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Brunch Staple: Easy Buttermilk Belgian Waffles

December 5, 2020

Waffles are my mom’s favorite thing for brunch, no contest. While I like to mix it up with pancakes, biscuits, scones, and french toast, she will ALWAYS want belgian waffles.

Delicious, Easy Buttermilk Belgian Waffles | This super easy waffle recipe has been a brunch staple in my family since I was a kid, perfect for any day! It's a recipe where you don't have to whip the egg whites, so only takes a few minutes to make...the best waffle recipe around. #bestwaffle #waffles #breakfast #brunch

Problem was, when I was a kid our waffle recipe was kind of a pain in the rear to make because it required you to beat egg whites into a stiff meringue of sorts before gently folding them into the waffle batter.

And seriously, who wants to sit there for several minutes trying to get your egg whites to stiffen when you aren’t even properly caffeinated?!

Easy belgian waffles, perfect for breakfast or brunch any day

Enter this recipe—the awesomest easy waffles I’ve ever made!  My grandma has been making this for eons, but she has no idea where it came from…she was the first to stop using beaten egg whites, though, because our family is all about low-maintenance cooking (we also almost never do wet and dry ingredients separately, or chill cookie dough).

We’ve adapted it over the years to make it even better and healthier. It’s practically dummy-proof, and yields golden, crispy, fast waffles every time.

Delicious, Easy Buttermilk Belgian Waffles | This super easy waffle recipe has been a brunch staple in my family since I was a kid, perfect for any day! It's a recipe where you don't have to whip the egg whites, so only takes a few minutes to make...the best waffle recipe around. #bestwaffle #waffles #breakfast #brunch

Any waffle iron will work with this, but I like to make them on a belgian waffle maker which makes deeper pockets and crispier outsides than a regular one (I’m absolutely in love with my new one!!).READ THE POST

1 Comment CATEGORIES // Breakfast Goodies, Family Secret Recipes, Go-To Recipes

Amazing, Flavorful (& Easy) Chicken Shawarma

December 3, 2020

Obssssssessed.  That’s what I am with this spiced (and a little spicy) easy chicken shawarma. 

The first time I made it, I was first blown away by how phenomenal my house smelled while it was cooking.  And then when I took my first bite, the flavors just exploded in my mouth.   

Amazing & Easy Chicken Shawarma | I've fallen in love with Nadiya's chicken shawarma recipe, a flavorful spiced dinner recipe that's simple, delicious, and versatile. Easy dinner recipe, healthy dinner recipe, what to do with chicken thighs. #shawarma #chicken #nadiya #dinnerrecipe

The recipe is so simple that it’s hard to figure out why it’s so GOOD. 

You don’t need any special equipment, or really anything in the way of special ingredients, to make this.  It can be thrown together in just a few minutes of hands-on time.  It’s just this magical combination of spices and cooking the meat until it’s really tender.  Easy peasy.

Super easy chicken shawarma recipe, perfect for any weeknight

A couple of tips on this one…the turmeric ended up staining my non-stick loaf pan.  So now I have a savory pan and a (new) pan for sweet bakes 🙂 

Also, Nadiya’s original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of cayenne which is…WHOA.  But you do you.  I’ve backed that off significantly in the recipe below.

Nadiya's chicken shawarma is mind-blowingly flavorful and easy!READ THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Foods I'm Obsessed With, Main Dishes, Super Healthy

Fresh Orange Ricotta-Mascarpone Tart with Rosemary Crust

November 22, 2020

Yeah, I know that’s a mouthful.  But while this orange ricotta-mascarpone tart feels fancy, and like it should be fussy and difficult, it’s actually really simple.

While it’s not a traditional holiday dessert, I think it would be a perfect addition to Thanksgiving or other holiday meals because it’s so light…the opposite of the desserts you usually have.

Simple & Delicious Orange Ricotta-Mascarpone Tart with Rosemary Crust | While that's a mouthful and sounds complicated, this citrus tart is quite simple and is a perfect addition to any dinner party or holiday meal. Silky and creamy, buttery and tart, a perfect special dessert option. It's elevated by some fresh rosemary in the crust as well. #orange #ricotta #mascarpone #tart #rosemary

The star in this ricotta-mascarpone tart is the fresh orange zest and juice giving a great citrus flavor.  I add the zest of half a lemon as well though, which brings a bit more of the tart citrus through…otherwise it can be a bit sweet.  

And while it’s totally optional, adding fresh rosemary in the pastry crust really elevates the entire tart, and the rosemary and orange are a match made in heavy.  The herb flavor isn’t strong, just a hint that balances everything really nicely.

