Ranchero Sauce

This ranchero sauce recipe calls for fresh ingredients like tomato, jalapeño, and onion. Spicy and bright, it's delicious on Mexican and Tex Mex dishes!

This ranchero sauce is zesty, spicy, tangy, and fresh. It’s the star component in my homemade huevos rancheros, but this punchy sauce is good for so much more. Use it to make enchiladas or chilaquiles, or simply scoop it up with tortilla chips! What is ranchero sauce? Ranchero sauce is a spicy tomato-based sauce that originated in Northern Mexico. It shares ingredients like tomatoes, chiles, and garlic with enchilada sauce and salsa roja, but some of its distinguishing features are that It contains fresh hot chiles like jalapeños. It’s always a cooked sauce, not a fresh salsa made of blended or…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Margarita

We'll be making this classic margarita recipe all summer long. With just 5 ingredients, it’s so simple to make—break out the tequila and limes ASAP!

This classic margarita recipe is our favorite cocktail to make at home. We love it for two reasons. First, because it’s so simple—if you have tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur on hand, you can make it in under 5 minutes! Second, because it’s so delicious. The lime juice gives it a tart, refreshing kick, which the sweet orange liqueur (and a touch of agave) balance nicely. On a warm spring or summer evening, there’s nothing I’d rather drink. If you’re new to making cocktails, this recipe is a great place to start. Mix it up for a happy hour,…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Pico De Gallo

Learn how to make pico de gallo! This easy recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients. Enjoy it as a dip with tortilla chips or on any Mexican dish.

Learn how to make pico de gallo! I’m sharing my classic pico de gallo recipe below, plus tips to give it the best flavor. If you’re new to making salsa, pico de gallo is a great place to start. It gives you a lot of bang for your buck, because even though it’s zesty and flavorful, it’s SO easy. You don’t need any special equipment—just a cutting board and a good knife—and the ingredient list is short and sweet. Try this fresh salsa once, and I think it’ll become a staple in your kitchen. How to Make Pico de Gallo…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Mint Julep

Learn how to make a mint julep with this easy recipe! The traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, this bourbon cocktail is aromatic and refreshing.

Have you ever tried a mint julep? If you like fresh mint (like me) or bourbon (like Jack), then you absolutely should. A mint julep is made with four simple ingredients: bourbon, simple syrup, crushed ice, and fresh mint. It’s the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, and it might be as important a tradition as the horse race itself. The Kentucky Derby’s website claims that fans consume 125,000 mint juleps at the Churchill Downs racetrack over the race weekend each year! That said, it doesn’t have to be Derby Day for you to enjoy a mint julep. This ice…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Air Fryer Potatoes

These air fryer potatoes roast in just 20 minutes! Crispy outside, creamy inside, and full of savory garlic flavor, they're a delicious, easy side dish.

Air fryer potatoes! Have you tried them? They deliver all the best qualities of oven roasted potatoes, but they cook in a fraction of the time (we’re talking under 20 minutes!). These air fryer potatoes are the perfect weeknight side dish. They’re quick and delicious—crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and packed with savory garlic flavor. Even picky eaters love them. These air fryer potatoes pair nicely with so many main dishes (find serving suggestions below!). Versatile, flavorful, and fast, they’ll become a new favorite in your recipe rotation. Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this air…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Roasted Mushrooms

Learn how to roast mushrooms in the oven! These easy roasted mushrooms have a meaty texture and rich, savory flavor. They're a delicious side dish!

Roasted mushrooms are underrated. Prove me wrong: when you have mushrooms you need to use up in the fridge, is roasting the first way you think to cook them? My guess is not. Many of us are more likely to sauté mushrooms on the stove than roast them in the oven. But as delicious as sautéed mushrooms are, I’d argue that roasted mushrooms are even better. They’re crisp around the edges, meaty in the middle, and packed with savory, umami flavor. Plus, they roast on a single sheet pan in under 30 minutes. I’m sharing my simple roasted mushrooms recipe below. Serve it as…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Roasted Asparagus

This oven roasted asparagus recipe is an easy, delicious spring side dish. The spears are tender, juicy, and flavorful. Ready in 15 minutes!

Roasted asparagus is the best spring side dish! Ready in 15 minutes, it’s so easy to make. Just trim the asparagus’s woody ends, toss it with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and pop it in the oven. Roasted asparagus is also delicious. The spears are juicy and tender (NOT stringy or mushy), and their tips are browned and crisp. I could happily eat oven roasted asparagus straight off the baking sheet. But I love it even more when I season it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a punchy sauce, or flavorful garnishes. I’m sharing my simple roasted asparagus…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

41 Best Carrot Recipes

Looking for new ways to cook carrots? These easy carrot recipes can help! They include fresh salads, cozy soups, the moistest carrot cake, and more.

What are your favorite carrot recipes? If you said classic carrot cake or baby carrots and dip, you’re probably not alone. But I’m sharing 40+ of my best carrot recipes here in the hopes that you’ll try cooking this bright orange vegetable in a new way. They might seem humble, but carrots are insanely versatile. Roasted carrots make a wonderful side dish, for example, and carrot ginger soup is the perfect cozy meal for a cold day. Tangy pickled carrots are great for snacking, while a fresh carrot salad could be the star of your next picnic. Below, you’ll find…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

Roasted Carrots

Ready in under 30 minutes, these oven roasted carrots are an easy, healthy, and delicious side dish! A little honey brings out their natural sweetness.

To me, roasted carrots are the perfect veggie side dish. They’re easy to make, but they’re also amazingly flavorful. The hot oven intensifies the carrots’ natural sweetness, and it makes them soft and tender, with lightly crisp, caramelized edges. I can never resist eating some straight off the baking sheet! You’ll find my favorite roasted carrots recipe below. In addition to the olive oil, salt, and pepper I’d toss with any roasted vegetable, I use some honey here. It lightly glazes the carrots and helps them brown and caramelize in the oven. Make this recipe to round out a weeknight dinner,…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

50 Best Easter Side Dishes

These Easter side dishes include our best recipes for potatoes, spring salads, seasonal veggies, and more. Choose some to complete your holiday meal!

Easter is right around the corner, and I’m busy picking out which side dishes to make for our holiday feast. No offense to ham or lamb, but the side dishes are always my favorite part of Easter dinner. If you ask me, they’re what make the meal memorable. Seasonal vegetables like carrots and asparagus add a pop of color to the table. Hearty potato recipes keep guests coming back for more. And spring salads like my strawberry salad or carrot salad offer bright, fresh flavor. I’ve rounded up my 50 best Easter side dishes below. If you’re still figuring out your…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>

21 Best Cabbage Recipes

Have a hunk of cabbage you need to use up? Put it to work in these delicious cabbage recipes! They include simple sides, slaws, sandwiches, and more.

Choosing to make a cabbage recipe can feel like a commitment. You’re going to buy a whole entire cabbage in order to add a tiny bit of it to some tacos? What on earth are you going to do with the rest?! My hope is that the cabbage recipes below offer an answer to that question. There are SO MANY ways to cook cabbage—this humble veggie is nothing if not versatile. It can complete a sandwich with a pop of color and crunch. It can transform into a crisp, refreshing slaw or a silky, sweet sauté. You can add it to soup or…

TO THE RECIPE >>>>
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.