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Sunday Prep Live Topic: Sandwich Besties

In this Live, we’re talking all about sandwiches! Specifically my hyper fixation sandwich at the moment: The Grinder Sandwich. I’ll share on the Live how I prep a big batch for the wee…

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To make cooking less this week, we are relying on one of my favorite star ingredients! You know her, you love her, the ever-so-versatile rotisserie chicken!

Here’s our Food Board for the week!

Several of these recipes use rotisserie chicken!

The best tip for getting ahead on a week of meals is to take the chicken off the bones and shred it when you get home, while the chicken is still warm! And now, when you roll up to Tuesday night, ready to make my Zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken salad, you’ve already got your chicken prepped and ready.

Recipes this Week that Use a Roti Chicken:

• My Creamy Chicken Marsala Soup

• The Zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad

If you want to have leftover chicken to put on your Baked Potato for the Baked Potato Bar night, set some aside. If you want to make homemade pizza and do a BBQ Chicken Pizza, set some of the chicken aside.

Two roti chickens should be perfect (but if your grocery store has them on the smaller side, and you want leftover chicken, get three).

This week has also gifted us with a new recipe! My Saucy Hibachi Bowls!

These bowls are…well, they are very decadent and very delicious! There are a lot of components that go into making this bowl, but each one can be prepped ahead of time! So by dinnertime, all you’re really doing is assembling!

Below is the full meal plan for this upcoming week, plus the prep-ahead tips, recipe links, and downloadable grocery list!

For the month of May I created a meal plan that is less cooking because somehow we live a full year in May and are expected to survive it🥹 When you sign up for this week’s meal plan you get access to all the recipes, downloadable grocery list, and prep ahead tips for this week but you ALSO GET ACCESS TO THE FULL MONTH, even Week 1 & 2 to have for future use!

Did you know that for just $5/month, I send out a monthly meal plan plus each week’s grocery list? That is just $1.25 A WEEK for your dinners to be planned with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛

Sign Up to Get the May Meal Plan

Saturday, May 16 - Friday, May 22

Honey Buffalo Chicken Wraps with Wingstop Ranch

Prep Ahead

• Make the Wingstop Ranch several hours or a day before serving. You want to let the flavors blend! I love storing and pouring dressing from these jars!

• If you did not purchase prepared celery & carrot sticks, prep those and store them in an airtight container, covered in water, in the fridge until serving.

Creamy Chicken Marsala Soup with Buttery, Fig Jam Toasts

Prep Ahead

• Finely chop the shallots & slice the mushrooms. Store separately in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to cook.

• Shred the rotisserie chicken when you get home while it is still warm (SO much easier to get it off the bone!) and store the meat in these airtight containers until ready to use.

If you are planning to freeze the leftover soup, I love these soup cubes!

Need a Dutch Oven? This one is a great one & far less expensive than the name brand!

Baked Potato Bar

Prep Ahead

• Scrub the potatoes & set aside until ready to cook.

Zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad

Prep Ahead

• Prepare the Sour Cream Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette & store tightly covered in the fridge until ready to serve. I love these jars for storing and pouring out the dressing! Also, I use my Beast Mini Blender to bring together all my dressings and sauces.

• Wash and store the lettuce, green onions, and cilantro in the fridge until ready to use.

Hibachi Burger Bowl with Yum Yum Sauce

Prep Ahead

• Most of the ingredients for this bowl can be prepped ahead, stored covered & refrigerated in airtight containers until ready to serve.

  • Carmelize the onions - these take the longest time.

  • Make the Yum Yum sauce.

  • Pickle the cucumbers.

  • Brown the mushrooms.

Browning and crumbling the meat is a breeze with the meat crumbler!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Prep Ahead

• If using frozen pizza dough, remove it from the freezer & place it in the fridge 24 hours before prepping your pizza.

If you’re new to making homemade pizza dough but want to get into it, here are my favorite pizza making items!

All the ingredients and recipes, along with the printable grocery list, are below!

If you're new to the grocery list, here is a preview from a previous meal plan! We don’t just categorize the ingredients by aisle; we also tell you how much of that ingredient you need (if you already have it on hand) and which recipe it goes with.

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Hi, I’m Bri and apparently I have the palate of a Michelin star critic and the frozen pizza standards of a college sophomore. Like I want a basic burger bowl but one I’d go to a restaurant and pay actual dollars for.

And that’s how these Hibachi Burger Bowls were born!

They’re saucy, almost disturbingly savory, and a little bright and crisp thanks to our quick pickled cucumbers (a quickle if you will!).

Now listen, I’m going to hold your hand when I say this...there are 5 components to this dish that are non-negotiables. If you try to make all five of them at once, right before dinner, on a weeknight...you will break up with me. I just know it. I can feel it.

BUT, each one of these components can be made ahead of time so by the time it’s dinner all we’re doing is ASSEMBLING. And just like that you’re back in a committed relationship with me. Hi!

Let’s dive in!

Subscribers allow me to keep creating recipes! Keep me in the kitchen (I mean this in the best possible way!) by subscribing below👇

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The Story Behind Hibachi & Yum Yum Sauce

Hibachi: This is a Quiz You Might Fail

Here’s a little fun fact that might rearrange your whole understanding of hibachi night: those restaurants you grew up going to, with the onion volcanoes and the chef flipping shrimp into his hat, are technically not hibachi at all.

Hibachi (literally “fire bowl”) is a traditional Japanese charcoal grill that’s been used for centuries, mostly for warmth and simple cooking (or just heating tea). What we know and love in America is actually teppanyaki (cooking on a large flat iron griddle).

Teppanyaki became a phenomenon in the U.S. thanks to Benihana, the restaurant founded in New York City in 1964 by Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki, who understood at the time that his customers didn’t just want dinner, they wanted a show! The chefs, the fire, the flying spatulas! A completely new dining experience that absolutely took off and never looked back.

So “hibachi” as we know it is a cultural mashup: Japanese technique, American showmanship.

Yum Yum Sauce: A True American Original

Plot twist: yum yum sauce did not originate in Japan. Despite living at every hibachi restaurant in the country, it was actually developed in the United States by Japanese-American restaurant owners catering to American palates. In Japan you’d find ponzu, ginger dipping sauces, or simple soy-based condiments alongside grilled food...not a blush-pink mayo situation 🙃

But honestly? That origin story makes it better. It’s a condiment invented specifically to bring two culinary worlds together, and it did its job so well that nobody ever thought to question it.

And really it reminds me of the burger sauce from In N Out with just a little more umami and smoothness, which makes it perfect for this spin on a burger bowl!

Prep Ahead Guide:

How to Make Hibachi Bowls Weeknight-Easy

Almost everything in this bowl gets better when made ahead, which means the prep work you do on Sunday is actively rewarding you on Tuesday. Here’s how to break it down.

Morning of or Up to a Few Days Ahead: Bring the Yum Yum Sauce Together
This is your lowest-effort, highest-reward prep task. Whisk it together in five minutes, pour it into a jar, and stick it in the fridge. It improves over a day or two as the flavors meld together. Make a double batch while you’re at it. You will use it on everything.

Day Before or Up to 3 Days Ahead: Caramelize the Onions
This is the component that trips most people up on weeknights because it takes 35-40 minutes of low, slow attention. Do it on a weekend afternoon and refrigerate. They reheat beautifully in a skillet with a tiny splash of oil, or right on top of the beef while it finishes in the pan.

Day Before Up to 3 Days Ahead: Cook the Hibachi Mushrooms
I actually cook these when I cook the onions. Once the onions are done I remove them and use the same skillet to cook the mushrooms. The mushrooms reheat well and are arguably even better the next day, once they’ve had time to sit in their own soy-mirin glaze. Store in an airtight container and reheat in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes (or on top of the beef while it finishes in the pan).

Right Before Serving (15-20 Minutes): Brown the Beef & Build
Season the beef, get your skillet ripping hot, and brown it until it’s almost crispy in spots.

Shred your iceberg (unless you bought store-bought shredded iceberg lettuce 🙋‍♀️), slice your green onions, and you’re ready to go. With everything else already done, dinner is on the table in under twenty minutes.

