Seriously THE Most Flavorful Burgers!

Whenever a black and blue burger shows up on a menu, I’m ordering it — no question. That classic combination of a bold, spice-crusted patty with creamy blue cheese sauce is 1000% irresistible in my book. So after years of only ordering this one out, I finally developed a homemade version this summer that I’m genuinely thrilled with — and I have a feeling you’re going to love it too! ♡

If you’ve never had a black and blue burger before, here’s the deal: “black” refers to that smoky, savory blackened spice crust on the outside of the burger, and “blue” is all about the creamy, tangy blue cheese situation on top. Together, they are an absolute flavor bomb in the best way. This version keeps things simple with a quick homemade blackened seasoning that comes together in about 2 minutes, a blue cheese mayo sauce that I honestly want to put on everything, plus crispy bacon, peppery arugula and thinly-sliced red onion to round it all out. You can cook the burgers outside on the grill or inside in a cast iron skillet — whatever works best.

Best of all, these burgers come together in about 30 minutes and taste like something you’d order from your favorite burger joint. Add some fries or chips on the side, maybe grill some extra veggies while you’re at it, and you’ll have the makings of a seriously good burger night ready to go.

The Chicken Salad I’ve Been Making on Repeat (No Mayo Included!)

Creamy, crunchy, herby, lemony chicken salad…with tzatziki bringing it all together. ♡

This tzatziki chicken salad has turned into one of my new favorite weekday lunches that’s high in protein (about 40-50g per serving), comes together in under 30 minutes, and tastes so fresh and flavorful every single time. Instead of the usual mayo situation, it’s dressed with bright, garlicky tzatziki sauce and tossed with juicy cooked chicken, crisp cucumber, chickpeas, feta, red onion, loads of fresh dill, and toasted almonds for that satisfying crunch.

Pile it into a warm pita, scoop it over greens, tuck it into lettuce cups, serve it alongside crackers, or layer it into a bowl with rice or quinoa. Or honestly — just grab a fork and eat it straight from the bowl. It’s one of those recipes that feels light and fresh but still hearty enough to actually keep you full, which is always one of my favorite combos. Let’s make some!

P.S. If you want to save even more time, feel free to use rotisserie chicken and/or store-bought tzatziki and this will come together in minutes!

Spicy Salmon Sushi…In A Bowl!

My favorite easy way to satisfy a sushi craving at home! ♡

These salmon sushi bowls are quick, colorful, and full of all the vibrant flavors we love: tender bites of sesame-soy salmon, fluffy seasoned sushi rice, crisp cucumbers, creamy avocado, furikake (or seaweed snacks), and a generous drizzle of spicy mayo. Basically, all of the best parts of a spicy salmon roll, served bowl-style so you can pile on as many toppings as you’d like!

I love making these on weeknights because the salmon cooks so quickly in the air fryer and the rest of the bowl is easy to prep while the rice is steaming. (Or you can save a step and heat up packets of frozen pre-cooked rice!) The cucumbers get a quick toss with soy sauce and green onions, the spicy mayo comes together in about a minute, and then everyone can build their own bowl from there.

Feel free to keep things simple with just salmon, rice, cucumbers, and sauce, or have fun raiding your fridge for extra toppings. Pickled ginger, chili crisp, edamame, seaweed snacks, extra sriracha…there are so many ways to enjoy these bowls!

Can’t Get Enough Of This Salad!

This crunchy, creamy, chili-crispy little salad is exactly what I want to be eating on repeat right now. ♡

Smashed cucumber salads have been having a moment for a while now, but once I started adding avocado to the mix, there was truly no going back. The cucumbers are cool and crisp, the avocado makes everything feel creamy and satisfying, and that simple sesame-soy dressing brings an irresistible salty-tangy balance. The smashing technique is a must here — a few good whacks with the side of your knife, and suddenly you have these craggy, irregular pieces that catch every drop of the dressing instead of letting it slide off. SO GOOD.

I highly recommend finishing things off with a generous drizzle of chili crisp and a sprinkle of furikake for crunch, heat, and umami. It’s fresh, fast, a little messy in the best way, and such a fun side dish for everything from grilled salmon to dumplings to rice bowls.

Best of all, this one comes together in about 15 minutes with zero cooking required — just smash, chop, whisk, toss, and enjoy!

Vegetables Are Just Better On The Grill!

