Baby Girl loves cheese sticks. She eats them as a snack almost every day after school. Or rather, she used to. One week I noticed the package in the fridge was still mostly full so I checked the expiration date. It was that weekend. Since the Super Bowl was coming up I figured I'd turn them into Fried Mozzarella Sticks and went searching for a recipe.


The key to any mozzarella stick recipe is to freeze the cheese sticks before you bake or fry them. I'm not sure why the recipe I used doesn't say to do that but it's an absolute MUST. The cheese will melt if it's anywhere close to room temperature. Heck, even mine frozen started to melt and ooze as they fried. So do not, under any circumstances, forget that step.

These were delicious, full of melty, gooey cheese. I only made 8 since it was just the three of us. SP and I each had three and Baby Girl devoured two. I'll definitely be making these again the next time we have cheese sticks that need to be used up.

Fried Mozzarella Sticks
Modified from Add a Pinch

24 mozzarella sticks
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 cup flour
3 cups panko
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
vegetable oil
pizza or marinara sauce, for dipping

The day before you plan to make these, place however many cheese sticks you want to eat into the freeze. Freeze them overnight. Do not skip this step!

The next day, prepare three separate bowls for dredging your mozzarella sticks. Whisk the buttermilk and the egg in one bowl. Put the flour in the second bowl. In the third bowl, combine the panko and the Italian seasoning.

Dip each cheese stick into the buttermilk, then into the flour, then back into the buttermilk and finally into the panko. Set aside on a sheet pan until all the cheese sticks have been coated.

Pour about 1 inch of oil into a 12-inch non-stick skillet. Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Add a few cheese sticks at a time, being careful not to crowd the pan. Use tongs to remove them as they turn golden brown.

Place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Serve warm with pizza or marinara sauce for dipping.

This is one of those recipes that makes you wonder how something with so few ingredients (and pantry staples at that) can come together into something downright magical.


Amy's post about this Cheater Korean Beef recipe made it sound like one of the best things she's ever made so, of course, I was intrigued. I trust her judgement when it comes to food, and after a quick glance at the ingredient list I figured it would make a quick and easy weeknight meal.

What I wasn't expecting was for it to be so delicious I was fighting my 5-year-old for a second helping. And wishing my husband had other dinner plans that night. Seriously, this is so utterly amazing, there are no words. And it's ridiculously easy. So easy that said 5-year-old could probably cook it herself. You know, if she was allowed to use the stove.

Make this one soon. You won't be sorry.

Cheater Korean Beef
As seen on Very Culinary
Serves 2 (so double it or make a side dish if you want leftovers)

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound lean ground beef
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 - 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (adjust to your spice preference)
salt and pepper
3 scallions, chopped
toasted sesame seeds

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown the beef until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute. Drain off all the fat*.

Stir in the brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and chili garlic sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 1-2 more minutes to blend the flavors. Toss in the scallions.

Serve over hot rice and sprinkle with a few sesame seeds.

*Quick tip: An easy way to drain off the fat is to use paper towels. Turn off the heat, then move all the beef to one side of the skillet. Tilt the pan the other way so all the oil runs to the other side, away from the beef. Use balled up paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Leave a little oil in the pan (you want some moisture). Then simply throw the paper towels in the trash.

My grandmother has been making this recipe for Polish Chicken for as long as I can remember. It's the ultimate comfort food and one of those meals that instantly transports me back to my childhood.


I went through a period where I didn't like meat on the bone (sacrilege) but thankfully I got over it. This is absolutely a meal you want to make with bone-in chicken. The bone helps the meat stay moist and tender. There's nothing complicated about this recipe, making it perfect for both a weeknight or a hearty, warming Sunday dinner. I think the gravy is my favorite part. As you can see in the photo, I smother everything on the plate with copious amounts. My grandmother always served Polish chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans so that's what I do, too.

And if you're wondering why this is called Polish chicken, I asked my grandmother and she said it's just what her mother called it when she was making it and the name stuck. Her family is Polish, so there you go. Regardless, it's delicious.

Polish Chicken
My grandmother's recipe

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts*
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 cups water
1 cube chicken bouillon

Place the chicken in a resealable plastic food storage bag or in a baking dish. Add the flour, garlic and onion powder, and some salt and pepper. Seal the bag and toss to coat the chicken evenly in the flour (if using a baking dish, rub the flour and seasoning over the chicken to coat both sides).

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet (make sure the skillet has a lid) over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes, until the skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook another 5 minutes. Add the minced onion around the chicken pieces and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions begin to soften.

While the onion is cooking, bring the water to a boil (you can use an electric kettle, a pan on the stove, or heat it in the microwave). Add the bouillon cube and stir to dissolve. Once the onions are soft, add the water to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, then cover. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring and turning the chicken every so often.

If the gravy looks a little thin, put a few tablespoons of flour in a bowl and add some water to make a paste. Whisk the paste into the gravy in the skillet. You should see the gravy thicken immediately. Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, as needed.

Serve the chicken topped with the gravy.

*You can also use thighs or legs, just increase the amount based on how much you think your family will eat.

Despite living in New Jersey and Pennsylvania for most of my life, I've never eaten at a WaWa. Apparently I'm missing out. See, they sell this sandwich called The Gobbler and it's right up my alley. Turkey, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce on a hoagie roll. It's the ultimate in Thanksgiving leftovers, only you don't have to do any of the cooking.

