As a busy mom, I'm a big fan of recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients. Luckily, the ingredients for Garten's New York strip steaks were simple to find.

I started by picking up three 1½-inch-thick New York strip steaks at the grocery store, and was pleased to find I already had the rest of the ingredients in my pantry.

Along with the steaks, I pulled out salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of ground coffee, a teaspoon each of garlic powder, chipotle-chile powder, and crushed red pepper flakes, and 1½ tablespoons of olive oil.

The first thing I did was mix up the rub — a blend of coffee, chipotle-chile powder, sugar, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Once the ingredients were combined, I slathered each steak with olive oil and massaged the rub into both sides of the meat, making sure to coat the edges of each piece.

In her recipe, Garten suggests allowing the rub to sit on the steaks for at least two hours.

Since I had lots of time, I made the rub and put it on the meat in the morning. I then covered the steaks with plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator for about eight hours.

This steak recipe was all about the grilling method. Garten stressed the importance of having an accurate timer to make sure they were cooked perfectly.

I heated enough charcoal to fill half of my grill, leaving the opposite side empty.

I cooked all three steaks together over the hot charcoal, starting with exactly two minutes on one side. Then, I flipped the meat and cooked it on the opposite side for two minutes.

From there, the steaks were removed from the heat and moved to the empty side of the grill.

I put the lid on the grill and opened the vent, per Garten's instructions, then allowed the steaks to sit on the cool portion for eight more minutes.

After the steaks had reached a medium temperature, I removed them from the charcoal grill and brought them inside to rest for 15 minutes.

The steaks looked beautiful, coated with charcoal grill marks and crispy spices, and the savory smell of freshly grilled steak filled my kitchen.

Even my 10-year-old dog was enthralled by the smell. Throughout the resting and slicing process, he peaked around the corners of the kitchen in hopes of getting a bite.

Slicing into these perfectly grilled steaks was easy, and the meat separated and fell apart like pats of butter. The fat in the New York strip steaks was soft and caramelized, and the meat was perfectly pink.

Three New York strips is a lot of meat, and we knew we'd have plenty of leftovers to use the following night in steak fajitas — a win in our book.

In the future, to keep costs low, I'd probably buy half as much steak (ours weighed in at over 2 pounds) for our family of four. Still, this meal in its full measurements would be an impressive recipe to grill next time we're entertaining guests for dinner.

At Garten's suggestion, I finished the sliced steak off with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.

The steak tasted slightly sweet from the brown sugar in the rub and had the perfect amount of savory pepperiness from the chile powder, coffee, and garlic.

The meat was melt-in-your-mouth perfect, with soft, buttery fat and a seasoned, charred outside that felt like a burst of flavor in each bite.

Like every other Ina Garten recipe I've tried, the New York strip steaks were a hit with everyone in my family.

Not only was it low on ingredients and fairly simple to put together and execute, but the result was some of the most perfectly-grilled, tender steaks I've ever made

I would definitely use Garten's grilling method again for other cuts of steak as well.

Knowing I have this foolproof cooking method in my arsenal will make me more inclined to splurge on expensive cuts of steak since, like Garten, I now know how to cook them without messing them up.

This story was originally published on October 10, 2024, and most recently updated on May 20, 2025.

Panama City Beach reminds me of the beach towns I grew up visiting in the Northeast: lots of souvenir shops, a pier for walking and fishing, and more tourist attractions than one could squeeze in during a vacation.

There's lots of good food in PCB, including a crepe shop adored by reviewers on Yelp, but I'd say the general vibe of the area can best be described as "touristy beach town."

The landscape changes entirely when you drive just 15 or 20 minutes to 30A. High-rise hotel chains become private rental cottages, and souvenir shops give way to luxury shopping venues.

The overall vibe switches from a busy vacation spot to a place where you'd do beachfront yoga and sip freshly pressed juice before spending your day on a quiet, white-sand beach.

The beaches alongside 30A communities like Rosemary Beach and Seaside are home to white sand and transparent blue water. They took my breath away.

To get onto most beaches in 30A, you need a wristband or beach tag — visitors can get these from whichever rental property they're occupying.

I think the beaches benefit from the lack of large nearby hotels and public access. With limited visitors, there's less of a strain on 30A's beaches, resulting in a beautiful setting that feels more intimate.

There are some spectacular sunsets along the Gulf of Mexico, and 30A is a great place to see them.

On my trip, I especially loved watching the sunset from Bud and Alley's, a Seaside restaurant with sweeping coastal views. Another evening, I watched the sun set from the beach and was equally blown away by the beauty around me.

During my stay in 30A, I chose a rental property between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.

Fortunately, the area is very bikeable, with ample spacious sidewalks and bike lanes throughout. Lots of condos or hotels here come with bicycles, plus there are many rental companies in the area.

Often, I took a beach cruiser from my condo over to Rosemary Beach for coffee or a meal, or I'd bike down 30A and stop to explore each town.

Since I also had a rental car, I drove to some of the farther-away-from-me spots, like Seaside and Santa Rosa Beach. Parking felt easy to find, and the area was simple to navigate by car with my phone's GPS system.

My favorite spot in 30A was Seaside, a beach community where the movie "The Truman Show" was filmed.

It had beautiful beach houses, a small boardwalk area with shops and restaurants, as well as a collection of food trucks, and an outdoor amphitheater for concerts.

It felt relaxed and not too pretentious, but more upscale than Florida beach towns like Fort Lauderdale, Cocoa Beach, or Panama City Beach.

I loved exploring the area, and it's the spot along 30A where I saw the most families with children.

If Seaside is a family-friendly-but-upscale beach town, Alys Beach is on the opposite end of the luxury vacation spectrum.

This small community is filled with white-washed, stone vacation homes and Mediterranean-inspired architecture — it felt like a big resort.

