Flaky, Buttery No-Yeast Flatbreads (Using Yogurt)
I interrupt this Thanksgiving recipe programming to bring you something I’ve been kind of obsessed with for the past month. With working from home, I’ve been able to play around with some easy but unique recipes for lunch or things that require a little planning ahead for dinner, and these buttery, flaky no yeast flatbreads have been a basis for several delicious meals.
The fact is that Smitten Kitchen rarely leads me wrong. I so appreciate her recipes, the clarity and detail of the steps, the tweaking to make it perfect but still super easy. And these delicious no-yeast flatbreads are no exception.
On the one hand you’ll probably look at this yogurt flatbread recipe and go “wow, that’s a lot of steps”. BUT WAIT…I know it might look fiddly but I promise it’s not. It’s just that the steps are written to be very detailed so you never feel lost. These really are easy and don’t take much hands-on time.
Because I’m only cooking for one, I usually make a half batch, which is five flatbreads in total. And because I can rarely resist eating the first one out of the pan just by itself, tearing pieces off, that leaves me with two fresh and usually two as leftovers.
A couple things that come in handy (though certainly not required) are a scraper tool and a silicone basting brush. I’m also in love with my thin rolling pin, so much easier for this type of task than the traditional fat kind with the handles.
These no yeast flatbreads come together in three easy phases, over the course of a couple hours…but not much hands-on time. I literally do it in between conference calls, about 5 minutes to mix up the dough, and then about 10 to roll them out into the “snails”.READ THE POST
Easy, Awesome Homemade Caramel Popcorn
It’s weird because I don’t really like caramel, and I’m not super into popcorn…but I’m ALL IN on this homemade caramel popcorn.
My mom’s been making it since I was a kid, and it’s a must-have on Thanksgiving for my family. It’s just SO GOOD! She makes a massive tub and we munch on it all afternoon while playing cards and watching .
It’s also so easy…caramel can feel quite daunting. I’ve watched approximately 1,250 hours of Great British Bake-Off and caramel is always tripping up the bakers.
But the caramel we’re making today is the opposite of fiddly. And the actual hands-on portion of this recipe is quite minimal.
Addictive Peanut Butter & Jelly Babka
Y’ALL. Peanut butter and jelly babka. This is just such an all-time flavor combo, and I’m kind of obsessed with it right now to be honest (stay tuned for a boozy pb&j milkshake comin’ at ya…).
It’s no secret I’m into basically peanut butter anything, but there’s something so comforting about a classic pb&j…this peanut butter and jelly babka is basically a fancy, addictive pb&j sandwich from when you were a kid. It’s what you WISH your sandwich had been.
Don’t be put off by the seemingly-long list of instructions…I’ve been super detailed to help make everything go well, but while this needs plenty of time in rising and baking, the actual *hands-on* parts are not difficult or time-consuming at all.
There *will* be a point when you’re trying to twist the two cut parts together where everything is falling apart, jelly and peanut butter oozing everywhere, and you’re like WHAT HAVE I DONE??? But just push through, the mess doesn’t matter. It’ll be fine. Lick your fingers when you’re done.
One other note of importance, I found I only needed just over 2 1/2 cups of flour to get the right consistency, as I didn’t want to make the dough too dry and tight. Personally I often find babkas drier and denser than I prefer, so I wanted to keep this one light and soft.
So let’s dive in, shall we??READ THE POST
Amazing, Easy Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
It’s the worst-kept secret that I’m obsessed with grilling pizza. I’ve been experimenting with different flavor combinations, but keep coming back to this BBQ chicken pizza…I even made it for my birthday dinner this year.
Why do I love it so much?? It’s such a lovely blend of flavors and textures that feel hearty and indulgent, and makes a perfect transition from summer into fall grilling.
This BBQ chicken pizza is a FLAVOR EXPLOSION. Warm, spiced BBQ sauce, gooey cheese, a little bite from the red onion, the hearty chicken and sweetness of the butternut squash. All surrounded by the chewy pizza crust.
Basil Gin Gimlet Cocktail
Apparently I’m not the only one with a basil gin gimlet on the brain. I hadn’t even heard of them until a couple weeks ago, when I saw an article about them that intrigued me. I created a blog post draft because I have a stupid amount of fresh basil to use.
Then I tried out an awesome new restaurant last weekend and they just so happened to have a basil gimlet on their menu. Serendipity for sure. I tried out my own recipe the next day and I have to say that I AM IN LOVE.
