The finished bake should be golden on top and firm in the center.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F. Rub a little butter all over the inside of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.
Cook the sausage. Put it in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula. When there is no pink left, carefully drain off the grease.
Build the first layer. Tear the pancakes into bite-size pieces and spread them evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
Mix the eggs. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and onion powder together in a large bowl. Pour the mixture evenly over the pancakes.
Add the toppings. Scatter the cooked sausage over the dish. Cover it with the shredded cheese, then drizzle the melted butter over the top.
Bake for 30–35 minutes. It is done when the center does not jiggle and the top is golden. If you use a food thermometer, the center should reach 160°F.
Let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut it into squares and serve while it is warm.
How to serve it
Maple syrup gives it a sweet-and-savory taste. Hot sauce or salsa works when you want more bite.
Save the leftovers
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Reheat one serving at a time until it is hot all the way through.
Recipe 02 · Breakfast
Thomas's Loaded Breakfast Burritos
Crispy potatoes, savory sausage, soft scrambled eggs and melty cheddar rolled up in a warm tortilla. Makes eight big burritos that reheat perfectly.
Roll them tight, then toast the seam so every burrito stays together.
How to make them
Crisp the potatoes. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the hash browns for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until crispy and golden. Season with half of the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Scoop them out and set aside.
Cook the sausage. In the same skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles. Drain the grease, then set the sausage aside with the potatoes.
Scramble the eggs. Melt the other tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat. Whisk the eggs with the rest of the seasonings. Scramble gently until the eggs are just set and still soft.
Warm the tortillas. Heat them in a dry skillet or the microwave just until soft. This keeps them from cracking when you roll them.
Build each burrito. Put a scoop of potatoes, sausage and eggs down the center, then add a handful of cheese. Fold in the two sides and roll it up tight.
Toast them if you like. Put each burrito seam-side down in a dry hot skillet for 1–2 minutes per side. This seals the burrito and gives it a crisp finish.
Keep them for later
Wrap each burrito in foil. Keep them in the fridge for 3–4 days or in the freezer for up to one month.
Reheat them
Use the microwave or oven until hot all the way through. Take the foil off before putting a burrito in the microwave.
Recipe 03 · Lunch
Thomas's Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps
Crunchy breaded chicken, crispy bacon, melty cheese, fresh lettuce and tomato, and cool ranch wrapped up in a toasted tortilla. Makes four big wraps.
Toast the seam first so the wraps stay closed and get crisp on the outside.
How to make them
Set up the breading station. Put the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in the first bowl. Put the beaten eggs in the second and the breadcrumbs in the third.
Bread the chicken. Dip each tender in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs onto the chicken so they stick.
Fry until crisp. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Move it to paper towels to drain.
Warm the tortillas. Heat them in a dry skillet or the microwave just until soft so they roll without cracking.
Build each wrap. Spread ranch down the center, then add lettuce, tomato, 2 chicken tenders, 2 bacon strips and a handful of cheese. Fold in the sides and roll it up tight.
Toast the wraps. Put each one seam-side down in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden and the cheese melts.
Best served fresh
These wraps are at their crispiest right out of the skillet. Serve with extra ranch for dipping.
Keep the chicken
Refrigerate cooked chicken for up to 3 days and build the wraps when you're ready. Don't store them assembled with lettuce or they will get soggy.
Recipe 04 · Lunch
Thomas's All-American Burger Basket
A diner-style spread with juicy cheeseburgers, crispy seasoned fries and a thick vanilla shake. Makes four servings.
Nutritionabout 1,500 cal · 55g protein per serving (burger + fries + shake)
Make the shake last so it stays cold and thick when the burgers and fries are ready.
How to make it
Start with the fries—they take the longest. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the potatoes into thin strips, then toss them with the oil, salt, paprika and garlic powder. Spread them in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until golden and crispy.
Make the patties. Gently mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder into the ground beef. Don't overwork it. Form four patties, then press your thumb into the center of each one so they don't puff up.
Cook the burgers. Put the patties in a hot skillet or on the grill for 3–4 minutes per side. Add a slice of cheese during the last minute so it melts. Toast the buns cut-side down in the skillet.
Build the burgers. Add your favorite toppings and sauces to each one.
Make the shake last so it stays thick. Blend the ice cream, milk and chocolate syrup, if you're using it, for about 30 seconds. Pour into tall glasses and add whipped cream if you like.
Best served fresh
Bring the burgers, hot fries and cold shakes to the table as soon as everything is ready.
Save the leftovers
Cooked patties keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fries in the oven or air fryer to crisp them back up—the microwave makes them soggy.
Recipe 05 · Lunch
Thomas's Triple-Stack Club Sandwich
Triple-decker with ham, turkey, crispy bacon and melty cheese—the kind of sandwich that needs a toothpick to hold it together. Makes four big club sandwiches.
Use four toothpicks in each sandwich before cutting so every stacked quarter stays together.
How to make them
Cook the bacon. Put it in a skillet over medium heat and cook for 8–10 minutes, until crispy. Move it to paper towels to drain.
Toast the bread. Toast all 12 slices until golden.
Mix the spread. Stir the mayo and mustard together, then spread it on one side of every slice of toast.
Build each sandwich. Start with one slice of toast, 2 slices of ham and a slice of cheese. Add a second slice of toast, then 2 slices of turkey, 2 strips of bacon, lettuce and tomato. Finish with the third slice of toast.
Hold it together and cut it. Push 4 toothpicks through each sandwich, one in each quarter. Cut diagonally into 4 triangles.
Best served fresh
Eat these right after you build them. The toast goes soft if the sandwiches sit too long.
Prep ahead
Cook the bacon and slice everything ahead, then assemble when you're ready. Cooked bacon keeps in the fridge for 4–5 days.
Recipe 06 · Dinner
Thomas's Cheesy Baked Spaghetti
Spaghetti tossed in meaty tomato sauce and baked under a blanket of melted cheese. A big, easy dinner for the whole table.
Keep the heat gentle after the cheese goes in so the sauce stays smooth.
How to make it
Cook the pasta. Boil the fettuccine in salted water. Save ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain the noodles.
Cook the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat for 6–7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it.
Start the sauce. Melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the cream. Let it simmer gently for 3 minutes, stirring as it cooks.
Add the Parmesan. Stir until the sauce is smooth. If it gets too thick, add a splash of the saved pasta water.
Finish the dish. Toss the fettuccine in the sauce, then top it with the sliced chicken and parsley.
Keep it creamy
Don't let the sauce boil hard after the Parmesan goes in.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add a splash of milk when reheating.
Recipe 08 · Dessert
Thomas's Giant Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
One big warm cookie with crispy edges and a gooey middle—serve it straight from the skillet with ice cream.
Nutritionabout 550 cal · 28g protein per serving (2 tacos)
Take the eggs off the heat while they still look a little shiny so they stay soft.
How to make them
Cook the sausage. Brown it in a big pan over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles, about 5–6 minutes. Scoop it out onto a plate.
Whisk the eggs. Mix the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl.
Start the eggs. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. Pour in the eggs.
Scramble them gently. Stir slowly with a spatula, pushing the eggs around until just set and still a little shiny, about 3–4 minutes. Take them off the heat — they'll keep cooking.
Warm the tortillas. Heat them in a dry pan or straight over a gas flame for a few seconds per side.
Build the tacos. Fill each tortilla with eggs, sausage and cheddar. Top with salsa and sour cream.
Recipe 13 · Lunch
Thomas's Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Crispy golden grilled cheese made for dunking into creamy tomato soup. The ultimate rainy-day lunch.
Nutritionabout 600 cal · 35g protein per serving (2 sliders)
Make the patties a little wider than the buns because they shrink as they cook.
How to make them
Shape the patties. Divide the beef into 12 equal balls and flatten them into small patties slightly wider than the buns. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Cook the burgers. Put them in a hot pan or on the grill for 2–3 minutes per side.
Add the cheese. During the last minute, top each patty with half a cheese slice and let it melt.
Toast the buns. Put them cut-side down in the pan for 1 minute.
Build the sliders. Stack a bottom bun, patty, bacon, a spoonful of BBQ sauce, pickles and the top bun.
Recipe 15 · Dinner
Thomas's Creamy Chicken & Rice Casserole
Tender chicken and rice baked in a creamy cheesy sauce. One dish, zero fuss, total comfort food.
Keep the dish covered for the first 35 minutes so the rice can steam until tender.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F.
