Eleven of our best arugula recipes for you to try! Everything from arugula pesto, to arugula salads even arugula pizza!
I almost always have a container of arugula (or rocket) in my fridge. I love the bitterness that it adds to salad.
With it's assertive flavor, it also holds it's own in many recipes from salads, to pizza, to pesto and even pasta!
If you're looking for the best arugula recipes to spice up your cooking you have come to the right place!
...This short hike on Signal Mountain, Tennessee ends at the top of the water fall with gorgeous bluff views of the Tennessee Valley.
It is located on Signal Mountain, a suburb of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
This arugula salad with grapes and sunflower seeds is delicious change from your usual salads!
Arugula, grapes and sunflower seeds are dressed in vinaigrette sweetened with honey and maple syrup. This salad is loved by kids and adults!
This arugula salad is great year round, but it is especially nice in the fall. It's the perfect transition from the tomato and cucumber filled salads of summer to the heartier winter salads.
The bitter arugula pairs beautifully with the sweet grapes and the nutty sunflower seeds. A honey and maple sweetened vinaigrette ties it all together!
I've been making this recipe since 2009 when I found it in an old Cooking Light Annual.
...Salmon, green beans and tomatoes roast together in one pan for an easy and delicious dinner!
When I first saw this tray baked salmon recipe from Jamie Oliver, I knew I had to give it a try!
Green beans, cherry tomatoes, black olives and salmon all roast together in one pan to give you a quick and easy dinner.
The intriguing part was the anchovies. I love anchovies and I know the flavor that they can give to so many things. I love that they break down in sauces, giving you that savory salty that you would never guess is anchovies.
They do the same thing in this one pan salmon recipe! They cook down adding their delightful saltiness and unami flavor to the veggies!
...This light and healthy Asian Pork Noodle Soup is so easy to make in the Instant Pot!
Simple and delicious with pork, kale, mushrooms and lots of ginger, this is the perfect light comfort food!
I'm not sure when you are reading this, but right now we are coming off of heavy holiday eating.
This soup is the answer to all that eating. It is simple, fresh, light and healthy. I found it in an American Heart Association Instant Pot Cookbook.
It's very basic, but you could easily jazz it up with your favorite Asian flavors and seasonings - like fish sauce, chili paste or whatever you like!
...A selection of 16 of our favorite New Years Appetizers and Cocktails!
Perfect for parties or just the two of you staying in!
I admit it, we rarely go out for New Years any more. I am content to stay at home, make sparkling cocktails and nibble on food. Sometimes I even make it to midnight!
Whether it's just you or you plus all your friends, I have some of the best New Years Appetizers and Cocktails for you to choose from!
...Rich and creamy, this delicious mushroom risotto is pure comfort food!
Made with mushrooms, arborio rice, white wine, butter and the secret ingredient - dried mushrooms!
When I want pure comfort food, I don't have to look much further than risotto! While I've made it in the oven - Baked Cauliflower Risotto and in the Instant Pt - Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto, I also love making it on the stove top.
There is something so meditative about slowly stirring in each ladle of chicken broth. Watching the rice absorb the tasty broth and becoming creamier and creamier.
This mushroom risotto is one that I've been making for years, I found the recipe in an old Italian Classics Cookbook from Cook's Illustrated.
I love that it uses dried mushrooms and fresh mushrooms and as a bonus the soaking liquid from the mushrooms adds even more flavor to the broth!
...A collection of 55 of the best homemade food and drink gifts for any occasion!
Some are holiday focused, but most can be made and given year round!
Easy homemade food gifts for all your foodie friends and even infusions and liqueurs for your cocktail lovers!
Whether it's the holiday season or some other celebration, people love homemade gifts.
The best homemade gifts to give and get are food and drink! We have a collection of 55 of our favorite food and drink gifts!
...You're going to love this lightened version of the classic Salt and Pepper Shrimp.
Instead of deep frying the shrimp is seasoned and the sautéed until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
A few weeks ago, I made one of my favorites (and yours too!) my Thai Peanut Noodles.
While I usually serve the noodles plain, I wanted to add a little more to them. This Salt and Pepper Shrimp was perfect. I made a quick Cucumber Sambal and had the most amazing dinner!
The shrimp are excellent alone, especially as an appetizer. Or you can serve them over rice or noodles add them to a salad, the possibilities are endless!
This is a very old Cooking Light recipe that I've had printed off for ages!
...Take your cast iron cornbread to a whole new level with fresh corn and jalapeño peppers!
Rich and golden on the outside and moist and tender on the inside with the perfect amount of spice from the jalapeño peppers!
