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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Mint

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These double chocolate pancakes taste like a cup of peppermint hot chocolate in breakfast form! A decadent, delicious, and festive winter holiday recipe.

This is a great breakfast or brunch recipe, but is especially fun to enjoy as breakfast for dinner alongside some homemade breakfast sausage patties.

Stack of chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with peppermints and mini marshmallows.

These pancakes are a variation of my peppermint hot chocolate cookies. They've been a big hit at my virtual cooking classes since 2021, and I'm finally bringing the recipe to my website for everyone to enjoy!

Whether you top these with a little homemade peppermint whipped cream, mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint candies, extra chocolate chips, a drizzle of maple syrup, or some combination thereof, they're guaranteed to bring a little holiday cheer to your breakfast table.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review

"These were fantastic! Our family loved this recipe. We topped them with crushed peppermint bark and it was a great addition!" -Amy W.

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Stack of chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with peppermints cut open, garnished with mini marshmallows, and maple syrup.

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • The pancakes are infused with just the right amount of peppermint flavor to make them taste like a cozy winter treat.
  • It one-ups regular chocolate chip pancakes by starting with a chocolate pancake base and adding chocolate chips into the mix.
  • They can be enjoyed as-is, or you can add extra holiday flair by garnishing with crushed peppermint candies or candy canes.
Ingredients ready to make chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with mint.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with mint. Jump to the recipe card below for exact measurements amounts and full, printable directions:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Dutch process cocoa powder
  • Baking powder - see note below
  • Fine grain salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Buttermilk - be sure to shake it before measuring
  • Large eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Mint extract
  • Chocolate chips - use your favorite type (or a mix of types) here
  • Optional garnishes: maple syrup, mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, crushed peppermint bark, whipped cream (this peppermint whipped cream is a fun addition)
Adding cocoa powder to a mixing bowl with flour and sugar.
Adding baking powder to a mixing bowl with chocolate pancake ingredients.
Whisking together dry ingredients for chocolate chocolate chip pancakes.

🥣 Ingredient Spotlight: Baking Powder

Baking powder increases the volume of baked goods, creating a nice rise and light, fluffy texture.

In most cases, recipes that call for baking powder refer to double-acting baking powder, though there are some instances when single-acting baking powder is used.

Please note that many brands of baking powder contain aluminum, which can cause a metallic or bitter taste, especially when used in larger quantities.

I recommend using brands that are specifically marked aluminum-free. Some of my favorites are Rumford and Bob's Red Mill.

Adding eggs to a mixing bowl.
Adding buttermilk to a mixing bowl of whisked eggs.
Adding vanilla extract to a mixing bowl of wet ingredients for chocolate chocolate chip pancakes.

✅ How to make this recipe

This is an overview of the steps of this recipe. Jump to the recipe card below for full, printable instructions.

  1. Preheat griddle or nonstick skillet.
  2. Whisk together dry ingredients.
  3. Whisk together wet ingredients.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together until no dry pockets of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  5. Melt butter onto the hot griddle and start portioning out your pancakes.
  6. Cook in batches until you've used up all of your batter.
  7. Serve pancakes sprinkled with extra chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and/or crushed peppermint candies or candy canes as desired. Feel free to also add maple syrup or whipped cream.
Adding wet ingredients to dry ingredient for chocolate chocolate chip pancakes.
Stirring wet ingredients into dry ingredient for chocolate chocolate chip pancakes.

📌 Tips

  • Melt your butter in the microwave, in 30-second increments, pausing and giving it a shake or stir in between each increment to keep it from melting too quickly and exploding. Alternatively, you can melt it in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
  • Be sure to shake your buttermilk before measuring it. Buttermilk tends to separate as it sits in the fridge, so you want to get it mixed together again before you measure out what you need for this recipe.
  • Look for baking powder marked "aluminum free" to avoid a potentially sour, metallic taste in your pancakes.
Adding chocolate chips to a chocolate pancake batter.
Stirring chocolate chips into a chocolate pancake batter.
  • The pancake batter will look lumpy, and that's a-ok! You don't want to overmix the batter. They'll cook up nice and fluffy and tender.
  • Use a measuring cup (I like a ¼-cup size for this recipe) to dish out your pancake batter to keep them all a consistent size.
  • You can line a sheet pan with a wire rack and transfer your pancakes to it when they finish cooking. Place the pan in the oven set to warm (or the lowest setting) to keep them warm while you cook the rest of your pancakes.
Adding portions of chocolate chocolate chip pancake batter into a skillet to cook.
Flipping chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with a spatula in a nonstick skillet.
Flipping chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with a spatula in a nonstick skillet.

Have fun with the garnishes! You can absolutely enjoy these pancakes "plain", but adding one or a few toppings does wonders for making these pancakes feel more festive.

To crush the candies, unwrap your peppermints or candy canes and place them inside a zip-top bag. Then just whack them with a meat tenderizer, rolling pin, or heavy-bottomed skillet to crush them into smallish pieces.

Adding crushed peppermint candies to the top of a stack of chocolate chocolate chip pancakes.
Plates of chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with peppermints, mini marshmallows, and maple syrup.

I like to start by tapping lightly - if you smash too hard you may end up with shards of peppermint candy all over your kitchen.

This is super fun for kids to do, and it's a nice way to take out your frustrations as an adult, too.

If you're a huge chocolate fan, you could even do a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top of these pancakes.

This recipe really toes the line between breakfast and dessert. But bringing a little cheer into the cold weather months is always welcome in my book!

Plates of chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with peppermints, mini marshmallows, and maple syrup.

🌱 Mint extract vs. peppermint extract

When I was out shopping for this recipe I noticed that the store sells both mint extract and peppermint extract.

Either will work here, but in case you're curious (I know I was!), there's a difference between those 2 products.

Mint extract is usually a mix of peppermint and spearmint extracts. Peppermint extract only contains peppermint.

I have a friend who can't stand the taste of spearmint, so in that case, I'd recommend looking specifically for peppermint extract.

The price at my local grocery store for both types of extract was the same. Not sure if that's always the case, but I thought it was worth noting.

Fork holding 3 layers of sliced chocolate chocolate chip pancakes.

🍽️ More festive recipes

These are some of my favorite recipes that have the same wintery vibe as these minty chocolate chocolate chip pancakes:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

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Sheet pan chicken fajitas are a spin on my recipe for restaurant-style chicken fajitas that are baked in the oven instead of being cooked on the stovetop.

A quick marinade made with your favorite fajita seasoning turns chicken, bell peppers, and onions into a quick and easy Tex-Mex dinner in a fraction of the time.

Sheet pan of cooked chicken fajita mixture.

My go-to restaurant-style chicken fajita recipe takes a bit of (mostly unattended) time to come together because the onions cook down to get nice and caramelized.

But sometimes I want that same fajita vibe but I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. These baked fajitas are what I turn to when I want a quick, flavorful Tex-Mex dinner.

Chicken fajita bowls with cilantro rice, shredded cheese, sliced avocado,  Greek yogurt, and hot sauce.
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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's easy to assemble and comes together in under 30 minutes!
  • You can marinate the chicken for as little as 10 minutes and up to 4 hours.
  • It's a colorful meal (and colorful food always makes us happy!)
  • The sheet pan fajita mixture is great served in flour tortillas, wrapped up in a burrito, or over cilantro lime rice as part of a fajita bowl.
Grabbing chicken fajita mixture from a sheet pan with tongs.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these easy sheet pan fajitas (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make sheet pan chicken fajitas.
  • Fajita seasoning - use your favorite brand or check out my homemade fajita seasoning recipe (you can also use taco seasoning if that's handy)
  • Avocado oil (or other neutral flavored cooking oil)
  • Cold water
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Tomato paste - this adds a richness to the marinade
  • Garlic
  • Kosher salt
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breast - we'll be slicing it thinly against grain so it cooks quickly
  • Bell peppers - I like to go for a variety of colors, but use your favorites
  • Onions - whatever kind you have on hand or a mix of colors
Whisking together fajita marinade ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk marinade ingredients together in a large bowl.
Tossing sliced chicken in a bowl of fajita marinade with tongs.
Add sliced chicken.
Tossing sliced chicken in a bowl of fajita marinade with tongs.
Toss well to coat the chicken with the marinade evenly.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Place a large rimmed sheet pan in the oven and preheat it, empty, to heat up the pan while the oven preheats.
  2. Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Add the chicken and toss well to coat evenly. Add the bell peppers and onions and toss to coat.
  4. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 4 hours, covered, in the refrigerator).
  5. Carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven and spread the chicken mixture out in an even layer.
  6. Bake until chicken is cooked through (the temperature should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer). Switch to broil for an additional 2-5 minutes, if desired, to get a little bit of charring on the peppers and onions.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Tossing sliced onions, bell peppers, and chicken in a bowl of fajita marinade.
Toss peppers and onions with the fajita marinated chicken.
Adding fajita marinated chicken, bell peppers, and onions to a sheet pan.
Transfer the mixture onto a preheated baking sheet.
Spreading out fajita marinated chicken, bell peppers, and onions on a sheet pan.
Spread out into an even layer before baking.

📌 Tips

Use a broiler-safe baking sheet if you'd like to get a little char on your peppers and onions at the end of the baking time. Don't use a pan with a non-stick coating if you plan to broil.

Cut your chicken against the grain. This helps make sure the chicken is more tender and easy to chew.

Try to cut everything into similarly-sized slices. I try to get the chicken, peppers, and onions all sliced about ¼-inch thick.

Adding chicken fajita mixture to a bowl with cilantro lime rice.

Get creative with how you eat these! You can enjoy them right off the sheet pan, no frills neeed!

They're great served in flour tortillas - I tend to keep the fajita-sized ones in my pantry. They're also fabulous served up as fajita bowls with your favorite cooked rice or grains (my easy cilantro-lime rice is perfect here!) and your favorite toppings.

Forkful of chicken fajita mixture.

Some of our favorite fajita bowl toppings are:

  • Greek yogurt (or sour cream or Mexican crema)
  • Cilantro
  • Salsa
  • Pico de gallo
  • Hot sauce
  • Shredded cheese or queso fresco
  • Lime wedges
  • Avocado slices or guacamole

💡 What to serve with sheet pan fajitas

These are my favorite dishes to serve with sheet pan chicken fajitas:

I'll come back and update once I've tried out other variations of this recipe I'm pretty certain it's work out great with steak, mushrooms, tofu, or chickpeas in place of the chicken.

I hope this has inspired you to try making fajitas at home more often!

🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Cucumber Raita

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This cucumber raita recipe is a quick, refreshing Indian yogurt side dish. It's brightened up with fresh mint and lemon for a burst of flavor with minimal ingredients.

Perfect served alongside pullao and your favorite Indian main course, raita is always a welcome addition to the dinner table.

Spoonful of cucumber raita in a bowl.

So many cuisines have their own spin on yogurt as a side dish. Whether it's Persian mast-o-khiar, Greek tzatziki, Turkish cacik, or Indian raita - I'm always going to want a side of yogurt sauce!

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Raita is a great way to help tone down the heat of spicy Indian dishes.
  • It's quick and easy to put together.
  • There are only a few ingredients.
  • It can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for several days.
  • This recipe is easily scaled up if you want to make a larger batch.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make my favorite Indian raita (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make cucumber raita.
  • Plain yogurt - I used low fat, but use whatever you like. This is a great use for homemade yogurt if you make it!
  • English cucumber
  • Green onion
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Lemon - we're using both the zest and the juice here
  • Ground cumin
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

🥒 Ingredient spotlight: cucumber

This recipe uses English cucumber which can be found in your grocery store's produce department, usually shrink-wrapped in plastic for protection.

This type of cucumber, also known as a seedless or European cucumber, is long and slender with a thin skin. They're typically less bitter than other types of cucumbers found in the U.S.

While the name "seedless" is thrown in the mix, they do still have some seeds inside. The seeds are just less developed and not as hard, making them easier to eat if you choose to do so.

The thin skin is also more easily digestible for those who tend to struggle with heartburn caused by their thicker-skinned counterparts.

Peeling a cucumber with a vegetable peeler.
Slicing a peeled cucumber in half.

Regardless of what type of cucumbers you buy, I have a handy tip for removing the seeds. Peel your cucumber, if desired, then slice it in half lengthwise.

Grab a vegetable peeler and look for a little loop or scoop type shape - often at the tip of the tool. You can use this to scrape straight down to remove the seeds in big strips.

Removing the seeds from a peeled cucumber with a vegetable peeler.

You can also use a small spoon or a knife to remove the seeds, but many vegetable peelers have this handy tool built right in. It makes it super easy to remove the seeds, if desired.

📌 Tips

Raita is so easy to put together - you just stir everything together in a bowl, cover it, and let it hang out in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve it. I think it's helpful to let the flavors mingle for at least an hour, but it's by no means necessary.

Box grater with shredded cucumber collected in a measuring cup.
Measuring cup full of grated cucumber.

When shredding your cucumber, it can be handy to use a box grater that has a little cup attached so that it catches what you grated. It also has handy measurements on the cup (though for this recipe, you don't have to be super strict with the amount of cucumber you add).

I've noticed that some Indian restaurants serve raita that's quite liquid-y. If you prefer yours to be thicker, you can use a thicker yogurt like Greek-style yogurt or even Skyr. If you find it's too thick, you can add a splash of water to help thin it out.

Adding chopped green onions to a bowl of yogurt and cucumber.
Adding salt and pepper to a bowl of yogurt and cucumber to make raita.
Stirring together a bowl of ingredients for cucumber raita.

I personally love using my homemade Instant Pot yogurt for this recipe. I use low fat milk when making yogurt, but you can absolutely use full fat yogurt for a richer flavor.

Taste your raita for seasoning once you've added all of your ingredients. If it isn't feeling punchy enough, add more salt and/or lemon juice as needed.

Scooping a spoonful of cucumber raita from a bowl.

This raita is great served along Indian dishes like this pullao recipe. And I don't know about you, but I always finish the raita when we eat at Indian restaurants, so it comes in handy to be able to whip up a quick cucumber raita side at home to go with leftovers from previous meals.

There are also lots of fun packaged pre-made Indian meals available at stores, both frozen and shelf stable. Adding a little homemade raita on the side to those and maybe some naan can really stretch those meals and make them feel a bit more complete.

Spooning cucumber raita onto a plate of Indian food.

🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Rice with Paneer and Peas - Stovetop Indian Pullao

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This stovetop Indian pullao recipe features fluffy basmati rice, seared paneer cheese, green peas, caramelized onions, and aromatic spices. It uses a handful of ingredients and makes a flavorful accompaniment to your favorite main dish.

Indian pullao with paneer, peas, and caramelized onions topped with fresh cilantro.

This recipe is one that I learned from a local Indian entrepreneur here in New York named Sheila Narayanan. I became familiar with Sheila through her company, Simply Masala, which sells spice kits of pre-measured ingredients to make a variety of favorite Indian dishes.

I interviewed Sheila for my podcast to learn more about Indian cooking and how her business came to be. You can check her interview on episode 69 of Passing the Plate.

After getting to know her, I asked her to show me how to make an Indian rice dish so I could share a homemade dish with the Big Flavors audience. I spent a lovely morning learning this Indian rice with paneer in her kitchen. During her cooking process, I took notes and tweaked her recipe so it's easy to follow for home cooks.

I have a video coming to my YouTube channel soon where Sheila demonstrates how to make this delicious pullao. But for now, I'm sharing how to make this dish at home. My family really enjoyed it!

