When I think of Labor Day I think of grilling meats, fresh summer salads, grilled vegetables, potato salad, and stone fruit and berry desserts. So whether you are hosting a Labor Day potluck, or just cooking for yourself, here are my absolute favorite Labor Day weekend recipes that should be made while we still have summer.

​Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower:​

​Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken:​

​Grilled Romaine Salad:

​Bacon Smashed Potatoes:

​Oven BBQ Pork Ribs:

​Grilled Corn Salad:

​Peach Crisp:

Happy cooking and happy Labor Day!

Gremolata is an Italian condiment of sorts where you mix together minced herbs, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. It is a great way to enhance vegetables, chicken, seafood, and more. I even like to mix in parmesan to make it even better. But when added to green beans while sautéing, the green beans become 10x better.

It is a simple way to elevate green beans and make them much more interesting, and actually delicious! Plus it is healthy, which is always a win. If you have been bored with your vegetables, give this a try!

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A huge part of getting back into my routine is through cooking. In the summer I definitely eat out a lot more, and I look at this month to get back into cooking five nights a week. I tend to feel better on my home cooked meals, and I enjoy my evenings of cooking. One thing that helps me is a meal plan that gives me inspiration and direction with what to cook, which is why I have been making these monthly meal plans! Yes it is for yall, but it is also for myself because believe it or not I get into cooking ruts as well.

On this month’s meal plan you will start to see a lot of transitioning meals. We are getting away from summer produce but still have some we can enjoy towards the beginning of September, like fresh tomatoes for a tomato basil soup. And towards the end you will start to see more fall produce reflected, like in the butternut squash soup. We are getting ready for some of the best produce of the year, like squash, and I for one cannot wait.

Like every month you can either follow it fairly strictly, making each dish and each side. Or if you are like me, you like to use it as a loose guideline and for inspiration to get out of a repetitive rut!

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There are perks to having a chef in the family, like sending over recipes on demand! My older sister recently asked me for some easy recipes that are quick and perfect for back to school. She has two kids, works full time, and has a packed schedule, but still wants to cook yummy but nutritious dinners on weeknights. I know so many of y’all are in the same boat. It is exhausting to come home from a long day of work and driving your kids to school and sports just to have to make a whole meal once you get home.

I sent over a few of my favorite easy weeknight dinner recipes, with this Greek chicken and rice being one of my favorites! I love this one because it is a one bake dish. If you love lemon and herbs, you are going to love this bake. It’s tangy from the lemons and briny from the olives. The whole dish comes together in under 30 minutes in the oven, making a hearty and healthy meal.

It turned out to be a favorite of hers, so I decided I am going to do a little mini series on easy weeknight dinners! This will be the first of many. Because I fully believe that good, healthy food doesn’t have to take long to make! Give this one a try and comment any recipe requests you have for this series!

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And of course it is hard. As with any job society has deemed to be a woman’s role, it is often undervalued and sold as easy. So when our first attempts at it are disastrous, we take the blame and assume we are just bad at it or just don’t enjoy doing it. Which, hey, I am not here to tell you that you will definitely enjoy it, but I am here to say there are systems that will help you to enjoy it if that is what you want!

I remember the first time I hosted, I was in culinary school. My friend and I decided it would be fun to host a party since I had these new cooking skills that would make it sooooo easy. HA. I chose a menu that had me at the stove all night, sweating and cursing myself for even offering to host in the first place. I hated it, counting down the minutes until my friends left and I could be free. And I had every right to feel that way. I wasn’t able to enjoy one minute of my time during the party, feeling instead like I was the unpaid help and a prisoner of my own making. It was a long time before I hosted another party again, but the next time I would be much more prepared.

