Chicken Gravy with a Carton of Broth

This is a simple yet completely delicious diner style gravy that doesn't require any roasted chicken drippings. So you can make mashed potatoes with gravy anytime the cravings strike without having to cook a whole chicken. In fact we most often serve it with a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a quick dinner.

You'll just need a good chicken base and packaged chicken stock along with a few other everyday ingredients.

And the best part is that you can have it ready in under 15 minutes! Plus you'll have the option to make it a creamy gravy with extra richness by adding just a little bit of cream.

It's a comforting, cozy, humble recipe with rich chicken flavor in each bite. There's just so much simple goodness to anticipate for dinner with this easy, must have chicken gravy recipe!

Traditional Coq au Vin is a centuries old dish and a staple in French cuisine. It's an incredibly hearty and comforting dish built with a bit of time and layer upon layer of flavor.

The foundational ingredients are all browned in batches first, then red wine and seasoned broth are added while scraping up that flavorful fond (the browned bits at the bottom of the pan), then it's all slowly braised over a low heat until everything is tender and infused with rich flavor. From there the sauce is thickened with a roux (flour and butter mixture), and the bacon is added back at the end to maintain its crispness.

It's such a memorable dish with full bodied flavor. There's a reason it's become a world renowned dish!

Serve it with one of the many options listed below. I would say you can never go wrong with mashed potatoes to complement its rustic, homestyle goodness.

What is Beef Bourguignon?

Beef Bourguignon (which is pronounced beef boar-gin-yaan) is a signature French stew made up chunks of rich beef braised in a deeply flavored red wine based sauce, along with aromatic vegetables such as pearl onions and browned mushrooms. Often times it includes another rich meat such as pork (bacon!), and it also includes plenty of herbs for complementary fresh flavor.

It is a humble, rustic style dish yet somehow at the same time if seems luxurious with such sophisticated flavor. It's creates a main dish worthy of a holiday celebration!

Wondering what to serve with Beef Bourguignon? It's best paired with mashed potatoes or a hearty artisan bread because there's so much of that complex gravy-like sauce to be soaked up by pairing with something so appropriately fitting.

Homemade Lemon Cookies

This is a splendidly flavorful, inviting cookie that's bright and cheery during the blistery winter season, yet it's also a cookie fit for those warm summer months where you'll find them reminiscent of a refreshing summer lemonade.

They are fun to finish by decorating them how you like, you can drizzle icing in zigzag patterns over the top or take a spoonful and make a simple circle atop them. And no one said sprinkles are wrong either. However you finish them just don't leave the icing off, it's critical to the abundant lemony flavor of the cookie (as this portion of the cookie calls for the most lemon juice).

If you like a more noticeably yellow cookie simply add a little natural yellow food coloring to the dough to mimic the hues of those sunny lemon peels. It won't affect the taste but I think we tend to eat with our eyes first so a little yellow addition is a nice touch if you have it.

An oatmeal cream pie (also spelled oatmeal "creme" pies) are an old fashioned cookie that's been around for decades and for good reason. We know of the iconic Little Debbie version (I ate far too many as a kid) but now I much prefer them without all the self stabilizing additives, artificial flavors and added color. And of course made with fresh butter instead of various oils is better.

These homemade oatmeal cream pies are a family favorite which makes sense because they are basically an upgraded oatmeal cookie with a frosting filling. They are easy to make and the flavors never disappoint!

With each cookie you get a welcome blend of chewy textures, crisp golden brown edges a soft center (as it should be), with oat-y flavors and highlights warm winter spices and hints of deep molasses. Then for the filling it's a buttery, creamy, frosting type filling, with its sweetness balanced by a small addition of cream cheese (I preferred this option to using cream with the butter and sugar when taste testing).

It's a memorable treat that will always satisfy those homemade cookie cravings. Enjoy them together with family or friends, and serve them with a chilled glass of milk, or warm apple cider during the colder months.

