Meghan Rodgers stories

Get ready for the heartiest and richest pot roast you’ve ever made. The addition of Guinness beer to this traditional recipe makes for the perfect St. Patrick’s Day dish — but it’s also just as delicious served on a cold winter day. The beer’s dark, rich flavor adds great depth,...

March marks the beginning of the end of winter. March is also an interesting month for produce, as many winter fruits and veggies fall out of favor and we see the start of sweet fruits we associate with summer (hello, pineapple!). Come April, you’ll be planting your own seedlings and...

Tea lovers, listen up. I’m about to save you from an easy error we’ve all made before. Here it is: Chai means tea. Yes, that means if you’ve ever gone to a coffee or teahouse and ordered a “chai tea,” you basically ordered a “tea tea.” While it is common...

Do you dare to eclair? Eclairs used to seem like one of those unattainable pastries — something you had no choice but to pay $8 for in a fancy French patisserie in New York or Europe if you wanted to cure your craving. Why, they simply couldn’t be made at...

Confused about what’s Cajun and what’s Creole? Though you might hear the terms Cajun and Creole used interchangeably, they are in fact, two distinct ethnic groups, each with its own history, traditions, culture and, of course, food. The two cuisines do share some common ingredients but differences can be difficult...

If you want a fancy-yet-easy main dish, look no further than baked salmon fillets. This baked salmon comes out beautifully with little to no effort. The marinade is an interesting blend of sweet and sour flavors. It’s similar to a teriyaki sauce, though it takes its main spice ingredients from...

On any given weekday, breakfast might mean a simple cup of coffee and perhaps a piece of toast — still warm if you’re lucky — gobbled up as you leave a trail of breadcrumbs to the door. But Valentine’s Day is a special day meant for spending with the one...

There are tons of reasons to make juice at home. Aside from benefiting from all of the additional vitamins, minerals and enzymes in your diet, you can customize and make your very own mixtures, like this one, inspired by the popular vegetable drink V8. V8 has been around since 1933,...

A friend of mine recently said she received a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas, but didn’t know what to use it for. If you too have one of the bright-colored beauties just sitting on your countertop, let me share with you 20 favorite ways I use my KitchenAid. I admit, I...

Cold winter nights are made just a bit better with warm comfort food. This delicious Cheesy Cauliflower Soup fits the bill. Cozy up on the couch with a big bowl tonight or whip some up this weekend and stay in with your favorite movies. This soup does not disappoint. What...

Cleaning the house isn’t exactly fun, but you might be able to make it easier — or at least, more amusing — with one of these 10 foods substituting as cleaning supplies. You can save some money by not spending on expensive specialty products, not to mention you can avoid...

Chocolate-dipped Oreos, chocolate-covered strawberries, cake toppers — lots of desserts call for perfectly smooth, melted chocolate. But melting chocolate can be intimidating. One wrong step and you’re left with a sticky mess and a burnt pan. However, with just a few simple tips, you can master the art of chocolate...

Is there any breakfast more simply satisfying than toast with jam? Or wait, was that jelly? Or was it preserves? Maybe marmalade? Fruit spreads are all deliciously similar, but they do have definite distinctions. Whether you smother your fresh baguette with preserves from the farmers market or smear your peanut...

Tuna stuffed avocados are an easy yet impressive meal that definitely need a spot in your lunch/dinner menu rotation. No fatty mayonnaise here! Just tasty tuna, creamy avocado and loads of fresh and delicious extras. This is one of those great recipes that is super customizable. Don’t like cilantro? Leave...

If you ever drank a glass of orange juice in the morning after brushing your teeth, you probably wish you hadn’t. It’s a lesson most of us learn as young kids — orange juice and toothpaste just don’t mix. But why? Blame it on your taste buds. Your taste buds...

Winter has arrived, and that means it’s time to break out your fuzziest slippers, coziest sweater and snuggle up to a piping hot mug of hot chocolate for a few guilt-free hours of Netflix. But no matter whether you use a homemade recipe or open a packet of the powdery...

’Tis the season for sparkles! These cranberries are so festive decked out in their sugar-coated crunchy goodness. They’re like little edible jewels. They’re the perfect sparkling garnish to a just about any holiday dish. Try them skewered on top of a glass of champagne or place them on top of...

’Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry! That being said, when you’re hosting friends and family for the holidays, your grocery bill can easily double or even triple in no time. All that extra spending can add to the stress of the season, especially if you still have...

Corn flake cereal gets all dressed up for the holidays with these super cute and easy no-bake wreath Christmas cookies. All you need is 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes, and you’ll have dozens of adorable little wreaths ready to serve on their own, or add to any holiday cookie...

When is cake an acceptable breakfast choice? When it’s Christmas or New Year’s, or brunch anytime, or basically any day in December. There’s nothing like this incredibly delicious cranberry-streaked cake to make your whole Christmas season feel special. The ricotta cheese makes this recipe super moist and the plentiful cranberries...

Nothing is better than freshly baked cookies. But during the holidays when fresh, homemade cookies matter most, we’re also needing to split our time among cooking, hosting, shopping and celebrating the season, leaving little time to spend rolling out and filling dozens of dainty little cookies. This is when having...

Pumpkin pie, with its thick, pumpkin-y custard, fragrant spices and flaky pastry crust, is about as delicious as Thanksgiving gets. Served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, there is no Thanksgiving dish that arrives with such anticipation. Yet, even the most seasoned bakers know a truly perfect pumpkin pie...

These days, it seems like we’re constantly washing everything in sight. From hands to countertops, keyboards to kids’ toys. And with covid-19 a serious threat, it’s the best thing you can do. Except when it comes to that turkey. Yep, it’s true. Poultry doesn’t exactly seem super clean, but no...

The idea of a juicy, stuffed turkey serving as the centerpiece to Thanksgiving feast can get just about any of us drooling. So I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But cooking your stuffing inside the bird might not be the best idea. It sure is delicious, but...

Whether you’re a first-time host or a seasoned veteran, whipping up a Thanksgiving dinner is no piece of pie … er … cake. Add in a bit of forgetfulness, a touch of poor planning and some overly eager houseguests, and you could quickly find yourself in the middle of a...