Frequently Asked Questions

You bet! Every recipe can be scaled up or down to fit your needs. Just a heads-up though - when doubling baked goods, the cooking time doesn't always double (learned that one the hard way with a still-gooey cake center!). Need specific help with a recipe? Just shoot me a message!

Don't panic! And definitely don't make an emergency grocery run. Check the 'Recipe Notes' section where I list substitutions I've actually tried in my own kitchen. Sometimes the swaps work even better than the original - like when I ran out of sour cream and discovered Greek yogurt makes muffins extra fluffy!

Yes! You'll find the nutrition breakdown under each recipe. I'm working through my older recipes to add this info too (it's taking forever, but I'm getting there!). Just remember these are estimates - the exact numbers depend on specific brands and how heavy-handed you are with that cheese sprinkle!

Head straight to the 'Weeknight Wonders' collection! These are my lifesavers when everyone's hungry and I've got approximately 25 minutes before hangry chaos erupts. Each one has been tested during actual dinnertime rushes with kids asking me questions while I cook.

Please do! Some of my most popular recipes started as reader suggestions. That apple-cheddar soup everyone loves? Came from a reader in Michigan! Send me your ideas - especially family recipes with stories attached. Those are my absolute favorites to test and share.

Check out my 'Real Life Meal Plans' section! These are the actual weekly plans that save my sanity. I include prep-ahead steps (Sunday afternoon prep is a game-changer!), shopping lists organized by store section, and notes about which nights need super-quick options for busy evenings.

The 'No-Fail Lasagna,' 'Actually Crispy Chicken Thighs,' and 'That Chocolate Cake Everyone Asks For' consistently get the most love (and the most chocolate-smudged recipe cards in my own kitchen!). Find these and more in the 'Reader Favorites' collection.

Use those filter buttons at the top of the recipe page! You can find options whether you're gluten-free, dairy-free, or just trying to sneak more veggies past your kids. I test alternatives myself because nothing's worse than a substitution that ruins dinner.

Absolutely! I hit the farmers market every Saturday (rain or shine - I've got the soggy market bags to prove it). Look for my 'This Month's Best' collection to see what's worth buying right now. Spoiler: those sad winter tomatoes are never worth it, but winter citrus? Absolutely!

Read the WHOLE recipe before starting! (I still forget this sometimes and end up with ingredients everywhere while frantically preheating the oven.) I include lots of visual cues like 'the mixture should coat the back of a spoon' or 'it'll look curdled but don't panic!' to keep you on track.

Each recipe includes real-world storage tips - tested in my own fridge with my questionable collection of mismatched containers. I'm all about cook-once-eat-twice (because who has time to cook every night?), so I'll tell you exactly how to keep things tasting fresh.

Look for my freezer-friendly tag! Those recipes have been frozen in my actual freezer, forgotten about for too long, then thawed and eaten by my family. I'll tell you exactly how to wrap it, when to add fresh herbs, and the best reheating method so it doesn't turn to mush.

Welcome to the kitchen adventure! Start with my 'Cooking Confidence' collection - these recipes helped me when I was learning and have been tested on my kitchen-nervous friends. Each includes extra hand-holding, step-by-step photos, and notes about what 'golden brown' or 'fork-tender' actually looks like.

Check out my 'Kitchen Skills' pages! I share all the techniques I've learned through years of mistakes and victories. From how to actually dice an onion without crying to getting that perfect roast chicken (spoiler: a $10 meat thermometer changed my cooking life).

Not at all! Everything's free and accessible to everyone. Though if you sign up for my newsletter (no pressure!), you'll get my weekly meal plan and those little kitchen tricks I discover while cooking that don't always make it into full posts.

Fresh recipes land every Monday and Thursday - and trust me, they've been tested multiple times (sometimes to my family's dismay when version #4 of a stew appears at dinner again). Join the newsletter to know when they go live!

Click the bookmark icon to save any recipe to your collection, or use the printer-friendly version if you're old school like me. I still have a massive recipe binder with splatter marks on all the favorites - sometimes analog just works better!

I love hearing from fellow food lovers! Hit the 'Message Me' button or email hello@recipesclare.com. I try to respond to everyone within a couple days, though sometimes I get buried in messages after posting something controversial like 'the right way to load a dishwasher' (who knew that would start such debate!).

Please do! Just tag @RecipesClare so I can see your creations - it absolutely makes my day to see my recipes in your kitchens! Your photos, comments, and even your 'I substituted every ingredient and it didn't work' stories keep me inspired and often laughing.