Hi, Sweet Friend!

This week’s recipes are all about cozy, comforting food that’s easy enough for weeknights and special enough for company. Whether you’re feeding just yourself or a table of friends, these are the meals that make gathering simple — and delicious.

🍋 Caesar Salmon & Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner​
Talk about an easy feast! Lay everything out on the sheet pan and roast to perfection. This meal is a weekly occurrence for me — I usually end up standing at the counter eating it straight from the pan.

🍝 Sheet Pan Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce​
A little labor of love, but not nearly as much as traditional lasagna. I used fun broken noodles right in the sauce — it’s rustic, cozy, and absolutely worth it.

🍗 Alice Springs Chicken Sweet Potato Fries​
When you’ve got leftover chicken and don’t want another salad — this is your move. Top freezer sweet potato fries with chopped chicken, bacon, cheese, and lots of honey mustard. Dinner (or game day snack!) sorted.

🐖 Easy Pulled Pork Shoulder​
This one’s close to my heart — my brother’s famous pulled pork on his Traeger from a family weekend at the State Fair. Hands-off, flavorful, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
→ No smoker? Try my Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork instead — all the flavor, none of the equipment.

🦐 Sheet Pan Low Country Boil​
Made for a table full of people! Skip the giant pot — this recipe walks you through every detail for hosting a low country boil (without boiling). It’s casual, fun, and a guaranteed memory-maker.

🦃 A Few Prepsgiving Tips

• Defrost your freezer now! (Thanks, Aunt E!) Give it a deep clean and make space before you start cooking your Thanksgiving sides ahead.
• Double up your meals. While you’re already cooking, freeze an extra batch of soup, sauce, or rolls — November you will thank October you.
• Label everything. A roll of painter’s tape and a Sharpie are your Prepsgiving best friends. This handy item, Kitchen Stickin, is one of my most used "kitchen" gadgets!

✨ A Little Reminder

Gathering people in your home — even when it’s messy, small, or imperfect — is world-changing work. Every meal shared, every story told across your table, every laugh that echoes through your kitchen… it all adds up to something beautiful.

So light the candle, order the takeout if you have to, and open your door anyway. We need each other more than ever — and it starts right where you are.

Here’s to cozy dinners, full tables, and hearts that stay open,
Ashley 💛