Mix the creamy base. In a big bowl, stir together the rice, soup, broth, sour cream, half the cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Add the chicken. Fold in the chicken pieces and the peas if you're using them.
Fill the dish. Pour everything into a greased 9 × 13-inch baking dish and cover it tight with foil.
Bake for 40 minutes. After 35 minutes, uncover it, sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake for 5 more minutes until bubbly. The chicken should reach 165°F in the center.
Let it sit for 5 minutes before scooping. It thickens up as it rests.
Recipe 16 · Dinner
Thomas's Beefy Taco Pasta Skillet
Everything you love about tacos, tossed with pasta in one skillet. Taco Tuesday just got a promotion.
The shrimp are ready when they turn pink and curl into a loose C shape.
How to make it
Cook the linguine. Boil it in salty water until just tender. Save ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.
Start the garlic butter. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a big pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, then cook for 1 minute until it smells amazing.
Cook the shrimp. Add them in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through.
Toss everything together. Squeeze in the lemon juice, then add the pasta and parsley. Add splashes of pasta water until the sauce coats everything silky.
Serve it hot with Parmesan on top.
Recipe 18 · Dinner
Thomas's Loaded Baked Potato Soup
All the best parts of a loaded baked potato in soup form — bacon, cheddar, sour cream, the works.
Nutritionabout 480 cal · 26g protein per quesadilla
Cook until both sides are deep golden and the cheese is fully melted.
How to make it
Whisk the eggs.. Crack all 8 eggs into a large bowl. Add the salt and pepper and whisk until the yolks and whites are fully mixed.
Scramble them soft.. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and stir gently with the spatula for 3–4 minutes, until just set but still soft. Slide them onto a plate.
Build the quesadillas.. Wipe out the skillet. Lay a tortilla flat and cover one half with a quarter of the cheese, a quarter of the ham, a quarter of the eggs and a little more cheese. Fold the empty half over the top.
Cook until golden.. Melt a little of the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the quesadilla 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the rest.
Cut and serve.. Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges and serve hot with salsa if you like.
How to serve it
Salsa, hot sauce or sour cream on the side. These are great for busy mornings.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry skillet so they crisp back up.
Recipe 22 · Breakfast
Thomas's Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins
Tall, golden muffins bursting with juicy blueberries and a tender buttermilk crumb. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
Fill the cups right to the top for tall bakery-style muffins.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 400°F.. Line the muffin tin with paper liners.
Mix the dry ingredients.. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients.. In a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
Combine gently.. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir just until you stop seeing flour. Lumps are fine — overmixing makes tough muffins.
Fold in the berries.. Gently stir in the blueberries with just a few strokes.
Fill and bake.. Divide the batter between the 12 cups, filling each right to the top. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over each. Bake 20–22 minutes, until golden and springy on top.
Cool a little.. Let them sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. Best warm.
How to serve it
Warm with a little butter. Perfect with coffee or a cold glass of milk.
Save the leftovers
Keep at room temperature for 2 days in a sealed container, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Recipe 23 · Breakfast
Thomas's Sausage Gravy Breakfast Pizza
Pizza crust piled with creamy sausage gravy, fluffy scrambled eggs and melted cheddar. Breakfast and pizza had a delicious baby.
Let it rest 5 minutes before slicing so the toppings settle.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 450°F.. Lightly grease your pizza pan.
Brown the sausage.. Cook the sausage in the skillet over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains. Leave about 2 tablespoons of grease in the pan and drain the rest.
Make the gravy.. Stir the flour into the sausage and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes until thick like gravy. Season with the salt and pepper and set aside.
Scramble the eggs.. In the same skillet, melt the butter and softly scramble the eggs for 2–3 minutes. They should still look a little wet — they finish in the oven.
Build the pizza.. Stretch the dough out on the pan. Spread the sausage gravy edge to edge, then the scrambled eggs, then the cheddar.
Bake 15–18 minutes.. It is done when the crust is deep golden and the cheese is bubbly.
Rest and slice.. Wait 5 minutes, then cut into slices and serve hot.
How to serve it
A dash of hot sauce on top is fantastic. Serve with fresh fruit to round it out.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a 350°F oven until hot.
Recipe 24 · Lunch
Thomas's Italian Meatball Subs
Toasty garlic-butter hoagies stuffed with saucy meatballs and blanketed in melted mozzarella. Better than the sandwich shop.
Broil the last minute if you want the cheese extra brown and bubbly.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 400°F.. Line the baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
Warm the meatballs.. Put the meatballs and marinara in the saucepan over medium heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the meatballs are hot through.
Toast the rolls.. Split the rolls open but not all the way through. Mix the softened butter with the garlic powder and spread inside each roll. Toast open-face on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Fill them up.. Spoon 5 meatballs and plenty of sauce into each roll. Top with mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake 8–10 minutes.. Until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Add fresh basil if you like and serve right away.
How to serve it
Serve with potato chips or a simple green salad. Napkins required.
Save the leftovers
Store meatballs and sauce separately from rolls for up to 3 days. Reassemble and bake to reheat.
Recipe 25 · Lunch
Thomas's Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Soft slider buns piled with savory roast beef, sweet peppers and onions under a blanket of melted provolone. Gone in minutes.
Slice the whole tray apart after baking — way easier than filling buns one by one.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 350°F.. Lightly grease the baking dish.
Soften the veggies.. Cook the pepper and onion in a little butter or oil over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until soft and sweet. Set aside.
Slice the buns.. Without pulling the buns apart, slice the whole sheet in half sideways so you have a top sheet and a bottom sheet. Put the bottom sheet in the dish.
Stack it up.. Layer on the roast beef, then the peppers and onions, then the provolone slices. Put the top sheet of buns on.
Butter the tops.. Stir the Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder into the melted butter and brush it all over the tops of the buns.
Bake 12–15 minutes.. Cover with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden.
Slice and serve.. Cut along the bun lines into 12 sliders and serve hot.
How to serve it
Great for game day. Put out pickles and chips and let people grab.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven.
Recipe 26 · Lunch
Thomas's Loaded Chicken Tortilla Soup
A cozy tomato-based soup loaded with shredded chicken, beans and corn, finished with all your favorite toppings. Weeknight hero.
Boil the bites for just 30 seconds — that is what gives the chewy crust.
How to make it
Wake up the yeast.. Stir the sugar into the warm water, sprinkle the yeast over the top and wait 5 minutes. It should look foamy — that means it is alive.
Make the dough.. Stir in the flour and salt, then knead on a floured counter for about 5 minutes until smooth. Cover with a towel and rest 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 425°F.. Line the baking sheets with parchment. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in the large pot, then stir in the baking soda.
Shape the bites.. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into a long rope and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Give them a bath.. Drop the bites into the boiling water in small batches for 30 seconds, then scoop out with a slotted spoon onto the baking sheets.
Bake 12–14 minutes.. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with coarse salt and bake until deep golden brown.
Make the cheese dip.. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and stir until thick, then stir in the cheddar until melted and smooth.
How to serve it
Serve the bites warm with the cheese dip. Mustard works too if you like it tangy.
Save the leftovers
Keep in a sealed container for 2 days. Warm in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes to bring them back.
Recipe 28 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Crispy Fried Pickles with Ranch Dip
Tangy dill pickle chips in a crunchy golden coating, fried crisp and served with cool ranch. The appetizer that disappears first.
Pat the pickles really dry first — that is the secret to a coating that sticks.
How to make it
Dry the pickles.. Spread the pickle chips on paper towels and pat them very dry on both sides. Wet pickles make the coating slide off.
Set up your station.. Bowl 1: flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper stirred together. Bowl 2: beaten eggs. Bowl 3: panko.
Bread them.. Coat each pickle chip in flour, then egg, then press into the panko so it sticks. Set them on a plate as you go.
Heat the oil.. Pour the oil into the pot to about 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high until a panko crumb sizzles right away — about 350°F.
Fry in batches.. Fry a small handful at a time for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden. Do not crowd the pot.
Drain and salt.. Scoop out with the slotted spoon onto paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt right away. Serve hot with ranch.
How to serve it
Eat them hot — they are at their crispiest in the first 10 minutes.
Save the leftovers
Honestly, these do not keep well. Make only what you will eat right away.
Recipe 29 · Dessert
Thomas's S'mores Dip
A whole skillet of melted chocolate under a blanket of toasted marshmallows, made for scooping with graham crackers. Campfire vibes, no campfire needed.
