Serves 6-8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes

My kind of weeknight dinner: juicy lemon chicken, golden crispy potatoes, and hardly any dishes. Quick, hearty, and bursting with flavor — you’ll want this one on repeat.

Ingredients

● 8–10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

● 2 lbs baby potatoes, halved

● Zest of 1 lemon

● Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 additional lemon, quartered

● 4 cloves garlic, minced

● ⅓ cup olive oil

● 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

● 2 teaspoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

● 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

● 2½ teaspoons kosher salt

● 1 teaspoon black pepper

● 4–6 fresh thyme sprigs, optional

Instructions

1. Make the lemon marinade. Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, Dijon, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.

2. Place the chicken and potatoes in separate bowls. Divide the lemon mixture between them and toss well to coat. Let the chicken marinate for 10–15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

4. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear for 5–7 minutes per side, until nicely golden.

5. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken. Tuck in the quartered lemon and fresh thyme sprigs, if using.

6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 30–40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and golden and the chicken reaches 165°F internally.

7. Squeeze the roasted lemon over everything just before serving. Taste and add a little extra salt or fresh lemon juice as needed.

NOTES

• Go with chicken thighs here. I know you can swap chicken breasts into almost anything, but I wouldn’t for this one. The potatoes need a little time in the oven, and chicken breasts are much more likely to dry out before the potatoes are tender. Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy and are so good with all that lemony, garlicky flavor.

• Don’t be shy with the lemon. Roasting the lemon wedges mellows them out and makes them sweet and juicy. Give them a good squeeze over the chicken and potatoes right before serving — that fresh hit of lemon at the end makes the whole dish.

• Let those potatoes get golden. If you can, nestle them in cut-side down and give them a little room. The crispy, caramelized edges are the best part.

  Check the potatoes, not just the chicken. Once the chicken reaches 165°F, make sure you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork. If they need a few more minutes, just pull the chicken out to rest and let the potatoes keep roasting.

• And don’t skip the pan juices. Spoon all that lemony, garlicky goodness from the bottom of the pan over everything before you serve it. So good.

Tools + Ingredients I used for this

• My go-to Instant Read Thermometer. Never wonder if your chicken is done again. Pull it at 165°F and you’re good to go.

• My Favorite Tongs - I reach for these every day. I especially like them here because they’re long enough to keep my hand away from the heat while I’m searing the chicken.

• My favorite 15” Lodge Cast Iron Pan - This lives on my stovetop. It comes pre-seasoned, goes straight from stovetop to oven, and once you own a good cast-iron pan, you understand why people won’t stop talking about them.

• My everyday, affordable Chef’s Knife - Nothing fancy, just a really good everyday knife. Perfect for prepping the potatoes, lemons, and herbs.

Save this one for an easy weeknight dinner — it’s simple, flavorful, and the kind of recipe you’ll come back to again and again.

xo,

Chelsea

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Serves: 6-8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Total Time: ~ 1 hour 35 minutes |

I’ve made so many versions of chicken tortilla soup over the years, and this is the one that wins. It’s cozy and creamy without being overly rich, with plenty of flavor and the best texture.

The secret is the corn tortillas—they simmer right into the broth, naturally thickening the soup and giving it that unmistakable tortilla flavor. Load up your bowl with avocado, cilantro, lime, and crunchy tortilla chips. So, so good.

Ingredients

For the Soup

• 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil, or a generous spray

• 1 container Trader Joe’s Mirepoix OR ½ yellow onion, 3 carrots + 3 celery stalks, diced

• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced

• 2 frozen garlic cubes or 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1½ tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste

• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (no basil)

• 2 quarts chicken stock or broth

• 10 corn tortillas, torn into roughly 1-inch pieces

• 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken

• 1 cup heavy cream

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Serving

• Fresh cilantro

• Diced avocado

• Lime wedges

• Tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the mirepoix and bell pepper, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and the onion is translucent.

2. Bloom the spices.
Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.

3. Build the soup.
Pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Stir in the torn corn tortillas.

4. Simmer.
Simmer uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The tortillas will soften and essentially dissolve into the broth, naturally thickening the soup.

5. Finish.
Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

6. Serve.
Ladle into bowls and pile on the cilantro, avocado, a big squeeze of lime, and plenty of crunchy tortilla chips.

NOTES

• A note on tortillas: The type of corn tortilla matters here. I like Mission corn tortillas because they soften and break down completely into the broth, which is what gives the soup its thick, creamy texture. I’ve tried Trader Joe’s corn tortillas and, for whatever reason, they don’t break down the same way.

• Shortcut chicken: Rotisserie chicken works beautifully here and makes this much faster.

• Make it ahead: I actually think this is better the next day. The tortillas continue to hydrate and thicken the broth while all those flavors meld together. Add a splash of broth when reheating if it gets thicker than you like.

• For a lighter soup: You can reduce the heavy cream or swap in half-and-half. I personally wouldn’t eliminate it entirely—the cream rounds everything out and mellows the spices.

This is one of those recipes I come back to again and again—easy enough for a weeknight, cozy enough for Sunday dinner, and so good leftover. Save this one for soup season. 🤍

What I Used for This Recipe

Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven — You want a good-sized, heavy pot for sautéing the vegetables and simmering everything together.

Ladle — A soup essential. Simple, but I use mine constantly. This one is lovely and affordable.

Wooden Spatula - The tool I reach for every time I sauté anything.

xo,
Chelsea

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Serves: 6-8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: ~ 1 hour |

I’ve made a lot of tomato soup over the years. I’ve tried so many different recipes, and this one is still my all-time favorite.

If you’ve ever had Nordstrom’s Tomato Basil Soup, you know. It’s creamy, a little sweet from the carrots, full of tomato and basil flavor, and somehow tastes so much better than the short ingredient list would suggest.

I’ve been making this version at home for years, and it is SO good. It’s one of those soups that feels special enough to serve to people but is actually incredibly simple to make.

Give me a bowl of this, a big piece of crusty bread—or an extra-crispy grilled cheese—and I am very happy. It’s perhaps my kids favorite dinner too.

Ingredients

● ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

● 5 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

● 1 large yellow onion, diced

● 1 Tbsp dried basil

● 2 (28-oz) cans whole Italian-style tomatoes with purée (I love San Marzano)

● 3 cups chicken stock

● 2 cups heavy cream

● 1½ Tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt, divided

● 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided

● 5–7 fresh basil leaves

For Serving

● Fresh basil, thinly sliced

● Crusty bread or grilled cheese

Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent. Season with the dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper as they cook.

2. Simmer: Add the tomatoes along with all of their purée and the chicken stock. Stir to combine. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the carrots are completely tender.

3. Add the basil: Stir in the fresh basil leaves.

4. Blend: Remove the pot from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth and velvety. You can also carefully purée the soup in batches in a blender.

5. Finish with cream: Return the soup to low heat and stir in the heavy cream, remaining salt, and remaining pepper. Warm gently until heated through—there’s no need to bring it back to a boil.

6. Taste: This part matters! Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Tomatoes and chicken stock vary quite a bit, and enough seasoning is what makes all of those flavors pop.

7. Serve: Ladle into bowls and finish with thinly sliced fresh basil. Serve with crusty bread or a really good grilled cheese.

NOTES

● Use good tomatoes. There aren’t many ingredients in this soup, so the tomatoes make a difference. I love whole San Marzano tomatoes packed in purée.

● Make sure the carrots are completely tender before blending. They should be easily pierced with a fork. This helps create a smooth, silky texture.

● If you use a traditional blender: Let the soup cool slightly and work in batches. Hot liquid expands when blended, so don’t fill the blender to the top - and I like to cover the lid with a towel for extra protection. No one wants tomato soup all over the kitchen.

● For leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container and reheat gently on the stovetop. The soup may taste even better the next day.

● For freezing: For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding the cream. Thaw, reheat, and stir in the cream when you’re ready to serve.

What I Used for This Recipe

Large Stock Pot or Dutch Oven — You want a good-sized, heavy pot for sautéing the vegetables and simmering everything together.

Immersion Blender — By far the easiest way to get the soup silky smooth without transferring hot soup back and forth to a blender.

Ladle — A soup essential. Simple, but I use mine constantly. This one is lovely and affordable.

xoxo,
Chelsea

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Makes ~ 1½ cups | Prep: 5 minutes | Soak: 30–60 minutes | Blend: 1–2 minutes |

I started making cashew cream because more and more of my friends and family are eating dairy-free, and I wanted a way to make creamy soups and sauces that still tasted like the real thing.

And honestly? This surprised me.

Raw cashews blend into the silkiest, creamiest little concoction with nothing more than water and salt. The flavor is incredibly mild—so rather than making everything taste like cashews, it basically takes on whatever flavors you add it to.

It’s not a perfect substitute for heavy cream in every recipe - but for savory cooking? It’s such a good trick.

I use it in my Creamy Mushroom Soup, but once you know how to make it, there are so many other places it can go.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews

• Hot water, for soaking

• ½ cup fresh water

• ½ tsp kosher or sea salt

Instructions

1. Soak: Place the cashews in a bowl and completely cover with hot water. Let soak for 30–60 minutes.

2. Drain + rinse: Drain the soaking water and rinse the cashews well. Don’t use the soaking water for blending.

3. Blend: Add the soaked cashews, ½ cup fresh water, and salt to a high-powered blender. Blend until completely smooth and silky.

4. Adjust: If needed, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the consistency you want. For a heavy-cream substitute, I like to keep it fairly thick.

Ways to Use Cashew Cream

This is where it gets fun. Think of it less as a finished “sauce” and more as a neutral creamy base you can take in a bunch of different directions.

Creamy soups: Stir it into mushroom, tomato, butternut squash, potato, broccoli, or vegetable soups anywhere you’d normally reach for heavy cream.

Pasta sauces: Add it to tomato sauce for an easy dairy-free creamy tomato pasta, or use it as the base for a creamy garlic or roasted vegetable sauce.

Creamy skillet dinners: Stir a few spoonfuls into pan sauces for chicken, mushrooms, vegetables, or meatballs.

Mashed potatoes: Add a little in place of cream or milk for extra richness.

Casseroles: It can add that creamy element to savory casseroles when you’re trying to avoid dairy.

Creamy dressings + dips: Thin it with water, lemon juice, or vinegar, then add herbs, garlic, Dijon, or whatever flavors you love.

Drizzle for bowls + roasted vegetables: Add lemon, garlic, herbs, and a little extra water and suddenly you have a creamy sauce for grain bowls, roasted vegetables, tacos, or sweet potatoes.

And of course, Creamy Mushroom Soup — the recipe that sent me down this cashew-cream rabbit hole in the first place. [LINK]

NOTES

• Use raw cashews: Roasted cashews have a much stronger flavor. Raw, unsalted cashews give you the mildest, most neutral cream.

• Fresh water matters: Soak in hot water, then drain, rinse, and blend with fresh water. I don’t salt the soaking water either.

• The blender makes a difference: You really want this silky—not gritty. Keep blending until you can’t detect any little pieces of cashew.

• Adjust the thickness for what you’re making: The 1 cup cashews to ½ cup water ratio gives you a thick, heavy-cream-like consistency. Add water a tablespoon at a time for dressings, drizzles, or anywhere you want it thinner.

