There are things you can easily buy that save you a ton of time — and I’m all for that. Life gets busy, and making cooking simple and sustainable is always the goal. I go in spurts: sometimes I love making things from scratch, and sometimes my brain genuinely cannot handle the extra steps. Both are valid.

But this summer, my garden has been quietly reminding me to slow down. To do some things the longer way. To actually enjoy the process instead of always optimizing for speed.

So when my partner and I were craving lemon pepper wings, I thought — why not try making the seasoning myself?

It turned out to be one of the most satisfying little kitchen projects I’ve done in a while. Three ingredients. A dehydrator or oven. And a result that tastes better than anything from a jar.

Here’s how simple it actually is.

You need lemons, whole peppercorns, and salt. That’s the entire ingredient list.

Take 5 lemons and peel off just the yellow part — try to leave as much of the white pith behind as possible, since that’s where the bitterness lives. Lay the peels on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or your dehydrator tray), making sure to leave space between each piece so air can circulate.

Set your oven to its lowest possible temperature, or your dehydrator to 130–140°F. Walk away. Check after 2 hours, then once an hour after that until the peels are fully dried — no softness, no moisture left. The time varies depending on your oven or dehydrator, but you don’t need to hover over it. It’s a great thing to do on a day when you’re home but busy with other things.

Once the peels are fully dried, put them in a coffee grinder with ¼ cup of whole peppercorns and pulse until you get a rough blend — you want some texture, not a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl, add 1–2 teaspoons of salt, and mix together. Taste it. Adjust the pepper and salt until it’s exactly what you want. That’s it.

Store in an airtight container and use it on wings, drumsticks, steak, fish, chicken with a butter sauce — honestly almost anything that wants a bright, peppery kick.

It’s funny how something this small can feel so rewarding. There’s something about making a seasoning from scratch — something you’d normally just grab off a grocery store shelf without thinking — that makes the meal feel like it has a little extra love in it.

What do you like to make from scratch that brings that something extra to a dish? I’d love to know — reply and tell me.

My herbs have officially taken over. And I couldn’t be happier about it.

There is something genuinely magical about walking out your back door, picking fresh basil or rosemary, and using it five minutes later in whatever you’re cooking. Farm to table doesn’t get more literal than that. But when your garden starts producing more than you can use in a week, you have to start thinking ahead — and that’s exactly what I did.

I wanted to find ways to preserve what I’m growing so I can enjoy it long after the season ends. I landed on three methods: frozen pesto, dehydrating, and herb salt. Here’s how each one went.

Frozen pesto. This one was almost too easy — mostly because I’d just gotten my Souper Cubes (did you read last week’s post? I’m still obsessed). I whipped up a simple pesto with basil, tahini, red wine vinegar, and olive oil, poured it straight into the silicone trays, froze overnight, and popped the cubes into a labeled zip lock bag. Individual portions of fresh pesto, ready whenever I need them. Easy peasy doesn’t even cover it.

Dehydrating. I recently got a dehydrator and this was my inaugural voyage. I washed and dried the herbs, laid them out, and let the machine do its thing for about 12 hours. They came out perfectly — completely dried, full of color, and they smell incredible. I stored them whole in small glass containers, labeled everything, and now I have dried basil, purple basil, mint, spearmint, rosemary, and lavender lined up and ready to go. Seeing them all together honestly made me so happy. Something about preserving food you grew yourself just feels really satisfying.

Herb salt. This one was the simplest of all three. Rosemary, oregano, and salt into the food processor, pulsed until the herbs were chopped and everything came together. Spread it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and baked at 250°F for 15 minutes. Let it cool, transferred to a glass container, done. It’s beautiful and smells amazing. One note for next time though — I think I’d skip the food processor for the salt and just pulse the herbs separately, then mix them into the salt by hand in a bowl. I want it a little more gritty and textured rather than fully blended. But it absolutely gets the job done and it’s going on everything.

Finding ways to extend the life of fresh things is genuinely my favorite kind of kitchen project. There’s something so satisfying about pulling a cube of pesto from the freezer in January that came from basil you grew in June. That’s the whole point.

More garden updates coming — the tomatoes are almost there. 🌿

I use a pretty small handful of kitchen tools on a daily basis. I do love a good kitchen gadget, but normally it doesn’t always get put into the routine of tools I use. But every once in a while something comes along that fills a hole you didn’t even know existed — and that’s the best kind of kitchen discovery.

Enter the Souper Cubes.

If you read my post about what I keep in my freezer, you know I’m a big Pyrex person. Glass containers, labeled, stacked, ready to go. It works. But here’s the thing nobody talks about — those containers take up a lot of freezer real estate. And while your meals are in there, your Pyrex is out of commission. For someone who uses them constantly, that’s actually a problem.

A friend mentioned Souper Cubes to me kind of offhandedly, and I decided to just try them and see. I got the variety pack, thawed out all the extra bits I had stored in glass, transferred everything into the silicone trays, and froze them overnight.

Problem solved. Just like that.

The process couldn’t be simpler. Fill the silicone cubes with whatever you want to freeze — leftovers, extra soup, sauces, cooked grains, broth portions, you name it. Let them sit overnight. Pop the frozen blocks out and transfer into a labeled zip lock bag (I wrapped mine in parchment so I could make sure to label what each item is). Your Pyrex is free, your freezer suddenly has room to breathe, and everything is organized in a way that actually makes sense.

When you’re ready to eat, just pull out however many blocks you need, put them in a bowl, cover, and transfer to the fridge to thaw. Done.

I love when something is exactly as simple as it sounds.

Don’t you love finding something you didn’t know you needed? That’s the Souper Cubes for me. If you have a full freezer and a Pyrex dependency, it’s absolutely worth the try.

Happy freezing. 🧊

I started a garden. And I have made a few mistakes along the way.

But I’m absolutely loving it — so let’s talk about what I’ve learned.

