Although I love to eat, I’m not much of a chef. In fact, I vividly remember the shock on my family’s faces when I revealed that my husband does most of the cooking for us. (Not a sexist thing, BTW. My mom taught us to make delicious dishes yet I still seem to set the microwave on fire trying to heat up Bagel Bites.) But there’s no shame in the food game, which is why I’m always open to learning new recipes.

Now, someone who knows what she’s doing in the kitchen unlike moi is Tieghan Gerard (she/her), chef and founder of Half Baked Harvest. As an expert of all things cuisine, food means so much more to Tieghan than just filling up a belly; it’s about caring for your mind, body, and soul. “Food is nourishing in so many ways. The ingredients we use are what makes it so important,” she says. “Plus, cooking can be such a wonderful stress release after busy days. Using a lot of in-season produce and colorful components can create homemade dinners you’ll love.”

So what’s on the menu? Or should I say, “What’s the soup of the day?” Enter: Easy Spicy Baked Potato Soup. (And since it has “easy” in the title, I can relax a bit before recreating it.) Tieghan says, “During these cold winter days our bodies crave warm foods. Soups are wonderful because they can be comforting and yet still so full of ‘good for you’ ingredients.” And who doesn’t love a dish with a backstory? Tieghan reminisces about the cozy meal that reminds her of her childhood growing up in Cleveland. “It’s special because it’s the flavors of my homemade potato skin recipe, just turned into a creamy soup. I love the addition of salsa verde for added flavor and spice!”

Well, I know what I’m making tonight.

Bon appétit!
Chloe Trout, associate editor