In fact, there's nothing comparable to Alys Beach in Florida that I've seen. Because of its stunning homes and high-end feel, Alys Beach feels like one of the least-accessible-to-the-public areas in 30A.

I didn't spend much time here, especially because I saw so many residential streets with signs prohibiting the public from walking through or taking photos.

If you're interested in vacationing in a more private area of 30A, though, Alys Beach is worth taking a look at.

Rosemary Beach has made its rounds on TikTok, going viral for its similarities to a little European town.

Its downtown area is lined with cobblestone streets full of shops and al-fresco eateries, and it has a hotel complete with spires that reminded me of something I'd see in the Swiss Alps.

I passed many street carts selling wares like scarves and fresh flowers, and homes with European-style architecture. The area also has beautiful private beaches, which can only be accessed with a key card.

Seaside, Alys Beach, and Rosemary Beach are perhaps the most famous spots along 30A, but I was impressed with the lesser-known areas I visited, too, like Santa Rosa Beach.

You truly could make an entire day out of exploring the tiny towns and communities that make up this beautiful part of Florida.

In addition to beaches, shopping, and dining, 30A has lots of beautiful, natural landscapes to show off.

I stopped by Eden Gardens during my visit — a 163-acre state park home to sweeping gardens, a bayou, plenty of walking trails, and centuries-old oak trees.

The area also has a collection of coastal dune lakes, a rare saltwater and freshwater phenomenon that only exists in a few spots around the globe.

I've lived in Florida for nearly 10 years and call a small ocean beach town home.

As someone who's spent time on both the gulf and ocean side of the Sunshine State, I can say 30A is one of the most stunningly beautiful areas in all of Florida.

There's so much to see and do in the area, and it has a peaceful vibe I've rarely found in Florida beach towns.

I can't wait to return to 30A and think it's the perfect destination for everything from bachelorette parties to family vacations.

Located on deck 12 of the Disney Treasure, Palo is nestled in an adults-only area themed around "Beauty and the Beast."

Throughout the restaurant, there's themed artwork and decor, making it feel very elegant and whimsical. The best part? Since it's adults-only, the entire area is blissfully quiet.

After checking in for our noon brunch reservation, we were shown to our table, which had an amazing ocean view.

Brunch at Palo Steakhouse costs $50 per person and includes antipasti, egg dishes, waffles and pancakes, soups, pizza, and entrées.

Each guest can also choose one alcoholic drink, like a mimosa or Bloody Mary, as part of their brunch, with additional drinks available for a charge.

There's no set amount of things you can order during brunch at Palo. In fact, our server encouraged us to try items in every category, and we happily obliged, ordering almost everything except pizza.

No one in my party drinks alcohol, so we ordered a round of non-alcoholic cocktails as our complimentary drink.

The Bellinis were pre-made and bottled and full of peachy flavor. Delicious and satisfying, we didn't miss the alcohol a bit.

Something that always catches my eye at Palo is the extensive menu of still and sparkling waters, available at an extra charge.

We chose a $16 bottle of sparkling water, the most pricey option on the menu, and split it four ways.

With a hint of minerality and tiny, effervescent bubbles of carbonation, the water was refreshing and a nice way to hydrate during our meal.

Our complimentary bread service came with a mix of seasoned flatbreads, crispy crackers, garlicky naan, and more. Some highlights were a focaccia-style bread with onion and blue cheese baked in, and warm, fresh baguettes.

For dipping, our server brought out olive oil and balsamic vinegar and poured them into two separate sections of a dish so they didn't combine.

Each person in our group got to choose between two antipasti options: meat and seafood.

Three of us ordered the meat antipasti, a charcuterie board-style appetizer with prosciutto, bresaola, coppa, salami, olives, roasted garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and peppers.

This dish was one of my favorite parts of brunch at Palo. The cured meats tasted fresh and delicious and paired well with salty accouterments like olives and cheese.

One person in our group tried the seafood antipasti: a combination of marinated jumbo shrimp, crab claw, ahi tuna, mussels, and cured salmon. Although I'm not a huge seafood eater, she seemed to enjoy it.

Although I didn't order a bowl for myself, my friend let me taste her tomato and basil soup.

Had I not been trying to save room for my entrée, I would've gone back for additional bites. The soup was tangy, creamy, and felt like a fancy take on a comforting classic.

I've had the chicken Parmesan at Palo before, so I knew what to expect from this classic favorite.

The breaded chicken dish was topped with San Marzano tomato sauce and thick, cheesy mozzarella. However, the real star was the risotto underneath.

I loved the buttery, creamy Arborio risotto, which was a lighter twist on the piles of pasta you usually get with chicken Parmesan.

One member of my group tried the eggplant Parmesan and loved it. The dish — a lightly-breaded slice of eggplant rolled up with prosciutto, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce — looked decadent.

Another friend chose the grilled sirloin steak, which came cooked to the perfect medium-rare temperature.

She was pleased with the dish, which was topped with thyme-herb butter and served with a side of green beans and roasted potatoes.

The final entrée ordered was Palo's roasted red snapper filet. Although my friend said she enjoyed the fish, the sides served alongside it weren't her favorite.

The meal came with with asparagus, an eggplant caponata, and a strange orange square, which we weren't able to identify by taste.

After asking our server what the bar-of-soap-looking side dish was, she explained that it was a saffron fondant-covered potato.

At our server's suggestion, we saved our waffles and pancakes course for last. She was absolutely right, as having something sweet to close out the meal felt decadent, even though there weren't any desserts on the brunch menu.

I ordered apple-cinnamon waffles, while two others ordered the strawberry version. Of course, the waffles were Mickey-shaped, which I really do believe makes them taste even more delicious.

Another person in my party ordered the blueberry pancakes and said they were really good topped with syrup and powdered sugar.

Overall, our $220 meal at Palo Steakhouse was well worth it. We got a great adults-only meal in arguably one of the quietest and most beautiful parts of the ship, and also made a special memory together that we'll never forget.