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It uses simple ingredients.
  • Paneer cheese can be substituted with halloumi cheese, or you can swap it for bite-sized pieces of chicken (or your favorite protein).
  • The flavor of the spices really infuses into every part of the dish, making it more exciting than a "plain" rice side dish.
  • The flavors are versatile enough to pair with any number of Indian main dishes, like tikka masala, lentil dal, chana masala, or aloo gobi.
Indian pullao, aloo gobi, raita, and naan served in a dish.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this vegetarian pullao (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make Indian pullao with basmati rice, paneer cheese, red onions, and spices.
  • Uncooked basmati rice
  • Avocado oil (or other neutral flavored oil)
  • Paneer cheese (you can substitute halloumi if needed)
  • Ghee (optional)
  • Whole cumin seeds
  • Cinnamon stick
  • Red onion
  • Frozen peas
  • Ground garam masala
  • Ground cayenne pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

🧀 Ingredient spotlight: paneer

This recipe uses paneer which is a type of cheese that is commonly used in Indian cuisine. Paneer doesn't melt when heated, making it great for grilling, sautéing, and frying.

Paneer is available at Indian markets, some specialty food co-ops, and places like Whole Foods. Note that it can be tricky to find, so you may want to call ahead before you head to a store to buy it.

I went to 4 different stores near where I live in Ossining, NY, and wasn't able to find it.

Cutting paneer cheese into cubes.
Cutting paneer cheese into cubes.
Sautéing cubes of paneer cheese in a skillet.

Halloumi is a good substitute (and what I had to use when I made and photographed this recipe). It has a similar texture to paneer.

Note that halloumi is often seasoned with mint and is fairly salty, so you may need to adjust the amount of salt in recipes when using it instead of paneer.

Rinsing rice in a strainer.
Rinse rice in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
Pouring water into a pot with rice.
Add twice as much water as rice to your pot to cook.
Lifting a spoonful of par-cooked rice from a 
Partially cook the rice before adding it to the skillet.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Rinse rice, then add water and boil until partially cooked.
  2. Sauté the cubed paneer and sauté until browned.
  3. Toast the cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
  4. Add the sliced onions and cook until lightly caramelized.
  5. Add the peas and remaining spices and cook until heated through.
  6. Add the partially cooked rice and paneer to the pea mixture. Cover and cook on low heat until the rice is fully cooked and everything is heated through and infused with the spices.
  7. Garnish with reserved onions and cilantro leaves and enjoy.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Adding cumin seeds to a skillet with hot oil.
Add a few cumin seeds to the hot oil - if they crackle, the oil is hot enough.
Adding cumin seeds to a skillet with hot oil.
Add remaining cumin seeds to the hot oil.
Adding cumin seeds to a skillet with hot oil.
Stir to toast the cumin seeds until fragrant.

📌 Tips

I talk a lot about caramelizing onions and how it takes a lot longer than most recipe writers will admit to. I do it low and slow for recipes like my chicken fajitas.

For this particular recipe, we're using a higher heat and not worrying about getting them super caramelized, so it happens more quickly. You can feel free to cook them longer if you want them to be more deeply golden.

Adding sliced red onions to a hot skillet.
Add the sliced onion once the spices are toasted and fragrant.
Caramelized onions in a bowl.
Reserve a little of the caramelized onions for garnish, if desired.
Adding peas to a skillet of caramelized onions.
It's OK if the peas aren't fully thawed when you add them to the skillet.

Reserve a few tablespoons of the onions for garnishing your final dish, if desired. They add a great pop of color to the top of the pullao.

If you didn't take the time to fully thaw your peas, that's not a problem! You can either run them under cool water to thaw them, or just add them still a little frozen and let them cook longer before adding the rice to the skillet.

Adding basmati rice into a skillet with caramelized onions and peas.
Add the partially cooked rice back into the skillet once the peas are heated through.
Mixing basmati rice into a skillet with paneer, peas, and caramelized onions.
Add the seared paneer and gently stir to combine all of the spices and veggies into the rice.

I like using a large, high sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this dish. Once you add the rice, it's quite a bit of food, and you need room to stir things around.

If you find you have a lot of water in the saucepan after steaming your rice, you can drain the excess out.

Spoonful of Indian pullao with paneer, peas, and caramelized onions.

Conversely, if you find that your rice is drying out after you've added it to the paneer and peas but isn't fully cooked through yet, you can add a few splashes of water to the skillet. Give it a stir and continue cooking until it's fully cooked and heated through.

I found that you need to pay attention to the heat while making this dish and adjust as needed. You may need to lower the heat if the paneer is browning too quickly to keep it from burning.

If the rice pot starts spurting while it's covered, remove the lid for a quick moment, give it a stir, and cover it again.

Sprinkling caramelized onions over Indian pullao with paneer and peas.
Indian pullao, aloo gobi, raita, and naan served in a dish.

💡 What to serve with pullao

Shelia recommends serving this pullao with lentil dal for a complete meal.

In the photos above, I served it with aloo gobi made from one of the Simply Masala spice kits, some homemade raita made with my homemade yogurt, and frozen garlic naan from Trader Joe's.

My recipe for turning store-bought naan into garlicky cilantro naan would also be a great choice. It was an absolutely delicious plant-based Indian meal!

🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Shrimp Burrito Bowls

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Channel the flavors of the Southwest in by mixing and matching your favorite burrito fillings into a delicious bowl!

These colorful shrimp burrito bowls with cilantro lime rice come together in under 30 minutes. A great choice for a weeknight seafood dinner.

Bowl of sautéed shrimp with pickled onions, cilantro rice, guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Sometimes the best ideas are born out of leftovers! This recipe came about one day when I decided to put together a lunch bowl out of an assortment of things that I had hanging out in the fridge.

I used some leftover cilantro lime rice as my base and easy sautéed shrimp for protein. I decided to turn them into a quick bowl with many of the components that usually go into a burrito.

It ended up being such a great combination that I had to share it!

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's versatile! Make it with your favorite burrito fillings - mix and match for your perfect bowl.
  • These bowls are a great way to use leftovers. If you already have cooked rice, beans, salsa, guacamole, etc.
  • You can supplement and round out your bowls with store-bought ingredients as needed. This is just a roadmap for a delicious meal!
  • Even if you make all of the components from scratch, this meal comes together super quickly.
Bowl of sautéed shrimp with pickled onions, cilantro rice, guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these shrimp burrito bowls (see recipe card below for full directions):

Pouring a cilantro lime purée into a dutch oven of cooked rice.
Adding cilantro to a bowl of pico de gallo ingredients.
Adding garlic powder to shrimp in a skillet.
  • Rice - feel free to use any rice you have that's already cooked, one of those microwaveable pouches of rice, or make some from scratch. My easy cilantro-lime rice recipe is perfect here, if you have 20 minutes to make your own. If you do go with a plain type of rice, consider adding a little lime zest and cilantro, if you have it on hand.
  • Onions - red onions are fantastic here, and you can simply thinly sliced raw onions. If you prefer a more mild onion flavor, use shallots or even green onions. I like to make quick-pickled onions for these burrito bowls. They are really easy to make and they hold up for several days in the fridge. I let them soak in the lime juice while I work on other components of the meal, tossing them around every few minutes to help them pickle evenly.
  • Pico de gallo or salsa - use your favorite store-bought brand, or make a batch of my classic pico de gallo. I also have a delicious pineapple black bean salsa recipe that would be nice with these bowls. If you have a favorite Tex-Mex restaurant, you could even buy some of theirs to add to your burrito bowls.
Serving dish of cooked shrimp garnished with chopped parsley.
Serving dish of cilantro lime rice with lime wedge garnishes alongside.
  • Shrimp - this recipe for quick and easy sautéed shrimp works beautifully here. They're simply spiced, super versatile, and cook up in a snap.
  • Canned beans - I didn't have these when I took the photos of my burrito bowls, but I absolutely love beans in dishes like this. Black beans or pinto beans would be great additions to your bowls!
  • Guacamole - there's no shame in store-bought guac! But my homemade restaurant-style guacamole recipe is absolutely fantastic, and comes together in just a couple minutes.
  • Shredded lettuce or cabbage - because why not add a little roughage?
  • Lime wedges - to squeeze over top at the end and brighten everything up.
Bowl of sautéed shrimp with pickled onions, cilantro rice, guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream.

💡 Beverage ideas to serve with burrito bowls

These are my favorite cocktails and mocktails to serve with these shrimp burrito bowls:

🍴 Variations

Aside from mixing and matching your toppings, you can also feel free to substitute other items for the shrimp. Give these ideas a try as the "main" ingredient for your burrito bowls:

💡 Make ahead tips

  • The rice, pico de gallo, guacamole, and quick-pickled red onions can all be made in advance. Just store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble your bowls. I recommend adding a splash of cold water to the rice before reheating in the microwave.
  • The shrimp can be made a day or 2 in advance, but they should be reheated very carefully. I recommend using half power on your microwave so they don't overcook.
Bowl of sautéed shrimp with pickled onions, cilantro rice, guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Again, these bowls are more of a roadmap to help you think about using different components, ingredients, and leftovers in new and interesting ways.

I'd love to hear what you come up with if you give this dish, or something similar, a go in your own kitchen!

🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Chicken and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

by 2 Comments

This quick and easy chicken and bell pepper stir-fry recipe comes together in just 20 minutes. Perfect for busy days when you need a simple, homemade meal.

Made with just a handful of ingredients, it's a great way to get dinner on the table without very much effort.

Chicken and bell pepper stir-fry served over white rice.

This is an updated version the first "real" recipe I learned to make, way back in my middle school home economics class in the '90s. It was a recipe that our teacher showed us how to make, and I remember being so proud of being able to make it at home for me and my mom.

When I came across the original recipe I realized it would be a fun one to write up in a more complete format so that other people (and maybe even their teens and tweens) could make a simple, flavorful dinner at home.

It's not anything mind-blowing, but it's a solid, tasty dinner with minimal ingredients that brings me back to my childhood. My whole family really enjoys this one, and I hope you do too!

If you're looking for more stir-fry dinners, this Spicy Shrimp + Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry recipe is another one that's a big hit with my family.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's quick and easy to put together.
  • Stir-fried dishes only need one pan to prepare.
  • You can swap out or add more veggies if you'd like - it's very flexible!
  • So many recipes only use the white part or the green part of green onions, but this recipe utilizes the whole thing.

📝 Ingredients

You only need a few ingredients to make this chicken stir-fry with peppers. (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients for chicken and bell pepper stir-fry recipe.
  • High-heat cooking oil - avocado oil, peanut oil, and grapeseed oil are all good choices.
  • Boneless skinless chicken breasts - cutting them into cubes that are all around the same size will help them to cook evenly.
  • Green bell peppers - I find that the green bell pepper adds great flavor here, but I do think I'll try it with one red and one green the next time I make it.
  • Green onions - the white portion will go into the stir-fry and the green portion will go on top as garnish.
  • Cornstarch - this works with the soy sauce to thicken the stir-fry sauce so that it glazes the meat and peppers.
  • Low sodium soy sauce
  • Cooked rice - for serving.
Pouring soy sauce into a small bowl of cornstarch.
Whisking together soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet.
  2. Whisk the soy sauce and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
  3. Cook the chicken in the hot skillet.
  4. Add the bell peppers and the white part of the green onions and continue to cook.
  5. Add the soy sauce mixture to the chicken and cook until thickened.
  6. Serve over rice, sprinkling with the remaining part of the green onions for garnish.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Cooking cubed chicken breast in a cast iron skillet.
The chicken may release liquid as it cooks - that's OK!
Cast iron skillet of chicken and bell pepper stir-fry.
Let the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture simmer until it thickens.
Cast iron skillet of chicken and bell pepper stir-fry.
Garnish with the dark parts of the green onions and serve!

🍴 Variations

Here are a few ways you could switch things up with this stir-fry recipe.

  • Mix up the colors of the bell peppers.
  • Add canned veggies like sliced water chestnuts or bamboo shoots.
  • Try adding some diced pineapple to the mix.
  • Substitute the soy sauce mixture for your favorite store-bought stir-fry sauce. Add ¼ cup and stir it up, adding more as needed.
  • Top your stir-fry with other garnishes like toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, chili crisp, or cilantro leaves.
  • I haven't tried this yet, but I have a suspicion it would be good served as lettuce wraps, too. I'll give it a try and update this post once I do!

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Chicken a la King

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Chicken a la King is an old fashioned recipe that absolutely stands the test of time! and veggies are coated in a luxurious sauce and served over biscuits in this easy, classic comfort food dinner.

This particular incarnation of the recipe is one that I've been making since the late 2000's. It's an adapted version of Rachael Ray's Long Live the Chicken a la King recipe, which I first saw on her Food Network TV show, 30 Minute Meals.

Chicken and veggies simmering in a saucepan.
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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's pure comfort food - warm and cozy and absolutely delicious!
  • Jazzing up the top store-bought canned biscuits with a little bit of cayenne or paprika make them feel just a little bit fancier.
  • The biscuits soak up the sauce beautifully.
  • This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight, and makes for tasty leftovers for another day!
Chicken a la king served with biscuits.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this classic chicken a la king recipe. It seems like a lot of ingredients but it really isn't a lot of effort to put them together (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make chicken a la king.
  • Canned biscuits - from the refrigerated section at the grocery store - we like using large ones like Pillsbury Grands
  • Ground cayenne pepper and/or sweet paprika - for sprinkling on top of the biscuits
  • Dry white wine
  • Chicken stock - I usually use reduced sodium
  • Dried bay leaf
  • Whole black peppercorns (optional)
  • Boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Olive oil
  • Unsalted butter
  • White mushrooms
  • White onion
  • All-purpose flour
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Jarred pimentos or roasted red peppers
  • Frozen green peas
  • Fresh parsley - for garnish
Chicken and veggies simmering in a saucepan.

🥣 Substitutions and Tips

When it comes to stock, I like keeping a variety of jars of Better Than Bouillon in the fridge. For this particular recipe, I use the reduced sodium roasted chicken base.

It's a lot more convenient than keeping cartons or cans of chicken stock in the pantry, and you can make as much as you need at one time. Use just one teaspoon of the base for each cup of water to turn it into a cup of stock!

Spoonful of chicken a la king.
Spooning chicken a la king over biscuits.

My family absolutely loves enjoying chicken a la king spooned over biscuits, but there are other ways you can enjoy this dish!

It would also be delicious served over cooked pasta, like egg noodles, or even steamed rice.

If you wanted to get a little fancy with it, little bread bowls could be fun, too.

Cutting a mushroom with an egg slicer.
Cutting a mushroom with an egg slicer.

One of my favorite kitchen shortcuts that I use for this recipe is to buy whole mushrooms vs. pre-sliced ones. They're usually less expensive if bought whole, and if you have an egg slicer, you can slice them pretty quickly!

I bought this multipurpose slicer back in 2017 when a flimsier slicer tool broke, and it has been a total game changer! It slices all sorts of things, like eggs, strawberries, and in this case mushrooms, super easily.

Sprinkling cayenne pepper on top of canned biscuits.
A sheet pan of canned biscuits sprinkled with cayenne pepper and sweet paprika.
A sheet pan of cooked biscuits topped with cayenne pepper and sweet paprika.

I usually sprinkle half of the biscuits with cayenne and half with paprika. That way people have a choice between sweet or spicy. You may need to sprinkle them in different patterns or just note which side they are on since the color is pretty similar.

Feel free to play around with different spices and combinations for dressing up your biscuits!

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Sprinkle the tops of the canned biscuits with cayenne and/or paprika and bake them according to the package instructions.
  2. Bring chicken stock, wine, bay leaf, and peppercorns to a boil, then slide in the chicken and simmer until cooked through. Remove from the liquid and dice once cool.
  3. Sauté the mushrooms and onions, then add the flour, seasonings, and slowly ladle in the cooking liquid.
  4. Add pimentos and peas, followed by diced chicken and cook till heated through.
  5. Split the biscuits in half and serve with the chicken a la king mixture spooned over top.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Poaching chicken and sautéing mushrooms and onion on the stovetop.
Sauté the mushrooms and onions while the chicken is poaching.
Stirring cubed chicken breast into a pan of veggies and sauce.
Add the diced chicken into the sauce to heat through before spooning over biscuits, noodles, or rice.