• Season it for the recipe: I keep the basic version intentionally neutral. From there you can add lemon, garlic, herbs, Dijon, nutritional yeast, or other seasonings depending on where it’s going.

• Storage: Keep it covered in the refrigerator for about 4–5 days. It will thicken as it chills, so stir in a splash of water to loosen it if needed.

What I Used

Beast Mini Blender — This is honestly the perfect job for it. The smaller blending vessel gets the cashews super smooth and silky without having to make a giant batch. You’ll get 15% off with my link. [LINK]

Never Miss a Recipe

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This is one of those little kitchen tricks worth saving—you’ll find way more uses for it than you think.

xoxo,
Chelsea

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This is my favorite way to roast sweet potatoes because it really leans into what makes a sweet potato so good in the first place: its natural sweetness. Roasting them cut-side down gives you a soft, fluffy center and a beautifully caramelized surface that makes them taste even sweeter and richer.

And it could not be easier. No poking holes, no foil—just cut them in half, season, and roast.

I love them straight from the oven with butter and cinnamon sugar, topped with shredded barbecue chicken, or as the base for my Street Corn Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, which are very delightful.

Serves ~4 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3-4 medium sweet potatoes

• 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, or olive oil spray

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425°F.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. No need to poke holes or wrap them in foil.

3. Give the cut sides a good spray of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

4. Place them cut-side down on a sheet pan and roast until completely tender and deeply browned/caramelized on the bottom, about 30–40 minutes, depending on their size.

5. And the important part we were emphasizing in your reel: don’t be scared of the brown. Sweet potatoes have a lot of natural sugar, so that deep browning on the cut side is caramelization—and it’s where so much of the flavor comes from.

NOTES

• Sweet potato varieties: This method works with orange, yellow, or white sweet potatoes. Orange varieties tend to be softer, sweeter, and a little more moist. Yellow and white sweet potatoes are generally drier and starchier, so the texture will be a little more fluffy and less creamy.

• Watch the cook time: Yellow and white varieties may cook a little differently depending on their size, so start checking around 25–30 minutes. They’re done when a knife slides easily through the center.

• Don’t be scared of the brown! The natural sugars caramelize against the hot pan, creating that deeply browned cut side and giving the potatoes so much flavor.

• Give them space. Leave room between the potatoes so they roast rather than steam.

• No foil, no poking holes. Just cut, season, and roast cut-side down.

What I Used For This Recipe

• XL sheet pan -More room means the veggies can acutally roast instead of steam. One of my most used kitchen tools.

• Parchment paper - Makes cleanup so easy and helps the potatoes get beautifully caramelized.

• Oil Sprayer - I have one for olive oil and one for avocado oil. I love them - just pure oil, no weird propellants or aerosols.

xo,
Chelsea

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This week’s recipes all came with a little reminder of why I love them.

I made the S’mores Graham Cracker Toffee for my nieces and nephews the other night, and it was such a hit. It’s so easy to throw together, but that buttery salted caramel in between the graham crackers and chocolate is what makes it SO good.

I ran into a friend this week who reminded me just how good the Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing and Crunchy Quinoa is. She swapped green beans for the asparagus, which sounds amazing. I need to try it her way!

And finally, my Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken—a decades-old favorite that I still come back to again and again. It’s about as easy as dinner gets, but the result is so flavorful and not too watery. Tacos, bowls, burritos—and really good leftovers.

P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all three recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all three recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post

Treats

S’mores Graham Cracker Toffee Bark

I’m pretty take-it-or-leave it with S’mores, but this stuff is different. Buttery caramel, melted chocolate, toasted nuts, and mini marshmallows on top of crisp graham crackers.

Makes about 16 pieces | Prep time: 10 minutes | Bake time: 12 minutes | Chill time: ~30 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 whole graham cracker sheets

• 6 Tablespoons butter (I always use salted)

• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt

• 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

• ¾ cup mini marshmallows

• ½ cup chopped toasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift the bark out later.

2. Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer across the bottom of the pan, breaking them as needed to fit snugly.

3. Add the butter, brown sugar, and salt to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth and combined. Once it begins to gently bubble, continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Immediately (and carfeully!) pour the caramel mixture over the graham crackers and spread it into an even layer.

5. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling across the surface.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Let them sit for 2–3 minutes, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the melted chocolate into an even layer.

7. Sprinkle the mini marshmallows and chopped nuts over the chocolate, pressing them down gently. Return the pan to the oven for about 2 minutes, just until the marshmallows soften slightly.

8. Let the bark cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until completely firm, about 30 minutes.

9. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bark from the pan. Cut or break it into pieces and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

NOTES

• The caramel: The brown sugar doesn’t need to dissolve completely, but the butter and sugar should be fully combined before you pour the mixture over the graham crackers.

• The chocolate: Milk chocolate gives this the classic rocky road flavor, but semisweet chocolate works if you prefer something a little less sweet.

• The nuts: Pecans are my favorite here, but walnuts or almonds are delicious too. Or leave them out entirely.

• For toasted marshmallows: Broil the finished bark very briefly—watching it constantly—until the marshmallows are lightly golden. Parchment can scorch under the broiler, so don’t walk away.

• Storage: Keep the bark covered in the refrigerator so the chocolate stays firm and the marshmallows stay fresh.

What I Used For This Recipe

• Sheet Pan - A rimmed sheet pan keeps that bubbling caramel safely contained—and gives you plenty of room to spread everything out.

• Parchment Paper - Essential for easy cleanup and for lifting the bark right off the pan once it’s chilled.

• My Favorite Chocolate Chips - I typically reach for semi-sweet, but I recommend milk chocolate here! Guittard is the BEST. Did you know its the chocolate used to make Sees Candies?? All I need to know.

• My Favorite Sea Salt - the salt in the caramel is what makes these things next level delicious.

Salads

Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing & Crunchy Quinoa

It’s so hard to pick favorites, but this one might be mine! Crunchy quinoa, tons of veggies, and a perfectly balanced dressing with just a little bite. It is so good.

Serves about 6 as a main, 8 as a side | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: ~40 minutes

Creamy Sesame-Peanut Dressing

• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar

• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari

• ¼ cup peanut butter

• ¼ cup water

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• 1 clove garlic

• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (or 2 frozen ginger cubes)

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

Crispy Chili-Sesame Quinoa

• 1 cup cooked quinoa

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1 tsp chili crisp (more if you like it spicy)

Salad

• ~2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

• ~ 6 cups cruciferous crunch (a kale, cabbage, red cabbage blend from trader joes) OR shredded napa cabbage

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

• 2–3 cups shredded carrots (I buy it pre-shredded from the store)

• 2 cups asparagus, cut into chunks and blanched

• 1 small bunch mint, roughly chopped

• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

For topping

• Toasted sliced almonds

• Crispy quinoa

Instructions

1. Crispy quinoa - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the cooked quinoa on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with sesame oil, soy sauce, and chili crisp. Spread into an even layer and bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until golden and very crunchy (borderline burnt—but not actually burnt).👉🏼 Let cool completely before adding to the salad — this keeps the quinoa crisp and prevents the salad from wilting.

2. Make the dressing - Add all dressing ingredients to a mini blender and blend until silky smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. (I love using the Beast Mini Blender for this — you can drop the garlic and ginger right in and it blends perfectly smooth.)

3. Blanch the asparagus: Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once fully cooled, drain and pat dry. If asparagus isn’t your thing, thin French green beans (haricots verts) are a great substitute.

4. Assemble the salad - In a large bowl, add spring mix (if using), Napa cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, blanched asparagus, mint, cilantro, and chicken. Pour dressing over the top and toss until everything is well coated.

5. Finish & serve - Top with cooled crispy quinoa and toasted almonds. Serve immediately and enjoy the good life ✨

NOTES

• Rotisserie chicken works great here and makes this come together much more quicily.

• The crispy quinoa can be made ahead and stored at room temperature for 1–2 days. Add just before serving so it stays crunchy.

• Swap asparagus for snap peas, edamame, or thin green beans if preferred.

• This dressing keeps well in the fridge for 4–5 days. Shake or stir before using.

• Extra herbs (mint + cilantro) make this salad really special, so be generous.

What I Used For This Recipe

• I use the Beast Mini Blender for dressings like this one—it gets everything silky smooth. My link saves 15% if you want one - linked here.

Weeknight Dinners

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

A throw-it-all-in slow cooker chicken that tastes like you did a lot more.

A lot of slow-cooker chicken recipes leave you with pale, watery, flavorless chicken. This is not that.

This five-ingredient cilantro lime chicken is full of flavor and so versatile. We love it in lightly pan-fried corn tortillas with cheese, avocado, and pickled onions, but it’s just as good in bowls, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, or enchiladas.

Serves:6-8 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4-7 hours

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fully thawed

• 1 packet taco or fajita seasoning, or homemade seasoning below

• 1 (12–16-ounce) jar salsa

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• Juice of 2 limes

Homemade Taco Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1½ teaspoons cumin

• 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon paprika

• ¼ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano

Stir everything together.

Instructions

1. Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle with seasoning, then add the salsa, cilantro, and lime juice.

2. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or low for 6–7 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily. Newer slow cookers often run hot, so start checking early.

3. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker with an electric hand mixer. Start on low and keep the beaters away from the bottom and sides—it takes about 30 seconds and is magic.

4. Stir the chicken into the salsa and cooking juices. If it seems too liquidy, leave the lid off and cook on high for another 10–15 minutes.

5. Serve in lightly pan-fried tortillas with cheese, avocado, pickled onions, cilantro, and lime—or use it for bowls, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, or enchiladas.

NOTES

• Use a thicker salsa if you prefer less liquid.

• Refrigerate leftovers for up to four days or freeze with some of the cooking juices.

What I Used For This Recipe

• My favorite Slow-Cooker.

• My mom gave me this Breville Hand Mixer a few years ago and I LOVE it. It’s “Amazon’s Choice” too.

• My favorite Silicone-Tipped Tongs. The silicone tips save my pans, they’re sturdy, and the little pull-tab on top is genius — it locks them shut so they don’t wedge open and get stuck in the drawer 🫠

xo,
Chelsea

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A lot of slow-cooker chicken recipes leave you with pale, watery, flavorless chicken. This is not that.

This five-ingredient cilantro lime chicken is full of flavor and so versatile. We love it in lightly pan-fried corn tortillas with cheese, avocado, and pickled onions, but it’s just as good in bowls, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, or enchiladas.

Serves:6-8 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 4-7 hours

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fully thawed

• 1 packet taco or fajita seasoning, or homemade seasoning below

• 1 (12–16-ounce) jar salsa

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• Juice of 2 limes

Homemade Taco Seasoning

• 1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1½ teaspoons cumin

• 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon paprika

• ¼ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano

Stir everything together.

Instructions

1. Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Sprinkle with seasoning, then add the salsa, cilantro, and lime juice.

2. Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or low for 6–7 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F and shreds easily. Newer slow cookers often run hot, so start checking early.

3. Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker with an electric hand mixer. Start on low and keep the beaters away from the bottom and sides—it takes about 30 seconds and is magic.

4. Stir the chicken into the salsa and cooking juices. If it seems too liquidy, leave the lid off and cook on high for another 10–15 minutes.

5. Serve in lightly pan-fried tortillas with cheese, avocado, pickled onions, cilantro, and lime—or use it for bowls, burritos, quesadillas, tostadas, or enchiladas.

