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!

This simple avocado salsa is basically guacamole mingled with salsa or pico de gallo. It's a dip that has the flavors of guacamole but more of a texture similar to a chunky salsa.

It's brimming with nutritious ingredients, and you'll love it's lively flavor. Plus who can resit that tempting blend of textures? Among them a soft bite, bits of crispness throughout, plenty creaminess, and with crunchy flakey chips a truly perfect pairing.

It's a fine-chop dunk-able chip dip, or you can use it as a topping over cooked protein such as pan seared salmon, black bean burgers, or grilled chicken. Another option of course is to heavily layer it over your favorite Mexican food - things like taco salad, chicken street tacos, fajitas, or even add a few spoonfuls to a bowlful of tortilla soup.

I think you'll really come to appreciate all the various ways you can enjoy this salsa!

It's perfectly fitting for weeknight dinner meals and always a crowd pleasing appetizer at parties! People will say it's a welcome upgrade to classic salsa, and for you it may become a go-to way to use up those ever so delicious avocados.

Wondering what to do with that hearty bread that's getting stale on the counter? One of the best options is to make this refreshing, summery, and brightly colorful panzanella salad! Homemade croutons will blow your mind.

Classic Panzanella is a rustic salad that was originally created by the farmers of the central Italian countryside who made it as a way to use up day-old bread and their abundance of fresh homegrown vegetables.

It comes together quickly and it's the perfect side dish to various grilled meats. It's also such a versatile salad with options to swap in other vegetables, use various cheeses, try it with a protein, or add beans.

This is a great base and guide to get you started from there you can adjust it to your heart's content!

Red Skin Potato Salad

This is a comfort food classic made with hearty, creamy red potatoes, dotted with the typical celery and pickles, and finished with a rich herby dressing to coat it all. The fresh lemon is a highlight here and the use of both mayonnaise and sour cream keeps it from feeling too heavy.

It's a simple to prepare side dish that keeps well in the fridge for several days and it's an ideal dish to serve on a hot day (trade in those baked potatoes for this!).

You can also adapt it to include other various mix-ins such as cooked bacon or hard boiled eggs (more ideas below), or just keep it simple without an extras. Either way this red potato salad is a summertime must!

Pasta Salad with Pesto

Traditional pasta salad is delicious but I think it's safe to say this pasta salad with upgraded Italian flavors is even better!

It doesn't require an overload of ingredients to really build up flavor, just a generous bowlful of fresh, highly scented basil and some good olive oil.

This pasta salad is easy to make, the pesto is even made in the food processor for a shortcut and the fresh mozzarella already comes pre-cut into tiny pearls.

And you'll love that this pairs well with so many summery grilled meats. I like to serve it with grilled chicken or steak and grilled corn on the cob.

It's adaptable to use other types of pasta and it will actually store well in the fridge for a day (or more if you wait to add the arugula).

Add this one to the dinner menu this week and save any extra for lunch the next day!

Easy Delicious Homemade Pancake Syrup

I got this recipe from my sister and we've been making it for probably two decades so I'm not sure what has taken me so long to share it. But better late than never.

It's incredibly easy to make and most everyone in our extended family prefers it to maple syrup.

Wondering how to use it? It's a great maple syrup substitute over a variety of breakfast items. We love it over buttermilk pancakes, French toast, Belgian waffles, crepes, and it even makes a delicious bread pudding or cake topping.

You can have it ready in under 15 minutes! Plus it's adaptable to other flavors.

It makes a delicious coconut syrup or almond syrup using coconut extract or almond extract in place of vanilla extract. Or you can add 1 tsp ground cinnamon along with the vanilla for cinnamon flavored syrup.

Make it this weekend paired with your favorite comforting breakfast. Just be warned once everyone tries it it may likely become a requested staple topping for nearly every breakfast!

Like this Winter version? Also try my go-to classic fruit salad recipe filled with summer fruit.

Winter Fruit Salad Recipe

Typically we think of fruit salads as a summer side dish but there's still an abundance of fruit in season during winter so why not take advantage of that and make a healthy winter fruit salad?

I first shared this recipe eight years ago and we've made it several times each year since. It's so good it almost passes as a tempting dessert!

This is a great dish to add to a holiday menu because there are often lots of heavy sides served but this is a light, refreshing and nutritious option to help balance those out a bit.

You'll find this inviting fruit salad is so easy to make and it adds so much festive natural color to your table.

Just keep in mind the most important thing about a fruit salad is the quality of the fruit. You want the fruit to have a sweet ripe flavor and firm enough texture that it won't get mushy.

From there the honey and lemon will just balance and highlight all of it's natural, fresh fruity goodness.

Southern Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

A family favorite Southern cornbread recipe! This made from scratch, savory cornbread is undeniably satisfying especially when served warm from the oven. Even it's browned, buttery, appetizing aroma will have everyone anticipating its goodness and asking how soon it will be ready.

It's likely to become the highlight of any meal! Plus it's a no fuss recipe that is so easy to make (much faster and easier to prepare than dinner rolls).

It begins with the humble, simple ingredients but it's consistently reliably delicious. Often it's those old fashioned classics like grandma made that are the best.

This cornbread recipe is fitting to pair with just about any meal any day of the year, and yes it's most definitely company worthy.

Many people serve it with a chicken dinner of sorts, but you'll find doubles as a delicious breakfast as well. Slather it with homemade jam or a simple honey butter, then serve it with eggs and sausage or bacon and it will become a new frequently requested weekend breakfast!

A Summery Corn Salsa Recipe

Corn salsa that's much better than Chipotle! It's a healthy dip that also doubles well as a side dish.

Fresh corn and bell pepper are fire roasted over a hot grill or gas stove flame for a beautiful smokey char, then it's tossed with a colorful plethora of other complementary fresh Mexican-style ingredients.

It has such a tantalizing blend of flavors that's is makes the perfect chip dip, or its delicious served over salmon, shrimp, chicken or beef (we love the salmon option).

Plus it's a versatile salsa with lots of ways to switch things up (see ideas below).

It's best made in season when you can get prime sweet yellow corn, but during the colder months try it with frozen corn too.

Easy Refrigerator Pickled Beets

Pickled beets used to be one of those things that I cringed at growing up but now I absolutely love them! Maybe that's because the homemade version completely changed my opinion on them.

I make these several times every summer when I get fresh beets from my brothers garden. Pickled beets really don't get any better than this!

These are super fresh, perfectly simple without other flavors to hide their unique flavor, and you wouldn't believe how easy they are to make.

These are a great option if you, like me, aren't familiar with canning things yourself (to make them shelf stable). Someday I'll learn but in the meantime this quick and simple method using the fridge is such a breeze and it makes the best pickled beets I've ever tasted! See for yourself and make a batch this week.

Then pair them with a ham and cheddar salad, or make them the star of a spinach salad and pair them with some walnuts and feta.