I watered too much. In the beginning I was overly eager. Austin summers are hot, the sun is relentless, and I figured every other day made sense. It did not. After a trip to my local garden center I learned that you’re supposed to let the top 2 to 3 inches of soil dry out completely before watering again. Lesson learned. Ironically, it’s been raining so much here lately that watering has been completely out of my hands — which at least cuts down on the work, even if it’s not ideal. Nature is doing its thing and I’m just along for the ride.

I didn’t know I needed to fertilize. I did everything right at the start — good organic soil, the right location, proper spacing. But around week six, things just weren’t growing the way I expected. The herbs especially seemed stuck. Another trip to the garden center and I came home with two things: one to make the soil more acidic (which plants apparently love) and one to actually fertilize and give everything a push. That was a week or two ago and I can already see a difference. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know — and that’s what garden centers are for. Grateful I asked.

I put the string beans and cucumbers in grow bags right next to each other. Both have absolutely exploded and are now completely intertwined. It’s a beautiful, chaotic mess. Lesson firmly learned — give climbing plants room to do their thing, because they will do their thing whether you planned for it or not. Next season I’ll know better.

Despite all of this — or maybe because of it — I am genuinely loving this garden more than I expected. We have a path behind our house that people walk on every day, and almost everyone stops to look. Strangers pause and smile. Neighbors come by to check on the progress. That brings me so much joy — more than I anticipated.

So far I’ve harvested two cucumbers, a handful of herbs, and one very exciting cherry tomato. I have a yellow squash almost ready and what looks like a whole season of tomatoes on the way. And my zinnias are just about to bloom — which is making me excited. My grandmother and I used to plant zinnias together when I was little. Seeing them about to open in my own garden makes me think of her and brings a smile to my face.

I hope my next update I’m reporting back with a full harvest. Until then — I’ll be out there in the rain, talking to my plants, pretending I know what I’m doing.

More soon. 🌱

If there’s one kitchen skill I wish more people knew about, it’s quick pickling. It sounds fancy. It’s not. It’s genuinely one of the easiest things you can make, and it will upgrade almost any meal you put it on.

Here’s the thing — it’s as simple as 1:1:1:1.

1 cup water. 1 cup vinegar. 1 tablespoon sugar. 1 tablespoon salt.

Bring that to a boil, pour it over whatever vegetable you want to pickle, and you’re done. That’s the whole recipe. Everything else is just making it your own.

The brine. The 1:1:1:1 ratio is your base — and it works every time. But this is where you can start having some fun. Add a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary, a smashed garlic clove, a pinch of peppercorns, some mustard seeds or cumin seeds. Any of those will take the brine from good to really good. I almost always add garlic and peppercorns at minimum. It just adds that extra punch that makes people ask what’s in it.

The vegetables. This is where I love quick pickling most — there are almost no rules. From cucumbers, red onions, carrots, and jalapeños to radishes, cauliflower, green beans and peppers, if it’s a vegetable, you can probably pickle it. The ones I come back to most regularly are cucumbers, red onions, and jalapeños. They’re the most versatile and honestly the most delicious. A quick-pickled red onion on almost anything — tacos, grain bowls, sandwiches, eggs — is a game changer every single time.

The cut matters more than you think. Once the brine is made, the fun part is deciding how you want to cut things. Sometimes I cut a cucumber into spears, sometimes thin slices, sometimes small bite-size pieces — it depends entirely on how I’m feeling that day (lol). Same with jalapeños: thinly sliced for heat in every bite, left whole if I want something a little more decorative. Cut your vegetables in uniform sizes so they pickle evenly. That’s really the only rule.

One small trick for tender quick pickles. For vegetables like onions or radishes where you want a little more tenderness, add them directly to the simmering brine for 2 to 3 minutes before pouring into the jar. It softens them just slightly without losing that satisfying crunch. For cucumbers and jalapeños I skip this step — I want them crisp.

The best part — use what you have. Have vegetables that are about to turn? Pickle them. Have leftover half a head of cauliflower from something else? Pickle it. Quick pickling is one of the best ways to reduce waste in your kitchen and actually use things up instead of watching them go soft in the crisper drawer. I do this all the time.

They keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, though honestly they never last that long in my house.

Try a pickle a week and see how it changes your meals. I think you’ll be surprised how often you reach for the jar once it’s in there.

Happy pickling. 🥒

I’ll be honest — I’ve always been a bamboo cutting board person. There’s something that just makes cooking feel right with it. I never really questioned it.

But lately a few clients have been asking me about alternatives, and I figured — I’m in the kitchen every single day. I might as well actually test these things properly and give you a real answer instead of just guessing. So I spent time cooking on all three: stainless steel, plastic, and bamboo. Here’s what I found.

Stainless steel. Let me start here because this one gave me the strongest reaction — and not in the way I expected. If the sound of nails on a chalkboard makes you want to leave the room, this board is not for you. The knife screech is real, and it doesn’t really go away. I tried switching to my ceramic knife and it helped a little, but only a little. The knife also tended to slip more than I’d like, which is worth noting from a safety standpoint. And after doing some research, it seems like over time stainless can dull your knives faster than a softer surface — which matters when you’ve invested in good knives. That said — it is genuinely exceptional for hygiene. Nothing gets trapped, nothing absorbs, it’s odor resistant, and it goes straight in the dishwasher. If cleanliness is your absolute top priority and the sound doesn’t bother you, it’s a solid choice. It’s just not mine.

Plastic. I used these constantly in restaurant kitchens, and I actually love the color-coding system — green for fruits and vegetables, red for red meat, yellow for poultry, white for pantry items. One color per food group, zero cross-contamination. It’s simple and it genuinely works in a busy kitchen. But at home? I’m not a huge fan. They’re lightweight and budget-friendly, which is nice, but they don’t hold up well over time. The knife grooves accumulate fast and are nearly impossible to fully clean — bacteria finds a home in there. And here’s the thing that really got me: microplastics. Every time your knife scores the surface, tiny pieces of plastic can chip off into your food. No one wants that. If you want something cheap that you replace every few months, fine. But I think you can do better.

