Recipe adapted from Arsenic Lace

This is absolutely, hands-down, the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever tried. It has even converted banana-bread-enemies to lovers. The secret to good, fluffy, delicious banana bread is sour cream — I can’t believe how many recipes exist out there without it. But besides this necessity, it’s such a forgiving baked good — I’ve been really careless with my measurements and ignored the advice to have the eggs at room temp and it always turns out amazing. A few other notes: I’ve made it with and without bourbon depending on if I had it and both are great, but it does add a depth of flavor that’s really nice. Also, mashing the bananas with a whisk is the easiest way to break up big chunks. And finally — don’t be afraid to throw in some chocolate chips at the end if you’re feeling indulgent!

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs (room temp is ideal), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 ripe bananas (mashed), 2 Tbsps bourbon, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free works), 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan (I use a pyrex baking dish that’s roughly the same size).

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together (about 3 minutes). Add in the eggs and beat until combined. If the eggs are cold, sometimes they will curdle the butter and it will look gross, but this is okay, it will still turn out. Stir in vanilla, mashed bananas, bourbon, and sour cream.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Sometimes I just add the dry ingredients straight to the wet though — again, this is a very forgiving baked good. If you want to sprinkle in some chocolate chips, go for it.

Pour batter into a greased loaf pan (you can line with parchment paper if you want but I never do). Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The recipe linked above has an optional bourbon glaze to drizzle over the top if you want, it is very delicious but adds a lot of sugar so I hardly ever make it :)

Recipe no longer online

Growing up, my family didn’t really have too many holiday traditions — we value trying new things and love mixing it up! But one year, my sister came home from school in tears because an assignment had asked her to write about her family’s Christmas traditions, and she couldn’t think of a single one. Thus, our tradition of making and enjoying coffee cake on Christmas morning was born on the spot. That was something we could all agree we’d enjoy year after year! My mom used to make the recipe on the back of the Bisquick box, but once I went gluten free I found us this new cinnamon roll inspired recipe that I could easily adapt with gluten free flour. It’s so easy to throw together, even half asleep, while you sip your coffee (with a pinch of nutmeg!)

Ingredients

For the cake: 3 cups flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¾ cup sugar, 4 tsp baking powder, 1 and ½ cups milk, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup melted butter

For the topping: ¼ cup melted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp gluten free flour, 1 Tbsp cinnamon

For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp milk, ½ tsp vanilla

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Mix everything for the cake together and pour into the pan. Then mix all the topping ingredients and drop spoonfuls on top of the cake batter. Swirl together with a knife. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Drizzle glaze on top and serve warm!

Recipe from Fetty’s Food Blog

If you need a tasty, beautiful appetizer that comes together in just minutes, this is it. I almost always have lemons, garlic and basil on hand, so I’ve found myself buying burrata more often to be able to whip this up in a pinch.

Ingredients

Burrata cheese, 3 Tbsp olive oil (GOOD olive oil), 1 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped), 1 lemon (zested and squeezed), 1 baguette (sliced, I use gluten free bread for me), several garlic cloves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush the bread with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Rub each piece with garlic and lay out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden.

Meanwhile, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, the chopped basil, lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon in a small bowl. Place burrata cheese in a small/medium serving bowl and slice open with a knife. Pour the lemon-basil olive oil mixture over the burrata. Serve with the warm garlic toasts.

This isn’t a recipe per se, but if I’m having guests over in the Fall I’m definitely making a cheese and/or charcuterie spread as the ingredients this time of year are my favorite! Apologies in advance if you don’t have access to a Trader Joe’s near you as that’s where I almost exclusively buy my cheese.

Ingredients

Syrah soaked toscano cheese, Boursin garlic & fine herbs cheese, Stilton with apricots, Honey goat cheese, Unexpected cheddar, fresh figs, pears or apples, champagne grapes, Bonne Maman mini jams (apricot or blackberry), TJ’s fig crisps, water crackers, one gluten free cracker, rosemary marcona almonds, Chianti salami, prosciutto, some sort of mustard, hot honey to drizzle, fresh thyme or sage to garnish

Instructions

The above list is most of my favorites from Trader Joe’s, with the exception of a few specialty items (I get gluten free crackers from Whole Foods as I don’t care for TJs options). My method is simple — slice up fresh fruit but leave a few pieces whole for decoration. Slice up salami as needed. Block out the cheeses across a large board and place the appropriate cheese knife next to each. Arrange fruit and salami slices around the cheese. Add rows of crackers around the meat. Then, fill in all the gaps with piles of nuts, little dips and drizzles like jam, honey or mustard and tuck in a few fresh herbs for garnish. With this go to list, I can be in and out of the store and assemble one of these in under an hour!

Recipe from Allison Roman

I asked myself if soups belong in the S/S cookbook, and landed on a resounding yes because where I live it tends to be really foggy (hello, June gloom). I make this refreshing stew constantly, as my friends can attest. I’m pretty sure they love it as much as I do! The sour cream makes it refreshing enough to crave even in the warmer months.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons butter, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 large onion thinly sliced, salt, pepper, 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (such as navy, butter, cannellini) drained and rinsed, 4 cups vegetable broth, ¼ of a head of cabbage (core removed, coarsely chopped), 1 Tablespoon white distilled vinegar, 1 cup dill (coarsely chopped), sour cream for serving

Instructions

Heat butter and olive oil in a medium pot over medium–high heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, without stirring too much or too frequently, so they get nicely browned and frizzled over 5–8 minutes. You do not want jammy, caramelized onions, but you also do not want burnt onions, so just adjust the heat and frequency of stirring as needed.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer ¼ of the onions to a small bowl; set aside (for topping!).

