Rice Krispy Treats are kind of a Thing in my family—there’s even a not-so-secret recipe that Rob grew up with that we have been making pretty frequently these days. They’re such a classic treat that I can never resist them, but I realized the other day that my ideal Rice Krispy Treat is so marshmallow-y that it almost falls apart when you pick it up. I made a new batch the other day to test it out and my goodness was it perfect. The plus side is that it’s so gooey and pull-y that they’re almost a choking hazard, so you can feel good about eating all of them while your toddler is napping.

The recipe on the marshmallow bag calls for 6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal, but I like to cut that in half. The great thing about Rice Krispy Treats is that you can customize the recipe pretty much any way you want to (my friend Jamie once threw crumbled Oreos in at the coffee shop where we worked and it was a huge hit). Add more cereal, or less, or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel, top with sprinkles, even brown the butter first!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of butter

• 1 package of mini marshmallows (about 10 ounces)

• 3 cups of Rice Krispies cereal

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir frequently until melted completely.

2. Remove from heat and add the cereal. Gently stir to combine the marshmallow and Rice Krispies but work quickly while it’s still warm.

3. Pour the mixture into a greased baking pan—the size is up to you depending on how thick or thin you like your bars. Add any toppings and allow to cool.

Rob likes his cold but I prefer them room temperature for maximum gooeyness. It’s your dessert, you do you!

This is one of my current favorite recipes—I’ve been making it at least once a week lately and I love it because it’s great for meal prep, which is a thing I really never got into until recently. Rice, marinated chicken, a little tomato salad, and some homemade tzatziki can all be made ahead of time and put together when you’re ready to serve and eat. You could use regular white rice but I like to add lemon when it’s cooking to give it a little something extra.

Ingredients:

• About 1 pound of chicken breast

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus a few more tablespoons set aside

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• The juice of 1 lemon, divided

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered or diced

• 1/4 cup red onion, diced

• Half of a large cucumber, peeled and diced

• About 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

• 1-2 cups of uncooked rice

• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

• 1-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint and/or dill

• The other half of the cucumber, grated

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced, divided

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix together olive oil, dried oregano, half of the garlic clove, and half of the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and add chicken. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or longer in the refrigerator.

2. While chicken marinates, make the tzatziki by combining yogurt, mint and/or dill, grated cucumber, a bit of lemon juice, and half of the garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Put together the tomato salad by combining tomato, diced cucumber, and red onion. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine as you add a drizzle of olive oil and the red wine vinegar. Set aside.

4. Make rice according to package instructions—I like to make mine in the pressure cooker (1 cup rice to 1 cup water or broth for 2 minutes on high pressure, then natural release of pressure which takes 10-20 minutes depending on how much I’ve made). If you want to make your rice extra tasty, add some salt, pepper, and the rest of the lemon juice before cooking. I also like to sauté the rice with some butter before adding the liquid, but that’s totally optional.

5. Place a large pan over medium-high heat and allow to preheat. Drizzle some olive oil and allow to heat up. Add chicken to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until browned and completely cooked through. Remove from heat and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing or dicing meat into smaller pieces.

6. To assemble and serve, spoon rice into bowls and top with chicken, tomato salad, and a generous dollop of tzatziki. You can add pita bread as well if you want!

One of my favorite easy meals is a quick, chunky tomato sauce that comes together in a cast iron pan before I drop a few eggs in to cook slowly. What really makes the whole thing sing is a couple slices of crusty toasted sourdough, but it is still just as delicious on its own. This makes a great breakfast but an even better lunch/dinner when you don’t feel like cooking or doing the dishes—trust me, I’ve been there more times than I care to admit.

Ingredients:

• About 20 ounces of cherry tomatoes (if you don’t have fresh tomatoes you can totally use canned)

• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed

• About 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more if you like it spicier)

• 3-4 eggs

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Fresh basil or parsley

Instructions:

1. In a cast-iron skillet, warm up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and stir gently until browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oil after a few minutes so it doesn’t burn.

2. Add the crushed red pepper to the oil and stir. Add the tomatoes and allow to cook gently for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once they start to soften you can begin smashing the tomatoes gently with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Once the tomato mixture is nice and liquid-y, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook for another 8-10 minutes.

3. Remove the lid and check your tomatoes—are they simmering? Use a spoon to create a few wells and gently crack eggs in. Season eggs, cover again and cook another 3-4 minutes, or until whites are set but yolk is still runny. If you like them cooked more, then allow more time.

4. Remove from heat and carefully spoon eggs out with tomato sauce. Serve as is with a sprinkle of herbs or on toast (or over a bowl of rice! It’s good on everything).