Nealey Dozier

October officially kicks off comfort food season (in my house at least), and these cheesy scalloped potatoes are a decadent way to welcome in the fall. Even if you are cooking for two, there is nothing better than having a pan of these to graze from, whether it’s breakfast or dinner, throughout the week. The potatoes are sliced into 1/8-inch thickness, parboiled on the stovetop before baking, and prepared with onions, Dijon mustard, and cheese.

Quick-cooking shrimp make for easy weeknight meals, plus their mild flavor makes them incredibly versatile so that you don’t ever have to get bored. I always have a few bags in the freezer — I honestly never buy shrimp “fresh,” which are usually just frozen shrimp that have already been thawed. This means I can always whip up some sort of 10-minute meal. They are a great way to get creative in your kitchen.

Everybody loves creamed spinach, even folks who hate spinach! Here’s a luxurious baked version that I love serving with oven-roasted pork tenderloin, though it pairs just as well with steak, pork chops, or any other protein on your plate. Splurge on a little mid-week comfort food and make this with your dinner tonight! This spinach bake is a cross between creamed spinach and a spinach soufflé, and in my opinion it’s the best of both worlds.

There really is nothing quite like a multi-day cooking project to ease winter’s biting chill, and with the current temperatures in the single digits I’m sure we could all use an activity to bide our time indoors. These Southern-style tamales are the perfect way to get your friends and family off the couch and into the kitchen, and a batch is guaranteed to keep your minds occupied and bellies warm!

Just when I thought I’d filled my arsenal with enough delicious homemade holiday treats, along came heavenly hash to sweep them all under the carpet. The combination of bittersweet chocolate, roasted almonds, and marshmallows is truly a gift from above! Heavenly Hash may be better known as an ice cream flavor, but it actually started out as a candy.

If you asked me 10 years ago after feasting at a trattoria in Florence on fiocchetti alle pere con salsa di taleggio e asparagi that one day I would be able to replicate the experience, I would have laughed in your face. Back then the only thing I knew how to make was frozen pizza. But time has a way of changing us, and that trip to Florence changed me too. Here I am 10 years later, recreating that meal of a lifetime.

In case you need a good reason to buy a few extra ears of corn on the cob, this is it.

This stunning savory stuffed pumpkin is bound to be the pièce de résistance at your next party, but don’t fret — while it is definitely a noteworthy centerpiece, it won’t give you nearly as much grief as a turkey dinner for 12 people! This recipe, a mash-up of sausage, bread and cheese, is guaranteed to impress guests when it makes its grand debut at the table.

I love serving a roast tenderloin as an hors d'oeuvre, offering it up as part of a slider station. This allows me to cook a smaller cut and get more bang for my buck.

This is so much better than a turkey sandwich.

Don't sleep on the dried herbs.

Don't wait another minute to make these delectable bites of sausage-studded bliss.

If you've ever attempted your favorite Mexican restaurant's rice at home and failed, raise your hand. Well, you can put it down now.

I’ll be the first to admit that my daily “lunch” usually consists of a wedge of Gouda and a handful of (oftentimes stale) crackers. Other days it includes a few slices of pie. But every now and then, when I want to feel like an actual grownup, I make a gussied-up sandwich that I may even sit down to eat. I am a firm believer in keeping plenty of basic ingredients on hand so I don’t get into trouble when I need to throw together a spontaneous meal.

Sometimes I ask my fiancé what he wants for dinner, sometimes I don’t. Typically I don’t, because his answer is always the same—Dragon Express. (Seriously, he would eat Chinese takeout over homemade cooking any day. I really wonder about him sometimes.) I made an exception last week by asking his culinary opinion, and he threw me a serious curveball. “Chicken Cordon Bleu!” he exclaimed.

I stopped by my local market to pick up some salad greens for dinner, and I returned home with a pile of fresh Georgia peaches instead! They were quite a pleasant surprise to find at the store, since I’m not used to seeing decent ones until mid to late June. This called for a recipe to kick off the peach season.Southern peaches should start popping up everywhere due the unseasonably warm winter we experienced this year.

The ultimate Kentucky Derby sipper.

It's been passed down for three generations.

Southerners are famous for their quick and easy dips, most of which come together using canned ingredients and a lot of mayo. Judge if you must, but I’ve never seen any of these dips not get devoured within minutes of serving. That being said, since it’s already summer and the produce is rockin’, I decided to nix the usual pantry staples (canned corn and green chiles) and use sweet corn on the cob and spicy jalapeños instead.

You may be thinking that a recipe for a thick, hearty soup is a bit odd considering that yesterday was the first day of spring. But this Spanish bean soup is not just any soup. Rather, it is a soup sent straight from the soup gods (if the soup gods took the form of my future mother-in-law). As I was walking out the back door of a recent family gathering, Tina (my future MIL) forced two large Tupperwares into my hand. This happens often, and I never quite know what I’m going to find inside.