Whether you prefer northern cornbread or southern cornbread, you really must try this jalapeño cornbread!
It is baked in a cast iron skillet with whole corn, jalapeño peppers and buttermilk!
The whole corn makes it so moist and the jalapeño peppers give it an extra kick. There isn't any cheese in it, but you could definitely add some!
This is an old Cooking Light recipe that I've been making ever since I found it in the 1997 annual!
...If you're looking to change up your Thanksgiving Sides, we have a collection for you!
While we all love the usual classic sides for the holidays, maybe this is the year you change it up a bit. Instant Pot Green Beans? Marmalade Glazed Carrots? Try a few of our new sides, they might become your new classic!
We have a collection of 18 new sides for your Thanksgiving holiday!
Sure, there is nothing wrong with the classics, but we have collected some new recipes for you to try, you just might find your new favorite!
...Use your slow cooker to make this delicious beef and sweet potato chili!
Ground beef, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, black beans and tomatoes simmer all day long for a delightful bowl of pure comfort food! Top with your favorite cheese and other toppings!
Cooler weather means big bowls of chili, am I right?
Not just any chili though, how about one filled with sweet potatoes and black beans?
We have this sweet potato chili on regular rotation at our house all winter long, it's the perfect game day food! Just have it simmering in the crockpot and everyone can help themselves and use their favorite toppings!
This is an old Cooking Light recipe that I've been making since 2016!
...Turn a whole roasted chicken into a Mediterranean feast with potatoes, eggplant, bell peppers and fennel.
Meltingly tender vegetables, juicy chicken in an easy one pan chicken recipe!
This succulent roast chicken is pure comfort food!
The chicken is roasted simply with olive oil and lemon. Then the Mediterranean vegetables are added and continue to cook with the chicken.
The chicken juices braise the vegetables into they are tender and flavorful, while the chicken stays so juicy!
Simple and yet so delicious!
Rub the chicken with olive oil, place half a lemon and a sprig or two of thyme in the cavity and generously sprinkle with pepper. You can truss it if you'd like.
Place in a large roasting pan (big enough to hold all the vegetables) breast side down and roast at 400 for 30 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken over. Baste with any drippings. Add the potatoes and roll them around in the drippings. Sprinkle chicken and potatoes with salt. Roast for 30 more minutes.
Cut eggplant into 1 inch cubes, quarter the bell peppers and the fennel.
Remove the pan from the oven and add the eggplant, bell peppers, fennel and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
Continue to roast for 30-50 more minutes, basting and stirring the vegetables occasionally.
Check the temp of the chicken (should be 165 f) and enjoy!
I have made this easy roast chicken countless times and it is always amazing. I play with the ratio of vegetables and often use whatever I have on hand.
To serve you can cut up the chicken into serving pieces and place them mounded on top of the vegetables on a big platter. Skim the juices and serve it on the side or drizzle over the top.
It is especially delicious served over polenta to get every last drop of the tasty juices.
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You'll enjoy adding beans to your life with this collection of 26 Delicious Bean Recipes!
Everything from side dishes, to main dishes, to soups and salads! Beans are so versatile and it is so easy, healthy and yummy to add them to your diet!
I keep reading about how healthy beans are and how that one of the things the people who live in those blue zones have in common is beans.
They eat a lot of beans. Daily usually.
Luckily for me, I love beans. We have them almost daily too.
I love them in side dishes, salads, soups and main dishes. Lately I have been really using them a lot as a side dish instead of the usual pasta or rice.
If you are a bean lover (or even if you're not) you're going to find lots to love with these recipes!
It's no surprise to me that the majority of my recipes are using black beans. I love black beans and I love the big 10 pound bag of organic black beans that I get from Costco.
Up first I have a collection of slow cooker and Instant Pot black bean recipes.
Our Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Soup, Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole and Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls are perfect weeknight main dishes. And if you didn't get dinner started in the morning, then you're going to love our Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Black Beans.
Taco lovers rejoice - try our Chicken and Chorizo Tacos or our Spicy Shrimp with Mango and Black Bean Salsa Tacos. Or skip the tortillas and try this Grilled Chicken with Corn and Black Bean Salsa.
Black beans lend themselves beautifully to salads and salsas.
Try out Black Bean Salad with Avocado Dressing, Spicy Bean and Quinoa Salad, Mexican Quinoa Salad or Corn, Avocado and Black Bean Salad.
I've combined all these white beans in one category. One big delicious category!
White beans and navy beans make two of my favorite recipes - Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup and Boston Baked Beans.