Add the beans and season with salt and pepper again. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, smash some of (but not all!) the beans into the pot, breaking them up to release the creamy, starchy interior (this is what will thicken your stew).

Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the texture is to your liking (soupier, stewier, you choose) and everything is tasting nice and savory, 15–20 minutes or so. Add the cabbage and vinegar, stirring to wilt. Simmer until the cabbage is totally tender and all the flavors have melded, 10–15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar if you like.

Remove from heat and stir in half the dill. Divide among bowls and top with more dill and some of those reserved frizzled onions. Give another drizzle of olive oil (or a teeny knob of softened butter, live a little) and crack of black pepper. Sour cream is also great here!

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Another refreshing soup that is craveable year round. The brightness of the lemon really takes a classic chicken noodle flavor up several notches! I often make this to take to friends if they’re busy and need a dinner dropped off. It’s more prep work than I like but is fantastic to have on hand for a busy week.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil (divided), 1 pound boneless/skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces), salt and pepper, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 diced yellow onion, 3 carrots (peeled and diced), 2 celery ribs (diced), ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 5 cups chicken stock, 2 bay leaves, ¾ cup uncooked orzo pasta (or I use arborio rice to make it gluten free), 1 sprig rosemary, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, rosemary and chicken; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Inspiration from Sweet Greens, Dressing from Bon Appetit

Okay — I know I use the words “perfect” and “favorite” a lot, but this is truly my favorite salad on the planet. It’s my attempt at recreating a salad I had summers ago from Sweet Greens, when I was staying in LA. The juicy watermelon paired with the spicy dressing is just — aah. Make this for your next backyard hang.

Ingredients

For the salad: Romaine lettuce, arugula, cubed watermelon, blueberries, cucumber slices, fresh mint

For the dressing: ½ cup salted/roasted cashews, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar, ¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, ¾ tsp. fish sauce, ¾ tsp. honey, 1 garlic clove, salt

Instructions

Wash and roughly chop up all your salad ingredients. I do a base of half romaine, half arugula. Blend all the dressing ingredients in a blender with a 1/3 cup of warm water. Dress your salad and enjoy immediately! If you want to have it for lunch instead of a side, add some grilled chicken.

Recipe adapted from Love and Lemons

One of my favorite Spring dishes — tender peas and salty pancetta in a creamy, rich risotto. Delicious, and not hard to make, just a little time consuming! I love drinking a glass of whatever Sauvignon blanc I’ve picked to cook with, and if you can get a friend to chat with you while you stir, it goes by in a flash.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 small yellow onion (chopped), 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 cup uncooked arborio rice, 1/2 cup dry white wine, 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 Tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, peas, pancetta

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the rice. Stir and cook for about 1 minute to toast the rice. Season again with salt and pepper, then add the wine. Stir until the wine cooks down.

Add the vegetable broth, 3/4 cup at a time, stirring continuously to allow each addition of broth to be absorbed before adding the next.

Meanwhile, cook the peas (I get the microwaveable bag from Trader Joe’s), and the pancetta separately (fry lightly in a pan).

When all the broth has been absorbed into the risotto, stir in the butter, cheese, peas and pancetta.

Recipe from Pinch of Yum

Taking a simple side dish to the next level — that’s what these carrots are all about. I made them for our Easter table this year and immediately wanted to add them to my repeat list.

Ingredients

For the carrots: 1 bag (32 ounces) of rainbow carrots (peeled), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For the sauce: 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt, 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 clove minced garlic, salt and pepper

Toppings: Honey, 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped), 1/4 cup pistachios (roughly chopped), microgreens for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread the carrots out onto a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Combine the spices, salt, and pepper in a small dish and sprinkle over the carrots. Gently toss the carrots in the oil and seasoning. Roast for 20 minutes until tender and the edges are slightly charred.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Spoon the yogurt sauce over the carrots (I like to create a bed of sauce on a platter and lay the carrots on top!) And finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cilantro and pistachios.

Recipe from Kleinworth Co

This is one of my go-to summer drinks, especially for outdoor gatherings. It pairs perfectly with a burger, or other summery grilled foods. The color is gorgeous and the blackberries a sweet summer burst of flavor!

Ingredients

3 blackberries, 2 ounces Lemon Simple Syrup (make ahead - 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar simmered in a sauce pan to make simple syrup, stir in 1 and 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice once cooled), 1 ounce Whiskey (I use bourbon), 1 egg white (optional), Crushed Ice

Instructions

If using the egg white (highly recommend!) dry shake all the ingredients except the blackberries first, meaning add to a shaker without ice and shake well to emulsify the egg white. Then, add 1 or 2 blackberries and ice, and shake again to chill. The blackberry will break up a bit and give it a beautiful blush color. Strain into a chilled glass with fresh ice and garnish with more blackberries!

Recipe from Join Jules

A perfectly refreshing, summery twist on a margarita! So drinkable and delicious for an outdoor soiree.

Ingredients

Drink: 2 oz Tequila, 1 oz Aperol, 3/4 oz cointreau, 3/4 oz Coconut milk, 3/4 oz fresh lime juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup

Garnish: Tajin, lime wheel & marigold

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients, add ice, and shake! Rim glass with lime juice and rim with Tajin. Add ice and strain into glass. Garnish & enjoy!