of salt. Let sit for about 20 minutes, rinse, put on a paper towel, and pat dry. (This step is optional but allows the cucumbers to stay crisp longer.)

Place the sliced cucumbers, onions, peanuts, and cilantro in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl add the sweet chili sauce, honey, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and mix until combined.

Pour the sauce over the cucumbers and toss until coated. Add salt to taste.

Red Curry Dumpling Soup

This one-pot, minimal effort Red Curry Dumpling Soup somehow tastes like something you ordered from your favorite cozy little noodle shop. It tastes that good. 

The combination of coconut milk, spicy red curry paste, dumplings, and herbs creates the kind of meal that makes you pause after the first bite because it’s just that good. It’s rich without being heavy, spicy without setting your mouth on fire (though you can make it that hot if you want), and the dumplings soak up all that flavorful broth like little pockets of happiness.

The broth is the real star here though. Coconut milk smooths out the heat from the curry paste while fish sauce, garlic, and ginger build that deeply savory flavor that makes you keep going back for “just one more spoonful.” Don't forget the cilantro and green onions. They really finish the broth nicely. 

This recipe definitely makes just enough for 2 hungry people, or maybe 3 if you’re serving something alongside it like I did. I paired it with an incredible cucumber salad and together the two dishes were an absolute explosion of Asian-inspired flavors. The cool, crisp cucumber salad balanced the rich, spicy curry broth perfectly. 

I wouldn’t change a single thing about this recipe. The broth was creamy, flavorful, and packed with just the right amount of heat, while the dumplings made it hearty enough to feel like a complete comfort meal. This one is absolutely going into the regular dinner rotation.

And the best part? I still have half a bag of dumplings left in the freezer, which basically guarantees this soup is happening again very soon.

Red Curry Dumpling Soup

Recipe from Moribyan

Serves 2-3

SOUP BASE

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup red curry paste
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 13-ounce can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup water or broth
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or palm sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or 1 finely chopped red chili (to taste)
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped Thai basil
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, optional garnish
• chili oil, optional garnish

DUMPLINGS

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 12 to 16 dumplings or wontons

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Once it’s warm, add the ginger paste and minced garlic. Sauté for a minute or two until fragrant, but don’t let it brown.

Stir in the red curry paste and cook for about 2 minutes to bring out its full flavor.

Pour in the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir until everything is well combined, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble for 5 to 7 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

Taste the broth first before adding any salt. Then season as needed. Adjust with more lime juice, sugar, or red pepper flakes depending on how tangy, sweet, or spicy you like it.

While the soup simmers, heat neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the dumplings or wontons in a single layer and cook until the bottoms are golden brown. Add a splash of water, cover, and steam until fully cooked through.

Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil and cilantro.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with the crispy dumplings. Garnish with scallions or a drizzle of chili oil if you like a kick.

Easy Creamy Beef and Shells

Easy was the only requirement tonight. I was this close to giving in and ordering takeout, but I managed to talk myself into making this simple recipe at home instead. How hard could a creamy tomato sauce really be? Not hard at all—this one is about as easy as it gets.

What caught my eye in the recipe was a slightly unexpected ingredient: a teaspoon of chili powder. I’ve spent years cooking, and I can’t remember ever adding chili powder to a tomato sauce that wasn’t meant for chili. It felt a little out of place, but I’ve been trying to stick closer to recipes lately and push my comfort zone a bit.

And honestly? I get it now. You can definitely taste it, but instead of feeling “wrong,” it adds this subtle depth that I wasn’t expecting. It doesn’t scream spice—it just quietly rounds everything out in a really interesting way.

Easy Creamy Beef and Shells

Recipe from Salt & Lavendar

Serves 4

• 8 ounces medium uncooked shells
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1/3 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
• Salt & pepper to taste

Boil water for your pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat (ok if it browns a little).

Add the beef to the pan and cook it until it's browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along (about 5 minutes). If there's a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.

Stir in the garlic and chili powder, then add the tomato sauce and beef broth. Give it a good stir and cook it for 4-5 minutes or so (reduce the heat so it's gently simmering). The sauce should reduce a bit, but don't let it go dry.

Stir in the cream and season with salt & pepper as needed. Let the cream warm through and then toss with the drained pasta shells. Serve immediately.

The Best Smash Burger Taco

Smash burger tacos had their moment all over social media—and, true to form, I showed up fashionably late. But honestly? This is one trend that’s absolutely worth circling back to. The idea is kind of genius: all the crave-worthy flavors of a juicy burger, tucked into a tortilla. And if you go the low-carb route like I do, it’s an easy way to keep things a little lighter without sacrificing that “burger night” satisfaction.

Now, I’ve tried the traditional smash burger taco method before—the one where you press raw ground beef directly onto the tortilla and cook it all together. Maybe it works for some people, but for me? Not so much. The tortilla soaked up all that grease and turned into a soft, gummy mess. Definitely not the vibe I was going for.

