Looking for a good side to pair with this soup? Try my homemade breadsticks, buttery garlic bread, or arugula salad.

Homemade Mini Meatball Soup

This meatball soup is a comforting soup reminiscent of spaghetti and meatballs but in homestyle, sip-able soup form! It's an excellent thing to prepare to warm up with after a long chilly day and it pairs beautifully with salad or bread.

For a meatball vegetable soup it can be modified to reduce the carbs and replace the pasta with more vegetables. There are also options to replace the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken, or use other various types of pasta (all these ideas addressed in the variations and questions below).

Just keep in mind if you plan on having extra servings you may want to consider cooking the pasta separately if you are like me and hate soggy pasta (just reduce the broth by 1 cup if doing so).

Happy fall and welcome to sweater weather and soup season!

From there you can serve it with simply fresh herbs and tart lemon wedges for spritzing, or your favorite dipping sauce (honey mustard, bbq sauce, ranch etc), chicken gravy or other creamy pan sauce.

What is Chicken Schnitzel?

Schnitzel is a German and Austrian dish made with meat that is pounded very thin then it's coated in a standard three layer breading including flour, eggs and some type of bread crumb (such as bread crumbs, matzo meal or in this case panko), after that it's fried in a bit of oil until browned and cooked through.

To me chicken schnitzel is like a grown up, fancier version of chicken nuggets with a similar taste and texture. Just simple but delicious, with an excellent texture.

It's a straightforward process to follow and easier to make than you'd think. And I'd say yes it is definitely worth the extra dishes it takes to bread the chicken.

It is a dinner item my family has requested be added to a regular rotation, and I have the feeling yours may agree with that too!

Wondering what to serve with chicken schnitzel?

I recommend serving with:

• Mashed potatoes and gravy, or garlic mashed potatoes
• German potato salad
• Side salad such as apple salad
• Roasted vegetables such as broccoli and carrots, or steamed veggies like asparagus
• Cucumber salad
• Rustic no knead bread with whipped butter

Crispy Onion Rings

When the craving for onion rings strikes sometimes you just don't want to leave the comfort of home to get them. Or perhaps you have a hungry crowd to feed and want to impress with this crave-worthy appetizer or side dish.

Luckily making onion rings at home is easier than you may think and once you learn the method it's a breeze from then on out.

You follow a simple breading process to coat the onion rings, then deep fry in hot oil in batches until beautifully golden brown and crisp. You'll just need a little patience to work in batches.

From there serve with your favorite sauces. Excellent choices are fry sauce, ketchup, ranch dressing, or bbq sauce. Then just prepare for them to disappear as quickly as you put them out!

Note that I've shared other options to cook them if you'd prefer not to deep fry. You can bake in the oven or cook in an air fryer as well.

With any of the three options though you'll end with something completely delicious!

What is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Cordon Bleu is a dish with Swiss origin that is a derivative of schnitzel.

Chicken cordon bleu specifically is made of chicken that has been pounded thin, layered with ham slices, and topped with Swiss cheese. They layers are rolled snug or folded over, after which it's breaded with flour, egg and dried breadcrumbs. And to cook it's and either pan fried or baked.

In the United States it was a dish that was very popular between the 60's and 70's. In my experience as a kid growing up in the 90's I commonly remember chicken cordon bleu casserole which was a simplified version (which wasn't quite as good, but mimicked the same flavors).

You can serve it whole (note in this recipe though you'll only get four servings if doing so), or you can slice and layer them on a platter domino style. I prefer the later as you'll get more servings and presentation is eye catching with those pretty swirls.

And the creamy honey mustard sauce, which I believe is a staple to the dish, should be poured over each individual servings right before it's served (so the breading doesn't get soft, because that crispy crunch is a crowning finish!).

This dish is perfect for entertaining or for the holidays. It may be a little bit of extra effort but very well worth it!

Eat them on their own or there's also a recipe included to use them as a tasty taco filling.

