Today’s post is a throwback to when I said I was going to do a ten-week series on the Filipino food that was cooked and loved at the orphanage we worked at last year, but then I only got through eight weeks because LIFE. So my goal in May is to finish out the last two recipes that I have stored up and, in the process, remind myself of all the sweet things I loved about life in the Philippines....

These are a hybrid of the ones that I especially love. They’re fast and easy to make, use only one bowl, no mixer, and people go nuts for them. There’s something for everyone in these drippy delights. The bars remind me most of Carmelitas because they’re just so gooey, soft and slightly chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips. I made a peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk like I did in Coconut Peanut Butter Magic Cake Bars and in the Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Skillet Cookie....

comment icon 42 more comments I’m a little sad. This weekend was filled with some wonderful things, including babysitting 30 kids on a Friday night, and maybe wonderful isn’t the right word for that, but whatever, hosting a Matilda movie night with my girls, and filling our lives to the brim with these heavenly caramel rolls. Somehow treadmills and green veggies and rational portion sizes didn’t make their way into the weekend mix, but Mondays are good for that thing called a fresh start....

The challenge is this For each of the 30 days, I am supposed to discuss my thoughts and ideas on it. Ramble away. The opposite of Golden Silence. I won’t do them all, and won’t do them in order, but I thought today would be a good day to tackle at least one of them. I could choose an easier one, i.e. Day 21, but I will go with Day 26 because I’d like all of you to chime in, too, and it’s a good thought-provoking question....

I’m too busy chewing. And these, there are no words anyway. And these Coconut Peanut Butter Magic Cake Bars. The pan is almost gone and I am so sad. They’ve been amazing. I’ve slurped, in addition to chewing, because I need something to wash it all down with, of course. Strawberries and Cream Smoothie What’s been the best thing you’ve done or chewed on so far this weekend? FoodBuzz featured this recipe in their DailyBuzz Healthy Living Top 9 today, which was a nice little weekend bonus....

Some of my other favorite chicken recipes Try Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos, Chicken Shawarma Bowl, Pastalaya, and BBQ Chicken Drumsticks. How to make Chicken Gyros: Make Tzatziki Sauce: Combine all tzatziki ingredients in a small bowl then refrigerate (can be made 1-2 days ahead). If you really want a 10/10 meal though, I strongly recommend making your own pitas. The dough is so quick to make, they only rise for 30 minutes and they are absolutely worth the extra time!...

comment icon 108 more comments Toast Your Buns I use brioche buns, and I toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and soft. Make The Burger Mix Just ground chicken, teriyaki, and panko, plus some salt and garlic powder. Fry Your Burgers I split the chicken into 4 chunks, form into burgers, and fry them in batches in a nonstick pan or grill pan. Assemble The Teriyaki Burgers I like to use Yum Yum sauce on the buns (top and bottom) and then top with a burger patty, slaw, and gently squish it together into one amazing sando....

comment icon 52 more comments In This Post Lindsay’s Notes Holy spicy crispiness! This chili crunch tofu is chompy, sticky-sweet, and delicious. Two main steps for this guy: Bake the tofu. Sauce the tofu. The end! Happy day! You’re eating spicy, crispy, rockstar-level tofu with very little effort or thought into the whole thing which is what the SOS series is all about. You can prep the tofu however you like, but I highly recommend the cornstarch method for baking (my favorite method as outlined in our tofu post), which is what’s written into the recipe here....

I have memories from junior high (and college) of taking Doritos and laying them on a plate, adding shredded cheese or any kind of cheese I could find at the moment, and nuking the plate until the cheese bubbled like crazy in that very uneven microwaved-heat kind of way. This is the grown up version of that. It doesn’t begin with Doritos, but instead with white corn chips. Better? Maybe?...

If you love chocolate cake, be sure to check out my Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling, German Chocolate Cake and The BEST Texas Sheet Cake. There are two things that make this chocolate Macaroon Cake really special: first, it’s my Grandma’s recipe, and was one of my mom’s favorites growing up. Second, it has a delicious coconut filling layered in the middle. It’s almost like a cake-version of my popular homemade almond joys....