Let it cool 5 minutes before digging in — the chocolate is molten lava at first.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 450°F.. Put the skillet on the stove over medium heat and melt the butter.
Melt the chocolate.. Pour the chocolate chips into the skillet in an even layer. Let them sit in the warm pan for about 2 minutes until they start to melt.
Top with marshmallows.. Arrange the marshmallows in a single layer over the chocolate, covering it completely. Pack them in snugly.
Bake 8–10 minutes.. Until the marshmallows are puffed up and golden brown on top. Watch the last minute — they go from golden to burnt fast.
Cool and scoop.. Let it rest for 5 minutes so nobody burns their mouth. Scoop with graham crackers and enjoy the stretchy marshmallow pulls.
How to serve it
Serve it warm while the chocolate is gooey. It firms up as it cools, so eat fast.
Save the leftovers
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Warm it back up in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
Recipe 30 · Dessert
Thomas's Easy Churro Bites with Chocolate Sauce
Little bites of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar with a thick chocolate dipping sauce. Like the fair came to your kitchen.
Keep the oil at a steady sizzle — too cool and they soak up grease, too hot and they brown too fast.
How to make it
Make the dough.. Bring the water, butter and salt to a boil in the saucepan. Stir in the flour all at once and keep stirring for about 1 minute until it forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides. Take it off the heat.
Add the eggs.. Let it cool 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time — it will look lumpy before it comes together. Stir in the vanilla. The dough should be thick and shiny.
Heat the oil.. Pour oil 2 inches deep in the pot and heat over medium-high until a tiny bit of dough sizzles right away — about 350°F. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
Pipe and fry.. Spoon the dough into the piping bag. Squeeze 2-inch pieces into the hot oil, snipping with scissors. Fry small batches for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden.
Coat them warm.. Drain on paper towels for a minute, then roll in the cinnamon sugar while still warm.
Make the chocolate sauce.. Heat the cream until steaming, pour over the chocolate chips in a bowl, wait 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Serve warm with the churro bites.
How to serve it
Serve warm with the chocolate sauce for dunking. These are at their best in the first hour.
Save the leftovers
Keep in a sealed container for 1 day, but they lose their crunch. The chocolate sauce keeps 1 week in the fridge — warm it to serve.
Recipe 31 · Dinner
Thomas's Easy Herb Pork Roast with Potatoes & Carrots
One pan, one pork roast, and a pile of roasted potatoes and carrots. Juicy, herby, and easy enough for a weeknight.
Let the roast rest 15 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F. Take the pork roast out of the fridge 20 minutes early so it is not ice cold going in.
Season the roast. Pat the roast dry with paper towels — this helps the outside brown. Rub it all over with the oil, then sprinkle on the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and rosemary. Rub it in with your hands.
Load up the pan. Put the roast in the middle of a large roasting pan or a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Scatter the potatoes, carrots and onion chunks around it. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
Cover and roast. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast for 1½ hours, then take the foil off and roast 30–45 minutes more, until the veggies are tender and the pork reads 145°F on a food thermometer stuck in the thickest part.
Rest, then slice. Move the roast to a cutting board and let it rest 15 minutes — this keeps it juicy. Slice it up and serve with the roasted veggies and some of the pan juices spooned over the top.
How to serve it
Spoon the pan juices over everything. Applesauce on the side is classic with pork.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Leftover pork makes great sandwiches or quesadillas.
Recipe 32 · Dinner
Thomas's Crock-Pot Herb Pork Roast with Potatoes & Carrots
The same herby pork roast with potatoes and carrots, made hands-off in the Crock-Pot. Set it in the morning, dinner is ready at night.
Let the roast rest 15 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
How to make it
Season the roast. Pat the roast dry with paper towels — this helps the outside brown. Rub it all over with the oil, then sprinkle on the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and rosemary. Rub it in with your hands.
Load up the Crock-Pot. Put the roast in the middle of the Crock-Pot. Scatter the potatoes, carrots and onion chunks around it. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom.
Cook low and slow. Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours (or HIGH for 4–5 hours), until the veggies are tender and the pork is very tender and reads at least 145°F on a food thermometer stuck in the thickest part.
Rest, then slice. Move the roast to a cutting board and let it rest 15 minutes — this keeps it juicy. Slice it up and serve with the veggies and some of the juices from the pot spooned over the top.
How to serve it
Spoon the juices from the pot over everything. Applesauce on the side is classic with pork.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Leftover pork makes great sandwiches or quesadillas.
Recipe 33 · Dinner
Thomas's Simple Spaghetti & Baked Potato
Buttery baked potatoes and a big plate of spaghetti with marinara. Two comfort-food classics, one easy dinner.
Start the potatoes first — they take the longest and the pasta comes together fast.
How to make it
Bake the potatoes. Heat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean and poke each one a few times with a fork. Rub them with a little butter or oil and sprinkle with salt. Put them right on the oven rack and bake for about 1 hour, until the skin is crisp and a fork slides in easily.
Boil the spaghetti. While the potatoes bake, bring a big pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for the time on the box, usually 9–11 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Scoop out a cup of the pasta water, then drain.
Warm the sauce. Pour the marinara into a saucepan over medium heat and warm it for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until it is steaming.
Toss it together. Put the drained spaghetti back in the pot. Pour in the warm marinara, add 2 tablespoons of butter, the garlic powder and a splash of the pasta water. Toss until every strand is coated and glossy.
Serve it up. Split each baked potato open, fluff the insides with a fork, and top with butter, salt, pepper and sour cream if you like. Plate the spaghetti next to it with parmesan on top.
How to serve it
Extra parmesan and a little black pepper over the spaghetti. Hot sauce on the potato if you like heat.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat the pasta in a pan with a splash of water so the sauce loosens up.
Recipe 34 · Breakfast
Thomas's Fluffy Belgian Waffles
Thick golden waffles that are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside. Made right in your waffle maker.
Don't open the waffle maker early — let them get deep golden before peeking.
How to make it
Heat up the waffle maker.. Plug it in and let it get fully hot while you mix the batter. A hot iron is what makes them crispy.
Mix the dry ingredients.. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients.. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
Combine the two.. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir just until mixed. A few small lumps are fine — don't overmix or the waffles get tough.
Cook the waffles.. Ladle batter onto the hot waffle maker (don't overfill — it puffs up). Close the lid and cook 4–5 minutes until deep golden and crispy.
Serve them hot.. Keep finished waffles warm in a 200°F oven while you cook the rest. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.
How to serve it
Butter and warm maple syrup are the classic. Fresh berries and whipped cream make them extra special.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in the toaster to bring back the crispiness.
Recipe 35 · Breakfast
Thomas's Bacon, Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
Crispy bacon, a fried egg and melty cheese on a toasted English muffin. The drive-thru has nothing on these.
Let the cheese sit on the hot egg for a minute — it melts perfectly on its own.
How to make it
Cook the bacon.. Lay the bacon in a cold skillet, then turn the heat to medium. Cook 8–10 minutes, flipping once, until crispy. Move to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Fry the eggs.. Pour out most of the bacon grease, leaving a thin coating. Crack in the eggs, season with salt and pepper, and fry 3–4 minutes until the whites are set. Pop the yolks if you don't want them runny.
Toast the muffins.. While the eggs cook, split the English muffins and toast them until golden.
Build the sandwiches.. Butter the toasted muffins. On each bottom half, stack 2 slices of bacon, one fried egg and a slice of cheddar. The heat from the egg melts the cheese.
Cap and serve.. Put the tops on and serve right away while everything is hot.
How to serve it
Great on their own, or with a side of fresh fruit. Add hot sauce if you like a kick.
Save the leftovers
Wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
Recipe 36 · Breakfast
Thomas's Denver Omelet Skillet
Diced ham, sweet bell peppers and onions folded into one big fluffy omelet. One skillet feeds the whole table.
Keep the heat at medium — high heat browns the eggs before the middle sets.
How to make it
Cook the ham and veggies.. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the ham, bell pepper and onion for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the veggies are soft. Scoop onto a plate.
Whisk the eggs.. Crack all 10 eggs into the bowl. Add the salt and pepper and whisk until fully mixed and a little frothy.
Start the omelet.. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Pour in the eggs and let them sit for 1 minute until the edges start to set.
Add the filling.. Spread the ham and veggie mixture over one half of the eggs and sprinkle the cheese over everything.
Fold it over.. When the eggs are mostly set but still a little wet on top (about 4–5 minutes), slide the spatula under the empty half and fold it over the filled half.
