Today I am stopping in with a classic, and super easy, casserole recipe for dinner tonight. This has become a staple in our house recently. Both my children eat it readily and it is a nice break from their favorite spaghetti and meatballs. I also find it a snap to pull together in the morning when both (!) my children are at school. I mix it all up and stick it in the fridge to bake that evening.

My friend Katie and I are on the same page. We both love to feed our families and we both agree that delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated. This is why I am loving her new book so much, Dinner Solved!: 100 Ingenious Recipes that Make the Whole Family Happy, Including You! In it she shares 100 scrumptious recipes that aren’t overly complicated and are completely family-friendly. Many of the recipes also offer slight variations so you can make something a few different ways when you are in the mood for a change. Today I am thrilled to share a little chat we had recently and give away a copy of the book to one lucky reader!

I am not alone in my quest to get my children to eat quick protein-packed breakfasts for breakfast before school. I share a lot of our favorite breakfast ideas in my books, but we’ve come up with a new one recently that isn’t in there. It is our quick breakfast scramble mug. It is can be made in the microwave (!), features great ingredients, and is a snap to get on the table.

Jamie Oliver’s Eggplant Parmesan made with our Marinara Sauce

When the temperatures begin to dip the slow-cooker comes out. It is just one of the many seasonal cooking rhythms that go on in my house. It is not that I never use the slow-cooker in the summer. It is just so much better suited for fall and winter when we crave piping hot foods and I don’t have as much time to cook during the day.

This fall I’ve been slow cooking up a new favorite recipe: marinara sauce. My roma tomato plant from last summer seeded itself and is going gangbusters this year. I have so many ripe roma tomatoes on my hands the only thing to do is churn out batch after batch of sauce. Last year I made a batch with just tomatoes, salt, olive oil, and basil and it was delicious. But this year I am taking it up a notch and making more richly flavored sauces using mirepoix, red wine, and plenty of herbs for seasoning.

Fall parties are in the air and the holidays feel like they are just around the corner. Here are a few of my favorite gifts to give to hosts and hostesses this season. Come take a look!

Wine pearls for keeping wine perfectly chilled. ($29.95)

A set of pretty candles to save for a special occasion. ($12)

Happy Birthday to me! This year is like all others and I baked myself a special birthday treat. My husband would have gladly run out to buy me the sweet of my choice, but he knows how much I like to go whole hog once a year and make something truly decadent. This year I chose a malted milk chocolate tart with a toast almond crust. It’s the perfect balance of soda shop nostalgia and French bakery sophistication, and is ideal for a chocoholic like me.

As you probably noticed last week, I’m starting to changing things up around here and am introducing a few new columns. Today will be my first installment of: I Love Your Kitchen Style. It is dedicated to showcasing some of my favorite interesting kitchens from around the globe.

Starting this column makes sense because I am the worst kind of kitchen snoop. Whenever I visit a new kitchen I open drawers, walk into pantries, and take mental notes of every interesting feature I find. Kitchens are so often the heart of a home and I never cease to be amazed by the variety of kitchen designs out there! Never a visit goes by when I don’t note something I want to add to our kitchen when we re-do it once and for all. I hope you find these spaces as fun and interesting as I do!

Today we are staring with Uncle Will’s kitchen in Rochester, New York. Since he is still a bachelor his kitchen only needs to support one person and a dog. When he moved into his house a few years ago he demolished the old kitchen and started fresh. On a limited budget he was able to transform his kitchen into a user-friendly cooking arena that is comfortable for one person, or four. With both my kids running around it last summer we still had plenty of space to eat and cook! Come take a look:

This was the kitchen when he moved in. Functional, but not particularly attractive.

The kids are back to school! Hooray for routine! Hooray for a few minutes for quiet each day! Hooray for structure! I never intended to take two weeks away from the blog but, my friends, I was at my end of my rope by the end of August. It took my everything to get through each day with two energetic children once all of our camps and lessons were over for the season. As far as cooking, I just stuck with simple meals while we endured one heatwave after another and kept my eye on the prize: school.

And now school is here!!!!! That means I have some time each day to myself again and I am back in the kitchen which makes me so so happy.

These cookie bars are the first things I’ve baked in a while. I wanted to give my daughter something extra special for her lunchbox and she was excited about the idea of oatmeal and chocolate chips and coconut together. They were somewhat inspired by these favorite cookies, but I wanted them in bar form because they are sturdier for the lunchbox and, I think, somehow more satisfying.

Earlier this week I shared my favorite places to eat in Cooperstown, New York. Today I am going to share my favorite things to see while you are there (in addition to the Baseball Hall of Fame, of course).

Otsego Lake: Summer on Otsego Lake is nothing short of paradise. Be sure to take a tour of the lake on the ferry that leaves Lakefront Park. Or, head to Sam Smith’s and rent a boat by the our. The lake is plenty warm for swimming in July, August, and September. It is also fun for fishing, canoeing, tubing, and waterskiing!

The Farmers’ Museum: The Farmers’ Museum is a working 18th century village location on the outskirts of town. We love going there to visit the animals, ride on the carousel, and cruise around on the toy tractors. You can easily spend an all afternoon roaming the “streets” and playing games at the school house. When we are in town we visit at least once a week!

The Fenimore Art Museum & Art on the Lake: Once a private mansion, this gorgeous building now houses a beautifully curated American art collection. It also features a variety of rotating exhibits throughout the year. My kids love the collection of Native American artifacts, especially the feathered headdresses! In the summer there is an Art on the Lake weekend on the back lawn which showcases local artists and foods.

