If Back-to-School commercials send your heart into panicked cartwheels, you're not alone. Teachers, staff, admin, and students; we all get it. A new school year is scary even if you're an old pro. Those who know me professionally know I prefer routine and predictability; neither of which are currently part of the deal. Eventually, we'll get into our groove but for now the keyword is "adaptability". Still, as my high school vice principal used to say, the new school year is your chance for a "fresh start." With that in mind, I decided to try something new... with my cooking, at least. I've got a double feature for you all with fresh new recipes!

Lunch: I was looking for something flavorful but healthy that could feed both me and Nick. Once I saw that Eating Well's Tuna, White Bean & Dill Salad also contained beets, I was sold. I packed a whole wheat pita with ours and turned them into sandwiches. Prepped the night before and ready to grab and go on our way out the door this morning. 

Dinner: Leave it to Half Baked Harvest's Tieghan Gerard. Her recipes are foolproof magical delights. 20 Minute Thai Basil Beef and Lemongrass Rice Bowls were no exception. To make it a little healthier, I swapped out the lemongrass jasmine rice (which I'm sure would have been *amazing*) for quinoa and it was still divine. We had enough for two nights in a row which made coming home from work on Monday a little less painful.

Even if you don't have your new routine together just yet, I hope seeing these recipes (and maybe trying them yourself) brings you some comfort. In this season of new beginnings I'm going to try to be brave and welcome the changes. I will remind myself, I am not alone. Neither are you. We've got this. 

You can feel it in the unseasonably cool temperatures we've been experiencing in the DMV; fall is tiptoeing its way in. But before we wave goodbye to summer, I wanted to thank it by making an end of the season dinner. Ina Garten (the “How fabulous is that?” Barefoot Contessa, herself) has a Summer Garden Pasta that is bursting with flavor: garlic – POW!, tomato – PING, basil – ZIP, olive oil – YAS! The ingredients are minimal but there's a sort of alchemy that happens when you let them marinate for a few hours. Right before you're ready to serve, boil some angel hair pasta and toss it with the tomato marinade along with freshly grated parmesan cheese. The results are drool-worthy.

A last minute side dish came from our weekend stop at Butler's Orchard. I was thrilled to discover they were selling zucchini blossoms! I ended up following Farm to Jar's oven-baked stuffed squash blossoms recipe with a few adjustments. I sautéed spinach with garlic and red pepper flakes then mixed it with fresh ricotta. I filled the blossoms with the mixture, twisted the petals closed, drizzled them with olive oil, and let them bake for 10 minutes at 400°. The flavor was pleasantly mild and delicately sweet. If you have access to zucchini blossoms I urge you to grab them and get cooking. You won't be disappointed.

The rest of our dinner was Wegmans' pre-marinated chicken thighs that Nick expertly grilled. The complete meal was a delectable tribute to a beautiful summer.

(I think) we have survived our move. For anyone who has ever been jostled through the choppy seas of the moving process, you have my empathy. It's an exciting but exhausting time filled with sleepless nights, boxes, utility appointments, and takeout. Tonight, I finally felt settled enough in our new home to cook a real meal again. My lifeboat was @kaelahe's Summertime Zucchini Paninis. These are *so* good and so easy to make even after sweating through a blisteringly hot day like today. Quick summary of steps: I poured some olive oil on a plate and sprinkled it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Then, I dipped slices of zucchini (lengthwise) into it. I don't have a panini press like our author's parents do, so I cooked the zucchini in my trusty grill pan for those beautiful char lines. Meanwhile, I spread some pesto on a piece of store bought naan and topped it with sliced fresh mozzarella. After cutting into smaller pieces, I put the cooked zucchini on top of the naan and popped it all back on the grill pan until the cheese melted. The results were gooey, comforting, and full of summertime flavor. Looks like smooth sailing ahead.