A half dozen ladies and I are throwing a virtual baby shower today for Krissy, who’s expecting her first baby, and I figured it wouldn’t be too cool to show up to a party, virtual or not, with a bowl of cold soggy oatmeal in hand. I thought these would be a bigger hit with the crowd. Aside from being being portable, they’re no-bake so there’s no chance of burning my mouth on one like I have a tendency to do with oatmeal....

Corn is in season and I love a good dip. You can see where I’m going with this. I especially love a dip that takes 30 seconds to make and is cool when it’s hot outside. You can also put this dip into ramekins, top with a little extra cheese and either bake it at 400F for about 20 minutes or broil it until it’s bubbly. Or you can spoon it onto Ritz crackers, Trisuits, or your favorite cracker and bake them as if they’re the “crust” to a mini pizza and the dip is the cheesy topping....

Orange-Glazed Cranberry Orange Bread The combination of cranberries and oranges is just wonderful and reminds me that the holidays are just around the corner. This glazed cranberry orange bread bread is fast, easy, and you don’t even need a mixer to make it. It’s soft, tender, springy, and loaded with fresh, juicy cranberries in every bite. The bread is wonderfully perfumed with both orange zest and orange juice, and the sweet orange glaze drizzled on top helps balance the tartness of the cranberries!...

Creamy Chicken in Chipotle Adobo Sauce When you’re in the mood for a comfort food, extra saucy and creamy chicken recipe, with layers of flavor, this chipotle chicken made in a skillet is just the ticket. It’s a weeknight family favorite that’s easy to make. Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, along with roasted garlic, tomatoes, and lime juice provide a Mexican-inspired flavor profile. The sauce gets its creaminess and richness from a bit of heavy cream....

For busy families, 30-minute meals are lifesavers, but it’s an even bigger bonus when they seem fancy or impressive, like this Chinese Chow Mein, Mongolian Beef, and Hibachi Chicken. We’re going for amazing homemade Italian here, and I can tell you right now that Chicken Piccata (pick-ah-tah) wil be a winner every time! If you’ve ever had it at a restaurant you may have had chicken or veal and it’s typically breaded, fried and served with a creamy sauce....

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Over the years, my Easy 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup has been well-loved and made by thousands of readers. It’s of course easy and very fast to make on the stovetop in just a half hour. It has all the flavors of my grandma’s classic chicken noodle soup which took all day to make, but I adapted it for the busy lives we all have now....

Having learned how to make this Mexican rice from locals in Puebla, Mexico, I can promise this recipe is the real deal! Don’t miss my other popular Mexican recipes including Carne Asada Tacos, Esquites, and Chiles Relleño. We never enjoy “Taco Tuesdays” without a side of this easy Mexican Rice that I learned to make while living in Puebla, Mexico during a college internship. I was there with my husband, and we taught workshops to locals in the area that were interested in starting a small business....

Serve with a green salad and a small cup of French Onion Soup and you have the perfect Parisian meal! This Croque Monsieur recipe (and my other favorite French recipes) are inspired by the two trips to France I’ve taken over the years. You can find a Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame sandwich on almost every restaurant menu in Paris. The sandwich pictured above was from a patio lunch I enjoyed on the streets at Montmartre, Paris....

If you love caramel, you have to try my Homemade Caramels, Caramel Apples, Caramel Popcorn, Chocolate Covered Pretzels, or Chocolate Covered Marshmallows! How to make Caramel Sauce: Combine: Grease the sides of a saucepan, then add butter, brown sugar, water, and salt, and cook over medium-low, stirring constantly until butter is melted. Bring mixture to a boil then simmer on low for 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly. It should be golden brown and thickened (it will continue to thicken as it cools)....

Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a Vietnamese noodle soup that’s made with broth, rice noodles, meat, and fresh garnishes. Authentic versions take much more time and love than this recipe (here’s a great cookbook with authentic recipes from Andrea Nguyen, or check out this authentic recipe). But if you’re looking for a quick version with similar warm, fresh and comforting qualities, this is what I make my family at home!...