NOTES

• Use a thicker salsa if you prefer less liquid.

• Refrigerate leftovers for up to four days or freeze with some of the cooking juices.

What I Used For This Recipe

• My favorite Slow-Cooker.

• My mom gave me this Breville Hand Mixer a few years ago and I LOVE it. It’s “Amazon’s Choice” too.

• My favorite Silicone-Tipped Tongs. The silicone tips save my pans, they’re sturdy, and the little pull-tab on top is genius — it locks them shut so they don’t wedge open and get stuck in the drawer 🫠

xo,
Chelsea

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Creamy Sesame-Peanut Dressing

• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar

• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari

• ¼ cup peanut butter

• ¼ cup water

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• 1 clove garlic

• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger (or 2 frozen ginger cubes)

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

Crispy Chili-Sesame Quinoa

• 1 cup cooked quinoa

• 2 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1 tsp chili crisp (more if you like it spicy)

Salad

• ~2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

• ~ 6 cups cruciferous crunch (a kale, cabbage, red cabbage blend from trader joes) OR shredded napa cabbage

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced

• 2–3 cups shredded carrots (I buy it pre-shredded from the store)

• 2 cups asparagus, cut into chunks and blanched

• 1 small bunch mint, roughly chopped

• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

For topping

• Toasted sliced almonds

• Crispy quinoa

Instructions

1. Crispy quinoa - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the cooked quinoa on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss with sesame oil, soy sauce, and chili crisp. Spread into an even layer and bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until golden and very crunchy (borderline burnt—but not actually burnt).👉🏼 Let cool completely before adding to the salad — this keeps the quinoa crisp and prevents the salad from wilting.

2. Make the dressing - Add all dressing ingredients to a mini blender and blend until silky smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. (I love using the Beast Mini Blender for this — you can drop the garlic and ginger right in and it blends perfectly smooth.)

3. Blanch the asparagus: Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Trim off the woody ends of the asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once fully cooled, drain and pat dry. If asparagus isn’t your thing, thin French green beans (haricots verts) are a great substitute.

4. Assemble the salad - In a large bowl, add spring mix (if using), Napa cabbage, bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, blanched asparagus, mint, cilantro, and chicken. Pour dressing over the top and toss until everything is well coated.

5. Finish & serve - Top with cooled crispy quinoa and toasted almonds. Serve immediately and enjoy the good life ✨

NOTES

• I use the Beast Mini Blender for dressings like this one—it gets everything silky smooth. My link saves 15% if you want one - linked here.

• Rotisserie chicken works great here and makes this come together much more quicily.

• The crispy quinoa can be made ahead and stored at room temperature for 1–2 days. Add just before serving so it stays crunchy.

• Swap asparagus for snap peas, edamame, or thin green beans if preferred.

• This dressing keeps well in the fridge for 4–5 days. Shake or stir before using.

• Extra herbs (mint + cilantro) make this salad really special, so be generous.

xo,
Chelsea

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P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked the recipe PDF at the bottom of the post.

Makes about 16 pieces | Prep time: 10 mins | Bake time: 12 mins | Chill time: ~30 mins

Ingredients

• 6 whole graham cracker sheets

• 6 Tablespoons butter (I always use salted)

• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt

• 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

• ¾ cup mini marshmallows

• ½ cup chopped toasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides to lift the bark out later.

2. Arrange the graham crackers in a single layer across the bottom of the pan, breaking them as needed to fit snugly.

3. Add the butter, brown sugar, and salt to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth and combined. Once it begins to gently bubble, continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4. Immediately (and carfeully!) pour the caramel mixture over the graham crackers and spread it into an even layer.

5. Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling across the surface.

6. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top. Let them sit for 2–3 minutes, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the melted chocolate into an even layer.

7. Sprinkle the mini marshmallows and chopped nuts over the chocolate, pressing them down gently. Return the pan to the oven for about 2 minutes, just until the marshmallows soften slightly.

8. Let the bark cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until completely firm, about 30 minutes.

9. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bark from the pan. Cut or break it into pieces and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

NOTES

• The caramel: The brown sugar doesn’t need to dissolve completely, but the butter and sugar should be fully combined before you pour the mixture over the graham crackers.

• The chocolate: Milk chocolate gives this the classic rocky road flavor, but semisweet chocolate works if you prefer something a little less sweet.

• The nuts: Pecans are my favorite here, but walnuts or almonds are delicious too. Or leave them out entirely.

• For toasted marshmallows: Broil the finished bark very briefly—watching it constantly—until the marshmallows are lightly golden. Parchment can scorch under the broiler, so don’t walk away.

• Storage: Keep the bark covered in the refrigerator so the chocolate stays firm and the marshmallows stay fresh.

What I Used For This Recipe

• Sheet Pan - A rimmed sheet pan keeps that bubbling caramel safely contained—and gives you plenty of room to spread everything out.

• Parchment Paper - Essential for easy cleanup and for lifting the bark right off the pan once it’s chilled.

• My Favorite Chocolate Chips - I typically reach for semi-sweet, but I recommend milk chocolate here! Guittard is the BEST. Did you know its the chocolate used to make Sees Candies?? All I need to know.

• My Favorite Sea Salt - the salt in the caramel is what makes these things next level delicious.

xo,
Chelsea

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Okay, this week’s recipes are GOOD. My Slow Cooker Sesame Ginger Beef has somehow gotten more than 4.3 million views since Tuesday—can you believe it??

Then we have the Chopped Chicken Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing that my sister made for a shower last weekend. There was an entire crêpe station and a mimosa bar, and the salad was still the hit of the party. I LOVED hearing that.

And finally, my take on @LillieEatsandTells’ Better-for-You Philly Cheesesteaks—which also happened to be featured in a magazine this week! It’s a really good weeknight meal my family loves - don’t forget to freeze the flank steak for a bit so you get those nice, thin slices.

P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all three recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all three recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post

Weeknight Dinners

Slow Cooker Sesame Ginger Beef

One of the greatest gifts I give myself is a good slow cooker meal. Start it in the morning, enjoy the smell all day, and end up with fall-apart tender beef in a sweet, savory, glossy sauce.

I’m picky about slow cooker dinners. I don’t want cream-of-anything soup, and I definitely don’t want meat that tastes like it has been sitting in a slow cooker all day. This one is different: tender beef, a glossy sweet-and-savory sauce, and the best smell waiting for you when you walk through the door. With school and sports starting back up, this is exactly the kind of dinner I need in my life.

P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked the recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.

Serves 4-6 | Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 8-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high, plus 20ish minutes to thicken

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat

• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)

• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

• ¼ cup beef broth

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for serving

• 4 cloves garlic, minced OR 4 frozen garlic cubes

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger or ~5 ginger cubes

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

For the slurry:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons water

For serving:

• Cooked jasmine rice

• Sliced green onions

• Sesame seeds

• Chili crisp or chili oil, optional

Instructions

1. Place the stew meat in the slow cooker.

2. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes right on top of the meat. Give it a quick stir or not - it will all melt and cook together anyway.

3. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours or on high for 4–5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.

4. Take about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid and carefully put it into a bowl and add the cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and pour back into the crockpot.

5. Cover and cook on high for another 20–30 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.

6. Serve over jasmine rice with plenty of sauce spooned over the top. Finish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili crisp or toasted sesame oil. I like to serve this with some lightly sautéed sugar snap peas or some kind of green vegetables.

NOTES

• The slurry: Adding cornstarch directly to the hot sauce can make it clump, so whisk it with a small amount of the sauce first, then stir it back into the slow cooker. The sauce will thicken as it finishes cooking and slightly more as it sits. For a thicker sauce, add another small slurry made with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water.

• Gluten-free: My mom and sister are gluten-free, so whenever possible—and when it doesn’t sacrifice flavor —use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. Always double-check the labels on your broth and chili crisp, since those ingredients can easily contain hidden gluten.

• Beef: I use stew meat because it’s easy and made for a long, slow cook. Chuck roast also works beautifully, maybe better. Just cut it into roughly 2-inch pieces.

• Sweetness: This is a sweet-and-savory sauce. I use ⅓ cup brown sugar, but you can reduce it to ¼ cup if you prefer things less sweet.

• Heat: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes gives it gentle warmth without making it too spicy for my family. Add more, use less, or leave them out completely.

What I Used For This Recipe

• Slow-Cooker - good and reliable.

• My favorite Tamari Sauce - tasted just like soy sauce but it’s gluten-free. I like the low-sodium version best so I can control the salt level.

• Frozen Ginger Cubes - I have saved an incalculable amount of time by keeping these in the freezer.

• Frozen Garlic Cubes - your hands never have to smell like garlic again.

Salads

Chopped Chicken Salad w/ Creamy Basil Dressing

The salad I make when I need something I know everyone will love. Peppery arugula, sweet corn, tomatoes, chicken + plenty of crunchy, salty extras-all tossed with the creamiest fresh basil dressing.

Serves 6 (meal sized portions) | Prep: 15-30 minutes

closer to 15 if chicken + quinoa are already cooked

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 4 cups arugula

• 1½–2 cups cooked quinoa or couscous

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 cups fresh sweet corn (about 2 ears)

• 2 roasted chicken breasts, chopped

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ½ cup roasted salted pumpkin seeds

• ½ cup shaved parmesan (or parmesan/asiago/romano blend)

For the Creamy Basil Dressing

• 1 cup packed fresh basil

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• ½ cup cottage cheese

• 1 shallot

• 1 cup buttermilk

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1½ tsp sea or kosher salt

• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Beast Mini Blender for the dressing - I love this thing! and my link gets you 15% off

Instructions

1. Prepare the quinoa or couscous according to the package directions. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Roast the chicken breasts using my Perfect Roast Chicken Breast recipe. Let the chicken rest, then shred it into bite-size pieces. You can also use grilled, leftover or rotisserie chicken.

3. Add the basil, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, shallot, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Add the arugula, cooled quinoa or couscous, tomatoes, corn, chicken, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds to a large serving bowl.

5. Pour about half of the creamy basil dressing over the salad and gently toss. Add more dressing as needed, then finish with a generous amount of shaved cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!

What I Used For This Recipe

• The Beast Blender - I love my Mega & Mini for so many things, especially this dressing. Use my link to get 15% off! Linked here.

• My recipe for Perfect Roasted Chicken Breasts

• A large Salad Bowl I love for this. Cute enough for a shower or party but easy enough for everyday dinner.

NOTES

• Quinoa or couscous: Both are delicious here. Quinoa keeps the salad gluten-free and adds a little extra protein, while couscous gives it a softer, more pasta-like texture. Make sure whichever one you use is completely cooled before adding it to the salad.

• The chicken: This is a great place to use my Perfect Roast Chicken Breasts, leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken. You’ll want approximately 3–4 cups of chopped chicken.

• The corn: When corn is sweet and in season, I love it fresh and raw. You can also quickly sauté it, grill the ears before removing the kernels or use thawed frozen corn (although I don’t really recommend the frozen option).

• The dressing: This recipe makes a generous amount of dressing. Begin with about half, toss and add more as needed. Any extra can be refrigerated in an airtight container and used as a dip, sandwich spread or dressing for another salad.

• Mayonnaise and cottage cheese: I like the balance of using half mayonnaise and half cottage cheese, but you can use all mayonnaise or all cottage cheese. If using all cottage cheese, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to mellow the tang and give the dressing a silkier texture.