Bamboo. This has become my personal favorite of the three. It’s more scratch-resistant compared to a traditional wood board. Fewer knife grooves means easier to clean, which means better hygiene overall. It’s also more affordable than a quality wood cutting board, which feels like a genuine win. The only real downsides are that you can’t put it in the dishwasher (it will warp over time) and it’s slightly stiffer than what I’m used to with wood. Neither of those are dealbreakers for me. It feels great to work on, it holds up beautifully, and I find myself reaching for it all the time now. Hand wash it, oil it occasionally, and it will last you years.

At the end of the day, everyone has a cutting board that just feels right in their hands. Some of this is genuinely personal — the weight, the sound, how it looks on your counter. You have to find your own favorite. But if you’re asking me what I’d put in your kitchen right now, it’s bamboo. Every time.

Happy cutting. 🔪

Everyone has their kitchen philosophy. Mine is built around having the right things on hand so that cooking feels like a choice, not a scramble. And a lot of that starts with the freezer.

Here’s what I keep stocked—and why.

Quality meat. I used to be a fresh-only person. Not really a fan of stocking up on frozen meats. But life happens, and there are too many evenings where dinner arrives and a grocery run didn’t. Now I stock up through my Farmhouse Delivery most weeks—different proteins, good quality, all tucked away in the freezer. Having a variety to choose from takes so much pressure off the “what are we having tonight” moment. It’s a game changer.

Edamame and peas. I’m not a frozen vegetable person in general—you won’t find bags of mixed veggies in there. But edamame and peas are the exception. They’re flavorful, versatile, and perfect for those days when you need a vegetable and have nothing fresh around. Always a good idea to have both.

Cooked meals in glass Pyrex. If something is about to turn, or I’ve made a big batch of something and we’re over it—stick a label on it and into the freezer it goes. There is nothing better than having a real, home cooked meal that just needs to thaw and heat on a day when cooking sounds like the last thing you want to do. I try to get through them within a month to avoid freezer burn, but honestly just knowing they’re there is half the comfort.

Cookie dough balls. My partner and I try to stay away from sweets most of the time. But some days you just need a chocolate chip cookie. So I make a batch, roll them into balls, freeze them, and bake just a few at a time. Accessible without being too accessible. You know what I mean.

Frozen bananas. I don’t keep fresh bananas around regularly, but a few frozen ones? Always. They’re perfect for smoothies, baking, or anything that calls for a banana when you don’t have one. Small thing, big payoff.

Bone broth. I make a batch most weeks, use what I need, and freeze the rest in portions. Having good bone broth ready to thaw is one of those quiet kitchen luxuries that makes everything taste better and is genuinely good for you. I made a whole post about it, check it out here. Great to have when you aren’t feeling well and want to make some nourishing soup.

Coffee. My dad keeps his coffee in the freezer. So I do too. Is there a strong scientific reason? Honestly I’m not completely sure. But some habits you just inherit and don’t question. Anyone else do random things simply because their parents did?

Dog food. Yes, you read that right. I cook my dog’s food, and I keep a good stash frozen so there’s always some ready to go. Maybe unexpected. But would you really expect anything less from a chef with a dog?

A well-stocked freezer isn’t about being a prepper. It’s about giving yourself options, reducing stress, and making sure that on the hard days, your kitchen still has your back!

The other day I looked at my wooden spoon—my perfect sauce stirrer, scrambled egg maker, mixer of all things—and it looked a little lackluster compared to the others. Dull. Dry. A little neglected. And I realized I had been so focused on what I was cooking that I forgot to take care of the tool that helps me do it.

{Top one doesn’t get used often, but the bottom one needed some love}

So I gave my wooden spoons some love. And today I’m passing that reminder on to you.

Here’s how I do it:

Daily cleaning: Wash with a mild soap and warm water, then let them air dry. That’s it. Simple. And please—do not put them in the dishwasher. The heat and prolonged moisture dries them out fast and they will crack. I’ve seen it happen too many times.

Every so often, disinfect: Mix equal parts distilled white vinegar and warm water. Use a rag to apply it all over the spoon, then rinse and let dry completely. Easy, effective, and nothing harsh going near something that touches your food.

Oil them: This is the step most people skip and it’s the most important one. Wooden spoons need oil to stay hydrated and avoid cracking. I use fractionated coconut oil or regular coconut oil because I’m particular about what I put on anything that comes into contact with food. Apply a thick layer with a dry towel, let it sit overnight, then wipe off any excess in the morning. You’ll notice the difference immediately.

One thing I don’t do: boil them to clean. Some people swear by it but in my experience it dries them out faster and brings you closer to cracking. Same reason I avoid the dishwasher. Wood and extreme heat are not friends.

Take care of your wooden spoon and it will take care of you for years. Treat it like the workhorse it is—because in my kitchen, that spoon earns its keep every single day.

{Now the bottom one almost looks better than the one that never gets used!}

Now go check on yours. It might be trying to tell you something!

Funny how life comes back around.

For the last twenty years, I’ve lived in places without garden space. A year here or there where it was possible, but mostly no. And somewhere along the way I started to miss it—not the weeding, but the idea of it. The connection to something growing. The satisfaction of walking outside and coming back in with dinner.

So this year I decided to just do it.

We rent, so I didn’t want to tear up the yard. I went with raised beds and grow bags instead—and can I just say, if you haven’t heard of grow bags, they are so cool. Fabric pots that breathe, drain beautifully, and you can move them around. I had never used them before and now I’m obsessed.

I used AI (Claude) to help me figure out exactly what to plant—specific to my area, what’s right for the season, and dog friendly just in case our pup decided the grow bags looked like a snack. Then I was off to the local garden center, grabbed hay from a nearby farm, and got to work.

Here’s what went in:

Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumber, jalapeño, all kinds of herbs, beans, green onions, okra, radish, and carrots. And zinnias—because my grandmother loved them.

{The beginning: started with hay on the bottom to take up space before putting down the soil}

{The next step: add the soil}

{Finally planting!}

{Lastly: the grow bags planted with seeds}

And then something unexpected happened.