Finish and serve.. Cook 1–2 more minutes until the cheese melts, then slide the whole omelet onto a plate and cut into 4 wedges.
How to serve it
Hot sauce and a side of toast. This is a full breakfast all by itself.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat.
Recipe 37 · Breakfast
Thomas's Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats
Creamy oats soaked overnight with peanut butter and banana. Breakfast is just sitting in the fridge waiting for you.
Make them before bed and wake up to breakfast already done.
How to make it
Mash the banana.. Put half the banana slices in a bowl and mash them with a fork. Save the rest for topping in the morning.
Mix everything.. Stir in the oats, milk, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, chia seeds if using, and the pinch of salt. Keep stirring until the peanut butter is fully mixed in.
Divide into jars.. Spoon the mixture into two jars or bowls and put the lids on.
Refrigerate overnight.. Let them sit in the fridge at least 6 hours, or overnight. The oats soak up the milk and turn thick and creamy.
Top and eat.. In the morning, give each jar a good stir, top with the saved banana slices and a drizzle of honey. Eat cold, straight from the jar.
How to serve it
Extra banana slices, a drizzle of honey, or a spoonful of peanut butter on top.
Save the leftovers
Keep refrigerated and eat within 3 days. These are meant to be eaten cold.
Recipe 38 · Breakfast
Thomas's Cheesy Grits & Sausage Breakfast Bowl
Creamy, buttery cheese grits topped with browned sausage crumbles and a sprinkle of green onions. The South's best breakfast, in a bowl.
Stir the grits often so they stay creamy and don't stick to the bottom.
How to make it
Brown the sausage.. Cook the sausage in the skillet over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, breaking it into crumbles with the spoon, until no pink is left. Scoop it onto a plate.
Boil the water.. Pour the water into the saucepan, add the salt, and bring it to a full rolling boil over high heat.
Whisk in the grits.. Slowly pour in the grits while whisking nonstop — this keeps them from clumping. Turn the heat down to low.
Cook low and slow.. Cover and cook 15–20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until thick and creamy. If they get too thick, splash in a little milk.
Make them cheesy.. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the butter, milk and cheddar until everything is melted and smooth. Add the pepper.
Build your bowls.. Spoon the grits into bowls, pile on the sausage, and sprinkle the green onions over the top. Serve hot.
How to serve it
Hot sauce on top is amazing. Add a fried egg on top if you are extra hungry.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of milk and stir — grits firm up in the fridge.
Recipe 39 · Breakfast
Thomas's Classic Cinnamon French Toast
Thick slices of bread soaked in sweet cinnamon custard and fried golden in butter. Weekend mornings were made for this.
Day-old bread soaks up the custard best without falling apart.
How to make it
Whisk the custard.. In the shallow dish, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until everything is mixed and the cinnamon is spread through.
Heat the pan.. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet over medium heat. You want it hot enough that a drop of water sizzles.
Soak the bread.. Lay a slice of bread in the custard for about 30 seconds, flip it, and let the other side soak 30 seconds. It should feel heavy and wet but not falling apart.
Cook until golden.. Cook each slice 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Add more butter between batches.
Serve warm.. Stack them up, dust with powdered sugar and pour on warm maple syrup.
How to serve it
Fresh berries and a big glass of milk on the side.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in the toaster — it brings back the crisp edges.
Recipe 40 · Lunch
Thomas's Classic BLT Sandwiches
Crispy bacon, juicy tomato and crunchy lettuce with creamy mayo on toasted bread. Simple, perfect, done.
Toast the bread in the bacon grease for the best BLT of your life.
How to make it
Cook the bacon crisp.. Lay the bacon in the cold skillet in a single layer. Turn the heat to medium and cook 4–5 minutes per side until crispy. Move to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Toast the bread.. Pour out most of the bacon grease, leaving a thin coating. Toast the bread in the skillet 1–2 minutes per side until golden.
Spread the mayo.. Spread a spoonful of mayo on one side of every slice of bread.
Layer it up.. On 4 slices, stack 2 lettuce leaves, 3 slices of bacon and 2–3 tomato slices. Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
Close and cut.. Top with the other bread slices, press down gently and cut each sandwich in half.
How to serve it
Potato chips and a pickle spear on the side — the classic diner plate.
Save the leftovers
Best eaten fresh. If you must save one, wrap it tight and refrigerate — eat within a day, the lettuce wilts fast.
Recipe 41 · Lunch
Thomas's Tuna Melt Sandwiches
Creamy tuna salad and gooey melted cheddar grilled golden on buttery bread. The tuna sandwich grew up and got delicious.
Press down gently with the spatula so the cheese melts all the way through.
How to make it
Mix the tuna salad.. Put the drained tuna in the bowl and flake it apart with a fork. Stir in the mayo, relish, celery, salt and pepper.
Butter the bread.. Spread softened butter on one side of every slice of bread — this side goes face-down in the pan.
Build the melts.. On the unbuttered side of 4 slices, pile on a quarter of the tuna salad and lay a slice of cheddar over the top. Cap with the other bread, buttered side out.
Grill low and slow.. Cook over medium-low heat 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the bread is deep golden and the cheese is fully melted.
Cut and serve.. Let them rest a minute, then cut in half so the cheese doesn't all run out.
How to serve it
Pickle chips and a bowl of tomato soup — just like the diner.
Save the leftovers
Best fresh. Leftover tuna salad (without bread) keeps 3 days refrigerated in a sealed container.
Recipe 42 · Lunch
Thomas's Chicken Caesar Wraps
Juicy grilled chicken, crunchy romaine, parmesan and creamy Caesar dressing all rolled up in a warm tortilla. Lunch in 20 minutes.
Warm the tortillas first so they roll up without cracking.
How to make it
Season the chicken.. Rub the chicken breasts all over with the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Make sure both sides are coated.
Cook the chicken.. Heat your grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 5–6 minutes per side, until the middle is no longer pink. Let it rest 5 minutes so the juices stay in, then slice it into strips.
Warm the tortillas.. Heat each tortilla in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side. Warm tortillas roll up easy; cold ones crack.
Toss the salad part.. In a big bowl, toss the chopped romaine with the ½ cup of Caesar dressing and half of the parmesan until everything is lightly coated.
Build the wraps.. Lay a tortilla flat. Pile on a quarter of the dressed romaine, a quarter of the chicken strips, some croutons if you are using them, and a sprinkle of the rest of the parmesan. Drizzle a little extra dressing over the top.
Roll them up.. Fold in the two sides, then roll from the bottom up, tucking as you go so it is nice and tight. Cut in half on a slant and serve right away.
How to serve it
Great with chips or a pickle spear on the side. Extra Caesar dressing for dipping never hurts.
Save the leftovers
Best eaten fresh, but you can keep the parts separate in the fridge for up to 2 days and roll fresh wraps when you want one.
Recipe 43 · Lunch
Thomas's Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Tender chicken, soft carrots and celery, and slurpable egg noodles in a cozy golden broth. The soup that fixes everything.
Cook the noodles right in the pot so they soak up all that flavor.
How to make it
Soften the veggies.. Melt the butter with the olive oil in your big pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook about 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until they start getting soft. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Add the chicken and broth.. Lay the chicken breasts right in the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, add the bay leaves and thyme, and give it a stir.
Simmer until the chicken is done.. Bring it up to a gentle bubble, then turn the heat down to low. Let it simmer 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and easy to shred.
Shred the chicken.. Pull the chicken breasts out onto a cutting board. Shred them with two forks — just pull the forks apart through the meat. Put the shredded chicken back in the pot.
Cook the noodles.. Turn the heat back up to medium, stir in the egg noodles and cook 8–10 minutes, until the noodles are tender. Fish out the bay leaves and throw them away.
Taste and serve.. Add salt and pepper until it tastes right to you. Ladle into big bowls and sprinkle parsley on top if you want.
How to serve it
Hot with crusty bread or saltine crackers. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top if you want. This is the soup you make when someone is sick or it is cold outside.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. The noodles soak up broth overnight, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat.
Recipe 44 · Lunch
Thomas's Sloppy Joes
Sweet, tangy, saucy ground beef piled high on toasted buns. Messy in the best way — grab extra napkins.
Let the sauce simmer thick so it stays on the bun and not on your shirt.
How to make it
Brown the beef.. Cook the ground beef in the large skillet over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up with your spoon, until no pink is left. Drain off the grease.
