Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This classic strawberry banana smoothie recipe is a delicious healthy breakfast or snack! It's sweet, creamy, and super refreshing.

In the last few weeks, I’ve made this strawberry banana smoothie recipe more times than I can count. Now that it’s summer, my whole family has been having it for breakfast almost every morning. Thick, creamy, and sweet, it’s super refreshing on a hot day. This strawberry smoothie recipe couldn’t be simpler to make. It calls for a handful of basic ingredients and comes together in the blender in less than 5 minutes. It’s the kind of thing you can easily pull off for breakfast on a busy weekday morning (yes, even if you have a toddler running around!) or…

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Tom Collins Cocktail

This Tom Collins recipe is easy to make with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda. Served over ice, this classic cocktail is bright and refreshing.

It’s probably not surprising that I love a Tom Collins cocktail. This sparkling gin drink is only one step removed from homemade lemonade, after all. Made with gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda, it’s bright, fizzy, and super refreshing. Plus, because it’s a long drink, meaning that the alcohol is mixed with a good amount of soda water, it’s not as strong as some other cocktails. This makes it perfect for sipping on a hot summer day. If you’re new to making cocktails at home, I think this Tom Collins recipe is a great place to start. You…

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How to Make Iced Coffee

Learn how to make iced coffee at home! Easy to customize with any milk or sweetener, this recipe is just as delicious as iced coffee from a coffee shop.

Iced coffee is my favorite way to start a warm spring or summer day. Sorry, hot coffee—when the temps are high enough, only the iced stuff will do. In the last few years, iced coffee drinks have exploded in popularity. But I find that people often get them at coffee shops instead of making them at home. This iced coffee recipe is here to change that! It’s SO simple, you can customize it with your favorite milk or sweetener, and it’s more affordable than ordering iced coffee out. If you’re an iced coffee fan, give it a try. I think you’ll…

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Negroni

This Negroni recipe is easy to make with equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. It's a delicious, classic cocktail—bitter, citrusy, and sweet.

A Negroni is one of Jack’s favorite summer cocktails. If I’m sipping an Aperol spritz or a glass of white wine (or even better, rosé), there’s a good chance he’s enjoying this classic Italian drink. He’s not the only one who’s a fan—the Negroni cocktail became a bit of a (ok, a major) trend in the last few years, so I thought it was about time we shared a recipe here, especially now that we’re heading into summer. You can find our go-to Negroni recipe below. This classic recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients, and it has a boozy,…

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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 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, Cinco de…

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Pickled Serrano Peppers

Love spicy food? These pickled serrano peppers are for you! I like making them to add a pop of tangy, spicy flavor to tacos, nachos, and more.

Move over, jalapeños! Serrano peppers are my current chile obsession for one simple reason: they’re spicier. Serrano vs. Jalapeño Peppers On the Scoville Scale, the official system for measuring the pungency of peppers, serrano peppers score higher than jalapeños. They clock in at 10,000 to 23,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units) versus jalapeños’ Scoville rating of 2,500 to 8,000. That’s 3 to 4 times hotter! But lately, I’ve felt like the difference in heat level between jalapeño and serrano peppers is even greater than that. I think the jalapeños at my grocery store are tasting more and more like green bell…

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Fresh Ginger Tea

Learn how to make ginger tea from fresh ginger root! Soothing and warming, it's perfect for sipping on cold days. I love it with a little honey and lemon.

This fresh ginger tea recipe has been on repeat in our house this winter. It’s soothing and warming, filled with a delicious spicy flavor from the fresh ginger root. Sweetened with a little honey and topped with a slice of lemon, it’s the perfect nourishing drink for a cold day. I bought ginger tea bags for YEARS before I started making this recipe. Let me tell you, I was missing out. The fresh tea has a bolder, spicier flavor, and it’s almost as easy to make. I’m sharing my simple method for how to make ginger tea below, along with a…

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Manhattan Cocktail

This classic Manhattan cocktail recipe is easy to make with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Don't skip the cocktail cherry for garnish!

A Manhattan cocktail is one of Jack’s favorite drinks. Bold and sophisticated, this classic cocktail is a simple combination of whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. According to Jack, it’s not complete without a cocktail cherry for garnish—brandied or maraschino, take your pick. When I think of a Manhattan, I immediately picture a dark, wood-paneled cocktail bar. But lately, we’ve actually been making this classic drink at home. Easy but elevated, it’s perfect for a low key date night in. I’m sharing our go-to Manhattan recipe below. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! What’s in a Manhattan? The…

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Gimlet Cocktail

This classic gimlet recipe is easy to make with gin, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. It's tart and refreshing—one of my favorite cocktails!

I love a gimlet cocktail. Made with just 3 ingredients—gin, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup—this sour cocktail is bright, botanical, and refreshing. I often order a gimlet when I’m out, but because this drink is so simple, it’s also easy to make at home. I’m sharing a classic gin gimlet recipe below. This recipe uses ratios I like, skewing heavier on the gin to let its floral flavor shine. If you prefer a sweeter drink, or a tangier one, feel free to add an extra splash of simple syrup or lime juice. Cheers! Gimlet Cocktail Ingredients Here’s what you’ll…

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Easy Chai Latte

This homemade chai latte recipe is easy to make with black tea, warm spices, and your favorite milk. Sweeten it to taste with maple syrup!

I remember the first time I tasted a chai latte from a coffee shop. It was rich, sweet, and deliciously spiced. I immediately fell in love with the combination of earthy black tea and warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. And of course the frothy milk on top didn’t hurt either… For a few years after that, a chai latte was my go-to order whenever I went out for coffee (erm…tea). But over time, coffee shop chai lattes got to be too sweet for me. Most are made with cartoned chai concentrate, so I wasn’t able to adjust the…

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Bloody Mary

Skip the Bloody Mary mix—this Bloody Mary cocktail recipe is easy to make from scratch! Spicy and savory, this classic vodka drink is great for brunch.

Skip the Bloody Mary mix—this Bloody Mary recipe is easy to make from scratch! This classic brunch cocktail is a simple combination of tomato juice, vodka, and a few salty, spicy ingredients you likely have on hand. Fresh lime and lemon juice give it a bright, tangy kick, horseradish adds peppery flavor, and Worcestershire sauce and celery salt make it deliciously savory. I can’t promise that this Bloody Mary recipe will be an effective hangover cure, but I can tell you that it will wow guests at any brunch. Want to seal the deal? Load it up with garnishes like…

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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.