This post is a two for one with my go to quick and easy salmon recipe and another for a fun and unique cucumber salad. The two together make for a perfect, lighter meal in the summer when you don’t want to eat heavily or spend too much time in a hot kitchen. Best of all, the meal is satisfying and comes together in about 30 minutes, so it works well for a busy week night or when you’re just feeling lazy.

It’s not summer until there’s s’mores, and this tart is a fancy take on the childhood favorite with a cinnamon pecan crust, salted dark chocolate ganache, and homemade torched marshmallow in elegant piped whirls. Whether old or young, s’mores tart is sure to please, and don’t worry, no campfire or sticks required.

This ice cream is perfect! The custard is smooth and creamy, the strawberry flavor is punchy and rich, and paired with homemade waffle cones, it’s easily the best strawberry ice cream I’ve ever had (or made).

Carrot ginger soup comes together in about a half hour, and there’s only a handful of ingredients required, most of which I always have around. Despite a scanty number of ingredients, this soup is not sparse on flavor. It’s creamy, fresh, and bursting with punchy ginger and sweet carroty goodness.

A vegetarian version of the classic loaded with sweet potatoes and summer squash, this soup has a citrusy and spicy broth and is finished with home-baked, crunchy tortilla strips, cotija cheese, and creamy avocado. It may not be the traditional chicken loaded classic, but it’s a delicious and healthy family favorite in our house.

I’m not sure exactly where this recipe came from, but from a very young age these cookies held a sort of mystical deliciousness in my child’s mind. No other sweet tasted nearly as good, and I was always begging my mom to make them. To this day I swear that these are the best sugar cookies, and of course I’m convinced that the rainbow colors make them taste better.

Bright with lime, fresh cilantro, cumin, and oregano, and rounded out with charred corn, juicy tomatoes, and meaty, grilled halloumi, this salad makes a fantastic side for an outdoor picnic, barbecue, or taco night.

Cold, refreshing, and entirely fruit based, the kids and I love this vegan smoothie for breakfast or an afternoon treat. The addition of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and maple syrup give it a distinctly sweet apple pie flavor, but without any of the baking or heavy ingredients of a real apple pie.

As a kid, I always loved eating and making this dessert. Back then I used store bought Oreo cookies and jello chocolate pudding mix, but here I’ve substituted my homemade double chocolate cookies for the cookie crumb and a rich from-scratch chocolate pudding. The effect is a whimsical dessert that delicious and fun for all.

Healthier and way tastier than macaroni and cheese, this dish relies on only a few common ingredients, and (bonus!) it has a vegetable built in! Plus it’s actually faster to prepare than boxed mac ‘n cheese, and simple enough that my six year old could make the entire dish with very little help from me.

This recipe is straightforward, completely homemade, and even tastier than the frozen dinners of my childhood.

These granola bars are such a delicious chewy, chocolatey snack or treat. And while they are plenty sweet, they include wholesome ingredients like dried fruits, nuts, and oats, so I don’t feel too bad about feeding them regularly to my hungry little monsters.

A caper herb mayonnaise, crisp alfalfa sprouts, crunchy arugula, tangy pickled onions, creamy avocado, and a juicy tomato bursting with umami all sandwiched between soft, sweet brioche make this burger irresistible. Plus it’s vegan!

Cooking with kids requires about double the time and triple the patience that cooking alone or with another adult demands. So when I do cook with my kids, I try to seek out recipes that are tasty, nutritious, and very simple. This “tomato candy” pasta makes the mark on all three accounts. Inspired by Michelle Obama’s new (and adorable) cooking show, this is my version of the recipe depicted in the first episode.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, millions more are facing food insecurity and hunger. I am dedicating March 2021 as a March Against Hunger. Thank you for joining me in this cause!

I really love citrus desserts, but I am also a known chocoholic, so this pie is the perfect middle ground. It has my favorite all-butter pie crust, a rich layer of dark chocolate ganache, a tangy Meyer lemon custard filling, whips of sweet meringue, and sliced candied lemons for an added touch of whimsy.

I will not pretend that my king cake babka is even close to traditional, but I can affirm that they’re insanely delicious. I’ve taken the same butter enriched yeast dough recipe I use for my chocolate babka and replaced the cocoa filling with a cinnamon pecan swirl. The babkas are drizzled in syrup and then dressed up for the party with the traditional frosting and king cake color guard.

Molten chocolate lava cake is my favorite cake of all. It’s basically a very rich, dark chocolate cake with ganache, but flipped inside out and served gooey warm. It’s completely irresistible.

There is nothing more impressive, or delicious, than the way, in spite of gravity, a soufflé floats over the top of its ramekin. It’s as if the chocolate has an enchanted cap that levitates softly up of its own accord. A true magic show.

If you have never had mole before, you are in for a real treat. The sauce is rich with spiced Mexican chocolate blended with pasilla chiles and kicks of cumin and orange. The sauce is usually smothered over shredded chicken and enjoyed in tacos, but here I’ve encased the chicken mole in a cornmeal pastry for out of this world empanadas.