Cook the veggies.. Add the onion and bell pepper to the beef and cook about 5 minutes until they soften up. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Make it saucy.. Stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, water, salt and pepper. Mix it all together really well.
Simmer it down.. Turn the heat to low, put the lid on and let it simmer 10 minutes. Take the lid off for the last few minutes so the sauce gets nice and thick — it should cling to the meat, not run off.
Toast the buns.. While the sauce simmers, split the buns and toast them cut-side up on the baking sheet under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, until golden. Watch them close, they burn fast.
Pile it high.. Spoon a big heap of the beef mixture onto each bottom bun, cap it with the top bun, and serve hot with a stack of napkins.
How to serve it
Classic with potato chips and pickles. A slice of cheese on top melts right into the sauce if you want to get fancy.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate the meat mixture for up to 4 days. It is even better the next day — reheat in a skillet and pile onto fresh toasted buns.
Recipe 45 · Lunch
Thomas's Egg Salad Sandwiches
Creamy, tangy egg salad with a little crunch from celery, piled on soft bread with a shake of paprika. Simple and perfect.
Chill the egg salad at least 30 minutes so the flavors come together.
How to make it
Boil the eggs.. Put the eggs in the pot in a single layer and cover with cold water by about an inch. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, then turn the heat off, put the lid on and let them sit 10 minutes.
Cool them fast.. Scoop the eggs into the bowl of ice water with a spoon and let them sit 5 minutes. Cold eggs peel way easier.
Peel and chop.. Tap each egg on the counter and roll it gently to crack the shell all over, then peel. Chop the eggs into small bite-size pieces — not too tiny, you want some texture.
Mix the salad.. Put the chopped eggs in the mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, celery, red onion, salt, pepper and the ¼ teaspoon of paprika. Stir gently until everything is coated. Taste it — add a pinch more salt if it needs it.
Chill it.. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. This rest makes a real difference in flavor.
Build the sandwiches.. Spread a thick layer of egg salad on 4 slices of bread. Add lettuce if you like, shake a little paprika over the top, and close with the other 4 slices. Cut in half and serve.
How to serve it
Great with potato chips and a pickle. Also really good scooped onto crackers or stuffed into a pita.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Do not freeze — the mayo gets weird.
Recipe 46 · Dinner
Thomas's One-Pan Lemon Herb Chicken & Rice
Juicy chicken thighs and fluffy rice cooked together in one pan with lemon, garlic and herbs. Dinner with almost no dishes.
Let the rice rest 5 minutes off the heat so it soaks up every bit of flavor.
How to make it
Season the chicken.. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels — this helps them brown. Sprinkle both sides with the salt, pepper and oregano.
Brown the thighs.. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the chicken in skin-side down and cook 5–6 minutes without moving it, until deep golden. Flip and cook 4 more minutes. Take the chicken out and set it on a plate.
Toast the rice and garlic.. Turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and rice to the same pan and stir for 1 minute, until the rice looks a little toasty and smells like garlic.
Add the broth and lemon.. Pour in the chicken broth and the lemon juice. Stir once, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom — that is flavor.
Nestle the chicken back in.. Lay the chicken thighs on top of the rice, skin-side up. Tuck the lemon slices around them. Put the lid on.
Cook 20 minutes.. Turn the heat to low and cook 20 minutes with the lid on. Do not lift the lid — the steam is cooking the rice.
Rest and finish.. Take the pan off the heat and let it sit, lid on, for 5 minutes. Dot the butter over the top, sprinkle with parsley if you like, and serve.
How to serve it
A simple green salad or some steamed broccoli on the side. Squeeze extra lemon over your plate.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of broth so the rice does not dry out.
Recipe 47 · Dinner
Thomas's Beef Stroganoff Skillet
Tender strips of beef and mushrooms in a rich creamy sauce, spooned over buttery egg noodles. Old-school comfort food.
Stir the sour cream in off the heat so the sauce stays silky and smooth.
How to make it
Season the beef.. Toss the beef strips with half the salt and all the pepper in a bowl.
Sear the beef.. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer — work in two batches if it is crowded — and cook 2–3 minutes per side until browned. Take it out and set aside.
Cook the mushrooms and onion.. In the same skillet, add the mushrooms and onion. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms are golden and the onion is soft. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Make the sauce.. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring, then add the Worcestershire sauce and the rest of the salt. Let it bubble gently for 3 minutes until it thickens a little.
Boil the noodles.. While the sauce simmers, cook the egg noodles in a big pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain.
Finish the stroganoff.. Take the skillet off the heat. Stir in the sour cream until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add the beef back in and stir to warm through.
Serve over noodles.. Spoon the stroganoff over the hot egg noodles and sprinkle with parsley if you like.
How to serve it
The egg noodles are classic, but mashed potatoes work great too. A side of green beans rounds it out.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on low — boiling can make the sour cream sauce split.
Recipe 48 · Dinner
Thomas's Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon
Crispy-edged salmon fillets brushed with a sticky-sweet honey garlic glaze. Fancy-tasting dinner in 20 minutes.
Baste the salmon with the glaze twice — once before it goes in the oven, once halfway through.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 400°F.. If using a baking sheet, line it with foil for easy cleanup.
Mix the glaze.. In a small bowl, stir together the honey, garlic, soy sauce and lemon juice until smooth.
Sear the salmon.. Pat the fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the salmon in skin-side up and cook 3 minutes without moving it, until golden.
Glaze and flip.. Brush the tops generously with the honey garlic glaze, then flip the fillets skin-side down. Brush the tops again with more glaze.
Bake 8–10 minutes.. Slide the whole skillet into the oven. The salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork and the center is just barely pink — about 8–10 minutes.
Rest and serve.. Let it sit 2 minutes. Spoon any glaze left in the pan over the top and sprinkle with green onions if you like.
How to serve it
Over white rice with the extra glaze spooned on top. Steamed broccoli or asparagus on the side.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven — the microwave can make fish rubbery.
Recipe 49 · Dinner
Thomas's Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers
Sweet bell peppers packed with seasoned beef and rice, baked under a blanket of melted cheese. A whole dinner in one pepper.
Cover with foil for the first bake so the peppers steam tender, then uncover to brown the cheese.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F.. Lightly grease the baking dish.
Prep the peppers.. Cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and white ribs inside. Stand them upright in the baking dish. If one wobbles, shave a thin slice off the bottom so it sits flat.
Brown the beef.. Cook the ground beef and onion in the skillet over medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes, breaking the beef into crumbles, until no pink remains. Drain off the extra grease.
Make the filling.. Stir in the garlic, cooked rice, drained tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and 1 cup of the mozzarella. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring, until everything is hot and mixed.
Stuff the peppers.. Spoon the filling into each pepper, packing it in and mounding it a little on top. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup mozzarella and the parmesan over the tops.
Bake covered, then uncovered.. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the dish — this steams the peppers tender. Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Rest before serving.. Let them sit 5 minutes so the filling sets. Then lift each pepper out with a big spoon.
How to serve it
A simple side salad or garlic bread. Each pepper is a full meal on its own.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until hot through.
Recipe 50 · Dinner
Thomas's Chicken Parmesan
Crispy breaded chicken smothered in marinara and melted mozzarella, served over spaghetti. Restaurant-style, made easy.
Bake until the cheese is bubbly and golden at the edges.
How to make it
Pound the chicken even.. Put each chicken breast in a zip-top bag and pound it with a heavy pan or rolling pin until about ½ inch thick. Even thickness means even cooking.
Set up your breading station.. Put the flour in one shallow bowl, beat the eggs in a second bowl, and mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan and the salt-pepper-garlic mix in a third.
Bread the chicken.. Coat each breast in flour, dip it in the beaten eggs, then press it into the breadcrumb mix until it is fully covered.
Fry until golden.. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden. It does not need to be cooked through yet.
Top and bake.. Heat the oven to 400°F. Spread 1 cup of marinara in the baking dish, lay in the chicken, spoon the rest of the sauce over the top and cover with mozzarella. Bake 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Boil the spaghetti.. While the chicken bakes, cook the spaghetti in a big pot of salted boiling water until tender, then drain.
Serve it up.. Lay the chicken over the spaghetti and tear fresh basil over the top if you like.
How to serve it
A simple side salad and garlic bread make it a full Italian night.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven so the breading stays crisp.
Recipe 51 · Dinner
Thomas's Easy Baked Ziti
Tender ziti noodles baked in marinara with creamy ricotta and a blanket of bubbly mozzarella. The coziest pan in the oven.