If you're on the go and looking for more chicken ideas, check out this chicken-centric episode of my podcast: 🎧 52: Chicken Done Right: Kitchen Stories & Essential Tips.

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Dill Chicken Paillards with Tomato-Dill Relish

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This is one of my family's very favorite easy chicken dinners. Using thin pieces of chicken breast means it cooks up quickly, and it utilizes a short list of flavorful ingredients.

Two shallow bowls with rice and chicken paillards topped with tomato-dill relish.

I first published a version of this recipe back in 2012. After years of making it for my family for dinner, I've tweaked it a bit and discovered ways to make it go from fridge to table even faster than before.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Paillards are thin pieces of chicken, which means they cook up quickly - perfect for busy weeknights!
  • The dill mixture that flavors the chicken is mixed up and divided so it can also flavor the relish that gets spooned over the top of the dish.
  • If you have a grape cutter, it's perfect for quartering grape tomatoes, too, making this come together even more quickly.
  • This dish holds up great as leftovers - it's fantastic for lunches later in the week.
Two shallow bowls with rice and chicken paillards topped with tomato-dill relish.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this easy dill chicken paillard recipe (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make dill chicken paillards with tomato-dill relish.
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - you can pound these thinly yourself or buy thin-sliced chicken cutlets
  • Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil - this goes into the mixture that coats both the chicken and the tomato-dill relish
  • Fresh dill
  • Shallot
  • Coarse ground mustard
  • White wine vinegar
  • Grape or cherry tomatoes
Pounding chicken breasts with a meat mallet.
Seasoning chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Pound the chicken to an even thinness, if needed, and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Whisk together oil, dill, shallots, mustard, and vinegar. Divide the mixture - place chicken in one portion and sliced tomatoes in the other.
  3. Cook the chicken in a skillet until cooked through.
  4. Serve the chicken paillards with the tomato-dill mixture spooned over top.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Pouring vinegar into a bowl with coarse ground mustard, dill, shallots, and olive oil.
Whisking together a shallot and dill vinaigrette.
A plate of thin chicken breasts with 2 bowls of mustard dill vinaigrette.

📌 Tips

This recipe is super simple to put together, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

I often like to take a shortcut and buy thin-sliced chicken cutlets instead of pounding out the larger chicken breast halves. Lately, I've found that even the thin-cut ones are fairly thick and/or are unevenly thick from one end of the piece of meat to the other.

Coating chicken cutlets in a dill shallot marinade
Flipping chicken paillards over in a pan.

Make sure that you divide out ¼ cup of your marinade for the tomatoes BEFORE you put the chicken in there. The part that goes on the tomatoes does not get cooked, and we don't want raw chicken touching the tomatoes.

I find that serving the chicken paillards over rice is a great way to maximize the flavor from the tomato-dill relish. The rice soaks up all of the juices nicely. My family's favorite for this particular dish is basmati rice.

Using a tool to cut grape tomatoes into quarters.
Lifting a spoon of tomato-dill relish from a bowl.
Spooning tomato dill relish over a cooked chicken cutlet and rice.

🔪 Equipment

These tools are optional but nice to have if they're something you'll use in your kitchen.

  • A meat tenderizer for pounding the chicken into an even thickness. Make sure you use the flat side and not the spiked side for this purpose. If you don't have a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin or even a heavy-bottomed skillet work just fine.
  • I got a grape cutter yeeeears ago back when my son was a toddler. It makes quick and easy work of quartering tomatoes and I use it a ton, especially for this recipe and whenever I make tacos or serve up our favorite layered taco dip. A knife will work just fine, but if you're looking for an inexpensive kitchen gadget and you cut a lot of grapes, tomatoes, olives, etc. this may be a good addition to your kitchen toolkit.
Cutting a bite of chicken cutlet with tomato-dill relish.

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Easy Cilantro Lime Rice

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Rice is such a versatile side dish option. It can be dressed up in so many different ways. One of my family's favorite ways to enjoy it is in this easy cilantro lime rice recipe.

You're just a handful of ingredients away from a flavorful, vibrant side dish that pairs perfectly with Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern meals.

Serving dish of cilantro lime rice with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs alongside.

This simple cilantro and lime-studded rice dish is a fantastic choice to go alongside tacos with homemade taco seasoning, baked taquitos, and our favorite restaurant-style chicken fajitas. My family particularly loves it with this easy sautéed shrimp recipe.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It only takes a handful of ingredients.
  • The flavor payoff is huge without being overpowering.
  • The cilantro pairs beautifully with a variety of dishes from different cuisines.
  • The vibrant green color is a welcome addition to any meal.
Ingredients ready to make cilantro lime rice.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Toast the rice in olive oil.
  2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
  3. Pour in water and steam the rice until tender.
  4. While the rice cooks, make the cilantro lime purée.
  5. Stir the purée into the cooked rice,

See recipe card below for full instructions.

📌 Tips

Stirring basmati rice into a pot with hot oil.
Toast the rice in olive oil.
Adding minced garlic to a pot of toasting rice.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Adding water to a pot with rice and garlic.
Add water and bring to a boil.

Toasting the rice is highly encouraged, but if you're in a rush you could skip this step. It only takes a few minutes, and the flavor payoff is well worth it.

Add the garlic after the rice has gotten a little toasty, and sauté it until fragrant.

Pouring lime juice into a measuring cup with fresh cilantro.
Fresh cilantro and lime juice give the rice a vibrant green color.
Using an immersion blender to purée cilantro and lime.
An immersion blender works great for puréeing the cilantro and lime.
Pouring a cilantro lime purée into a dutch oven of cooked rice.
Pour the purée into the cooked rice.

💡 What to serve with cilantro lime rice

This rice is awesome in burritos, burrito bowls, and on the side of your favorite Mexican, Indian, or Middle Eastern dishes. It would also be delicious with homemade falafel if you wanted to make something more substantial than a pita sandwich out of it.

Stirring cilantro lime purée into a pot of cooked rice.

These are some of my favorite dishes to serve alongside this easy cilantro lime rice recipe:

Whatever you make to go with this rice, I hope you enjoy it! It's been a favorite over here for many years now!

Serving dish of cilantro lime rice with lime wedge garnishes alongside.

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Canasta Mix (Homemade Cereal Mix)

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When I first learned about this homemade Chex mix variation from my podcast co-host Lisa, I couldn't wait to try mixing up a batch myself. This flavor-packed cereal mix makes a big batch that's perfect for snacking on at holiday parties, potlucks, and game day gatherings.

Scooping up a helping of cereal snack mix.

Snack mixes are so much fun. There's something for everyone in there. I've made homemade puppy chow before, but never my own Chex Mix. I've certainly enjoyed store-bought Chex Mix in the past, and do love when my friends make it for parties.

While recording a family recipe podcast episode, my ears perked up when my co-host, Lisa, mentioned her family's "Canasta Mix". Not only do I love the card game canasta, but I learned that it was a term they used for their homemade party mix that was a bit like a variation of Chex mix.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • The recipe makes a makes a BIG batch!
  • It has a great combination of textures and flavors.
  • The ingredients can be customized to your liking. You can add more or less of the mix-ins, or add and omit ingredients that you like or dislike.

Lisa sent over a photo of a handwritten family recipe, and I got to work analyzing it, asking questions about quantities so I could figure out how to make it at home.

You can check out episode 12 of our podcast if you'd like to hear more about the history behind this snack mix recipe.

Snack mix in a serving dish.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this homemade cereal mix (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make homemade cereal mix.
  • Unsalted butter
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Fine-grain salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried celery seeds
  • Wheat Chex
  • Rice Chex
  • Cheerios (I found some cute ones that had heart shapes mixed in with the regular "o" shapes)
  • Pretzel sticks
  • Cheez-It crackers (original flavor)
  • Lightly salted mixed nuts
  • Pecan halves
Ingredients ready to make homemade cereal mix.

🧂 Tip: homemade seasoned salts

The original recipe called for garlic salt, onion salt, and celery salt which can all be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store.

I typically have garlic powder, onion powder, and celery seeds in my pantry, but not the "salt" versions of each. I didn't want to buy more spices, so I decided to make my own.

➡️ An easy way to make garlic or onion salt is to use 3 parts fine-grain salt to 1 part of garlic powder or onion powder.

So, for example, 3 teaspoons of salt + 1 teaspoon garlic powder will make 4 teaspoons of garlic salt.

➡️ An easy way to make celery salt is to use 2 parts celery seeds + 1 part fine-grain salt.

So, for example, 2 teaspoons of salt + 1 teaspoon celery seeds will make 3 teaspoons of celery salt.

Be sure you're using a fine-grain salt and not a coarser kosher or flake salt, as the size of the grains will throw the balance off.

Use these ratios to make your own homemade garlic salt, onion salt, or celery salt in whatever quantities you need or want to keep on hand without buying an additional bottle of seasoning.

✅ How to make this recipe

Pouring Worcestershire sauce into a saucepan with butter.
Combine butter and Worcestershire sauce.
Adding celery seeds to a saucepan with butter and seasonings.
Add salt and seasonings to the mixture.
Melting butter and seasonings together in a saucepan.
Heat until melted, stirring to combine.

A quick note - you'll want to grab 2 really large baking dishes or roasting pans. Lisa didn't have any notes on the size of dish that her mom used, other than that it was a really large roasting pan.

When I went to make this at home, I found that my roasting pan wasn't large enough, so I used it as well as a large casserole dish.

Adding Cheerios cereal to a large roasting pan.
Adding Cheez-It crackers to a large roasting pan.
Adding pecan halves to a large roasting pan full of cereal.

The actual cooking process is really easy:

  1. Preheat the oven.
  2. Divide all of the cereal, pretzels, crackers, and nuts between those pans.
  3. Melt the butter and seasonings together in a saucepan. Pour evenly over the cereals and toss to coat.
  4. Bake for 2 hours, stirring after each 30 minutes.
  5. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Pouring seasoned melted butter over a tray of cereal mix.
Stirring melted butter and seasonings into a tray of cereal mix.

This recipe makes a ton, and it smells incredible while it's baking. It's great for the holiday season because it keeps well for several weeks as long as it's stored in well-sealed containers.

I'm sure this snack mix could be scaled down, but for my first time making it I wanted to do it based off of the recipe that was handed down through Lisa's family.

I also didn't want to have a bunch of partial boxes of items hanging out in my house. I ended up bringing a few containers of this to a party at a friend's house, and kept some at home for my family to enjoy.

I'll absolutely make this again. It'd be a great thing to bring to a potluck or outdoor gathering, or divvy up in little snack bags as party favors.

It could even be fun to make this and also a big batch of muddy buddies to have both sweet AND salty party mix options.

Two trays full of cereal mix ready to be baked.

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Quick and Easy Sautéed Shrimp

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A delicious seafood dinner is ready in just 10 minutes with this easy sautéed shrimp recipe. This quick-cooking protein is perfect for busy weeknights and uses just a few pantry staples.

Delicious on its own, with a simple salad, in a bowl with your favorite Tex-Mex ingredients, or wrapped up in tacos, this recipe will make a great addition to your regular rotation.

Serving dish of cooked shrimp garnished with chopped parsley.

I've been making a version of this shrimp for many years now. The original inspiration was as part of this shrimp salad recipe that I developed almost a decade ago.

I found myself wanting to tweak that recipe to make it more versatile and not always tie it to that salad, so I updated it a bit and absolutely love the results!

Shrimp is such a quick-cooking protein. I keep it on hand in the freezer for various meals, including this easy seafood pasta, these Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, and this fantastic shrimp cocktail.

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Shrimp, olive oil, and spices ready to cook.

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It comes together in just 10 minutes!
  • The spices are flavorful but not overpowering, making it easy to use in a variety of ways.
  • This is a meal that is easily made with ingredients that we always have in the kitchen.
  • The cooked shrimp are delicious hot or chilled.
Adding garlic powder to shrimp in a skillet.
Stirring seasoned shrimp in a skillet.
Cooked shrimp in a skillet.

📌 Tips

  • Keep frozen shrimp on hand. It's a very quick-thawing ingredient and incredibly versatile.
  • Generally speaking, the more prep you have to do for an ingredient, the less it will cost. So if you peel your own shrimp, you'll save some money vs. buying pre-peeled shrimp. The cost will be in the time it takes you to peel your own, though that doesn't take too long.
  • Feel free to mix up the seasonings and herb garnish to go with whatever you're serving with the shrimp.
  • Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Once they become opaque, they're done! It happens quickly, usually just 2-4 minutes total for large shrimp.
Sprinkling chopped parsley over cooked shrimp.
Serving dishes with shrimp and rice on a table.

💡 Ways to serve sautéed shrimp

This shrimp recipe is super versatile. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:

Bowl of sautéed shrimp with pickled onions, cilantro rice, guacamole, tomatoes, and sour cream.

🥣 Easy sides to pair with sautéed shrimp

If you're looking for easy side dishes to pair with the shrimp, here are a few options that work well:

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Classic Pico de Gallo AKA Salsa Fresca

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This easy pico de gallo recipe (AKA salsa fresca) comes together in just 5 minutes with a few ingredients. A tasty appetizer, side, or sauce!

Spoon scooping up pico de gallo from a bowl.

Pico de gallo, also known as salsa fresca, is a quick and easy Mexican recipe. It comes together in just minutes and makes a perfect accompaniment to homemade taquitos, tacos, chicken fajitas, quesadillas, and more.

My family often enjoys this dish as an appetizer, along with our favorite restaurant-style guacamole, before a delicious Mexican-inspired meal.

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Ingredients on a cutting board ready to make pico de gallo.

🥣 How to make pico de gallo

Homemade pico de gallo is one of the easiest things you can make in the kitchen. You just need to chop up a few ingredients and mix everything together in a bowl.

You can play around with the proportions of each ingredient to find your family's preferred balance.

This recipe can be served right away or you can cover and refrigerate it to let the flavors mingle a bit.

Dicing tomatoes for pico de gallo.
Adding diced onions to a bowl of diced tomatoes.
Combining ingredients for pico de gallo in a bowl.

📌 Tips

  • This recipe can be served right away or you can cover and refrigerate it to let the flavors mingle.
  • If you like things spicy, you can add some minced jalapeño, serrano, or habañero peppers into the mix.
  • For extra color, use multicolored cherry or grape tomatoes.
  • Use a slotted spoon to serve your pico when using it as a topping on things like crispy taquitos or nachos. This will help drain excess liquid, making it less likely that your dish will get soggy.
Spooning pico de gallo over baked taquitos.

💡 Ways to use pico de gallo

These are my favorite recipes to serve with homemade pico:

Some other ideas for utilizing pico de gallo:

  • Sprinkle as a garnish on top of refried beans or queso dip.
  • Served with tortilla chips to make a quick and easy appetizer.
  • Spoon over the top of your favorite tacos, burrito bowls, nachos, grilled meat, or seafood to add a bit of freshness.
  • Use it as a shortcut to put on top of a party favorite layered taco dip.

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Big Flavors turns 18 - celebrating ways I've evolved in the kitchen

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It's absolutely wild to think that I've been writing about food and recipes for eighteen.whole.years now. Sharing something a little different each year to celebrate my "blogiversary" has always been a lot of fun.

For the big 18, I figured I'd do something a little more symbolic of the whole "turning into an adult" type thing. So this year, I'm sharing 18 ways I've evolved in the kitchen since I started wayyyyy back in 2006.

Whether you've been here since the beginning, for a while now, or are new to me and the Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen brand, know that I'm so very thankful for you.

This work has allowed me to have so many wonderful experiences, try so many new things, and meet so many incredible people over the years. I appreciate everyone who has supported me in any way over the years.