When I finally got my hands in the soil, I just... stopped. No music. No podcast. No phone. Just me, outside, in the dirt, in the quiet. There is something genuinely therapeutic about having your hands in the earth. I don’t say that lightly. It felt grounding in the most literal sense of the word. If you haven’t put your hands in soil or your feet in grass lately, I’d encourage you to find a reason to. It’s good for the soul in a way that’s hard to explain until you feel it.

What I’m really excited about though is this:

Walking outside, seeing what’s ripe, and cooking from that. No list. No plan. Just whatever the garden offers that day becoming the meal. That’s the dream. That’s the version of cooking I want more of in my life.

I’ll be honest—even with twenty years in professional kitchens, I don’t know that much about gardening. I’m learning as I go. And that’s actually one of my favorite parts. Something new to figure out, something to be a beginner at, something that should—hopefully—reward me with food grown right in my own backyard.

Come along for the adventure. I’ll show you what flourishes. And even what doesn’t. Either way, we’ll learn something!

Weekday mornings in my house are simple—eggs, some meat, a little cheese. Done. But weekends? Weekends deserve something that feels like a treat without making you feel like you need a nap afterward.

I’ve been making these protein pancakes for a while now, and they’ve become my go-to Saturday morning ritual. Five ingredients. One blender. More protein than you’d expect from something that tastes this good.

The secret is the cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. It sounds strange—I know. But you don’t taste it. What it does is pack in protein and give the pancakes this subtle richness that regular pancakes don’t have.

Here’s what you need:

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup cottage cheese or Greek yogurt

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• A little butter for the pan

Here’s what you do:

Add everything to a blender. Blend until smooth, scrape down the sides, then blend once more. The batter will be thinner than traditional pancakes—that’s exactly right. Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot, add your butter, then pour your desired pancake size. Cook a few minutes until bubbles form and edges look set, flip, and cook a few minutes more.

That’s it.

Top them with a blueberry compote or a warm cinnamon apple compote and suddenly your kitchen smells incredible and your weekend feels a little more intentional. A drizzle of good maple syrup never hurts either.

This is really what cooking is about for me. Not complicated. Not impressive for the sake of impressive. Just good, simple food that makes you feel good. That’s twenty years of cooking distilled into a Saturday morning.

Give these a try this weekend and let me know what you top yours with.

There’s a roll of parchment paper in my pantry at all times. Always. It’s one of those things that once you understand why, you can’t go back.

For years I used aluminum foil like most people do—roasting vegetables, baking chicken, lining pans. It felt practical. It felt normal. Then I learned something that changed that pretty quickly: at high temperatures, aluminum can start to leach into your food. And it gets worse when you add salt or acid—think lemon, tomatoes, vinegar—which are things I cook with constantly. The idea of that going into food I was carefully sourcing and preparing didn’t sit right with me.

So I made the switch to parchment. And honestly, I never looked back.

Why parchment is better for baking:

Nothing sticks. Cleanup is a dream. Your cookies slide right off, your roasted vegetables get that perfect caramelization without losing half of them to the pan, and your baked goods come out cleaner every single time. A side note: I do try to use non-bleached parchment—it’s worth getting!

One important note though—and I say this from experience: be careful using parchment under the broiler. It will catch fire. I’m not being dramatic. If I do need to broil something, I either put the food directly on the baking sheet, or use parchment and watch VERY carefully (lol).

But here’s where it gets really good—storage.

Most people don’t think about parchment beyond the oven, but it’s become one of my favorite food storage tools. Three reasons:

It keeps food from getting soggy. Layering parchment on the bottom of your container, then adding food on top (any food!), keeps things from turning into a sad, wet pile in your container.

It keeps food from sticking together. Proteins, doughs, cheese slices, you name it. Parchment between layers means everything comes apart cleanly when you need it.

And the presentation is just beautiful. There’s something about wrapping food in parchment that makes it feel intentional and cared for—whether it’s going in your fridge, a lunchbox, or on a cheese board.

It’s a small swap. But small swaps done consistently are how you build a kitchen that actually works for you.

Your spices are probably lonely. I know mine were. For years, I had a cabinet stuffed with jars I couldn’t see, so I grabbed the same three in front and ignored the rest. Then I watched La Pitchoune—this beautiful show about a cooking school in Julia Child’s French home. The premise is all about a recipe-free cooking lesson that encourages you to use your intuition when picking ingredients and putting it all together. One part that stuck with me is before they would start cooking, each student would go over to this huge wall of spices and pick out 4-5 to use in their dish. Honestly most of the spices I had never heard of, but the point was to make fun concoctions and try different herbs and spices. I was reminded how intentionality with spices transforms a meal. That changed my view on spices.

When I moved to Texas, I decided to organize mine so I could actually see what I had. I used tiered shelves to help organize into a single layer. Game changer. I noticed that I started to use more spices and I wouldn’t end up buying 3 of the same spice because it was tucked away in the back. Recently I found myself wanting to take it a step further: transitioning to a pretty uniform container (click here to check out what I used). I started to notice when I transferred my spices into containers that felt nice to touch and look at, I actually used them more. Sounds silly, but it’s true. Pretty and functional made me curious. Made me want to experiment.

So here’s my invitation to you: organize your spices however that looks for you. Maybe it’s tiered shelving. Maybe it’s grouping by type—baking, herbs, warm spices. Maybe it’s getting containers that make you smile. The point isn’t perfection. It’s removing the friction between you and flavor. Because the moment you can see and reach for your spices without wrestling a clunky lid, everything changes. You start cooking differently. You start trying things. Your food gets better, and so does your confidence.

What’s one spice you’ve been meaning to use? Let me know in the comments!

I wasn’t expecting it.

I posted a reel of a ground chicken crust pizza, topped it with pepperoni, bacon, and yes — pineapple — and the internet had opinions. Lots of them. Most of them good. A few of them deeply personal (pineapple related lol).

But here’s the thing: people weren’t just commenting about the pineapple. They wanted the recipe. Over and over. “What’s in that crust?” “Is that actually chicken?”

So here we are.