Let it rest 10 minutes before scooping so the slices hold together.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F.. Grease your baking dish so nothing sticks.
Brown the beef.. Cook the ground beef in the skillet over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Drain off the grease.
Add the sauce.. Stir the marinara into the beef and let it simmer on low while you do the next step.
Boil the ziti short.. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 2 minutes LESS than the box says. It finishes cooking in the oven, so undercooking keeps it from getting mushy. Drain.
Mix the ricotta.. In the bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
Layer it up.. Spread half the pasta in the dish, dollop over half the ricotta mix, spoon over half the meat sauce and sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella. Repeat, ending with the rest of the mozzarella on top.
Bake 25–30 minutes.. It is done when the cheese is melted, bubbly and starting to brown at the edges. Rest 10 minutes before scooping.
How to serve it
Garlic bread for scooping up the extra sauce, and a green salad on the side.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheats great in the microwave or oven.
Recipe 52 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Loaded Potato Skins
Crispy potato shells loaded with melted cheddar, crunchy bacon, cool sour cream and fresh chives. The appetizer that disappears first.
Bake the skins a second time after filling so the cheese gets perfectly melty.
How to make it
Bake the potatoes.. Heat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes, poke each a few times with a fork, rub with olive oil and salt, and bake 45–50 minutes until a fork slides in easily.
Cool and halve.. Let them cool until you can handle them, then cut each potato in half lengthwise.
Scoop them out.. Spoon out most of the insides, leaving about ¼ inch of potato on the skin. Save the scooped potato for mashed potatoes another day.
Crisp the shells.. Brush the insides lightly with oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and bake cut-side up for 10 minutes until the edges start to crisp.
Load them up.. Fill each shell with cheddar and bacon crumbles.
Melt and finish.. Bake 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Dollop with sour cream and sprinkle with chives. Serve hot.
How to serve it
Ranch dressing for dipping. These are perfect game-day food.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven until hot and crisp.
Recipe 53 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Buffalo Chicken Dip
Creamy, cheesy, spicy buffalo chicken dip baked until bubbly. Scoop it up with tortilla chips — warning: it goes fast.
Toss the fries with the garlic butter while they are still hot so everything sticks.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 425°F.. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so the fries do not stick.
Season the fries.. Dump the frozen fries into the big bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle on the salt and pepper, and toss until every fry is coated.
Bake until crispy.. Spread the fries out in one layer on the baking sheet. Crowded fries steam instead of crisp, so use two sheets if you need to. Bake 25–30 minutes, flipping them once halfway through, until deep golden and crispy.
Make the garlic butter.. While the fries bake, melt the butter in the small saucepan over low heat. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until it smells amazing. Do not let it brown.
Toss it all together.. Put the hot fries back in the big bowl. Pour the garlic butter over them and toss well. Sprinkle on the parmesan and parsley and toss again.
Serve right away.. Pile them into a basket or bowl and serve hot with mayo or aioli for dipping.
How to serve it
Best eaten hot and fresh. A squeeze of lemon on top is really good too.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 425°F oven for 8–10 minutes to crisp them back up. The microwave makes them soggy.
Recipe 55 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Hot, bubbly and loaded with cheese. This is the dip that disappears first at every party.
Bake until the edges are bubbling and the top has golden spots.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F.. Lightly grease your baking dish.
Squeeze the spinach dry.. This is the important part. Put the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring it out hard over the sink. Get as much water out as you can or the dip turns watery.
Chop the artichokes.. Roughly chop the drained artichoke hearts into bite-size pieces.
Mix everything.. In the big bowl, stir the softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth. Fold in the spinach and artichokes.
Bake it.. Spread the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle a little extra parmesan on top. Bake 25 minutes until hot, bubbly around the edges and golden on top.
Rest and serve.. Let it sit 5 minutes so it thickens up a little, then serve warm with tortilla chips.
How to serve it
Tortilla chips, toasted bread slices or even veggie sticks for scooping.
Save the leftovers
Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until hot and bubbly again.
Recipe 56 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Chunky Guacamole with Tortilla Chips
Fresh, chunky and bright with lime. No cooking at all — just chop, mash and scoop.
Mash it chunky, not smooth — the texture is the whole point.
How to make it
Pick ripe avocados.. They should give a little when you squeeze them gently, like a ripe peach. Too hard means not ready, too mushy means brown inside.
Cut and pit them.. Cut each avocado in half lengthwise around the pit. Twist the halves apart. Whack the pit carefully with the knife blade and twist it out. Scoop the green flesh into the bowl with a spoon.
Mash it chunky.. Mash with a fork until it is mostly broken up but still has chunks. Do not use a blender or food processor — chunky is what makes it good.
Add everything else.. Stir in the lime juice, red onion, tomato, cilantro, jalapeño if using, salt and garlic powder.
Taste and fix it.. Taste a chipful. Needs more zing? Add lime. Bland? Add a pinch more salt. This is your guac — make it how you like it.
Serve right away.. Scoop it into a bowl, stick some chips around it and serve. Guacamole turns brown as it sits, so fresh is best.
How to serve it
With a big bowl of tortilla chips. Also amazing on tacos or toast.
Save the leftovers
Press plastic wrap right onto the surface of the guac to keep air out and refrigerate for up to 1 day. It may brown a little on top — just stir it.
Recipe 57 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Crispy Onion Rings
Thick-cut onions in a crunchy seasoned coating, fried golden. Way better than the frozen bag.
Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and the rings stay crispy.
How to make it
Slice the onions.. Peel the onions and cut them into rings about half an inch thick. Pop the rings apart with your fingers and pull out the tiny inner pieces — those are too small to coat.
Heat the oil.. Pour the oil into the pot — it should be about 2 inches deep. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F. No thermometer? Drop in a breadcrumb: it should sizzle hard right away but not burn.
Set up your coating line.. Bowl 1: flour mixed with the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bowl 2: eggs whisked with the milk. Bowl 3: panko breadcrumbs.
Coat the rings.. Working one ring at a time: dredge in the seasoned flour, dunk in the egg wash, then press into the panko so it is fully covered. Set coated rings on a plate.
Fry in small batches.. Carefully lower 4–5 rings into the hot oil with tongs. Fry 2–3 minutes, flipping once, until deep golden. Do not crowd the pot or they go soggy.
Drain and salt.. Lift them out with the slotted spoon onto paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt while they are still hot. Let the oil come back up to heat between batches.
Serve hot.. Pile them up and serve right away with ranch or your favorite sauce.
How to serve it
Ranch, BBQ sauce or spicy mayo for dipping. Eat them hot — they lose their crunch as they cool.
Save the leftovers
Best eaten fresh. If you have extras, refrigerate for up to 2 days and reheat in a 400°F oven for 8 minutes to crisp them back up.
Recipe 58 · Dessert
Thomas's Snickerdoodle Cookies
Soft, chewy cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar with those classic crackled tops. The kind of cookie that disappears fast.
Do not overbake them — they should look a little soft in the middle when you pull them out.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 375°F.. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so nothing sticks.
Mix the dry ingredients.. Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles their classic tangy chew.
Cream the butter and sugar.. Beat the softened butter and sugar together with the mixer for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla.
Bring it together.. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture a little at a time, mixing on low just until combined. Do not overmix.
Roll in cinnamon sugar.. Stir the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball and roll each one in the cinnamon sugar.
Bake 10–12 minutes.. Place the balls 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake until the edges are set and the tops are crackled but the centers still look a little soft.
Cool on the pan.. Let them sit on the hot pan for 5 minutes to finish setting, then move to a rack.
How to serve it
Best warm with a cold glass of milk. These are perfect for bake sales and cookie swaps.
Save the leftovers
Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They stay soft for days.
Recipe 59 · Dessert
Thomas's Classic Vanilla Cupcakes
Fluffy vanilla cupcakes with creamy homemade buttercream and a pile of sprinkles. Birthday-party perfect, any day of the week.
Frost them only after they are completely cool or the frosting will melt right off.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 350°F.. Put paper liners in all 12 cups of the muffin tin.
Mix the dry ingredients.. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set it aside.
Cream the butter and sugar.. Beat the 1/2 cup softened butter and the sugar with the mixer for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla.. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spoon.
Finish the batter.. Add half the flour mixture, then the milk, then the rest of the flour. Mix on low just until smooth. Do not overmix or the cupcakes get tough.
Fill and bake.. Divide the batter between the 12 cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.
Cool completely.. Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then move to a rack. They must be fully cool before frosting.