Versatile Avocado Fries

You'll love the crispy crunchy exterior and creamy rich interior along with that hint of seasoned flavor found in these avocado fries.

They are such a delicious appetizer, side dish, or with a few additions can be converted into a main dish.

You can enjoy them on their own, serve with a dip, or use them in vegetarian tacos, breakfast tacos, tostadas, or salads.

My favorite way to use them is the taco option. It's a fun take on a classic and has such a nice variety of textures and crave-able flavors!

Some may think a vegetarian taco can be boring but these are anything but! No one will miss the meat in the slightest.

A delicious dish to learn how to make and a restaurant quality recipe you can enjoy at home! It's one of those things you'll soon have on repeat.

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

With this recipe you just follow a standard breading process. Dip chicken tenders in flour, egg, and then panko bread crumbs. Then instead of frying in a pan in oil, they are baked in a hot oven over a wire rack until golden brown and cooked through.

So we skip the vegetable oil and just use a little olive oil to add some flavor and encourage browning. Then the real game changer is the parmesan. It gives them a delicious boost of flavor.

People of all ages will love these simple baked chicken tenders! They're easy to make and perfect for dipping.

Island Style Coconut Shrimp!

This classic coconut shrimp tastes equally as good as the coconut shrimp you'll get in Hawaii! We found ourselves going back to the same restaurant 3 times to order it so I had to figure out how to make it at home.

The shrimp itself calls for a few basic dredging ingredients then of course a generous amount of shredded coconut, and some panko for crunch.

And it's taken up a notch with a sweet, salty and tangy mango dipping sauce. It really is the ultimate sauce to serve with this shrimp!

When you pair the two together people will love them so much they'll quickly disappear before your eyes.

No one can resist the tempting flavor and the perfect layering of textures. You get tender shrimp surrounded by a crispy light crunch, and it's finished with a seriously smooth sauce for dipping.

Though it boasts of a cheery summertime vibe this is easily something you'll crave year round!

Wondering what to serve with coconut shrimp to complete the dinner? Here are some ideas:

• Black Bean and Corn Salad
• Coconut Rice (my go-to choice)
• Coleslaw
• Fresh fruit (something tropical like mangoes, papayas, pineapple, guava and kiwi)
• Mango Black Bean Quinoa Avocado Salad
• Mango Salsa and Tortilla Chips

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

There's nothing quite like a perfectly golden brown and crispy piece of chicken - especially when it's highlighted with the bold yet welcome flavors of parmesan cheese!

You get a tender, juicy interior surrounded by that cheesy, slightly crunchy exterior that's been fried in rich olive oil. Talk about a delicious Italian chicken dinner!

Though this recipe may require a few extra dishes for dredging, I'm telling you it's easily worth it.

It's a restaurant quality dish to be enjoyed in the comfort of your home.

Best Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

These are also known as one of the ultimate game day or party foods! They have that addictive kick of heat, immense flavor throughout and all the best textures coming from each layer. Plus they are easy to make!

I'm known to quickly finish off half the pan myself. These things are irresistibly addictive! And one of my favorite ways to eat my vegetables (or fruit if you want to get technical).

It just makes sense that they are so supremely delicious. You get that spicy element that always excites the tastebuds, along with a multi-dimensional layer of savory cheese flavor, a light flaky crunch from both the panko and the bacon, and some extra freshness coming from the herbs.

All the best things bundled into one small, yet completely satisfying stuffed jalapeno chili pepper. I think we ought to just make them a weekend tradition, don't you?

Easy Fried Shrimp

A basic recipe that is most definitely one of the ultimate ways to make shrimp! You'll absolutely love it and it may likely make it's way to your list of favorites!

This fried shrimp makes for the ultimate appetizer, impressive party food, or crave-able main dish.

It's easy to make and really less intimidating than you may think.

You just go with a basic process of breading - coat with flour, dip in egg then cover in bread crumbs. Then from there shrimp are ready to deep-fry.

And to finish you can just serve with vibrant fresh lemon wedges for spritzing or your favorite shrimp sauce for dipping. Yum!