Homemade pumpkin waffles are a seasonal staple. They are so good in fact you may find yourself turning to them year round!

They're crisp on the outside while fluffy, moist and tender on the inside. Exactly as a waffle should be.

They are made with smooth pumpkin, warm spices, flavorful buttermilk, a fair amount of eggs for billowy fluff, and oil for richness. They make an excellent lazy weekend morning treat, and they are even worthy of a festive holiday breakfast spread.

So much to savor in these delectable, pumpkin infused waffles!

If you love traditional pumpkin cookies and cinnamon spiced snickerdoodles then these pumpkin snickerdoodles are must try cookie for you! It's a seasonal spin on a classic.

They have just enough pumpkin to have a noticeable flavor while keeping the texture soft but not overly cakey. The butter lends rich moisture, and the spice blend makes them exceptionally delicious.

Then the cream of tartar, which is a classic addition of to most snickerdoodles, adds a nice faint tang to the cookie to highlight them.

These cookies are simple to make and they'll seem to disappear right before your eyes. So much to love in every bite!

What is Spatchcock Chicken?

Spatchcock chicken is a whole chicken that has had the backbone removed and it's butterflied, then it is turned to the opposite side and breastbone is cracked to flatten the chicken. Then benefit of spatchcock chicken is that since it's splayed flat it cooks quicker and more evenly than a chicken left whole in its more natural rounded form.

Another great thing about this method is that no special ingredients are needed and no roasting pan is required. Just a simple ingredients and a standard baking sheet are used. You could even swap out the fresh herbs for dried if that's what you have on hand (just use 1/3 the amounts).

When roasting a whole chicken I've found I prefer to include vegetables alongside it for two reasons. An obvious reason is that you get a side dish cooked at the same time, and the other benefit is there's far less smoking in the oven. Win win.

This recipe yields tender juicy chicken with highlighting complementary flavors of lemon and herbs. And paired alongside are those golden brown, garlicky roasted vegetables to round it out. It's such a cozy meal in one, and if you want an extra upgrade pair it with simple 1-Hour Dinner Rolls.

These mini pumpkin pies are an exciting modern day twist on a nostalgic holiday classic! They are baked in a standard size muffin pan instead of as a whole pie. They are easy to make, faster to bake, and they're a tasty treat for people of all ages.

Their flavor is pleasantly pumpkin-y, deliciously sweet, and swirled with seasonal spice. And they have the best blend of textures with a crisp, flakey crust and a velvety, rich custard pie filling.

They are easy to serve and completely fitting for parties. And aren't most desserts just more enjoyable and charming when served in a mini individual serving size? They even seem fancier too.

With their smaller size plan on two of these per person, or even three for a Thanksgiving or other holiday feast. And as always take those classic pumpkin pie flavors up a notch by serving them with a generous swirl of billowy sweetened whipped cream atop.

Recipe also includes stovetop and Instant Pot cooking methods.

Want to take these to the next level? Serve them over homemade corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

Shredded Beef Tacos

This is truly a family favorite recipe! I first shared it way back in 2012 it was one of my original go-to recipes and still is! I make it all the time for parties, family get togethers, weeknight meals and for freeze ahead meal prep.

It's one of the easiest things you can make, the beef is so tender and brimming with flavor, and people of all ages enjoy these tacos.

Personally I'm a total food snob and will only make this using the method of browning before slow-cooking, but for really busy people you can skip the browning method and you'll still have a tasty dinner.

The other great thing about this shredded beef taco recipe is that you can use leftover beef for so many other dishes such as enchiladas, taquitos, nachos, quesadillas, tamales or burritos. And if you are in a hurry you can just serve these street taco style with simply the beef, cilantro, onion and lime.

I've also updated this recipe with notes including a stove-top cooking option for those of you who don't have a slow cooker or just prefer it to be ready faster. And I've also included and option for cooking it in a pressure cooker. Of the three I like slow cooking the best but use what works for you and your schedule and the equipment you have.