A note on the mushrooms and onions: Yes, 10 oz of mushrooms and 2 onions might look like you’ve lost the plot when you’re staring them down on the cutting board. You have not lost the plot! Both shrink down significantly as they cook, and if you’re feeding 5 or more people you truly need every last bit of them.

A note on servings: This recipe as written serves 5-6 people. Cooking for 2 or 3? It cuts in half exactly, no math headaches required, just halve every ingredient and you’re good to go.

Subscribers allow me to keep creating recipes! Keep me in the kitchen (I mean this in the best possible way!) by subscribing below👇

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Here are some kitchen tools that I think are worth calling out for this recipe!

Large Enameled Cast Iron Braiser or Skillet: I love using my Le Creuset Braiser for this dish and if you have wanted to get one that is not so much of a splurge, this brand is at an amazing price and has great reviews!

Meat Crumbler: I love using this tool to quickly and uniformly crumble my meat!

Serving Bowls: I love serving this dish in these bowls because they have a wide, flat bottom but raised sides so no good morsel can escape!

Here’s the full recipe with the printable version available 👇

Serves 5-6

Get the printable recipe here.

Ingredients

For the Ground Beef

• 1½ lbs 80/20 ground beef

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1/2 tsp if using Morton’s)

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

For the Yum Yum Sauce

• 1 cup mayo (I love Duke’s or Kewpie)

• 2 Tbsp ketchup

• 1 Tbsp butter, melted

• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp sugar

For the Quick-Pickled Cucumbers

• 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced

• 3 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

For the Hibachi Mushrooms

• 2 Tbsp butter

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 10 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp mirin

• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (to finish)

For the Caramelized Onions

• 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

• 2 Tbsp butter

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• Pinch of sugar

• Pinch of kosher salt

For the Bowl

• 6 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

• Yum Yum Sauce, for drizzling

Instructions

There are a lot of components to this bowl, but most of it can be made ahead of time! Note that the caramelized onions take the longest to cook, about 35-40 minutes, so if you do not make those ahead of time, start with them!

Caramelize the Onions

Melt 2 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions, along with a pinch of salt and sugar.

Cook low and slow, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes until deeply golden.

Stir in 1 tsp soy sauce in the last few minutes for an umami, glossy finish.

Make the Yum Yum Sauce

Whisk together 1 cup mayo, 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp melted butter, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, and ½ tsp sugar until smooth.

Refrigerate until ready to use (will last in the fridge for up to 7 days).

Pickle the Cucumbers

Combine 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp kosher salt in a small bowl, stirring until dissolved.

Add the sliced cucumber and ½ tsp sesame oil and toss to coat.

Let sit for at least 20 minutes while you prep everything else (can be made the morning of and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. These will last in the fridge for 7 days).

Brown the Mushrooms

Heat 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet over high heat (I use the same one I caramelized the onions in). Add 10 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms in a single layer. Don’t stir for the first 3 minutes so they get a good sear.

Flip the mushrooms and saute for another 3 minutes on the other side. Add 3 cloves of garlic, minced, and saute until the smell of garlic hits your nose!

Pour in 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp mirin, toss to coat, and cook another minute until glossy and slightly caramelized.

Season with black pepper. Set aside.

Cook the Ground Beef

In a large bowl, combine 1½ lbs ground beef with 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix to combine.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is heated, add the ground beef and crumble with a meat crumbler or wooden spoon.

Brown the beef for 6-8 minutes until it is completely browned and almost crispy.

Build Your Bowl!

Divide the shredded iceberg lettuce among the bowls. Top with the ground beef, then a pile of caramelized onions, and a scoop of hibachi mushrooms. Add pickled cucumbers alongside.

Drizzle generously with Yum Yum sauce. Finish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

I cannot wait for you to try this recipe! When you do, come back here and tell me all about it!

Leave a comment

It’s another Sunday Prep Live!

The morning of the Live you will get a link to join. Also be warned that Jeremy will be running a very long race that day so I might tap one of you in to help run it! 🥹

Sunday Prep Live Topic: Sandwich Besties

If you’re new, every other m…

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Here is your Food Board for next week, get excited 👇

Something I’ve always believed about bringing a meal together: simple does not mean boring, and effortless does not mean underwhelming.

I have never once thought of a simple meal as a lesser meal. And I can prove it! My secret weapons:

1. “Wake Up” Seasonings. I’m not just talking about salt when I say season your food. There are ingredients that I call “Wake Up” seasonings because they take your dish from “this is good” to “can you send me the recipe right now?!!”

I’m talking fresh basil torn right over a bowl of pasta. Freshly cracked black pepper. A drizzle of balsamic. A curl of shaved Parmesan. A squeeze of lemon.

2. Time (the kind that doesn’t involve you). A roast that goes low and slow all day while you do…literally whatever you want. A pasta dish that sits for a while, letting all the flavors marinate.

Time is doing the work. You’re not.

3. Plot Twist Ingredient. One ingredient that carries the whole dish. A jar of pepperoncinis keeping a roast juicy and bright. Crumbled goat cheese on sheet tray nachos that add a creamy element (trust). Mascarpone folded into mashed potatoes, making them nearly the star of the whole dish.

Ingredients that make people think oh they put in some work (friend, we did not put in that much work).

Here’s a preview of how we’re cooking less going into the weekend and into next week!

We’re starting with my Garlicky, Saucy Tomato Pasta!

This one is so easy but so flavorful and perfect as we ease into summer! Like I still want pasta but…brighter!

Serve it with a crostini or pickup a rotisserie chicken to serve alongside it!

Mother’s Day is on Sunday, and if you want to stay in and make Mom a restaurant-style meal (or maybe you are Mom and you want to enjoy a glass of Champagne while you cook!), then this is the dish for you!

It’s my Champagne Roasted Chicken with the most insane pan sauce! We’re serving it with creamy Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes and…Champagne, of course!

On Monday, we’re making a roast for rice bowls, and the next day we're using the leftover meat for Loaded Sheet Tray Nachos (perfect for Taco Tuesday).

Below is the full menu lineup with prep-ahead tips, links to the recipes, and the downloadable grocery list!

(Did you know that for $5 a month, I send out a monthly meal plan plus each week’s grocery list? That is just $1.25 A WEEK for your dinners to be planned with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛)

Sign Up to Get the May Meal Plan

Saturday, May 9 - Friday, May 15

Garlicky, Saucy Tomato Pasta

Prep Ahead

• You want to prepare this dish at least 1-2 hours before serving. It comes together quickly, but do allow time for chilling. I love this bowl for serving!

Crispy Chicken with Champagne Pan Sauce & Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes Mother’s Day

Prep Ahead

• Peel & chop the potatoes. Cover with water in an airtight container. Place in the fridge until ready to cook. These are the airtight containers I use.

Pepperoncini Roast Rice Bowls

Prep Ahead

• I give three options to cook this: a crockpot, an Instant Pot, and a Dutch oven. Allow enough cooking time depending on the method you are using. These bowls are great for serving a bowl dinner.

Sheet Tray Nachos with leftover Roast

Prep Ahead

• A few days before, you can prep the pickled red onions, if using. These will keep up to 3 weeks in the fridge. I make my pickled onions in these jars.

• Shred your leftover pot roast and store it, covered, in the fridge until you're prepping the Nachos.

Creamy Italian Sausage Pasta

Prep Ahead

• This recipe comes together fairly quickly. If you want to prep the bread crumb topping ahead of time, you may. Store it covered, in an airtight container until ready to use. Warm gently in a pan just before topping the pasta.

All the ingredients and recipes, along with the printable grocery list, are below!

If you're new to the grocery list, here is a preview from a previous meal plan! We don’t just categorize the ingredients by aisle; we also tell you how much of that ingredient you need (if you already have it on hand) and which recipe it goes with.

Read more

I’m so happy you’re here. Let’s dive in!

This is how it started.

It was 2008, and I was in orientation at Compassion International to start work there full-time. I sat next to a girl with long dark hair. She was my age. She had the best smile. I thought, I’m going to make her my friend.