• Make it gluten-free: Use quinoa rather than couscous, and double-check the labels on your dried cranberries and other packaged ingredients.

• For meal prep: Store the salad components and dressing separately, then toss just before serving. For the best texture, wait to add the pumpkin seeds and shaved cheese until the end.

• To make it ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance. The quinoa and chicken can also be cooked ahead and refrigerated, making assembly very quick.

Weeknight Dinners

Better-for-you Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

This lighter twist uses quick-cooking flank steak, big flavor from Montreal Steak seasoning + Worcestershire, and just enough melty cheese to make everyone happy.

Cook Time: 35 minutes | Makes about 6 sandwiches

Ingredients

• Avocado oil

• 1 lb-ish flank steak, thinly sliced (freeze 10 minutes for easier slicing)

• ~1 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning (Costco) — or use this DIY blend:

  • 1 tsp coarse salt

  • 1 tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp garlic powder

  • ½ tsp onion powder

  • ¼ tsp paprika

• ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 12 oz mushrooms, sliced (cremini preferred)

• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced

• 1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 frozen cubes)

• ~1 cup shredded mozzarella (or more)

• 1–2 Tbsp Parmesan

• 6 bolillo rolls, sprayed with a bit of olive oil and toasted (the Trader Joe’s ones are 👌🏻)

Instructions

1. Prep the steak: Pop the flank steak in the freezer for 10 minutes so it firms up — it makes ultra-thin slicing so much easier. Slice very thinly against the grain and cut any long strips in half. Toss with Montreal Steak Seasoning (or your DIY blend).

2. Sear the steak: Heat a large skillet over medium-high with a drizzle of avocado oil. Add half the steak in a single layer — don’t touch it for 3 minutes to get that good crust. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Remove and repeat with the remaining steak.

3. Cook the veggies: In the same pan, add another spray of oil. Cook the mushrooms and onions with a pinch of seasoning for 3–5 minutes, until softened. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook another 3–5 minutes, until tender.

4. Bring it all together: Return all the steak — and any juices — back into the pan. Add a splash of Worcestershire and toss to coat. Turn off the heat, then top with mozzarella and Parmesan so they melt right into everything.

5. Broil: Place the skillet under the broiler for 1–3 minutes, until the cheese is melty, golden, and a little crispy on top. Watch closely — it goes fast!

6. Serve: Pile onto toasted rolls — or keep it lighter and serve over greens, a baked sweet potato, or spaghetti squash. So good!

xoxo,

Chelsea

Thank you so much for being here. Your support means the world.

xo,
Chelsea

Printable Recipe PDFs

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I’m picky about slow cooker dinners. I don’t want cream-of-anything soup, and I definitely don’t want meat that tastes like it has been sitting in a slow cooker all day. This one is different: tender beef, a glossy sweet-and-savory sauce, and the best smell waiting for you when you walk through the door. With school and sports starting back up, this is exactly the kind of dinner I need in my life.

P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked the recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.

Serves 4-6 | Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 8-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high, plus 20ish minutes to thicken

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, roughly 1.5 to 2-inch pieces

• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari (for gluten-free)

• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

• ¼ cup beef broth

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for serving

• 4 cloves garlic, minced OR 4 frozen garlic cubes

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly grated ginger or ~5 ginger cubes

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

For the slurry:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons water

For serving:

• Cooked jasmine rice

• Sliced green onions

• Sesame seeds

• Chili crisp or chili oil, optional

Instructions

1. Place the stew meat in the slow cooker.

2. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, beef broth, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes right on top of the meat. Give it a quick stir or not - it will all melt and cook together anyway.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender. Begin checking it at 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH since slow cookers can vary quite a bit.

4. Take about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid and carefully put it into a bowl and add the cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and pour back into the crockpot.

5. Cover and cook on high for another 20–30 minutes, until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.

6. Serve over jasmine rice with plenty of sauce spooned over the top. Finish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chili crisp or toasted sesame oil. I like to serve this with some lightly sautéed sugar snap peas or some kind of green vegetables.

NOTES

• Slow-cooker timing: Slow cookers can vary a good amount in temperature - newer models often run hotter. Begin checking the beef at 6 hours on LOW or 3 hours on HIGH. It should be fork tender but still hold its shapy. If the beef is still chewy, it likely needs a little more time. Once it becomes tender, however, cooking it too long can make it dry and stringy.

• The slurry: Adding cornstarch directly to the hot sauce can make it clump, so whisk it with a small amount of the sauce first, then stir it back into the slow cooker. The sauce will thicken as it finishes cooking and slightly more as it sits. For a thicker sauce, add another small slurry made with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water.

• Gluten-free: My mom and sister are gluten-free, so whenever possible—and when it doesn’t sacrifice flavor —use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. Always double-check the labels on your broth and chili crisp, since those ingredients can easily contain hidden gluten.

• Beef: I use stew meat because it’s easy and made for a long, slow cook. Chuck roast also works beautifully, maybe better. Just cut it into roughly 2-inch pieces.

• Sweetness: This is a sweet-and-savory sauce. I use ⅓ cup brown sugar, but you can reduce it to ¼ cup if you prefer things less sweet.

• Heat: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes gives it gentle warmth without making it too spicy for my family. Add more, use less, or leave them out completely.

What I Used For This Recipe

• Slow-Cooker - good and reliable.

• My favorite Tamari Sauce - tastes just like soy sauce but it’s gluten-free. I like the low-sodium version best so I can control the salt level.

• Frozen Ginger Cubes - I have saved an incalculable amount of time by keeping these in the freezer.

• Frozen Garlic Cubes - your hands never have to smell like garlic again.

xo,
Chelsea

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Last week was my daughter’s 15th birthday, so of course she got to pick dinner and the cake. I’m sharing both with you, plus the Peanut Butter Noodles my niece has been asking me to make and exactly how I’m cooking the ButcherBox filets that just showed up (the recipe was written for Tri-Tip but the method is perfect for Filets. Just cook them a shorter time until they hit your desired internal temperature). A little birthday, a little weeknight dinner, and a really good steak.

P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all four recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.

Weeknight Dinners

Roasted Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta

One of our favorite pasta dishes - creamy tomato mascarpone pasta with chicken, oven-roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, and toasted pine nuts.

This is one of my daughter’s most-requested dinners, and thankfully, it’s also one of the simplest. Sweet roasted tomatoes, garlic, lemon, and mascarpone come together to make a creamy sauce that is so, so good.

I especially love using a big, chunky pasta with ridges—penne rigate or mezzi rigatoni are perfect—because the sauce really clings to every noodle. I usually serve this with my Perfect Roasted Chicken, but it’s so satisfying on its own too.

Serves 6 | Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, about 12 ounces

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2–3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound chunky, ridged pasta, such as penne rigate or mezzi rigatoni

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened

• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

• ½ cup chopped fresh basil

• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts, optional but I love them in this

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

3. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, juicy, and beginning to caramelize.

4. While the tomatoes roast, cook the pasta in generously salted water according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

5. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Use a fork or potato masher to gently crush the tomatoes and roasted garlic directly in the baking dish.

6. Add the softened mascarpone and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until the mascarpone melts into the tomatoes and creates a creamy sauce.

7. Add the drained pasta, Parmesan, and basil. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

8. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Finish with toasted pine nuts, additional Parmesan, and fresh basil. Yum.

NOTES

• Choose a pasta with ridges. Penne rigate and mezzi rigatoni are my favorites because all those little ridges hold onto the creamy tomato sauce.

• Soften the mascarpone. Let it sit at room temperature while the tomatoes roast so it melts easily into the sauce.

• Save your pasta water. The starch helps the mascarpone and roasted tomato juices come together. I always reserve more than I think I’ll need.

• Make it a full meal. I love serving this pasta with my [Perfect Roasted Chicken], but it’s delicious and filling all on its own.

• Toast the pine nuts. It only takes a few minutes and gives the finished pasta a little crunch.

• For leftovers: Add a splash of water before reheating to loosen the sauce.

What I Used For This Recipe

• De Cecco Penne Rigate or Mezzi Rigatoni

• Deep porcelain 9-by-13-inch baking dish - I love this beautiful one by Dowan

• Microplane for zesting the lemon and grating the Parmesan

• Maldon salt - this stuff really does make a difference.

Treats

Grandma Sue’s Sour Cream Chocolate Fudge Cake

This cake is rich, old-school, and completely iconic. It’s a family recipe that never needs an update.

Serves 12–16 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20–28 minutes (pan-dependent)

My Grandma Sue was a legend. Her parents immigrated from Russia right before she was born, and she went to school not speaking any English. And I think because of those life experiences — and maybe just genetics — she was a very strong woman. The kind of woman who did what she wanted and didn’t explain herself.

She showed up to every family gathering with a cake (or something homemade)… and there was always a corner piece missing. No one ever questioned her. And honestly, if they did, she would just raise an eyebrow and look at you. 😂

Also… she was Russian, so of course she loved sour cream. (Russians put sour cream on everything.) And this cake? Still a family favorite. Perfect as-is. No edits, Grandma. Love you forever. 🤎

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)

• 1 cup water

• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cups flour

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ cup sour cream

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

For the Frosting - 9x13 pan

• ½ cup butter (1 stick)

• ¼ cup milk, plus more as needed

• ¼ cup cocoa powder

• 4½–5 cups powdered sugar

• Dash of kosher or sea salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Frosting - 13x18 sheet pan

• ¾ cup butter (1½ sticks)

• ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed

• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 6¾–7½ cups powdered sugar

• Dash of kosher or sea salt

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla

For the Frosting — Two Round Pans (8” or 9”)

• Use the 13x18 frosting amount if you want enough for layering + the sides.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease your pan(s).

2. In a saucepan, melt butter, water, and cocoa, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, salt, and baking soda. Pour the warm cocoa mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

4. Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Beat 30–45 seconds, just until smooth.

5. Pour into prepared pan(s) and bake: 9x13 pan, 22–28 minutes; 13x18 sheet pan, 18–22 minutes; two 8-inch rounds, 22–26 minutes; two 9-inch rounds, 18–24 minutes.

6. Cool completely before frosting.

7. For the frosting, melt butter, milk, and cocoa in a saucepan, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until glossy and smooth. Spread immediately — this frosting sets fast.

8. Slice, serve, and watch it disappear.

For the Frosting

1. In a saucepan, melt butter + milk + cocoa, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in powdered sugar + vanilla until glossy and smooth.

3. Spread immediately over cooled cake (this frosting sets fast).

4. Slice, serve, and watch it disappear.

NOTES

• This frosting sets up fast once it hits the cake, so have your pan ready and don’t walk away mid-stir.

• The cake layer freezes well unfrosted — wrap tightly and frost the day you’re serving it.

• Sour cream is what keeps this cake so moist; don’t sub it out for yogurt if you can help it.

• This one’s just as good (some say better) the next day, once the frosting sets fully. I love it for a second breakfast the next day 😆.

What I Used For This Recipe

• Hershey’s Cocoa Powder - for the classic chocolate flavor.

• My favorite darker cocoa powder - for a deeper, richer flavor.

• My favorite porcelain Dowan 9x13 - lovely and functional.

• My favorite sheet pans - for the sheet pan version. Good equipment really does make a significant difference.