Recently Coleen over at The Redhead Baker made an at-home version of The Gobbler sandwich. I was practically drooling all over my keyboard just reading about it so I knew I had to make it. The only problem was, we weren't going to be home for Thanksgiving. No problem - I just asked my mom to save me some turkey, stuffing and gravy. When we got home she dropped off the leftovers, I picked up some cranberry sauce and hoagie rolls and we were in business.


As suspected, these were outstanding. I added a little mayo to our sandwiches because we all love mayo. Now I just need to get my hands on some more turkey or chicken, stuffing and gravy so I can make these again.

Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwiches (aka "The Gobbler")
As seen on The Redhead Baker

1 cup leftover turkey gravy
8 ounces leftover turkey, thinly sliced
4 hoagie rolls
mayo
jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup leftover stuffing

Warm the gravy in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When just starting to simmer, add the turkey meat. Heat just until the turkey is warmed through.

Split the rolls and toast them. Spread mayo on both side, then add cranberry sauce to each sandwich. Arrange some of the turkey meat and stuffing on each sandwich. Spoon more gravy over top. Serve warm.

Raise your hand if you miss natural light? ::raises hand:: My photos are nothing special in the spring and summer, but once I lose the natural light all bets are off. And it makes me so sad because I know people choose recipes in part because of the drool-inducing photos. So, my apologies, but you'll have to trust me that this was incredible.

On our flight home from California SP and I both watched cooking shows on the plane. During an episode of Giada's show she made Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs. It looked so delicious I knew I had to make it as soon as we got home.


I made a few modifications, subbing campagnelle for the orecchiette since I had a box in the pantry. Really, any small shape will do. I also used diced tomatoes because I'm weird and don't like loose tomato skin. Because I used canned tomatoes, I measured out the liquid in the can and then topped it off with chicken broth.

This was truly outstanding, with light, tender meatballs and a delicious sauce made even better by the addition of fresh, melty, gooey mozzarella cheese. The recipe made enough food to feed an army, which was good because we were all fighting over the leftovers.

Pasta with Chicken Meatballs
Slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound small cut pasta, such as orecchiette, campagnelle, penne, etc.
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
chicken stock (amount will vary, see directions)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, juice reserved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or more Pecorino
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine. With wet hands (this is key, otherwise the chicken will just stick to you rather than form into meatballs), roll the chicken into mini meatballs. Make them as big or as small as you want. You'll need to wet your hands often so keep a bowl of water nearby.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer.

Add the juice from the tomatoes to a large measuring cup. Add enough chicken stock to make 1 1/2 cups total. Add the chicken stock, tomato juice and tomatoes to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the skillet. Add the Parmesan and toss, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Add the mozzarella cheese and chopped basil. Gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Like most people, I'm a big fan of one pot meals. So when my friend Amy posted this recipe for {One Pot} Baked Rice with Sausage and Broccoli I knew I had to try it.


After reading the recipe I was skeptical and I actually messaged Amy to make sure it was only 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth to 1 1/4 cups of Arborio rice. You know Arborio rice as the rice used to make risotto. Whenever I make risotto I need at least 5, usually 6, cups of chicken broth to fully cook the rice. I couldn't imagine using just 1/3 that amount in this dish. But Amy assured me it was correct and since I trust her, I went with it (although I did threaten her with our pizza delivery bill if she steered me wrong).

And you know what, it worked! The resulting dish isn't creamy like risotto, but the rice was fully cooked. And quite tasty. The original recipe calls for 8oz of sausage but SP thought that wasn't enough so I upped the recipe below to a full pound. Otherwise this was perfect. And so ridiculously simple, too. I love easy weeknight meals and this was definitely one I'll be making again.

{One Pot} Baked Rice with Sausage and Broccoli
As seen on Very Culinary

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed, broken into pieces
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 head of broccoli (about 6 ounces), cut into 2-inch florets

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet, over medium-high. Cook sausage, stirring often, breaking up the pieces until no pink remains, about 3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until translucent, about 3 more minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Stir in rice to coat in the oil, then add the wine. Bring to a boil. Cook until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid, about 1 minute. Add the broth and bring back to a boil.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the broccoli over the top of the rice and bake for another 10 minutes, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and stir the rice and broccoli together. Cover the skillet and let it stand for 10 more minutes. Place a pot holder on the handle so you don't forget that it's hot.

Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve.

I like to put at least one sandwich on the menu each week. They're usually easy to make and we all enjoy them (although Baby Girl likes to deconstruct her sandwiches/burgers so she can eat each ingredient separately. Don't ask.) I saw these Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Bacon and Caramelized Onions on Pinch of Yum and thought they'd make a great grilled cheese sandwich.


I asked SP to get a loaf of rye bread at the store and it was the perfect bread for these sandwiches. Even though everything is better with bacon, I ended up skipping the bacon on these since they already had ham. The caramelized onions added just the right amount of sweetness to cut through the savory sauce. Delicious.

Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions
Modified from Pinch of Yum

1 yellow onion
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup mayo
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
spreadable butter
8 slices of bread (I used rye)
1 pound sliced deli ham
1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese

Slice the onion into thin strips. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet; add onions and cook over very low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions will turn a deep golden color.

Whisk the mayo, mustard and Worcestershire sauce together.

Spread some of the spreadable butter on each slice of bread. Flip each slice over and spread 1/4 of the sauce on each of four slices, then top those slices with 1/4 of the ham, onions, and cheese. Complete the sandwiches with the other four slices of bread to make four sandwiches, butter side out.

Heat a griddle over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until the bread is golden brown on both sides and the cheese melts. You want to go low and slow so the cheese and filling have a chance to warm through before the bread burns.

Cut in half and serve immediately.