I did not think - she will tell me who my husband is.

But it’s the winter of 2009 and she is standing at my desk at Compassion International. We had become good friends. She was on break. She said, “God told me who your husband is.”

I thought, no. I thought, she never says this. I’ve been in Bible studies with her and gone to church with her and prayed with her. She has never said, “God told me…”

I said, who? She said, I grew up with him.

She said, he lives in Florida.

My eyes flew up. I pointed at the big mountain outside my desk window. I thought, but this is Colorado.

She said, he is in the military.

I thought, no. I said, I will never date someone in the military. I said, I grew up in Colorado. All I see are people that come and go. For the military. I have never moved. I have always stayed.

I thought, I’m already talking to a guy. To guys. They all live here. They live where I live!

She said, he’s home for Christmas break. Will you meet him? I said, did you tell him I’m his future wife? She said, no. She said, he might not believe me.

We didn’t meet. I was on a road trip with a different guy over break. With other friends. This other guy, we flirted the whole trip. I was high on that new crush feeling. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. And then on the last night of the trip, I jolted awake. Something pulled me out of that leaden sleep so resolutely. I heard it so clearly, “Not him. He’s not yours.” And I just knew. I knew it would go nowhere. I knew if it did, it would end. Quickly.

That morning on the road trip home, he asked me to sit beside him, up in the front of the car on the way home. I sat in the back. The flirting seemed pointless. Like I was putting money in a bank, I would never be able to withdraw.

On the drive home, we listened to Death Cab for Cutie. So loud. My friend and I, in the back, looked up the lead singer and realized he was married to Zooey Deschanel. We couldn’t believe it. They didn’t look right together in photos. We wondered aloud, how did he get Zooey?! HOW?!

10 years later, I would be at a Death Cab for Cutie concert in LA with my husband of 8 years. Zooey had since divorced the lead singer. My husband and I would say again and again, how could Zooey leave the lead singer of Death Cab for Cutie?! HOW?!

Several weeks later, my friend was back at my desk. She said, I told him. I said, oh, so we both know. She said, he doesn’t want to meet you. You live in Colorado. I said, he lives in Florida. She said, he just got out of a long-term relationship. He wants to be single. He says he likes it, being single.

I said, ok. I thought, there are still these other guys. In Colorado.

A few weeks later, I’m at my friend’s house. The guy she grew up with called her on Skype while I was there. We saw each other for the first time. I was immediately attracted to him. I remember exactly what I was wearing. What he was wearing.

We all started talking about the book I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris. It had become so popular in recent years. I hated the book. We all did. I remember reading it and thinking, no kissing? At all? I thought, there’s already so much shame to feel about my body. About what I do with it. And now kissing? I thought I’d try it, though. I did not last. I thought, I’ll keep the kissing.

15 years later, I would be sitting at the dinner table with my husband, and I would say, “Joshua Harris, the guy who wrote I Kissed Dating Goodbye, he divorced his wife. The one he didn’t kiss until marriage. He wrote an article. He regrets writing I Kissed Dating Goodbye. He said it harmed more people than it helped.”

We both talked about how that was our first conversation. How we both thought we should keep the kissing.

At the end of the Skype call, he asked for my number. I gave it to him. I was elated. Florida all of a sudden seemed so close.

He texted me the next day, “How is your day going?” I text back, “Good, it is sunny here today. How are you? How is your day?”

He texted, “Good.”

That was it. I stared at my phone for a long time. I thought…good? That’s it? I put my phone down. We didn't talk for several more days.

But then he emailed me. A long email about himself. It felt like he was telling me, “Hey, this is who I am. What I care about. How I move through the world.” All this up front. I wasn’t used to that. I was used to flirting and random, last-minute dates. I was used to ghosting and being ghosted. I was used to guys love-bombing me, and then ending it all so quickly that it would make me dizzy. I would be hungover from the amount of it.

I was used to thinking, in the end, did I really know them?

I was used to kissing.

I emailed him back. We probably emailed each other over 200 pages in the span of a few weeks. Sometimes I would think, he’s flirting. We’re flirting. And then I would think, wait, this is…no, we’re friends. This feels too friendly.

I couldn’t tell if he liked me more than friends. But I kept writing.

We Skyped a few times. He told me, I’m going on my first deployment in about one month. For 6 months. I thought, but I haven’t met you in person. I thought, 6 months feels like a lifetime.

On February 11, 2010, it was snowing in Colorado. A blizzard. I was sitting in a coffee shop reading before going to work. I was reading my Bible and journaling, and then I walked to my car, and I heard it so clearly, “He’s here.” And I thought, no. I talked to him last night. He’s in Florida. I thought, but it’s not hair wash day. My hair…it’s dirty.

I thought, but he’s deploying soon.

I sat at my desk. I called my roommate over. I said, I think he’s in Colorado. I think he’s here. She said, no. She said, how? I said, I don’t know. I said, I didn’t wash my hair this morning.

She went back to her desk.

An hour later, she came to my desk. She said, let’s go down to the cafeteria. I said, I have work. She said it won’t be long. I said, ok. She said, grab your coat. I said, for the cafeteria? She stared back. She said, just come with me.

She and my other friend led me to the back entryway of Compassion International. I thought, this is not the cafeteria. A guy stood there. I didn’t even think. I flew into his arms. He caught me. He said, “Hi, I’m Jeremy.” I said, “I know.”

Two weeks later, he deployed to Afghanistan…

(A photo from his first visit to Colorado to meet me. WE ARE BABIES! I was 25 and Jeremy was 23. Also, the friend who introduced us is on IG, making the most whimsical drawings and art. You can find her here!)

Part 2 coming in June!

Summer Crochet Top

It was obsession at first sight! This top is so fun! Especially for summer or even for a bathing suit top cover-up! It is in multiple colors, and it runs true to size.

I also got this cami to go underneath, and I now own these in three other colors!

Collagen Therapy Lip Mask

When I tell you my lips have never felt more buttery soft! I put this on at night and it feels so luxurious. It’s the perfect consistency for being a mask while not feeling too heavy or gloopy!

Clean Skin Club Face Towels

Am I the last to try these? Maybe, but now I can never look back! I use them to wash off my makeup with my cleanser and they are so soft and smooth. They are also large, and my skin truly has never felt so thoroughly clean and still soft after using these!

It’s been several months since I last shared my book reviews, and if I shared all of them that I’ve read, this would turn into its own book. So I am sharing 7 that stood out to me most.

I’m also sharing the three I absolutely disliked, despite how everyone else on this internet feels (the reviews of the 3 books I did not like are behind a paywall because I do not write bad reviews for the public in easily shareable posts).

Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

Listen to me, I would have canceled a wedding to keep reading this book!! My own wedding. Anyone’s wedding. It did not matter; I could not put this book down!

This book is so fast-paced, so relentlessly twisty, and all I could do was hang on and stay upright at every last upturn that was thrown at me…and I loved every disorienting second of it.

The ending was brilliant in a way that made me want to go back and reread the whole book over now that I can see the whole picture.

Warning to the reader: if you are claustrophobic, proceed with extreme caution (or maybe just…don’t). You have been warned.

Snapshot

When Tess reluctantly joins her best friend Allie on a caving expedition, a run-in with a creepy stranger at the cave entrance turns into a terrifying fight for survival hundreds of feet underground. But when Tess emerges alive and starts recounting her story to a detective, the secrets that surface about Allie's past make her wonder if the attack was random at all…

Why You Might Like It

• Pacing so fast that it should come with a seatbelt

• Multiple timelines (past and present)

• A payoff ending that genuinely sticks the landing

What Surprised Me Most: I thought I knew where it was going approximately four times. I was wrong approximately four times.

Conform by Ariel Sullivan

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️

Genre: Dystopian, Romance

To be clear, dystopian fiction is not exactly my go-to genre right now because waves around at everything…I read to escape reality, not relocate to a slightly worse version of it. And yet. AND YET!!

