The holidays are officially packed up, the house has returned to its slightly haunted baseline, and I am once again craving food that feels normal, comforting, and deeply cooperative. Let's talk about what's cooking.
This was originally a Casserole Confidential email dated January 4, 2026.
Hey y'all,
Happy Sunday!
I don't know about you, but I was desperate for normal life by the end of the holidays. Tree down. Glitter exorcised. The house returned to its usual state of slightly haunted calm.
While I was off in Phoenix pretending I actually feel like a successful CEO, my husband quietly put Christmas away and taught himself how to use the espresso machine. Not "press a button and hope" either. I'm talking full-on coffee-shop-level latte. Foam art. Confidence. A man with a mission and a milk wand.
I adore that man. Truly. Deeply. Very likely forever.
And let's be honest-if he ever decides to monetize memes about his weird wife, he's sitting on a gold mine. I support him. I'd probably share them.
Things are quiet here. My daughter spent the weekend with my granddaughter (her eldest) and it's so good for her to get out. Although her memory, mobility, and speech issues seem to be permanent the tumor is not growing and the brain cancer is not spreading to other parts of her body. A few of you have asked and I wanted to make sure you had an update. Prior to the cancer she was a gifted photographer and it's hard to watch her unable to do much more than watch tv.
Sorry, I'm rambling on. Let's look at some recipes!
(Y'all, there might be affiliate links below-gotta keep the coffee flowing so I can keep sharing the recipes you love!)
Here's the old meal plan for this week. The new meal plan is linked at the bottom of this page.
Just updated
Buttermilk bread has been living on my site since 2006-back when blogging required vibes, dial-up patience, and blind optimism. It was the very first bread I ever learned to make, courtesy of Seventeen magazine when I was 14 and thought being grown up involved kissing gloss lip gloss (butterscotch flavor), white eyeshadow, and Sweet Honesty perfume.
Fast-forward a few (!) decades and this loaf now has 900+ five-star reviews, which means it's basically bread royalty. Soft. Tender. The kind of loaf that makes you question every sad grocery-store sandwich bread you've ever tolerated.
If you haven't made it yet, fix that immediately. If you have made it… you already know. And you probably need to make it again.
Cheesy casseroles that quiet the emotional clutter
If it's bubbling, golden, and held together by cheese and audacity, it belongs here. These casseroles are unapologetic. No salads required. Just forks, stretchy cheese pulls, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing dinner understands you. Perfect for weeknights, potlucks, or moments when life has tried you and lost.
Angel Chicken and Rice Creamy, cozy, and uniquely comforting -this is the casserole equivalent of a soft blanket and someone refilling your wine without asking. Tender chicken, buttery rice, and a sauce so good it feels a little blessed. Weeknight-friendly. Church-lady approved. Absolutely lives up to the name.
Beef Burrito Casserole All the bold, saucy, cheesy burrito vibes without rolling a single tortilla. Seasoned beef, rice, beans, and melty cheese stacked into a casserole that understands you're tired but still want all the flavor. Serve it with sour cream and a little attitude.
Ricotta Chicken Pasta Casserole This one's creamy in a grown-up way. Ricotta keeps things lush and silky, chicken makes it hearty, and baked pasta pulls the whole thing together like it was styled by that super popular influencer. Cozy but classy. Comfort food that knows how to behave in public, unlike your cousin's children.
Beef Enchilada Casserole Deeply savory, gloriously saucy, and layered like the broody male main character in your favorite romance novel - just a bit easier to acquire. All the enchilada flavor-spiced beef, tortillas, cheese-without the assembly line. This is the casserole you make when you want dinner to feel like a win despite the rest of the day.
Stuffed Pepper Casserole Everything you love about stuffed peppers, minus the fiddling and the disappointment when one collapses. Beef, rice, peppers, tomato sauce, and cheese all baked together into something bold, cozy, and extremely scoopable. Same flavor. Less nonsense. More time for a long bubble bath.
Pie recipes that fix everything (yes, everything)
Sweet, rich, flaky, and deeply therapeutic. These pies are for weekends, Tuesdays, and "I deserve something good" moments. Fruit pies, creamy pies, old-school favorites-the kind that make people linger in the kitchen and ask for the recipe like it's classified information. Warning: feral emotions may surface when asked to share. Please remember there are no lattes in the local correction facility and control yourself accordingly.
Food Processor Pie Crust This is the pie crust for people who love homemade pie but do not enjoy suffering. Buttery, flaky, and done in minutes thanks to the food processor doing the heavy lifting. No drama. No overthinking. Just a reliable, golden crust that behaves itself and lets the filling shine.
Grandma's Dutch Apple Pie Because when the house smells like the cottage kitchen in an apple orchard; all baked apples and butter, people suddenly develop reasons to be close by. This pie does that. Tender apples, a thick crumb topping, and just enough spice to make "I'll wait" turn into "I'll just have a bite." And then half the pie is gone before while it's still steaming and bubbling.
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Classic pecan pie, but make it on the same level as a man in a black Italian made suit with french cuffs and gold cuff links - dangerous. Rich chocolate, toasty pecans, and a splash of bourbon that brings depth, swagger, and a slightly wicked grin. This is not a shy dessert. Serve it to adults who appreciate bold flavors and aren't afraid of a second slice.
Southern Buttermilk Pie Simple, creamy, and quietly powerful. This pie doesn't sparkle. It doesn't swirl. It doesn't care. Smooth buttermilk custard, a crackly top, and the kind of Southern confidence that doesn't explain itself - kinda like your meemaw when she wore all white after Labor Day and her side eye dared someone to comment about it.
Lemon Meringue Pie This is lemon meringue without the training wheels. Bright, unapologetically tart filling, toasted meringue for dramatic pause, and a flaky butter crust holding it all together. It doesn't try to be nice. It assumes you can handle it and if you can't? Piggly Wiggly is down the street.
Amazon Finds
If you bake your own bread (and if not, why not? My bread recipes are foolproof!), you already know the heartbreak of a "rustic" slice that turns into a crumb avalanche. This adjustable wooden bread slicer fixes that. It holds your loaf steady, lets you choose the thickness, and gives you clean, even slices-whether you're cutting crusty sourdough, soft sandwich bread, or a still-warm baguette you absolutely should have let cool (no judgment).
It's sturdy, simple, and looks good enough to live on the counter. No gadgets, no nonsense, just old-school practicality that makes homemade bread feel a little more civilized. If you bake often-or gift bread to people you actually like-this one earns its keep fast.
talk soon!
love ya!
PS-
Don't forget about the free January 2026 meal plan with clickable links - 2026 January meal plan.pdf
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