1

Smoked mackerel & leek hash

Image: Denis Agati

If you have 250 grams of potatoes, two large leeks, a can of smoked mackerel, and four eggs , you can make this delicious dish.

Cook the potatoes in the microwave for five minutes. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the leeks with a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, increase the heat, and fry for a couple of minutes. Flake the mackerel into the pan. Make four indents in the leek mixture, crack an egg into each, then cover the pan and cook for 6–8 minutes, until the whites have set and the yolks remain runny.

2

Cacio e pepe

Image: Immo Wegmann

You probably have a packet of dried spaghetti in your pantry. For this recipe, you’ll need 200 grams of spaghetti , 25 grams of butter , 50 grams of finely grated pecorino or parmesan cheese , and some black pepper .

Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package instructions indicate. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium frying pan over low heat, add the ground black pepper, and toast for a few minutes. Transfer the pasta to the pan along with 100 ml of pasta water. Toss briefly, then evenly sprinkle the cheese over the pasta—but don’t stir. Let the cheese melt for 30 seconds, then toss everything together and stir until well combined.

3

Peanut butter & jam flapjacks

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

Peanut butter and jelly have saved the day more than once, and they do it again in this simple recipe. You’ll need 5 tablespoons of salted butter , 250 grams of peanut butter , 8 tablespoons of strawberry or raspberry jam , and 200 grams of rolled oats .

Preheat the oven, butter a 20 cm square cake tin, and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Put 3 tablespoons each of the peanut butter and jam in separate small bowls and set aside. Put the remaining peanut butter, the rest of the jam, and the butter and sugar into a pan set over medium heat and stir. Add the oats, then leave to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer it to the prepared cake tin and gently press it down with your hands. Dot the reserved peanut butter and jam over the top, then bake for 20–25 minutes.

4

Caramelized banana & chocolate pie

Image: Mike Dorner

This is a great dessert to improvise if you have three bananas , 70 grams of hazelnuts , 150 grams of dark chocolate , a 500-gram block of puff pastry , and three tablespoons of brown sugar .

Preheat the oven. Process the hazelnuts in a small food processor, then transfer them to a bowl with the chocolate. Roll out the pastry into a 30 cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment. Sprinkle the chocolate and hazelnut mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 5 cm border. Arrange the bananas on top and scatter most of the remaining hazelnuts over them. Fold the pastry edges over the filling. Transfer the pie, along with the baking parchment, to a baking sheet and chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Bake for 25–30 minutes.

5

Garlic chicken parcels

Image: Claudio Schwarz

You will need two chicken breasts , a 320-gram sheet of all-butter puff pastry , 150 grams of garlic and herb cream cheese , half a lemon , and 200 grams of green beans and broccoli .

Heat the oven. Cut a slit halfway into each chicken breast, then place each one between two sheets of baking parchment and flatten slightly with a rolling pin. Cut the pastry sheet in half widthwise and place both halves on a baking tray. Place a chicken breast on top of each pastry half, then fill the cavities with the cream cheese. Sprinkle with lemon zest, then fold the edges of the pastry over the chicken and pinch to seal. Flip each parcel over so the seam is on the bottom. Then bake for 30 minutes until deep golden. About 10 minutes before your parcels are ready, steam or boil the greens until tender. Toss with a little oil, season, and serve.

6

Red pepper linguine

Image: amirali mirhashemian

The second pasta recipe on our list requires one roasted red pepper , a bit of olive oil , 50 grams of walnuts , a small garlic clove , 100 grams of spaghetti or linguine , and some parmesan cheese .

In a food processor, blend the roasted red pepper with the olive oil, walnuts, and garlic until smooth. Season well and set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions indicate. Drain, reserving a bit of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, add the reserved cooking water and red pepper sauce, and warm through over low heat. Serve in a bowl, topped with parmesan and some chopped toasted walnuts.

7

Creamy tomato courgetti

Image: Caroline Attwood

The original recipe calls for Parma ham, but any ham you have in your fridge will do. You will need four slices of ham , half a pack of basil , 350 grams of tomato and mascarpone sauce , and a 250-gram pack of courgetti .

Tear the ham and basil into coarse pieces. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and dry-fry the ham until crisp. Transfer the ham and basil to a plate, then add the sauce to the same pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes, then stir in the courgetti. Cook for 1 more minute until warmed through. Divide between bowls and top with the ham and basil.