Make the frosting.. Beat the remaining 1/2 cup butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar a little at a time, then the vanilla. Spread or pipe onto the cupcakes and shower with sprinkles.
How to serve it
Serve at room temperature. These are the cupcake everyone asks for at parties.
Save the leftovers
Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Recipe 60 · Dessert
Thomas's Chocolate Lava Cakes
Little chocolate cakes with a molten, gooey middle that flows out when you cut in. Fancy restaurant dessert, made in your oven.
The centers should jiggle a little when you pull them out — that is the lava.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 425°F.. Rub the insides of the ramekins with butter, then dust with cocoa powder and tap out the extra. This keeps the cakes from sticking.
Melt the chocolate and butter.. Put the chocolate and butter in the microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Let it cool for 2 minutes.
Whisk the eggs.. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together for about 2 minutes until thick and pale yellow.
Combine.. Pour the melted chocolate into the eggs and whisk until smooth. Then gently stir in the flour and salt just until mixed.
Fill the ramekins.. Divide the batter between the four ramekins, filling each about three-quarters full. Set them on the baking sheet.
Bake 11–13 minutes.. The edges should look firm and set but the centers should still jiggle a little when you shake the pan. That jiggle is the molten lava — do not bake it away.
Flip and serve.. Let them sit for 1 minute, then run a knife around the edge, flip each one onto a plate, and lift the ramekin off. Dust with powdered sugar and serve right away while the middle is still flowing.
How to serve it
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This is a show-off dessert.
Save the leftovers
Best eaten fresh. You can refrigerate leftovers for 1 day and warm them 20 seconds in the microwave to re-melt the center.
Recipe 61 · Dessert
Thomas's Apple Pie Bars
All the cozy apple pie flavor in easy bar form — buttery crust, cinnamon apples and a golden crumb topping. No pie dish needed.
Let them cool completely before cutting or the bars will fall apart.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 350°F.. Line the baking pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides so you can lift the bars out later.
Make the crust.. Stir the flour, sugar and salt together. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until it looks like coarse crumbs. Press two-thirds of it firmly into the bottom of the pan.
Toss the apples.. In a big bowl, toss the apple slices with the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 tablespoons flour and lemon juice until every slice is coated.
Layer it up.. Spread the apples evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the top like a streusel topping.
Bake 40–45 minutes.. It is done when the topping is deep golden and you can see the apple juices bubbling around the edges.
Cool completely.. Let the whole pan cool on the counter for at least 1 hour. Warm bars fall apart — cool bars cut clean.
Cut into bars.. Lift them out by the parchment paper and cut into 16 bars with a sharp knife.
How to serve it
Serve plain or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Tastes like fall in a bar.
Save the leftovers
Keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Recipe 62 · Dessert
Thomas's Lemon Bars
Buttery shortbread crust under a bright, tangy lemon filling with a dusting of powdered sugar. Sweet, sour and gone in no time.
The filling is done when the center barely jiggles — it firms up as it cools.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 350°F.. Line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the edges so you can lift the bars out later.
Make the crust.. Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Stir in the 2 cups of flour and the salt until it looks like wet sand.
Press and bake the crust.. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges just start to turn golden.
Whisk the lemon filling.. While the crust bakes, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and the 1/4 cup of flour together until smooth.
Pour and bake again.. Pour the filling over the hot crust. Bake 15–20 more minutes, until the center barely jiggles when you nudge the pan.
Cool, then chill.. Let it cool on the counter for an hour, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cold bars cut way cleaner.
Dust and cut.. Lift the whole slab out with the parchment. Dust the top with powdered sugar, then cut into 16 bars with a sharp knife.
How to serve it
Cold, straight from the fridge, with extra powdered sugar on top.
Save the leftovers
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. They taste even better the next day.
Recipe 63 · Dessert
Thomas's Moist Banana Bread
The softest banana bread you'll ever make, packed with real banana flavor and brown sugar. The best way to use up spotty bananas.
The riper the bananas, the sweeter and softer the bread — brown spots are perfect.
How to make it
Heat the oven to 350°F.. Grease the loaf pan really well with butter or nonstick spray so the bread pops out clean.
Mash the bananas.. Peel the bananas into the bowl and mash them with a fork until mostly smooth — a few little lumps are fine.
Stir in the wet ingredients.. Pour in the melted butter and stir. Add the brown sugar, egg and vanilla and stir until everything is mixed together.
Add the dry ingredients.. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon right on top. Stir gently just until you stop seeing white flour. Do not overmix — that makes the bread tough.
Fold in the walnuts.. If using walnuts, stir them in with just a few strokes.
Pour and bake.. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake 55–60 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool before slicing.. Let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. Warm slices are the best thing ever.
How to serve it
Warm with a little butter. Toasted leftovers the next day are even better.
Save the leftovers
Wrap tightly and keep at room temperature for 3 days, or freeze slices for up to 2 months.
Recipe 64 · Dinner
Thomas's Creamy Sausage & Potato Soup
Hearty Italian sausage, tender potatoes and fresh spinach in a rich, creamy broth. Tastes like fall in a bowl.
Simmer until the potatoes are completely fork-tender.
How to make it
Brown the sausage. Cook the sausage in a big pot over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles with your spoon, for 6–8 minutes until no pink remains. Scoop it out onto a plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
Soften the onion. Add the onion to the pot and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring, until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
Add potatoes and broth. Stir in the potatoes and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Make it creamy. Stir the sausage back in. Pour in the cream, add the spinach, salt and pepper, and simmer 3–4 minutes until the spinach wilts.
Serve it up. Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan if you like. Crusty bread on the side is never a bad idea.
Recipe 65 · Dessert
Thomas's Pumpkin Spice Muffins
Soft, warmly spiced pumpkin muffins with a crackly cinnamon-sugar top. Tastes like fall in every bite.
Stir just until the flour disappears — overmixing makes tough muffins.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 350°F. Put paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin (or grease each cup with a little butter).
Mix the dry stuff. In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
Mix the wet stuff. In another bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Combine. Pour the wet bowl into the dry bowl and stir just until the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine — don't overmix.
Fill and bake. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake 18–22 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.
Sugar tops. While they're still warm, brush the tops with melted butter and dip each one in the cinnamon sugar. Cool a few minutes and dig in.
Recipe 66 · Dessert
Thomas's Pumpkin Patch Dirt Cups
Chocolatey pudding cups topped with cookie-crumb dirt, gummy worms, and a candy pumpkin. Tastes like digging into a pumpkin patch.
Work fast once the bananas are cut — they get slippery as they thaw.
How to make it
Prep the bananas. Peel the bananas, cut each one in half, and push a popsicle stick into the cut end of each half. Freeze 1 hour on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Melt the coating. Microwave the white chocolate chips with the oil in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
Dip them. Dip each frozen banana half in the white chocolate, turning to coat. Let the extra drip off.
Make the faces. Before the coating hardens, press 2 mini chocolate chips in for eyes and 1 for a mouth.
Freeze again. Put them back in the freezer 30 minutes until firm. Keep frozen until serving.
Recipe 69 · Dessert
Thomas's Caramel Apple Slices
All the caramel-apple flavor without the wrestling match — thin apple slices drizzled with caramel and chocolate.
Push the chocolate in while the cookies are hot — that's what holds the spiders together.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Make the dough. Beat the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Bake. Roll into 1-inch balls, place 2 inches apart, and bake 10–12 minutes until the edges are set.
Build the spiders. Right out of the oven, press a chocolate truffle into the center of each cookie and stick 8 pretzel halves around it for legs. Add candy eyes if you want.
Cool. Let them cool on the pan 10 minutes so the spiders stay put.
Recipe 78 · Dessert
Thomas's Pumpkin Fudge
Creamy, melt-in-your-mouth fudge that tastes like pumpkin pie. No candy thermometer needed.
Line the pan with parchment hanging over the sides — the fudge lifts right out.
How to make it
Prep the pan. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment, leaving extra hanging over two sides.
Melt it together. In a saucepan over low heat, stir the white chocolate chips and condensed milk until smooth. Don't walk away — white chocolate burns fast.
Add the pumpkin. Stir in the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt until smooth and orange.
Chill. Spread into the pan and refrigerate at least 3 hours until firm.
Cut. Lift out by the parchment and cut into small squares with a sharp knife.
Recipe 79 · Dessert
Thomas's Candy Corn Sugar Cookies
Soft triangle sugar cookies iced in candy corn stripes. They look like they took all day — they didn't.