We kicked off our date night at The Palm with a round of drinks: an old-fashioned cocktail ($19) for my husband, and a pink berry sangria mocktail ($10) for me.

My alcohol-free sangria was really good, and as someone who doesn't drink, I was thrilled to find a few zero-proof options on the menu.

Later in the meal, my husband ordered a glass of red wine ($22 for a 9-ounce pour) from The Palm's vast wine selection.

The Palm's complimentary bread service was an unexpected highlight of our meal. I thought it was some of the best bread I've ever eaten at a steakhouse.

Breads such as onion focaccia and sourdough rolls were served with creamy, salty butter. The real star of the basket, though, was the pretzel bread, which was buttery, delicious, and a treat I had to restrain myself from filling up on.

When we ordered the $17 wedge salad, our server told us that, because of its size, it may be the only appetizer we needed. Wanting to leave room for our main courses, we took her advice and focused on the salad as our shared starter.

When our server brought out steak knives and said, "I know it sounds weird, but you'll need these to hack into our wedge salad," we knew we were in for a treat.

The salad was delicious, topped with crumbly, pungent blue cheese, crisp onion straws, thick bacon, and tomatoes.

Between the two of us, we made an impressive dent in it, but we left some on the plate so we could eat our main course.

After stuffing myself with starters, I needed to move around a bit. So, I walked around the dining room to admire the unique artwork on the walls — hand-painted caricatures of Orlando locals, celebrities, and more.

I asked a manager in the dining room about the unusual art, and he told me there are a few ways to get a caricature on the walls of The Palm.

Sometimes, the restaurant knows a celebrity will be stopping in, so an artist paints them in advance and asks them to autograph it. Other times, a local Orlando regular will do something noteworthy enough to merit a caricature. And finally, members of the Landry's Select Club, of which The Palm is part of, can earn a caricature after accumulating enough points.

However they get there, it's cool to be immortalized in caricature form on the wall of such a posh Orlando dining establishment.

My husband ordered the veal-chop Parmesan — a 14-ounce veal chop served with spaghetti.

The $64 portion was bigger than my husband's head and was cooked to a crispy-brown perfection.

Topped with savory, tomatoey marinara sauce and perfectly broiled mozzarella cheese, we both proclaimed it our favorite dish of the night.

A creature of habit at steakhouses, I ordered the eight-ounce center-cut filet mignon ($58) with a side of truffle butter ($6).

When the steak arrived, I cut into it to find the perfect warm, pink center that always accompanies a perfectly cooked, medium-rare steak.

The filet was very good: crunchy and salty on the outside from its sear but buttery and pink on the inside. The cut of beef really melted in my mouth, and I was thrilled with the accompanying truffle-butter topping.

At first, I was a little unsure about the entire bulb of roasted garlic served on the side, but it really added to the meat's flavor and was incredibly easy to scoop from the bulb.

We shared two sides with our dinner — creamed spinach ($16) and hash browns ($16). Both sides were massive and made great leftovers the following day.

I'd had creamed spinach at The Palm before, as I always order it when seated at the bar. It's some of the best steakhouse creamed spinach out there — perfectly creamy, cheesy, and salty without overpowering the flavors of the earthy spinach.

The hash browns — a mix of chopped fries and potatoes — perfectly complimented my steak and tasted delicious with a bit of ketchup, which was served on the side.

The Palm's dessert menu had lots of enticing options, but at our server's suggestion, we tried the zeppole ($13).

The fried Italian doughnuts were served with a trio of sauces: raspberry, caramel, and chocolate. They were all delicious, but the raspberry sauce reigned supreme for us. We loved the tangy, sweet, fruit taste in contrast with the sugary, crispy, doughnuts.

I also ordered a decaf cappuccino ($6.25), which was exceptional, especially since so many restaurants offer only brewed coffee as a decaf option.

Overall, our meal came to $260 after tax but before the tip. We thought our dinner was well worth the cost for the quality of the food alone.

We also enjoyed the posh atmosphere, and our meal felt like an indulgent date night. We'd definitely return to The Palm for a special occasion.

Moreover, we could've easily shared an entrée or skipped dessert and still left with full bellies and feelings of food-induced happiness.

The prices, atmosphere, service, and experience at The Palm were similar to some of our other favorite steakhouse chains — such as The Capital Grille and Ruth's Chris — with the added perk of being at one of our favorite theme parks.

Correction: February 20, 2025 — An earlier version of this story misstated the name of Universal Orlando's newest hotel. It's Stella Nova Resort, not Stella Luna Resort.

As someone who firmly believes a family's theme-park budget is better spent on things like delicious food and skip-the-line-style ticket passes, saving on a hotel is key.

There are three tiers of hotels at Universal Orlando: signature, prime value, and value. Signature properties like the Hard Rock Hotel are usually quite expensive, but prime-value offerings like Stella Nova tend to be more affordable.

I was able to book a room at the new resort for $124 a night using a Florida-resident discount, but I've heard of families booking the property for as low as $100 a night depending on the dates of their stay.

Rates at these hotels always depend on when you're visiting — January isn't exactly a peak time — and as we get closer to the theme-park opening they're sure to go up.

However, at the time of writing, there are still rooms available this summer for under $300 a night, which I think is a pretty great deal.

The modern-looking lobby area at Stella Nova was brightly lit and had tons of space.

In addition to the front-desk area, lobby bar, and café, there were plenty of places to sit, work on a laptop, or relax throughout the area.

There's also a gift shop and a vacation-planning center, where you can purchase or pick up park tickets, make dining reservations, and more.

There are usually a few characters roaming Universal Orlando's hotel lobbies, and Stella Nova was no exception.

During my visit, I spotted Guy Diamond from the "Trolls" movies and a few astronauts posing for photos with guests. The real highlight, however, was seeing characters from "Men in Black" (including Frank the Pug), who I've yet to meet at the theme parks because the lines to do so are always long.

