Dredge chicken in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs in a bowl or plastic bag and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add chicken and cook until done and crispy on both sides. Remove and transfer to plate. Do not remove excess oil.
In another pot, make pasta. (may need to start this earlier depending on what kind of pasta you use) Set aside.
Into the pan, add garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the lemon juice, broth, wine and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
Lower heat to medium-low and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into to sauce. Add parsley and additional Italian herbs/salt/pepper, if desired.
Add chicken back to sauce if you want it to soak up the flavor of the sauce or serve separately if you want it to remain crispy. Serve over pasta.

Chicken Marsala/Sherry

Base recipe: https://www.yeprecipes.com/img-chicken-breasts-with-sherry-mushroom-sauce-1547.htm

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs
salt, pepper, Italian herbs, parsley
2 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 or 2 packages of mushrooms
~1/8 of a yellow or sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sherry or marsala cooking wine
1 cup half & half or heavy cream
1/2 box of pasta
1 cup of freshly grated parmesan
Flour for dredging

Instructions:

Dredge chicken in flour with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Heat 1 TBSP of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until done and crispy on both sides. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Keep the pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 TBSP of oil to the pan. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes before adding the mushrooms. When the mushrooms and onions look to be about done, stir the garlic in and cook until fragrant.
In another pot, make pasta. Set aside.
Add the wine to the sauce, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and reduce the sauce. Once reduced, stir in the heavy cream or half & half. Mix in the parmesan. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until thickened. Add parsley, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs, if desired.
Serve sauce and chicken over pasta.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Base recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9025-elaines-fettuccine-alfredo

Ingredients:

2 TBSP butter
Salt, pepper, parsley, and Italian herbs
2 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or half & half
1 egg yolk
1/2 box of pasta
1 cup parmesan
dash of nutmeg (crucial, do not omit!)

Instructions:

Bring salted water to a boil.
While the water heats, melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute until fragrant and sizzling, about 2 minutes. Whisk the cream with the egg yolk in a bowl until blended; pour into the garlic butter. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir until hot but not boiling. Keep warm over low heat.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta, partially covered, until al dente. Drain in a colander, shaking out excess water, but reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. Pour hot pasta into the cream mixture and toss to coat (still over low heat). Add the cheese and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. Season with salt, pepper, parsley, Italian herbs, and a dash of nutmeg. If sauce is absorbed too much, toss with a little pasta water.

Chicken Adobo

Base recipe: https://panlasangpinoy.com/easy-chicken-adobo-recipe-knr-cc/

Ingredients:

4 bone-in chicken thighs
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/4 of an onion chopped
~6 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 cups water
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup of jasmine rice

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a cooking pot. Add chicken, onion, and garlic. Cook until chicken is lightly browned. Meanwhile, mix together water soy sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl.

3. Add the water, soy sauce, and vinegar mixture. Let boil.

4. Add bouillon cube and dried bay leaves. Stir. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

5. Start making the rice in a rice cooker and flip the chicken pieces over. Continue to have the chicken covered and cook for another 15 minutes.

6. Uncover and mix in brown sugar

7. Serve over rice.

Instant Pot Ribs

Base recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/262225/instant-pot-baby-back-ribs/

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 rack baby back pork ribs
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup barbeque sauce, or as needed

Instructions:

Combine kosher salt, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Cut rack of ribs into 4 equal portions. Rub all sides of each piece with spice mixture.
Pour broth into a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot). Add ribs in a teepee formation. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to the manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Transfer ribs to the prepared baking sheet. Brush ribs on all sides with barbeque sauce.
Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. Turn ribs and continue baking until meat pulls away easily from the bone, about 7 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F.

Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

~2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken
2 packages of gnocchi (16 oz each)
1 quart half and half
1 cup finely shredded carrots
½ cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced onion
1 ½ cup spinach
¼ cup flour
1 carton of chicken broth (32 oz)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
a dash of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Melt butter into the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and celery first and cook for about ten minutes. Then add the onion and garlic. Cook while occasionally stirring until the onion becomes translucent.
Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 min then add half and half. Simmer until thickened.
Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again.
Add the gnocchi, spinach, and shredded rotisserie chicken. Simmer until the gnocchi is cooked and the soup is at the desired consistency.
Add a dash of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Gnocchi & Cheese

Base recipe: https://noblepig.com/2010/08/gnocchi-mac-n-cheese/

Ingredients:

1 lb purchased or homemade gnocchi
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard (crucial, do not omit!)
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano (or parmesan)
1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (or Swiss)
1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese (or Jarlsberg)
salt and pepper to taste
basil leaves and/or parsley for garnish
bacon (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single-layer in a 1.5 quart shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
Cook and crumble bacon in a separate pan, if using bacon.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles, then whisk in milk and Dijon. Continue to whisk mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
Combine Gruyere and fontina, then add by the handful to milk mixture, stirring until melted before adding the next handful. Once all cheese is melted, season sauce with salt and pepper. Mix in bacon, if using.
Pour sauce over gnocchi and bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.
Add basil and/or parsley, if desired, and serve.

