As a mom to two macaroni-loving kids, I have made almost every type of macaroni and cheese variation you can imagine: baked, stovetop, one-bowl microwave, and boxed. But none of these techniques has wowed me quite the way this Instant Pot version has.

Instant Pot macaroni and cheese requires just five ingredients (OK, six if you include water) and cooks up perfectly from start to finish in 20 minutes. Between boiling the water and making the cheese sauce, even the best boxed macaroni and cheese can’t beat that timing. Plus, this Instant Pot version is creamier and more unctuous than any other one-pot macaroni around. Here’s how to make the very best weeknight macaroni and cheese in the Instant Pot.

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There are so many trendy appliances on the market right now, from the Instant Pot to the KitchenAid stand mixer — and many of them are investments. If you’re having trouble deciding which one you need the most, you’ll want to thank Joanna Gaines because she just revealed the appliance she thinks every home cook should own: a bread maker.

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When it comes to easy dinners, chili reigns supreme. It’s hearty, budget-friendly, and a staple weeknight dish for families all across the country. But not all chilis are created equal — so in an attempt to find out which recipe should earn its place in our rotation, we decided to test some of the most popular chili recipes out there (from Carla Hall, Ina Garten, Guy Fieri, and Ree Drummond) to see which one was the absolute best.

So which chili recipe took the crown? Here’s how they ranked, from our least favorite to the clear winner.

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Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) is everybody’s favorite aspirational rancher. When she’s not busy testing out recipes with her family or taking care of her sprawling ranch, she’s building her booming food empire that has amassed leigons of loyal fans. So when looking for a simple chili recipe that would please a crowd, I knew Ree would have something up her sleeve.

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So you’ve been invited to a dinner party. There are some rules for this type of social situation that you’ve definitely heard before: For instance, you should always bring a bottle of wine or some other token as a gift for your host. But these occasions can be tricky to navigate and it’s important to make sure you arrive fully equipped to make a good impression on your fellow guests. Thankfully, Twitter users recently stepped in to offer their advice on what to avoid doing during dinner with the hashtag #BadDinnerPartyEtiquette.

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We’re just over three weeks into 2019, which means that most of us haven’t completely abandoned our New Year’s resolutions yet. In addition to trying to cut down on my LaCroix intake (it’s not even that good, you guys) and trying to stop obsessing about mistakes I made in, like, 2004, I’m trying to really focus on – and stick to – my monthly budget this year.

Because I am SERIOUS-in-all-caps about this, I made an Excel spreadsheet to try to determine where every paycheck goes. Although most of my monthly bills are pretty consistent, my grocery receipts can fluctuate like crazy, depending on how well I’ve planned my meals in advance (spoiler alert: I am a poor planner) and whether or not I buy whatever impulse-in-a-box is currently being showcased on the end-cap. Fortunately, a not-quite-new but increasingly popular and free phone app can help me – or force me – to make a grocery list ahead of time, and it can also calculate which store has the best price on those items.

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Everyone has their own weird food quirks. Much to the consternation of my entire family, for years I only ate vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of sea salt because a men’s fitness magazine told me that it would cause me to eat less of it (it did not). My father used to eat scrambled eggs every morning with a heaping helping of ketchup and melted butter, which for some reason as a teen grossed me out to no end. And on Fridays (until the entire family begged her to stop), my mother used to smoke her own herring, knowing full well it’s already sold pre-smoked at the store. My siblings and I would climb into the car like clockwork and drive every Friday to wander the mall for two hours while she cooked, which gives you an idea of how strongly it smelled.

Still, in comparison to what you’ll see below, these are minor food sins.

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I am usually the biggest proponent of eating as much ice cream as possible. At least in theory. But I think we can all agree that there are moments when a waffle cone stuffed with three heaping scoops leaves you feeling stuffed and a little sick. That’s why the idea behind Hold the Cone! Vanilla Mini Ice Cream Cones from Trader Joe’s is so ingenious: If you’re craving ice cream, but you don’t want to overdo it, a mini ice cream cone should be enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. And for $3 for a box of eight cones, they’re very well-priced.

The mini cones were recently dubbed the “best” dessert at Trader Joe’s, according to their loyal customers, so obviously I had to try them out for myself. Would they really satisfy my ice cream craving?

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I’ve always wanted to be that person who has a morning or nighttime ritual — who sits with the newspaper every morning when sipping their coffee or meditates for 10 minutes before bed. Sadly, rituals are usually lost on me. I get bored or just forget to partake. That’s slowly starting to change, however, as I’ve begun to practice a little more self-care.

It started as an effort to keep my cool and feel my best through the busy holiday season, and since then it’s stuck — I have a real, true ritual! It’s an herbal tea habit that not only helps me wind down at night, but also lets me practice a little mindfulness and connect with my husband at the same time.

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Whether you’re following Whole30 or not, this is an easy, flavor-packed dinner that deserves a regular spot in your meal plan. Chicken thighs are slicked with a tangy, bold-flavored pantry sauce, and yet they’re still versatile enough to pair with a variety of sides and veggies.

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