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Recipe #25 of My 100 Recipe Project Every family seems to have one simple summer dessert they return to again and again. For us, it's strawberries, peaches, and homemade whipped cream... Last night after dinner, Kai offered to make dessert. His specialty is a simple bowl of fresh summer fruit served with homemade whipped cream. Nothing fancy, just strawberries, peaches, and a big bowl of vanilla-scented whipped cream. The boys gathered around the table, helping themselves to

Recipe #24 of My 100 Recipe Project There’s something about moving to Tennessee that makes you want to learn how to properly make iced tea. Before we moved South, iced tea was something I made occasionally in the summer — simple black tea brewed on the stove and poured over ice. But after our first spring and summer in Franklin, I started noticing how much iced tea is woven into everyday life here. Porch evenings. Backyard dinners. Baseball games. It feels less like a dr

Recipe #23 of My 100 Recipe Project A sandwich-shop style Italian hoagie made at home with salami, turkey, provolone, crisp lettuce, and a creamy hoagie pepper spread the kids absolutely loved. There’s something about a really good hoagie that feels like summer. Beach trips, road trips, baseball games, or an easy dinner when nobody wants to cook. I am from outside of Philadelphia, where we take our hoagies very seriously. I started making these at home after mixing mayo wi

A cozy savory dinner frittata made with burst cherry tomatoes, salami, feta, fresh parsley, and creamy burrata. An easy one-pan meal perfect for busy summer weeknights.

With French Scalloped Potatoes, Garlic Green Beans, and Simple Arugula Salad Recipe #21 of My 100 Recipe Project Sometimes the best dinners happen accidentally. We had gone to a wedding over the weekend where they served one of those beautiful carving-station style beef dinners — perfectly browned on the outside, tender and pink in the middle, sliced to order with horseradish sauce and warm rolls. It felt elegant, cozy, and somehow nostalgic all at once. So naturally, I came

The cozy afternoon drink that reminds me to slow down. Recipe #20 of My 100 Recipe Project As much as I love coffee, I’ve always been more of a tea drinker. The caffeine feels steadier to me somehow. Calmer, softer, less likely to send me into that slightly jittery “why did I do this to myself?” feeling a few hours later. But I still love the ritual of a latte. The warmth. The frothy milk. The feeling of taking a pause in the middle of the day. For a long time, I experimen

The dinner that finally made it feel like summer. Recipe #19 of My 100 Recipe Project A number of my kids’ formative years were spent living in Baja, Mexico, just outside Cabo, so fresh seafood has been part of life for them from a pretty young age. Baja-style shrimp tacos are still one of their all-time favorite meals, and honestly, anything served on a skewer immediately becomes more exciting when you’re feeding kids. I found a bag of huge shrimp at Costco recently, and wi

A one-pan, cozy, flavor-packed dinner Recipe #18 of My 100 Recipe Project Growing up, I was around Indian food in small but meaningful ways. My mom taught ESL, and many of her students were from India. They’d bring gifts, and I remember going to one of her school events in a sari when I was about ten. My best friend’s mom was also from India, and I would eat everything she made. As an adult, I’ve always been curious about cooking this way… but also a little intimidated. So I

Chocolatey, energizing, and secretly good for you Recipe #17 of My 100 Recipe Project When we moved to Franklin, I started looking for the best coffee shops to work at. I started going to Herban Market around the corner from Myles preschool and regularly ordering their Brain Fuel Smoothie. It didn’t taste like a typical smoothie. It's deeper. Richer. Almost like a chocolate coffee drink, but not overly sweet and gave me the energy boost with focus I need to work. So this is

Recipe #16 of My 100 Recipe Project There’s something about a weekend at the lake that makes everything feel a little slower. We spent a few days at our cousin Brad’s lakehouse, kids running around outside all day. At one point, his sister Kara casually mentioned that their mom always makes a strawberry cake for birthdays. Not just any cake - the cake. The kind that becomes tradition. I realized in that moment… I’ve never actually had a real strawberry cake. A true, from-s