Conform grabbed me and did not let go. The pacing is perfection, the question of who is actually the villain had me suspicious of everyone at all times, and the character development was so raw it had me caring deeply about people who do not exist…🙃

Snapshot

In a future society ruled by an elusive, wealthy governing class, twenty-seven-year-old outcast Emeline is chosen as a mate for one of the elite, and suddenly finds herself caught between a dangerous rebellion and complicated feelings for two very different men.

Why You Might Like It

• Constant twists around who’s good, who’s bad, and who’s somewhere in the middle

• Character development that earns your investment

• Love triangle and spice!

Also 😭This is a trilogy, and the second book doesn’t come out until next spring. Do what you will with that because the cliffhanger is….STEEP!

What Surprised Me Most: I almost skipped this one entirely, but I am glad I didn't!

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

I loved Ashley Elston’s First Lie Wins, so I came into this one with high expectations and a lot of excitement. The verdict? The twists are delicious and kept me turning pages, but I will say…there are a lot of characters and a lot of subplots, and keeping track of everything required a level of focus I was not always prepared to give at 8pm.

That said? The ending. THE ENDING. My jaw was on the floor. Fully on the floor. Worth every moment of mild confusion that came before it.

Snapshot

Camille suspects her hotshot lawyer husband is hiding dark secrets (of course he is!!), but can't prove it because he tracks her every move (of course he does 🙄). Aubrey has spent a decade convinced that the same man knows something about the worst night of her life. Their plan: swap identities for twelve hours (perfect!). The problem: the next morning, he turns up dead (small setback)…and only one of them has an alibi (not great).

Why You Might Like It

• Unfolds in a way that makes you keep coming back

• A payoff ending that makes the whole ride worth it

• Revenge at its finest

What Surprised Me Most: I almost lost the thread a few times…but still couldn’t put it down.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I know 😭)

Genre: Romance, Fiction

Listen, I love Emily Henry. I will go to bat for her books that other people don’t love (Book Lovers forever!!!). That is why it was such a shock to my system when this one didn’t land for me.

I almost DNF’d it, which is not something I say lightly about an Emily Henry book. This story just felt a little forced, like it was reaching hard to be something in the vein of Daisy Jones and the Six. The pacing was almost too slow to stay fully engaged. The romance? Loved it. Emily Henry? Still a forever fan.

Snapshot

Two rival writers descend on a remote Georgia island to compete for the chance to write the biography of a reclusive heiress who vanished from public life decades ago. Who will be selected to write the story and will they destroy each other before a winner is picked?!

Why You Might Like It

• If slow-burning literary fiction is your thing, this might be your thing

• Enemies to lovers

• Emily Henry’s writing is still Emily Henry’s writing

What Surprised Me Most: Ahead of this book's release, Henry did say that this book was very different from others she has written and that she loves what she created. I love seeing someone take a chance and try something different, even if it wasn't for me!

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Genre: Psychological Thriller

I haven’t had a lot of luck with Alice Feeney, but this was a new release and I wanted to give it a fair shot. Unfortunately, this one did not turn the tide for me😭

There were multiple moments where I stopped and genuinely said out loud: wait, what is happening? Wait, wasn’t that person dead? The twists felt less like clever misdirection and more like whiplash, and the story got so unrealistic that I couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to just go along for the ride.

Snapshot

Eden Fox returns home from a morning run to find that her keys will not unlock her home and there is a strange woman opening the door. This woman claims to be the real wife of Eden's husband. Which is then backed up by the husband himself 🙃. One house, one husband, two women, and a web of secrets that goes deeper than anyone could have imagined (like truly…).

Why You Might Like It

• If you love Alice Feeney’s style, you may enjoy this more than I did

• Plenty of twists to keep things moving

What Surprised Me Most: I really wanted this to be the one that won me over. Is there an Alice Feeny book you love that I should try?!

The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Literary Fiction

The writing in this book is stunning. The character development? Brilliant. And this book made me profoundly, deeply sad.

This book weaves through some of the heaviest themes you can put in a novel: addiction, cancer, abuse, childhood trauma…and it does so with a level of craft and care that is genuinely remarkable. Alas, I am someone who reads to escape reality so it was not really for me and also…I loved it? I’m glad I read it, but also…it made me sad?

That said, if Literary Fiction is your favorite genre, I think this could be a top read for you. The quality of the writing alone is worth it.

Snapshot

A multigenerational story about a family carrying the weight of addiction, illness, and old wounds, and what it costs to love people through their hardest years.

Why You Might Like It

• Stunning, literary prose

• Character development that is kind of criminal because why am I still thinking about these characters?!!

• A story that earns every emotion it asks of you

What Surprised Me Most: I gave it five stars, and I cried. Both of those things are true at the same time.

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Mystery

Listen to this on audio! There is a podcast woven throughout the story, and on audio, they actually produce it like a real podcast. It is such a creative and fun experience, genuinely elevating the whole book! (I actually don’t think I would have loved it as much if I read the physical copy.)

The concept is creative, the plot is engaging, and it was just a really fun, enjoyable mystery. Sometimes that’s exactly what I need.

Snapshot

Best friends Benny and Joy host one of the world's most beloved podcasts, sharing survival stories with millions of devoted listeners. Then Joy disappears, and Benny finds himself the prime suspect (naturally). As the search for her deepens, secrets from the past and the life Joy has actually been living begin to surface.

Why You Might Like It

• The audio experience is unlike anything else

• A creative concept executed really well

• A fun, breezy mystery that doesn’t get too intense

What Surprised Me Most: The podcast production on audio is so well done that it almost feels like two things at once: a mystery novel and an actual podcast. Love!

AND NOW…

Here are the three books that had me screaming because I could not get into them, and I might be the only one…

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Listen I tried 10 of the most popular store-bought Italian dressings so you don’t have to! For your viewing pleasure here is the replay (do not miss the end, I do a blind taste test and it is a journey you want to go on with me!).

Announcements 🗣️

Here’s info on our next Live:

Sunday, May 17 at 3:00 …

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You are so unbothered and it’s kind of cute but we will see you out now. Bye.

May, hello! My bucket list for May:

• Deep clean the grill and use it on repeat

• Find a new hiking trail and bring our little bear

• Reclaim the back deck! Patio season, crisp drinks, reading evenings, fire pits

• Slightly entertain Jeremy's camping agenda

• Cook less

Yes, I know. I write the meal plan, and I'm telling you we're cooking less this month!

We're not eating less (the food is still delicious and bountiful), we're just doing less of the actual cooking. May is a transitional month for so many of us! Things get busy and the calendar fills up…and this meal plan meets us right where we are!

Here’s the Food Board for May!

To keep things simple, we’re making recipes like my Better at Home KFC Bowls (which use frozen nuggets but a simple homemade mashed potato)!

We’re also making my Sheet Tray Nachos, which use leftover meat from a roast we cooked on Monday!

And Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with leftover chili!

And speaking of the calendar filling up, May is stacked with reasons to celebrate, and I planned for all of them:

Cinco de Mayo

We’re making Homemade Crunchwrap Supremes, the best at-home margarita, and 10-minute queso. It’s a whole vibe.

Mother’s Day

We’re indulging. Crispy Chicken with Champagne Sauce. She deserves it.

Memorial Day

The most juicy burgers, Corn Ribs, and Homemade Macaroni Salad. Classics, done right.

This month, we also have a Zesty Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad that will make you go back for seconds and thirds!

We also have a night for a Baked Potato Bar, which basically gives you a night off cooking!

The links to all the recipes for May and the downloadable grocery list for Week 1 are at the bottom of this post.

(Did you know that for $5 a month, I send out a monthly meal plan plus each week’s grocery list? That is just $1.25 A WEEK for your dinners to be planned with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛)

Sign Up to Get the May Meal Plan

Week 1 Grocery List + Links to Recipes + Prep Ahead Tips 👇

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At 8:00pm ET click this link to join.

Passcode if asked: dressing

In this Live we are going to discover which is the best store-bought Italian dressing. I’ll have 5-8 bottles to try and we’ll do a deep dive on what makes for the best store-bought Italian dressing.

