For the Love of FOOD

Nothing beats the comfort of a steaming bowl of chowder on a cold evening. After years of feeding six kids and trying countless recipes, I can tell you that these beloved varieties have become our family’s go-to comfort food. Last week, I made Natasha’s Kitchen corn chowder recipe, and it was absolutely phenomenal. The kids…

It’s 5:30 PM on a Tuesday. Six hungry kids are circling the kitchen like sharks. Your spouse walks in, drained from the day. And you? You’re staring into the fridge like it just betrayed you—because somehow, the leftovers you were counting on have vanished into thin air. Sound familiar? After twenty years of marriage and…

It’s 5:47 PM on a Tuesday, and chaos has officially taken over my kitchen. Someone just spilled marinara sauce on the dog, my youngest is convinced that mac and cheese counts as a vegetable, and I’m standing here wondering if cereal for dinner makes me a bad parent. Welcome to our family food adventure—where every…

Let me tell you something—leftovers don’t have to be the culinary equivalent of settling. You know that defeated feeling when you stare into the fridge at containers of yesterday’s dinner? Yeah, I’ve been there too. But here’s the thing: those forgotten meals are actually goldmines waiting to happen. After years of feeding six kids and…

Feeding six kids on a budget while keeping everyone happy at the dinner table? Trust me, I’ve been there more times than I can count. The secret weapon in my kitchen arsenal isn’t some fancy gadget or expensive ingredients—it’s mastering the art of turning simple pantry staples into meals that actually fill bellies and bring…

That moment when your four-year-old sees a green pea on their plate and reacts like you’ve just served them poison? Yeah, we’ve all been there. The dinner table becomes a battlefield, complete with dramatic sighs, negotiations that would make hostage negotiators proud, and the occasional full-blown meltdown over a single piece of broccoli. But here’s…

Easy weeknight dinners for large families shouldn’t feel like running a restaurant where everyone’s a food critic. Between work schedules, after-school activities, and the general chaos of family life, putting together meals that satisfy everyone without emptying your wallet or taking three hours becomes an art form. I’ve learned that the key isn’t fancy recipes…

Food creates magic in ways that never cease to amaze me. It’s the love language that transcends generations, the bridge that connects busy schedules to meaningful moments, and the secret ingredient that turns a house into a home. After years of feeding six kids and learning what actually works (versus what looks pretty on Pinterest),…

Between soccer practices, work deadlines, and the endless pile of laundry that seems to multiply overnight, finding time for meaningful family food traditions can feel impossible. Trust me, I get it. With six kids and two decades of marriage under my belt, I’ve learned that perfect doesn’t exist—but connection absolutely does. The beauty of family…

That Tuesday night when my youngest decided spaghetti made excellent hair gel while my teenager declared our homemade tacos “literally inedible” was the moment I realized something profound: successful family mealtime isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. When you’re managing family mealtime with eight people around the table, chaos becomes the norm, but so does the…