This version, though? Total game changer. You cook the burger patty first—just like you normally would—then layer it onto the tortilla. Simple shift, big payoff. The tortilla stays intact, the texture is spot on, and you still get all those delicious burger flavors in every bite.

And let’s talk about the real star of the show: the sauce. It pulls everything together in the best way—creamy, tangy, a little punchy. I made it even better by using Grillo's Pickles, which bring that bold, garlicky crunch that takes these tacos over the top. If you’re a pickle person, don’t skip them—they make a difference.

Late to the trend or not, this is one recipe that’s worth giving it a shot.

The Best Smash Burger Taco

Recipe from The Wooden Skillet

Makes 6 burger / tacos

Burger Sauce:

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

Smash Burger Tacos:

• 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 slices American cheese
• 6 flour tortillas, street taco size (note street size taco shells - this is important)
• shredded lettuce
• burger pickles
• optional other toppings: bacon, white onions

Make Burger Sauce: Add 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. Divide into 6 equal-sized balls. Set aside.

Prep Other Ingredients: Make sure you have your tortillas and cheese, salt + pepper ready to bring to your pan. Also make sure your other toppings are ready to go (shredded lettuce, burger pickles). The cook time goes super fast so having everything prepped is a must!

Preheat your pan (or flat top griddle) to a medium-high heat. Place ballsin the pan. Using a burger press, slowly press down on each ball to flatten until the patties are flattened as much as you possibly can. This will take 15-20 seconds per patty. Let sit and cook for the next 40-60 seconds. You want it there long enough to get a crust on the burger. Depending on how thick your smash burger is, this time may vary. Once you have a crust, flip and and let the other side get a crust too. 

When the burger is almost done, put the cheese on for it to melt. Transfer to plate.

Put the burger on a tortilla and then build your taco/burger. Add shredded lettuce, burger sauce, and pickles. Feel free to also add bacon and thin white onion if you want. Enjoy!

Vietnamese Meatballs

Photo from 12tomatoes

Apparently, my kitchen has had a serious gap in its global cuisine lineup—Vietnamese food. I did a quick search through my blog and found absolutely nothing, nada, zelch. Not that this dish was meant to fix that, but it was a surprising little discovery nonetheless.

This recipe started its life as a Vietnamese Meatball Salad. Keyword: salad. Things were going great—I had the meatballs prepped and cooking, everything smelled amazing—until I went to assemble the greens. That’s when it all fell apart. My napa cabbage? Moldy. My pre-chopped romaine from earlier in the week? Also gone. Completely unsalvageable.

So… pivot time.

No greens meant no salad, which meant I needed a new plan. Enter: basmati rice. I threw a pot together as a side, and honestly, it ended up being the better move. The rice paired perfectly with the meatballs.

And let’s talk about these meatballs for a second. They are so good. Savory, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. The only catch is a bit of planning ahead—they need a couple of hours to rest before cooking—but beyond that, they’re pretty low effort for such a big payoff. I’m already planning to make them again as part of a meal prep rotation. They’d be perfect to have on hand for quick lunches or snacks throughout the week. I also wonder what they'd be like with ground chicken.

I made mine on the smaller side—just under an inch—and I’m glad I did. Originally, it was because they were destined for a salad, but even without the greens, the size turned out to be ideal. Bite-sized, easy to eat, and somehow even more satisfying.

A couple of quick tips if you’re making these:
First, do not skip browning the meatballs. That step adds so much flavor, and you’d definitely miss it.
Second, consider doubling the batch. These disappear fast, and they make for an excellent grab-and-go snack all week long.

Next time? I might add a little sriracha for a kick. Because honestly, the only thing better than these meatballs… is these meatballs with a bit of heat.

Vietnamese Meatballs

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4-6

FOR MEATBALLS:

• 1 lb. Ground pork
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper & ¼ teaspoon salt

• Searing oil, for cooking

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil in the meatball mix. Mix thoroughly to combine, then scoop each meatball with a small ice cream-scoop to portion each meatball. Place scooped meatballs onto a parchment-lined sheet tray and once done place in the fridge for at least one hour or best overnight, covered.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of cooking oil for one minute. Place the meatballs 1-inch apart from each other in the pan and sear for 1 minutes per side, making sure to sear at least three sides. Remove to a clean sheet tray and finish baking these in the oven for 5 - 8 minutes.

How I made my rice:

1 c basmati rice, washed

1 c chicken broth (I used Knorr Chicken boullion and water)

1/2 c diced onion

Put about 2 T olive oil in a pan and saute the rice until its a little browned. Don't skip this step, it really does add a lot of flavor. I aslo dropped in the onion while the rice sauted. 

Put the water in. Cover it, bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn it down to low. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. 