Cannellini beans are also used a lot at our house. Rigatoni with Sausage, Cannellini Beans and Swiss Chard is pure comfort food, and our Tuna Quinoa Bowl takes healthy eating to a whole new level.
Combine cannellini beans and chickpeas for a winning combination with our Easy Three Bean Salad and our Slow Cooker White Chili with Avocado Cream.
Speaking of chickpeas, we had to include our Chickpea Salad and, of course, a classic Hummus recipe!
Kidney beans really shine in our Zucchini, Corn and Bean Salad and they are perfect in our Slow Cooker Minestrone (which also has lima beans.)
I start every New Years with these Instant Pot Black-Eyed Peas, but they are good year round! Try them in the fall with our Black Eyed Peas Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash.
We couldn't call ourselves Southerners if we didn't have a bag or two of pinto beans always in the pantry!l
I've been making this Slow Cooker Pinto Beans with Beef since college, it's that good!
You might be surprised to find that pinto beans are included in these Shredded Pork Tacos with Pumpkin Seed Slaw.
Last, but not least, I have a Borlotti Bean Minestrone. They are a little trickier to find, but so worth it!
There you have it! A collection of the best bean recipes! Which one are you going to try first?
Bring out your slow cooker to make this Southwestern Pinto Beans and Beef. It's hearty, comforting and delicious!
This classic pinto beans with beef and bacon is so easy to make and perfect when you want a bowl of good comfort food.
I have been making this southwestern style pinto beans and beef since the late 70's! I found it in my 1975 edition of Crockery Cookery by Mable Hoffman. Back then I used my avocado green crockpot to have dinner waiting for me after classes.
I started making it in college, it was absolutely perfect after a chilly football game.
There are a few extra steps at the beginning, but it's so worth it. A deep flavored beefy broth, perfectly cooked beans, topped with your favorite toppings.
Did I mention that it has bacon?!
...Use you bread machine to make the easiest pizza dough ever! Just add the ingredients and let the breadmaker do the work!
This is going to be your favorite way to make pizza dough, perfect for easy peasy pizza nights!
My bread machine is one of the oldest and most used appliances in my kitchen! I use it it for sandwich breads, dinner rolls and even focaccia.
One of my favorite ways to use it is to make pizza dough! I've been making this pizza dough since my girls were little.
You just put all the ingredients in the bread machine and it does all the work. This recipe makes enough for 2 14-16 inch pizzas, so I freeze one ball of dough!
...A collection of green bean recipes for all you green bean lovers! From mains to sides and even an Instant Pot recipe, we've got you covered!
Green beans go with everything and we have them with chicken, salmon, in soups and sides! Something for everyone!
You might think of green beans as only a side dish, but we have a collection of main dish recipes that have green beans included!
Up first we have our latest recipe, Thai Ground Pork with Green Beans. I made this a couple of weeks ago and we've already had it three times!
You might not think of pairing salmon and green beans, but it's a match made in heaven. Try our Five Spice Salmon with Sesame Green Beans, Roasted Salmon with Green Beans and Citrus Vinaigrette, and Roasted Orange Chile Salmon.
Another seafood pairing, our Mahi Mahi with Cherry Tomatoes and Green Beans has long been a favorite on this blog!
We only have a few chicken recipes to share, but they are both so good!
Za'atar Chicken with Vegetables is easy and healthy and our Roasted Chicken recipe uses the same orange chile oil from the salmon recipe above!
Light and healthy our Chicken Salad with Tomatoes, Olives and Green Beans makes a great lunch or light dinner!
Of course we have plenty of green bean sides to share with you!
If you're looking for holiday sides (or anytime really) we have you covered. Our Green Bean Gremolata is so pretty and no one needs to know how easy it is! If you're stove is occupied, no problem, make Instant Pot Green Beans with Bacon and Mushrooms, it's a real crowd pleaser.
This Zucchini and Green Bean Slaw is on regular rotation at our house all summer long.
Can you really call it a vegetable soup if it doesn't have green beans in it? I don't think so!
Both of these soups, French Vegetable Soup with Pistou and Minestrone feature green beans. But also, take notice of the delish toppings for the soups - a classic pistou and an arugula pesto. They really make the soups something special!
Last but not least we have our favorite way to preserve green beans! I love having jars of these Tarragon Pickled Green Beans lined up to get me through winter!
Thanks for reading through this round up of delicious green bean recipes! Which ones are you going to try first?
Spicy Ground Pork and Green Beans is an easy Thai favorite recipe that everyone should know how to make!
Green beans are charred, pork is browned and it's all tossed in a spicy curry sauce. It's ready in the time it takes your rice to cook!