Cooperstown Distillery: This cool new storefront on Main Street showcases lots of the new alcohols being produced in Cooperstown. The bar doesn’t serve food, but you can get some delicious cocktails there after 5pm. We’ve tried (and liked), Cooper’s Clear Whiskey, Beanball Bourbon, and Sam Smith’s Boatyard Rum. Stop by to pick up some bottles for your friends and have a drink after a long day!

Trolley Ride: When you arrive in Cooperstown park in one of the satellite parking lots on the outskirts of town and take a trolley to Main Street. Or, just ride the trolley for the entire loop to get a good feel for the town’s layout. My kids and I often take a trolley ride just for fun!

A few more: I about Ommegang, The Fly Creek Cider Mill in my Eating In post. They are fun places to visit too!

It’s been a few years since I updated my Cooperstown Travel Series and this is the perfect time to do it. Every time I return there are a handful of new restaurants and places to eat, thanks in part to the emergence of the Cooperstown Beverage Trail. Some of these places I’ve loved for years, others I’ve come to know recently and have become instant favorites. There is something here for everyone to enjoy.

The Fly Creek Cider Mill: A visit to this old-fashioned cider mill is a super fun outing for the whole family. The gift shop is filled with all kinds of dips, jams, pies, and more. And the cider and old-fashioned cider press are really cool to see. My kids love going to the snack bar after we pick up our cider. They order the cider slushie, cider float, and the authentic cider donuts. Then we play on the playground and feed the ducks.

 Ommegang Brewery: As one of the original interns at Ommegang in the late 90’s this brewery holds a special place in my heart. I adore the beers and the recent addition of a fabulous Belgian-style pub only makes it better. Order a selection of frites with dipping sauces and the Three Philosophers bratwurst sandwich, along with a flight of beers, of course. Be sure to get there early because the pub fills up fast and is busy all day long. In addition to the regular brewery, the Ommegang Concert Series is fantastic. If you are visiting in the summer check the schedule and pick up some tickets for a fun night out.

Stagecoach Coffee: This is still the penultimate coffee bar in town. It is packed year-round and is the best place to catch up with the locals, get a hot cuppa, and enjoy a pastry or breakfast sandwich. On cool mornings we pick up hot steamed chais and my children indulge in a cinnamon roll or warm almond croissant. I also love their hot panini sandwiches for lunch. It is perfect to grab and go!

Bocca Osteria: This awesome Italian restaurant just opened a few years ago and has already become an institution. The menu changes seasonally, but the classic pizzas always stay the same. The appetizers and salads can comprise a meal on their own, but the real winners are their signature pastas and watching your pizza cook in the wood burning oven from the bar.

Jerry’s Place: Beyond Cooperstown in Fly Creek is this fun throwback diner-style restaurant. Their signature American offerings are all served in a plastic basket lined with wax paper. The milkshakes come served in giant quart sized mason jars and honestly can’t be beat. We like to go on Friday’s for the fish fry with chips and cole slaw. After my kids hit the swingset to work off some energy before heading home.

The Blue Mingo Grill: This delicious lunch and dinner spot is located in Sam Smith’s boat yard right on the lake. We love the Thai specialties, an unexpected cuisine to find in upstate New York, as well as the lake classics. The adorable Adirondack-style bar is really fun for cocktails. Whether before dinner, or after.

The Tunnicliff Creamery: This unexpectedly amazing diner is randomly wedged between two farms on Route 20. It serves simple diner-style food made with all local ingredients. Our personal favorites are the BLT’s and sweet potato fries. But the real standout is their homemade ice cream. I can’t get enough of it! Their Lemon Coconut flavor is my personal favorite. But we’ve also tried there Salted Caramel and Cherry Walnut Amaretto (CWA) and they are amazing.

Mel’s at 22: This new restaurant has become an instant hit with both tourists and locals. The burgers are insanely good and the location can’t be beat. I highly recommend giving this a try for lunch or dinner; it is completely family friendly and the menu has something for everyone. It is also good for a nightcap. My husband and I love sitting at the bar on one of our date night strolls around town. {I die for this cool cow photograph. If anyone knows who took it, please let me know!}

Toscana: Right on Main Street, nearly across the street from the Baseball Hall of Fame, is this delicious Italian restaurant. Big bowls of pasta, hot garlic bread, and plenty of good wine make it a year-round favorite for locals. In the summer reservations are recommended. But don’t worry, it is completely kid-friendly and there are lots of things on the menu the little ones will love.

Note: We also still love Sal’s Pizzeria, Schneider’s Bakery, and the Farmers’ Market which I wrote about a few years ago!

Every summer we visit my brother, Uncle Will of Burgers and Chorizo Wraps fame, at his home in Rochester, New York. We love catching up with him and Sancho at their home and taking in the sites of the city. I’d never visited Rochester before he moved there and we’ve come to know it as a lovely city. There are lots of fun things to do with kids and we always have a nice time when we see him. If you are planning to visit Rochester here are a few things that are really fun to do while you are there!

The Museum of Play: This amazing children’s museum is all about child’s play. My kids adore it and we always spend hours exploring the Sesame Street room, the moving train, and the construction playground when we visit. Last year we went and there was even a butterfly room filled with hundreds of live rare butterflies. I can’t say enough about this place. It really is a must see when you travel to Rochester with kids.

Wegman’s: If you’ve never been to a Wegman’s you must, MUST go when you are there. I would happily trade in all of my neighborhood grocery stores for a Wegman’s. It has everything I like to buy: organic produce, freshly baked goods, kids supplies, and a line of private label foods that rivals Trader Joe’s. One of the Wegman’s stores in Rochester has it’s own restaurant called Amore. It features outstanding fresh pastas and woodfired pizza. Since it is attached to Wegman’s you can walk out of the restaurant straight into the store to pick up necessities before you head home!