8

Jerk prawn & coconut rice bowls

Image: blackieshoot

If you have a 150-gram pack of peeled prawns , a bit of jerk seasoning , a 400-gram can of kidney beans in chili sauce , and a 250-gram pouch of ready-cooked coconut rice , you can make this quick and flavorful dish.

Heat a bit of oil in a large frying pan, add the prawns and jerk seasoning, and cook for two minutes. Drain the beans, reserving three tablespoons of the chili sauce. Add the beans to the pan along with the reserved sauce and coconut rice. Fry for 3–4 minutes, then season with salt to taste.

9

Sweet potatoes with mushrooms & rosemary

Image: Louis Hansel

If you have sweet potatoes lying around and aren’t sure what to make, here’s an idea. You’ll need two sweet potatoes , 200 grams of halved chestnut mushrooms , a bit of freshly chopped rosemary , and some Parmesan cheese .

Preheat the oven. Prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork, then microwave them for 8–10 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, heat a bit of oil in a non-stick pan, add the mushrooms and rosemary, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned. Season to taste. Transfer the potatoes to the oven and roast for 15 minutes until the skins start to crisp. Split them open, top with the mushrooms, and sprinkle with Parmesan before serving.

10

Sweet chili dogs

Image: American Heritage Chocolate

Who doesn’t love hot dogs? Or chili? This extra-simple recipe combines both. You’ll need four fat sausages , two onions , a bit of chili sauce , four hot dog buns , and two tablespoons of tomato purée .

Preheat the oven. Place the sausages in a roasting tin and cook for 20–25 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Meanwhile, fry the onions in a bit of oil until softened. Stir in the chili sauce and tomato purée, season to taste, and cook for 1 minute more. Split the hot dog buns, add a spoonful of the sweet chili onions, place a sausage in each, then top with another spoonful of onions. Enjoy!

1

Lucy Ricardo, I Love Lucy

Why do we still love Lucy? Because her unique personality gave us some of the funniest moments in television history, including the real birth of her baby that matched her fictional one.

Lucy Ricardo was a housewife, and she stood in for most women of the 1950s, showing just how adventurous, messy, and fun a day at home could be. But Lucy also captured something else: women's desire to chase their dreams, even when society wasn't ready for it yet.

2

Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, Happy Days

Arthur Fonzarelli, or "Fonzie", was played by Henry Winkler in the sitcom Happy Days (1974-1984). He was a greaser, often seen on his motorcycle, in his leather jacket, and started as a secondary character. But audiences loved him so much that he quickly became a leading star.

Fonzie redefined "cool" for an entire generation. He was self-confident but not cynical; he took responsibility for his mistakes, respected adults, and showed vulnerability without ever losing his coolness. He was the symbol of safe, necessary rebellion young guys admired with all the swagger of a classic greaser.

3

Lieutenant Columbo, Columbo

Lieutenant Columbo was the main character on the series that carries his name. Played by Peter Falk in his trademark rumpled beige raincoat, he was a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. The show originally aired on NBC in 1971 and was an inverted detective story format, or "whodunit" pioneer. Unlike most detective shows, Columbo revealed the killer and the crime at the beginning. The mystery wasn’t about who did it, but how Columbo would catch them. Viewers sometimes spotted the clues along the way, while others weren’t explained until the very end. Between episodes, Columbo gave us some valuable lessons: perseverance pays off, question everything, be humble, and be tough when it's necessary, too.

4

Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, M A S H

M A S H effectively blended comedy and drama. Hawkeye Pierce could make viewers laugh one minute and think about war’s consequences the next. Alan Alda played the quick-witted Army surgeon during the Korean War. When it premiered in 1972, many viewers connected it to the Vietnam War and the dramatic images they were watching every night on the evening news.

Hawkeye's trademarks were his jokes, pranks, and martinis. But beneath all that humor, he never stopped questioning the war and speaking out about its terrible cost. Alda became one of the show’s writers and directors, and he made Hawkeye more than just a funny doctor.

5

Archie Bunker, All in the Family

Carroll O’Connor starred as Archie Bunker in the 1970s sitcom All in the Family . Bunker was a World War II veteran, blue-collar worker, and family man. But above all of these, he exposed the uneasiness and ambivalence some Americans felt as society and its values began to change. Archie was always arguing with his son-in-law, Mike (Rob Reiner), and his daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers). Their fights touched on the same issues dividing society at the time, including racism, prejudice, and women’s liberation.

