’Tis the season to tuck squash into everything.

Join me, won’t you?

Autumn has so many small pleasures — crunchy leaves, crisp air, cozy TV seasons, and the relief of finally swapping out shorts — but my favorite is finding new ways to fold squash into savory dishes.

My family doesn’t always share this enthusiasm. My husband tolerates squash as a side, and last Thanksgiving my relatives were scandalized when I brought a butternut lasagna. Fine by me — if they won’t embrace it, more squash for the rest of us.

Last weekend I made this baked pumpkin fettuccine alfredo. I considered it a full meal — it’s built from some of my favorite ingredients — though someone else insisted on pairing it with leftover turkey meatballs. Not together, please; I refused to let them ruin the pasta. Still, who knows what happened when my back was turned. He probably squirted ketchup on it. Welcome to my life.

I couldn’t stop eating this straight from the baking dish — hot, cooling, and even cold later that night. I kept sneaking bites while watching Full House and frying extra sage to top each bowl. It’s that kind of comfort food: slightly indulgent, deeply satisfying, and addictive.

This dish differs from the butternut pasta I mentioned recently: it’s creamier, uses fettuccine, and gets a generous hit of sage and cheese. It still feels indulgent, but compared to a classic alfredo it’s lighter and adds fiber and nutrients thanks to the pumpkin.

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So last evening I sat in my car at the Starbucks drive-thru for 25 minutes (yes, I’m that lazy stereotype) to get a peppermint mocha that I ultimately only drank half of because I don’t really like coffee. And the whole time I could only think about one thing: cookies.

It’s definitely cookie season!

I firmly believe you should never show up anywhere empty-handed. During the holidays, homemade tins or trays of cookies are always the biggest hit. My grandmother, Mother Lovett, used to bake constantly; even when her chocolate walnut fudge bore her fingerprints, people still loved it. Sometimes we pair a little cookie tray with a bottle of wine, but these days wine is almost expected and can feel overdone. (Full disclosure: I don’t think wine can ever really be overdone—if you visit me, bring boatloads.)

Is there any other time of year when it’s appropriate to arrive with a huge snowman plate piled high with a dozen different kinds of cookies? I don’t think so. Sure, I’d be thrilled if someone showed up like that in August, but it just doesn’t happen.

I bake. A lot. Baking cookies for the holidays is therapeutic for me—it’s not work. I don’t need to stage everything in perfect light or spend half an hour trying to stack three cookies for a photo. Holiday baking is for early mornings, late nights, rainy days, and is camera-free. I blast Christmas music while I bake. I learned alongside Mother Lovett for years, and baking now feels like a tribute to her.

Below is what I plan to bake this season—or at least what I desperately want to bake if time allows. I’ve shared this list every year, and last year I made a little more than half the recipes. I’m a bit ambitious, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What are you baking? Tell me! Share recipes, links, and ideas—overshare, if you like. I love seeing new inspiration and holiday creativity.

[Clearly I have too much time on my hands. Oye.]

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Grilled shishito peppers are one of our favorite summer snacks! This easy appetizer is perfect for warm evenings, ideal for happy hour, and ready in minutes.

It’s summer snack time!

These grilled shishito peppers are a go-to summer snack that take only minutes to prepare. They’re simple, fresh, and addictive—great to toss on the grill before the main course or to serve as a quick patio snack during happy hour.

There’s almost no prep and very little cleanup, and the flavor is bright and satisfying. Most shishitos are mild; while you might hear that one in ten peppers is spicy, in my experience spicy ones are rare—after eating hundreds, I’ve only encountered a couple.

This is how I make them

I typically use a grill pan to keep things easy—placing the pan directly on a hot grill gives great char and blistering without losing peppers through the grates. Toss the peppers with a little olive or avocado oil so they’re evenly coated, then spread them on the grill pan.

Place the pan on a hot grill, close the lid, and let the peppers char and blister, turning every few minutes until they’re evenly blistered. Once off the heat, finish immediately with flaky salt, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and crumbled cotija cheese. The warm peppers soften the cheese slightly and everything comes together as a fresh, bright, and flavorful plate.

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