You see, in the years between my first miserable hosting experience and my next, I started private cheffing parties and events. I thought private cheffing was just cooking a few courses for a group of people, but in reality it was the ultimate bootcamp for hosting. I wasn’t just cooking, but planning the party, bartending and curating a cocktail list to pair with the menu, making tablescapes, and curating a mood for the whole evening. I had no choice but to become good at hosting, because frankly, if I was bad at it, who would want to hire me? And with practice, repetition, and creating systems that worked for hosting these dinner parties, I realized it can be quite a lot of fun.

When I returned to hosting with this new knowledge and confidence from cheffing, I realized I actually loved it and could enjoy my time when guests are over. But this couldn’t have happened without the systems I created for hosting.

Yes, Martha Stewart and Ina Garten make it look like a walk in the park. I am here to tell you that it isn’t that easy, but it can be with the right prep and methods I have learned throughout the years of private cheffing. Tips I am going to share with you here!

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I truly believe I have tried just about every pan, kitchen gadget, appliance, and piece of cookware out there from working in hundreds of different home kitchens while I was private cheffing. I quickly learned what is bad, mediocre, and great from a lot of trial and error. Like this list is my favorites, but I could easily do a whole list on least favorites too (cough cough Viking ranges).

So here are my 5 top kitchen items that I believe are worth the money, and I would buy again in a heartbeat!

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Hestan NanoBond pots and pans - They are the best stainless steel out there. You will buy them once and they will last for life. Because titanium is bonded to the surface, they are scratch and stain proof. I feel like they are honestly in a category of their own above stainless steel. They are that great. You can use code “KELLYSCLEANKITCHEN10” for discount.​

An instant read meat thermometer - I truly think everyone should have one of these, and specifically ThermoWorks Thermapen. They are the most accurate thermometer on the market, even used by the health department when checking temperatures in restaurants. They read temperatures in under one second. You can check them out here!​

A high quality wooden cutting board - Yes, they are more expensive, but they are better for your knives and if treated right they will last you a lifetime. I have this maple end grain board from Boos and love it.

A good chef’s knife - This makes such a world of difference. Half of cooking is cutting produce, and it is a lot more miserable with a mediocre knife. My favorite brand is Shun when it comes to kitchen knives.

Replacing your microwave vent with a real vent - I absolutely loathe when I walk into a kitchen and see a microwave vent. Lets be real, they don’t do sh*t. I was a renter prior to my current home, and had no say in the microwave vent situation. The first thing I did when we moved into our new home was ditch the microwave and put in a real vent and my quality of cooking life has gotten SO much better. It was worth every penny. I have Hestan’s 30 inch liner vent and it is amazing!

I honestly could go on and on talking about my favorite cookware and kitchen gadgets, so if you need any suggestions, comment below!

Aperitivo is basically cocktail hour in Italy. But in Milan it is on a grander scale, often getting snacks and food when you order a cocktail. This food was free, and some restaurants had such great food selections you could eat a whole dinner off of it if you were a poor model.

Eating aperitivo next to the duomo is where I first tried involtini. Involtini translates to “small rolls.” It is where you have thinly sliced vegetables or meat that are stuffed with cheeses and cooked in sauce. They are absolutely divine, especially for a young model who actually liked to eat, unlike the girls in my model house. My favorite was zucchini involtini stuffed with ricotta and herbs. It is so good, I often had a whole plate of it for my dinner.

To this day I am still obsessed with it, and like to make it during summer when zucchini is at its peak. Even if you don’t like zucchini, I guarantee you won’t be able to resist this dish!

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This wasn’t my first rodeo with anxiety. As a self proclaimed type A perfectionist, I run a bit high strung and anxious in general, but typically I can get it under control fairly easily. But the past year it felt like a ball rolling down the hill and gaining traction, going too fast for me to catch up.

It all started to make more sense when I was diagnosed with OCD in April. In pursuit of feeling better I started deep diving into my symptoms and thought processes, and the thing that kept popping up over and over again was OCD. At first I was in denial. I wasn’t locking my door 8 times like Hannah from Girls, or constantly thinking a headache was actually a brain aneurysm, and yeah, I like things clean, but I’m not cleaning all the time.