Without further ado, here are 18 ways that I've grown and changed in my tiny kitchen over the past 18 years, in no particular order.

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Text that reads, "Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen Turns 18!" with a crossed cleavers logo.

1. I've become much more eco-conscious in the kitchen.

By no means does this mean that I claim to be "zero-waste". In fact, I feel that terminology like that can often scare people off from trying to make any sort of impact.

I'm all about finding small ways to reduce waste in the kitchen, trying them out, and seeing if they stick for me and my family. Not everything works, and that's fine! Just trying out alternatives to see what works best that can be incorporated into daily life.

I've collected some of my favorite eco-friendly products over on my Amazon shop if you're in the market for alternatives. But I encourage you to use what you have before going out of your way to buy new things.

Trying to go full throttle and changing a bunch of things at once is a recipe for disaster. I started with replacing my paper towels with reusable paper towels. I still keep regular ones in the house, but on my main paper towel roll, it's the reusable ones.

That way, when I go to reach for one, I'm closest to the eco-friendly option. I've tried a few brands over the years, and the ones I love most are from a small, woman-owned brand called Porter Lee's. I'm also a big fan of their reusable sponges.

I still use disposable paper towels for things like patting meat dry, and then I toss them in my compost bin.

Speaking of...

2. I started composting!

Composting was suuuuper intimidating to me. I had been freezing veggie scraps to make stock in the slow cooker for a few years, but we still seemed to produce a fair amount of food waste.

I attended a webinar hosted by my local library and the author of a great book on sustainable food shopping and learned some things about garbage that really made me want to give composting a try.

The complex I live in doesn't offer compost pickup, and we don't have space for a big home composting setup. And, truthfully, I was also worried that it would be really stinky.

I found that my town offers a free food scrap recycling program. They offer kits that you can buy with a little bin for your kitchen, compostable liner bags, and a larger container to collect the bags outside.

Whenever your bin fills up, just take it to the drop-off site. They even do compost give-back days so you can go pick up processed compost for your garden each year.

I decided to give it a try, and we've managed to stick with it for a few years now! I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't make my kitchen smell bad.

Because of composting, we take our garbage out way less often. Everyone in the house knows to put any food scraps right into that bin. It usually takes us a few weeks to fill up the larger bin outside, so taking it to the drop-off site isn't something we have to deal with too often. It's also at a gorgeous park in my town, which makes it a nice little trip.

If you've been hesitant to try composting, I encourage you to check out what public composting options are available in your area. Depending on the setup, you may be able to compost things like bones from meat as well (preferably after you use them and some veggies to make homemade stock).

3. I trust my gut when following recipes.

I used to think it was borderline blasphemous to question the way a recipe was written. Especially if it came from a chef who's super popular, has lots of cookbooks or restaurants, etc.

But you know what? Once you get more comfortable in the kitchen, you develop instincts that you can and should trust!

I'm still guilty of not always fully reading a recipe before I start cooking it, but I do find that a lot of recipes instruct you to use unnecessary extra dishes, leave out ingredients, or ask you to do something that just plain doesn't make sense.

And sometimes bigger chefs forget to write recipes for home cooks and leave in things that only make sense in a restaurant setting. Or they hire someone else to write up their recipes, so who knows how truly tested they are?

Trust your gut.

4. I help out "future me" waaaay more often.

Sometimes taking a little extra time now can help you save a lot of time down the line. Things like cooking a little extra of whatever you're making so you have leftovers can be a huge help.

Whether you decide to freeze the extras or keep them in the fridge to enjoy later in the week, it's great to have a home-cooked meal already prepped and ready for you when mealtime rolls around.

If I already plan to use the oven, sometimes I'll check out the produce drawer in my fridge to see what else I could cook for later in the week. My favorite thing to do is to take a bunch of veggies, toss them with a little oil and a sprinkle of grill seasoning on a sheet pan.

It's a great way to use up odds and ends in the kitchen, and it'll ensure you have side dishes to go with meals later in the week. Roasted veggies are also great toppings for grain bowls or tossed with pasta.

If I'm making grains like rice, farro, or freekeh, I'll often make extra to have with other dishes during the week. Grains also freeze really well, so they're a great candidate for that as well.

If we're grilling, I'll throw on some extra meat or veggies. That way we're firing up the grill once, but cooking for a few meals.

And speaking of leftovers...

5. I utilize leftovers in lots of different ways!

I used to shy away from leftovers. Part of it, I think, is that I didn't know how to heat them up in a way that worked well.

A few things that have helped me, reheating-wise, are to add a little splash of water to things like meat before microwaving. If it's something that could dry out or overcook easily, I'll use a lower power level. This works great for things like pork tenderloin.

Another useful tool for reheating is an air fryer. It's especially great for helping fried items get crispy again. I also use it sometimes to heat up those aluminum takeout containers (making sure to remove the plastic top!) so I don't have to dirty up any dishes when reheating food.

If you follow me over on Instagram, you'll see lots of ideas for how I utilize leftovers on my Instagram stories. I love sharing the things I try out, and it's always fun talking to people in the DMs. It's so nice hearing that my kitchen experiments inspire others!

6. I recreate restaurant dishes at home.

Going out to eat is a great way to get inspired in your own kitchen. If there's a dish or cocktail that you enjoy while you're dining at a restaurant, it's totally possible that you could make something similar at home!

I usually take a photo of the menu so I can refer to the description of the item later when trying to reverse-engineer it in my kitchen.

I've had great success with many of these experiments. Here are a few examples of ones that I've shared here on Big Flavors:

7. I've been inspired by travel.

I don't travel a ton, but whenever I do, I inevitably find new and exciting food and drink options. It has absolutely inspired me in the kitchen when I'm developing new recipes for my website.

Even if you don't stray too far from home, you can broaden your horizons by taking food tours or exploring markets and restaurants in new areas. I talk about food tourism with my co-host, Lisa, on this episode of the Passing the Plate podcast.

We also touch on exploring local flavors on the road in an episode that's coming out later this month, so be sure to subscribe to Passing the Plate wherever you listen to podcasts. It's always a delicious time around our (virtual) table.

8. I try to be more intentional with meal planning.

Instead of just picking random recipes to make for the week, I put in more effort to streamline what I'm cooking. Having a solid plan is a huge help here.

If I'm planning to make a recipe that needs a little bit of one ingredient, like cilantro, I'll see what else I can make that also uses that ingredient so it's less likely to go to waste.

Another thing I'll do is buy larger packages of things, like ground turkey, that I can divide between a few recipes (like tacos with homemade taco seasoning, turkey burgers, baked taquitos, and our favorite turkey chili with beans).

I find that if I mix up the cuisines and types of dishes that I'm making it helps the ingredient overlap feel less repetitive.

Or I'll repurpose leftovers in a variety of ways. If I make a big batch of taco meat, we can have tacos one night and use the extra on nachos, in a grain bowl, in a quesadilla, or on a big ol' taco salad.

9. I keep tabs on what I have stocked at home.

One of the things that's been most helpful to me when it comes to staying organized in the kitchen is to keep lists of what I actually have stocked in my pantry and freezer.

My kitchen is super small, hence the name of my site, but you'd be surprised how easily things can accumulate. It's easy to put something in the pantry and keep pushing it to the back, forget that you have it, and buy the same thing again because you didn't realize you had it already.

Here's what's worked, specifically in those 2 areas, for me for the last several years. It's simple, but it requires attention to make sure that it works:

I make a list of what I have and keep it updated.

That's it! Really!

More specifically, I have a list for each area (freezer and pantry) in my phone. It's shared with my husband so we can both update it as needed. I have each list broken down into categories so it's easy to find something when I'm looking for it.

So, for example, my freezer list is broken down into headings like "produce", "meat", "prepared foods", "dessert", and "bread". Underneath each of those categories, I have all of the items that we have on hand listed in alphabetical order. Alphabetical order may feel like overkill, but it helps me quickly find out if we have things in the kitchen.

If you want to implement something like this on your own, feel free to use whatever style of organization works best for you. Don't think you need to do what I do. Experiment and see what works for you and your household.

Again, being able to find items easily so you can quickly update the list is key to being able to maintain it. Once you fall off of marking items off or adding new items, it can be tricky to get it back to working order.

Having lists like this lets me quickly take a look to see if I can "throw something together" out of what we have in the house, or if I need to go to the grocery store. This is especially helpful on busy weeknights, when we're getting ready to go on vacation, or when we just don't feel like doing much in the kitchen.

10. I've overcome being a picky eater. 

It comes as a surprise to many people, but I was a suuuuuper picky eater as a kid. I moved to New York after college and decided that I wanted to make an effort to try new things. There are so many great restaurants and ingredients to explore, so I figured this was a great place to expand my palate. 

Aside from trying new cuisines, I also decided to try ingredients I previously didn't like to see if there was a way I could find to enjoy them. 

I'm happy to report that I was able to overcome my dislike of lots of ingredients (I'm looking at you fennel, seafood, sausage, bitter greens, et. al.).

A few years ago, I created the Adventurous Eaters Challenge to help picky eaters (especially, but not exclusively kids) find ways to explore new and different things in the kitchen. It's been so fun to help other people work on overcoming pickiness.

We also talked about picky eaters on episode 5 of my podcast. Check it out here: Passing the Plate episode 05: Tips for Modifying Recipes and Recovering Picky Eaters.

11. I pay more attention to labels and serving sizes.

Have you ever looked at the serving size on a label and laughed because it seemed so unrealistic? I certainly have. I didn't used to pay a ton of attention to things like that, but these days that's different. 

Part of it is getting older and maturing, and part of that is making sure I'm getting accurate nutrition information and basing decisions around that. 

Diet culture gives me a serious case of the icks, but being more mindful about what I'm eating has been really helpful to my overall health. Knowing what an actual serving of rice or chicken looks like vs. just filling up a plate can be really insightful and prevent you from over or undereating.

I also include nutritional information on my recipe posts, and I measure while I'm recipe testing to make sure that the serving sizes are realistic and that the nutrition listed is as accurate as I can get it. I use a paid tool to help calculate but know that it's not perfect. It's an educated estimate that can help guide you when you're paying attention to your intake. I hope it's helpful!

12. I cook with fewer processed ingredients.

Don't get me wrong, my family still eats processed foods. But I do my best to incorporate a wide array of actual fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, and a variety of protein sources.

I've always loved fresh, colorful fruits and veggies, and I enjoy incorporating into my cooking in various ways.

When buying packaged items from the grocery store, I try to find things with ingredients that I'm familiar with and can actually pronounce.

That being said…

13. I don't feel guilty about leaning into convenience items.

Life is busy. Things happen. Some days I don't feel like cooking or dirtying a bunch of dishes. And that's fine!

There are a lot of convenience items that I keep stocked at home to help out on days like that. It helps me avoid defaulting to takeout or delivery too often, although there's no shame in leaning into that, either. 

Some things that are helpful to buy or keep on hand include pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, microwaveable rice pouches, jarred sauces, pre-cooked meals that just need to be reheated, frozen dinners, etc.

Don't feel like everything has to be made from scratch all the time. It absolutely doesn't, and you'll likely burn yourself out if you try to cook every single day. Take some help when you need it!

14. I go back to old recipes to re-test and update them.

Since Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen has been around for so long, there are a LOT of recipes to dig through. Over the years, tastes change, ingredients change, and cooking methods change. 

Aside from all of that, I've also grown and learned a lot as a cook. I've been working on going back into the archives to make sure my older recipes still work well. If I can do something to help make the steps more clear or concise, I do that. If there are steps that can be omitted, I rework the recipe so it takes less time and/or effort. 

I've been slowly but surely updating recipes, adding helpful tips, and taking new photos. I try to answer any questions that may come up during the cooking process in my posts to make sure that you have a successful experience when you go to make my recipes in your kitchen!

Here are a few examples of older posts that have been revamped at least once over the years:

15. I've entered cooking contests.

Several years ago, my son's school was having an apple pie baking contest. I absolutely LOVE my family's Dutch apple pie recipe, so I made one and entered it into the contest. 

There were so many beautiful pies that day,  and I was honored to have won first place (and a blue ribbon)!

On a larger level, I took part in a live cooking competition that took place in the Finger Lakes region of New York. It was sponsored by the American Dairy Association Northeast, and hosted by Food Network Star Chef Jason Smith.

My category was cheese, and I made a deliciously unique pizza with burrata, prosciutto, and pickled grapes. It was a big hit with the judges!

You can read about my experience here. It was a ton of fun, and it got me over being intimidated to be on camera. 

And speaking of being on camera…

16. I've welcomed hundreds of people into my kitchen (virtually) with live cooking classes.

It started with Facebook live cooking demos years ago. Then I started teaching cooking classes in person at my local library. 

Once 2020 happened, I transitioned into online virtual cooking classes, where I was able to reach hundreds of people around the world. I partnered with many libraries and organizations as well as private clients to make lots of delicious meals. 

I had a lot of fun teaching these classes, but have moved on to other things now. I still do teach occasionally, but I'm not packing my schedule like I was a few years ago.

I put a ton of effort into those classes, and was able to connect with so many wonderful people and help them build confidence in the kitchen.

Some of the library class videos are available on my YouTube channel, as are the Facebook Live replays. I also have a few of the on-demand classes available on my Gumroad page as well. 

I was a guest on a few podcasts talking about this topic. If you're interested, you can check them out below:

17. I've taught professionals how to develop and write recipes.

One of the coolest experiences I've had because of my work here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen took place last year when I spoke to the Pace University Nutrition and Dietetics Masters Capstone Program on how to develop and write recipes.

When I was first asked to do this talk, imposter syndrome kicked in big time. I'm not formally trained in this (I went to college for art!). But as I thought about it, I had well over a decade of experience in this industry and have really honed my skills over the years.

Speaking to this group of women, answering their questions, talking about inspiration and formatting... it was so much fun! It went over really well, and I'd love to do more things like that in the future.

18. I've changed the way I think about recipe development.

One of the things I've learned over the years is that being able to adapt and be flexible is really important. It's not always easy, but it's an incredibly helpful skill.

When I develop recipes now, I do my best to include options, suggest alternatives, etc. so that more people can enjoy them. One big example of this is talking through the different types of ground meat or vegan ground meat substitute that can be used in certain recipes.

I'd hate to think that someone who doesn't eat red meat wouldn't be able to enjoy my favorite broiler kebab recipe. So I worked on a version of it that omitted the meat in favor of a vegan ground meat substitute. I even made tweaks for people who can't (or don't!) eat eggs (a splash of water works just fine!).

I've also started working on mocktail versions of the cocktail recipes I develop. You can see examples of that in this passionfruit margarita recipe and this watermelon tequila cocktail recipe.

Being inclusive of a variety of dietary needs and preferences is something that can help you connect with more people and enjoy delicious food and drinks with them. And I'm all about that!!

Thank you again for being here. Cheers to another year of Big Flavors!

Want to see more blogiversary celebrations?

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Check out my latest posts...

Homemade Instant Pot Yogurt

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If your family likes yogurt as much as mine does, this homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe will be a total game-changer! There are a few important steps to yogurt-making success, and this post will walk you through exactly how to achieve it.

It doesn't take long to get into the swing of making homemade yogurt. You'll be thrilled with how much money you'll save vs. buying regular or Greek yogurt from the store!

Ladling homemade yogurt into a glass jar for storage.

Yogurt is one of my very favorite ingredients. It's super versatile and can be used in both sweet and savory preparations. I love eating it plain, lightly sweetened, as the base of a parfait, or blended into smoothies.

I use homemade yogurt in lots of recipes here on Big Flavors like these stuffed peppadews, our very favorite deviled eggs without mayo, these quick & easy samoa cereal bowls, and this party favorite buffalo chickpea dip. It's also the key part of Persian mast-o-khiar and Indian raita.

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Instant Pot and supplies with a fresh batch of homemade yogurt.

