Old Fashioned Cocktail

Learn how to make an old fashioned! This simple recipe calls for just 5 ingredients, so you can easily make this classic whiskey cocktail at home.

You don’t need to go to a bar or a restaurant to enjoy an old fashioned. Nope, this classic whiskey cocktail is a cinch to make at home! In fact, it’s Jack’s favorite drink, so we always keep old fashioned ingredients on hand. They’re super simple: whiskey (Jack likes rye), Angostura Bitters, a little sugar, ice, and an orange twist for garnish. Old Fashioned Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this old fashioned recipe: Whiskey – Choose bourbon for a sweeter, oakier cocktail or rye for a drier one. Angostura Bitters – They add notes of clove and cinnamon.…

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Focaccia Bread

Even bread beginners can pull off this homemade focaccia recipe! Topped with olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt, it's SO delicious and easy to make.

This focaccia recipe is our favorite bread to bake at home. We love it because it’s soft and pillowy in the middle, crisp and golden around the edges, and filled with rich flavor from olive oil and sea salt. And that’s just the start! The #1 reason we love this focaccia recipe is that it’s so easy to make.  When Jack first started baking bread (15+ years ago now!), he made lots of rustic ciabatta loaves. The ingredients were simple, and the bread came out delicious, but it required hours of rising and precise kneading. So when we discovered how…

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Crustless Quiche

No time to fuss with crust? You'll love this easy crustless quiche! Filled with broccoli and cheese, it's healthy, satisfying, and delicious for any meal.

This crustless quiche recipe is for those of us (ahem, me) who love quiche but don’t love making pie crust. Like a classic quiche, it’s flavorful and satisfying, the rich egg custard studded with broccoli, herbs, and cheese. But without a crust to fuss with, it’s SO much easier to make! This crustless quiche is the perfect simple-yet-special dish for the hectic holiday season. Serve it for brunch alongside fresh fruit and mimosas, or make it for an easy weeknight dinner. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, warm them up for a healthy breakfast or lunch the next day.…

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Cinnamon Rolls

I make these homemade cinnamon rolls every year for the holidays. Soft, gooey, and easy to make, they're always a hit with family and friends!

I make this cinnamon rolls recipe every year for the holidays. And every year, it’s a HUGE hit. These homemade cinnamon rolls are soft and gooey. They’re packed with a cinnamon brown sugar filling and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze. If you like store-bought cinnamon rolls, get ready—these homemade ones are SO much better! They’re also easy to make. So many of our readers have made and loved this cinnamon roll recipe over the years. It has over 200 5-star reviews! If you need a special breakfast for Christmas morning or any weekend brunch, I can’t recommend this cinnamon…

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Stuffed Mushrooms

This stuffed mushrooms recipe is an irresistible (and easy!) appetizer. The filling is a crispy, savory combo of bread crumbs, garlic, herbs, and cheese.

stuffed mushrooms

In my totally unbiased opinion, we have some really great holiday appetizers on the blog (French onion dip or baked brie, anyone?), but this stuffed mushrooms recipe might just be my favorite. It’s Jack’s favorite too. Of course, he loves anything with mushrooms, but we’ve actually gotten into arguments about these stuffed mushrooms. I take them out of the oven, he samples a few, and before I know it, most of the batch is gone. I’ve learned the hard way: if I want any of these stuffed mushrooms for myself, I have to claim them ASAP. …which is to say…

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Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

This vegan spinach artichoke dip is the ultimate game day or party snack. It's creamy, tangy, savory, and delicious. You won't be able to get enough!

You don’t have to be vegan to love this vegan spinach artichoke dip. Just ask Jack. Whenever I make it, he can’t resist going back for seconds…and then thirds… This vegan spinach artichoke dip is creamy, tangy, and delicious. Who could say no to that? Instead of the traditional mayo and/or sour cream, blended cashews make up the creamy base of this plant-based dip. Nutritional yeast and onion powder add savory, cheesy flavor, while lemon juice and Dijon mustard give it the perfect bright kick. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing party appetizer or game day snack, make this vegan…

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Vegetarian Lasagna

This vegetarian lasagna recipe is my favorite dish to make for family and friends! Filled with savory roasted vegetables, it's healthy and delicious.

Vegetarian lasagna was the first big dinner I learned how to make. When I was in college, a vegetable lasagna would always be the main event when I cooked a meal for a group. Fast forward to now, and I still like to make one when I’m serving a crowd, especially around the holidays. A veggie lasagna is comforting, flavorful, and great for making ahead. Plus, who doesn’t love to swap stories at the table over red sauce and pasta?! I’m sharing my favorite vegetarian lasagna recipe below. It’s savory and satisfying, filled with roasted veggies, creamy ricotta cheese, ruffly…

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How To Layer Lasagna

Learn how to layer lasagna! Yes, there is a proper order for the noodles, sauce, and cheese. This step-by-step guide will help you nail it every time.

Learn how to layer lasagna! Below, you’ll find my guide to layering a perfect lasagna, complete with pictures that show you every step. Lasagna was one of the first dinners that I learned how to make. After a few attempts, I was confident enough to cook the noodles and prep the filling without a recipe…but I could NEVER remember the right way to layer the ingredients in the baking dish. Is it noodles first and then sauce? Or sauce first and then cheese? How to Layer Lasagna If you’ve ever had the same struggle, you’ll love this guide to how…

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Vegan Ricotta

Don't do dairy? You'll love this easy vegan ricotta cheese. Just like regular ricotta, it's rich and creamy. Perfect for lasagna, stuffed shells, and more!

Good vegan ricotta is the secret to a great vegan lasagna or stuffed shells. It should be rich, thick, and creamy—so delicious that you don’t miss the cheese. I’ve tried making it all sorts of ways over the years—with nuts like cashews and almonds…even sunflower seeds! But this tofu ricotta cheese is hands down my favorite. This vegan ricotta cheese is easy to make in the food processor. The recipe calls for less than 10 ingredients and whizzes up in minutes! It has a savory, cheesy flavor and perfect creamy texture. Add it to your next plant-based pasta or homemade…

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Gingerbread Cookies

Our best gingerbread cookie recipe! These festive treats are soft and warmly spiced, with a rich molasses flavor. Perfect for spreading holiday cheer!

What could be more festive than gingerbread cookies?! With Christmas just a few weeks away, I’m ready to turn up the holiday cheer around here, and making this gingerbread cookie recipe seems like a great place to start. For one, it makes the house smell amazing, filling it with the comforting aroma of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. It’s also a blast to make–rolling out the dough, cutting out gingerbread people, baking them, and decorating them once they cool. But more important than all of that, these gingerbread cookies are delicious! They’re soft, warmly spiced, and richly flavored with molasses and…

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Shortbread Cookies Recipe

This shortbread cookie recipe is easy to make with 5 simple ingredients. The cookies are tender and buttery. They practically melt in your mouth!

Shortbread cookies are perfect for the holidays, but they’re so delicious that I make them all throughout the year. They have crisp edges, a buttery flavor, and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. When I want a little treat to enjoy with a coffee or tea, shortbread cookies always hit the spot. I’ve previously shared a lemon shortbread cookie recipe and an orange shortbread cookie recipe, but this classic shortbread recipe is the one I make the most. The cookies are simple, scrumptious, and easy to make with 5 ingredients. Add them to a Christmas cookie plate this season, or keep them…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.