• My Favorite Hand Mixer - makes baking so much more enjoyable! The light feature is especially helpful.

Weeknight Dinners

Peanut Butter Noodles

A silky, savory peanut-tahini sauce that coats every strand and tastes like take-out. Made with mostly pantry staples. Easy, fast, and so good - my kind of dinner.

My son has always called these “peanut butter noodles” — and the name stuck. It’s a silky peanut butter–tahini sauce made with soy sauce, honey, and frozen garlic + ginger cubes. Mostly pantry ingredients. Comes together in minutes. Tastes like takeout.

I used to mix in tons of veggies… but honestly? I like my noodles uninterrupted. Now I serve the veggies on the side and drizzle them with extra sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti (or GF noodles / zoodles)

• 4 frozen garlic cubes (or 4 cloves)

• 6 frozen ginger cubes (or 2 tbsp fresh grated)

• ½ cup soy sauce (or tamari for GF)

• ½ cup tahini

• ½ cup natural peanut butter

• ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar

• ¼ cup honey

• 1 tbsp dark sesame oil

• 1–2 tsp chili paste (Sambal Oelek), to taste

• ⅓ cup reserved pasta water

Toppings-

• Chopped peanuts

• Green onions

• Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Boil pasta in salted water. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.

2. Whisk garlic, ginger, soy sauce, tahini, peanut butter, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and chili paste until smooth and glossy.

3. Toss noodles with about ⅔ of the sauce, adding pasta water as needed to emulsify and coat.

4. Finish with chopped peanuts, green onions, and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds. Spoon a little of the extra sauce over the top. Serve with roasted chicken and broccoli on the side, or just enjoy them straight up. So good!

NOTES

• On the frozen garlic + ginger cubes: if you’re new here, these are my not-so-secret weapon — I freeze crushed garlic and grated ginger in ice cube trays so I never have to peel a clove at 6pm on a weeknight. If you don’t have them stashed in your freezer yet, 4 fresh cloves and 2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger work just as well. Just know that once you start doing this, you won’t go back.

• On the tahini: give the jar a good stir before measuring — tahini separates in the pantry just like natural peanut butter does, and a spoonful of the solid stuff at the bottom will throw off your sauce.

• On the sauce ratio: I hold back about a third of the sauce on purpose. It keeps the noodles from drinking it all up and going dry by the time you’re eating leftovers, and it means you always have extra to drizzle over whatever veggies or protein you’re serving alongside.

• On the veggies: I know, I know — a noodle dish with zero vegetables in it feels like it should come with a disclaimer. But I’ve made peace with it. Roasted broccoli, blistered green beans, or just a big pile of cucumbers on the side, all doused in extra sauce, and everyone’s happy. Nobody’s picking soggy carrots out of their noodles at my table anymore. Let the noodles live!

• Make ahead: the sauce keeps in the fridge for about a week — I usually double it and keep a jar on hand for a fast weeknight dinner or a sad-desk-lunch upgrade.

• Leftovers: they’ll firm up in the fridge. A splash of water and 30 seconds in the microwave brings them right back to life.

What I Used For This Recipe

• Frozen Ginger Cubes - A total game-changer — no peeling, no grating, just toss one straight into the blender for a fresh ginger kick every time.

• Frozen Garlic Cubes - this is how I get dinner on the table faster. No prep, no mess, full flavor.

• My Favorite Tongs - These KitchenAid silicone-tipped tongs are my favorite 🙌🏻 Sturdy, safe on pans, and the pull-tab locks them shut so they don’t get stuck in the drawer 🫠 I’ve had mine for years and they still work like new.

• My favorite brand of spaghetti - I really think it’s the best! Authentic, slow-dried, made in Italy, tastes really good.

Dinners Worth Making

Cast Iron Tri-Tip

My favorite way to cook tri-tip. It feels special enough for company, but it’s easy enough for a Sunday dinner. Just a simple seasoning blend, a hot pan, and pulling it at the right temperature.

Serves 4–6 | Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes resting time before + after cooking)

A simple, deeply seared tri-tip finished in the oven until perfectly medium, served with sautéed garlic mushrooms and baked potatoes. No marinades. No fuss. Just good technique.

Ingredients

Tri-Tip

• 2½ lb tri-tip roast

• 1½–2 Tbsp Montreal steak seasoning

• Or homemade Montreal-style blend: 1 Tbsp kosher salt, 1 Tbsp coarse black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

• 1–2 Tbsp avocado oil

Pan Dripping Mushroom Sauce

• 16 oz cremini or white mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered

• 1–2 Tbsp chicken stock (optional, for deglazing)

• 1 Tbsp butter

• 1 tsp fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Prep - Remove tri-tip from refrigerator 45–60 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry. Lightly coat with 1 Tbsp avocado oil. Season generously on all sides, pressing seasoning into the meat. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Sear - Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 3–4 minutes until very hot. Add remaining avocado oil. When shimmering, add tri-tip. Sear 4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Briefly sear the edges.

3. Finish in the Oven - Transfer skillet directly to the oven. Roast at 400°F for 12–15 minutes for a 2½ lb roast. Start checking internal temperature at 12 minutes in the thickest part. Remove at 130–135°F for medium (see below). Temperature will rise slightly while resting. Here’s temps for different doneness:

• rare: 120–125°

• medium-rare: 130–135° (this is where the magic happens)

• medium: 140–145°

• medium-well: 150–155°

• well: 160°+

Transfer to a cutting board. Loosely tent with foil and rest 10–15 minutes before slicing. Resting is so important for juicy, tender meat.

1. Pan Dripping Mushroom Sauce - While the meat rests, return skillet to medium heat. If there is excess grease, carefully pour some off, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add mushrooms in a single layer and cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes to develop color. Stir and continue cooking until browned and tender, about 6–8 minutes total. Add chicken stock (if needed) to loosen browned bits, then stir in butter and thyme until glossy. Taste first — the pan drippings are already seasoned.

2. Slice Properly - Tri-tip has two grain directions. Cut the roast in half where the grain changes, then slice each section thinly against the grain for maximum tenderness. Serve with baked potatoes, butter, flaky salt, and roasted asparagus.

NOTES

• Don’t skip bringing the meat closer to room temperature before cooking. It helps it cook more evenly.

• An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to nail tri-tip every time.

• I pull mine around 132–135°F and let it rest. That’s my sweet spot.

• If you don’t have Montreal seasoning, the homemade blend works beautifully.

• Leftovers make amazing sandwiches, salads, and wraps the next day.

• My favorite way to serve this is with baked potatoes, roasted asparagus, and the pan mushrooms. Love it with mashed potatoes too.

What I Used For This Recipe

• An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to nail tri-tip every time.

• My go-to Cast Iron Skillet. This pan is perfect for this recipe because gets beautifully hot for a really good sear and goes straight from the stovetop to the oven.

Thank you so much for being here. Your support means the world.

xo,
Chelsea

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This is one of my daughter’s most-requested dinners, and thankfully, it’s also one of the simplest. Sweet roasted tomatoes, garlic, lemon, and mascarpone come together to make a creamy sauce that is so, so good.

I especially love using a big, chunky pasta with ridges—penne rigate or mezzi rigatoni are perfect—because the sauce really clings to every noodle. I usually serve this with my Perfect Roasted Chicken, but it’s so satisfying on its own too.

Serves 6 | Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, about 12 ounces

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2–3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound chunky, ridged pasta, such as penne rigate or mezzi rigatoni

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened

• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

• ½ cup chopped fresh basil

• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts, optional but I love them in this

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

3. Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, juicy, and beginning to caramelize.

4. While the tomatoes roast, cook the pasta in generously salted water according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

5. Remove the tomatoes from the oven. Use a fork or potato masher to gently crush the tomatoes and roasted garlic directly in the baking dish.

6. Add the softened mascarpone and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Stir until the mascarpone melts into the tomatoes and creates a creamy sauce.

7. Add the drained pasta, Parmesan, and basil. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

8. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Finish with toasted pine nuts, additional Parmesan, and fresh basil. Yum.

NOTES

• Choose a pasta with ridges. Penne rigate and mezzi rigatoni are my favorites because all those little ridges hold onto the creamy tomato sauce.

• Soften the mascarpone. Let it sit at room temperature while the tomatoes roast so it melts easily into the sauce.

• Save your pasta water. The starch helps the mascarpone and roasted tomato juices come together. I always reserve more than I think I’ll need.

• Make it a full meal. I love serving this pasta with my [Perfect Roasted Chicken], but it’s delicious and filling all on its own.

• Toast the pine nuts. It only takes a few minutes and gives the finished pasta a little crunch.

• For leftovers: Add a splash of water before reheating to loosen the sauce.

What I Used

• De Cecco Penne Rigate or Mezzi Rigatoni

• Deep porcelain 9-by-13-inch baking dish - I love this beautiful one by Dowan

• Microplane for zesting the lemon and grating the Parmesan

• Maldon salt for finishing - this stuff really does make a difference.

xo,

Chelsea

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This week’s recipes lean into the last few weeks of summer - a grilled balsamic chicken topped with a cherry tomato caprese salad, a strawberry-studded shortcake cookie that will change your shortcake world forever, and a churro snack cake that doubles as a treat or breakfast. I hope you love them as much as we do.

P.S. Prefer a printable version? I’ve linked all three recipe PDFs at the bottom of the post.

Treats

Churro Snack Cake

Here’s the thing. Around 3pm, especially certain times of the month, I do not want a rice cake. I want a treat. And this is what I’ve been reaching for lately — it satisfies my sweet tooth completely, mine and my kids’, but it’s a little more balanced.

This is not a protein bake. It’s not a “healthy dessert that tastes healthy.” It’s a light, airy, cinnamon-forward snack cake with a crackly churro-sugar top, and it happens to be made with almond flour, oat flour, and a little cottage cheese for good measure. You’d never know.

My fifteen-year-old and my picky ten-year-old both love it as much as I do. What other proof do you need? 😂

Makes 9–12 squares | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 28–32 min | Total: about 45 min

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• ¼ cup blended cottage cheese or Greek yogurt (or your favorite DF yogurt)

• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¾ cup oat flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp kosher salt

Churro Topping:

• 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment.

2. If using cottage cheese, blend until completely smooth (no curds) — or leave it slightly chunky if you don’t mind the little specks. If using yogurt, no need to blend, just dump it in.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined and slightly lighter in color.

4. Whisk in the avocado oil, cottage cheese or yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.

5. Add the almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until fully combined and smooth. (batter will be thick).

6. Rest the batter 5 minutes so the almond and oat flours can hydrate.

7. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

8. Mix the churro topping and sprinkle evenly over the top.

9. Bake 28–32 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake this — it will dry out on you. When in doubt, pull it early. Underdone beats dry every time.

10. Cool completely, then slice and enjoy. Yum.

NOTES

• The batter is pretty thick — that’s how it’s supposed to be, don’t worry if it doesn’t pour like a typical cake batter

• I’ve made this with both brown sugar and coconut sugar — both good, use whatever you’ve got

• I like it a little more with cottage cheese than yogurt, but both work

• Sometimes I don’t even blend the cottage cheese smooth — totally fine, you’ll just get little white specks throughout, which doesn’t bother me or my kids

• Dairy-free: sub your favorite DF yogurt for the cottage cheese

• Want a loaf instead? Bake in a lined 8×4 loaf pan, 40–45 minutes

Tools + Ingredients I Use for this

• Parchment Paper - for easy release and clean up.