This pizza has no flour, no cauliflower, no sad substitutes. The crust is made entirely from ground chicken, eggs, parmesan, and seasonings — and it bakes up golden, firm, and sturdy enough to actually pick up and eat like a real slice. High protein, gluten-free by nature, and genuinely delicious in a way that makes you forget it’s “healthy.”

As for the pineapple — I’m not arguing with you. I’m just saying that the sweetness against the salty bacon and savory pepperoni hits differently. It’s balanced. It’s intentional. It’s a private chef decision and I’m standing on it.

Make this on a weeknight. Make it for your kids. Make it for your skeptical friends and don’t tell them what the crust is made of until after they’ve had two slices.

You’re welcome in advance.

Ground Chicken Crust Pizza Serves 2 | GF | High Protein

The Crust

• 1 lb ground chicken

• 2 eggs, lightly whisked

• ½ cup parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp granulated garlic

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp pepper

The Toppings

• Pizza sauce

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

• Toppings of your choice (My go-to: pepperoni, bacon, pineapple — trust the process)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In a bowl, combine ground chicken, eggs, parmesan, and all seasonings. Mix just until it comes together — don’t overwork it or the crust will toughen up.

3. Line a rectangle baking sheet or round pie pan with parchment paper. Press the chicken mixture out as thin as possible without creating any holes.

4. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch.

5. Remove from oven. Spread pizza sauce, add mozzarella, then pile on your toppings.

6. Crank the oven to 450°F and bake another 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown at the edges.

7. Let it cool a couple minutes, slice, and try not to eat the whole thing.

Let me know if you try it and what you think!!

A few weeks ago I told you about the only tools you actually need in a kitchen. I stand by every word.

But let’s be honest — a minimalist kitchen is still a kitchen. And kitchens get messy.

Which brings me to this little guy.

It’s a sink squeegee. And before you scroll past — hear me out.

I hate using my hands to scrape food scraps toward the drain. It’s one of those small, annoying moments that happens 10 times a day and nobody talks about. This thing eliminates it entirely. A few swipes, and done.

But it doesn’t stop at the sink. Run it across your countertops and it pulls all the water, crumbs, and general chaos right off the edge. You know that puddle that always collects behind the faucet? Gone.

This is the kind of tool that doesn’t make you a better cook — it just makes the whole experience cleaner, faster, and a little less irritating. And in a kitchen, reducing friction is everything.

Small tool. Surprisingly satisfying.

→ Grab it here: Kitchen Sqeegee

Maybe you are an herb pro, but if you are in the camp of them living and die in the veggie drawer or you don’t have a clue what to get, here are some of my favs and how I take care of them. Just knowing the basics can go a long way.

The roster

My go-to seven

These are the herbs I keep on rotation, always. If my fridge doesn’t have at least four of these at any given time, something has gone wrong (lol).

Italian parsley

Cilantro

Basil

Mint

Oregano

Rosemary

Thyme

Italian parsley and cilantro are my constants — they’re in almost everything. A few of my favorite uses for parsley: in a salad, in meatballs, in my go-to chimichurri sauce, or a sprinkle on almost any meal that just needs a little something (give it a try this week on your favorite meal and see if it adds to the flavor of your food). Cilantro is such a star. From curries, to tacos, to an Asian chicken burger, it changes food from bland to wow! Basil, mint, and oregano come in when I’m cooking Italian, Mediterranean, or anything that calls for that bright, aromatic lift. Try putting basil or mint sprinkled over your favorite salad or add oregano to a pesto or marination with your meat of choice. Rosemary and thyme round out the group, especially for roasted dishes, proteins, and anything slow-cooked.

Storage

Stop killing your herbs

Here’s the thing about being a private chef — I often go through my herbs the same day I buy them. That’s the nature of the job. But I know most of you aren’t cooking like that, which means storage actually matters. And the number one mistake I see? Leaving them in the plastic bag they came in.

That bag is basically a slow death sentence for fresh herbs. They wilt, they sweat, they get forgotten in the back of the veggie drawer. So let’s fix that.

The mason jar method

Parsley · Cilantro · Basil · Mint

Trim the stems and stand them upright in a mason jar with about an inch or two of water, like flowers. Store in the fridge. Change the water every couple of days and they’ll last up to two weeks.

The damp cloth method

Rosemary · Thyme · Oregano

Wrap loosely in a slightly damp paper towel or cloth, then slide into a reusable zip bag. These hardier herbs don’t need water — they just need a little humidity and room to breathe. I like the reusable silicone bags for this; better for the environment and they last forever.

**If you don’t have room in the fridge for several mason jars, wrap them all in the damp paper towel and store in a ziplock. It won’t last as long as the mason jar, but will definitely last longer than leaving in the plastic bag.

The visibility rule: If you can’t see your herbs, you won’t use them. Don’t bury them in the veggie drawer. Put your mason jars front and center in the fridge — they look beautiful and they’ll actually get used. Out of sight truly is out of mind when it comes to fresh herbs.

Fresh vs. dried

The rule nobody tells you

Every cooking show will tell you fresh herbs are always better.

Here’s my personal rule however: dried herbs belong in the heat, fresh herbs belong at the end. When you’re building a cooked sauce — a marinara, a braise, a soup — dried herbs can withstand the long cooking time and actually bloom beautifully in that environment. Fresh herbs added early will just turn grey and lose everything that makes them special. There are two exceptions to the rule: rosemary and thyme. They do thrive in a braised meat or stew situation.

I use dried oregano in my tortilla soup. Dried Italian herbs go straight into my marinara. They hold up better under heat.

Fresh herbs are for finishing. For brightness. For that pop of flavor right before the plate hits the table. Fresh cilantro on tacos. Fresh parsley on pasta. Fresh basil torn over a caprese salad.

And one more thing: dried is ALWAYS better than nothing. I’ll use dried dill in a tzatziki if I’m out of fresh. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will still be delicious. Don’t let the absence of fresh herbs stop you from adding dried ones.