A zip-top bag with the corner snipped works great as a piping bag.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
Make the dough. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat the butter and sugar fluffy, beat in the egg and vanilla, then stir in the dry stuff.
Shape triangles. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then pinch one end to make a triangle-ish candy corn shape. Flatten slightly.
Bake. Bake 8–10 minutes until just set — don't brown them. Cool completely.
Ice them. Mix powdered sugar and milk into a thick icing. Split into 3 bowls: leave one white, color one orange, one yellow. Ice each cookie in 3 stripes — white tip, orange middle, yellow base. Let set 1 hour.
Recipe 80 · Dessert
Thomas's Halloween Chocolate Bark
Melted chocolate spread thin and loaded with candy corn, pretzels, and sprinkles, then broken into chunks. Fifteen minutes, zero skill needed.
Make sure your bowl is squeaky clean — any grease keeps the whites from whipping up.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 225°F — low and slow. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Whip the whites. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer until foamy, then slowly add the sugar and beat until stiff shiny peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.
Pipe the ghosts. Spoon the meringue into a zip-top bag, snip the corner, and pipe little ghost blobs about 2 inches tall.
Add eyes. Press 2 mini chocolate chips into each ghost for eyes.
Bake low and slow. Bake 90 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave them inside 1 hour to dry out. They should lift right off the paper.
Recipe 82 · Dessert
Thomas's Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
Everything you love about pumpkin cheesecake, turned into a fluffy dip. Graham crackers and apple slices required.
Stir the popcorn while the caramel's hot — once it cools, it won't budge.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 250°F. Put the popcorn in your biggest bowl and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Make the caramel. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup, and boil 4 minutes without stirring. Take it off the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla — it'll foam up.
Coat the popcorn. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir fast until every piece is coated.
Bake it crisp. Spread on the baking sheet and bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15. (Yes, really — that's what makes it crunchy.)
Finish it. Let it cool, toss with candy corn, and drizzle with melted chocolate.
Recipe 85 · Dessert
Thomas's Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispie Treats
The classic gooey marshmallow bars with pumpkin spice and a light orange tint. Fall's easiest party treat.
Stir the pretzels halfway through baking so the seasoning coats evenly.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Coat the pretzels. Dump the pretzels in a big bowl, pour the melted butter over, and toss. Sprinkle the ranch mix and garlic powder over and toss again.
Bake low and slow. Spread on the sheet and bake 20 minutes, stirring once halfway.
Cool. Let them cool on the pan — they get crunchier as they cool. Store in a zip-top bag.
Recipe 96 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and baked until crispy. The ultimate game day bite.
Two forks, pull in opposite directions — the chicken falls apart on its own.
How to make it
Load the crockpot. Lay the chicken breasts in the crockpot.
Sauce it. Stir the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, and Worcestershire together and pour over the chicken.
Cook. Cover and cook on low 4 hours until the chicken shreds easily.
Shred. Pull the chicken apart with two forks right in the pot and stir it into the sauce.
Serve. Pile onto buns and top with pickles or coleslaw if you want.
Recipe 106 · Dessert
Thomas's Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with hearty oats and the classic fork criss-cross on top. Easy to make and perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Press the fork criss-cross before baking — these cookies keep the shape you give them.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 350 degrees.
Mix the butter and sugars. In a big bowl, mix the soft butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar till smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla. Mix them in till it all looks even.
Stir in the dry stuff. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir till you can't see any white flour.
Add the oats last. Stir in the oats. The dough will be thick — that's right.
Make the balls. Scoop spoonfuls of dough and squeeze and press each one in your fist till it holds together, then set them on the cookie sheet with space between them.
Do the criss-cross. Press each ball down a little with a fork, one way, then the other way.
Bake. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, till the edges look light golden. The middles will look a little soft — that's right.
Cool. Leave the cookies on the hot pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a plate to finish cooling.
Recipe 107 · Breakfast
Thomas's Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal
Warm oatmeal that tastes like a cinnamon roll, with a sweet icing swirl on top. Cozy, easy, and ready in minutes.
Zest the lemon before you cut it — it's way easier that way.
How to make it
Mix the dry stuff. In a big bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Mix the wet stuff. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Put them together. Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir just till mixed — a few lumps are fine.
Add the blueberries. Fold the blueberries in gently so they don't all burst.
Cook the pancakes. Melt a little butter in the pan on medium heat, scoop in batter, and cook till bubbles show on top, then flip and cook the other side till golden.
Serve. Stack them up and pour syrup over the top.
Recipe 110 · Breakfast
Thomas's Sausage & Potato Breakfast Skillet
Crispy potatoes, savory sausage, and fluffy scrambled eggs all cooked in one big skillet.
Don't stir the potatoes too much — leaving them alone is how they get crispy.
How to make it
Cook the sausage. In a big skillet on medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up, till browned. Scoop it out and set it aside.
Crisp the potatoes. Melt the butter in the same skillet, add the potatoes, onion, and bell pepper, and cook about 15 minutes, stirring only now and then, till the potatoes are golden and soft inside.
Add the sausage back. Stir the sausage back into the skillet.
Scramble the eggs. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper, then pour over everything in the skillet.
Cook the eggs. Stir gently till the eggs are just set and fluffy.
Top with cheese. Sprinkle the cheese on top if you're using it, put the lid on for a minute till it melts, then serve.
Recipe 111 · Lunch
Thomas's Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwiches
Toasted bread stacked with turkey, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, and fresh tomato. A simple sandwich that feels like a treat.
Let the chicken rest a couple minutes before slicing — it stays juicier.
How to make it
Season the chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken breasts.
Sear the chicken. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a big pan on medium-high heat, add the chicken, and cook about 6 minutes per side till golden and cooked through. Set aside.
Make the sauce. In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter, add the garlic, and cook 1 minute till it smells good.
Add lemon and broth. Pour in the lemon juice, zest, and broth, and stir, scraping up the brown bits.
Finish and serve. Put the chicken back in the pan, spoon sauce over it, sprinkle parsley if using, and serve.
Recipe 116 · Dinner
Thomas's Beef Enchilada Casserole
Layers of tortillas, seasoned beef, sauce, and melted cheese, baked bubbly in one dish. All the enchilada taste without the rolling.
Let it sit 5 minutes after baking so the layers hold when you scoop.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 375 degrees.
Cook the beef. In a big pan, cook the beef and onion till the beef is browned, breaking it up. Drain the fat, then stir in the taco seasoning and beans if using.
Layer it up. Spread a little sauce in the baking dish, then layer torn tortillas, beef, sauce, and cheese. Repeat till everything is used, ending with cheese on top.
Bake. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 more minutes till bubbly and golden.
Rest and serve. Let it sit 5 minutes, then scoop out servings with sour cream if you like.
Recipe 117 · Dinner
Thomas's Creamy Tuscan Salmon
Seared salmon in a creamy garlic sauce with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Fancy-tasting but easy.
Don't let the cream boil hard — a gentle simmer keeps it smooth.
How to make it
Season the salmon. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the salmon fillets.
Sear the salmon. Melt the butter in a big pan on medium-high heat, add the salmon skin-side down if it has skin, and cook about 4 minutes per side till golden. Set aside.
Start the sauce. In the same pan, cook the garlic 1 minute, then pour in the cream.
Add the good stuff. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan, and simmer gently till the spinach wilts and the sauce thickens a little.
Finish and serve. Put the salmon back in the pan, spoon sauce over it, and serve.
Recipe 118 · Dinner
Thomas's Sausage Tortellini Soup
Cheesy tortellini, savory sausage, and tomatoes in a warm broth. Cozy soup that comes together fast.
Let the meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing so it doesn't fall apart.
How to make it
Heat the oven. Set it to 375 degrees.
Mix the meatloaf. In a big bowl, mix the beef, onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, Worcestershire if using, salt, pepper, and half the BBQ sauce. Don't overmix.
Shape and glaze. Press the mix into a loaf pan or shape a loaf in a baking dish, and spread the rest of the BBQ sauce on top.
Bake. Bake about 1 hour, till cooked through in the middle.
Make the mashed potatoes. While it bakes, boil the potatoes till soft, drain, and mash with butter and milk till creamy.
Rest and serve. Let the meatloaf rest 10 minutes, slice, and serve with the mashed potatoes.
Recipe 120 · Snacks & Sides
Thomas's Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
Crispy roasted green beans with salty Parmesan. An easy side that goes with almost anything.