On Monday I went a little over the top with my Chicken Cordon Bleu-Croque Monsieur. To prove that’s not how I always eat, I’m sharing a lighter meal that’s perfect to enjoy any day of the week. It’s a good thing my favorite Greek joint in Atlanta is a trek from my house, or I just might go there every day (and that could get a little dangerous). Without fail I order the lamb gyro plate with a zesty salad and garlic roasted coin potatoes.

It’s amazing what a few flavorful ingredients can do when it comes to getting out of a breakfast rut. Greek yogurt, garlic, and greens come together to give these scrambled eggs a tasty (and healthy) makeover! When it comes to the most important meal of the day, I am completely, utterly predictable. Monday through Friday, it’s a slice of crisp sourdough nested under a perfectly poached egg, all washed down with a side of mocha.

This soup comes with a memory: a bowl of hearty soup served by my mother-in-law one chilly fall afternoon many years ago. I remember the tomatoey broth being so complex yet so comforting, and the cheesy tortellini were a brilliant touch. I asked her for the recipe, but she, being the MacGyver of the kitchen that she is, didn’t have anything to give — it was a one-time-only melting pot of a week’s worth of leftovers. But I didn’t forget it.

This meatloaf tastes good and has a story to tell.

Talk about easy! This “poached” salmon recipe isn’t necessarily about long cooking but it definitely highlights a slow cooker’s other abilities — like putting something into the pot and walking away. What you get is a moist, flavorful salmon without the usual worries of dry, overcooked fish. Just like in my recipe for slow cooker “baked” rigatoni, this poached salmon recipe is all about ease.

Every cook needs a foolproof biscuit recipe, and this version proves to be just that, along with a welcome addition of zesty fresh herbs and savory black pepper. Greek yogurt subs in for more traditional buttermilk, providing an airy texture and a oh-so-subtle tang. These delightful biscuits are easy enough for a weeknight meal, but impressive enough for dinner with friends!

Warm, gooey goat cheese is not an overrated snack, and in fact, makes eating a salad seem so much more appealing. (Well, to me at least.) And when you pair the crunchy, melty nuggets with buttery pecans and bright greens, tossed in a thick walnut vinaigrette…then salad nirvana awaits. Breaded goat cheese salads may have had their heyday back in the nineties, but I happen to think some pretty awesome foods came out of that particular decade.

A forceful kick from behind you sends the chair launching forward. Another blow immediately follows, and somewhere a child starts to scream. You feel the anger swelling inside of you as you start to plot your revenge. The hunger is taking control… This may sound like the beginning of a horror movie, but in reality it’s just another day on a plane. Travel can do a number on anyone’s diet: airports are littered with fast food, pubs, and ice cream stores.

I discovered orzo salad in college while studying in Italy, and variations of it have been a supper staple ever since. In fact, it’s probably one of the most requested recipes from my very picky husband. The formula is always the same — toss some seasonal roasted vegetables with the pasta, along with a rustic vinaigrette. Sometimes I add cheese, sometimes I don’t; sometimes I add nuts, sometimes I don’t.

I’ve always been one to sleep late, and I’m a huge advocate of napping. It must run on my mother’s side since my sisters share this fondness for snoozing. My father, on the other hand, is up before dawn and only needs an occasional five minutes of shut-eye in his recliner to recharge his batteries. But nap time is one thing; an energy crash at 4 p.m. when I’m running on a deadline is another.

I threw an epic bash on Sunday in honor of my boyfriend. He is modest about his birthday, but I can’t seem to control myself when given an excuse to party. This year’s theme was a Southern-style crawfish boil, and boy it didn’t disappoint. It all started with an email to our 25 closest friends and family. I would provide the crawfish and fixings (sausage, corn, and potatoes) if you contributed an appetizer, side, and/or dessert.

I am always hunting for new warm weather recipes, whether I am hosting a barbecue, attending a potluck, or just filling my fridge with a simple salad for the week. Pasta salad is a particular favorite of mine (you can never have too many in your arsenal), so when a reader requested “copycat” recipes from the Whole Food’s salad bar, I jumped at the chance.

Everyone’s mother has a signature potato salad recipe, at least in the South it seems. I’ve got about four versions that I rotate between, including an Ina Garten recipe that uses whole-grain mustard and my mother-in-law’s recipe with Greek yogurt and plenty of chives. With warmer weather promising lots of potential potlucks and barbecues, I decided it was high time I came up with my own signature potato salad.

Pizza and flatbreads are in constant dinner rotation at my house. I’m always shocked at how quickly homemade dough comes together (not to mention that it freezes like a dream) so we always have an extra round or two on any given weeknight. And because you can justify putting practically anything on top, there is nothing you can’t throw in the mix — even potatoes and truffle oil! What is flatbread exactly?

The leftovers are even better than eating it the first time around.

I have previously shared a recipe for chile verde — a beloved holiday favorite at my house — and while this recipe for pork, poblano, and pumpkin stew is very similar, where the stew really veers off is with its aromatics: tomato paste; San Marzano tomatoes; and a fragrant blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and brown sugar. This stew has a more Mediterranean vibe; a far cry from the Southwestern flavors of the original.