I absolutely love stir fries for getting a quick and easy dinner on the table. It doesn't get much easier than this Thai minced pork and green beans.
With only 7 ingredients, a few minutes of cooking, you have a sweet and spicy dish that everyone will love!
...The Roaring Creek Trail is a fun hike located in Graysville, Tennessee. It is part of the Cumberland Trail and includes lots of gorgeous water action and stunning overlook views.
It is located about 37 miles north of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
You can see a map of the entire hike and then a map of our actual hike. We hiked starting at the parking lot, followed the creek, then started up the mountain.
We turned right and the fork with Hell's Kitchen (a great bouldering site) and then headed to Cranmore Cove Overlook. We did not go all the way to the end of the trail. Turning around at the overlook gave us a nice moderate hike, under 6 miles.
This is my favorite kind of elevation gain - you go up on the way there and down on the way back!
Even though it does look like a pretty steady up, there are plenty of switchbacks and it is very doable.
The Roaring Creek Trailhead is not difficult to find from the Chattanooga area. Take US 27 north and, after passing through Sale Creek, turn left onto TN 303 (watch for the Graysville sign). Continue on TN 303 for a short distance and then take the first left onto Pikeville Avenue, which will become Brayton Mountain Road.
Continue for about 1.5 miles and look for the gravel parking area on the right. The trailhead kiosk is visible from the road.
The hike begins at the kiosk where the trail leads you down an old roadbed. The white metal blazes will help to keep you on the Roaring Creek section of the Cumberland Trail. With Roaring Creek on your left and rocky walls to your right, there’s no chance of getting off the trail as you start your hike.
The creek wasn’t necessarily roaring that day but it certainly was an impressive flow! As you hike this roadbed you will see many traces of an old coal mining operation, including stone walls and bridge abutments.
The roadbed can be quite wet in some spots due to small streams from the rocks above, but nothing significant.
Approximately ¾ mile from the trailhead, you arrive at a point where the trail bears to the right, leaving the old roadbed. You then begin a steady ascent.
The climb is steady but the switchbacks are a great help. This was early March, with no leaves on the trees, and we had nice views of the Roaring Creek area below.
You will soon get to an intersection sign for “Hell’s Kitchen”, which is a rock climbing area. It is not part of the CT and you bear to the right, following the white blazes, to continue on the trail.
We plan on going back and visiting Hell's Kitchen on a later date!
The steady ascent continues through some great rocky areas. You will soon approach a small stream cascading through the rocks from the bluff above. Well placed stones made it easier to get over the stream where it crossed the trail.
It was very picturesque at the time of our hike but I’m sure it becomes less impressive during the drier times of the year.
You will continue the climb towards the top of the bluff, weaving your way through some massive rocks. The views begin to open up as you near the top of the plateau.
There was a big blue sky greeting us as we crested the top and rounded the point! Roaring Creek Overlook offers some great views of the valley and the countryside surrounding Roaring Creek.
Leaving the Roaring Creek Overlook, you are rewarded with a nice, level trail and a walk through a pine forest along the bluff.
You soon arrive at Wildcat Hollow Falls, which is impressive but presents some challenges in trying to get a good view! This waterfall is approximately 2 miles from the trailhead.
Leaving the falls, you continue on the trail through a pine forest. You eventually come to a wooden Cumberland Trail sign post with directional arrows. This is the first of three sign posts you will pass. At this point the trail appears to start following an old roadbed.
Continue on and you eventually pass a second trail sign. A short hike brings you to the third CT trail sign where the trail then bears to the right towards the bluff, leaving the old roadbed.
The trail passes very close to Cranmore Cove Overlook and you can’t miss it! A short few steps off the trail rewards you with magnificent views in all directions!
There are many spots for great photos along that section of the bluff, not just one big rock for the view!
And it’s a great place to have the lunch you packed in, which is exactly what we did!
After wandering around the overlook and just sitting, staring into the beautiful scenes in front of us, we then began our hike back to the trailhead.
We give the Roaring Creek trail (north) two thumbs-up…or 4 boots up! Good exercise and great reward!
This collection of 12 Sweet Potato Recipes proves that they are not just for the holidays!
Everything from chicken, pork and beef main dish recipes that include sweet potatoes to a meatless recipe and a couple of sweet potato side dishes!
While I love a sweet, marshmallow topped sweet potato casserole, I also love sweet potatoes all year long!
Growing up, we only had sweet potatoes at the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas. The rest of the year was regular potatoes. I hope you are not in that rut.
I'm here to fix it if you are, with this collection of 12 Sweet Potato Recipes that absolutely prove they are not just for the holidays!