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • You have control over the quality of ingredients.
  • An entire gallon of yogurt only requires a gallon of milk and a little bit of yogurt from your last batch (or from the store if it's your first time) and a few hours of mostly unattended time.
  • If you use or enjoy yogurt often, making your own is much more budget-friendly than buying it from the store.
  • It's easy to make thicker, Greek-style yogurt once your Instant Pot yogurt is ready.

📝 Ingredients and supplies

Here's everything you need to make your own homemade Instant Pot yogurt (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients and equipment for making Instant Pot yogurt.

You only need two ingredients to make homemade yogurt - milk and a little bit of yogurt from your last batch to act as a "starter".

If this is your first time making yogurt, you can use some of your favorite store-bought yogurt to get things going. Then get into the habit of reserving a little of the homemade yogurt from each batch to start off the next one. Your only cost for each batch after that point is milk!

Make sure the yogurt you use as a starter has live and active cultures listed in the ingredients - some examples that you may see on labels are lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. Most of the yogurt in stores does contain these, but double-check the label before you get going.

Instant Pot, glass jars of freshly made yogurt, and a fruit and yogurt parfait.

In addition to an Instant Pot that has the "yogurt" mode as an option, you'll also need:

  • Water - for sterilizing the pot.
  • A thermometer - for monitoring the temperature of your milk. An instant-read thermometer like the Thermapen is perfect here, as you'll get a super quick reading. You can also use a less expensive instant-read thermometer. I like using my Thermoworks Signals multi-probe thermometer because I can monitor the temperature through an app while it cools without having to go back and forth to the kitchen.
  • Whisk
  • A lid, plastic wrap, or beeswax wrap to cover your yogurt while it chills in the refrigerator. I like using this silicone lid.
  • A ladle or big spoon is helpful if you plan to transfer your yogurt into smaller jars after it's ready.
Pouring water into an Instant Pot to sterilize it.
Add water to your Instant Pot to begin the sterilization process.
Pressing start on a sterilization cycle on an Instant Pot.
Set the sterilization cycle to low temperature for 5 minutes.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Sterilize your Instant Pot insert.
  2. Warm the milk to between 180-185°F.
  3. Cool the milk to between 110-95°F.
  4. Whisk in yogurt starter.
  5. Incubate for 8-10 hours.
  6. Refrigerate at least 6 hours (preferably overnight).

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Pouring milk into an Instant Pot to make yogurt.
Add milk to sanitized and chilled Instant Pot insert.
Whisking milk in an Instant Pot to bring it to temperature for making yogurt.
Whisk and monitor the temperature.
Setting an Instant Pot to 8 hours on medium heat for a yogurt cycle.
Incubate 8 hours (or 10 hours for more tart flavor).

📌 Tips for yogurt-making success

I've been making yogurt with this method for several years now. Here are some of my biggest tips:

  • This process works with any Instant Pot that includes the Yogurt function, such as the Instant Pot Ultra, which is what I've used for several years now.
  • Make sure the yogurt you use as a starter has live and active cultures listed in the ingredients - some examples that you may see on labels are lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus.
  • I like to use mini silicone oven mitts to get a good grip on the Instant Pot insert when removing it from the base while it's hot.
Small glass jar of yogurt in front of an Instant Pot full of milk.
Reserved yogurt is used as a "starter" for each batch of homemade yogurt.
Probe thermometer display connected to an Instant Pot for making yogurt.
A multi-probe thermometer makes monitoring temperatures easier.
Removing the milk skin from the surface of an Instant Pot insert with a whisk.
A skin may form while your milk cools. Feel free to remove it.
  • My preference is to use a multi-probe thermometer, attached with a pot clip, when making yogurt. You can let it monitor the temperature for you so you don't need to go back and forth to keep checking on it. A Thermapen would also be a great choice. I used a less expensive instant-read thermometer for many years and it worked well, but having the app monitor temps while I go about my day is a lot less work.
  • Oftentimes, a skin will form on top of the milk as it cools. You can remove this whenever you go to check on the temperature or whisk the milk. Leaving it in there won't hurt things, but it could cause some lumps in your final yogurt.
  • You can add a little of the warm milk to your reserved starter yogurt and whisk it together to help fully incorporate it more easily before whisking it into the full pot of milk.
  • The time for reaching specific temperatures can vary depending on several things. Most of the time is hands-off, but the process does take some time to complete. You can speed up the cooling process by using an ice bath, but the milk will still take a while to come down to the range that it needs to be in before you start incubating it.
Removing the lid from an Instant Pot insert to show homemade yogurt.
Cover your Instant Pot insert after incubation while it sits in the refrigerator.
Scooping homemade yogurt from an Instant Pot with a ladle.
Stir or whisk chilled yogurt to help remove any lumps.
Ladling homemade yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer.
Make thicker, Greek-style yogurt by straining your finished yogurt.
  • After the overnight refrigeration, reserve about ¼ cup of your batch of yogurt in a glass jar to use the next time you go to make yogurt. If you save a little of each batch, the only cost for each new batch is the milk (and some time).
  • For a smaller batch of yogurt, use a half gallon of milk and 2 tablespoons of yogurt starter. Follow the same process. The only difference is that the milk will reach the various temperatures more easily since there's less liquid to heat/cool.
  • I bought a silicone lid for my Instant Pot insert years ago and love it! It's perfect for sealing the contents before popping it into the refrigerator.
Glass jars of freshly made yogurt with an Instant Pot and a cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer draining yogurt to thicken.

💡 Ways to use the strained yogurt liquid (whey)

Don't throw out the liquid that drains out of your yogurt if you strain it to make Greek-style yogurt. It can be used in lots of ways! Just pour the collected liquid into a jar and stash it in the fridge.

Whey can be used:

  • As an egg white replacement in cocktail recipes. Swap each egg white for 1 ounce of the reserved whey. Here's a list of egg white cocktail options that you can try over on The Spruce.
  • In pancakes - I've read that this can be used in place of buttermilk but haven't personally tried it yet. I'll report back when I do. This recipe from Homa Dashtaki over on NPR looks like a great one to try out!
Overhead view of a honey dipper being lifted from a bowl of honey.

🍴 Variations and flavored yogurt

This method is strictly for making plain, unflavored yogurt. You can't safely introduce flavorings or additives during the process if you want it to turn out properly. You can, however, add flavors afterward!

  • Sweetened yogurt can be made with your favorite sweetener. Just stir them up or whisk them well to combine. This works best with liquid options like agave, honey, and maple syrup.
  • For vanilla yogurt, mix in vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract and your preferred sweetener (if desired) to taste.
  • For flavored yogurts, you can stir in your favorite fruit preserves. You can also blend fresh fruit into the plain yogurt. If you prefer the "fruit on the bottom" style of yogurt, spoon that onto the bottom of your bowl or jar before topping with yogurt.

I find that homemade yogurt tastes best when using whole milk. You can absolutely make this with lower-fat milk. The texture may be a bit looser, and the flavor won't be as rich.

This yogurt-making method does not work with plant-based or dairy-free milk.

Instant Pot and supplies with a fresh batch of homemade yogurt.

🍽️ Favorite ways to use homemade yogurt

My family eats a lot of yogurt. I usually strain about half of the batch so we have both regular and Greek-style on hand in the refrigerator at all times.

Ways we use our homemade yogurt:

  • In place of sour cream on tacos, taquitos, nachos, baked potatoes, or pierogi.
  • Mixed with lime zest and juice to make crema for lots of Mexican-inspired dishes.

Some favorite parfait combos:

Looking for some recipes to use up some of your homemade yogurt stash? Here are some of our favorites:

You can also check out this collection for more of our favorite yogurt recipes.

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

The BEST Chicken Enchiladas

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I've been making my version of Tyler Florence's chicken enchilada recipes for over 20 years now. These are seriously the BEST chicken enchiladas - they're always a hit!

Chicken is dusted with Mexican spices, shredded, and tossed with chiles, corn, and tomatoes. Then it gets wrapped up, coated with cheese, and baked until nice and melty.

This recipe makes 2 trays of enchiladas, which makes them perfect to serve a crowd or to enjoy as leftovers. I hope you love them as much as we do!

Freshly baked tray of chicken enchiladas.

Not that I think you need an excuse to make homemade chicken enchiladas, but if you're looking to take your Cinco de Mayo party to the next level, this would certainly be a great option.

These enchiladas don't need any additional toppings or sides, but if you're feelin' fancy, they're great alongside this easy cilantro lime rice with a little restaurant-style guacamole and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

And I certainly wouldn't blame you for making this watermelon tequila cocktail (or mocktail!), this spicy passionfruit margarita (which also comes with a non-alcoholic variation), or this guava cooler to sip on while you dig in.

Serving of chicken enchiladas on a plate.
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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It makes 2 big trays of chicken enchiladas - perfect for a fiesta!
  • This recipe is a great way to use up taco seasoning or fajita seasoning.
  • Enchiladas are a little messy but fun to assemble with kids.
  • They hold up well as leftovers for several days.

📝 Ingredients

Don't be intimidated by the long ingredient list for this chicken enchilada recipe. It takes a little time but the results are oh so worth it (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients for making chicken enchiladas.
  • Olive oil - for cooking the chicken and veggies.
  • Boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Ground cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Taco seasoning or fajita seasoning
  • Red onion
  • Garlic
  • Frozen corn - you could also use canned (be sure to drain it first!) or fresh.
  • Canned green chiles
  • Canned chipotle chiles (feel free to use more or less depending on your heat preference)
  • Canned crushed tomatoes - look for ones that aren't already seasoned, since we'll be adding plenty of other seasonings to this dish.
  • All-purpose flour
  • Corn tortillas - I like using the fajita-sized ones for this recipe.
  • Canned red enchilada sauce - choose your heat preference when buying - I tend to prefer mild here, as the medium one can pack quite a punch when combined with the other ingredients.
  • Finely shredded cheese - I like using a Mexican blend or cheddar jack.
  • Chopped cilantro (optional, for serving)
  • Thinly sliced green onions (optional, for serving)
  • Sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, Mexican cream, or Skyr (optional, for serving)
  • Diced tomatoes (optional, for serving)
Seasoning chicken breasts with ground cumin.
Season the chicken on both sides.
Chicken breasts cooking in a skillet.
Cook chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Shredding chicken with a fork.
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into strips.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Season the chicken and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (an instant-read thermometer is a great tool to use to check for this). Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and let cool.
  3. In the same pan, sauté the red onion and garlic, stirring and scraping to get all of the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the corn, green chiles, and chipotle chiles, and canned tomatoes.
  4. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it into the pan with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to combine.
  5. Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce into the bottom of 2 (9x13-inch) baking dishes. Place the remaining enchilada sauce in a large, shallow bowl or deep plate.
  6. Microwave tortillas to soften, then dip into the bowl of enchilada sauce, one at a time. Add ¼ cup of the chicken mixture, roll the tortilla up, and transfer to the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tops of both trays of enchiladas, then sprinkle evenly with shredded cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese melts.
  8. Serve the enchiladas sprinkled with cilantro, green onions, sour cream, and tomatoes, as desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Adding green chiles to a sauté pan.
Adding canned tomatoes to a sauté pan full of veggies.
Mixing together chicken enchilada filling in a sauté pan.

📌 Tips

These chicken enchiladas take quite a few steps to put together, but it's nothing too difficult. There are a few things that will help you have success when putting them together.

Dipping a tortilla in enchilada sauce.
Adding chicken enchilada filling to a tortilla.
Adding rolled chicken enchiladas to a baking dish.
  • Let the excess sauce drip off of the tortillas after you dip them.
  • Use a measuring cup to ensure that each enchilada gets the same amount of filling.
  • Feel free to use less of the spicier ingredients, such as the chipotles and green chiles, or even omit them completely if you don't like things too spicy.
  • Be sure to put the filled tortillas in your baking dishes seam-side down so they stay closed while you're rolling up the rest of them.
Lifting chicken enchiladas out of a baking dish with a spatula.

💡 Serving suggestions

These are my favorite dishes to serve with chicken enchiladas:

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Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

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If you've ever wondered how to make taco seasoning, you're in luck! Homemade taco seasoning is a versatile pantry staple that can be used to add flavor in lots of different types of recipes. I've been making this recipe for many many years now, and my family absolutely loves it!

Glass jar of homemade taco seasoning mix.

Tacos make for such an easy meal. I buy taco seasoning mix from the store, and it works in a pinch. But those seasoning packets are easy to make in a big batch at home with ingredients that you already likely have in your pantry!

We love using this homemade taco seasoning on ground meat (or vegan ground meat substitutes), in vegetarian tacos, chicken enchiladas, and our favorite layered taco dip.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It uses spices that we always have on hand in the pantry.
  • This spice blend stores beautifully in the pantry.
  • It's easily scalable - make as little or as much as you'd like to keep on hand.
  • Homemade spice mixes make great gifts!
  • Making your own taco seasoning mix saves on waste - no more single-use packets.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make a batch of homemade taco seasoning (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning on a cutting board.
  • Chili powder
  • Ground cumin
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Dried oregano
  • Ground sweet paprika
  • Cushed red pepper flakes

🧂 A Note About Salt

This recipe uses kosher salt which can be found in your grocery store located in the baking aisle.

Prior to 2025, I used Morton coarse kosher salt in my cooking. I switched over to Diamond Crystal kosher salt after having size inconsistencies over multiple packages of Morton.

Image showing the size difference between 3 different containers of kosher salt.

In the photo above, you'll see the size that this particular salt has always been (left), what seems to be the "new" size (center), and Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which is the other major brand that is used in most professional kitchens (right).

Why does salt crystal size matter? 🧂 

When the crystal size is larger, salt doesn't dissolve as quickly as its smaller counterpart. This proved problematic when my husband made eggs for breakfast, and me and my son kept getting super salty bites. We realized it was because those larger salt crystals weren't dissolving or dispersing evenly.

You can also fit a larger quantity of salt in your measuring spoon when the grains are smaller. So you'll have a saltier ½ teaspoon of a finer-grained salt than a coarser one.

What this means is that you need to be aware that salt measurements can vary. If you follow a recipe and it's too salty using those measurements, it's possible that the recipe writer used a different size of salt than what you used.

There's no right or wrong brand to use, but be sure to get a hang of the characteristics of what you're using when you're cooking. Nobody wants to have overly salty food!

Because of the inconsistency in size, I'm switching to Diamond Crystal in my kitchen. It may take a little getting used to, but it's something that seems necessary to the consistency of my home cooking.

One further note - this article from Food 52 goes into more detail about the differences between these 2 brands of kosher salt (not the grain-size difference in one single that sparked my switch), and it's a great read!

✅ How to make this recipe

There's nothing really to making this recipe - just pop all of the ingredients into a bowl mix to combine. I like putting it in a jar with a lid and shaking it all together.

If you plan on giving this spice blend as a gift, I recommend layering the spices into a jar so it looks pretty.

You can label the jar with a label maker if you'd like. It'd be nice to also include a little card with instructions for use.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Pouring chili powder into a glass jar to make taco seasoning.
Pouring crushed red pepper flakes into a glass jar to make taco seasoning.
Glass jar labeled "taco seasoning".

🌮 How to make taco meat using taco seasoning mix

To make tacos (per pound of ground meat or vegan ground meat substitute):

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground protein and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat from the pan, if applicable. (I like using a baster to transfer the fat to a heat-safe bowl).
  2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix onto the meat and continue to cook for a minute or two, stirring to combine. Add ⅔ cup cold water and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and thickens, about 3 minutes longer.
  3. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings.

💡 Recipes that use homemade taco seasoning

Here are some of are my family's favorite recipes that utilize this taco seasoning mix:

🍴 Variations

Feel free to scale back on the red pepper flakes if you prefer a more mild taco seasoning mix. This particular recipe has a little heat, but it's absolutely a personal preference.