Saturday Night's Alright for Pasta. Call me a nerd, but few things in my culinary life have the power to both soothe and thrill me as much as caramelizing onions do. Well, in this case it was shallots, leeks, and cabbage; but it still equated to a rockin' Saturday night in my kitchen (see Nick's photo reaction for proof). The caramelization process takes about 20 minutes — stand, stir, repeat. You, too, can marvel as your once crisp vegetables Shrinky Dink down to a glorious golden brown and sweeter version of themselves. Pour in the white wine and let your heart do a happy dance as you deglaze the pan. It's simple, satisfying, and makes your house smell amazing. Toss the finished product with pasta, parmesan, and lemon juice and let your tastebuds shimmy. https://lindseyeatsla.com/caramelized-leek-and-cabbage-pasta-with-lemon/

You may remember, a while back, when I posted about my first-ever attempt at making borscht. I was happy that many of you then shared your favorite versions, be they lovingly passed down the generational apron strings or learned from local friends who showed you the way as you lived overseas. Some preferred it cold, others added meat, and my one even mentioned a version made with sourdough bread in the broth. All of your comments and suggestions compelled me to research the history of this incredibly versatile beet soup. Not surprisingly, there are *many* variations that have evolved and blended throughout Europe over time. I learned that most culinary historians (it's a thing, I checked) believe borscht's origins lie in what is now Ukraine — a timely revelation that filled me with a mix of sadness, hope, and determination. It therefore felt fitting for tonight's meal to be Ukrainian Red Borscht Soup. I encourage you to try it and, between stirs, please consider making a donation to help the people of Ukraine. I've listed a few ways to donate in the comments below but there are many more out there as well.

Strawberry Scones Forever. In celebration of Valentine's Day, I wanted something sweet but not *sickeningly* sweet. (Kind of like how you want your friends to be happy in love but not so happy that they and their significant other nauseate everyone around them.) Budget Bytes came through with these White Chocolate Strawberry Scones. I’m happy to report that they were not the average dry, tasteless bricks that many scones, sadly, are. These lovelies were light, buttery, and only took 15 minutes to bake. Treat your Valentine or show some self love by making these the next time you want something sweet to warm your heart.

Who doesn’t love lasagna? Come to think of it, I used to hate it. Something about the ricotta just didn’t work for me as a child. Fortunately, my palate has matured in time for me to enjoy and share with you, dear readers, this lighter take on the classic dish. Enter: the humble but magical spaghetti squash. Ok, I guess it’s more like a faux noodle bake than lasagna but close enough. This dish still packed a flavor punch without the carb nap that a heavy pasta meal typically induces (or is that just me?) Indulging and still having energy for an evening stroll afterwards? What’s not to love?

Happy New Year, friends! Obviously, life has been challenging for all of us and, truth be told, I haven't felt super confident about posting my cooking adventures. Still, this recipe was too delicious not to share. I came across it on Reels but you will find many iterations of it online (sometimes called "Marry Me Chicken." Yeah, it's that good). This one is most similar to the recipe I followed - https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/skillet-chicken-creamy-sun-dried-tomato-sauce/ I paired ours with some egg noodles and steamed asparagus. I hope you'll try it and make it your own. Happy cooking!

Easy, cheesy, lime squeezy! The snow has been falling for hours (sometimes sideways) but inside our home it's as cozy as could be thanks, in part, to these chicken enchiladas from the Washington Post. The stores were all out of chicken thighs, so chicken breast would have to do. Thankfully, the cooking method involved didn't dry them out like I feared. I had a can of Amy's refried black beans in the pantry so I seasoned them with some sautéed garlic, oregano, cumin, and smoked paprika. Then I threw together a quick side salad and we were good to go. The wind is howling now. Everybody stay snug!

From disaster to delicious. Tonight's meal of Japchae (Korean Noodle Stir-Fry) called for dangmyeon noodles. I had never cooked them at home, though I have enjoyed consuming them several times before. I followed the instructions carefully but after draining and rinsing the texture was... not right. So not right. Sort of like extra thin Twizzlers, I guess? Fortunately, I hadn't added them to the rest of the dish so I was able to start over with some rice noodles I had purchased for just this possibility. Dinner was saved and Nick said, "Yummy" so I'll consider that a success. All's well that ends well.

Wow, wow, wow! This is definitely going into heavy rotation at our house. Jenn Segal's Moroccan Chicken Tagine is filled with gorgeous spices, herbs, honey, and lemon creating a complex yet comforting meal. Bring it all together with couscous and your favorite veggies or a side salad (I went with broccoli florets because they're my favorite, plus I'm lazy and don't like to chop). Trust me, you're gonna want seconds.