Recreating French White Bean Cassoulet at Home

{originally published in 2013 and updated in 2025}

We were in Paris in 2013 and this is the epitome of comfort food. Here’s what we had in Paris – white beans, duck, pork and a delicious broth:

The Three Bite Rule - Paris Dinner Like a Local

Sometimes the best tasting dishes are not the most photogenic, but comfort comes to this dish from sauce with white beans, pork, and chicken thighs. Baguette would be good but the kiddos like to “make” (and eat) crescents so here we are.

Cassoulet at Home
Ingredients: (for 4 servings)

3-4 chicken thighs
2 sausages
2, 8 oz cans white beans
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 tsp thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Directions:
Heat a large heavy pan to medium heat. Season the thighs with salt, pepper, and thyme. Sear them until golden and mostly cooked (about 4 minutes each side – they’ll finish in the oven). Remove from the heat. Slice the sausages.

In the same pan, deglaze with the wine and bring to a boil for about 2 minutes scraping the bottom bits off. Add in the tomato paste cooking for a few minutes. Next, pour in the broth bringing to a boil.

Pour off the excess liquid for the beans. Pour them in and add the chicken and sausage back in.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.

Bake for 20 minutes checking that the chicken is cooked through. My sausages were fully cooked so they were warming in the sauce.
Serve with bread to dip. Enjoy!

I loved this! There’s so much more flavor than the 40-minute(ish) cooktime.

Chopped Caesar Salad Sub

I’m easily sold on anything with Caesar flavors and saw Mortadella Head of Davis Sq become a sensation with a caesar club and I had to recreate it. It’s perfect for these black-hole days between holidays on break. It has caesar salad, crispy chicken, prosciutto, tomato, and extra caesar dressing with the roll as the crouton.

Chopped Caesar Salad Sub
Ingredients: (for 1-2)

1-2 sub rolls
~3 chicken fingers (or the nug equivalent)
2 prosciutto slices
2 tomatoes
~3 tablespoons creamy caesar dressing
2 tablespoons grated parmesan

Directions:
Cook the chicken until cooked through and crispy.
While the chicken cooks, chop the lettuce and toss with half the dressing.
Slice and gently toast the rolls.
Chop the chicken and toss with the lettuce and parmesan.

Spread remaining caesar dressing on the sub rolls then add the lettuce and chicken. Add sliced tomatoes and prosciutto.
Enjoy!

Don’t skip the prosciutto – it makes this sandwich something truly special. I loved this. Go with your mood – you can elevate it by making your own chicken cutlets, ooo la la! or you can use leftover dino nuggets or wherever you land in between. Either way, this is a keeper…and may appear on repeat while we’re home and nobody knows what day it is.

Chicken, Bacon & Ranch Chili

Crowd favorite flavors, but make it chili-esque. We needed some comfort post-election and this was a hit, as were the leftovers.

This was comforting, flavorful, and fun with all the toppings! We had some green beans on the side and crescent rolls.

Chicken, Bacon & Ranch Chili
Ingredients:
(serves ~6)
28 oz pinto beans
1 1/2 roasted chicken breasts
2 carrots
4 oz can green chilis
2 tablespoons ranch powder (or 1 envelope)
1-2 cups chicken broth (for desired thickness)
1 cup cottage cheese, pureed (or 1/2 brick cream cheese)
~4 slices bacon
Green onions
shredded cheddar
corn chips

Directions:
Peal & chop the carrots, drain and rinse the beans (don’t drain for thicker chili), bacon, and puree the cottage cheese.
In a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil, cook the broth, beans, carrots, chilis, and ranch to a low boil for 8-10 minutes.
Shred the chicken.
Reduce heat to low for another 5 minutes. Stir in the cottage cheese puree and the chicken.
Cook for 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
Top with shredded cheese, green onions, more bacon, and corn chips.
Enjoy!

This was good! It was more soupy than some chili is, but we all liked it. Cooking everything together can be a gamble, but this one paid off (and crescents & green beans were some safe options).

This could go into a crock pot with raw chicken breasts for 4-6 hours with the cream cheese or pureed cottage cheese at the end.

Italian Grain Bowls

{originally published in 2017 and updated in 2024}

We have loved grain bowls for a long time. The customization and variety make these really great meals for us. I go for a carb base (orzo, or swap for risotto or rice or beans) + a protein (meatballs, or chicken or rosemary white beans, and cheese) + raw veggie (tomatoes or arugula) + a cooked veggie (parmesan broccoli, or swap for roasted asparagus or zucchini or mushrooms) + drizzle (pesto, or tomato sauce, or alfredo)!

The kids mostly ate everything separate to dip in pesto – their dreams come true.

Italian Grain Bowl
Ingredients (for 4)

1/2 pound orzo (half a box, or use grain of choice)
1-2 heads of broccoli
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
meatballs
1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato sauce
1 cup fresh mozzarella
2/3 cup pesto sauce
1 cup tomatoes

Directions:
Roast the broccoli in the oven (375-degrees) or air fryer until roasted and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and parmesan.
Cook the orzo (or any grain).
While veggie and grains are cooking, warm the meatballs and chop the raw veggies.
Drizzle with pesto and enjoy!


One kid let me know they like orzo better with just butter and parmesan – I mean, they still ate it, but this is only a slight deviation for pasta-obsessed kids and it is true we most often have orzo pretty plain. I’m always laying the groundwork for them to see foods all different ways. The same one remembered how much they like roasted broccoli while the other only likes it raw.

The leftovers are great, or let this be the use for leftovers. I love build-your-own situations for groups so people can customize and hit all the dietary needs.


We love all the grain bowls – take your fav flavors and serve it in this grain bowl format (chicken parm! burrito bowls! Egg roll bowls!) and everyone will be glad they can make it their own.

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Chicken Caesar salad turned into a pasta salad! This one provides the beloved flavors and works great as a hefty side or as a cool meal!

Use any pasta you have, any greens you have, and rotisserie chicken to make it quick!

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Ingredients (serves 2 meals or ~4 sides)

~8 oz short pasta
1 chicken breast
1 head romaine
1/4 cup creamy caesar dressing
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
oil/vinegar
2 tablespoons parmesan

Directions:
Cook the pasta and allow to cool.
While the pasta cools, chop the chicken and romaine.
Stir the pasta, romaine (if serving right away), and chicken with the dressing and a splash of oil and vinegar.

Sprinkle on the parmesan and pepper.
Enjoy!

This is so cravable. I love these flavors and this is a nice but gentle twist. Make it in advance and stir in the lettuce just before serving!

We love caesar and it works just as well with other greens – I packed it for a work lunch with arugula to toss in.