How to Make Oatmeal

Want to learn how to make oatmeal? You're in the right place. Read on to learn about cooking different types of oats & find fun oatmeal topping ideas!

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that oatmeal has never been my thing. But this fall, after I tried Amy Chaplin’s whole oat porridge recipe, I started to come around to it. See, in the past, I always had plain instant oats, which I thought were bland and mushy. But as I started experimenting with other types of oats, I discovered that, cooked the right way, oatmeal becomes a rich, creamy porridge that’s a fantastic canvas for seasonal toppings. Lately, I’ve been hooked on two topping combinations, and you’ll find them in the recipe below.…

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Pomegranate Rice Salad

This rice salad recipe will brighten up any fall or winter meal! Studded with pomegranates, pistachios, and herbs, it's a stunning, fresh holiday side dish.

fall / salads

How pretty is this rice salad? If you’re looking for an easy holiday side dish that doesn’t skimp on flavor, this recipe is just the thing for you. It’s simple, you can prep it ahead of time, and it’s richly flavorful. A spiced citrus dressing coats the hearty rice, nuts add crunch, and herbs give it fresh, aromatic flavor. Last but not least, a sprinkle of pomegranate arils takes it over the top! Today, we’re partnering with POM Wonderful because Jack and I love pomegranates! He likes to snack on them and I like to use them in salads, dips,…

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How to Cook Couscous

Learn how to cook couscous! Toss this tiny pasta with herbs and lemon to make a simple side dish, or try one of the couscous recipes suggested below.

If you open up my pantry, you’ll almost always find a box of couscous inside. I love keeping this quick-cooking starch on hand, as it’s an easy side dish that pairs well with all kinds of meals. Because I’m such a big couscous fan, I thought I’d dedicate today’s post to discussing what it is and how to cook it. And of course, I’ll share some of my favorite couscous recipes! First, what is couscous? Couscous might seem like grain, but it’s actually a type of pasta. First made by the Berber people of North Africa, it’s made from rolled,…

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Vegan Stuffing

This vegan stuffing recipe is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish! Onions, celery, and sautéed mushrooms fill it with delicious savory flavor.

vegetarian / thanksgiving

This vegan stuffing recipe is a plant-based version of my mom’s classic stuffing recipe. Her stuffing has been my favorite part of Thanksgiving ever since I was a kid. She never makes it from a box, but uses fresh bread, lots of butter, onions, and celery instead. It’s richly flavorful, soft in the middle, and crisp on top, and it’s always the first dish I reach for at Thanksgiving dinner. In this vegan stuffing recipe, I keep the celery, onions, and crusty bread, but I use a generous amount of olive oil instead of butter, which adds robust flavor. Then,…

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Made with Yukon gold potatoes and lots of roasted garlic, these garlic mashed potatoes are creamy, rich, and flavorful. An easy, delicious side dish!

fall / side dishes

The first time I made these garlic mashed potatoes, I didn’t know what my husband Jack would think of them. See, Jack grew up eating his Uncle Billy’s mashed potatoes, and he still reminisces about them. They were creamy, fluffy, and rich with (lots of) melted butter and (lots of) sour cream. These garlic mashed potatoes aren’t exactly like Uncle Billy’s. Instead of dairy, olive oil and starchy potato cooking water give them an amazing creamy texture, and roasted garlic fills them with rich, nutty depth of flavor. When I tried them, I thought they were delicious, but Jack’s opinion would…

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Creamed Spinach

This creamed spinach recipe is a perfect easy side dish for holidays and weeknights alike. It's fresh, delicious, and ready in 15 minutes!

fall / side dishes

Creamed spinach is a classic steakhouse side dish, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t be making it at home. My recipe comes together in 15 minutes, and it delivers rich flavor with just a few basic ingredients! I used Jack’s mom’s creamed spinach as a starting point for this recipe. She made it for Thanksgiving every year when Jack was growing up, and he still raves about it. In developing this recipe, I wanted to capture the luxurious flavor and silky texture of her creamed spinach while putting the fresh greens front and center. Many creamed spinach recipes use frozen…

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How to Cook Tofu

Silken or extra-firm? To press or not to press? This easy baked tofu recipe + my best tips and tricks will teach you how to cook tofu like a pro!

vegan

Everyone has an opinion on tofu, and here’s mine: I absolutely love it…when it’s prepared the right way. If you’ve never worked with it before, cooking tofu can be daunting. But once you learn a little about it, it couldn’t be easier to prepare tofu well. Below, you’ll find my best tips and tricks for how to cook tofu like a pro, plus my go-to sriracha baked tofu recipe! What is tofu, anyway? Tofu is a soy-based food that’s made from curdling soy milk and forming it into a solid block. It’s a good source of plant-based protein that can…

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Brussels Sprouts, Many Ways

Roasted Brussels sprouts are the perfect fall side dish. Have fun playing around with these 4 fun & flavorful Brussels sprouts recipes!

fall / winter / side dishes

Earlier this fall, I started making a list of my potential Thanksgiving blog recipes. One of the items on that list was called “Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe TBD.” As every other recipe got named, resolved, tested, and put in the works, “Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe TBD” remained on the list just like that. I love love love Brussels sprouts at this time of year, but I just couldn’t settle on one idea or flavor combination. Then it hit me – just like I did with sweet potatoes and overnight oats, I’ll post many ideas! And you can choose! Any of…

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How to Cook Farro

Learn how to cook farro with this step-by-step guide! Plus, find my favorite farro recipes, along with more serving suggestions for this delicious grain.

fall / how-to

Do you have a favorite whole grain? I love everything from millet to quinoa, but if I had to choose one, I think it would be farro. It’s hearty and wholesome, with an amazing chewy texture and nutty flavor. I enjoy it all year long, but it really becomes one of my kitchen staples in the fall. Its toasty flavor is delicious with fall produce like squash, apples, and kale, and cozy herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme are its natural companions. If you’ve never tried it before, now is the perfect time – toss it into salads, add it…

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No Bake Cookies

These no bake cookies are quick and easy to make—no oven required! Made with chocolate, peanut butter, and oats, they're rich, chewy, and delicious.

vegan

No bake cookies! If you’re not already making these irresistible, EASY treats, head to the kitchen and make yourself a batch. You’re going to love this recipe! No bake cookies were one of my favorite childhood desserts, and I still love them to this day. Made with simple ingredients like peanut butter, cocoa powder, and oats, they have a rich chocolate peanut butter flavor and amazing chewy texture. Given their name, you’ve probably guessed that these no bake cookies don’t bake in the oven. Instead, the dough comes together on the stovetop and sets up in the fridge. The process…

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Roasted Butternut Squash

Learn how to cook butternut squash perfectly every time! Enjoy roasted butternut squash as a simple side dish, or add it to fall soups, pastas & more.

fall / how-to

If you’re anything like me, you’ve already made a few batches of butternut squash soup by the time mid-October rolls around. But while butternut squash soup is hands down one of my favorite fall foods, my love for butternut doesn’t end there. When I’m not making soup, I like to simply roast butternut squash. Golden brown, caramelized, and seasoned with salt and pepper, it has a delectable sweet and salty taste and buttery texture. If you’ve never roasted butternut squash before, you have to try it this fall! Today, I’m sharing my go-to roasted butternut squash recipe. It’s super easy…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.