Meeting characters at your hotel is a great way to get those photos and autographs in a less-stressful environment.

All 750 of Stella Nova's rooms have two queen beds along with a dresser, nightstand, couch, and big closet.

There are more than 20 ADA-accessible rooms, too, which can be selected at the time of booking.

The rooms also have a bathroom with two separate areas, one for the toilet, tub, and shower, and another for the sink.

I think this makes it easier for multiple people to get ready at at time, thus getting everyone out the door and into the theme parks much easier.

In addition to basics, like comfy beds and a place to sit, Stella Nova's rooms had elevated essentials like a mini fridge and a coffee machine.

There's also an ice machine and a station for refilling water bottles on each floor — two incredibly convenient things when you're trying to stay hydrated on busy theme-park days.

I loved the starry art on the walls above the beds and the beautiful back-lit bathroom vanity. I also got a kick out of the hotel's signature cosmic-amber-scented shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

These little touches really elevated Stella Nova and made it feel high-end, despite the affordable price.

Cosmos Cafe and Market, the main dining hub at Stella Nova, is the perfect spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

From banana-nut pancakes to pickle-fried-chicken sandwiches, the menu had lots to choose from. The dining room was also spacious with plenty of seating.

It's a great place to corral your family in the morning before heading to the theme parks or sip coffee and people-watch in the afternoon.

Cosmos also has a grab-and-go area selling breakfast sandwiches, salads, bottled drinks, and other quick bites.

Most importantly, however, it serves Starbucks coffee drinks. I was thrilled to be able to sip a grande skinny vanilla latte en route to the theme parks each morning.

My husband was also quite impressed by the store's case of ice cream — he had a scoop before bed each night.

Nova Bar, the hotel's lobby bar, has an impressive menu of cocktails and mocktails.

I ordered a zero-proof espresso martini that tasted no different from the alcoholic versions I've had. My husband ordered a whiskey drink that was smoked right in the glass.

We also loved just looking through the space-themed cocktail names, like the Nebula, a drink made with mezcal and tonic, and the Black Hole, an alcoholic espresso martini.

Stella Nova has a large, heated outdoor pool and a separate hot tub.

Around the pool area, there are plenty of chairs and umbrellas as well as hula hoops and other activities for kids. At the Galaxy Bar and Galaxy Grill, you can sip poolside drinks or order quick fare like burgers and shrimp cocktail.

Weather permitting, the hotel hosts a nightly poolside movie. There's also a fire pit near the pool, which is a great place to unwind.

I think it's always a good idea to squeeze in some downtime on a theme-park vacation, and Stella Nova has plenty of options for families who need a break from the crowds.

In addition to a vast pool area, I found an arcade and a fitness center — both looked brand new and full of equipment.

I'm counting down until the opening of Epic Universe, so I loved shopping in Stella Nova's Universal Studios Store.

It had all sorts of merchandise collections, from all-new "Harry Potter" items to fun Super Nintendo World products.

A highlight was seeing Dark Universe merchandise, which features characters like Dracula and the Bride of Frankenstein, who will roam the monster-themed land of Epic Universe.

Universal's other hotels are centrally located to its two original theme parks, so I wasn't sure how it would feel to stay a 15-minute drive from the action.

Luckily, getting to the parks was still pretty seamless.

I appreciated that Stella Nova provides buses to and from Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Universal CityWalk. However, since I had my car with me during my stay (which cost $30 a night to park), I just drove.

Once Epic Universe opens, it'll just be a short walk across the street from Stella Nova.

As someone who writes about these theme parks for a living, this hotel is such an exciting value for families. It's so beautiful and nice but so incredibly affordable.

In a world where theme-park hotel rooms seem to cost more every year, it's refreshing to see Universal Orlando open a resort that doesn't force families to compromise on quality or perks.

I think Stella Nova is truly out of this world, and I can't wait to go back with my family.

I usually take the easy way out and purchase pre-butchered chicken breasts at the grocery store. However, Garten's recipe called for two whole chickens, each cut into eight serving pieces.

Since my family didn't need that much, I bought one and had my husband divide it into all the basic parts, from breasts to thighs to legs. Luckily, Garten explained the best way to divide a chicken for frying in a helpful video that accompanied the recipe, so we just followed her lead. 

The recipe initially sounded like it would take forever to make, but the "11 hours" in its name is actually mostly for marinating the chicken in buttermilk.

Since I planned to make my fried chicken for Sunday dinner, I had my husband cut our chicken into pieces in the morning and let it sit in a covered bowl of buttermilk all day long.

When it was time to cook my chicken pieces, I preheated my oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and went to work making the dredge — a simple combination of flour, salt, and pepper.

I've made fried chicken before that called for additional spices in the flour or an egg wash between coats.

Garten's method was incredibly simple and still created a decent crust of breading on each chicken piece.

The buttermilk the chicken had been soaking in acted as the perfect medium for getting the flour mixture to stick.

I've fried chicken in everything from peanut oil to vegetable shortening (and made quite a mess), but Garten's recipe called for just 1 inch of vegetable oil or shortening in a frying pan.

I heated the oil to 360 degrees — checking the temperature with a thermometer — and fried each piece for three minutes on each side until golden brown.

I had to work in two batches as all of the chicken wouldn't fit into my pan at once. However, after about 12 minutes, I had golden pieces that looked perfectly fried.

After frying the chicken, I put each piece on a metal rack on top of a baking sheet. I placed the whole thing in the oven for about 30 minutes until it was fully cooked through.

I liked that I didn't have to fry the chicken immediately before serving. It was wonderful to have the chicken off of my stove, so I could focus on side dishes while it continued to cook.

I had plenty of time to make some green beans, mashed potatoes, and corn bread. 

In the meantime, the chicken continued to crisp up and brown in the oven.

Everyone in my family enjoyed this flavorful, moist fried chicken — even the pickier eaters at my dinner table.

