This beef and noodles recipe is quick comfort food! INGREDIENTS   * 1/2 tablespoon olive oil * 1/2 medium onion sliced * 3/4-1 pound sirloin steak (or use tenderloin) sliced into thin strips  * 3 packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded Sauce: * 1 tablespoon soy sauce * 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce * 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce * 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil * Juice of 1/2 lime * 1 clove garlic minced * 1 tablespoon water INSTRUCTIONS   * Boil a large pot of water for the noodles.  * Meanwhile, sauté the onion with the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring fairly often, until the onion is very lightly browned (approx. 6-8 minutes).  * Just before you're ready to add the meat to the pan, add the ramen noodles to the boiling water (they will only take around 3 minutes). * Add the steak to the skillet and cook it for a couple of minutes, stirring often, until it's as cooked as you'd like it (I prefer medium to medium-rare, so it does not need long).  * Add the sauce ingredients to the skillet and give it a good stir. I add them right into the pan, so it's best to have them ready to go so you don't overcook the steak. You may want to reduce the heat if the sauce is bubbling too much. * Drain the ramen noodles and add them to the skillet. Toss until everything is nicely coated, and serve immediately.  NOTES * This makes 4 fairly small portions, so I suggest serving this with a salad or something if you've got 4 big eaters around the table.  * If you're making this for 2 people, I suggest using 2 packages of ramen noodles and keeping everything else the same. * Feel free to serve with extra sriracha or hoisin sauce or to add it right into the pan when you're making the sauce - you can't go wrong here.

INGREDIENTS   * 6 strips bacon cut into small pieces * 4 large chicken breasts * 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder * Pepper to taste * 8 ounces cream cheese softened * 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning I used Hidden Valley * 1/3 cup scallions chopped * 1 cup cheddar cheese grated INSTRUCTIONS   * Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
 * Cook the bacon in a large oven-proof skillet until crispy (I cut it up quickly using kitchen shears). Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, and leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.
 * Season the chicken breasts with the garlic powder and pepper, then add them to the skillet and sear for 5 minutes/side over medium-high heat.
 * Meanwhile, add the cream cheese (microwave it for 30 seconds or until soft if it's straight out of the fridge), ranch seasoning, scallions, and about half of the cooked bacon to a bowl. Stir until smooth.
 * Once the chicken has been seared, take the skillet off the heat. Spread the cream cheese mixture equally over the top of each piece of chicken, then sprinkle the cheddar over top, followed by the rest of the bacon. If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking dish for this step.
 * Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. If your chicken breasts are on the smaller side, try 15 minutes then test for doneness (chicken is cooked at 165F).
 * Let the chicken rest for a few minutes prior to serving so it's nice and juicy. NOTES * I don't add extra salt to the chicken because bacon and ranch seasoning are quite salty. Before adding salt to this dish, be sure to taste it first. * Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. NUTRITION Calories: 717kcal Carbohydrates: 6g Protein: 63g Fat: 48g Saturated Fat: 23g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 258mg Sodium: 1121mg Potassium: 1035mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 1208IU Vitamin C: 4mg Calcium: 278mg Iron: 2mg

Can you eat it cold? Yes! I find it's tastiest when it's hot and freshly made, but it's delicious room temperature or cold as well! Serving 6 INGREDIENTS   * 2 pounds red potatoes * 12 ounces bacon cut into small pieces * 1 medium red onion chopped * 3 cloves garlic minced * 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth * 3 tablespoons white vinegar or cider vinegar * 1/2 tablespoon white sugar see note * 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or German mustard * 2-3 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped * Salt & pepper to taste * Chives for garnish optional INSTRUCTIONS   * Boil the potatoes (cut them in half if they're large and leave the peels on). Once they're done, drain and let them cool just enough to handle.
 * Meanwhile, add the broth, vinegar, sugar, and mustard to a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
 * When the potatoes are close to being done, cut the bacon cup (easy with kitchen shears) and fry it in a large skillet until crispy (about 10 minutes). 
 * Turn the burner off for this step to allow the skillet to cool a bit. Take the bacon out of the skillet and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
 * To the skillet, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat.
 * Meanwhile, cut the cooked potatoes up into chunks or slices (large or small is totally up to you). You can leave the peels on or peel them with a knife - the peels will be very easy to remove.
 * To the skillet, stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
 * Add the broth mixture to the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, let it come to a boil, and then cook for 1-2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half (don't let it evaporate too much).
 * Take the skillet off the heat and then add the potatoes, cooked bacon, and parsley to it. Toss to coat.
 * Season with salt & pepper as needed and transfer potato salad to a serving bowl, or you could serve it right in the skillet as it retains heat and will keep it warmer for longer. Top with chives and enjoy warm. NOTES * Serves 4-6 as a side depending on how hungry people are. Or share it with one other person and eat it as a main course. I won't judge. * The dressing is fairly sweet without being cloying. If you're someone who loves sweet dressings, increase sugar up to 1 tablespoon (I found it too sweet with 1 tablespoon sugar when I first tested it). You could probably use less than suggested if you don't like sweet dressings, but it helps balance the vinegar. * Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. NUTRITION Calories: 359kcal Carbohydrates: 28g Protein: 10g Fat: 23g Saturated Fat: 8g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 10g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 37mg Sodium: 450mg Potassium: 850mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 4g Vitamin A: 145IU Vitamin C: 17mg Calcium: 28mg Iron: 2mg