What I didn’t realize is that my idea of OCD was just society’s stereotypes of it. But OCD is a lot more common than I thought. So common that I learned many of my family members have it, and when I learned it had me going….

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What I thought was anxiety and being a control freak has been a touch of OCD this whole time. Ever since my brain injury in college I have grasped onto control, needing it to feel a shred of comfort. Looking back it makes sense. I had a life altering injury that was completely out of my control, so I made sure everything else in my life would be determined by me. If you read my previous posts you may know where this is heading: my overcontrolling nature led to an eating disorder where I hyperfixated on everything I ate. Luckily, in a weird way that led me to cooking, which helped me heal my control over food, but other desires for control still lasted.

Fast forward a decade later to this past year: when things are out of my control I feel unsettled. And with so many changes happening around me, my unsettled feelings made me hyper aware of my body and had me ruminating a lot before bed, leading to insomnia. If you have ever had insomnia you know how brutal it is. Being so exhausted you can’t function, yet still not being able to sleep, is mind boggling. And often my overthinking would just make the insomnia worse. I was in a vicious cycle I couldn’t get out of.

All of this led me to talking with a professional who quickly said girl, you have OCD, specifically a subset called Somatic OCD, where you become hyper aware of your body with things like breathing, sleeping, and generally overthinking what’s going on with it. Which is super common with people who have overcome a traumatic injury like my brain injury in college.

It was a relief to learn that all my issues over the past year had a name and a way to feel better. There is also comfort in knowing just how common OCD is. I have been working on it over the past few months and have started to feel more like my old self again. So when my 32nd birthday came around I wanted to keep that ball rolling.

I don't want that diagnosis to define me. I want to get back to my adventurous self, the version of me who tries new things, pushes limits, and is a touch whimsical. So in comes the 33 before 33 challenge.

What is a 33 before 33?

33 before 33 is a list of 33 things I want to do before I turn 33 next June. It is more common for people to do a 30 before 30 list, but that ship has clearly sailed for me, and 33 is my favorite number anyway, so it feels like the perfect time.

The main goal of this list is to bring more whimsy and fun into my life by doing things I wouldn’t do in my normal day to day. This ranges from easy tasks like going to an eye doctor (I know that seems silly, but they scare me and I haven’t been to one in a decade) to more difficult things like traveling to a new country or getting into Club 33 at Disneyland. (If you are in Club 33 I am so serious, I will chef a dinner party for you in exchange for an invite to Disney’s most exclusive club.)

So what is on the list?

1. Sew a new piece of clothing✅

2. Learn how to water ski or wake board✅

3. Go to a concert✅

4. Host a themed dinner party✅

5. Visit a new country

6. Turn phone off for 24 hours

7. Take a sewing class

8. Visit a new state

9. Go to Michelin star restaurant

10. Go on sisters trip

11. Take a dance class

12. Play beach volleyball

13. Take an art class like painting or drawing

14. Take a surf lesson

15. Animal kingdom wild Africa trek

16. Try something at every country in Epcot

17. Get into club 33 at Disney

18. Bake a dessert you are intimidated by

19. Read 33 books

20. Take flower bouquet making class

21. Treat myself to a piece of jewelry you have always wanted

22. Go to a comedy show

23. Go to the aquarium or zoo

24. Swim in two oceans in the same month

25. Complete a home project

26. Sew place mats

27. Go to the eye doctor for the first time in a decade 😬

28. Get a new tattoo OR get one removed

29. Go snorkeling

30. Learn how to do makeup from a makeup artist

31. Go to a museum

32. Pant a room or wallpaper

33. Hang new art

For some this list may look easy, but my spare time is usually spent working more, and it is time to live a little!