It was juicy inside but still crispy and crunchy on the outside. Because it hadn't come straight from a pan of frying oil, it was also much less greasy than versions I've made in the past.

The lack of grease also made the cleanup easier, which I was grateful for.

Garten's recipe was extremely easy to follow and didn't feel laborious.

Giving each piece a quick fry in a shallow pan of vegetable oil gave it the crispiness I wanted, but finishing the chicken in the oven helped finish it off without as much grease. 

As long as I have the time to plan ahead for the 11-hour marinating period, I'll absolutely try Garten's recipe again. It saved a massive cleanup, and it tasted amazing.

This story was originally published in October 2023 and most recently updated on February 5, 2025. 

On the outside, the restaurant's black awning with simple lettering felt elegant and welcoming.

Inside, Maggiano's ambiance reminded me of a high-end, pricey steakhouse or an authentic Italian restaurant. The candle-lit, chandelier-dotted interior felt quite intimate and cozy.

I didn't feel like I was in a chain restaurant at all. In fact, it reminded me of when I used to live in Baltimore and visit its Little Italy neighborhood for dinner.

The restaurant offers a family-style menu with shareable courses, including starters, an entrée, a pasta dish, and a dessert.

It seemed like a decent deal for about $50 a person. However, everyone in my party had specific cravings and wanted pasta, so we ordered from the regular menu instead.

To start off the meal, my husband ordered a Negroni ($9) while my teenagers and I stuck with sodas and iced tea ($5 each).

Later in the meal, my husband ordered an $18 glass of wine to go with his pasta, followed by a $5 cup of coffee with dessert.

He spent way more on drinks than others in our group — over $30 — but the three of us were content with our free refills.

Soon after we were seated, we were brought a basket of fresh, warm ciabatta bread and oil with herbs for dipping.

The bread was delicious, and we were served so many pieces that we even had some left to take home.

We started our meal by sharing the fried mozzarella for $16.

The crisp planks of battered and fried cheese were topped with melted mozzarella and served with a tomato dipping sauce.

Everyone at my table enjoyed this tasty appetizer, which felt like an elevated take on mozzarella sticks.

Topped with tasty croutons, Maggiano's tomato soup ($10.50) was a great starter for my soup-loving daughter. She really enjoyed it and even let me try a few bites.

The creamy soup tasted perfectly tangy and seasoned with just enough salt to make each bite perfect.

Before visiting any chain, I love checking out the dishes that have copycat recipes on social media. I found a lot of people making copycat versions of Maggiano's Rigatoni D pasta on TikTok, so I ordered it.

The dish includes rigatoni mixed with roasted chicken, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and marsala cream sauce.

It was really good, and I can see why TikTokers recreate the $28.50 dish. The generous portion size meant I took some of the pasta home. Fortunately, it was as delightful leftover as it was served fresh.

One of Maggiano's newer menu items is rigatoni alla vodka ($26.50), a combination of rigatoni, Calabrian chiles, caramelized onions, and vodka sauce.

My daughter added grilled chicken to the dish for an additional $8.50.

We're big fans of pasta with vodka sauce and make it at home often — even so, Maggiano's version of the dish held up.

This creamy pasta was really delicious, especially when eaten leftover the next day.

My son is a picky eater, so he kept his order simple with spaghetti and meatballs.

His $25.50 spaghetti dish was really good. It was full of classic Italian flavors, with tangy tomato sauce and hearty meatballs.

He had no complaints and also came home with leftovers.

Another fan-favorite dish at Maggiano's is lobster carbonara ($39), a blend of lobster, smoked bacon, sugar snap peas, white-wine truffle cream sauce, Parmesan, and spaghetti.

TikTok is also full of copycat recipes for this pasta dish, so we expected it to be pretty impressive. After all, what's not to love about creamy sauce, pasta, bacon, and lobster?

My husband thoroughly enjoyed this generously portioned dish.

Although I couldn't try it due to a shellfish allergy, he said it was everything he'd want from a carbonara, with just the right hints of creamy sauce and carb-y spaghetti to soak it all up.

Crème brûlée is my favorite dessert, so I'm sure to order it whenever it's on a menu. We were incredibly full from our evening of bread, fried cheese, and pasta, so we decided to share one $12.50 order of it.

I'm glad we shared because this dessert felt huge, just like the pasta dishes we had earlier. It was easily double the size of any crème brûlée I've had in a restaurant.

It was also delicious. As full as I was, I couldn't help but go back for bite after bite of this creamy, sugary, warm treat.

Our $230 dinner (including tax and before tip) included lots of drinks, a complimentary bread service, an appetizer, four giant pasta dishes, and a dessert.

Overall, it felt like a great value, and the atmosphere at Maggiano's rivaled any high-end chain we've visited.

We spent less on our meal here than we would at most steakhouse chains, but our dining experience felt just as high-end and high-quality.

Our table felt intimate and we were able to chat with our teenagers and have a great dinner together, something that's just as valuable to my husband and I as the food these days.

To save money next time, we might share dishes since the portion sizes are huge. I'd also consider coming back just to sit at the bar and have crème brûlée for dessert.

Based on my experience, I'd definitely return to Maggiano's and add it to the list of chain restaurants I'd visit with family again and again.

The stars of the menu at Saucy are the chicken tenders and the 11 dipping sauces. The number of sauces is a nod to the 11 herbs and spices in KFC's original fried-chicken recipe.

Saucy sauces include: chimichurri ranch, peri-peri ranch, jalapeño-pesto ranch, smoky bacon ranch, Thai sweet and spicy, Sweet 'N Saucy BBQ, Saucy's Sauce, spicy mango chutney, Saucy ranch, Creole honey mustard, and sweet teriyaki.

Otherwise, the menu is fairly short and simple, with a slew of non-alcoholic beverages, a few chicken sandwiches, two desserts, and sides like toasted Hawaiian rolls and coleslaw.

