I’ve been super, super into short ribs lately. My mom made me a batch of her beef begetable soup slow cooker last month, and I also made Smitten Kitchen’s short rib onion soup over Christmas break (so good!).

I wanted to make another short rib dish where they were utilized in something other than soup.

And while I don’t go quite as gaga for the Instant Pot as some people do, I think this appliance shines when it comes to something that’s usually slow braised.

While I love my slow cooker for baby back ribs like crock pot ribs (with my dry rub for ribs slathered on first), and a conventional oven for root beer ribs, the Instant Pot was the perfect choice for these braised short ribs with sweet and savory apple chutney.

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Stuffed Baked Apples – Perfect for Fall!

It’s inevitable as the passage of time – toward the end of the winter, I start to long for spring and summer food. And toward the end of the summer, I start to long for fall and winter food.

Even though we’ve had record warm October days in Michigan recently, the calendar still says it’s fall, so I’ve been longing for carrot apple soup, my mom’s lasagna recipe cottage cheese, crackers with savory pumpkin dip and anything involving apples for weeks now. I love you, summer, but I’ve had enough buttermilk grilled chicken for now.

Other than a Halloween charcuterie board, nothing says “autumn” to me more than going to an apple orchard, eating warm donuts with cider for lunch, and buying way, way more apples than my family of three realistically needs.

Then spending the next month putting apples in everything I eat (even on a butter board) to prove to myself that buying all those apples was a great idea. These walnut stuffed baked apples are one of my favorite simple apple desserts.

The best part is that the recipe can easily be adapted to feed a big crowd, or can be prepared as a simple weeknight sweet treat for one or two. They’re even a great addition to your Thanksgiving recipes list, as a unique alternative to traditional apple pie (try a batch of Thanksgiving Rice Krispies treats, too).

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Why I love One Sheet Pan Chicken Apple Curry

People often ask me what I eat for dinner when I don’t have a recipe to develop for a client, or a photo shoot to do that day. More often than not, the answer (especially in the fall and winter) is “whatever I can make in one skillet or on one sheet pan.”

I do SO many dishes for my job throughout the work week that when it comes to dinner time for my husband and I, one pan (plus an apple cider old fashioned) sounds like enough (even though my husband actually enjoys doing dishes, like a weirdo).

While a one sheet pan dinner for us is often just a few chicken thighs, some brussels sprouts and a sweet potato, lately I’ve been experimenting with slightly more exotic (although still simple and still ONE pan) dinners. My Skillet Mac and Cheese is a favorite.

I love this recipe because of the balance of flavors. The savory chicken and curry powder, combined with the sweetness of the Fuji apples and the raisins hits the spot for me. I love this curry topped with a dollop of tangy yogurt and a sprinkle of cashews.

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The year is finally starting to wind down, and I am R-E-A-D-Y for that break from work between Christmas and New Year’s. That glorious week where I can stay in my pajamas as long as I want, watch movies, eat snacks and pretend they’re meals, read books, do puzzles, and generally just unwind and do nothing.

I especially look forward to this time because as a small-business owner, December is one of my busiest months. Lots of clients requesting lots of projects, as well as gearing up for 2018.

December is a time where complicated dinners are just not possible. I have neither the time nor the mental energy to figure that out.

This One Pan Sausage & Tortellini (as well as my Sausage Pasta Skillet and salmon spinach pasta) is a meal I turn to time and again in busy seasons of life.

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Home cooks across Michigan love the great apples available in our state, perfect for cooking or eating on their own. Today, I’m excited to be guest posting for the Michigan Apples blog, sharing a recipe featuring Gala apples (my favorite variety!).

I’ve been completely obsessed with Middle Eastern flavors for some time now. I find it to be the best cuisine for making healthy, fresh (and often vegetarian) ingredients taste incredibly vibrant and satisfying.

I love it so much that I actually found myself eating a bigger dinner the day after Thanksgiving (where we ordered Lebanese carryout for a Friendsgiving get-together) than I did for Thanksgiving dinner. Go figure.

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I’m so completely smitten with my new house in a million ways. There’s just one thing I can’t stand. Somewhere along the way in the last 90 years, somebody painted 75% of the trim in this house a tan/beige/gross color.

I not-so-lovingly refer to it as the color of skin. A friend noted it’s like that flesh-colored crayon in the box that nobody wants to use.

I’m a fan of white-and-only-white-all-the-time-always-white trim, so this needs to change ASAP.

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I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but I’ve kind of been on an oatmeal kick lately.

For most of my life I’ve had a pretty solid “eh” attitude toward oatmeal. It’s always been fine, but never more than that.

But for some reason, I really came around to it this past winter. I think I finally realized that oatmeal didn’t have to be boring.

Just like any other meal or dish, it could be livened up with a ton of flavor, like ricotta cheese and figs or Meyer lemons and poppyseeds.

You can even eat oatmeal for dinner!

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Is Pear Strudel Breakfast or Dessert?

This is kind of conversation Jeff and I have before falling asleep on Saturday nights:

Lori: “I think I’m going to get up early tomorrow and make a pear strudel. We can eat it for breakfast.”

Jeff: “Strudel? For breakfast? Isn’t that a dessert?”

Lori: “Uhhhh…what about Toaster Strudel? Remember those?”

Jeff: “Well, those had frosting.”

Lori: “So, frosting makes it a breakfast item rather than dessert?”

Jeff: “Yes.”

Lori: “OK, I’ll make you a little bit of frosting…”

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My favorite thing about Sunday Supper is pretending that I’m an Italian grandma, cooking enough food for a family of 10, even though it’s just my husband and I. Needless to say, most of my Sunday suppers have tons of leftovers. But as much as I love leftovers, sometimes I want to eat something a little different later in the week.

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