In July I completed four tasks. Go to a concert ✅ I went to a Hilary Duff concert with my sister and friends. Sew a new clothing item ✅ I sewed a mesh top and matching belt for the Hilary concert. Host a themed party ✅ I hosted a party celebrating hitting a million on Instagram. And finally, learn how to water ski ✅ My friend Jax and her family taught me how to successfully water ski, something I was pretty scared of doing, but once I got up all the fear left me and I started to feel like my adventurous self again.

Do I feel like there is more whimsy in my life after these four tasks were crossed off the list? Absolutely yes, and I am excited for that to continue as I go.

I learned how out of necessity. I was tired of cooking eggs on nonstick pans. To me, I could always taste the nonstick coating after I cooked eggs on it. It gets this strange flavor that is inherently, well, not egg. Plus I didn’t love the texture that it gets when cooking on nonstick. So I learned how to make it work on stainless steel, and I never looked back.

In this post I will go into how to cook scrambled eggs on stainless steel, the science behind how it works, and a full recipe with a step by step video to show you how to replicate it at home.

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When I am trying to get back into a routine, it really helps me to plan out my days as much as possible. From my morning workouts, to time blocking tasks at work, to planning what I am cooking for dinner. This August meal plan takes that mental load off of your plate, frees up time, and makes cooking more enjoyable!

You can either follow it fairly strictly, making each dish and each side. Or if you are like me, you like to use it as a loose guideline and for inspiration to get out of a repetitive rut.

We are at the very end of summer produce, which you will see reflected in some of the dishes like Spanish roast vegetables, strawberry summer salad, and hot pepper bolognese. So join me in cooking this meal plan in August!

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It was my first time in Italy during late June, which meant all of the best summer produce. Usually people go on about the pasta and pizza, but I cannot get enough of Italian artichokes, zucchini, and tomatoes. And being in peak summer meant peak zucchini. Everywhere I went you could order zucchini of some variety. From chilled in vinegar, to crispy and golden, to deep fried zucchini blossoms, they were everywhere and they were delicious.

My favorite form were ones I found in Rome called Concia di Zucchine. It is where zucchini is sliced into rounds then fried in olive oil, garlic, herbs, and vinegar to make a delicious appetizer or side dish. We couldn’t stop eating these while there, and since being home I have been making them once a week while we still have peak season zucchini.

As a perk, zucchini seems to be one of the safe vegetables during this cyclospora outbreak in the states, so time to get cooking on this recipe!

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1. Intro

2. Where to stay

3. Where to eat

4. My favorite Florence activities

Florence is one of those cities that feels like it is preserved in time. This past month I visited for the third time and it felt like nothing had changed, in the best way. The architecture is some of my favorite in Italy: grand Renaissance domes, Gothic castles, and colorful marble. The art cannot be beat. From the Duomo, to Michelangelo’s David (the first art piece to make me cry), to the Birth of Venus, it is an art lover’s dream, and I am one. But the best thing? The food, of course.

This trip, my main focus was one thing... to eat! I have seen the sights, done the wine tours, visited the churches, and didn’t feel like I needed to do them again. But the one thing I did have to do again was revisit all of my favorite restaurants. This gave me both excitement and fear. Revisiting a restaurant you haven’t been to in years is thrilling, but there is also a chance it could have gone to shit during your time apart. Luckily for me, there was no reason for the fears. This is Florence! Of course the memorable meals would still be just as good this trip. So good, I have to share them with you.

So here’s my guide: where to stay, the sites worth seeing, and of course the food, the real reason any of us are here!

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The biggest thing to pay attention to with tomatoes is the flesh to seed ratio. More flesh and fewer seeds means more concentrated flavor and less water. That is going to be the main differences in tomatoes and how they influence when / how to use them.

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1. Intro

2. Where to stay

3. Where to eat

4. Less touristy sites to see

Rome is one of those places where I could spend endless weeks and not get sick of it: the ruins, the art, the food, there's so much to love. But I actually used to think it was overrated, simply because I didn't know how to do it right my first trip.