Although Saucy has a drive-thru, we chose to dine in. I'm glad we did: Saucy feels like a 100% modern twist on its Kentucky-fried roots.

I loved its funky decor, which was bright with shades of pink and hints of red that seemed to pay homage to KFC.

With its futuristic light pendants and cool sculptures resembling dripping sauce, Saucy had a vibe all its own and felt very different from the KFC dining rooms of my youth.

Ordering at Saucy was easy and contactless.

We used one of several touchscreens to order, paid at the kiosk, and then waited for our name to be called so we could collect our food.

My husband and I were able to try everything we wanted to at Saucy for under $40.

We ordered a six-tender box combo ($16) that came with two sauces, fries, coleslaw, and a toasted Hawaiian roll; a Key-lime-cake dessert ($4); an extra coleslaw ($2); two tropical black teas ($4); a spicy-queso-crunch sandwich ($5); and nine additional sauces (49 cents each).

We got our tenders with crinkle-cut fries and a toasted Hawaiian roll, though we could've also chosen coleslaw as a side.

Saucy's tenders are apparently made using the same recipe as KFC's. Still, I thought the tenders I got at Saucy seemed plumper, moister, and crispier than any I remember getting on past KFC runs.

Our meal at Saucy was nothing short of incredible — truly the kind of fast food that tasted like it could've been from a sit-down restaurant.

Nothing we had was overly greasy, and the tasty sauces made our dining experience even more enjoyable. I liked that there seemed to be one for everyone, from several ranch-based dips and classics like barbecue sauce to even Asian-inspired delights.

Although we had some clear favorite sauces, there wasn't a single one we didn't enjoy.

My husband also got the spicy-queso-crunch chicken sandwich ($5).

We liked the crunchy, battered chicken tender topped with queso sauce and spicy peppers on a buttery Hawaiian roll. Still, we'd probably skip it next time. The tenders and many dipping sauces were the clear stars of our meal.

Saucy had both a chocolate and Key-lime cake available for dessert, and both were served in a plastic can.

We chose the latter, which cost $4. It was the perfect size, especially considering how full we were from our meal.

I liked the citrusy icing and cake layers and felt this was a wonderful sweet ending to our meal. Plus, the spoonable cake was easy to share.

When we'd dipped and nibbled until we had no room left in our stomachs, it was time to pack up our leftovers to take home.

Our to-go container had room for just five sauces, so we kept our favorites: jalapeño-pesto ranch and per-peri ranch, two spicy and flavorful dips we really loved; smoky bacon ranch, our favorite of the ranch-based dips; and sweet teriyaki and Thai sweet and spicy, which were packed with tons of flavor and sweet twists.

As a lover of chicken tenders, I was smitten with Saucy. The food was really good, and dipping delicious fried chicken tenders in all of those sauces was tons of fun.

Our meal also felt surprisingly affordable, especially since we got far more food than the two of us could finish — and next time, we'd order less.

Based on my finger-lickin'-good experience, I'd definitely go back to Saucy, even if its only location is a 90-minute drive from me.

If you're visiting Orlando, I suggest treating yourself to a little culinary sauce journey at Saucy. Hopefully, though, more locations will open soon.

Alys Beach stood out with its architecture and design. White, stone structures and beautiful landscaping were king in this area, and it's easy to see why it's a popular spot for luxury travel.

With bright, linear buildings set against a cerulean sky, the area feels like something out of the Mediterranean region or, at the very least, a spot where celebrities would buy homes or take vacations in Florida.

I had a yummy lunch here on the outdoor patio of a spot called George's at Alys Beach and shopped for a bit in the public area. Still, it wasn't my favorite.

In my opinion, this area felt the least accessible to vacationers and had the vibe of a private community — not so much an inviting beach town.

I enjoyed my time in Rosemary Beach and found the TikToks I'd seen about the area to be accurate: The whole town has a European vibe, from the architecture of its homes to the design of its main shopping and dining area.

The area felt high-end and pricy, something some people vacationing in Florida may not expect.

Despite being cute and within walking distance of the main area of town, I found myself preferring to drive elsewhere in my rental car.

During my visit to 30A, I stayed at an Airbnb between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.

A perk of this area is that most of the beach towns are within walking or biking distance, and bike-rental shops are plentiful if a bicycle isn't included with your rental property.

Seaside was about a 15-minute drive from my Airbnb, and I found myself making the trip on two separate occasions to spend time there because I liked the area so much.

As someone who's lived in Florida for the last eight years, I've come to appreciate the state's quirkiness and beauty. I love everything Florida's beach towns have to offer, and walking through Seaside felt very "Florida," while also feeling upscale.

There were gorgeous beach houses and breathtaking views of the blue-green Gulf of Mexico, but the area also had beach bars, souvenir shops, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants that reminded me I was still in my state.

The flavors of Seaside were delightful and I'd absolutely return to the town for meals on future trips to 30A.

One night, I had a wonderful steak dinner on the rooftop of Bud and Alley's, a historic restaurant with famous sunset views.

Another day, I visited Seaside bright and early for breakfast at Pickle's Burger and Shakes, a spot on the beach that serves Southern breakfast fare like biscuits and gravy.

Even the latte I grabbed at Amavida Coffee and Tea was excellent.

The sunsets along the Gulf of Mexico are stunning, and the prettiest one I saw was while having dinner on the roof of the aforementioned Bud and Alley's.

The restaurant even rings a bell each time the sun sets.

My dream rental property in Seaside would be right on the gulf with a balcony for viewing the sunset on the days I didn't make it to Bud and Alley's roof.

The best thing I did while in Seaside was actually a free self-guided walking tour created by the Seaside Institute that I played on my phone as I explored the town.

It featured recorded audio snippets from architects and town planners who founded Seaside explaining everything from the art and design of each beach entrance to how the local historic post office came to be.