Simple & Delicious Orange Ricotta-Mascarpone Tart with Rosemary Crust | While that's a mouthful and sounds complicated, this citrus tart is quite simple and is a perfect addition to any dinner party or holiday meal. Silky and creamy, buttery and tart, a perfect special dessert option. It's elevated by some fresh rosemary in the crust as well. #orange #ricotta #mascarpone #tart #rosemaryREAD THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Desserts

Subtle & Delicious Salted Honey Custard

November 15, 2020

Y’all, I feel so fancy.  After a billion hours of watching Great British Bake-Off, I actually undertook the omnipresent pastry cream or “creme patissiere” myself with this absolutely delish salted honey custard.  

And here’s the thing—IT’S SHOCKINGLY EASY.  (Side note, why don’t American desserts have more pastry cream?? Missed opportunities…)

Salted Honey Custard...Dreamy & Mind-Blowing | This delicious salted honey pastry cream (or "creme patissiere") is super easy to make, and is an amazing filling for cakes, crepes, cupcakes, cream puffs, eclairs, and so much more. An easy pastry cream and amazing flavor...move over, salted caramel! #honey #pastrycream #custard #cakefilling

Now granted, this recipe uses cornstarch (or “corn flour”, as the Brits call it), which Mary Berry seems to consider a cheat for the skill levels of GBBO contestants. 

But it’s normal in most pastry cream recipes, and is definitely our friend here in achieving a thick, pipe-able pastry cream that is great for filling cakes, cream puffs, and more (you can see it trying to spill out of the cream puffs below).

The salted honey custard really makes these "Elvis" cream puffs

And let’s talk about this flavor, which is so DREAMMMMMY.  It’s sweet enough, but the salt balances it out nicely.  Quite subtle.  I’m not a caramel person and so have never really understood the appeal of salted caramel.  Now I know that *this* is my own personal salted caramel.

I discovered this salted honey custard as a component in the cake I initially made for my birthday…”salted honey orange cake” sounded right up my alley.  But I ended up finding that neither the cake nor the frosting really did anything for me. 

This custard on the other hand was my everything, and so I did a birthday cake re-do recently—“Elvis” peanut butter, banana, & honey cream puffs with this as the filling.

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Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks, Desserts, Foods I'm Obsessed With

Flaky, Buttery No-Yeast Flatbreads (Using Yogurt)

November 14, 2020

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.

Easy, Flaky, Buttery No-Yeast Flatbreads | This super easy yogurt flatbread recipe is delicious and can be topped or filled with all sorts of meats and more. They're flaky and buttery, and only take a couple minutes to cook once they're ready. Simple flatbread recipe. #flatbread #noyeast #easybread

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.

Easy no yeast flatbreads - this simple yogurt flatbread recipe is delicious

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.

Easy, Flaky, Buttery No-Yeast Flatbreads | This super easy yogurt flatbread recipe is delicious and can be topped or filled with all sorts of meats and more. They're flaky and buttery, and only take a couple minutes to cook once they're ready. Simple flatbread recipe. #flatbread #noyeast #easybread

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

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Bread Recipes, Foods I'm Obsessed With

Easy, Awesome Homemade Caramel Popcorn

November 10, 2020

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 .

Easy, Awesome Homemade Caramel Popcorn | This is a Thanksgiving and holiday must-have recipe, the best holiday snack. The best caramel popcorn, and it's super easy to make. Thanksgiving recipes, holiday recipes for the family, good holiday snacks! #holidayrecipe #caramelpopcorn #popcorn #thanksgiving

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.

Easy homemade caramel popcorn

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Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks, Desserts, Family Secret Recipes, Foods I'm Obsessed With

The Best Thanksgiving Recipes: 20+ Of My Family’s Favorites

November 8, 2020

Thanksgiving is a BIG deal in my family.  And that includes the food…which is why I feel like I have some of the best Thanksgiving recipes around.  You know, the tried-and-true ones that the family requests over and over. 

See, I have a big extended family, and we spend the day before baking, cooking, and prepping.  The morning of Thanksgiving is always insane—my mom’s up super early with the turkey, then leaves around 10:30 to get down to my grandma’s.  I get up a little later, go for a run, finish up all the remaining dishes, and head down around noon.

We eat a huge lunch, then graze all afternoon and have leftovers for dinner.  We play football, watch football, play cards, and talk.  Chase the kids around.  

When you’re cooking for a big crowd (anywhere from 25 to 50 in past years; usually around 25-30 these days), there are some realities in the kinds of dishes that make sense.  Anything super time-intensive that doesn’t yield a lot of servings is automatically out.  