I don’t think I’ve ever met a vegetable that isn’t improved by a little char. ♡

This recipe is proof — and I’ve made it more times than I can count. Just grab whatever veggies you have on hand, toss them in a smoky, garlicky balsamic marinade, then throw them on a hot grill (or grill pan) until tender, caramelized, and lightly charred around the edges. It’s one of those easy summer side dish that somehow always steals the show!!

I love this colorful mix of peppers, red onion, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and asparagus, but truly, this recipe is endlessly flexible. Serve the veggies warm off the grill with a squeeze of lemon, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or a shower of Parmesan — or tuck the leftovers into sandwiches, grain bowls, pastas, omelets, you name it. It’s one of those recipes that everyone needs to have in their back pocket.

Let’s make some grilled veggies!

The Only Chicken Marinade You Need!

If you only ever memorize one grilled chicken marinade, make it this one. ♡

I’ve tried a lot of chicken marinades over the years — the overly complicated ones with 15 ingredients, the bottled stuff from the store, the “just olive oil and salt” approach that never quite cuts it — and this one is hands-down my favorite. It takes 2 minutes to make, works with any cut of chicken, and most importantly, it makes each bite taste SO FLAVORFUL.

The best part? It’s incredibly versatile. The savory, slightly smoky, lemony seasoning plays well with pretty much any cuisine, so you can slice the chicken over a salad, tuck it into tacos, pile it on a grain bowl, stuff it in a wrap — honestly, you can’t go wrong. Once you try it, I have a feeling this’ll become your go-to marinade for grilled chicken too!

This Lemon Berry Cobbler Is SO GOOD.

I’m completely in love with this cobbler. ♡

The berries bake up into the juiciest, jammiest, most gorgeous ruby-purple filling, brightened up with a generous hit of fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. Then that buttery buttermilk cobbler topping turns golden and tender on top, with a little sparkle and crunch from turbinado sugar. It’s simple, a bit surprising with the lemon, and just really, really good.

The great thing about this recipe is that it works beautifully with fresh or frozen berries, making it easy to pull together year-round. And of course, any cobbler deserves a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top to melt into all of those berry juices — YUM.

Let’s make some cobbler!

The Easiest + Tastiest Baby Back Ribs

These oven-baked baby back ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, perfectly saucy, and impressively easy to make. ♡

No special equipment, no constant tending, no stress. All you need is a smoky-sweet dry rub, a quick swipe of Dijon to help everything stick, and a low-and-slow bake in the oven that does all of the hard work for you. I’m telling you — these ribs turn out incredibly tender and full of flavor every time. We absolutely love them!

As a KC girl, I’m partial to brushing mine with Gates BBQ sauce before giving the ribs a quick trip under the broiler until the sauce turns sticky, bubbling, and caramelized around the edges. But truly, any favorite brand or style of barbecue sauce will work here. Or you can skip the sauce altogether and finish the ribs with a brush of melted butter to let the zesty dry rub shine.

I highly recommend serving these with a big pile of creamy coleslaw, mac and cheese, some corn on the cob, and plenty of extra barbecue sauce on the side. Let’s make some ribs!

My Go-To Creamy Coleslaw Recipe

This is the classic creamy coleslaw I want piled high on everything. ♡

You know the one — cool, crunchy, tangy-sweet, and just creamy enough without feeling heavy. We love serving it alongside burgers, pulled pork, fried chicken, fish tacos, or BBQ chicken, piled onto sandwiches and wraps, or honestly just eaten with a fork straight from the bowl. The seasonings are balanced perfectly and it always hits the spot!

It’s also wonderfully quick and easy to make. All you need is a bag of coleslaw mix, a few sliced green onions, and a homemade dressing made with mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon, celery seeds, salt and pepper. It takes all of 10 minutes to stir together, then the fridge does the rest while the cabbage softens slightly and all of those flavors have time to mingle.

Let’s make some coleslaw!

My New Favorite 20-Minute Dinner!

We cannot get enough of this quick little sausage and veggie dinner lately. ♡

It’s quick, colorful, full of protein and fiber. And best of all, it’s loaded with flavor thanks to one superstar ingredient (you all know how much I love Old Bay seasoning!). The veggies get lightly caramelized around the edges, the chicken sausage turns golden and juicy, and a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens everything up perfectly.

You can serve it up so man different ways — spooned over rice or quinoa or mashed potatoes, tucked into warm tortillas or pita wraps, piled onto toasted buns, alongside fried eggs, or simply on its own straight out of a big serving bowl. It also makes fantastic meal-prep lunches for the week.

So grab your favorite chicken sausage and let’s do some air frying!