I think slow cookers are under appreciated during the summer months. Everyone loves the hearty stews and chilis when the weather is chili – but how often do you break it out when it’s hot outside?
I really is the perfect kitchen tool on hot days because it cooks without heating up the house. The trick is to pick a meal that doesn’t feel like it’s made for fall.
These sandwiches are a perfect example. These are saucy, but not heavy and the slaw makes them feel fresh and perfect for a hot day.
After a stint of virtual school and then a year of homeschool, having them back in school feels so weird. We’re definitely out of practice of having to leave the house on time every day.
And, I had totally forgot how done everyone is by the time dinner rolls around. They are tired and hungry and our days of leisurely family dinners are officially on sabbatical. “What can I get on the table quickest?” is the current name of the game.
My most productive time of the day is the morning. The more I can get done before lunch, the better – and that extends to dinner prep too. This meal was a hit here not only because it was delicious, but also because a vast majority of the prep could be done ahead of time.
I set the cauliflower up to marinate early, and by the time dinner rolled around all I had to do was toss it in the air fryer and assemble the sandwiches. It was packed with flavor and super hearty – a perfect Lenten Friday dinner.
How’s your pandemic cooking fatigue? Yes, it’s a real thing. Chances are even if you dove into cooking projects with gusto back in March, it’s not bringing the same joy.
You know what? It’s okay. It’s okay to dial back. It’s okay to ask to share the load. It’s okay to take the easiest option.
I found myself burning out hard a little more than a month ago, so I made a conscious effort to switch up my meal planning. After I pick our meals for the week, I sit with the list and go though asking – what can I do to make this easier? In many cases, that means putting off new blog experiments for things I know will work.
If there’s one thing I could eat all summer, it would be sandwiches loaded with vegetables. All the vegetables. Usually toasted and loaded up with some melty cheese.
These sandwiches are one of my favorite variations – the veggies are marinated in a sweet-but-savory marinade for a few hours before being cooked, which gives them a really nice extra layer of flavor.
It’s the first Friday of Lent which means I’m kicking off my annual meatless meal series today! Over the next seven weeks, I’ll be sharing new meatless meals every Friday.
First up is this Cauliflower Bahn Mi and, guys, it’s a good one.
Today is the halfway mark for my annual Meatless Lenten dinners series – I feel like this season has been flying. We’ve been so busy, and as we roll closer to spring, the family to-do list only seems to grow.
The whole thing is making me really glad that all of this year’s Lenten dinners are make-ahead friendly.
Are you participating in #Veganuary? Even if you’re not, these Buffalo Cauliflower Sandwiches will have you drooling!
I don’t normally cook vegan, but I’m always up for a challenge, so when The Baking Fairy said she was putting together a vegan roundup for #veganuary, I jumped right in.
If you have any preconceived notions of vegan food, you’ll need to drop them before digging in here. Whether you’re vegan or not, you will love these sandwiches.
I hit on this dinner a few weeks ago and it was a smashing success. I’ve made it twice so far. Leftovers have been served over baked sweet potatoes for lunch. And then I made the barbecue sauce again to go over meatloaf another night. Considering how often I repeat recipes (read: not very!) the fact that this keeps popping up is a testament to how much we’re enjoying it.
This really couldn’t be easier to pull off on a week night – mix everything for the sauce together, brown up the meat and veggies, combine them and done! It also reheats really well so it’s great to make ahead for nights when you literately just have time to microwave something.
1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
2/3 cup water
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 tsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
Salt & pepper, to taste
Whole wheat buns, for serving
In a bowl, whisk together the first 9 ingredients – tomato paste to liquid smoke.
In a large non-stick skillet, brown together the turkey, bell pepper, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Break up the turkey as it cooks. When the turkey is cooked through and the vegetables are soft, stir in the sauce and cook until heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve on rolls.
Are you up to your ears in Thanksgiving recipes and planning? For the first time in a long time, I’m not. We’re having a scaled-back Thanksgiving this year because we have a busy week – and we’ve ordered the food. Yup. I’m a food blogger who will be doing no cooking on Thanksgiving.
I was super conflicted about it at first. I love the whole event of planning and cooking a big meal. But, we were a smaller crowd this year and I couldn’t figure out when to fit in the cooking with all the other stuff we have going on – so outsourcing the food prep was the obvious choice.
What sealed the deal, though, was hosting a little Friendsgiving a few weeks ago. I got the chance to cook all of my favorites without the time crunch – and I got plenty of leftovers to rework.
This sandwich is a super quick an easy to make your leftover turkey not feel like just another turkey sandwich. Big, bold flavors take center stage and the result is delicious!
(Leftover) Turkey Banh Mi
(adapted slightly from Oprah)
Serves 4
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
1 pound cooked turkey pieces
4 club rolls
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
Cilantro, optional, to taste
Whisk together the sugar, salt, and vinegar in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
Combine the carrots and cucumber in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot vinegar over. Let sit for at least an hour.
In another bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and 5-spice powder. Add in turkey and toss to coat.
In a third bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
When ready to cook, heat a grill pan over medium heat and place turkey pieces on the grill until warm and just starting to caramelize.
Split the rolls and toast them under the broiler until warmed and slightly brown. Spread one side of the roll with sriracha mayonnaise, top with turkey and then the cucumber mixture. Add cilantro, to taste, if desired.