We’ll kick off the Live with the viral …

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In this Live we are going to discover which is the best store-bought Italian dressing.

Is there one you want me to try during the Live? Be sure to leave a comment on this post! Do you already have one you love? Let me know!

This is perfect timing because I have a new recipe that…

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Whether you're shopping for your mom (same, hi, I'm raising my hand over here 🙋‍♀️) or you're a mom ready to drop some very obvious hints…you're in exactly the right place! I've rounded up ONLY the good stuff, no gifting regrets will be detected.

If Mother’s Day is a hard day for you for any reason, I’m so very sorry and I hope you plan something special for yourself. Feel free to skip/delete this post or…buy some gifts for yourself!

Also, can we please appreciate how cute my mom is?! This was taken last year in New York City. She deserves basically everything in this gift guide!

I split the guide up into categories so it is easy to navigate.

These are gifts I genuinely love and want (or have) for myself. Several of them are gifts I’ve already gifted to my mom over the years! 🤩

Have fun perusing around!

Lemon Bliss Tea Towel

Sunny, cheerful, and way too pretty to actually dry dishes with. She'll display it, we know she will! But the best part is these are the BEST drying towels. I personally own over 10 of them!

Use code BRIM for 15% off at checkout!

Checkered Cutting Board

A large cutting board that is practical and will give the kitchen an instant glow-up! Pair this with the tea towels for a WOW moment.

Enameled Dutch Oven

A beautiful Dutch oven that is hundreds of dollars cheaper than others on the market! It is beautiful, durable, and ready to handle all manner of soups, stews, and roasts!

At the writing of this post, it is 40% off!

Beast Mini Blender

I got this last spring, and I am OBSESSED! I use this way more than my heavy, large Vitamix. Smoothies, sauces, salsas…on the counter and ready in seconds. Stunning and mighty, just like mom!

Magnetic Knife Block

This stunning knife block has been in my new kitchen for over a year, and it’s one of my favorite pieces! It’s a counter upgrade that's equal parts practical and chef-kitchen chic!

De-Puffing and Contouring Ice Roller

I got this for my mom because I am so obsessed with mine! Now my sister also has one! De-puff, de-stress, repeat. The 60-second morning ritual is like getting a facial every morning.

Forever Eye Mask

We’re not throwing away eye masks anymore! These are reusable, and they pair perfectly with this smoothing and de-puffing eye gel! Another way to add a mini facial into mom’s weekly routine!

V Lifting Collagen Mask

I don’t know what kind of magic they put in this mask, but one use and you will not believe how lifted and firm your jawline is! Perfect to add to the other gifts as a spa basket bundle for mom!

At the writing of this, these are over 30% off!

Guasha + Jade Roller

I use these before my ice roller to really pamper my face! This duo is basically a tiny spa on your (or mom’s) nightstand.

The Sculpt Concentrate

I just, skeptically, started using this, and now I don’t think I can live without it! I’ve noticed the fine lines on my neck and chest visibly soften.

Bonus, I went and got a spray tan after using this concentrate for a week, and the specialist doing my spray tan commented on how hydrated my neck and chest are. She was like, what are you using?! 😅

Get 20% off when you use code BRIMCKOY20

Hammered Heart Necklace

This necklace has sold out more times than I can count and every time I wear it I get compliments! It’s delicate but still a statement piece!

At the writing of this, it is not sold out and it is over 60% off!

Italian Leather Shoulder Bag

Perfect for summer! This is the kind of bag that makes every outfit look intentional, and it is so functional! If your mom is looking for a new purse, this is it!

Oversized Jean Jacket

I live in this, and so will Mom! The throw-it-on-over-everything piece she’ll take everywhere she goes. This jacket works with literally every outfit!

Burberry Cherry Perfume

A new scent from Burberry that is perfect for warmer days! It has this slight hint of cherry while still smelling luxurious! Warning, she’ll get asked what she is wearing every time she sprays it on!

Matte Rose Gold Silverware

An upgrade for any old silverware! I’ve had them for two years, and they still look stunning, and they are dishwasher safe. This silverware makes even takeout feel like a dinner party!

Year and Day Low Serving Bowl

I just got this for myself in anticipation of big summer salads!! It is so pretty, so large, and my new favorite serving piece! It’s also dishwasher safe!

Ceramic Serving Bowls

My favorite everyday bowl! Artisan-feel without the gallery price tag. Every time I pull them out for soups, salads, rice bowls, stews…I feel a jolt of joy!

Steak Knives

The upgrade the dinner table has been waiting for! When I saw these knives, I added them to the cart so fast! Sharp, elegant, and very gift-able.

Get 15% off at checkout when you apply code BRIM15

Lemon Juicer

The best design for a citrus juicer! It lies flat, so it takes up less room! It is also dishwasher safe! 🤩 Margaritas are in Mom’s future!

Clear Ice Sphere Maker

My favorite spherical ice molds are perfect for cocktails at home! These crystal-clear ice spheres look like they came from a fancy bar.

Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker

Is this cocktail shaker a bit of a splurge, yes (but Mom is worth it)! This is the only cocktail shaker I use now. Screw-on top, and the lid has an ounce measurer. It is insulated, so your hands don’t get cold while shaking! And there is even an ice fill line inside!

Old Fashioned Glasses

The cult favorite cocktail glasses! Weighty, elegant, restaurant-worthy. Even sparkling water tastes more sophisticated in these glasses!

These gifts are in the splurge category! Perfect if you really want to treat Mom, or if you and the siblings want to go in on a gift. 😉

Breville Toaster Oven

I’ve had mine for over 5 years, and I will never be without it! I use it weekly if not daily. A mini oven that heats up super fast and brings leftovers back to life! It also has an air-fry function. This kitchen appliance is doing the most!

Instant Facial Plasma

Listen to me, I started using this a month ago, and now I will never be without it! It is like a mini facial in a bottle that actually does what it says. It leaves my skin looking more lifted, firmer, tighter & luminous!

Kindle Paperwhite

If your mom loves reading, she will absolutely love a Kindle! I gave my mom one a few years ago, and it may have been one of my favorite gifts I’ve given her!

The Microdose Facial

If you really want to go all in on one of my favorite skincare brands, this mini set is it! Let Mom use this discovery kit to see if her face loves it (spoiler: her face will).

Need more ideas?! We’ve rounded up some additional great Mother’s Day gifts here!

Whether you are a mom or shopping for mom, I am so grateful for you!!

Something as ordinary as eating my meals with my hands.

What I’m saying is we’re moving into hand-held season, and no one is more excited than me! This week’s meal plan is filled with recipes that are eaten…with your hands! I’m talking sandwiches, tacos, hot dogs.

My favorite thing about spring cooking is embracing the days that are foreshadowing warmer weather and picnics and patio meals.

The vision board for you next week: effortless meals that make you feel like you had a night off from cooking. There you are, standing on your porch or patio or in the backyard with your people, joyful, almost giddy for the warmer days…in one hand you have a delicious bite of food, so good you are licking your fingers, and in the other a frosted drink quenching your thirst!

These are dishes that will match your mood…the one that feels lighter and more energized! The full meal plan and the downloadable grocery list are all the way at the end of this post, just scroll to the bottom!

(If you are not already signed up for my monthly meal plan, weekly grocery list, it is only $5 a month. That is just $1.25 A WEEK for a monthly meal plan with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛)

Sign up to get the April Meal Plan

Here are helpful prep-ahead tips to help you get dinner to the table with less effort. 👇

Saturday, April 25- Friday, May 1

Everything Hot Dogs & Grandma’s Macaroni Salad

Prep Ahead

• Do not skip my method on how to prep the hot dogs for cooking! The recipe link is on the meal plan below!

• The morning of or several hours ahead of time, make the slaw!

• At least 4 hours before serving, make the macaroni salad.

Bonus, if you are embarking on grilling season and you need to get your grill cleaned and ready, this grill brush has changed the game for me! No bristles (that can get caught in the grill!) and it cleans the grill grates with steam!