I've actually gone back and edited the recipe to recommend starting with just 1 teaspoon since my original recommendation of 2 made it fairly spicy. So feel free to start low and add more if desired.

Likewise, feel free to amp it up and add more if you like things more firey!

🥡 Equipment and storage

Once your taco seasoning is mixed, you can pour it into your storage container(s) of choice.

You may need to use a small metal funnel to help guide some of the spices into the jars. I found it helpful for the more finely ground ingredients depending on the with of your jar's opening.

Store your homemade seasoning blend in an airtight container (like a tightly closed spice jar) in a cool, dry place.

When choosing a storage location for your spices, it's best to keep them away from heat sources. That's why storing them next to your oven isn't recommended.

It's preferable to keep them in a dark place, or at least away from direct sunlight, to retain maximum flavor.

This blend will keep for several months, stored properly in your pantry or cabinet.

🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

Looking for more homemade spice blends? Try these:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Passionfruit Margaritas

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Get ready for happy hour with these refreshing passionfruit margaritas. It's a delicious spin on a traditional margarita with tropical flair and a little bit of spice from a Tajín rim. This tequila cocktail can be made with either fresh passionfruit or bottled passionfruit nectar. It's also easily turned into a mocktail. Cheers!

Two passionfruit margaritas with ingredients alongside.

I originally came up with a version of this passionfruit chili margarita back in 2010 as a riff on a cocktail that me and my husband enjoyed at a local steakhouse (that has since closed).

We really loved the combination of sweet, spicy, and sour in this cocktail recipe. Since that original incarnation, we've learned a lot about making cocktails at home, so I wanted to revisit this one to see if I could improve upon it.

You know, for science 😉.

In my testing, I wanted to offer options for using fresh passionfruit and also the bottled cocktail/juice/nectar. Fresh passionfruit can be expensive, and not everyone enjoys the texture of the seeds.

I'm happy to say that I've now perfected this passionfruit cocktail (including a mocktail variation) and am thrilled to share the new and improved recipe with you!

If you're looking for more summery tequila cocktail options, this guava cocktail and this watermelon cocktail are also great choices.

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Two passionfruit margaritas with ingredients alongside.

🧡 Why we love this cocktail

  • It brings out tropical vibes even when it feels less than tropical outside.
  • Swapping out the tequila for coconut water makes it easy to turn these passionfruit margaritas into a delicious mocktail option.
  • Rimming the glasses with Tajín (or other chili lime seasoning blend) gives us the best of both salty and spicy to balance out the fruit in this cocktail.
  • The option to use fresh or bottled passionfruit makes it doable all year round (or when the fresh fruit is cost-prohibitive).
  • This recipe can be easily scaled up for a crowd.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make passionfruit margaritas at home (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make passionfruit margaritas.
  • Passionfruit cocktail (sometimes called passionfruit nectar or passionfruit juice) or fresh passionfruit
  • Tequila blanco - swap this for coconut water if making a mocktail variation.
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Agave syrup
  • Orange bitters - feel free to omit if keeping it non-alcoholic and add a squeeze of fresh orange juice instead, if desired.
  • Tajín, Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend, or a homemade blend - for garnishing the rim.

🥃 Ingredient Spotlight: Tequila

This recipe uses tequila blanco which can be found in your local liquor store.

Tequila is a distilled spirit made from the agave plant that is produced in only 5 areas of Mexico.

Pouring tequila into a jigger.
Pouring tequila into a cocktail shaker.

Depending on the aging process, tequila is bottled and sold in a few different styles:

  • Blanco (white) - Tequila that is unaged or slightly aged (less than 2 months). Some distillers call tequila blanco "the essence of tequila". Great for mixing into cocktails.
  • Joven (young) - Usually made from a blend of aged tequila and unaged tequila.
  • Reposado (rested) - Tequila that has been aged for at least two months, and up to a year. This tequila is darker and has a deeper flavor.
  • Añejo (aged) - Tequila that has been aged for at least a year but less than 3 years, traditionally in oak barrels. It has a deep golden color and complex layers of flavor from the aging process.
  • Extra Añejo (very aged) - Tequilas that have been aged for at least 3 years. This is a growing category of tequila that has a lot of complexity of flavor, depending on the types of wood used in the aging barrels.

Here are a few resources if you'd like to learn more about the different varieties and styles of tequila:

💛 How to tell if passionfruit is ripe

Choosing passionfruit from the store can feel intimidating, but it doesn't need to be! My supermarket had a sign above all of the tropical fruits describing how to determine when each fruit is ripe.

If your store doesn't have a handy guide like that, just know that wrinkles are a good thing when it comes to a nice, ripe passionfruit.

Three fresh passionfruit with wrinkly skin.
Look for wrinkly passionfruit.
Fresh passionfruit and limes cut in half to reveal the fruit.
A serrated knife works well for slicing fresh passionfruit.
Squeezing fresh passionfruit into a jigger.
You can remove the pulp with a spoon or simply squeeze it out.

Whole passionfruit are often sold when they're smooth on the outside. If you see a wrinkly one, grab it because it's ripe!

If your passionfruit isn't ripe yet, just let it sit on the counter for a few days until it gets nice and wrinkly. Those "ugly" wrinkly ones are the fruit at its best!

✅ How to make this recipe

Pouring passionfruit juice into a cocktail shaker.
Bottled passionfruit is available year-round.
Pouring agave nectar into a cocktail shaker.
Agave syrup pairs well with tequila but you can also substitute maple syrup.
Adding orange bitters to a cocktail shaker.
Feel free to substitute a squeeze of fresh orange juice for the orange bitters.
  1. Rim a double rocks glass with chili lime seasoning.
  2. Shake the remaining ingredients together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  3. Fill the rimmed glass with ice and strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with a lime wheel, if desired, and enjoy!

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Pouring fresh passionfruit pulp into a cocktail glass.
If using fresh passionfruit add it directly to the cocktail glass.
Stirring a passionfruit margarita in a Tajin-rimmed cocktail glass.
Give the finished cocktail a stir with a bar spoon to help mix the pulp.

📌 Tips

If using fresh passionfruit, add it directly to the cocktail glass. The seeds are too big to make it through the strainer when pouring your cocktail. You'll likely want to give your finished cocktail a stir with a bar spoon to combine.

To adhere the seasoning to your cocktail glass, you'll need to wet the rim. I like using one of the limes that I juiced for the cocktail mixture. Just rub the cut-side around the edge of the glass.

Rubbing lime on the rim of a cocktail glass.
Rub the cut side of a lime on the side or rim of a cocktail glass.
Rimming a cocktail glass with Tajín seasoning.
Press the wet portion of the glass into the chile lime seasoning to adhere.
Cocktail glass with Tajin on the rim for garnish.
Feel free to do a thin ring around the rim or a wider swatch on your glass.

If you'd like something a little sweeter, you can use agave nectar to adhere the seasoning.

You can also rub it on just a portion of the glass, like what you see in the photos for this recipe.

Pour your chili lime seasoning of choice onto a plate or other flat surface wide enough to fit the diameter of your glass. Invert the lime-coated glass and gently press it into the seasoning to adhere.

Pouring a passionfruit margarita into a Tajin-rimmed cocktail glass.

🍹 Nonalcoholic "Mocktail" Variation

We like trying to find alternatives to alcoholic beverages so our son can enjoy a "fancy drink" with us. It's also great for those who either choose not to drink alcohol or aren't able to imbibe.

To make this an alcohol-free passionfruit "mocktail", simply replace the tequila with coconut water. You can also omit the orange bitters and swap them out with a squeeze of fresh orange juice if desired.

I really enjoyed this nonalcoholic variation. It made for a nice, midday break at my desk!

Passionfruit margarita garnished with Tajin and lime.

🔪 Equipment

You don't need anything fancy to make these passionfruit margaritas. You can use regular measuring cups and spoons, etc. If you plan to make drinks at home often, here are a few things that will help make your cocktail mixing more smoothly:

  • A jigger for measuring your ingredients.
  • A cocktail shaker for mixing everything together.
  • A citrus juicer to press all of the juice form the limes.
  • A Hawthorne strainer if your shaker doesn't have a built-in strainer.
  • A bar spoon for stirring ice-filled drinks without making a big mess.
Two passionfruit margaritas with ingredients alongside.

🍹 Still thirsty? You may also like...

Do these passionfruit margaritas have you looking for more refreshing, summery cocktail recipes? Try these:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Espresso Chocolate Chip Brownies {Starbucks Copycat}

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These rich, chocolate chip-studded, espresso-infused brownies are a perfect afternoon pick-me-up! Inspired by the espresso brownies I loved eating when I worked at Starbucks after college, this copycat recipe is one of our favorite desserts.

Espresso chocolate chip brownies on a serving tray.

When I worked at Starbucks back in the mid-2000s, we sold the most ridiculously delicious espresso brownies. I loved them so, so much!

They were gloriously chocolatey with chocolate chunks in them. And for some reason, they were cut into triangles.

I don't believe they're still on the menu, but I've worked to make this copycat recipe as close to the original as I could get. The dusting of powdered sugar is something I added because it looks pretty, but they weren't sold that way.

This is one of my favorite ways to satisfy any chocolate craving. These melt-in-your-mouth buttermilk chocolate cookies, and these peppermint hot chocolate cookies are also top contenders.

If you're a big Starbucks fan, my friend Sues has a ton of Starbucks copycat recipes on her website. Check them out!

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Because it uses instant espresso granules, there's no need to actually brew espresso.
  • These espresso brownies are thick and chocolatey.
  • An optional shot of coffee liqueur deepens the coffee flavor.
Espresso chocolate chip brownie with a bite taken out of it.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these espresso chocolate chip brownies (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make espresso chocolate chip brownies.
  • Semisweet chocolate chips - some will get melted for the batter and some will be stirred in whole, right before baking.
  • Bittersweet dark chocolate
  • Unsalted butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cocoa powder
  • Baking powder (see notes)
  • Fine-grain salt
  • Instant espresso granules - we won't be brewing espresso, as that would add liquid to the recipe. Make sure you're using granules and not regular, ground espresso beans.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Large eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Coffee liqueur (optional) - such as Mr Black Coffee Liqueur or Kahlúa. I've made this recipe with both, and they're awesome!
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Espresso chocolate chip brownies on a serving tray.

🥣 Ingredient Spotlight: Baking Powder

Baking powder increases the volume of baked goods, creating a nice rise and light, fluffy texture.

In most cases, recipes that call for baking powder refer to double-acting baking powder, though there are some instances when single-acting baking powder is used.

Please note that many brands of baking powder contain aluminum, which can cause a metallic or bitter taste, especially when used in larger quantities.

I recommend using brands that are specifically marked aluminum-free. Some of my favorites are Rumford and Bob's Red Mill.

Adding chocolate chips to a bowl.
Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.
Adding chopped chocolate to a bowl of chocolate chips.
Add bittersweet dark chocolate.
Adding cubes of butter to a bowl of chocolate.
Add cubed unsalted butter to the chocolate.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a nonstick metal baking pan.
  2. Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth.
  3. Sift together the dry ingredients.
  4. Beat the butter and remaining ingredients until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
  5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet and beat to combine. Repeat with the remainder, then stir in the reserved chocolate chips.
  6. Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and bake until

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Stirring together melting cubes of butter and chocolate in a bowl.
Stir after each 30-second increment of melting.
Stirring together melting cubes of butter and chocolate in a bowl.
The mixture gets easier to stir after a few bursts.
Melted chocolate in a bowl.
Once fully melted, it's ready to be added to the wet ingredients.

📌 Tips

I've streamlined the process over the years and have found a few things that will help you have success with this chocolate chip brownie recipe.

  • Use a metal baking pan for this recipe. I've had trouble with glass pans before - there's a great article about metal vs. glass baking pans over on Handle the Heat if you want more info on why that could be happening.
  • Grease your baking dish well. Get it on the bottom and up the sides on the inside of the pan. I prefer using vegetable shortening but feel free to use butter or your favorite nonstick spray.
Adding baking powder to dry ingredients in a sifter.
Sift together the dry ingredients.
Sifting dry ingredients over a bowl.
Use a separate bowl for the dry ingredients.
Adding instant espresso to the dry ingredients for espresso brownies.
Stir in the instant espresso after sifting.
  • Instant espresso is usually made up of crystals that are too large to fit through a sifter, so stir it into the dry ingredients after sifting everything else.
  • I like melting the chocolate and butter in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each increment. This ensures even melting and is quicker and way less finicky than using a double boiler.
Adding eggs to a bowl of granulated sugar.
Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and coffee liqueur (if using).
Beating eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer.
Beat until the mixture turns light yellow.
Beating together melted chocolate with the rest of the wet ingredients for espresso brownies.
Beat in the melted chocolate mixture.
  • Make sure you beat the egg mixture until it turns light yellow. This will take around 2 minutes.
  • It's important to let the brownies cool completely in the pan before taking them out to cut them. If they're still warm they may end up breaking apart or crumbling.
Adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients for espresso brownies.
Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and beat to combine.
Beating the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients for espresso brownies.
Beat in the remaining dry ingredients, scraping the bowl as needed.
Adding chocolate chips to a bowl of espresso brownie batter.
Add the reserved chocolate chips at the end and stir gently to combine.

🍴 Variations

Feel free to switch up the type of chocolate chips that you stir into these espresso brownies. They'd be great with white chocolate, dark chocolate, chunks of chocolate, or even without chocolate if you'd prefer.

The coffee liqueur is totally optional here. If you'd prefer, you could use a different one like Amaretto, Frangelico, or Grand Marnier.

You could also add some chopped nuts. Walnuts or almonds would work well.

Spreading espresso brownie batter into a prepared baking pan.
The batter will be thick - press it into an even layer in the baking pan.
Using a knife to loosen the edges of a pan of espresso chocolate chip brownies.
Use a butter knife to gently help loosen the edges of the fully cooled brownies from the pan.

🔪 Equipment

There are a few things you'll need to make this recipe in your oven. Nothing too fancy!

  • Mixing bowls (make sure at least one of them is microwave-safe)
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups.
  • A sieve or sifter
  • Handheld electric mixer or stand mixer
  • Nonstick square metal baking pan
  • Cake tester, toothpick, or skewer
Slicing espresso chocolate chip brownies to serve.
Slice the brownies in thirds in one direction, then in half in the opposite direction to make rectangles.
Slicing espresso chocolate chip brownies into triangles.
Cut each rectangle diagonally to make triangles if you want the classic Starbucks espresso brownie shape.

Cutting the brownies into triangles the way Starbucks served them is really easy to do with a pizza cutter like the one pictured above. It's one long blade that makes it easy to rock back and forth for big, clean cuts.

Espresso chocolate chip brownies dusted with powdered sugar.

🥡 Storage recommendations

These brownies are best enjoyed within a few days of baking. Wrap the fully cooled brownies in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.

Pre-cut brownies are exposed to more air than uncut ones. For storing precut, wrap each brownie individually and store in a larger, airtight container.

There's a great article from Bob's Red Mill on how to store brownies if you'd like to look at more options.

Dusting espresso chocolate chip brownies with powdered sugar.

🍫 Craving more chocolate? You may also like...

These are some of our favorite chocolatey recipes:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Grandpa Henderson's Classic Old Fashioned Stovetop Beef Stew

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My grandpa made the BEST old-fashioned stovetop beef stew! This hearty recipe makes for a perfect, cozy comfort food dinner. It makes a big batch, tastes even better the next day, and freezes beautifully. This tomato-based recipe has been a hit with Big Flavors readers for many, many years now.

Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew with sliced bread served alongside.

I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child. It was in their kitchen in Indiana that I learned to cook and bake by doing it alongside them.

My grandma did most of the cooking and all of the baking (like these classic cut-out sugar cookies and this Dutch apple pie), but there were a few things that my grandpa made regularly that I loved. This beef stew was absolutely one of those things!