...Your favorite sausage and your favorite vegetables roast together in one pan in this easy sheet pan sausage and vegetables supper!
You can make this year round with seasonal vegetables, but it is especially yummy made with autumn vegetables.
If you've visited this recipe before, you might notice that it's changed a bit.
When I first made it, I was using an Eating Well recipe that was called Autumn Roasted Vegetables with Chicken Sausage.
It called for Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and already cooked chicken sausages. While it was good, I didn't like how dried out the sausage got.
So, I've remade it using Italian sausages, whose hearty flavor seemed to stand up better to the vegetables. I didn't have sprouts, so I added some sweet potatoes.
...Looking for an easy sheet pan supper? We have you covered with 12 sheet pan recipes, from salmon to shrimp to chicken and pork!
Everything from maple roasted chicken, to easy salmon and shrimp dinners, even pork chop sheet pan suppers! Easy tray bake recipes for your weeknight dinners!
Nothing says easy weeknight dinner like a sheet pan supper. Everything cooked on one sheet pan in the oven. Clean up is easy, food is amazing and everyone is happy.
This is a collection of my favorite sheet pan dinners. No matter what you like, I've got you covered. We've got salmon, shrimp, cod, chicken, and even an easy pork chop dinner!
...These easy Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas means you can have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes!
Shrimp, peppers, and onions are tossed with a flavorful spice mix and roasted in the oven for a quick, easy and delicious dinner!
I don't know about you, but I love sheet pan dinners. So much so, that I did a whole round up of them - 10 Easy and Delicious Sheet Pan Dinners.
Well, I'm going to have to add this shrimp fajita recipe to the list!
This comes together so quickly and easily. You simply toss shrimp, peppers and onions with some flavorful spices and roast them. Then the shrimp gets a bit of a rest, while you broil the veggies.
It's all topped with crema flavored with cilantro, jalapeño, lime and garlic!
...If you are looking for recipes to use your abundance of fresh mint, this is the perfect collection for you!
We have main dishes, side dish, condiments and even cocktails to use up all of your lovely fresh mint!
Let's face it, if you grow mint, you probably have a lot of it! It's the gift that keeps on giving!
Luckily there are so many great recipes that use mint!
We've rounded up our favorite 20 recipes using fresh mint! We have condiments, sides, salads, mains and cocktails.
You might not think of mint when you think of condiments, but we have 3 favorite ways to use mint.
If you bake during the holidays, you probably go through a lot of mint extract, luckily our DIY Homemade Mint Extract is super easy to make.
One of our most versatile simple syrups is our Lemon Mint Simple Syrup. It is perfect in cocktails and also great stirred into hot or iced tea! Since the sugar is already dissolved, it's especially nice in iced tea!
Mint adds such a fresh flavor to this Three Fruit Salsa. We use it on everything from grilled chicken to tacos!
Of course fresh mint shines in salads and sides!
You'll make our Apple and Avocado Mint Salad is a favorite of kids and adults.
This Fresh Herb Salad uses not only mint, but a lot of the other herbs you might be growing - and don't forget the edible flowers!
We serve our Mango Salad with Mint with a lot of our Asian inspired recipes. It goes so well and is so light and refreshing.
If you've got an abundance of zucchini along with your mint, then you have to try our Zucchini, Green Bean and Mint Slaw! It's the perfect summer side dish!
If you think you're not a fan of eggplant, then out Grilled Eggplant, Haloumi and Mint Salad will definitely make you change your mind! It's a show stopper!
This Yellow Squash with Farro and Mint Salad is the perfect transition to fall salad. It uses up your mint and your squash all in a healthy grain salad!
Chicken and mint go so well together so it's no surprise that we have a good amount of main dish chicken recipes using mint!
All of our chicken main dishes are so light and refreshing and loaded with flavor! Our Chile Chicken with Snow Peas, Vietnamese Chicken Salad and Spicy Chicken and Mint Salad all have an Asian flair.
The Tabbouleh Salad with Chicken brings a little mediterranean vibe to dinner.
It's easy to go meatless too, with our Pasta with Zucchini and Mint Pesto and Vietnamese Zoodle Salad.
But don't worry, we have you meat lovers covered with Slow Cooker Beef Pho.
You didn't think I'd do a whole mint roundup without some cocktails, did you?
Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is a mint julep and we have you covered with a Classic Mint Julep and a Blackberry Mint Julep.
Another favorite mint cocktail is a mojito and once again we have two for you - a Gin Mojito and a Strawberry Mojito!
Which recipe are you going to try first?