Slow Cooker Tan Tan Moroccan Chicken

Prep Ahead

• The morning of or a few days before, combine the dry ingredients for the spice rub and place in an airtight container. Just before using, add the oil and mix it in.

• The morning of prepare the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.

If you need a slow cooker that you will love for years, this is mine and at the time of this writing, it is 20% off! It also has a Brown/Saute and Steam function and automatically switches to the Warm function after slow cooking!

Homemade Coconut Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwiches

Prep Ahead

This is an excellent meal for a weeknight. Prep the dressing & veggies ahead of time, and this comes together so fast.

• MARINATE THE CHICKEN! The night before or at least 2 hours before cooking, combine the marinade ingredients, add the chicken thighs, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

• Prepare the dressing. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 12 days.

• Prep the pickled veggies. They will keep in the fridge up to 7 days.

Please do not skip the shredded veggies! They make this sandwich! This grater is perfect, not just for cheese but also for shredded veggies!

Steak Street Tacos

Prep Ahead

• MARINATE THE STEAK! The steak is best when it m marinates overnight, but you can also marinate it the morning of or a few hours before cooking.

• Prep the Cilantro Lime Sauce & the Pineapple Salsa. Store in the refrigerator in airtight containers until ready to serve.

My go-to blender for sauces, marinades, and dressings is the Beast Mini Blender! You’ll use this on repeat for summer cooking!

10 Minute Ramen

Prep Ahead

• This dish comes together so fast; there is no prep ahead. But it is perfect with any leftover chicken from the Bahn Mi sandwiches or steak from the tacos!

This expandable colander that goes over the sink is perfect for straining noodles! It’s so functional and dishwasher safe!

Hot Honey & Pepperoni Pizza in Puff Pastry

Prep Ahead

• Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions.

All the ingredients and recipes, along with the printable grocery list, are below!

If you're new to the grocery list, here is a preview from a previous meal plan! We don’t just categorize the ingredients by aisle; we also tell you how much of that ingredient you need (if you already have it on hand) and which recipe it goes with.

Read more

My Cook’s Club got this recipe early and the reviews are already in! (Also read the review for how to make this in the Instant Pot!)

Listen you basically just got the night off from cooking because the slow cooker does an almost embarrassing amount of the work!

You season the pork, you add your liquids, you walk away. Six hours later you have fall-apart, flavor-soaked pulled pork that could feed a small army…so it’s perfect for:

• potlucks

• picnics

• meal prep for the week

• a family meal that will create leftovers for lunch

No stove. No oven. No standing over anything wondering why you thought cooking was a good idea. The slow cooker handles it all while you do literally anything else, and then you show up to the party (or just dinner on a Wednesday night) like the composed, well-rested person you are.

This recipe also travels like a dream. Pack the shredded pork in a foil pan, set out your toppings in little bowls, and let everyone build their own. It stays warm, it holds well, and there’s something genuinely fun about a build-your-own slider situation that adds extra joy to dinnertime.

The pork is so juicy and tangy and savory that pairing it with a fresh slaw is the very right move! It’s bright and creamy and makes all the flavors come together. You can bring the slaw (recipe below) together the morning of or a few hours ahead of time.

If you prefer to make all the sliders at once, just cut the whole package of rolls down the middle and assemble!

I like to put down a layer of provolone cheese after I’ve toasted my buns!

Also I found the hot spot in my oven after I toasted these 🥲 SCIENCE!

After I let the cheese melt under the broiler I added my pulled pork and creamy slaw!

• Make it ahead. Pulled pork is genuinely better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle. Make it the night before, refrigerate it, and reheat it in the slow cooker or warm the day of. Done.

• Set up a toppings bar. Coleslaw, bread and butter pickles, sliced red onion, provolone cheese, extra cooking liquid on the side for people who want to drizzle…let everyone build their own. It’s interactive, it’s low effort, and it makes the spread look incredibly intentional.

• Slider buns are the move. King’s Hawaiian are the classic choice and for good reason, but a good potato roll also works beautifully here. The slight sweetness plays well against the vinegar tang.

• Double the recipe for a big group. This recipe feeds a solid crowd as written, but if you’re feeding 20+ people, two pork shoulders in a large slow cooker or two separate slow cookers is your plan.

Slow Cooker: I have had my slow cooker for over 8 years and am still obsessed! I love that it has settings for sautéing so I can sear my meat right in it!

(At the writing of this it s 20% off, the lowest price it has been in 30 days!)

Tongs: a good set of tongs is perfect for removing the meat, also perfect if people are assembling their own.

Sheet Tray: I am OBSESSED with my new sheet trays! I use the 13 inch one the most. They are dishwasher safe and don’t warp and I love the handles!

Here’s the full recipe with the printable version available 👇

Serves 6-8

Get the printable recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 (3-3 1/2 lbs) boneless pork shoulder roast

• 2 Tbsp olive oil (optional for searing the roast)

• 3 tsp kosher salt

• 1 yellow onion, sliced

• 1 bell pepper, sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup ketchup

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• Hawaiian slider buns or rolls

• 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch (optional, to thicken the sauce)

Optional for serving:

• Provolone

• Coleslaw (recipe below)

• Pickles

• Favorite chips

For the Creamy Slaw

• 3 cups shredded cabbage (I buy the pre-shedded cabbage for slaw)

• 1/2 cup mayo (I love Duke’s)

• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (skip if you used Hellman’s mayo)

Instructions

For the Pork:

1. Trim fat from pork shoulder. Rub salt all over the pork.

(Optional: Sear the roast in the slow cooker: add 2 Tbsp olive oil, then sear the roast on each side for about 2-3 minutes, until a golden crust forms. If your slow cooker does not have a sauté option, you can do this in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat with 2 Tbsp olive oil, or you can skip this step.)

2. Place the roast in the slow cooker. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Pour the broth over the roast and add all the additional ingredients.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hours or on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours.

4. Transfer the meat to a cutting board. Use two forks to pull meat apart into shreds, discarding any fat. Return shredded meat to the slow cooker.

(Optional: My slow cooker has a sauté setting. While I am shredding my meat, I turn on the sauté function and let the juices come to a simmer. I then thicken the sauce with a slurry of 1/2 Tbsp arrowroot mixed with 1/2 Tbsp water. This allows the sauce to coat the meat even more!)

For The Creamy Slaw

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use (this is best when it sets in the refrigerator for at least an hour).

To Assemble:

Brush both sides of the rolls with melted butter and place under the broiler until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Add slices of provolone to one side of the sliders and place back into the broiler until the cheese is nice and melty (about 1-2 minutes).

Add some pulled pork and then cole slaw. Serve with pickles and favorite chips!

I cannot wait for you to try this recipe! When you do, come back here and tell me all about it!

Leave a comment

Nothing makes me feel more grounded after being gone than already having a plan for meals for the week! This week’s meals are fresh and quick while still satisfying those cravings!

Recipes like:

• My Fully Loaded Chicken Salad Sandwiches which are perfect to eat outside on the porch or take for a picnic!

• A Creamy Lemony Chicken and Potato Soup that is bright enough for the warm weather and comes together so quickly, you’ll feel like you had a night off.

• A salmon recipe that everyone loves (even proclaimed salmon haters!). My Sweet & Sticky Glazed Salmon is so delicious that it will disappear before it hits the table.

There’s also a new recipe! My Crispy Chicken with wild rice and beans all in one skillet! I call it Pantry Chicken because it uses ingredients straight from the pantry.

The wild rice is nutty and chewy and holds up beautifully to the pan juices. The cannellini beans go soft and creamy, soaking up all that roasting goodness from the bottom of the pan.

And by the time everything comes out of the oven, it looks and smells like you spent hours on it. You did not. You really did not.

The links to all the recipes and the downloadable grocery list are at the bottom of this post. Here are some helpful prep-ahead tips!

(If you are not already signed up for my monthly meal plan, plus each week’s grocery list, it is just $5 a month. That is just $1.25 A WEEK for your dinners to be planned with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛)

Sign up to get the April Meal Plan

Saturday, April 18- Friday, April 24

Fully Loaded Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Prep Ahead

• If using rotisserie chicken, shred it and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use. If using chicken breast or thighs, cook, cool, shred, and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Pro Tip: Shredding a rotisserie chicken while it is still warm is SO much easier than shredding once it’s cooled.