Air Fryer Lumpia

Ingredients:

Spring roll wrappers
1 lb ground turkey or pork
½ cup finely minced carrots
½ cup finely minced onion
1 egg, separated
A dash of soy or teriyaki sauce
1 tsp ground ginger

Instructions:

Finely mince the carrots and onions.
Combine the ground meat, carrots, onion, egg yolk, soy/teriyaki sauce, and ginger.
Start cooking the jasmine rice
Add about three tablespoons of filling in the egg or spring roll center, and then roll-up. Use a pastry brush to wet the sides with the egg whites to help the spring roll adhere.
Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil. After you roll up the lumpia, place them into the greased air fryer and spray the tops of the lumpia with olive oil. Set the temperature to 370 degrees F, air fryer setting for 6 minutes.
Flip and air fry for another 6 minutes.
While the lumpia are cooking, mix together teriyaki or soy sauce with a little lemon juice and ground ginger to use as a dipping sauce
Remove lumpia from air fryer and serve with dipping sauce and jasmine rice

Turkey Meatballs

Base recipe: https://tasty.co/recipe/turkey-meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey
½ cup italian breadcrumbs
1 tsp minced garlic
½ cup of diced onion
1 egg, beaten
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Dice the onion.
Add the turkey, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, and olive oil to a bowl and mix to combine.
Form the meatballs.
Place the meatballs on a parchment paper-lined tray and bake for 25 mins in the oven, or until cooked through.

Belgian Waffles

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour
4 tbsp (¼ cup) sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Separate the egg whites and egg yolks, putting the yolks into a large mixing bowl and the egg whites in a smaller bowl.
Beat the yolk and add milk.
Add the dry ingredients into the large mixing bowl with the yolks and milk.
Beat the separated egg whites until peaks form and fold gently into the large bowl.
Cook in a waffle maker for ~6 minutes.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:

1 cup sherry, marsala, or white wine
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup arborio rice
1 to 2 containers of mushrooms (8 oz each)
½ cup diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Heat olive oil in large pan. Set dial to medium.
Add in onion. Cook until translucent.
Add in mushrooms. Cook and stir occasionally until softened then drain the excess liquid, if necessary.
Add in arborio rice, stirring constantly until rice is coated in the oil and slightly translucent.
Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds
Add in cup of wine. Cook and stir until enough wine is absorbed such that the bottom of the pan is exposed briefly in the wake of where you’re stirring.
Add in one cup of chicken broth at a time, cooking and repeating the process in step 5 and adding another cup when it reaches that same point. Rice should be nice and fluffy after the four cups of broth.
Add in 1 tablespoon of butter and stir it in until it has melted.
Turn off the heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and whatever herbs you’re feeling.

Canadian Bacon & Spinach Omelette

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 tbsp butter
2 slices of canadian bacon or other breakfast meat
spinach
salt & pepper
cheese (optional)
a splash of milk (optional)

Instructions:

Put the butter in a non-stick pan at just below medium. While the butter is melting, dice up your breakfast meat to prep.
Once butter is melted and starting to foam up, proceed to lightly brown the breakfast meat in the pan.
While the meat is cooking, crack 3 eggs into a bowl, and whisk with a dash of salt until very well blended. Optionally add a splash of milk into this for a richer omelette. The goal here is to get a good amount of air into the whisked eggs, which will create a nice, fluffy omelette.
Spread the diced breakfast meat into a single layer in the pan, and gently pour the eggs into the pan. May need to shake the pan to ensure that the eggs reach the edges, and lightly tap to remove bubbles.
Remove stems from spinach, shred it up, and sprinkle it onto the omelette before the egg sets. This is where you can add cheese too if you so desire. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Periodically test gently lifting the edges of the omelette as it cooks. Once the whole circumference can be cleanly lifted from the pan, slide the spatula under the center, and lift to fold it over. Kill the heat, lightly press the spatula onto the omelette to let any still runny egg flow out and set, then flip the omelette and do the same for the other side.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken & Potatoes

Base recipe: https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/lemon-rosemary-chicken-and-a-winner/