Recipe #15 of My 100 Recipe Project Every once in a while, a recipe automatically jumps out. This one was inspired by a version from Pinch of Yum (one of my all-time favorite food blogs), and I knew I wanted to make it: smoky chipotle salmon, bright citrus, and a fresh, herby sauce to bring it all together. I kept her idea of a fresh orange salsa, which I actually loved even more than my original arugula version, but stayed true to the way I like to cook salmon: a quick chip

The simple upgrade that makes everything taste better. Recipe 14 of 100 Somewhere along the way, I realized that the difference between a good meal and a great one is often just… a sauce. For a long time, I thought sauces were complicated or something you only made for special occasions. But lately, I’ve been in a different mindset, why not? Most of them come together in minutes, and once you start making them, it’s hard to go back. Now it’s become part of how I cook. A simp

A simple, refreshing upgrade from store-bought Recipe #13 of My 100 Recipe Project Growing up, lemonade came from the freezer aisle. Those little cans of Minute Maid concentrate we’d stir into water on hot days. It was simple, very sweet, and felt like summer. Now, I find myself enjoying something similar, but cleaner, fresher, and just a little more thoughtful. Because while I want my kids to stay hydrated, I don’t want to rely on sugary juices or neon sports drinks. This i

Creamy, zesty, and finished with lime, avocado & Tajín Recipe #12 of my 100 Recipe Project There’s something unforgettable about street corn in Mexico. The smell of it grilling, the sound of busy streets, and that first bite that’s creamy, tangy, a little spicy, and completely addictive. We used to stop at street carts whenever we could, especially on trips to Mexico City and Oaxaca. Corn piled into cups, tossed with lime, crema, and chili, eaten standing on a crowded sidewa

Light, creamy, and bright with fresh herbs Recipe #11 of My 100 Recipe Project There’s something about this potato salad that feels just a little more elevated than the classic version. It's lighter, fresher, and full of herbs. It reminds me of the kinds of simple, beautiful dishes you’d find in the French countryside: nothing fussy, just really good ingredients treated well. I made this alongside crispy chicken thighs and roasted vegetables, and it completely held its own.

Recipe #10 of My 100 Recipe Project There’s something about having a few go-to dinners that you know will just work . This is one of those for us. It started this year as a way to use up extra buttermilk (after making fresh ranch dressing ), but it quickly turned into a regular in our kitchen. It’s simple, forgiving, and somehow feels a little more special than your average weeknight chicken. The buttermilk does most of the work here. Itenderizes the chicken and adds just a s

Recipe 9 of My 100 Recipe Project There are certain staples that quietly become part of everyday life. This is one of those. Lately, I’ve been trying to keep a few things in the fridge that make everything else feel a little more put together. Cut vegetables, fresh fruit, something warm on the stove… and a good homemade dressing. Something you can drizzle, dip, or spoon onto almost anything. Store-bought ranch has its place. But this version, fresh, herby, a little tangy, fee

Recipe 8 of My 100 Recipe Project There are certain recipes that become part of a season of your life. This is one of ours. Before we moved to Franklin, our family spent a few years living in Todos Santos, a small beach town on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur. Life there felt slower, more open...sunsets, ocean air, long meals outside. Chicken tortilla soup was one of the dishes we came back to again and again. Every version was a little different, but always comforti

Recipe 7 of 100 I’ve never really thought of myself as a baker. But lately I’ve been in a “why not?” phase, trying things I’ve always assumed were more complicated than they actually are. When we moved to Franklin, I even started taking drum lessons. I played classical violin through college, but had always thought it would be fun to learn something completely different. It felt like part of the same shift this year...stretching myself a little and having fun doing it. This r

Recipe 6 of 100 We made a lot of chicken wings yesterday. Kai helped me, which automatically made it more fun, and a little messier. The boys are completely obsessed with wings, and up until now we’ve mostly stuck to our usual: toss them in barbecue sauce and call it a day. But I came across a Cook’s Illustrated article called “Wing It!” and it opened up a whole new world of flavors. So, we tried two: Lemon Pepper and Mango Habanero Both were worth it. The Setup This turned