• Inverted Spatula - great for spreading this thick batter.

• My favorite Spatulas - Silicone, heat safe, feel good in your hand - I use these daily.

Weeknight Dinners

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Caprese Salad

One of the best summer dinners you’ll make all season. It looks a lot fancier than it really is, and it’s surprisingly simple to pull together.

Serves 4-6 | About 45 minutes (plus marinating time)

This is one of those summer dinners that looks impressive but is actually incredibly simple. One easy balsamic dressing pulls everything together — I use it to marinate the chicken, dress the arugula salad, and drizzle over the finished dish.

Topped with juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, it’s the kind of meal that tastes like summer. Serve it with grilled garlic bread and a peppery arugula salad, and you’ve got a fresh, colorful dinner that’s perfect for warm evenings and peak tomato season.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1½–2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

For the Dressing/Marinade

• 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon raspberry or strawberry jam

• 1–2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup olive oil or avocado oil

For the Caprese Salad

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls, drained

• ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• a drizzle of the balsamic dressing/marinade, for serving

For the Grilled Garlic Bread

• 1 ciabatta loaf, sliced in half lengthwise

• Olive oil or avocado oil spray

• 1 garlic clove, peeled

• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. In a jar or bowl, whisk together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, jam, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified.

2. Reserve about ½ cup of the balsamic dressing for serving. Pour the remaining dressing over the chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

3. Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until lightly charred and the thickest part reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5–7 minutes per side depending on thickness. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

4. While the chicken rests, make the caprese salad. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

5. Prepare the grilled garlic bread. Lightly spray the cut sides of the ciabatta with olive oil and grill until lightly charred on both sides. While the bread is still warm, rub the cut side of a garlic clove all over the surface. The garlic will melt right into the hot bread. Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt and slice for serving.

6. Spoon the caprese salad over the grilled chicken. Drizzle with the reserved balsamic dressing and a little balsamic glaze, if desired.

7. For a complete meal, toss a few handfuls of arugula with the reserved balsamic dressing and serve alongside the chicken with the grilled garlic bread.

NOTES

• The balsamic dressing can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Just give it a good shake before using.

• Fresh basil makes all the difference here—don’t skip it. Actually, a little fresh basil in the dressing/marinade is delicioius as well.

• If your tomatoes are especially sweet and ripe, a little extra flaky sea salt right before serving is delicious. 🤍

Tools + Ingredients I Use for this

• Instant Read Thermometer - My most-recommended kitchen tool. Pull the chicken at 165°F and you’ll never have to wonder if it’s done.

• Oil Sprayer - Perfect for evenly coating the bread before it hits the grill.

• My Favorite Tongs - I reach for these everyday.

• Maldon Sea Salt - I use this for seasoning along the way + finishing.

• Grater for Parmesan - I really do think freshly grated parm is so much better.

Treats

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

These have been a family favorite for decades—and they’re my dad’s all-time favorite dessert. Strawberry Shortcake turned into a cookie that we like even more than the original.

Makes 20-24 cookies | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 24-25 minutes

Every time I make them, I bake a double batch and quietly hide a few away in a secret container just for him... otherwise they’re gone in no time. He reheats them in the air fryer and is so happy about it.

The funny thing? This is a Martha Stewart recipe that somehow only has 3 out of 5 stars. We don’t get it Martha! Around here, it’s a solid 10 out of 5.

I only make two small changes:

• A splash of extra heavy cream for a more tender dough

• An extra generous sprinkle of sugar on top for the most delicious caramelized crust

Ingredients

• 12 ounces strawberries, hulled and diced (about 2 cups)

  • Shortcut: Halve the strawberries and pulse 6–8 times in a food processor. Don’t overdo it—a little uneven texture is perfect.

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

• ⅔–1 cup heavy cream

• Sanding sugar or granulated sugar, for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside while you prepare the dough.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender (or your fingertips) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. Stir in ⅔ cup heavy cream. Add a little more as needed until the dough just comes together. Gently fold in the strawberry mixture.

   Don’t overmix. The dough should look streaky and rustic. If it turns completely pink, you’ve gone too far and the cookies won’t be quite as tender.

5. Using a 1½-inch cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the tops with sugar.

6. Bake for 24–25 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. If baking in batches, keep the remaining dough refrigerated between rounds.

7. Let cool slightly and serve warm.

To Reheat

These are at their absolute best warm. Reheat in a 325°F air fryer or oven for 3–5 minutes and they’ll taste freshly baked all over again.

Trust me—these are magic. ✨

NOTES

• The biggest secret is not overmixing. The dough should look messy, streaky and imperfect—not uniformly pink.

• I always add a little extra cream if the dough seems dry. The exact amount can vary depending on your strawberries.

• Be generous with the sugar on top. Those crunchy, caramelized edges are one of the best parts.

• My dad swears these are best reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes the next day.

• If you’re making them for a crowd, go ahead and double the recipe. I’ve never regretted having extra.

Tools + Ingredients I Use for this

• Medium Cookie Scoop - my favorite size for these.

• XL Sheet Pan - I LOVE this thing. More cookies per batch, which means cookies in your mouth faster.

• Parchment Paper - I use 2 sheets for the XL Sheet Pan

• Pastry Blender - my favorite way to integrate butter into the shortcake dough.

Thank you so much for being here. Your support means the world.

xo,
Chelsea

Printable Recipe PDFs

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Here’s the thing. Around 3pm, especially certain times of the month, I do not want a rice cake. I want a treat. And this is what I’ve been reaching for lately — it satisfies my sweet tooth completely, mine and my kids’, but it’s a little more balanced.

This is not a protein bake. It’s not a “healthy dessert that tastes healthy.” It’s a light, airy, cinnamon-forward snack cake with a crackly churro-sugar top, and it happens to be made with almond flour, oat flour, and a little cottage cheese for good measure. You’d never know.

My fifteen-year-old and my picky ten-year-old both love it as much as I do. At that point, what more do you want from me. Ha.

Makes 9–12 squares | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 28–32 min | Total: about 45 min

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar

• ¼ cup avocado oil

• ¼ cup blended cottage cheese or Greek yogurt (or your favorite DF yogurt)

• 1½ tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¾ cup oat flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp kosher salt

Churro Topping:

• 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 pan with parchment.

2. If using cottage cheese, blend until completely smooth (no curds) — or leave it slightly chunky if you don’t mind the little specks. If using yogurt, no need to blend, just dump it in.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until well combined and slightly lighter in color.

4. Whisk in the avocado oil, cottage cheese or yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.

5. Add the almond flour, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix just until fully combined and smooth. (batter will be thick).

6. Rest the batter 5 minutes so the almond and oat flours can hydrate.

7. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

8. Mix the churro topping and sprinkle evenly over the top.

9. Bake 28–32 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake this — it will dry out on you. When in doubt, pull it early. Underdone beats dry every time.

10. Cool completely, then slice and enjoy. Yum.

NOTES

• The batter is pretty thick — that’s how it’s supposed to be, don’t worry if it doesn’t pour like a typical cake batter

• I’ve made this with both brown sugar and coconut sugar — both good, use whatever you’ve got

• I like it a little more with cottage cheese than yogurt, but both work

• Sometimes I don’t even blend the cottage cheese smooth — totally fine, you’ll just get little white specks throughout, which doesn’t bother me or my kids

• Dairy-free: sub your favorite DF yogurt for the cottage cheese

• Want a loaf instead? Bake in a lined 8×4 loaf pan, 40–45 minutes

Shop this recipe

• Parchment Paper - for easy release and clean up.

• Inverted Spatula - great for spreading this thick batter.

• My favorite Spatulas - Silicone, heat safe, feel good in your hand - I use these daily.

xo,

Chelsea

If you like having a clean, printable version in your kitchen, I made one for you here 🤍

Subscribers also get access to my full printable recipe library — all my recipes in one place, designed to be easy to save and cook from, with new recipes added weekly.

Read more

Happy Sunday! Here are all of this week's recipes in one place — I hope you find something (or many things!) to make and add to your cooking rotation.

P.S. Looking for a specific ingredient, one of my favorite kitchen tools, or the printable recipe PDFs? I’ve linked everything at the bottom of this post.

Weeknight Dinners

Street Corn Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted sweet potatoes stuffed with taco-seasoned ground beef and warm street corn — creamy, smoky, and finished with cilantro, Cotija, and lime. And you’d never guess its healthy.

I know, I know — it looks like a few steps when you read the recipe. But I promise, each step is simple, and the payoff is completely worth it. To keep cleanup minimal, I roast the sweet potatoes on parchment and cook the beef and corn in the same cast iron skillet — just a quick wipe in between.

It’s roasted, caramelized sweet potatoes, smoky taco beef, and then the real star of the show: street corn made with Greek yogurt, a little mayo, jalapeño, lime, chili powder, and cotija. Sweet, smoky, cool, creamy, all in one bite — I could eat this every single week and not get sick of it. Maybe I will.

My kids LOVE this one. I make extra just so there are leftovers for me — I’m so happy to have this waiting in the fridge for lunch the next day.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook | Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

• 4-6 medium sweet potatoes

• Olive or avocado oil, for drizzling

• Kosher salt

Taco Beef

• 1½ pounds 93/7 lean ground beef

• One packet of taco seasoning, OR:

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ½ dried oregano

  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Warm Street Corn

• ¼ cup finely diced red onion

• 1-2 tablespoons butter (or avocado oil. but butter and corn are so good together)

• 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup mayonnaise (I used Chosen Foods avocado oil)

• ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese

• 1 large jalapeño, finely diced (I removed the seeds and membrane but leave it in if you like it spicy)

• Juice of 2 limes

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• Tajín and kosher salt, to taste

Toppings

• Sliced avocado

• Extra Cotija cheese

• Chopped cilantro

• Lime wedges

• Extra Tajín

• Hot sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the sweet potatoes and slice them in half lengthwise. Lightly drizzle the cut sides with oil and sprinkle with salt, then place them flesh-side down on the parchment. Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until very tender.

2. While the potatoes bake, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain any excess grease if needed, then stir in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Transfer the beef to a bowl, then carefully wipe out the skillet so you can use it for the corn.

3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the butter or oil. Add the red onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the corn and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and lightly caramelized.

4. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the corn cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Cotija, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, Tajín, and salt to taste.

5. Split each sweet potato open and fluff with a fork. Top with the seasoned taco beef and a generous scoop of the warm street corn mixture.

6. Finish with sliced avocado, extra Cotija, cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime, and another sprinkle of Tajín, if desired.

NOTES

• Fresh corn makes all the difference here. It caramelizes slightly and adds a sweetness you just won’t get from canned corn. BUT canned corn will still be good

• Let the corn mixture cool for a few minutes before stirring in the yogurt and mayonnaise so it stays smooth and creamy.

• These reheat well, making them great for meal prep - I love having it in my fridge! Just store the street corn, taco meat, and sweet potatoes separately, then assemble when you’re ready to eat.

Shop This Recipe

• XL Sheet Pan - for roasting the sweet potatoes. I love this bigger sheet becuase i can fit so much more on it.

• Parchment Paper - makes clean up super easy AND helps caramelize the sweet potatoes. I always have this on hand.