Herb spotlight

Rosemary: the one I trust for more than cooking

Of all seven herbs on my roster, rosemary is the one I think about beyond just flavor. It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory — one of the most well-documented among culinary herbs. When I’m fighting something off or feeling run down, I’ll add a sprig to my immune tea (have you tried making from a recent post on Kitchen Medicine?. It adds an earthy, almost piney depth that works beautifully in a hot drink.

Most people only think of rosemary with roasted chicken or lamb. But it’s capable of so much more. Try it in a simple olive oil bread dip. Steep it in honey. Add a small sprig to your next pot of beans. It’s one of those herbs that rewards experimentation.

Recipe

The summer salad I make on repeat

This is the dish I make when I want to show someone what a single herb can do to a simple recipe. The mint here isn’t a garnish — it’s the whole point. It transforms what would be a perfectly nice salad into something that tastes like summer in a bowl.

Cucumber, Peach & Mint Salad

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

• 2 ripe peaches, thinly sliced

• Large handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• Good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

• Handful of toasted pine nuts

• Flaky salt to finish

Toss everything together just before serving. Add a protein of your choice — grilled chicken, burrata, or sliced prosciutto all work beautifully. Serves 2–4.

That’s it. No complicated technique. No hard-to-find ingredients. Just good produce, a generous hand with the mint, and the confidence to keep it simple.

Is there an herb you can’t live without? Would love to hear what are your go-to’s!! Now go grab some herbs, plop in some mason jars and add a few sprinkles to your next meal. You won’t regret it!

For years, I thought I needed all of it — every tool, every specialty pan, every “this will change your life” appliance.

Then we moved across the country from California to Texas.

And for about six months, we didn’t have most of our stuff.

No overflowing drawers.
No random appliances.
No backup of backups.

Just the basics.

And you know what?

I was completely fine.

Actually… I was better than fine.

That stretch forced me to realize something important:

You can cook incredibly well with far less than you think.

So I created a list of what you actually need in a kitchen — the real essentials. I’ve linked the exact versions I use and love in my Amazon storefront so you can build your own foundation without overthinking it.

Let’s build the kitchen.

The Core Cookware (The Real Workhorses)

If you get these right, you can cook almost anything.

• Small Stainless Steel Pot

For rice, reheating soup, boiling eggs, sauces.
This gets used constantly. Don’t skip it.

• Large Stainless Steel Pot

Pasta. Stocks. Big batches of soup. Braising meat.
If you ever cook for more than two people, this matters.

• Large Stainless Steel Sauté Pan

This is your everyday pan.
Chicken. Shrimp. Veg. Pan sauces.
Stainless steel gives you proper browning — and browning equals flavor.

• Cast Iron Pan

Eggs. Steak. Cornbread. Crispy anything.
Once seasoned, it’s basically indestructible.
This is the “forever” pan.

• Stainless Steel Baking Sheet

Roasted vegetables. Salmon. Cookies. Sheet pan dinners.
If you cook nothing else, learn how to roast well.

The Knives (You Do NOT Need a 15-Piece Set)

Marketing convinced people they need knife blocks.

You don’t.

• Chef’s Knife

This is 90% of your cutting. I personally love the light ceramic knives. But get what feels best for you.

• Paring Knife

For peeling, trimming, small detail work.

That’s it.

• Cutting Board

Large enough that you’re not chasing onions off the counter.

The Tools That Actually Matter

They don’t look sexy. They’re everything.

• Stainless steel whisk

• Wooden spoon

• Stainless steel tongs

• Stainless steel spatula

• Peeler

• Manual can opener

The Prep & Flavor Builders

This is where home cooks quietly level up.

• Set of Glass Bowls

Prep like a chef. Mise en place isn’t fancy — it’s efficient.

• Mandolin

Uniform slicing changes everything. Salads. Potatoes. Citrus.
(Be careful. Respect it.)

• Zester

Fresh citrus zest or finely grated garlic = immediate flavor upgrade.

• Cheese Grater

Love grating my own cheese. No pre-shredded cheese for me.

• Hand Juicer

Fresh lemon juice is non-negotiable in my kitchen.

The Only Appliance I’d Add

• Blender

Smoothies. Sauces. Soups. Dressings. Nut butters.
You don’t need five appliances. You need one strong one.

You’ll Notice What’s Missing

When I made this list, I didn’t ask,
“What’s trendy?”
I asked,
“What do I actually reach for every single day?”

There’s no giant knife block.
No drawer of one-use gadgets.
No appliances that live on the counter but rarely get used.

That doesn’t mean those things are bad.

It just means they’re not essential.

And when I went six months cooking without most of my “extras,” something shifted.

Cooking felt simpler.
Cleaner.
More intuitive.

I wasn’t digging through clutter.
I wasn’t distracted by options.
I was focused on ingredients and technique.

And that’s where the magic actually lives.

If you’re building your kitchen from scratch — or resetting what you already have — this is the foundation I’d start with.

I’ve linked the exact tools I use and love in my Amazon storefront here:

CLICK HERE

Think of it as your “chef-approved starter pack.”

From there, you can add personality.
But first? Build strength.

Now I’m curious —

If you opened your drawers right now, what’s one tool you could let go of… and what’s one you’d never give up?

Reply and tell me.

There are few things in life that feel as universally comforting as a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie. Not the fancy kind plated with tweezers or dusted with sea salt flakes for drama (though I respect the craft). I’m talking about the kind that’s soft in the center, slightly crisp at the edges, and somehow makes the day feel less heavy after the first bite.

My boyfriend and I are serious about chocolate chip cookies. We’re always on the hunt—bakeries, cafés, random spots locals swear by. One family vacation even turned into a full-blown cookie hunt when my mom and dad joined the mission!

And yet… after all that searching, I almost always come back to this cookie.

This one isn’t straight off the back of a chocolate chip bag—it’s a little different, a little more intentional—but it’s become my tried-and-true, crowd-pleasing cookie.

It’s the cookie I make when:

• friends stop by unexpectedly

• someone needs cheering up

• or honestly… when I just need a cookie

And here’s one of my favorite parts: I almost always bake half the batch and roll the rest into balls to freeze. Because life is unpredictable—but having cookie dough in your freezer? That’s planning ahead. Some things should always be on hand for the days that call for a chocolate chip cookie.