Creamy Tomato Tortellini (One Pan)

I’ve come to a very important realization lately: I don’t eat nearly enough tortellini. Which feels like a personal failure, honestly. It’s one of my go-to orders whenever I’m at an Italian restaurant—comforting, a little indulgent, always satisfying—but for some reason, I rarely make it at home. Maybe it feels a bit too decadent for a regular weeknight… but then again, I’ve decided I’m worth a little decadence. Low-carb? Not today.

Lately, I’ve also fallen down a bit of a recipe rabbit hole with Salt & Lavender food blog. I stumbled across it and promptly bookmarked what felt like half the site. This dish marks my third recipe from there this month, and at this point, it’s safe to say I’m hooked.

Every home cook needs a solid tomato sauce in their back pocket. It’s the little black dress of the kitchen—simple, reliable, and always appropriate. Over the years, I’ve made my fair share, and once you understand the basics—good tomatoes, garlic, maybe some onion, and a blend of Italian herbs—you can make magic with just a few ingredients.

But this sauce? This one took things up a notch.

It starts with that classic tomato base, then adds a splash of cream to create a rich, velvety sauce that feels just a little extra (in the best way). Creamy tomato sauce is one of those things that’s hard to resist, and this version absolutely delivers.

I followed the recipe pretty closely… right up until the very end. I had a couple tablespoons of pesto hanging out in the fridge this dish, and it felt like fate. So in it went. And let me tell you—that little addition made a big difference. The pesto brought a bright, herby depth that took the sauce from really good to “why haven’t I always done this?”

Consider this your sign to add tortellini back into your life—and definitely into your dinner rotation. And if you don’t already have a go-to tomato sauce, now’s the time to fix that. Trust me, once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini (One Pan)

Recipe from Salt & Lavendar

Serves 4

• 2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (14 fluid ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving, to taste

Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat. Once it melts, add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, stirring constantly.

Add in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, cream, and Italian seasoning. Stir/whisk until it's nice and smooth.

Stir in the tortellini (no need to boil it first). Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

If the tortellini is still a little firm, continue cooking it for another few minutes (stoves and pans vary). If needed, increase the heat a bit. If the sauce thickens/reduces too much (the pasta releases starch, thickening the sauce as it cooks), add another splash of cream or a little chicken/veg broth.

Season with salt & pepper as needed (I'm fairly generous with both). You may want to add in a little sugar too if the tomato sauce tastes to acidic. 

Serve immediately with plenty of parmesan cheese grated over top.

Creamy Hamburger Potato Soup

Photo from Salt and
Lavendar

Soup season is winding down, and honestly, I’m not ready to say goodbye. There’s just something about a cozy bowl of soup that feels like a warm hug at the end of the day. But I also can’t deny the pull of sunnier, warmer weather—so I guess it’s time to slowly let go… at least until fall rolls back around.

That said, Seattle’s “early spring” still leans on the chilly side, which makes sneaking in a few more soup nights completely justified. When I was doing my usual random recipe pick for the week, I was genuinely surprised when a soup popped up. Out of the hundreds of soup recipes I’ve collected, they rarely seem to make the cut—go figure.

This one has been on my radar ever since I fell down the delicious rabbit hole of Salt & Lavender. It checked all my boxes: hearty beef, loads of vegetables, and the kind of flavors I already love in a classic vegetable soup. But the twist? Making it creamy. That little upgrade took something familiar and turned it into something extra comforting and just a bit indulgent.

And let me tell you—it delivered. This soup is rich, filling, and packed with that cozy beef-and-veggie goodness, with the cream adding a smooth, velvety finish without overpowering everything else.

The only tweak I made was adjusting the thickness. The original version appeared a bit thicker, but I kept mine more on the brothy side. I love a soup that still feels like soup—not edging into stew or gravy territory. That said, I can absolutely see the appeal both ways, so it really just comes down to what kind of comfort you’re craving in your bowl.

Creamy Hamburger Potato Soup

Recipe from Salt and Lavendar

Serves 6

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion chopped small
• 2 medium carrots peeled & chopped small
• 2 sticks celery chopped small
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups chicken or beef broth
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 2 medium-to-large Russet potatoes peeled & diced
• 3/4 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
• Seasoning salt & pepper to taste, see note

Add the ground beef to a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Cook until browned, breaking the meat up as you go along (about 8-10 minutes).

Once the beef has browned, take it out of the pot and transfer it to a paper towel lined plate. Discard most of the fat from the pot but don't wipe it out.

Add the oil, butter, onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and sauté for 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and flour, and cook for about a minute, stirring nearly constantly.

Add in the chicken broth. Give it a good stir to ensure the flour has dissolved and the flavorful browned bits are scraped up from the bottom of the pot.

Add in the Worcestershire sauce, cream, potatoes, corn, and cooked beef. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer so it's gently boiling.

Cook, with the lid slightly open, until the potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). Stir occasionally.

Generously season the soup with seasoning salt & pepper.