Hi friend!

June is here and if you live in Wisconsin, you already know what that means — it's Dairy Month. And while I celebrate cheese and butter pretty much year-round, this month feels like a good excuse to lean into all things creamy, rich, and genuinely delicious.

Growing up in a kitchen shaped by a dad who took ingredients seriously, I learned early that good dairy isn't just an ingredient — it's the difference between fine and really good. A sauce that clings. A mac and cheese that tastes like someone actually cared. Ice cream cold enough to make espresso sing.

So this month I'm pulling out some of my favorite dairy-forward recipes — the ones I keep coming back to — and sharing a few new ones along the way.

Here's what I think deserves a spot in your June rotation:

🧀 Smoked Gouda & Bacon Mac and Cheese — This is the one. The mac and cheese that ruins all other mac and cheese for you. Smoked Gouda does something to a sauce that regular cheddar just can't touch.

☕ Affogato — Hot espresso poured over cold vanilla ice cream. Two ingredients, five minutes, and it feels completely indulgent. Peak summer dessert.

🧇 Light & Crispy Restaurant-Style Waffles — Butter in the batter, butter on top. This is the waffle recipe that replaced every other waffle recipe in my house.

🥣 Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip — Cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan. This one disappears faster than I can set it on the table.

Coming up this month: homemade pizza sausage, two pizza sauces, homemade pizza dough, and a full picnic planning guide for getting outside without the stress.

It's going to be a good month.

Cheers,