Ingredients:

4 chicken thighs
¾ pound small red potatoes, halved
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1 tbsp leaves
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
Juice of 2 lemons (squeezed halves reserved)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450ºF.
Cover the potatoes with cold water in a dutch oven and salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Pile the rosemary leaves, garlic and 2 tsp. salt on a cutting board, then mince and mash into a paste using a large knife. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir in the juice of 1 lemon and the olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
Heat the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, cover and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
Turn the chicken; add potatoes to the dutch oven and drizzle with the juice of the remaining lemon. Add the rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halves to the dutch oven; transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Chicken or Pork Belly Ramen

Base recipe: https://www.theflavorbender.com/easy-homemade-chicken-ramen/#wprm-recipe-container-25934

Bonus ramen egg recipe that I will maybe type up eventually: https://www.theflavorbender.com/ramen-eggs-ajitsuke-tamago/

Ingredients:

For marinade (if using chicken)

2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
4 chicken thighs

Glaze for the chicken (if using)

2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce

If using pork belly, we usually use the precooked kind from Trader Joe’s (highly recommend) and skip the marinade/glaze

For the broth

4 cups of low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp minced garlic
Ground ginger, to taste (I usually just do a couple dashes and add more if needed)
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 packs of ramen noodles (discard or save the flavor packet)
4 stalks of green onion (sliced)

Instructions:

For the chicken (if using)

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place all the ingredients for the chicken marinade in a bowl. Mix well to coat the chicken. If time permits, allow the chicken to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet, skin side down (or smooth side down), evenly spaced apart. Then place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
Let the chicken roast for 15 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, mix the brown sugar and dark soy sauce for the glaze, and start making the ramen.
After 15 minutes, flip the chicken pieces over and spoon the glaze over them. Let the chicken cook for a further 10 – 15 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let them cool down.

For the broth (and pork belly, if using)

While the caramelized soy chicken is cooking in the oven, make the ramen base.
In one saucepan, add the stock, ground ginger, garlic, mushrooms, soy sauce and mirin. Stir and cover the pot. Let it come to a boil at medium high – high heat. Then lower the heat to medium and let it simmer for 25 minutes. While it’s simmering, cut up the green onion and add it to the broth when it has about 10 minutes remaining.
If using pre-cooked pork belly, start browning it in a pan after the broth has been simmering for about 15 minutes. After both sides have been sufficiently browned, move the pork belly to a plate and pat down with a paper towel to remove excess grease.
Add water to a second pot, and bring it to a boil. Add the dried ramen noodles to the boiling water, and cook for one minute less than what’s recommended on the package, as the noodles will continue to cook for a bit longer when served with hot broth. Drain the noodles and divide into bowls.
Add the ramen base and meat to the noodles and enjoy!

Turkey Tetrazzini

Base recipe: https://beautifullybrokenjourney.com/turkey-tetrazzini-casserole/

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
⅓ diced vidalia onion
2 tsp minced garlic
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 pound ground turkey
¼ cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz spaghetti
3 tbsp half n half
⅓ cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp butter
¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs
Italian seasonings, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent.
Add ground turkey, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and cook until browned. Drain any excess liquid.
Mix in flour and chicken broth.
Break spaghetti noodles in half, then add into skillet and allow to cook until noodles are al dente and there is minimal liquid remaining.
Mix in half and half and the grated parmesan.
Transfer to a 9x13 pan and spread evenly.
Melt butter. Combine breadcrumbs to melted butter then sprinkle evenly over noodle/meat mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes then serve.

Dessert Upgrades

ok so for this section i wouldn’t really feel right calling them recipes bc they’re just box mixes with extra stuff but!! they’re really good and i wanted to write them down so here they are

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 box mix of chocolate chip cookies
1 tbsp of coffee grounds
1 tbsp of cocoa powder
at least ½ bag of dark chocolate chips
about ¼ cup of milk

just add the extra stuff and bake as normal

The Ultimate Brownies:

1 brownie box mix (i personally usually use betty crocker supreme chocolate chunk)
⅓ cup of butter instead of vegetable oil, melted
¼ cup of milk instead of water

that’s it that’s the upgrade lol just bake as normal otherwise

TikTok Cinnamon Rolls:

1 container of pillsbury grands cinnamon rolls
just enough heavy cream to coat the bottom of the pan
½ stick of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat over to 350°F and put the cinnamon rolls in a glass pan.
Pour just enough heavy cream to coat the bottom of the pan.
Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Then mix in the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Pour the cinnamon mixture over the cinnamon rolls
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes
Remove from oven and cool