6

Sheriff Andy Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show

Andy Taylor was the sheriff of the sleepy town of Mayberry, North Carolina. The Andy Griffith Show aired in the 60s on CBS and became an instant success, ending its last season at number one in the ratings charts.

Sheriff Andy Taylor rarely carried a gun. He instead solved problems with patience, common sense, and conversation. Whether he was dealing with local disputes, teaching Opie a lesson, or keeping Barney Fife out of trouble, Andy usually knew how to make things right. He was much more than the town sheriff: he was also a neighbor, a father, and a trusted friend who truly knew the people he served. During the social and political changes of the 1960s, Andy and Mayberry offered a comforting picture of small-town life, where even the biggest problems were settled with kindness.

7

Samantha Stephens, Bewitched

Bewitched premiered on ABC in 1964, with Elizabeth Montgomery playing Samantha Stephens. Samantha was a powerful witch who married an ordinary mortal, Darrin, and tried to settle into life as a typical suburban housewife. There was only one problem: Darrin wanted her to stop using magic, but Samantha’s famous nose twitch often proved too useful to resist.

Behind the magic and comedy, Samantha reflected the role of women in the 1960s. She loved her husband and family, but she was also independent and far more powerful than anyone around her. Her struggle to fit into Darrin’s idea of a "normal" wife resonated with many women questioning what society expected of them. She tried to blend into the neighborhood while keeping her true identity secret, but her powers could never stay hidden for long.

8

Jeannie, I Dream of Jeannie

In I Dream of Jeannie , Barbara Eden played a 2,000-year-old genie who lived inside a magical bottle. The story began when astronaut Tony Nelson, played by Larry Hagman, landed on a deserted island and found a bottle on the beach. When he opened it, Jeannie appeared and followed him home, bringing magic and lots of trouble into his carefully ordered life.

Although Tony tried to control her magic, she was usually the most powerful person in the room, and her plans rarely went the way he expected. Mixing space travel with old-fashioned magic gave viewers a fun escape during a time of fast scientific and political change.

9

Mary Richards, The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The Mary Tyler Moore Show first aired in 1970, with the actress playing a single woman in her thirties who moved to Minneapolis to work at a local television newsroom.

Mary had her own apartment, supported herself, and built a life around her career, friendships, and personal goals. She represented a new kind of woman on television that was becoming increasingly common in real life. She was independent and ambitious, but also warm, funny, and easy to relate to. She was not against marriage or family; she simply showed that a woman could enjoy a full, happy life without making either one her only goal. Mary made that path look possible at a time when more women were entering the workplace and questioning everything.

10

Lieutenant Theo Kojak, Kojak

If Lieutenant Kojak represented one thing, it was surely incorruptible justice. Played by Telly Savalas, Theo Kojak took on crime in the rough streets of New York City in Kojak , which aired from 1973 to 1978.

At a time when political scandals and police corruption had made people suspicious of authority, Kojak was someone viewers could still trust. He often ignored the rulebook and argued with his bosses, but he never let the system corrupt him. Kojak could be tough when he needed to be, but he also cared about victims and people left out by society. With his bald head, sharp suits, ever-present lollipop, and famous "Who loves ya, baby?", he was impossible to confuse with any other TV detective .

1

Alaska SeaLife Center - Seward, Alaska

Image: David Clode

Alaska truly is the last frontier. Its wildlife is as vast as its land, and its sealife is equally incredible. To get a closer look at many of these creatures, the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward offers an excellent opportunity.

The only public aquarium in the state, the center combines regional exhibits with marine research, education, and wildlife rehabilitation. At this unique facility, visitors can observe regional birds in the aviary, view an undersea kelp forest, or watch seals and Steller sea lions at play in the Rocky Coast exhibit.

2

National Aquarium - Baltimore

Image: naomi tamar

The National Aquarium in Baltimore is home to a wide range of exhibits, from an Amazon River forest to an Atlantic coral reef and more. Visitors can encounter an incredible array of creatures , enjoy interactive experiences , watch 4D films , and even participate in aquarium sleepovers .

Aside from its exhibitions, the National Aquarium's conservation work is geared toward combating climate change, protecting wildlife and their habitats, and reducing plastic pollution. Recent visitors have also raved about the dolphin show.

