I’m passionate about cooking at home! Sure, I love to grab takeout once a week to give myself a break, but I think it’s so important to gather the family together around the dinner table as often as possible. The bonding and memories that occur there are unmatched!

I’m trying to instill in my oldest daughter the love of cooking/baking and the skills that she will need when she leaves home (I know that will happen all too soon, sniff, sniff). She’s been making bread with me and helping me make dinner regularly. Soon I’ll encourage my oldest son to cook with me more often. It’s so important to know your way around a kitchen! After all, we all need to eat, so we might as well eat good food!

Here’s what we ate for dinner last week:

Pasta and meatballs with homemade baguettes. This was my first time making baguettes. It certainly won’t be the last!

Pork Chops with a rice side. A classic but delicious meal!

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. One of my kids’ top three favorite meals. It’s so easy to make and so cheesy-good!

Pretzels and Pretzel Dogs. This was per my husband’s request. Dip them in Queso and they’re the best!