• My favorite XL Cast Iron Skillet - the extra space ensures you get caramelized meat and veggies instead of steamed.

• My go-to chef’s knife. Affordable, sharp, and one of the most-used tools in my kitchen.

• My Favorite Tongs - these have an open/close feature that precent them from getting jammed in your utensil drawer. That is the worst.

• Maldon Sea Salt - I use this for seasoning along the way + finishing. I promise it makes your food taste better.

• Oil Sprayer - I have one for avocado oil and on for olive - I use them every day.

Weeknight Dinners

Mediterranean Turkey Pita Smash

This is one of those dinners that feels a little different, but is actually so simple to make. Crispy pita, warm spiced turkey with a hint of sweetness, and a cool, creamy yogurt sauce. So, so good.

Serves: 4 | Time: ~30 minutes

Ingredients

Turkey Filling

• 1¼ lbs ground turkey (93% lean)

• 2 tbsp baharat spice blend
  
  OR

• Use this spice mix:

  • 1½ tsp za’atar (most grocery stores carry this blend)

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp ground coriander

  • ½ tsp ground cardamom

  • ½ tsp allspice

  • ½ tsp paprika

  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 1½ tsp kosher salt

• ⅓ cup chopped almonds

• ¼ cup chopped dried figs

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

Garlic Lemon Yogurt Sauce

• ½ cup Greek yogurt (I used full fat)

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt + pepper

Cucumber Herb Salsa

• 1 english cucumber, finely diced

• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced

• remaining ¼ cup chopped parsley

• 1 tbsp chopped mint

• 1/2 tbsp tbsp chopped dill

• Juice of ½ lemon

• drizzle of red wine vinegar

• drizzle of olive oil

• 1/2 tsp salt

For Assembly

• 4 pita breads, sliced in half horizontally

Instructions

1. Make the sauces - Stir together yogurt sauce ingredients until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix the cucumber salsa and let it marinate while you make the pitas. Taste and adjust seasoning.

2. Make the filling - In a bowl, combine turkey, spices, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, almonds, figs, and parsley. Mix gently.

3. Prepare the pita - Slice pita in half and press about 1/2 cup the turkey mixture on top of each pita half, creating a thin, even layer.

4. 4. Cook (smash style)
   
   Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little oil (not high—this allows the meat to cook through while still developing a good crust).

   Make sure your turkey mixture is at room temperature before cooking—cold meat will prevent the pita from crisping and from getting that caramelized crust.

   Place the pita meat side down first and press lightly so it makes full contact with the pan. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the meat is browned and caramelized.

   While it cooks, lightly brush or spray the pita side with oil—this helps it get extra golden and crispy.

   Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes, until the pita is crisp and the turkey is fully cooked through.

5. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until the pita is golden and crispy and the filling is cooked through.

6. Top warm pita with yogurt sauce and spoon over the fresh cucumber herb salsa. Soo good! Enjoy 🫶🏻.

NOTES

• The figs + almonds are what make these SO good. Sweet/savory/crunchy perfection.

• Don’t skip the fresh herbs — they make everything taste bright and fresh.

• Medium heat is key here for a crispy pita + fully cooked filling.

• Full-fat Greek yogurt gives the sauce the best creamy texture.

• Best eaten hot off the skillet while the pita is extra crispy.

• Leftover cucumber salsa is amazing on bowls, eggs, or grilled chicken.

Shop This Recipe

• Olive Oil Sprayer - I use this everyday for all the things.

• Stainless Slotted Fish Turner - thin, flexible, and perfect for crispy pita.

• 12 inch Cast Iron Skillet - my favorite size for everyday cooking.

• 15 inch Cast Iron Skillet - gives the pita the best golden crispy crust.

• My go-to Knife - sharp, lightweight, and affordable.

Treats

Cast Iron Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is the cookie you make when twelve dough balls sound like way too much effort. No mixing bowl, one pan, one timer, and a gooey center. Get the ice and spoons ready.

Serves 6–8 (12-inch) or 10–12 (15-inch) | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 22–32 min | Total: about 45 min

A simple cookie dough baked in a hot cast-iron skillet turns into something way better than the sum of its parts. The butter melts right in the pan, the sugars caramelize a little before the dough even goes in, and the edges go deeply golden while the center stays soft — almost custardy. No portioning dough balls, no watching a tray of twelve at once. Just one pan, one timer, and everyone digging in with spoons straight out of the skillet.

Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream (Tillamook Old-Fashioned is my go-to) melting into the top. That’s really it — you don’t need much else.

Recipe includes both a 12-inch skillet (serves 6–8) and a 15-inch skillet (serves 10–12), so scale to whatever you’ve got.

For a 12-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet

(serves 6-8)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 cups chocolate chips

For Serving

Vanilla Ice Cream (Tillamook Old-Fashioned Vanilla is my favorite)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the butter directly into the 12-inch cast-iron skillet and put it in the oven to melt.

2. Once melted (about 3–5 minutes), carefully remove the skillet. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar directly to the hot butter and stir to combine. Let sit 2–3 minutes so the sugar begins to dissolve and slightly caramelize.

3. Allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes so it’s warm but not hot. (You don’t want to scramble the eggs.)

4. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.

5. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt directly over the mixture. Stir just until combined — do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Smooth the dough evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle with some more chocolate chips on top.

7. Bake for 22–28 minutes. The edges should be golden and set, and the center slightly soft. It may look just a little underdone in the middle — that’s perfect.

8. Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.

9. Place a generous mound of vanilla ice cream directly into the center of the warm skillet cookie and share. Yum.

For a 15 Inch Cast-Iron Skillet

(serves 10-12)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter

• 1½ cups packed brown sugar

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

• 3 cups chocolate chips, plus extra for the top

Instructions

1. Follow the same method as the 12-inch version above, melting the butter directly in the skillet first and letting the sugar mixture cool before adding eggs.

2. Bake at 350°F for 25–32 minutes, checking at 25. Edges should be deeply golden, center still soft — same jiggle test applies. Let rest 10–15 minutes before serving.

Share this with your people and enjoy!

NOTES

• Make it ahead: you can mix the dough up to a day ahead and keep it in the skillet, covered, in the fridge — just let it sit out 20–30 minutes before baking so it’s not going into the oven ice cold.

• Chocolate swap: chocolate chunks instead of chips give you those glossy melted pools instead of a more uniform chip. Either works.

• Storage: covered at room temp, it’s good for about 2 days — though it rarely lasts that long.

• Doneness cue: trust the jiggle test over the clock. Ovens vary more than you’d think, especially with cast iron holding heat differently pan to pan.

Shop This Recipe

• 12-inch cast-iron skillet — the one I reach for constantly, not just for this.

• 15-inch cast-iron skillet — worth it if you’re feeding a crowd.

Blue Spirulina Smoothie

This one has been on repeat in our house lately. My kids are obsessed — partly because it tastes like a tropical vacation, and partly because it looks like something out of a fantasy movie.

Serves 1-2 | Time: under 5 minutes

That color is completely natural, all from blue spirulina, which happens to be one of the most antioxidant-rich ingredients you can add to your diet. You’d never know it by how good this tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I like whey, use plant-based to keep it dairy free)

• 1 cup frozen pineapple

• ½ cup frozen mango

• ½ cup raw unsalted cashews

• 1 teaspoon blue spirulina

• dash of salt

• ~ ½ cup ice

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until completely smooth.

2. Pour and enjoy.

NOTES

• The cashews are the secret. They make this smoothie incredibly creamy without any dairy — don’t skip them.

• Blue spirulina has almost no flavor on its own, so don’t let it intimidate you. It just makes everything beautiful with a major antioxidant boost.

• Start with half a teaspoon of spirulina if you’re new to it, then work your way up. A little goes a long way for color.

• Frozen fruit is key here — it keeps things thick and cold without watering it down with too much ice.

Shop This Recipe

• The Beast Mini Blender - This is the one I reach for every single day. Same great features as the Mega but compact, which makes it perfect for single servings and super easy to clean. Get 15% off with my link!

• The Beast Mega Blender — A powerhouse blender that’s fully contained (no splatter!) and comes with a straw lid for easy on-the-go drinking. I have both sizes and this one’s great if you’re making larger batches. Get 15% off with my link!

• Blue Spirulina Powder - This is the one I use. USDA organic, neutral taste. A little goes a long way for color. I start with half a teaspoon and work my way up.

• My favorite Vintage Hobnail Glasses - these are beautiful but perhaps my favorite thing about them is they are hard to break!

Thank you so much for being here. I hope you love these recipes like we do.

xo,
Chelsea

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I know, I know — it looks like a few steps when you read the recipe. But I promise, each step is simple, and the payoff is completely worth it. To keep cleanup minimal, I roast the sweet potatoes on parchment and cook the beef and corn in the same cast iron skillet — just a quick wipe in between.

It’s roasted, caramelized sweet potatoes, smoky taco beef, and then the real star of the show: street corn made with Greek yogurt, a little mayo, jalapeño, lime, chili powder, and cotija. Sweet, smoky, cool, creamy, all in one bite — I could eat this every single week and not get sick of it. Maybe I will.

My kids LOVE this one. I make extra just so there are leftovers for me — I’m so happy to have this waiting in the fridge for lunch the next day.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook | Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

• 4-6 medium sweet potatoes

• Olive or avocado oil, for drizzling

• Kosher salt

Taco Beef

• 1½ pounds 93/7 lean ground beef

• One packet of taco seasoning, OR:

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • ½ dried oregano

  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Warm Street Corn

• ¼ cup finely diced red onion

• 1-2 tablespoons butter (or avocado oil. but butter and corn are so good together)

• 4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup mayonnaise (I used Chosen Foods avocado oil)

• ½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese

• 1 large jalapeño, finely diced (I removed the seeds and membrane but leave it in if you like it spicy)

• Juice of 2 limes

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• Tajín and kosher salt, to taste

Toppings

• Sliced avocado

• Extra Cotija cheese

• Chopped cilantro

• Lime wedges

• Extra Tajín

• Hot sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the sweet potatoes and slice them in half lengthwise. Lightly drizzle the cut sides with oil and sprinkle with salt, then place them flesh-side down on the parchment. Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until very tender.

2. While the potatoes bake, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain any excess grease if needed, then stir in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Transfer the beef to a bowl, then carefully wipe out the skillet so you can use it for the corn.

3. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the butter or oil. Add the red onion and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the corn and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender and lightly caramelized.

4. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the corn cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, Cotija, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, chili powder, Tajín, and salt to taste.

5. Split each sweet potato open and fluff with a fork. Top with the seasoned taco beef and a generous scoop of the warm street corn mixture.

6. Finish with sliced avocado, extra Cotija, cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime, and another sprinkle of Tajín, if desired.

NOTES

• Fresh corn makes all the difference here. It caramelizes slightly and adds a sweetness you just won’t get from canned corn. BUT canned corn will still be good

• Let the corn mixture cool for a few minutes before stirring in the yogurt and mayonnaise so it stays smooth and creamy.

• These reheat well, making them great for meal prep - I love having it in my fridge! Just store the street corn, taco meat, and sweet potatoes separately, then assemble when you’re ready to eat.

Tools + Ingredients I used for this

• XL Sheet Pan - for roasting the sweet potatoes. I love this bigger sheet becuase i can fit so much more on it.