3

Shedd Aquarium - Chicago

Image: Caroline Hernandez

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago gives visitors an up-close view of a variety of aquatic animals, including jellyfish, seahorses, and giant Pacific octopuses. The aquarium offers animal encounter experiences with beluga whales, sharks, penguins, stingrays, and sea otters.

There are also plenty of exhibits to explore. Pacific white-sided dolphins, belugas, California sea lions, and sea otters can be observed from both underwater and above-water viewing areas. The Polar Play Zone allows children to learn about life at the North and South poles in a kid-sized submarine, feeling the texture of a starfish in the touch pool, and admiring the underwater viewing area.

4

Tennessee Aquarium - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Image: Shane Rounce

The Tennessee Aquarium is divided into two separate buildings for freshwater and ocean exhibits , showcasing thousands of animals, including the macaroni penguin, sand tiger shark, alligator snapping turtle, hellbender, and giant Japanese spider crab.

The River Journey building features the Turtles of the World gallery, an Appalachian cove forest habitat, the River Giants exhibit, and more. In Ocean Journey , visitors will find a butterfly garden, a tropical cove habitat, and the Boneless Beauties exhibit, among other highlights.

5

Seattle Aquarium - Seattle

Image: Craig Lovelidge

Aquatic life in Puget Sound can be witnessed through the Seattle Aquarium's one-of-a-kind, 360-degree Underwater Dome , which displays local fish in a 400,000-gallon habitat . Set on two historic piers, the aquarium educates visitors about Puget Sound and the ocean at large through exhibits, events, conservation and education programs, research activities, and more.

At the Family Activity Center, guests of all ages can participate in hands-on activities to learn about the majestic orcas of the Pacific Northwest. The aquarium's species recovery program works to save animals from extinction through research, field conservation, and more.

6

Aquarium of the Pacific - Long Beach, California

Image: Julien Maculan

The Aquarium of the Pacific, in Long Beach, California, features habitats from the tropical Pacific Ocean, northern Pacific waters, and the Southern California/Baja region. As Southern California's largest aquarium, it houses more than 12,000 animals across 100-plus exhibits highlighting aquatic life in the Pacific Ocean.

The state-of-the-art Pacific Visions wing offers guests an interactive experience through film, art, and technology. Visitors can see what it's like to be an aquatic vet at the Molina Animal Care Center, and then learn about water sources and conservation at the Our Water Future exhibit.

7

New England Aquarium - Boston

Image: David Clode

The New England Aquarium features an open-air exhibit space for seal and sea lion training, the four-story Giant Ocean Tank, an Indo-Pacific coral reef habitat, an exhibit spotlighting Atlantic harbor seals , and the Simons Theatre with its nearly five-story-tall movie screen.

Aside from the indoor and outdoor exhibits, the aquarium's research division conducts ocean exploration and conservation through a plethora of initiatives like saving sea turtles and protecting North Atlantic right whales.

8

Shark Reef Aquarium - Las Vegas

Image: SGR

An aquarium is probably not the first thing that comes to one’s mind when thinking about Las Vegas, but the Shark Reef Aquarium is well worth a visit. With more than 2,000 animals, it features jellyfish, sharks, sea turtles, and even crocodiles.

Guests can feed stingrays, sea turtles, or even a zebra shark, or try out the Undersea Explorer VR Theater for an immersive digital experience.

9

Aquarium of Niagara - Niagara Falls, New York

Image: Shaun Low

Visitors can find more than 120 animal species at the Aquarium of Niagara, including many rescues that are unable to survive in the wild. The Penguin Coast exhibit is home to a colony of 14 Humboldt penguins , and the aquarium showcases over 100 species of fish and invertebrates from both freshwater and saltwater ecosystems , as well as several species of seals and sea lions .

In the summer of 2024, the aquarium unveiled the Great Lakes 360 experience with an interactive sturgeon touch pool and 16 new exhibits highlighting animals from the Great Lakes and Niagara River ecosystems.

10

Georgia Aquarium - Atlanta

Image: David Clode

At the enormous Georgia Aquarium, visitors can get close to rays, dolphins, sea lions, penguins, and sea otters, or even go behind the scenes at a dolphin training session. The aquarium focuses on conservation education and fostering positive connections between humans and animals.

The Ocean Voyager exhibit features a 100-foot-long underwater walk-through tunnel that displays more than 50 species.