Does this scene sound familiar? Your Amazon Prime package comes and somebody at your house grabs a knife to start hacking away at the packaging. These packages come more often than our UPS driver would like, and if I don’t beat my husband to it, that’s him with our good chef’s knife.

It’s been one of our longest-running debates; every time he saws through the packing tape I cringe and tell him he’s ruining our knives. (The knives, by the way, were the first nice things we bought when we got into food and cooking. They’re Wüsthof knives that we’ve had for ages.) As he tears open the box he says the same thing every time: “It’s fine, I’m not hurting anything.”

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This is the macaroni and cheese recipe I grew up on — creamy sauce, chewy pasta, and plenty of cheese. It always felt like a special treat to us kids, although I suspect my mother liked it more because it was an easy stovetop dish that required almost no thought to pull together at the end of a long day.

Whatever the reason, whatever the occasion, a bowl of this mac and cheese will always spell comfort. Here’s the best, most classic recipe I know, with step-by-step pictures to guide you.

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Martha Stewart knows how to make a sandwich better than most people. But it was Snoop Dogg who gave her possibly her best sandwich secret ever: bacon mayonnaise.

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You readers are so smart! Some of our best tips and ideas come from the questions, suggestions, or comments that you guys leave for us. Here’s one that’s proof of that.

Last year, we worked with the founders of The Financial Diet, an amazing site dedicated to money and everything it touches, to come up with the ultimate list of the best things to buy and the things to skip at IKEA. Because otherwise, let’s be honest, we’d end up spending all our money on all the things.

Read more: Buy This, Not That: IKEA Kitchen Supplies

The post suggested skipping the LEGITIM cutting boards. Sure, you can get a two-pack for just $3.99, but they scratch easily and aren’t flexible enough to funnel ingredients into a pot. And “for something like a simple cutting board, you’re much better off going to a Marshalls or HomeGoods-type place and getting a much higher-quality board for the same price point.” Convincing points, right? They were — until they weren’t. One of our readers left a comment that had us running to our nearest IKEA.

Keep reading to steal her brilliant idea.

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Because IKEA products are so inexpensive, they’re often billed as more temporary solutions — a couch for your dorm room, a bookcase for your first apartment. Essentially, people view it as starter stuff that you buy before you can afford the “real” stuff from a higher-end home store.

But in my experience, a lot of my IKEA starter stuff had stood the test of time and, in fact, become the real stuff that I’m still totally happy to use. Don’t believe me? Here are some favorites.

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This is your summer showstopper. It’s so pretty to look at that it’s guaranteed to receive applause at the table. It’s even better to eat, of course. Tomatoes — the true gems of the season — are the focus here. No cheese or aromatics like garlic and onions stand in their way. Instead, their juicy, rich flavor stands freely on its own in this savory twist on a tarte tatin, a classic French caramelized, upside-down pastry that’s most often made with apples for dessert. A touch of balsamic vinegar and honey help caramelize the tomatoes in this take, while coaxing out their inherent sweetness, and just a touch of fresh thyme gilds the lily. All this atop a buttery, flaky puff pastry crust — it’s no wonder this recipe will be a crowd-pleaser.

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Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

Whether or not you’re team pineapple pizza (it’s always up for debate!), you’ll definitely want to be on team pineapple kebab, especially after making this recipe from Cafe Delites! There’s something about throwing fruit on the grill that feels summery. Take our word for it: Eating these charred chicken skewers threaded with pineapple, crispy bacon, and summer veggies will whisk you away on a mental vacation.

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Nothing beats a classic. In this recipe, I’ve used all the flavors of a margarita to kick up fajitas. Tequila, orange juice, and plenty of lime juice create juicy, tender steak — and when topped with avocado slices and a hefty sprinkle of salt, these fajitas become the perfect fiesta fare.

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By now you know that Amazon Prime Day is a good day to get things like vacuum cleaners, small appliances (hint, hint: the Instant Pot ), and Alexa-enabled devices. This year, the sale also includes a decent amount of groceries and household supplies — especially from Amazon’s in-house brands. In fact, for a limited time (while supplies last), you can save 30 percent on coffee, household essentials, snacks, and more across Amazon’s top brands.

Here’s what we suggest you stock up on.

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I’ve been known to make some kitchen splurges, but if I’m going to spend more than $1 on something to clean my dishes, it better be worth it. This is my way of saying that I was intrigued when I came across The Laundress’ Copper Cleaning Cloth — for $16 (!!!). I love the brand’s laundry products and, frankly, I found this to be the prettiest sponge I’ve ever seen.

Could it be beautiful and totally functional? If the answer is yes, I’d be happy to spend a little more money. That’s a big if, though.

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