Creamy Lemony Chicken & Potato Soup

Prep Ahead

If using an Instant Pot OR a Crockpot:

• The night before or morning of, prep the veggies (carrots, onion, potatoes). Store the carrots & onions in an airtight container. Cover the potatoes with water in an airtight container. Store all the veggies in the fridge until ready to use.

Pantry Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice

Prep Ahead

The morning of or a few hours before:

• Chop the onion. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

• Plan on 35-50 minutes for this dish to cook, including bake time, start to finish.

Shredded Chicken Taco Bowls with Homemade Salsa

Prep Ahead

• Make the taco seasoning. This can be stored in an airtight container in the cupboard until ready to use. You can do this a few days before!

• The Homemade Salsa should be made at least 1 hour before eating to allow the flavors to come together. But you could easily make it a day or two in advance.

Sweet & Sticky Glazed Salmon with Basmati Rice and Roasted Broccoli

Prep Ahead

The morning of or a few hours before:

• Prep the broccoli, store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

• This dish comes together in less than 30 minutes. Not much prep ahead needed! Just make sure your salmon is thawed if you purchased frozen fillets!

Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza

Prep Ahead

The night before or up to 3 days before

• Prep the pizza crust. This needs to be refrigerated for a minimum of 12 hours or up to 72 hours.

• Three hours before serving, prepare your pan.

• Read this recipe completely a couple of days before serving. It isn’t hard, but the steps need to be followed carefully to be successful.

All the ingredients and recipes, along with the printable grocery list, are below!

If you're new to the grocery list, here is a preview from a previous meal plan! We don’t just categorize the ingredients by aisle; we also tell you how much of that ingredient you need (if you already have it on hand) and which recipe it goes with.

Read more

April 10-20: Rouge members get 20% off at Sephora (plus 30% Sephora products)

April 14-20: VIB members get 15% off, and Insiders get 10% at Sephora (plus 30% Sephora products)

Use code SPRINGSALE at checkout for your discount!

Here’s what I am repurchasing, what I think is worth it on the sale, and what I am getting that is new-to-me!

One Minute Transformative Styling Cream

I’m on my fifth bottle of this! It keeps my hairstyle looking refreshed for the days I don’t wash my hair, and it tames frizz and flyaways!

When I say everyday is a good hair day, it’s because I used this!

Gold Lust Heat Protection Spray

I love Oribe products, and while I think they are worth the price, you won’t ever catch me paying full price for them…I always wait for a sale!

I LOVE this heat protectant spray because you can put it on dry hair (for those days when you need to refresh your curls). It is also a styling spray that provides 450°F heat protection while repairing damaged strands and adding instant softness, leaving hair with a frizz-free satin finish. This is a must-have for me!

Grow Complex Scalp Serum

I’ve recently gotten into hair serums for hair growth, to prevent shedding, and for overall health. This serum kept coming up in all my research on the best serum for hair growth. I’ve been waiting for this sale to get it!

Magic Night Hair Serum

Like I said, I’ve become wildly invested in the health of my hair. I’ve always had fine hair and, to everyone’s shock, I’m not a natural blond 🥲 So I am going on a hair-health journey. I apply this serum every night, and I wake up with soft, frizz-free hair. It’s a must in my nighttime routine!

Gentle Resurfacing Pads

If you’ve been wanting to try an exfoliation pad that is super gentle (these can even be used daily), these are what you want! Using exfoliation pads has single-handedly made my skin more radiant because they remove dead skin cells and support the skin’s natural cell turnover. I love the results I get with these for as gentle as they are!

Forever Eye Mask

If you’ve had your eye on the Forever Eye Mask, now is the time to get it on sale! I love that these are reusable. They also do not budge while they are on! And be sure to add the Antioxidant Smooth + De-puff Serum! This serum has a cult following for a reason. It is proven to intensely hydrate and soften the look of wrinkles, dark circles, and puffiness with renewable algae extracts and peptides.

We are looking bright-eyed this spring and summer!!!

Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

I was gifted this cleansing balm, but I already have a cleansing balm that I love and have used for years. Well, this one is my new #1. I could not believe how amazing it felt on my skin. It removed all my makeup without stripping my face and drying it out.

Bonus, I’ve had this balm for a while, and there is still so much left. It will last a long time. And I love using these Clean Skin Club towels with this balm.

Deliverance Repair Serum

This serum has become a new favorite in my nighttime routine! I put it on after washing my face and before my night cream. This serum is a peptide-rich serum that is “clinically shown to soothe skin & minimize the appearance of redness, wrinkles, and dark spots over time.”

Powder Melt Glass Setting Spray

I’m on my third bottle of this setting spray! It consistently sells out, so if it is available, grab one. I love how it makes my makeup look glass-like and keeps it lasting all day!

Precision Gel Eyeliner

This is my go-to eyeliner! I love how thin the tip is, so I can get such a defined line. The color is also so pigmented and lasts all day!

Major Headlines Blush Duo

Welcome to my fourth blush shade from Patrick TA. These are some of the most long-lasting, most pigmented blushes I have come across! They just released the color Thank Me Later (cool lilac), and it is now my blush shade for spring and summer! I am obsessed!

Prism Highlighting Powder

I’ve had my eye on this highlighting powder, and now that it’s on sale, it is in my cart! It claims to be long-lasting, and I love how dewy and glowy it looks! I will report back.

Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara

This is my go-to mascara! No other mascara I’ve tried makes my lashes look as long or as full. Already on my 6th tube of this!

These are products that I will always have on me…before I run out, a new one is already on the way!

Luna Sleeping Night Oil

This is my favorite thing to put on my face at night, it feels like I am giving my skin a spa treatment! It has retinoid in it, but it is gentle enough to use nightly.

Face Base Primer with Vitamin C

I use this as my primer before I apply my makeup, and my face LOVES it! My makeup goes on so smoothly, and it keeps my skin hydrated all day long! I’ve been using this primer for over 4 years!

Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer

Since Jamie B Golden told me about this bronzer, I have not picked up another one! It is the perfect amount of sun-kissed glow that lasts all day. Also, the product itself lasts a very long time! I have fair skin and get this in shade Fair in winter and Light in summer.

Major Volume Plumping Lip Gloss

I could not tell you how many times I’ve repurchased this! It’s my favorite shade of milky pink (I get shade Say Less). For a gloss, it is actually pretty long-lasting and so pigmented. Does it plump my lips? I don’t notice it, but I love it for the color and how it feels on my lips!

Sacred Santal Deodorant Gel

This is new to enter my vault, but I am so obsessed! It is a deodorant gel that smells amazing and keeps me fresh all day long. This has replaced my Secret deodorant.

Everyone gets 30% off Sephora-branded products during the sale, and these are some of their bestsellers!

I have three tubes of their lip stain in different colors. They are so pigmented and very long-lasting!

They also have the most amazing mini eye shadow palettes in so many colors, perfect for spring!

What is your most purchased product from Sephora?! I’d love to know!

Leave a comment

It will inspire you because we are working with fresh ingredients that are bright but also paired with deeply satisfying flavors that will have you saying, “DoorDash, who’s she?”

The Hawaiian BBQ Crunch Salad

Another salad from me that will only have you craving...more of this salad! It’s bright and tangy and sweet and creamy!

New Recipe! Salt & Vinegar Pulled Pork Sliders

These sliders are addicting and I am not sorry about that! They have a sharp, punchy tang that coats this low-and-slow pulled pork and then gets piled beautifully onto a soft slider bun. They're salty. They're acidic. They’re a slow cooker meal so you just freed up your evening.

Thai Basil Stir Fry with Coconut Milk Rice

Like I said, we blocked DoorDash from our phone (it’s complicated) so we are making these Thai Basil Stir Fry bowls! These come together in about 20 minutes but the flavor payoff would suggest otherwise!

These are just a few dishes on this sunshine meal plan!