So these are some of my favorite relatively easy Thanksgiving recipes that I’ve contributed over the years, and it’s all about the sides, breads, desserts, and cocktails.  Turkey just…exists.  Hope you enjoy and everyone has a safe, happy (American) Thanksgiving with family and friends!

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Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Bread Recipes, Desserts, Drinks: Cocktails & More, Family Secret Recipes, Go-To Recipes, Side Dishes & Veggies

A Whiskey Cocktail for Fall: Preservation Punch

November 2, 2020

First of all, the look of this cocktail is just dreamy.  Second, it’s absolutely delish and you need it in your life immediately.

What we have here is “preservation punch”, a lovely whiskey cocktail where sweet berry preserves are offset with acidic lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.  The result is a balanced drink that makes me think of the transition between seasons.  

Preservation Punch: A Lovely Fruity Whiskey Cocktail | I tried this Slane cocktail from a bartender in Oakland via @thirsty, and loved the balance of sweet and acidic. A perfect fall cocktail using whiskey, jam, lemon juice, and a bit of balsamic vinegar. #cocktail #fallcocktail #drinkrecipes #whiskey

Beyond how pretty it is, this is a flavor profile that really works for me.  Partly because I’m a well-known lover of jam.  But also just because it doesn’t *taste* like jam. 

Once shaken with the other ingredients, the jam ends up providing texture and body without adding much sweetness. 

Preservation Punch whiskey cocktail for fall

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2 Comments CATEGORIES // Drinks: Cocktails & More

10-Minute Stovetop Blood Orange Curd

October 31, 2020

It’s like I’m sandwiching the seasons with curd, somehow.  I talked about falling in love with my easy pink grapefruit curd as the cool, sunny spring days gave way to summer.  And now I’m clinging onto that feeling with this unique blood orange curd, as I cling to denial in a chilly, rainy fall taking a nosedive into true winter.

Easy 10-Minute Blood Orange Curd | A more unique citrus curd recipe, made easily on the stovetop without a double boiler. Just 5-10 minutes will give you an amazing blood orange curd. Perfect for cakes, crepes, cupcakes, eclairs, and more. #bloodorange #curd

This recipe is similar to my pink grapefruit curd, in that I use a little less butter and go scant on sugar so as to not overpower the more delicate citrus flavor of the blood orange.  While a lemon or lime can really punch through, I find that orange, grapefruit, and blood orange are a little more subtle and need a lighter hand.

I ended up using 2 blood oranges…just the zest of one but most of the juice of both (about 1/3 cup total).  A little bit of extra lemon juice can help brighten just a bit, and a tiny pinch of salt just brings everything into balance.

The natural color of this curd will be a duller dark pink, possibly closer to a light brown.  You can add a tiny bit of pink or red gel coloring if you want it to be a brighter pink, red, or orange…I didn’t here, but it would be super easy.

Easy Blood Orange Curd on the Stovetop | You don't need any fancy equipment for this easy citrus curd, and less than 10 minutes | finding time for cookingREAD THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks, Desserts

Delicious & Easy Kale Salad

October 25, 2020

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to give this a try.  I’ve been wanting to find an easy kale salad recipe for forever, something I could put in my regular dinner rotation.  And don’t roll your eyes…when done properly, kale can be totally delish.  

When not done properly it’s a tough, chewy mess.  Fear not, this is not that kale.

The Best Easy Kale Salad | This basic kale salad is super delicious, healthy, and only takes a few minutes to make. You can use either curly or lacinato kale, and the other ingredients are flexible based on what you have (pistachios, parmesan, lemon zest, and golden raisins). The light lemon dressing gives it a bright flavor. This is the perfect side dish for any meal, an easy side dish for weeknights in particular. #kale #salad #sidedish #healthyrecipes

As I said above, I’ve been wanting to lock down a great basic kale salad for forever.  But then I stalled and stalled…partly waiting to actually find lacinato kale in my grocery store (it’s like a unicorn!). 

Finally I gave up and tried this with curly kale, and totally loved it.  It’s such a simple combination of flavors, but can be super flexible depending on the ingredients you have and is equally great with either curly or dino/lacinato kale.

This easy kale salad has tons of flavor and is simple to throw together

I have made a few tweaks to the original recipe, mostly to the dressing.  I felt it had WAY too much lemon juice so I halved it, and also added a bit of dijon mustard for some creaminess and tanginess.  

I love the fall feel this salad brings, but it’s honestly great any time of year.  I also love that it takes less than 10 minutes to throw together.  

A great basic kale salad that makes good leftovers as well (especially with curly kale)READ THE POST

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Side Dishes & Veggies, Super Healthy

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Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

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