When my mother cooked for the five of us, she made enough for an army and we never ceased to tease her about it. But she was smart. Leftovers saved her time, and provided a guarantee that no guest left hungry. And we weren't kidding anyone; every morsel was gobbled up. 

Side note: I rolled out some dough, and Abraham Lincoln appeared, per below. 

As we all adjust to the new normal, many of us find ourselves in the kitchen more than usual. The results have been tantalizing on social media, and it's a shame we can't score invites. When life does pick back up again, how nice would it be to have homemade goodies stashed in the freezer for a later time?

Some of you may not have a deep freezer or a vacuum sealer. Some of you may not have room in you freezer as it is. But you know the one thing everyone does have? Leftovers.

The Italians have made a cozy home for their chopped up leftovers, with frittatas. I like making tacos from leftovers, even cheesy casseroles. But when I found myself with leftover pierogi dough, I thought, why not make inventive pierogies? Here's a recipe for the dough.

Rule #1: Make sure your filling stands on its own. Make it zesty, because if it's bland, the outer shell will only dull the flavor.

Rule #2: Be sure the filling packs together, so not to break apart the dumpling while boiling. 

Rule #3: Regardless of fillings, be sure to follow the pierogi recipe as far as the dough and cooking instructions.

Rule #4: Have fun!

My leftover chicken needing sprucing before stuffing into the pierogi, so I tossed it into the food processor with kimchi. After boiling and draining the pierogis, I pan-seared them in sesame oil and soy sauce, so they were crispy and caramelized. Another recipe included roast beef, which I shredded and mixed with cilantro, caramelized onions and white pepper. The possibilities are endless, especially when you consider dipping sauces.

So go ahead and cook too much - great things will come of it.

If you have a pulse, then you've baked chocolate chip cookies by now. Social distancing has turned us all into bakers. My neighbor can't find flour on store shelves, and my friend in New York City had to buy her yeast online. I've seen more home-baked treats on Instagram in the past two weeks than I ever have, and it all looks delectable. I'm proud of us!

Since we're all trying to limit exposure, going to the grocery store is now on an as-needed basis. Times like these are an opportunity for us to improvise, hone our cooking instincts and use what we have. Hence, the "kitchen sink' recipe, where you throw in "everything but the kitchen sink." 

A week ago, I realized that I can only eat so many cinnamon buns before wondering if my jeans will fit after this Yoga Pants Era (TM). Yes I just informally trademarked that. My kitchen sink baking skills needed some adulting, so I made protein bites.

I know that I'm not big on measurements and am prone to say things like "season to taste" (unlike Sarah the pro chef, and thank goodness for her). But with kitchen sink recipes, we wing it with what we have. It's fun to pay with measurements.  Protein bites are easy, and here are the basics:

A base: Oatmeal, granola or cereal

A binding agent: Eggs. If you are vegan, go for mashed bananas, peanut butter or both

A protein: chopped almonds, flax seeds, chopped peanuts, walnut pieces, chia seeds or nut butters

A sweetener: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are best. Shredded coconut is heaven. But you can do butterscotch chips or a little brown sugar.

Salt: Just a dash or two, depending on how much batter you're making

Baking Powder: A teaspoon or two, depending on the amount of batter

Extra credit: A fine flour helps to smooth out the batter and keep it together. Low-carb options such as coconut flour or almond flour are best.

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until the texture resembles cookie batter and you can roll it into balls. And don't kill me, but...season to taste. Only tiny samples, as the batter contains raw eggs. Plop jumbo marshmallow-sized balls onto a pan greased with melted butter or coconut oil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes, but make sure they pass the toothpick test. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy. 

For kitchen sink beginners, feel free to bake a test protein bite in case you need to tweak the recipe. After a little while, it will feel second nature. And like me, you'll relish the challenge!

Hey everyone! How is it going out there? Hopefully you're making the best of these unusual circumstances, but I know that for many, it can be difficult to drown out the anxiety.

One of the positive outcomes from the coronavirus is seeing all the delicious food being made at home. The internet has been a portal to kitchens around the world. L&L shopper Mary Caton Lingold made drool-worthy onion cream biscuits, and put her son Henrik (pictured above) to work in the kitchen too! My relatives and I are pulling out time-consuming recipes from the Middle East - favorites that we don't normally have time for. I stuffed grape leaves last night, and it's no joke. 

The bottom line is this: These may be trying times, but we've got to eat. Why not make the most of it?

Sarah Nicholas of Ladles and Linens has reserved her own sunny spot on the Internet, showcasing new inventory that gets me buzzing about spring! Honey jars, gardening kits and vibrant melamine plates. And while the store is closed to the public, you can shop by appointment, online or request curbside service. 

Not one to let these circumstances get in the way of a great meal, she hosted a Facebook Live class about eggs on the Ladles and Linens Cooking School page. It's available for replay. And while social distancing will undoubtedly put a damper on parties and Easter egg hunts, you can certainly show the love with customized Easter baskets, bringing smiles to the loved ones you may be separated from. 

So keep that kitchen humming. Lick the spoon, toss scraps to the pup, make giant batches so you can freeze leftovers for a busier time. And if you have children at home, order a kid's apron from Ladles and get them to work too! They will thank you twice. Once when they taste the fruits of their labor, and a second time as adults, when they will think back on this special time, and the kitchen fundamentals they've learned.