(If you are not already signed up for my monthly meal plan, plus each week’s grocery list, it is just $5 a month. That is just $1.25 A WEEK for your dinners to be planned with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛)

Sign up to get the April Meal Plan

Here is the full menu lineup for this upcoming week with prep-ahead tips!

Saturday, April 11- Friday, April 17

A few of you told me you print out the recipes and write these prep-ahead tips on the recipe. I love that!

These tips are for anyone who likes to get a head start on dinner, but most of them come together in about an hour or less before mealtime.

(To get the link to the meal plan, links to all the recipes, and the downloadable grocery list, scroll to the bottom!)

Hawaiian BBQ Crunch Salad

Prep Ahead

A few days ahead of, a few hours before OR the morning of:

• Make the BBQ Sauce & store in an air-tight container in the fridge until ready to use. This sauce will keep for 7 days in the fridge.

• If using a rotisserie chicken, shred the chicken and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Salt & Vinegar Pulled Pork Sliders with Slaw

Prep Ahead

1-2 hours before serving:

• Make the coleslaw and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes or Baked Potatoes with Leftover Salt & Vinegar Pulled Pork

These are a perfect way to use up any leftover pork! Also, gives you a night off from cooking!

Juicy Sizzling Fajitas at home!

Prep Ahead

The night before or the morning of (at least 2 hours before cooking):

• Prepare the marinade, then marinate the chicken in a zip-top bag or another flat, airtight container so the chicken is covered. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• Slice the bell peppers & onions, store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

Thai Basil Stir Fry with Coconut Milk Rice

This dish comes together in about 20 minutes! Just make sure all the ingredients are out when you are ready to cook!

Charcuterie Nachos

Girl Dinner at her finest, or the perfect night to clean out the fridge. See below for how I bring mine together!

All the ingredients and recipes, along with the printable grocery list, are below!

If you're new to the grocery list, here is a preview from a previous meal plan! We don’t just categorize the ingredients by aisle; we also tell you how much of that ingredient you need (if you already have it on hand) and which recipe it goes with.

Read more

We are unclear if it is allergies (which usually causes me to lose my voice) or a little cold…but thoughts and prayers are appreciated because we do have to leave on Saturday for my brother’s wedding and we are hos…

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Trip-atizers if you will! 🤩 (Like a trip appetizer!)

I’m sharing in my Instagram stories where we’re eating and I’ll also do a post later with what we loved!

But now to packing during spring.

I have complicated feelings about traveling in spring because you basically have to pack for all weather conditions. Rain, wind, sun, humidity, chill…In fact for our honeymoon we went to Greece (in April) and I spent the majority of that trip in a rain coat. But also…we had beach days…and also I got a sunburn but then also caught a little cold from being in the cold.

Doesn’t matter because that was the best trip with my best person!

All that to say, I have narrowed down a few essentials that will at least keep me dry and comfortable!

The Perfect Raincoat

My raincoat has been sold out for years, but this one is a close second, and it is on major sale!! FORTY PERCENT OFF!!!

If you have been looking for the perfect raincoat, grab this one now because it is selling out so fast (I literally found this yesterday, and already the yellow is sold out).

The Most Functional Travel Makeup Bag

This travel makeup bag goes wherever I go! I have it in size medium and it holds so much. It opens up all the way and lies flat, and it is so stylish!

Currently on sale at the writing of this.

De-Puffing Ice Roller

Do I have an obsession with this ice roller? Yes! Does it calm and de-puff my face in the morning and make me feel so invigorated, also yes!

Bonus: this one was actually created to travel, which is why it is so compact (but still has two sides, one for smoothing and one for contouring)!

My other favorite item to travel with (especially to use if I know there are going to be photos, or for fancy occasions) is this face mask! There are multiple masks in a box, and if you select Subscribe & Save, you can save an additional 20%. Just remember to cancel the subscription before the next order. These are currently 30% off at the time of this writing!

My Favorite Tinted Sunscreen

The tint on this sunscreen is so perfect and flawless. I love wearing it on no-makeup days or when I just need a little something to go from the hotel to the coffee shop. I have it in the shade Light.

Need it sooner? They also have it here!

The Perfect Vacay Set!

American Eagle and Aerie are doing a MAJOR sale (30-50% off EVERYTHING) and this set is currently on route to me! I’m getting the joggers and the sweater in shade Blue Haven, but they have so many colors to choose from!

If you need some leggings that are incredibly high-waisted and so soft, you need these ones (also on sale!).

Go Anywhere Over-Sized Denim Jacket

I love traveling with my over-sized denim jacket in spring because I can throw it over a causal t-shirt and leggings and feel a little more put together. Or if I’m wearing a jumpsuit I can throw it on if I get a little cold!

Project Cloud Walking Sandals

My beloved walking sandals are wearing out (I’ve had them for 10 years 😭) and the brand does not make them anymore. After SO MUCH research, enter these sandals!

I love that they have height, they are perfect for walking all over the place with a no-slip sole, and they have a strap for your heel that you can use or not! I have incredibly high hopes for these!

And those are some of my spring travel essentials!

What do you have to pack for spring travel?!

Leave a comment

This soup has:

• cubed ham and red potatoes

• chicken stock (homemade if you still have some in the freezer!)

• white wine (to deglaze!)

• finished with sharp cheddar cheese

• a flavor bomb from soy sauce (trust!) and Dijon mustard

• a dash of heavy cream

My friends, you are just simply not ready for the flavor payoff on this dish!

It’s best paired with a crusty baguette and a crisp glass of Chablis (a French Chardonnay that is un-oaked, so it has no butter or oak notes, just incredibly refreshing and crisp).

An added bonus?! Something about bringing this soup together makes you slow down and breathe a little lighter (I love romanticizing making soup!), and it will make your whole house smell amazing.

This is a newer recipe from me but it is already making the rounds!

The groceries for this soup (plus all the groceries for next week’s meal plan) are on a downloadable sheet below.

(If you are not already signed up for my monthly meal plan, plus each week’s grocery list, it is just $5 a month. That is just $1.25 A WEEK for your dinners to be planned with a printable weekly grocery list. This is also a way to support my small business💛)

Sign up to get the April Meal Plan

This recent comment about my meal plans brought me so much joy because, yes, it is a lot of work, but also I wanted to keep this as affordable as possible, so anyone who wanted to get my monthly meal plans, grocery lists, and prep-ahead tips could!

Here is the full menu lineup for this upcoming week with prep-ahead tips!

Saturday, April 4 - Friday, April 10

A few of you told me you print out the recipes and write these prep-ahead tips on the recipe. I love that!

These tips are for anyone who likes to get a head start on dinner, but most of them come together in about an hour or less before mealtime.

(To get the link to the meal plan, links to all the recipes, and the downloadable grocery list, scroll to the bottom!)

Creamy Ham & Potato Chowder (Easter Sunday)

Prep Ahead

Several hours before or the morning of:

• Dice the ham & onions. Store them individually in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to use.

• Cube the potatoes, cover with water, and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Weeknight Homemade Bolognese

Prep Ahead

Several hours before or the morning of:

• Dice the onion & store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Fancy, Not Fussy Sheet Tray Nachos with Salsa Verde Guacamole

Prep Ahead

The day before, several hours before, or the morning of:

• Prepare the Salsa Verde Guacamole & refrigerate until ready to serve.

KFC Copy Cat Bowls

Prep Ahead

Several hours before or the morning of:

• Dice the potatoes, cover with water & store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Homemade Pizza Night

Prep Ahead

• If your pizza dough is frozen, remove it from the freezer the day before.

All the ingredients and recipes, along with the printable grocery list, are below!

If you're new to the grocery list, here is a preview from a previous meal plan! We don’t just categorize the ingredients by aisle; we also tell you how much of that ingredient you need (if you already have it on hand) and which recipe it goes with.

Read more

In this Live we are going to discover which is the best store-bought Italian dressing.

Is there one you want me to try during the Live? Be sure to leave a comment on this post! Do you already have one you love? Let me know!

This is perfect timing be…

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