Fast and Easy Dinner

I'm all for tacos consisting of crispy corn tortilla shells, ground beef, and cheddar cheese. This Tex-Mex favorite — inspired by the beef tacos I grew up on — may be a far cry from saucy carnitas and queso fresco, but that doesn't mean there's not room in the taco world for them to coexist!

The best part of the recipe? You'll be able to get these tacos on the table before you have time to say "giddyup." Just prep all the ingredients, and let diners customize and stuff their tacos to their liking at the table.

I made these in the style they're served at some of my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants — stuffed over the brim with lettuce and tomatoes. Care for more flavor? Add in some guacamole or salsa. I've even been known to drizzle (or more like drown) queso dip over these bad boys.

Forks will be required to scoop up the falling fillings, y'all. Get ready to dig into these Tex-Mex tacos.

If you've ever brushed by a patch of stinging nettles and felt the painful, numbing tingles contact brings, then you might find mild trepidation over tackling a recipe based around the wild Spring green. Thankfully, when handled properly, this nuisance of a weed transforms from baleful brute to a silky texture and satisfying addition to all manner of meals. All in all, it's more than worth the accompanying (minor) risk involved.

Here, paired with creamy, briny feta, chewy-tender pasta, toasted slivers of almonds, and nutty sesame seeds, nettles add just the right amount of grassiness, making for a pasta dish that will keep your taste buds guessing. Whether served hot, fresh from the pot, or at room temperature, it satisfies, and then some.

Try the unusually satisfying pasta dish for yourself.

If you've only tried rhubarb in sweet applications, it's time to consider the tart vegetables (yes, you read right!) as a welcome addition to dinnertime. It's just the ticket for brightening up chicken thighs, especially when paired with crisp cubes of cucumber, cilantro leaves, and lime for an unconventional yet utterly delightful salsa.

Bust out your knife skills, get chopping, and count down the mere minutes to an elegant and unexpected dinner perfect for busy weeknights.

Get the zesty recipe.

When you're on the go yet looking for a filling, protein-packed lunch, the Cobb salad wrap has you covered.

In case you aren't familiar with a Cobb salad, it's a classic American salad that is typically loaded with bacon, chicken, blue cheese, egg, and avocado. This recipe isn't about reinventing the wheel — we're just trying to wrap it!

Once the salad is tossed in dressing, wrap it tightly inside a piece of flatbread for an easy way to eat on the go.

The beauty of this salad is that so many interesting and unusual ingredients come together. You may get a bite that's loaded with salty, smoky bacon, while the next will have a large hunk of funky blue cheese. I salivate just conjuring up memories of sinking my teeth into the flavor-filled wrap. To make lunch infinitely better, keep reading for the recipe

Like peanut butter and jelly, lamb and mint, or strawberry and rhubarb, tomato soup and grilled cheese were practically made to be paired with each other. Here, I've taken the combination one better and — inspired by the always charming and ingenious Ina Garten — melded two solid concepts (tomato soup with grilled cheese, and a crispy crouton garnish) to create a dish that really, truly may just blow your mind.

This combination is pretty darn hard to beat — like a comforting hug in a bowl — but is admittedly a bit indulgent. For days when you're looking for something a little less over the top, omit the grilled cheese croutons, and garnish per usual, adding a swirl of extra-virgin olive oil, and an extra pinch of red pepper flakes if you can handle the heat. Either way, this classic tomato soup is a soul-soothing must make.

Get the can't miss recipe.

Say hello to my go-to picnic and backyard barbecue dish: sesame-ginger soba noodle salad. Vibrantly flavored, full of crisp vegetables, and best served at room temperature — I'd argue it's actually tastier the second day — this noodle dish is perfectly tailored for outdoor entertaining (and is a standout brown-bag lunch option as well for similar reasons).

Don't be put off by the laundry list of ingredients; many are pantry staples or easy to source — try an Asian grocer or Amazon, or even sub sriracha for the chili oil if your supermarket doesn't stock it — and the actual prep for the salad is breezy, to say the least.

Get the recipe and toss together a heaping bowl of soba noodle salad.