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Real Balanced — Sara Nelson

Enjoy easy & balanced recipes — ranging from 30-minute weeknight dinners to holiday appetizers and everything in between. My goal is to make sure you can cook a successful and memorable dish every single time.

A hand holding a cracker with jalapeño cranberry dip.
Featured Post

Need a few holiday recipe ideas? I’ve got you.

Hi, friends! If you’re still piecing together your Christmas menu (or you just want a few fun extras that don’t take all day), I pulled together a handful of last-minute holiday recipes for breakfast, appetizers, dinner, and dessert. If you want a “wow, who made this?” moment, pick one of these. Biscuits and Gravy Casserole This recipe takes everything people love about a classic Southern breakfast and turns it into one simple bake. FIND RECIPE Sweet Potato Bread with Brown Butter Cream...

A loaf of cinnamon pull-apart bread with icing drizzled on top, with one piece partially pulled away; two bottles of milk are in the background.

This Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread bakes up soft, buttery, and filled with layers of warm cinnamon sugar in every bite. Each fluffy section pulls apart easily, topped with sweet icing drizzle that melts into the loaf as it cools. It’s perfect for Christmas morning, brunch, or anytime people are hanging around the kitchen looking for something sweet. You don’t need plates or knives because the pieces pull right off, already covered in cinnamon sugar and icing. Even if you’re not usually a baker,...

Close-up of baked sliders with golden buns, melted cheese, roast beef, and sprinkled sesame and poppy seeds, garnished with fresh herbs.

These Roast Beef Sliders are simple sandwiches made on Hawaiian rolls layered with deli roast beef, melty Swiss and cheddar cheese, and a quick horseradish mayo. They’re topped off with butter and everything bagel seasoning for a golden, crispy crust. Toasting the rolls first means no soggy bottoms, and baking melts everything together into warm, cheesy layers. Making them is easy — spread on the mayo, stack the roast beef and cheese, then bake until bubbly. You can even assemble these a day...

Close-up of a baked breakfast casserole topped with melted cheese, browned sausage, and golden biscuit pieces in a white baking dish.

This Biscuits and Gravy Casserole is an easy breakfast bake you can throw together and let the oven handle while you do everything else. You get biscuit pieces, creamy sausage gravy, eggs, and cheese baked together in one dish, so each square works like a full plate without cooking everything separately. It feeds a group, works for kids and adults, and is an easy option when people are waking up and eating at different times. You can put it together ahead, keep it in the fridge, and bake it...

A hand holding a pulled chicken sandwich topped with coleslaw and pickle slices on a hamburger bun.

If you need something easy you can throw in the slow cooker and forget about for a few hours, this Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken is a good one to plan on this week. It’s an easy one for busy nights, game day, or any night you just have some chicken in the fridge that you need to do something with. You add the chicken to your slow cooker, whisk together a quick barbecue sauce mixture with broth, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices, and pour it over the top. From there it cooks on low or high until...

A hand pulling apart a Rice Krispie treat.

If you need something easy for this weekend, school holiday parties, or a last-minute bake sale, these Rice Krispie Treats with Marshmallow Fluff are an easy win. The fluff melts with butter in one pot, you stir in the cereal, press it into a 9×13 pan, and you’re basically done. The bars stay soft and stretchy instead of turning hard or dry, so they hold up well for lunchboxes, classroom parties, or weeknight dessert. You can keep them extra soft or add a little more cereal if you like a...

A close-up of a bowl of soup containing ground meat, potatoes, kale, white beans, carrots, and topped with grated cheese.

If you’re in the mood for something warm and easy this week, I think you’ll really like this kale and white bean sausage soup. It’s hearty and creamy, with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and kale in a rich broth finished with a little cream and lemon juice for balance. It feels like a complete dinner in one pot, cozy and filling, and it works on any night you want comfort without a lot of effort. This is one of those recipes I keep coming back to when I want home-style food without much...

A close-up of a wooden spatula holding a slice of cheesy baked casserole with shredded meat, beans, and sauce, above a white baking dish.

If your fridge is full of containers right now, this Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole is an easy way to turn everything into one hearty casserole baked in a 9×13-inch dish. Thanksgiving leftovers can get repetitive fast, but this casserole makes them feel new again. The stuffing gets a little crisp around the edges, the mashed potatoes stay creamy, and the melted cheese pulls it all together. The cranberry layer adds a bit of sweetness that balances the savory flavors, and it only takes about...

Close-up of creamy macaroni and cheese with a spoon, showing elbow pasta coated in a thick cheese sauce.

This Mac and Cheese with Cream Cheese is the kind of side dish that fits right in on your Thanksgiving table. It’s extra creamy and cheesy, comes together on the stovetop in one pot, and uses ingredients you probably already keep on hand. It works great next to turkey, ham, or roasted veggies, and it’s one of those sides both kids and adults usually go for first. The cream cheese is what makes this version different. It doesn’t make the sauce very tangy; it makes it thicker and smoother and...

Mashed potatoes topped with chopped chives and a melting pat of butter in the center.

These Boursin Mashed Potatoes are creamy, buttery, and full of flavor thanks to the soft, herby cheese that melts in and gives them a creamy texture. The Boursin adds rich taste without extra steps, so you just mash, stir, and serve. Boursin is one of my favorite “holiday cheats.” It’s soft, creamy, and those herbs + garlic melt right into warm potatoes. If you’ve ever put Boursin out with crackers and watched it vanish… same energy here. Instant flavor, extra creaminess, and just enough salt...