Recipes, Nutrition, Prices
Three words: Tender. Turkey. Meatballs. They’re inexpensive, surprisingly simple to make, and they get an enthusiastic thumbs up from the fam every time. I’ve always loved a good meatball from an Italian restaurant, but to be honest, since adding these to our weeknight menu, the […]
Making this sauce with whole grain spaghetti noodles is one of my “veggie heavy dinner that’s not a salad” staples. I throw veggies, tomatoes, and some spices into a pot and BOOM. Dinner made, and the sauce sticks to the noodles. Also it’s freezer friendly. […]
So basically I have all of the solutions to your home-made pizza crust woes right here. No rising needed Totally freezable Basil + Oregano Heaven Thick and chewy Crispy, sturdy bottom crust This dough recipe makes enough for one large pizza with very thick, chewy […]
The number one complaint I hear about using home-made hamburger patties is that they fall apart on the grill. I’ve solved that problem with a couple extra ingredients and some resting time in the fridge! My rule of thumb for helping burgers stick together on […]
Fruit Salad = Summer Rainbow Giddiness In Your Mouth Traditionally My family served this with dinner as a side salad, but I legitimately think of it as a dessert. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as heavy as a Reese’s Cheesecake, but it is sweet, creamy […]
Red Beans and Rice is my favorite crock pot dinner: You don’t need to make any sides Veggies, whole grains, protein, legumes, all in one bowl Super for your gut health Unique creole flavors that we don’t experience on an every day basis Excellent for […]
Okay, this pantry staple marinara is seriously the easiest recipe on my site. I make it when I need a dipping sauce for my cheesy bread, or a simmering sauce for my tender turkey meatballs, and for a quick and simple pizza sauce. You could […]
In honor of Mother’s Day I’m sharing a decadent dessert with you that whole-heartedly reminds me of my own sweet mom: Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. Anything and everything salted caramel brings her to mind, and since I can’t be home for this Mother’s […]
You can end your search for the best apple pie right here. I stumbled across this recipe by Audrey over at Audrey’s Apron a few years ago and have never made it any other way since. The apples, a mix of pink lady and granny […]
I love decorating sugar cookies for ALL the Holidays, but a plain vanilla sugar cookie just didn’t seem festive enough for this Easter. So I’m bringing you a twist on one of Easter’s most classic desserts: Carrot Cake! These carrot cake sugar cookies are complete […]
When a cold, rainy day comes along, a simple and comforting bowl of soup seems to always slide onto our menu. There’s something very meditative about peeling and chopping all of the vegetables and tossing them into an aromatic pot of boiling broth. It really […]
This is one of those light, spring-timey soups that warms you right up and leaves you feeling cozy and refreshed all at the same time. I titled this dish “Pantry Staple” Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup because it’s usually one of those recipes I fall back […]
I think we all need a little bit of this in our lives right now – a little creamy, garlic-smothered, pasta heaven that is still good to your body. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need cream cheese or heavy cream to make a delicious […]
Okay, this pantry staple marinara is seriously the easiest recipe on my site. I make it when I need a dipping sauce for my cheesy bread, or a simmering sauce for my tender turkey meatballs, and for a quick and simple pizza sauce. You could probably also use it on your spaghetti (but prefer to load my spaghetti up with veggies, so I always use this recipe.)
I call it pantry staple because you probably already have all the ingredients you need in your cupboard – zero planning needed. The only ingredient you may not be super familiar with is fennel seed. I came across fennel seed a few years ago and have found it to be indispensable in my Italian dishes. I now use it in this sauce, in my meatballs, in my mom’s lasagna, Italian sausage tortellini soup… just everywhere. You can use it ground or whole, although I prefer the texture of ground better (it’s just a little harder to find. But you can always buy the whole seeds and grind them down in your blender.) You don’t absolutely need fennel seed to make this sauce delicious, but it really levels up the flavor profile of the sauce, along with your other Italian dishes. I highly recommend you add a jar to your pantry.
My pantry staple marinara is freezer friendly, but it could also be canned if you have the means for home canning. You’ll save some money by making your own and storing it away for a rainy day instead of buying the jar from the store. However, it’s so easy to throw together it may not even be worth it to you to make it ahead! Either way I hope your get to enjoy this simple little taste of Italy at home.