• Parchment Paper - makes clean up super easy AND helps caramelize the sweet potatoes. I always have this on hand.

• My favorite XL Cast Iron Skillet - the extra space ensures you get caramelized meat and veggies instead of steamed.

• My go-to chef’s knife. Affordable, sharp, and one of the most-used tools in my kitchen.

• My Favorite Tongs - these have an open/close feature that precent them from getting jammed in your utensil drawer. That is the worst.

• Maldon Sea Salt - I use this for seasoning along the way + finishing. I promise it makes your food taste better.

• Oil Sprayer - I have one for avocado oil and on for olive - I use them every day.

xo,

Chelsea

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5 Recipes Worth Repeating

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xoxo,

Chelsea

Happy Sunday! Here are all of this week’s recipes in one place. I hope you find something, or many delicious things to make this week.

P.S. Looking for a specific ingredient, one of my favorite kitchen tools, or the printable recipe PDFs? I’ve linked everything at the bottom of this post.

Weeknight Dinners

Creamy Triple Tomato Pasta (+ my cottage cheese trick)

If you’re going to make tomato sauce from scratch, it better be worth it. This one is! Pancetta, onions, garlic, and three kinds of tomatoes finished with cream—or my favorite cottage cheese trick.

Serves ~ 4 | Prep: 15 min | Bake: 30–35 min | Total: about 50 min

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons pancetta, finely diced (Trader Joe’s pre-diced pancetta works great)

• 1 small onion, diced (about ⅔ cup)

• 1 bay leaf

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• ¾ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

• 3 garlic cloves, minced (or 3 frozen garlic cubes)

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

• 2 cups crushed tomatoes (I use most of a 28 oz can)

• ¼ cup chicken stock or dry white wine

• 1 pound short pasta (I love penne, but ziti or fusilli are nice too)

• ½ cup blended cottage cheese or ½ cup heavy cream, for a richer, more indulgent sauce

• ½–1 teaspoon sugar (to taste)

• Additional salt, to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

For Serving

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta, onion, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very soft and beginning to caramelize and the pancetta is lightly browned, about 8–12 minutes.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.

3. Pour in the chicken stock or white wine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 1–2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, 25–30 minutes.

4. If using cottage cheese instead of heavy cream: Blend the cottage cheese with 1–2 tablespoons milk until it’s completely smooth and creamy. I love my Beast Mini or Mega Blender for this—it makes the cottage cheese silky, and my kids can’t tell the difference. (Full-fat cottage cheese works best.) I linked my code below if you’d like 15% off.

If using heavy cream: Skip this step.

5. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, then the pasta. Cook until al dente, about 1–2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.

6. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Stir in the blended cottage cheese or heavy cream, then add ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Add ½ teaspoon sugar, taste, and add up to another ½ teaspoon if needed. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

7. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce, tossing until evenly coated. If needed, stir in a splash of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

8. Divide among bowls and top with fresh basil and additional freshly grated Parmesan. Serve immediately and enjoy.

NOTES

• I really like to use blended cottage cheese instead of heavy cream (okay, not for desserts - let’s not get too crazy) It adds a boost of protein and cuts back on the fat without sacrificing the creamy texture. My kids have never noticed the difference.

• Don’t rush this step. Letting the tomato paste darken for a minute or two caramelizes the natural sugars and gives the sauce a much richer, deeper flavor.

• Pre-shredded Parmesan doesn’t melt as smoothly because it has anti-caking agents/ powder they put on the cheese. Yikes. Freshly grated Parmesan gives you the silkiest sauce and tastes so much better.

• Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the cooking water. The starch helps the sauce cling to every piece of pasta and makes it extra silky.

• Wine or Chicken Stock? Both are delicious. White wine adds a little brightness, while chicken stock gives the sauce a richer, cozier flavor.

• The sauce actually tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep. Just cook fresh pasta when you’re ready to serve.

Shop this recipe

• The Beast Mini Blender is what I used to blend the cottage cheese in this recipe. I use it all the time for dressings, sauces, marinades, soups, and smoothies. If you’ve been thinking about getting one, my link saves you 15% off, which is the best discount I’ve found.

  Get 15% off here → https://get.aspr.app/SH1jQQ

• De Cecco Penne Rigate - My favorite pasta. It’s made in Italy, and those little ridges help the sauce cling to every bite.

• San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes - a little thing that makes a BIG difference. These are the best, no contest.

• Maldon Sea Salt - I use this for seasoning along the way + finishing.

• Microplane Zester - Freshly grated Parmesan really does make a difference, and this is the one I use. It also makes quick work of lemon zest, garlic, ginger, and even chocolate. One of those inexpensive kitchen tools I reach for all the time.

Salads

Lentil Salad with Ginger Coconut Crunch

Sweet, crunchy, savory, and just a little spicy, this lentil salad is anything but boring. The warm ginger-coconut crunch is what makes it! Even my anti-veggie teenage boys love this one.

Serves: 4–6 | Prep: 15 min | Total: 15 min

No mayo in this one, so no worrying about it sitting out too long — which makes it an easy yes for a potluck, the beach, the pool, wherever. It’s high-protein, it’s vegan, and my teenage boys who normally push vegetables around their plate eat this one up. The ginger-coconut crunch on top is really what makes it — don’t skip it.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 (17.6 oz) pkg steamed lentils (about 2½ cups)

• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

• 1 Fuji or Honeycrisp apple, diced

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

• 1 cup chopped Italian parsley

For the Dressing

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp coarse salt

• ⅓ cup really good olive oil (avocado works too)

For the Ginger Coconut Crunch

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (or ~

• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Add lentils to a large bowl and gently break them apart.

2. Stir in bell pepper, apple, jalapeño, and parsley.

3. Whisk dressing ingredients until emulsified. Pour over salad and toss.

4. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm sesame oil. Add ginger and coconut; cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant.

5. Spoon the warm crunch over the salad and toss lightly before serving.

NOTES

• Steamed lentils are in the produce section at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, most grocery stores carry them there too, sometimes next to the pre-washed greens.

• Swap in diced cucumber, or any veggie you like — this recipe is forgiving.

• Keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days.

Shop this Recipe

• Maldon Sea Salt - a little thing that makes a big difference.

• Corto Olive Oil - a really good olive oil makes all the difference, especially when the recipe is pretty simple.

• My go-to Knife - Sharp, affordable, Japanese Steel. Best seller for a reason.

• Caraway Glass Food Container (10 cups) - great for storing these.

Treats

Special K Bars

(Except I’ve always made them with Corn Flakes.) I got this recipe from my college roommates years ago, and it’s been one of my favorite easy treats since.

Serves: 20–24 bars (9×13) or 40–48 bars (13×18 ) | Time: 20 minutes + ~1 hour to chill

I love this recipe because it’s simple, but so good. It comes together with just a handful of pantry ingredients, and the combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and butterscotch is hard to beat. If you know, you know.

The only trick is not to overcook the sugar and corn syrup. Bring it just to a boil, then take it off the heat before stirring in the peanut butter. That’s what keeps the bars soft and chewy instead of hard.

Ingredients

9×13 Pan

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup light corn syrup

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 cups Corn Flakes (or Special K cereal)

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup butterscotch chips

13×18 Sheet Pan (Double Batch)

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cups light corn syrup

• 2 cups creamy peanut butter

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 12 cups Corn Flakes (or Special K cereal)

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 2 cups butterscotch chips

Instructions

for a 9×13 Pan

1. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the bars out after they’ve chilled.

2. Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Stir constantly until the mixture just comes to a boil. As soon as it does, remove it from the heat.

4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until completely smooth.

5. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal and gently fold until evenly coated.

6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and gently press it into an even layer. Don’t pack it down too firmly.

7. Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.

8. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the bars.

9. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the chocolate is set. Lift the bars out using the parchment paper and slice.

Enjoy! And maybe share a few, because I have very little self-control around these.

for a 13×18 Sheet Pan (Double Batch)

Repeat the recipe above using the doubled ingredient amounts and an 18×13-inch parchment-lined sheet pan.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

NOTES

• Don’t let the sugar and corn syrup boil long. As soon as the mixture reaches a boil, remove it from the heat. That’s the secret to soft, chewy bars.

  I like to refrigerate the bars before slicing. It helps the chocolate set and makes for much cleaner cuts.

• Don’t skip the parchment paper! It makes lifting the bars out and slicing them so much easier.

• Store covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate if you prefer a firmer bar. They also freeze beautifully. Let them sit for about 10 minutes before taking a bite. Trust me.

Shop this recipe

• Parchment Paper - I go through this stuff constantly. I use two sheets to line the XL sheet pan, and it makes cleanup basically nonexistent. Grab a big box — you’ll use it for everything.

• 9×13 baking dish - I love this Dowan White Porcelain Dish for everything from cakes to lasagna. The white porcelain looks beautiful from oven to table, bakes evenly, and it’s a little deeper than a traditional casserole dish.

• My favorite 13 x 18 sheet pans - for the double batch.

• My Favorite Spatulas - My go-to silicone spatulas for everything from scraping every last bit of batter out of the bowl to folding and stirring.

• My go-to Knife - Sharp, affordable, Japanese Steel. Best seller for a reason.

• Caraway Glass Food Container (10 cups) - great for storing these.

I hope you love these recipes! As always, thank you so much for being here. Happy cooking and eating.

xo,
Chelsea

If printable recipes make cooking easier for you, you can find them below.

Paid subscribers get early access to new recipes, plus my full printable PDF recipe library — a new PDF with every recipe I share.

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Serves: 4–6 | Prep: 15 min | Total: 15 min

No mayo in this one, so no worrying about it sitting out too long — which makes it an easy yes for a potluck, the beach, the pool, wherever. It’s high-protein, it’s vegan, and my teenage boys who normally push vegetables around their plate eat this one up. The ginger-coconut crunch on top is really what makes it — don’t skip it.

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 (17.6 oz) pkg steamed lentils (about 2½ cups)

• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced

• 1 Fuji or Honeycrisp apple, diced

• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced

• 1 cup chopped Italian parsley

For the Dressing

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp coarse salt

• ⅓ cup really good olive oil (avocado works too)

For the Ginger Coconut Crunch

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (or ~

• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Add lentils to a large bowl and gently break them apart.

2. Stir in bell pepper, apple, jalapeño, and parsley.

3. Whisk dressing ingredients until emulsified. Pour over salad and toss.

4. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm sesame oil. Add ginger and coconut; cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant.

5. Spoon the warm crunch over the salad and toss lightly before serving.

NOTES

• Steamed lentils are in the produce section at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, most grocery stores carry them there too, sometimes next to the pre-washed greens.

• Swap in diced cucumber, or any veggie you like — this recipe is forgiving.

• Keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days.

Tools + Ingredients I used for this

• Maldon Sea Salt - a little thing that makes a big difference.

• Corto Olive Oil - a really good olive oil makes all the difference, especially when the recipe is pretty simple.

• My go-to Knife - Sharp, affordable, Japanese Steel. Best seller for a reason.

• Caraway Glass Food Container (10 cups) - great for storing these.

xo,

Chelsea

If you like having a clean, printable version in your kitchen, I made one for you here 🤍

Subscribers also get access to my full printable recipe library — all my recipes in one place, designed to be easy to save and cook from, with new recipes added weekly.

Read more