Lacey Oatmeal Cookies are these wonderful very light, crispy, caramelized cookies that you can almost see-through. They spread out to 2-3x the size of the dough (batter?) you put on the sheet pan and it causes this wonderful reaction where the sugar and butter caramelize into something incredible…

I recently picked up a used copy of Martha Stewart’s Newlywed Kitchen, which for the most part was focused on a life I barely remember from before COVID - dinner parties, slightly complicated ingredient lists, etc. to acclimate a new cook to their new married life of dinners together. But flipping through the pages, I found this great recipe for Cream Scones that I took and adjusted to make a tasty Monday morning treat. Cranberry Cream Scones…

I wanted that warm, gooey Christmas breakfast but without all the effort of Christmas Eve night since family is over. This recipe nails it and is so easy, you can make it on a Saturday morning with basically zero effort. I make them the night before and let them sit out overnight, but you can throw everything together right before you bake too.

This recipe is super easy and is honestly one of the tastiest things I have ever baked. Like, maybe the tastiest and it will be making many appearances this fall. I started with this Starbucks copy cat from The First Year but made some adjustments and then added an oatmeal streusel because honestly, every quick bread or muffin should have some kind of streusel on top.

This week I’ve shared my favorite fall cocktail and my favorite fall dinner, but we can’t end the week without mentioning my favorite fall drink. I am not the girl who goes to Starbucks and orders a pumpkin spice latte. In general, I don’t order straight off the menu at Starbucks (or any coffee shop) because they are always wayy to sweet for me. All of that to say, I decided to make a “PSL” at home that was more pumpkin and spice and less sweet and dairy. You can make it with almond milk like I do here, or you can use any dairy that makes you happy. You can use oat milk too. A

I love chili. We eat it from the first day of fall until the very end of winter. It is an entire meal in a bowl, super easy, and if you follow a recipe like this one, pretty darn healthy. I also really love cornbread and making chili is obviously a great excuse to have some cornbread too.

The first thing I crave when the leaves start changing colors is apple cider. Even better when it’s part of a fabulous cocktail. Any sangria requires a little preparation because it really needs to sit overnight, so it may not be the thing to whip out at the last minute when friends stop by, but then again, if you just always keep some in the fridge in the fall, maybe it is…

I mention this Ratatouille in my movie night post because what is more fun than watching the cutest Disney movie and eating the namesake dish? I also just love how bright and fresh this dish tastes. It goes with almost any protein you may be cooking - steak? Sure! Chicken, especially grilled chicken? Absolutely. Salmon can even stand up to it. Add a glass of wine, and I immediately feel halfway to Provence.

Bolstered by my first success, I made Tuscan Chicken from this recipe. It is a great recipe but too fussy for me. If I have to brown anything on the stove before putting it in the slow cooker, it’s more work than I want out of a slow cooker meal. So this is a “short-cut” method that yields equally delicious results. This recipe is super easy with very little prep work required. I recommend serving it up with a bright green salad and wild rice or slice of whole wheat country bread.

I really enjoy the European-style cocktail hour ritual. In a pre-COVID world, I would say that it is the perfect time to catch up with friends and be social after the day at work. Now, I more associate it with time I have set aside for myself at home. Usually, around 4:30 pm, I log off from work - there is so much satisfaction in closing my laptop for the day - and head to the kitchen. I make myself a cocktail (wine is for dinner time) and get a small snack.