My Go-To Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups almond flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I usually use gluten-free flour here and it works great)

• ½ cup coconut sugar

• ½ cup maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• 10 tablespoons butter

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup chocolate chips

How I Make Them

1. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.

2. In a large bowl, mix everything except the chocolate chips.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips.

4. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes (don’t skip this—it matters).

5. Scoop and roll into balls, place on a lined baking sheet (about 8 per tray), and gently press down to flatten.

6. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, then rotate the trays (top to bottom).

7. Bake another 6 minutes, then add 2–5 more minutes if you like a little more crispy.

8. Let cool… or don’t. I won’t judge.

These cookies are soft, cozy, and endlessly adaptable. They’re the kind you make once and then keep coming back to—not because they’re trendy, but because they feel right.

So whether you’re baking them for someone you love, freezing dough for a future craving, or just standing in your kitchen with chocolate on your fingers and no regrets—this one’s for you.

Because some days just call for a chocolate chip cookie. And when they do, you should be ready. 🍪

This post is for all the people who hate cooking.
Or feel like they can’t cook.
Or feel intimidated just looking at a recipe.

Yep — you. Come here.

Whenever I tell someone I’m a private chef, I almost always ask the same follow-up question:

“Do you like to cook?”

I love asking it because the responses are never boring.

Sometimes the energy is high — they light up and start talking about their favorite meals, the dish they learned from their grandma, the one thing they make really well.

And sometimes… the vibe drops.

They shake their head like I just asked them if they enjoy doing taxes and go:
“No. Absolutely not.”

Over the holidays I asked someone this question and they said:

“I’m not a recipe follower, so nothing turns out. I don’t like cooking.”

And that got me thinking.

Because here’s the thing: I bet you couldn’t guess (lol), but I love cooking. I love feeding people. I love sitting down to a meal and knowing where the ingredients came from, what went into it, and how it was cooked.

And whenever possible, I want to pass that feeling on — because cooking isn’t some magical talent you’re born with. It’s a language. And like any language, you can learn it.

So if you’re someone who says “I can’t cook”… here’s my biggest advice.

The #1 Rule: Stop Free-Styling When You’re New

If you’re a beginner and you’re trying to “wing it” in the kitchen, I’m going to say this with love:

That’s exactly why it’s not turning out.

You don’t have to be a recipe follower forever — but in the beginning?

You do.

Because recipes are basically training wheels. They teach you timing, heat, sequence, and what things are supposed to look/smell/taste like when they’re done.

You can’t break the rules until you know what the rules are.

The Simple System That Works Every Time

1) Pick ONE simple recipe

Not “homemade noodles from scratch.” Not “braised short ribs with a reduction.”

Pick something that’s hard to mess up, like:

• roasted veggies + chicken thighs

• scrambled eggs + toast done right

• pasta with a simple sauce

• sheet pan salmon + rice

• chili or taco meat

• a basic stir-fry

Simple is not embarrassing. Simple is smart.

2) Read the recipe… then read it again

Before you cook anything, read the directions all the way through.

Then read it again until it feels familiar.

A lot of kitchen stress comes from starting a recipe and realizing halfway through you were supposed to:

• preheat the oven 20 minutes ago

• let something marinate

• have something chill in the fridge

• or have an ingredient you don’t have

Reading ahead removes the panic.

3) Look up what you don’t understand

If the recipe says “mince,” “fold,” “deglaze,” “simmer,” “julienne,” and you’re like… sir, what? —(“Just fold in the cheese!” my favorite line from Schitts Creek (lol))

Look it up.

The internet is powerful. Use it.

Watch a 30-second video. See what it looks like. Learn the word. That’s literally how people learn any skill.

4) Gather everything before you start

This part is underrated.

Get your ingredients out. Measure them. Chop what needs chopping. Put things in bowls if you need to.

It’s not extra — it’s how you stay calm and don’t burn the garlic while you’re digging through the fridge looking for a particular ingredient.

(We’ve all been there.)

5) Follow the recipe to a tee

And I mean… like it’s a contract.

Not:

• “I didn’t have lemon so I used vinegar”

• “I cooked it on high so it goes faster”

• “I didn’t measure anything, I felt it”

That’s for later.

Right now, you’re learning the language.

6) Make the same recipe 2–3 times

This is the cheat code.

Most people try one recipe once, it’s not perfect, and they decide they “can’t cook.”

No — you just tried something new one time.

Make it 2–3 times and pay attention to what changes:

• Does it taste better with a little more salt?

• Did it cook too long last time?

• Is the heat too high?

• What does “golden brown” look like on your stove?

Repetition creates confidence.

7) Then move to the next recipe

Same rule:

• read it thoroughly

• gather ingredients

• follow steps

• repeat

And before you know it, you’ll start doing what “good cooks” do:

You’ll look at a recipe and understand it.

Cooking Isn’t Talent — It’s Familiarity

People who “can cook” aren’t magically gifted.

They just know what things are supposed to look like:

• when onions are actually soft

• when chicken is truly done

• when a sauce is too thick

• when something needs acid or salt

That knowledge comes from reps, not vibes.

So if you’ve been telling yourself you can’t cook — I’m calling that bluff (nicely).

You’re not bad at cooking.
You’re just new.

And new is fixable.

Valentine’s Day always brings up the obvious: fancy dinners, reservations, chocolate-covered everything.

And don’t get me wrong — I love a beautiful meal. I love an excuse to make something special.

But as a private chef, the older I get, the more I realize that love doesn’t always show up in the over-the-top moments.

Most of the time, love looks like something much simpler.

Love looks like the ingredients you choose.
The rituals you return to.
The comfort meals that never fail.
The way you take care of yourself and the people around you.

So in honor of the day of love, I thought I’d share a few food things I’m loving right now — the little things that make life feel fuller.

And then I want to tell you why, this year, I’m skipping the big Valentine’s dinner… and making breakfast the special meal instead.

