Recipes from our kitchen

You'll need

• ·about 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra if the dough gets clingy
• ·1 packet yeast
• ·1 spoonful sugar
• ·a good pinch of salt
• ·about 1 cup warm water, then a splash more if the dough asks for it
• ·a little drizzle of oil or melted butter
• ·1–2 generous handfuls shredded cheddar
• ·1–2 jalapeños, chopped — seeds in or out depending on how spicy you like it

Make it

1. 1.Mix the flour, yeast, sugar & salt. Pour in the warm water a little at a time until you have a soft dough.
2. 2.Knead until smooth. If it is sticking to everything you own, dust in a little more flour.
3. 3.Cover it & let it sit somewhere cozy until puffy, about an hour-ish.
4. 4.Work in the cheddar & jalapeños, shape into a loaf and let it puff up again.
5. 5.Bake around 375°F until deeply golden, cheesy on top & your kitchen smells like you absolutely know what you’re doing.

You'll need

• ·about 2½ cups flour
• ·1 tsp baking soda
• ·a good shake of cinnamon
• ·a little shake of nutmeg or pumpkin spice
• ·a pinch of salt
• ·½ cup softened butter
• ·about 1 cup brown sugar
• ·½ cup white sugar
• ·1 egg
• ·about 1 cup pumpkin purée
• ·a splash of vanilla
• ·1–2 handfuls chocolate chips, because we are not rationing joy

Make it

1. 1.Mix the flour, baking soda, spices & salt in one bowl.
2. 2.Cream the butter and sugars, then mix in the egg, pumpkin & vanilla.
3. 3.Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until everything comes together.
4. 4.Fold in however many chocolate chips feel correct to your spirit.
5. 5.Scoop onto a lined pan and bake at 350°F for about 11–14 minutes, until the tops look set but the cookies are still soft.

You'll need

• ·1 baked 9×13 vanilla or yellow cake — homemade or boxed, no judgment here
• ·1 can sweetened condensed milk
• ·1 can evaporated milk
• ·about 1 cup whole milk
• ·a splash of vanilla
• ·whipped topping or whipped cream — enough for a fluffy blanket over the cake
• ·2–3 bananas, sliced
• ·a good handful or two of strawberries, sliced
• ·vanilla wafers, however many make the top look pretty

Make it

1. 1.Bake your cake and let it cool. Poke holes all over it with a fork or skewer.
2. 2.Whisk together the condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk & vanilla.
3. 3.Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake. Let it soak in instead of flooding one spot.
4. 4.Chill for a few hours or overnight if you have the patience.
5. 5.Cover with whipped topping, then decorate with strawberries, bananas & vanilla wafers.

You'll need

• ·a good drizzle of oil
• ·about 2 cups small pasta — shells, stars, elbows, whatever is in the pantry
• ·½ onion, chopped, or a handful if you already chopped some
• ·2 cloves garlic, or a couple good shakes of garlic powder
• ·about 1 can tomato sauce
• ·6-ish cups broth or water with bouillon
• ·a pinch of salt
• ·a few shakes cumin
• ·a little shake of oregano
• ·optional: beans, shredded chicken, veggies, or whatever needs using up
• ·for the top: avocado, cilantro, lime, cheese, hot sauce — pick your favorites

Make it

1. 1.Warm a drizzle of oil in a pot and toast the dry pasta for a few minutes until some pieces start turning golden.
2. 2.Add onion & garlic and let them soften a little.
3. 3.Pour in tomato sauce and broth. Add salt, cumin & oregano.
4. 4.Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer until the pasta is tender. Add more broth if it gets thicker than you like.
5. 5.Taste it. Add a little more seasoning, salt or lime until it tastes like home.

You'll need

• ·about 2½ cups flour
• ·1 tsp baking soda
• ·a pinch of salt
• ·¾ cup softened butter
• ·about 1 cup brown sugar
• ·½ cup white sugar
• ·1 box instant banana pudding mix
• ·2 eggs
• ·a splash of vanilla
• ·1–2 handfuls chocolate chips
• ·a handful of crushed vanilla wafers

Make it

1. 1.Mix flour, baking soda & salt in a bowl.
2. 2.Cream butter and sugars, then beat in the pudding mix, eggs & vanilla.
3. 3.Stir in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
4. 4.Fold in chocolate chips and vanilla wafer pieces.
5. 5.Scoop chunky little mounds onto a lined pan and bake at 350°F for about 10–13 minutes. Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look soft.

You'll need

• ·about 3 cups pancake mix — homemade or boxed is perfectly welcome
• ·enough milk or water for a thick pourable batter, usually around 2 cups
• ·2 eggs
• ·a splash of vanilla
• ·1–2 ripe bananas, sliced or mashed
• ·a generous handful of chocolate chips
• ·a little melted butter or oil for the pan

Make it

1. 1.Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a large sheet pan or baking dish.
2. 2.Mix pancake mix, liquid, eggs & vanilla. The batter should pour but not run like water.
3. 3.Spread it into the pan. Add bananas and scatter chocolate chips with a generous hand.
4. 4.Bake about 15–20 minutes, until the center is set and the top is lightly golden.
5. 5.Slice into squares and serve everybody at the same time like the miracle this method is.

You'll need

• ·pancake batter — enough for 2 little pancakes per sandwich
• ·a little maple syrup, plus extra if your heart says yes
• ·sausage patties
• ·eggs
• ·slices of cheese
• ·a little butter or oil for the pan
• ·optional: a tiny drizzle of syrup inside the sandwich

Make it

1. 1.Cook small pancakes about the size of your sausage patties. Add a tiny drizzle of maple syrup to the batter or brush the pancakes with a little syrup after cooking.
2. 2.Cook the sausage patties until done and browned.
3. 3.Cook eggs however your family likes them — round eggs are cute, regular eggs still taste like eggs.
4. 4.Stack pancake, sausage, egg, cheese, then another pancake.
5. 5.Let the cheese melt from the heat, or warm the finished sandwiches for a minute before serving.

You'll need

• ·about 2½ cups flour
• ·1 tbsp baking powder
• ·a good shake or two of cinnamon
• ·a pinch of salt
• ·½ cup melted butter or oil
• ·about 1 cup sugar
• ·2 eggs
• ·about 1 cup milk
• ·a splash of vanilla
• ·2 apples, peeled if you feel like it & chopped small
• ·optional: a little brown sugar + cinnamon for sprinkling on top

Make it

1. 1.Heat the oven to 375°F and grease or line your muffin pans.
2. 2.Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon & salt.
3. 3.In another bowl mix butter, sugar, eggs, milk & vanilla.
4. 4.Stir wet into dry just until combined, then fold in the apples.
5. 5.Scoop into muffin cups, sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar if you want, and bake about 18–24 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

You'll need

• ·1 graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust
• ·1 box instant banana or vanilla pudding mix
• ·about 2 cups cold milk, or whatever your pudding box calls for
• ·whipped topping — a few big spoonfuls for the filling plus enough for the top
• ·2–3 bananas, sliced
• ·a good handful of vanilla wafers
• ·a splash of vanilla if you are using vanilla pudding

Make it

1. 1.Whisk the pudding with cold milk until it thickens.
2. 2.Fold in a few big spoonfuls of whipped topping so the filling gets fluffy.
3. 3.Layer banana slices and a few crushed vanilla wafers in the crust.
4. 4.Spoon in the pudding mixture and smooth the top.
5. 5.Add more whipped topping, banana slices & vanilla wafers. Chill until set, usually a couple hours.