Not only was it great to see the town on foot and learn about its history, but also finding a free vacation activity that's fun is always a win in my book.

I love that Seaside doesn't seem to take itself as seriously as towns like Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.

Instead, it seems to embrace its Florida roots while still maintaining stunning architecture, beautiful art installations, and vibrant public areas.

It's beautiful enough to feel like a vacation — even to someone from another part of Florida — while not feeling as pretentious as other towns in the area.

I cannot wait to return to 30A for another vacation along the beautiful Gulf of Mexico.

After exploring the area, I'm definitely a Seaside girl, and would choose a rental property right in the heart of the town for my next trip.

I'd still venture into towns like Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach for a meal or some shopping, but I'd recommend a stay in Seaside to a first-time 30A visitor.

Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Outback Steakhouse felt similar in price point.

On average, it cost my party of four about $160 to eat at each, but the food at Outback was the hands-down favorite for everyone in my party.

Its complimentary brown bread was the best we've had, our steaks were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and we loved the classic Bloomin' Onion appetizer.

My family of four got an appetizer, entreés, two glasses of wine, and two desserts for $165. At the time, we ordered more than we'd normally eat, so I know we could return and spend even less while still getting a really good meal.

Though Ruth's Chris was one of the pricier steakhouses we've visited, our $500 meal felt worth it for the classy atmosphere, delicious food, and impressive wine list.

The chain's side dishes were particularly impressive. My favorite steakhouse side dish is creamed spinach, and the tasty version at Ruth's Chris was everything I could hope for.

The mashed potatoes we had there were also superb, as were the sautéed mushrooms — another steakhouse staple.

We'd absolutely return here for a special occasion.

Our dinner at LongHorn Steakhouse felt like a great value because we enjoyed our generously-portioned meals so much — but a highlight of our dinner was a valuable tip.

LongHorn serves a $30 rib-eye, and when my husband ordered his medium rare, the server took a moment to educate us about that particular cut of meat.

Because of the fat in a rib-eye, he explained, the meat becomes more buttery and tender when it's cooked to a medium temperature.

My husband switched his order, and the resulting rib-eye was delicious. Though we still order cuts such as filet cooked medium rare, his tip stuck with us, and we now cook and order our rib-eyes medium.

Of the steakhouse chains I've been to, Texas Roadhouse had my least favorite overall atmosphere. When we visited, it felt loud, crowded, and chaotic.

Several times during our meal, our conversation was interrupted by servers loudly clapping and singing to people who were there for a birthday dinner. We were also surrounded by many families with young children, who could understandably get a bit noisy.

Texas Roadhouse doesn't have a high-end atmosphere like Ruth's Chris or The Capital Grille, but I'd go a step further and say it's in a class below Outback and LongHorn.

Though the chain had a nicely varied menu, our group found the food to be just OK.

Overall, I think Texas Roadhouse is better suited for families with kids and groups who don't mind a noisier dining experience.

Of all the steakhouse chains I've visited, The Capital Grille was my favorite with its delicious food, extremely attentive staff, and relaxing-but-elegant ambiance.

From the moment we walked into the restaurant, my family felt relaxed and taken care of.

Through several courses — which included some of the best calamari I've ever eaten and a few perfect wine pairings — we kept chatting about what a wonderful experience we were having.

The service and atmosphere alone made this steakhouse my favorite, and the food only sealed the deal.

We tried everything from surf and turf to filet au poivre and loved every bite. My son, who always orders burgers at steakhouses, said The Capital Grille served the best he'd had.

Our meal cost more than $500 after tax and tip, so going here wouldn't fit into our weekly dining out budget. Still, I'd request dinner at The Capital Grille for a special occasion or return for date night with just my husband to save a few hundred dollars.

This story was originally published on January 2, 2025, and most recently updated on May 6, 2025.

Garten's easy turkey lasagna is a simple take on the standard recipe with a few surprising ingredients — namely, goat cheese for the filling.

Her recipe calls for sweet Italian turkey sausage, but since I had trouble finding that at any grocery stores near me, I used regular ground turkey and seasoned it with Italian seasoning, red-pepper flakes, and a bit of sugar.

After seasoning the ground turkey, making the sauce was pretty straightforward.

When I simmered onion, fresh herbs, canned crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste together, I had a pretty standard, meaty sauce to work with.

I'd never made lasagna with goat cheese, but Garten's recipe meant I stirred 3 to 4 ounces of it into 15 ounces of ricotta.

The combination was tart and flavorful. The flavors of the goat cheese stood out in the dish, especially with the lightness of the ground turkey.

I really liked that Garten's recipe included fresh mozzarella cheese.

So many lasagnas lean on grated or shredded mozzarella, so slicing up a fresh log was a nice touch.

Garten's cheese-laden lasagna was a dairy lover's dream.

The goat cheese gave that layer some extra tang and flavor, and the fresh mozzarella provided layers of thick, cheesy goodness that made for a great cheese pull.

De Laurentiis' classic Italian lasagna made me question the standard recipe I've been following for years.

I'm used to ground meat, cheeses, and tomato sauce. But De Laurentiis' recipe requires 20 ounces of frozen spinach and a mixture of white béchamel sauce and homemade tomato sauce.

De Laurentiis' method puzzled me, but who am I to argue with a master of Italian cuisine?

I made a béchamel sauce and a standard tomato sauce to assemble the chef's lasagna and stirred the two together.

De Laurentiis also said to keep the ground beef separate, layering it into the dish on its own.

Before assembling, I followed the instructions and stirred together three large eggs and 1 ½ pounds of ricotta cheese.

I'm not a fan of a lasagna that's heavy on the egg flavor, but her recipe wasn't overly eggy in the end.

De Laurentiis' recipe had a lot of spinach, and there wasn't much seasoning to add flavor.

The spinach was my least favorite ingredient in any of the lasagna recipes, and I'm usually a big fan of the leafy green.