Because honestly, the first meal of the day deserves a little extra love too.

A Few Things I Love (Food Edition)

1. Good Quality Ingredients

If you’ve been around here for a bit, you know I’m big on this.

Not because everything needs to be fancy — but because quality ingredients make even the simplest meals feel nourishing and grounding.

My partner and I recently bought a half cow from a local farm (shout out Bastrop Cattle Co here in the Austin area), and it’s been one of the best decisions we’ve made.

There’s something so satisfying about knowing where your food came from… that it was raised well, sourced locally, and handled with care.

The meal might be simpler because I’m spending a little more on the ingredient itself…

But I feel better.
And it tastes better.

We also love getting meat and produce from Farmhouse Delivery here in Austin. There is something to say about getting food less than 100 miles from the farm to my doorstep. Not only do you get to support farms when you shop local, but you appreciate the food more. It just tastes better. Sometimes a quick google search for something local in your area (that might even deliver!) could be the best decision.

It’s old-school in the best way: real food, real sourcing, real connection.

And to me, that’s love.

(Want to try out Farmhouse Delivery? Get $25 off with code WINTERHARVEST)

2. Warm, Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

Listen.

Valentine’s Day is cute and all, but a warm chocolate chip cookie is forever.

There is nothing complicated about it. Nothing pretentious.

Just butter, sugar, chocolate, and comfort.

Warm and gooey, fresh from the oven… what more do you need?

Sometimes love is grand.

Sometimes love is a chocolate chip cookie.

3. Coffee in the Quiet Morning

One of my favorite little rituals:

Making coffee after my workout, stepping outside, and sitting on my back patio, pup on my lap, for a few minutes while the sun comes up.

No phone.
No rush.
Just warmth in a mug and a moment to breathe.

It’s such a simple thing, but it genuinely feels like a form of self-respect.

A tiny daily reminder that life doesn’t always need to be loud to be good.

4. The Kitchen Tool I’ll Never Stop Recommending: A Vitamix

This one might sound random, but I mean it.

A Vitamix is one of the most versatile tools you can have in a kitchen.

Soups, sauces, smoothies, dips — it makes everything creamy and smooth in seconds.

And not all blenders are created equal…

I recently cooked at a client’s house that didn’t have one, and I was humbled immediately.

Let’s just say: once you’ve used a Vitamix, it’s hard to go back.

It’s one of those kitchen investments that makes cooking easier — and cooking easier makes cooking more joyful.

This Year, We’re Making Valentine’s Breakfast the Main Event

Here’s the thing:

Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year.

And my partner and I? We love breakfast.

We love slow mornings.
I love good coffee. He loves good tea.
We love making the first meal of the day feel special.

So instead of stressing over a big dinner reservation or trying to make something overly complicated…

This year, why not make breakfast the moment?

Why not make the first meal of the day feel like a love letter?

Extra butter on the toast.
A beautiful plate of eggs.
Maybe some local steak from the freezer.
And a sweet treat like blueberry pancakes to top everything off.

Nothing extravagant.

Just a little extra care.

Because that’s what love really is, isn’t it?

Not the performance.

The attention.

The intention.

The simple choice to make something ordinary feel special.

So if you’re not feeling the pressure of Valentine’s dinner this year…

Maybe do breakfast instead.

Light a candle in the morning.
Make the coffee slowly.
Cook something simple with really good ingredients.

And let that be enough.

Happy Valentine’s week, friends. 🤍

Every year, I love thinking about what fun recipe I want to try, what new appetizer might steal the show… and then, like clockwork, I end up coming back to my old faithfuls.

Because honestly? The classics became classics for a reason.

I might add a charcuterie board too (did you see my recent post??), or a fun dessert, but these three recipes are basically guaranteed to be on my coffee table while we watch the game — so I’m passing them on to you.

They’re cozy, snacky, crowd-approved, and most importantly: easy to eat while yelling at the TV.

Let’s get into it.

1. Shrimp Dip + Crackers

Fun fact: I don’t like shrimp.

Never have.

I know… I’m a chef and I don’t like shrimp. Please don’t revoke my apron.

But recently, I cooked for a women’s retreat in Joshua Tree and had some leftover Greek shrimp. I hated the idea of wasting them, so the next day I turned them into a dip…

And the women went absolutely gaga over it.

My partner loves shrimp, so I’ll definitely be making this again — even if I’m not the one eating it.

Shrimp Dip + Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 lemon zest and juice (separated)

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1/4 cup mayo

• Green onions

• Parsley

• Crackers

Instructions:

1. Put shrimp in a bowl and mix with paprika, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

2. Let marinate for 30 minutes.

3. Heat a pan until hot, add a little oil or butter, then cook shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until pink and curled.

4. Remove and let cool completely.

5. Mix cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice, and chopped parsley in a bowl.

6. Finely chop cooled shrimp and stir into the mixture.

7. Sprinkle with green onions and serve with crackers.

Game-day magic.

2. White Bean Dip + Crudités (The “I’m Still Being Healthy” Snack)

I love a whole dip-and-veggie situation.

It’s like… I’m snacking, but I’m also getting my vegetables in. Balance.

Crunchy carrots, crisp cucumbers, sweet bell peppers — plus a creamy dip you can throw together in minutes?

What more can you ask for.

White Bean Dip + Crudités

Ingredients:

• 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

• 2–3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 lemon zest and juice

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Pinch of pepper

• Favorite vegetables for dipping

Instructions:

1. Add everything from beans through pepper into a food processor or blender.

2. Blend until smooth, adding water 1 tbsp at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency.

3. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, and pepper.

4. Serve with fresh veggies and pretend you’re at a chef-y party.

Simple. Clean. So good.

3. Philly Cheesesteak Sliders (The MVP of Last Year)

Okay, these were a HUGE hit last year.

They’re warm, cheesy, hearty, and honestly feel like the perfect Super Bowl food.

This year I might try them on a protein bun just for a little twist…

But the tried-and-true Hawaiian roll? Cannot be beat.

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