This recipe is one that I learned from him and then tweaked a bit to make it for my family. The main differences between my version and his are that he added cabbage and sometimes corn to his stew, and I add peas to mine.

If you're interested in learning more about modernizing old family recipes, check out episode 3 of my podcast where we dive deeper into this topic.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It makes a big batch!
  • The house smells incredible while it simmers away on the stovetop.
  • It tastes better the next day.
  • The components for this recipe can be prepped in advance, reducing the amount of hands-on time you need the day you plan to cook.
  • Beef stew is one of those recipes that freezes beautifully, making a homemade dinner easy to have at a future point in time in just minutes.
  • It reminds me of my grandpa, and my husband says it also reminds him of the beef stew that his grandma used to make.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this classic beef stew (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients ready to make beef stew.
  • Olive oil, for browning the meat
  • Beef stew meat - I often buy a full roast, like a chuck roast, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. When buying pre-cut "beef stew meat", I typically cut it into even smaller pieces.
  • Green bell peppers
  • Carrots
  • Onions - I usually use yellow onions here, but white onions would also work.
  • Celery
  • Tomato juice
  • Beef broth - I like using an unsalted or low-sodium variety.
  • Ketchup
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Garlic powder
  • Dark brown sugar - pack it into the measuring cup.
  • Ground black pepper
  • Hot sauce - Grandpa always used Tabasco hot sauce. I usually use Crystal hot sauce.
  • Dried parsley
  • Russet potatoes - up until recently, I'd use 3 in this recipe, but I've found that 2 is plenty.
  • Pearl barley
  • Frozen sweet peas
Scooping up a serving of beef stew with a ladle.
Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew.

🥕 Root veggies: to peel or not to peel?

Many recipes, like this one, call for root vegetables. A lot of recipes indicate that these veggies should be peeled as part of the prep process, but is that really necessary?

Peeled veggies may look "prettier" when it comes to aesthetics, but in most cases, I recommend not bothering to peel them. Giving your root veggies a good scrub with a vegetable brush to get rid of any dirt or germs is sufficient.

The skins and peels of vegetables contain lots of nutrients and fiber that are good for your body. In my opinion, more nutritional value, less prep work, and a reduction of food waste makes leaving them unpeeled a win-win-win!

If your veggies are looking particularly sad or you don't enjoy eating the peel, go ahead and remove it. It all comes down to personal preference.

Adding peas to a pot of beef stew.

🥣 Substitutions

Feel free to switch up the veggies in this recipe. If you don't like potatoes, leave them out! You can replace them with another veggie that you like.

You can also add additional veggies that you have on hand to help use them up and minimize food waste.

My grandpa used to cut up green cabbage and add it to his beef stew. He also would sometimes add canned or frozen corn.

There's no right or wrong answer here - just be sure to give the veggies enough time to cook through while the stew simmers away.

Cutting a beef chuck roast into chunks for beef stew.
Slice beef roast into even pieces, about 1 and ½ inches wide.
Cutting a beef chuck roast into chunks for beef stew.
Turn the slices and cut into even cubes.

📌 Tips

The exact size of the pieces you cut your beef stew meat into isn't important. I usually aim for somewhere around an inch and a half cubes.

This means they're small enough that they're bite-sized, and there are a lot of pieces throughout the pot of beef stew.

Adding beef cubes to a pot.
Add the beef cubes to the hot oil in your stock pot.
Browning beef cubes in a stock pot.
Stir the beef to get it brown on all sides.
Beef stew meat browning in a stock pot.
Once the beef is browned, you can move on to adding veggies, liquid, & spices.

You could absolutely brown the meat in batches to really get a good sear on the outside of each piece of beef. I find this unnecessary, personally.

I like to just put all of the beef cubes into the hot oil in the pot and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is brown on all sides.

This is going to be simmering for a few hours, so it'll be super tender when it's done cooking. Getting a "crust" on the outside isn't something that I find worth the time it would take.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Brown beef in a large stock pot.
  2. Add bell peppers, carrots, onions, celery, tomato juice, beef broth, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, brown sugar, black pepper, hot sauce, and dried parsley and stir to combine.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add potatoes and barley and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
  5. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if needed.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Slicing celery.
Dicing a yellow onion.

📝 Streamlining beef stew prep

When prepping this beef stew, I like to do one of 2 things. I'll either prep everything the day before or chop my veggies while the meat is browning. Both of these things save time in different ways.

If I'm prepping and cooking at the same time, I find that chopping the veggies while the meat is browning in the pan gives me just the right amount of time.

You don't have to get your meat super brown - I don't get finicky and do it in batches or anything. Just a few stirs until the outer edges are mostly browned before adding the other ingredients.

If I'm prepping the day before I plan to cook, I'll go ahead and cut the beef into smaller chunks and put it all into a container, pop the lid on, and put it into the fridge.

I cut up all the veggies and put them in a sealed container in the fridge, too, keeping the potatoes separate since they go in at a later point in the recipe.

Cutting potatoes for beef stew.
Cut your potatoes into consistently sized cubes.
Covering a bowl of diced potatoes with water.
Place the potatoes in a container and cover with cold water.
Putting a lid on a bowl of diced potatoes in water.
Cover the soaking potatoes with a lid and place in the refrigerator.

If you cut up your potatoes ahead of time, be sure to put them in a container and cover them with cold water before refrigerating them. This will ensure they don't get brown and funky before you get around to using them.

When you add them to your pot of stew, be sure to drain the water off first. The liquid was just there to help keep the potatoes from oxidizing.

I find that this prep-in-advance method really helps when it comes to saving time. This beef stew recipe isn't super involved, but the chopping takes a bit of time, and I'm all about making things easier for "future me" whenever possible.

Adding garlic powder to a pot of beef stew.
Tomato juice, beef broth, and seasonings simmer together, covered, for 2 hours.
Stirring potatoes and barley into a pot of beef stew.
Add the potatoes and barley and simmer for another 45 minutes.

💡 What to serve with beef stew

Beef stew is pretty much a meal all on its own. My grandpa always served it with bread and butter. He'd just use sandwich bread and it was delicious!

I'll often either buy or make a nice loaf of sourdough or ciabatta to go with the stew. It's great for dunking!

Two bowls of old fashioned beef stew with sliced bread served alongside.

🥡 Storage recommendations

One of my very favorite parts of this beef stew is enjoying it as leftovers! It tastes even better the day after you've made it, and it freezes beautifully!

For freezing, I like using Souper Cubes - they're silicone trays that have portioned measurements on them. I have the one-cup size and they get a ton of use!

I typically fill the four portions with stew, freeze overnight, and then transfer the frozen stew into a freezer bag. Whenever I want to have beef stew again, I'll either thaw a portion in the fridge or just heat it up in the microwave or stovetop.

I vacuum-seal my bags of stew cubes with my Foodsaver, but you don't need to do that if you don't have one. Just be sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible to help prevent freezer burn.

Spoonful of old fashioned beef stew.

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Introducing the Passing the Plate Podcast!

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If you've been following me on social media (or are subscribed to my email newsletter), you've likely seen some behind-the-scenes bits and pieces of a new project I've been working on called Passing the Plate.

My friend (and genealogist extraordinaire) Lisa Lisson and I have been hard at work on turning what began as a webinar about documenting recipes for future generations into a full-on long-term collaboration and passion project.

So without further ado, I'd like to announce the launch of the Passing the Plate Podcast! 🎧🥳

Passing the Plate is our brand new flavor-packed podcast all about food, traditions, and the wonderful connections they create. Each week, we will guide you on an adventure that satiates both your taste buds and your curiosity.

Tune in to dive into family history, explore new cultures and cuisines, and preserve favorite recipes for future generations.

Every episode of Passing the Plate guarantees to be a feast for the senses and a celebration of togetherness. Here's a taste of what you can expect to hear on episodes of Passing the Plate:

  • How to capture your family recipes before they fade away
  • Ways to modernize family recipes so you'll actually make them
  • Tips for collecting the stories behind cherished family recipes
  • Ideas for exploring new cultures and cuisines
  • Blending new traditions into your current lifestyle

Thank you so much for joining us on this delicious adventure. You can find the show notes for each episode at passingtheplate.org/podcast.

We hope you like what you hear, and we look forward to connecting with you in this new way each week.

Maple Cookies

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These soft maple cookies are perfect for when you need a fall dessert recipe with minimal prep time. They bake up quickly and make your kitchen smell incredible in the process. These cookies stay fresh for days - if they last that long!

Maple cookies on plates with a pitcher of maple syrup alongside.

These cookies are such a nice change from the typical cookie offerings. Not that I don't enjoy the classics, like these super soft peanut butter cookies, but I do love putting fun spins on traditional cookies.

A few other cookies that are just a little different than your standard cookie fare include these peppermint hot chocolate cookies and these chai-spiced snickerdoodle cookies.

And if you're looking for a comprehensive cookie list, check out this collection of over 125 holiday cookie recipes from around the world!

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • These cookies are quick and easy to put together.
  • The cookie dough can be frozen, making it easy to bake up a batch of homemade cookies at another time.
  • They stay nice and soft for days!

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make a batch of maple cookies (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients for making maple cookies.
  • Unsalted butter - we're working with softened butter here, so make sure to let it sit out for a bit so it's not cold.
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Large egg
  • Pure maple syrup - I know this can be pricey, but it's so worth it to use the real stuff here.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Baking soda
  • Fine-grain salt
  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar - for rolling the cookies before baking.

🍁 Ingredient spotlight: maple syrup

This recipe uses pure maple syrup which can be found in your grocery store, usually located in either the breakfast aisle or the baking aisle.

Not all maple syrup is created equal! There are lots of brands of syrup out there, but not all of them contain any actual maple! You'll want to look for a bottle labeled "pure maple syrup".

There's a lot of great information from Vermont Maple Sugar Makers on how maple syrup is made, and the difference between maple syrup grades.

Drizzling maple syrup over a stack of gingerbread pancakes.
Adding maple syrup to a bowl of cookie dough ingredients.

When maple syrup is cold, it'll look nice and thick when you go to pour it, which is certainly when it's the most photogenic.

When serving maple syrup alongside a breakfast dish like the gingerbread pancakes pictured above, it can be nice to warm your maple syrup up a little.

We usually transfer a bit from the bottle into a microwave-safe measuring cup with a spout or a small pitcher. This way you don't have refrigerated syrup cooling down your piping hot breakfast dish.

After opening a container of maple syrup, it should be stored in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it to prevent crystalization. If freezing, thaw it completely before you go to use it again, and be sure to give it a good stir before using it.

Maple cookies on plates with a pitcher of maple syrup alongside.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
  2. Cream together the butter and brown sugar.
  3. Add egg, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix until well blended.
  4. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda, then add to the butter mixture and stir until well combined.
  5. Form dough into 1-inch balls (I like using a #50 scoop), roll in sugar, place on the prepared baking sheets, and flatten slightly.
  6. Bake until lightly golden around the outer edges.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Combining butter and brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer.
Cream butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer.
Placing maple cookie dough balls onto a lined baking sheet.
Arrange the cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet.
Lifting a freshly baked maple cookies off of a baking sheet with a spatula.
Finished cookies will be soft and delicate. Transfer with care!

📌 Tips

These cookies are really easy to put together, but here are a few tips to help you out:

  • Pack your brown sugar by pressing it firmly into the measuring cups.
  • Be sure to scrape down the bowl after mixing the ingredients, and then mix it a little more to make sure everything is well combined.
  • Sift together your dry ingredients. This helps ensure there are no clumps and helps the cookies achieve that light, fluffy texture.
Scraping down the sides of a bowl of maple cookie dough.
Sifting dry ingredients over a bowl of maple cookie batter.
  • Try to get all of your cookie dough portions to be the same size. This will help them bake evenly. If you have one, use a cookie scoop for accurate measurement - I like a #50 for this particular recipe.
  • Flatten the cookie dough balls slightly after they're rolled in sugar. I like pressing down on them with one of the measuring cups I'm already using since it's already in use. It reduces the amount of dishes to clean later!
  • Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a rack to cool fully. They're fairly delicate right out of the oven, so they may tear or break if you try to move them too soon. I love using a collapsible cooling rack with multiple tiers to save space when doing this. It's perfect for a tiny kitchen!
Flattening cookie dough balls on a baking sheet using an empty measuring cup.
Three tiers of cooling racks filled with freshly baked cookies.

🔪 Equipment

You don't need anything fancy to make these cookies! Just some basic kitchen tools, and a few optional items.

  • Oven
  • Baking sheet
  • Silicone baking mats or parchment paper
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • 2 large bowls
  • Sifter
  • Shallow bowl or plate
  • Cookie scoop (optional, I use a #50 scoop for this recipe)
  • Thin spatula, for transferring cookies
  • Cooling racks (optional)
Maple cookies with a few bites taken out.

🥡 Storage recommendations

Once the maple cookies are fully cooled, store them in an airtight container. They will stay soft and fresh for several days.

➡️ FAQ

How to freeze maple cookie dough?

Portion the dough balls out and arrange them on a plate or baking sheet. Pop this into the freezer and let them freeze fully before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag.

Can maple cookie dough be baked from frozen?

Absolutely! Take the frozen dough balls, roll them in sugar, and flatten them on the baking sheet if possible. Baking time will be a little longer than if they weren't frozen, about 10-12 minutes.

Can baked maple cookies be frozen?

These cookies freeze beautifully! Seal them in an airtight container or freezer bag to store.

Maple cookies on plates with a pitcher of maple syrup alongside.

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Homemade Peppermint Whipped Cream

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There's just something cozy and festive about adding a dollop of peppermint whipped cream on top of your favorite wintertime sweets. Just three ingredients and an optional sprinkling of crushed peppermint candies are all you need to make this easy topping recipe.

Peppermint mocha in a mug garnished with chocolate and peppermint candies.

I originally came up with this recipe as a topping for my Gingerbread Pancakes with Peppermint Whipped Cream. The cool peppermint flavor is such a great compliment to the warm spices in that recipe.

Flavored whipped creams like this are also great on top of a cup of hot chocolate. It would pair beautifully with a mug made from my homemade hot chocolate mix, a cozy peppermint mocha, or on top of some spiked hot cocoa.

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❤️ Why we love this recipe

  • Peppermint whipped cream is quick and easy to make.
  • You can prepare this recipe in a bowl with an electric mixer (or a whisk if you want a good arm workout!) or by using a whipped cream dispenser.
  • A sprinkling of crushed candy canes or peppermint candies on top of this homemade whipped cream makes any dish instantly more festive!

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make a batch of homemade peppermint whipped cream (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients set up to make peppermint whipped cream.
  • Heavy cream
  • Granulated sugar
  • Mint extract or peppermint extract - These are very similar, but mint extract has a mix of peppermint and spearmint, whereas peppermint extract is just peppermint.
  • Crushed peppermint candies or candy canes (optional, for garnish)

🥣 How to use a whipped cream dispenser

If making whipped cream at home is something you do often, you may want to consider investing in a whipped cream dispenser.

I used something similar while working at a coffee shop post-college. My husband bought one for me for Christmas a while back, and I had to re-learn how to use it since it had been a while.

So if you find yourself in the same boat, this will hopefully help you learn how to use a whipped cream dispenser at home!

Ingredients ready to make peanut butter maple whipped cream.

All it is, basically, is a container that you pour your ingredients into, then "charge" with nitrous oxide.

You'll need to buy those N2O chargers separately, but your dispenser should come with a charger holder that you'll use to screw it into the top. This punctures the cartridge and releases the gas into your dispenser.

After your dispenser is charged, shake it a few times. Invert the dispenser with the decorating tip facing down, and squeeze the lever to dispense fluffy, delicious whipped cream with minimal effort.