I’ve already talked a little bit about the classic gimlet cocktail in my French gimlet post…this is an herbaceous twist on the tart and boozy classic and it’s perfect for this time of year. READ THE POST
Melty Cheesy Zucchini Baked Pasta
This zucchini baked pasta is the perfect recipe for those lazy hot days of summer as they start to slide into fall. Not too heavy, packed with bright and silky garlicky zucchini and light ricotta, but oozing with a comforting amount of gooey mozzarella.
The recipe is also super flexible and adaptable, and I did make a couple changes.
I cut back on the fresh mozzarella by a third…partly because I forgot to buy enough, but I ended up finding what I had was MORE THAN plenty. I threw in a small handful of shredded (bagged) mozzarella in the main mixture for good measure and to help bind everything together.
I also used a ton of zucchini—three medium and one ginormous. In case you’re wondering, I made my own pesto (love that fresh basil taste!) but I’m sure a jarred would work fine.
I just needed something indulgent but not *too* unhealthy, and this zucchini ziti fit the bill perfectly.
Grilled Margherita Pizza: Simple Perfection
I’m quite picky when it comes to pizza. But give me an amazing Naples-style traditional margherita pizza and I am in 100% of the time.
And make that a grilled margherita pizza?? ALL THE YES.
This pizza is perfect in its simplicity…it’s less of a standalone recipe than it is the sum of a few delicious components. The flavor and high heat from the grill help kind of approximate the crazy heat and fire of the traditional woodfire oven.
It takes my favorite pizza dough (or use your own, or store-bought), a no-cook tomato sauce that takes literally two minutes to make, some fresh mozzarella, and some freshly-grated parmesan.
You can whip it up on any weeknight, something that always feels like a victory. The real problem for me is that…I’m one person. So I really can’t justify eating tons of pizza, but it’s not good as leftovers, so…
I guess what I’m saying is, my clothes are tight.
Fresh Grapefruit Cake With Mascarpone Icing
This cake is a REVELATION. I’ve had the idea stuck in my head since first watching the Great British Bake-Off episode where Beca makes grapefruit cake, since I’m a complete sucker for anything grapefruit flavored.
This cake has a little of everything…light and buttery cake, tart but sweet grapefruit curd, and creamy not-too-sweet frosting. It’s spring incarnate, my guilty pleasure, and heaven on a plate.
You’ll need a few pink grapefruit for this recipe, because it’s a more subtle flavor and you really want to pack it in.
Paul Hollywood’s Chelsea Buns
It’s hard to tell you how magical these chelsea buns are. Fragrant spices, tart and chewy fruit with a whiff of bourbon, citrus tang. Soft, pillowy dough. Sweet icing. It was truly revelatory.
I’ve wanted to try these out, and decided that Paul Hollywood’s recipe had to be where I start…I only know about them from the Great British Bake-Off, so feels fitting.
What is a chelsea bun?? Chelsea buns aren’t really a thing in the U.S…at least as far as I’m aware. I’d certainly never heard of them before I started watching the Great British Bake-Off.
They are a currant sweet bun from the 1700s, once favored by royalty. Made basically the same way as a cinnamon roll, but stuffed with dried fruit instead and usually with some citrus zest in there. They’re a real British staple.
(Side note, I just went down a rabbit hole about the difference between currants, raisins, and sultanas, soooo…)
And I’m so glad I’ve tried them out, because they were so worth it!
If you’re looking at the ingredients list and thinking “whoa, that’s intense!”…don’t be put off by it. It’s not nearly as complicated or intense as it looks, I promise. I just like to write detailed instructions because I think it makes life easier…and I have step-by-step photos throughout the post so you can see how everything should look.
“If Egg Nog Was Good” Bourbon Milk Punch Cocktail
A few months ago, if anyone had told me I’d be obsessed with a cocktail that includes bourbon and dairy (with the exception of a boozy milkshake), I’d have thought they were crazy.
But here we are…
What is a milk punch?
So apparently “punch” is from the Sanskrit word pañc, which means “five”…five ingredients, in this case. I can neither confirm nor deny but that sounds pretty cool. A milk punch is a classic but flexible cocktail formula: generally including liquor, sweetener, milk and/or cream, and vanilla, usually with a nutmeg garnish. There’s more fascinating milk punch history here.
Apparently we’re in the midst of a milk punch revival. I’d never really heard of them until recently, and then all of the sudden started to notice them on menus. I first tried a clarified milk punch (having a major moment) at George’s Bar in Louisville, and it was amazing! I am, however, too lazy to clarify milk myself…
