(Image credit: Faith Durand)

While I wish I could say I am a master meal planner like some of my colleagues, that would be so far from the truth. The reality is I get lazy on weekends and roll into the week without a clear plan. There is, however, one thing I always try to squeeze in on Sundays: I roast a baking sheet or two full of vegetables. It sets me up for healthy eating, regardless of how prepared or not I am for the week ahead, and takes up hardly any of my precious leisurely weekend time.

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My younger brother just bought a slow cooker and texted me late one night asking for advice on classic slow cooker recipes he should know. Of course I sent him a few links to favorite recipes, but it got me thinking about the basic but brilliant things that a slow cooker can churn out for everyday eats. Here are the 12 slow cooker classics that every home cook should know by heart.

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(Image credit: Ambitious Kitchen)

Forget Raymond — Everybody Loves Pancakes should have been the name of the show. After all, have you ever met anyone who doesn’t love pancakes? I mean, what kind of monster wouldn’t love a warm, fluffy stack of hot cakes with maple syrup and a pat of butter melting in tantalizing rivers down the tower?

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When my family’s apartment flooded, we — my husband, 10-month-old daughter, geriatric rabbit, and I — decamped to my parents’ house. As we waited for insurance companies to settle the bill, we divvied up dinner duty: My mom and I took turns during the week and on weekends, my husband would cook, or my dad would get takeout.

In some ways, it was easier. I cooked less frequently, if for more people, and that meant sometimes I could enjoy feeding little bub instead of trying to make dinner at the same time. Even still, it’s awkward cooking in someone else’s kitchen!

As a work-from-home mom, I’d already developed some strategies to get dinner on the table, and they came in very handy as we all learned to get along. Here’s how we made it work.

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The official first day of fall is just around the corner, and temperatures are starting to drop around here, finally giving me permission to cook the cozy cold-weather fare I’ve been craving since August. This week’s meal plan is all about welcoming fall with some of our favorite foods. They’re always easy to make and devoured by adults and kids alike.

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Your kitchen cabinets can get pretty dirty over time due to the usual kitchen stuff: clouds of grease floating through the air from your stovetop, grubby fingers pulling open the doors, drips of coffee, and more. Fortunately they don’t get as dirty as, say, your countertops. But every once in a while, you probably look up and think Wow, these things are filthy!

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I run a tight ship when it comes to my refrigerator. I can’t stand a messy fridge, so I spend a lot of time trying to prevent that. I find myself frequently pulling leftovers that have gotten pushed to the back of the fridge to the front so they won’t get forgotten about, and lining up various condiments. Beyond this, there is one tool I lean on daily to keep my fridge in the shape I like it: zip-top bags.

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I used to be one of those people. I didn’t just make homemade chicken stock — I roasted chicken bones until fragrant, then gave them a long, slow bath. I didn’t toss stuff in a slow cooker — I sautéed and seared first, in the sincere belief it made a difference.

And then I had a baby.

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Honey-Yogurt Avocado Toast

(Image credit: Maria Siriano)

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Even when I’m crunched for time in the morning, I always make breakfast. Since sandwiches are so easy to put together, they’ve become my go-to for both lazy weekends and quick meals to eat on the way to work. I do love eggs, but sometimes there’s just no need for them; breakfast sandwiches can be just as delicious and satisfying without them.

Here are seven eggless ideas to add to your weekly routine.

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