My first time in Rome was right after my college graduation. It was our first big international trip as a family and we didn't know what we didn't know. Yes we saw the amazing sights like the Coliseum and the Vatican, but when it came to the neighborhood to stay in and where to eat we were lost. We stayed in an area that wasn't super walkable or near anything fun, and we had zero reservations for dinner, which in Rome is a huge wasted opportunity to experience some of the best food out there.

My return was semi reluctant. My fiance had never been, so before our trip I went all in: podcasts, YouTube, travel books (yes, type A, I have diagnosed OCD, that's a story for another article). That prep paid off. We stayed in Campo de' Fiori, ate at painstakingly researched restaurants every night, and I went from Rome hater to completely in love with it.

This past week was my third trip, and it was just as magical, even through a historic heat wave hitting 100°F+. Rome done right means history that floors you, art that brings you to tears, and some of the best meals of your life.

So here’s my guide: where to stay, the less touristy sites worth seeing, and of course the food, the real reason any of us are here!

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July is all about leaning into peak produce season, think juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, and fresh herbs everywhere. This month’s meal plan is packed with bright, vibrant flavors alongside a few comforting classics for when you want something heartier.

Some of my favorite dishes from this month’s plan include my roasted tomato basil soup — this is the only time I will make tomato soup from fresh tomatoes since they are actually ripe, my Mexican grilled corn salad, and my honey garlic chicken thighs, a simple weeknight dinner and an easy sauce to go with it!

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My fiancé Rick happens to love great food, which makes us a pretty good match if you ask me. Our favorite kind of date has always been a great meal, whether that means going out to one of our favorite restaurants — where I order my first choice and Rick orders my second favorite so I can have some — or staying in for a fancy homemade dinner.

That tradition of cooking fancy dinners at home actually started during COVID, for obvious reasons. We were locked up for nearly a year, but the good meals absolutely did not stop. Instead, we turned Tuesday nights into our fancy dinner at home date nights. Sometimes I would ask Rick what category of food he was craving and go all out making the dish. That little game gave way to some of our favorite meals to this day, like our lemongrass and coconut braised short ribs. Other times I would completely surprise him with a classic, like rigatoni alla vodka. Even though being stuck inside for a year was rough, those date nights in became one of our favorite things.

Many years later and we still love a good date night in with a fancy homemade meal, especially with restaurant prices soaring the way they are. It is just really good to know how to cook a great meal at home.

Which brings me to why I made this!

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Prior to culinary school I was actually a few months away from going to Emory Law School, deposit down and everything. But something in my gut told me I needed to go to culinary school, which led me to The Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California.

I had no idea what I wanted to do, just that this was the correct path for me.

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Culinary School

Throughout culinary school I worked many jobs trying to figure out what interested me. From working the line at restaurants, to catering weddings, to tutoring for the CIA, to helping cook for large events, I was never obsessed with any particular job. And actually had a lot of negative experiences at them.

After working the line for a couple of restaurants I knew it wasn’t for me. If you want to know what working in a back of house is like imagine the worst boys club you can think of. Open flames, no air conditioning, sharp knives, lots of yelling and misogynistic jokes. I worked in restaurants for a few years, but knew it was never end game.

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One of my favorites was a brown butter sage gnocchi. The simple brown butter sage sauce came together in under five minutes and resulted in a dish that highlighted how amazing the ingredients are.

I've been making my own version at home ever since, and I've landed on sweet potato gnocchi as my absolute favorite. The sweetness of the potato pairs perfectly against nutty brown butter and earthy sage. It tastes like something you'd order at a nice Italian restaurant.

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Some of my favorite dishes for this month’s meal plan include honey mustard grilled chicken — a super easy and flavorful marinated chicken that is healthy and quick to make — chicken and sausage jambalaya, hearty and one pot for ease of cooking, and my Mendocino Farms avocado superfood salad copycat recipe, truly one of the best salads ever that took me multiple rounds of recipe testing to get right.

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