De Laurentiis' lasagna disappointed me, mostly because it wasn't very flavorful.

I don't think the many steps of the complicated recipe paid off in the end.

Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman, doesn't mess around with protein-filled meals.

Her simple lasagna recipe calls for 2 pounds of ground beef and a pound of hot breakfast sausage.

The chef also included cottage cheese instead of traditional ricotta and tons of fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley.

I eat a high-protein diet, so I was immediately drawn to Drummond's meat-heavy lasagna sauce.

Like Garten, Drummond's recipe relies on canned tomatoes and tomato paste to make up the rest of the sauce, along with lots of chopped, fresh herbs.

Cottage cheese is a staple for meeting my daily protein goals, but I'd never had it in lasagna.

Drummond completely did away with traditional ricotta, and in the end, I enjoyed the flavor the cottage cheese brought to the meal.

My son, the picky eater, didn't even notice the switch.

Tossing 3 pounds of meat into a lasagna felt like overkill, but I ended up loving it.

Lasagna can be carb- and dairy-heavy, so I liked how protein-packed Drummond's version was.

Drummond's meaty lasagna was my favorite.

I would make her recipe again — it just might replace the family recipe I always default to.

Drummond's lasagna was perfectly cheesy and flavorful, had the right ratio of sauce to noodles, and was incredibly simple to assemble.

Best of all, it was a hit with my entire family.

This story was originally published on December 21, 2023, and most recently updated on December 24, 2024.

Disney World is known for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, a ticketed event at Magic Kingdom, but this is the second year for Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios.

The after-hours event runs for five hours on select nights and includes perks like short ride times, party-exclusive food, and the opportunity to meet rare Disney characters.

It also requires a separate ticket, but it can be slightly more affordable — Magic Kingdom's event costs between $180 and $220 for adults, and Jollywood Nights goes for $160 to $180.

This is all separate from daytime park admission. One-day, single-park tickets for this month start at about $150.

Universal's holiday tour is a must-do for me every season.

My $100 ticket included five hours with a tour guide, special meet-and-greets, dinner, dessert, and more. It's the only way to meet Santa at Universal Orlando, although he does appear nightly in a holiday parade.

The tour is less expensive than the Disney events, but unlike those, it requires a park ticket — a one-day, single-park ticket costs about $120 right now. Luckily, I have an annual pass, so I was able to use that and skip this added cost.

I also spent time at Universal before check-in to explore some of the holiday offerings on my own.

Getting photos with characters is one of my favorite parts of visiting theme parks, so I was sure to line up for some of the party-exclusive meet-and-greets at Jollywood Nights, like Disney's Duffy Bear dressed as Santa.

However, you don't have to have an event ticket to meet holiday-themed characters. Some characters, like Chip and Dale and Woody, are out in their holiday best all day at Hollywood Studios.

Universal goes full Grinch during the holiday season, with offerings like a Grinch meet-and-greet, a character breakfast with the mean one himself, and the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular" show.

From sweet treats to merchandise, you'll see the green guy all over the park.

Earl the Squirrel, a Universal character inspired by a real-life squirrel who used to live in the park's Christmas tree, is also a main figure of the season.

There were Jollywood Nights-specific entertainment offerings at my event — like a "Nightmare Before Christmas" sing-along — there are also holiday happenings for daytime park guests.

The popular "Frozen Sing-a-long Celebration" show gets a special holiday revamp, and Santa also greets guests at It's A Wonderful Shop.

There's no greater holiday joy for me than watching the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular" show, starring the Grinch, every Who down in Whoville, and a real-life version of Max (the dog).

Anyone with a regular park admission can see the Broadway-quality performance, which features songs by Mannheim Steamroller. It runs several times every day throughout the holiday season.

The park also has a special holiday parade that features Dreamworks characters, floats, entertainers, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons.

The holiday food at Disney truly can't be rivaled.

I noshed on lots of things you can only get during Jollywood Nights, like kimchi-pimento-cheese dip and tot poutine, but festive foods are available at the park during the day as well.

From a red-velvet holiday shake to a winter-spiced whoopie pie, Disney has plenty of only-seen-at-Christmas foods to try.

Universal has some holiday-themed treats, like Max-shaped cookies and a roasted-turkey-dinner crepe, but I didn't think there were too many options.

If you're looking to really experience delicious festival food at Universal, you'll want to visit during Mardi Gras or Halloween Horror Nights, when the park is filled with stands selling tasty themed bites.

Choosing a theme-park souvenir is tough on any vacation, but it's even harder for me during the holidays.

Almost every Hollywood Studios' giftshop was taken over by Mickey ornaments and cozy holiday sweatshirts. There were also special pop-up areas selling even more festive items.

Like Disney World, Universal goes all out with holiday-themed merch.

This is especially true for the themed lands, like Seuss Landing and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Both "Grinchmas" and "Holidays at Hogsmeade" release fun limited-time offerings this time of year.

Disney goes all out, adorning Hollywood Studios with vintage Hollywood-glam decorations like star-lit lamp posts and sparkly ornaments and lights.

You'll even find fake snow made of soap, dubbed "snoap." It's really beautiful to watch it fall over the decorated theme park without having to feel freezing cold — a win-win.

From the 80-foot tree in the New York area to its Holiday Tribute Store filled with limited-time merchandise, Universal's Christmas decor is truly something to behold.

It also produces plenty of snoap, so you don't have to worry about missing out on that magic.

Disney and Universal hold special places in my heart after years of building family memories in both.

Still, I think Universal is a better value during the holidays since a regular park ticket gets guests way more seasonal activities for their money.

Although I added on the VIP tour and recommend it, it's not actually necessary. Everyone can meet characters like the Grinch and Earl the Squirrel, watch the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular," and catch the parade.

Disney keeps many of its best holiday activities in its separate, ticketed events, which can be costly, especially if you're also planning on spending the day at the parks.