Depending on what brand you buy, you may need to squeeze and release it a few times to get it to dispense.

Each N2O cartridge will charge one batch of whipped cream, so you'll need a new one each time you want to use the dispenser.

You don't have to use all of the whipped cream right away. The dispenser can hang out in the fridge for several days and still be fine.

Pouring ingredients for peanut butter maple whipped cream into a whipped cream dispenser.
Pour your ingredients into the chilled whipped cream dispenser.
Attaching the decorator tip to a whipped cream dispenser.
Attach your desired decorating tip.
Shaking a whipped cream dispenser.
Screw in the N2O charger and shake the dispenser 5-7 times.

Here are a few extra tips for successfully using a whipped cream dispenser:

  • Chill the dispenser well. A cold whipped cream dispenser will make the process go easier. I like to put the base of it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
  • Make sure your ingredients are chilled, too! Whether you're using heavy cream or coconut cream, having the ingredients well chilled is key.
  • Feel free to add additional ingredients to your cream, but stir or whisk them together before adding them to the dispenser. If any of the items are clumpy, they may clog the nozzle.
  • Don't overfill your dispenser. The instructions should tell you what the capacity is, which will ensure there's enough room for the N2O to charge the liquid. My dispenser has a 1-pint (2-cup) capacity.
  • Be sure everything is sealed well before inserting your N2O cartridge.
  • When you're done using the dispenser, invert it over the sink and squeeze the handle until all of the gas has been released before unscrewing the lid.
  • Clean the nozzles well to ensure there are no obstructions when trying to dispense future batches of whipped cream.
Whipped cream dispenser with a small bowl of whipped cream dispensed in a bowl.
Topping a peanut butter banana milkshake with whipped cream.

There are lots of fun things that you can do when making homemade whipped cream. Try a basic batch first, and then branch out and see what you can come up with!

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Add the heavy cream, sugar, and peppermint extract to a large bowl.
  2. Beat until firm peaks form. Alternatively, you can use a whipped cream dispenser to prepare this more quickly.
  3. Dollop the peppermint whipped cream on top of your favorite breakfast, dessert, or beverage and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies, if desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Pouring heavy cream into a bowl.
Pour heavy cream into a chilled bowl.
Adding sugar to a bowl of heavy cream.
Add granulated sugar.
Adding peppermint extract to a bowl of heavy cream and sugar.
Pour in peppermint extract (or mint extract).

You can whip the cream using whatever kitchen tools you have/prefer. A regular whisk and a bowl will work just fine, but it's quite an arm workout to get the cream whipped by hand.

A handheld electric mixer (like what's pictured in this post) is super easy to use and will help get your cream whipped really quickly. You can also use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.

Using a hand mixer to whip cream in a bowl.
Start with cold ingredients and tools.
Using a hand mixer to whip cream in a bowl.
Whip until it reaches your desired consistency.

See the box above for tips on using a whipped cream dispenser. If you make whipped cream often, it may be something you want to consider purchasing.

It does the job quickly and comes with different tips so you can add some extra flair and precision to your whipped toppings.

Hand mixer being lifted out of a bowl of whipped cream to show soft peaks.
Lift the beaters out to check on your whipped cream's peaks.
Hand mixer being lifted out of a bowl of whipped cream to show soft peaks.
Invert your beaters and if the shape holds, you're good to go!

📌 Tips

This recipe is really easy to make, but there's a little something extra that you can do that will set you up for success.

Chill, chill, chill. 🧊

Make sure your heavy cream is nice and cold. Keep it in the fridge until you start preparing the whipped cream.

You can also chill your bowl and beaters or whisk. This will keep the cream cold for longer as you're working with it, enabling you to achieve your firm peaks more quickly.

Adding a dollop of peppermint whipped cream to a stack of gingerbread pancakes.
Adding a dollop of peppermint whipped cream to a stack of gingerbread pancakes.

I like using a meat tenderizer to crush up peppermint candies right in their wrappers. You could also use a rolling pin or heavy-bottomed skillet to do your crushing.

If you're using candy canes, you can unwrap them and place them in a zip-top plastic bag. Almost fully seal the bag and crush them in the same way described above.

Crushing peppermint candies with a meat tenderizer.
A meat tenderizer works well for crushing peppermint candies.
Crushing peppermint candies with a meat tenderizer.
Collect crushed candy in a bowl to make garnishing easier.
Sprinkling crushed peppermint candies onto a stack of gingerbread pancakes.
Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy for a colorful topping!

Go gentle when you're breaking them up, as the pieces can easily go flying around if you hit them with more force. I find it easiest to unwrap them over a small bowl to collect my crushed candy.

💡 Ways to use peppermint whipped cream

These are my favorite dishes to serve topped with peppermint whipped cream:

🍴 Variations

If the idea of flavored whipped cream excites you, check out the peanut butter whipped cream that I shared with a peanut butter banana milkshake with bacon post a while back. Talk about a luxurious garnish!

🔪 Equipment

You don't need much to make this recipe. Just a few common kitchen tools:

  • Large bowl
  • Electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer or whipped cream dispenser)
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or heavy-bottomed skillet and a plastic bag (optional, for crushing peppermints)

➡️ FAQ

Can you make whipped cream in advance?

Whipped cream can be made in advance and stored in a closed container in the refrigerator. It does tend to get a little watery if it sits in there for too long, so you may need to re-whip it a bit to get it nice and fluffy again.

What if I over-whip the whipped cream?

Mix in a little more heavy cream to help thin out over-whipped cream.

Does whipped cream freeze well?

Yes! Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place dollops of whipped cream (or pipe it for prettier shapes) and freeze until firm, preferably overnight. Transfer to an airtight container and you have an individual whipped cream topper ready whenever you want it!

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Big Flavors 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

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The holidays have crept up again, and I for one do not feel ready. These last few months have been a big ol' blur. But luckily I keep a list going all year long to help me figure out what gifts I want to buy for the handful of people I shop for each year.

And also maybe a few gifts for myself. Because let's be real... we all deserve to treat ourselves, too.

Text that reads, "Big Flavors 2023 Holiday Gift Guide".

I've put together lots of gift guides over the years. Some are themed, like these white elephant funny gifts for foodies or the year I shared three different "shop small" guides to help highlight and support small businesses (part 1, part 2, part 3).

I stand by my recommendations from previous years, but I always enjoy adding some fresh products into the mix. This year's gift guide features a variety of kitchen tools and gadgets I've been loving lately, as well as one of my favorite local businesses.

Buckle up and let's get this sleigh ride going!

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☕️ Freshly Roasted Small Batch Coffee Beans

If you follow me on Instagram, you're well aware of my love for coffee. I start almost every morning by making a pour over with freshly ground coffee beans. One of the biggest game-changers in my home coffee game has been sourcing my beans from a roaster right here in my hometown of Ossining, New York.

Bag of coffee beans.

Here Coffee + Beer opened a little over a year ago right next to the Ossining train station. I was over the moon to find out that a roaster would be so close to home, and the beans from this place have never been anything short of swoon-worthy!

The coffee beans at Here are meticulously sourced for quality as well as environmental and social responsibility.  They're freshly roasted in small batches and immediately packaged to ensure optimum freshness.

They have a rotating selection of beans, but there are a few staples that are always on the roster including one of my favorites, and their flagship blend, The River That Flows Two Ways.

Here Coffee: Ethiopia Djimma
Ethiopia Djimma Gera Estate Anaerobic Natural
Here Coffee: The River That Flows Two Ways
The River That Flows Two Ways
Here Coffee: El Salvador Santa Ana
El Salvador Santa Ana Finca Rumania Natural

For locals, you can find delicious baked goods, daily sandwich specials, a fantastic charcuterie selection, and a slew of homemade syrups and flavorings for your favorite caffeinated beverages.

Here also has a collection of curated specialty beers from around the world, including some of the Hudson Valley's most revered. They have a well-stocked fridge of cans and bottles of beer and wine, along with some non-alcoholic options, and a rotating draft beer selection.

They even host live music and other special events often. It truly is my happy place!

Pouring milk from a pitcher into a glass of homemade cold brew coffee.

Whether you're stocking up on coffee beans to brew first thing in the morning, making your own cold brew coffee, or you're a local looking to spend some time at a coffee shop run by a really rad group of humans, I hope you'll give Here Coffee + Beer a try.

Special Promo for Big Flavors Readers

For locals, mention the Big Flavors gift guide when visiting Here Coffee + Beer in person to get 5% off whole-bean coffee, beer (draft or package), or on-premises wine pours.

Online orders get free shipping by using discount code BIGFLAVORS at checkout. Their shop page has LOTS of delicious options.

Promos are good through January 31, 2024.

Thanks so much to Dylan and Stacey for extending these specials. I'm so glad to have you in Ossining and can't wait to see what the future brings.

Happy caffeinating!

🎁 Curated Gift Box Assortments

One of my favorite humans out on the West Coast recently launched Our Favorite Things - a one-stop shop for gorgeously curated gift boxes.

Paloma has always been a next-level holiday enthusiast and gift-giving rockstar. I love that she has channeled her energy into building thoughtful and downright gorgeous gift assortments for those of us who don't necessarily have the time or energy to do it on our own.

Gift assortment food and self-care items.

There are lots of different gift packages to choose from, or you can get in touch with their team for custom gift packages.

You can also shop by the type of greeting card you'd like to include and build out your assortment from there. Our Favorite Things takes the heavy lifting of item selection off your plate, but they still let you choose a few things, such as the scent of a candle or room spray or the type of chocolate included.

Gift box.
Gift box tied with a ribbon.

The gift boxes are packed with care, ensuring they'll arrive just as beautifully as the day they were wrapped. I couldn't get over the perfect white bow and magnetic closure keeping my treats secure.

Each item in the assortment that I received has seriously exceeded my expectations. The quality of the products is top-notch, and I appreciate the thought that was put into selecting each artisan.

Even the greeting card included in my gift box was thoughtful - it's a plantable card, so I'll be able to grow some flowers with it once we get past winter here in New York.

Gift box full of assorted food and self-care items.

You can check out the vendors that Our Favorite Things works with over on their vendor highlights page.

"By purchasing from Our Favorite Things, you're directly supporting the livelihoods of small business owners and the charitable missions of the few larger companies we elect to work with."

Check them out for all your gifting needs. Current assortments include Holiday, Christmas, Hannukkah, new baby, thank you, pampering, and lots more!

Congrats again on the launch of your shop, Paloma. I'm so proud of you, friend!!

💃🏻 Make Your Own Churros Fiesta in a Box

I was at a conference in Brooklyn a few months ago when I discovered a make-your-own churro kit from San Diablo Churros. The smell of the churros lured me in, and the taste, presentation, and friendliness of the crew that was doing the demo kept me there.

Churro making kit in a box.

The churro kit comes with everything you need to make churros at home. They call it a fiesta in a box and I can see why!

There are a few different ways you can buy your churro-making kit. You can get the whole fiesta kit that includes the churro maker, churro mix (just add water!), 9 differently shaped interchangeable nozzles, a cinnamon sugar shaker, and a bottle of dulce de leche to fill your churros.

It also comes with some little pitchfork utensils to eat your churros and some cute accessories, all in the angel-devil theme.

Holding a churro filled with dulce de leche.

My favorite thing about this kit, other than the super cute branding, is that the churros can be deep-fried OR air-fried! I haven't tried making them in my air fryer yet, but I will be soon and will report back for sure.

The San Diablo Churros website also sells the churro-making gadget separately, as well as a variety of bottles of fillings and signature cinnamon sugars.

You can also order just the churro mix (again, just add water!), or a pack with churro mix, dulce de leche, and cinnamon sugar.

Churro making kit in a box.

I love how easy San Diablo Churros has made it to enjoy some seriously delicious churros at home. They include an e-book of recipes, pro tips, and video tutorials with step-by-step instructions, including gluten-free and vegan recipes.

This is a really fun gift that's guaranteed to bring the holidays to the next level.

Special Promo for Big Flavors Readers

San Diablo Churros is offering Big Flavors readers 40% off of EVERYTHING on their website through December 31, 2023. Use my affiliate link and be sure to enter code BIGFLAVORS at checkout.

🌎 Perfect Pour Over Set (No Paper Filters Needed!)

We've already established that I'm quite a fan of good coffee. I love making a pour over for myself every morning. There's just something calming and meditative about swirling the water to make a perfect cup (or 3).

Pour over coffee brewing set.

I've been using a glass carafe pour over setup, combined with a coffee sock (reusable filter) for several years now. And then a few months ago I came across this Classic Perfect-brew Pour Over Set from Stanley and I've been obsessed ever since!

It comes in several colors - I went with matte black. I love that it includes an easy-to-clean stainless steel filter so you don't need to bother with the paper ones. I'm passionate about reducing and minimizing kitchen waste, and I love how eco-friendly this option is.

Pour over coffee brewing set.

The pour over top can hold up to 20 ounces, which is larger than the other one that I have. Truthfully, I tend to use the top with a coffee sock instead of the metal filter over my glass carafe most mornings.

I've found that the steel filter does a great job but there does tend to be a little layer of sediment at the bottom. If you don't mind that, then you're all set with this kit!

Pour over coffee brewing set.

This set will come in handy big time when I travel. I'll just pack it all up together in case wherever I'm staying doesn't have a good coffee setup. Because yes, I do tend to grind some beans before I leave home to keep me covered when I travel juuuuust in case.

I do love the mug that this came with. It's a stainless steel 12-ounce camp mug with a lid that keeps my coffee nice and hot for a looooong time. What can I say? I like to savor my coffee.

Large black insulated cup with handle and straw.

You may already be familiar with Stanley because of their Flowstate Tumblers. I had heard the hype for a while and didn't necessarily believe it, but maaaan do I love mine!

I got the 40-ounce in black gloss deco and it's been a game-changer for this water lover. The tapered base means it's able to fit in my car's cupholder, and that wins big bonus points from me.

The tumbler is double-walled and keeps drinks cold for hours. The lid has 3 different positions: a straw opening designed to resist splashes while holding the reusable straw in place, a drinking option, and a full-cover top.

It can be used for hot beverages also but I've used it strictly for water since I got mine. There are lots of other designs and sizes available if this type of thing is up your alley.

🌡️ Favorite Digital Thermometers

An instant-read thermometer is one of the best tools you can have in your kitchen. Whether you want to check the doneness of your roast chicken, monitor your Thanksgiving turkey, or keep tabs on your homemade yogurt's cooking process, a good thermometer is key.

I've known about ThermoWorks for several years but hadn't taken the splurge to these super reliable tools until this year.

Digital instant-read thermometer.
Digital instant-read thermometer.
Digital instant-read thermometer.

Let's start with the Thermapen® ONE. This beauty comes in lots of color options so it can match any kitchen. I picked orange because it matches my brand and logo.

I opted to also get a silicone cover for mine because it has a magnet on the back, so I can stick it right on my refrigerator. It also glows in the dark, which would come in handy if you're grilling at night and need to go check the temp quickly.

The Thermapen® ONE was such a nice upgrade from my previous instant-read thermometer. There are a lot of subtle things that really make it worth the extra money.

First of all, the temperature readings come in one second or less. That means less time that you need to have your oven or grill open and a super quick gauge on if your item is close to being done.

Digital instant-read thermometer.

I also love that the display rotates, so you can take temperature readings from lots of different angles and the display is always facing "up". There is an automatic backlight and the light sensor is sensitive to changes in ambient lighting conditions.

It also goes into sleep mode if it's sitting and you aren't actively using it, which is nice because the screen doesn't stay on, draining the battery, until you probe something again. With my old thermometer, I'd have to constantly clean off and close the probe to keep it from staying on until I was done using it for my cooking session.

Digital multi-probe bbq thermometer.

Next up is the Signals™ BBQ Alarm Thermometer with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® Wireless Technology. This multi-probe thermometer is awesome for monitoring either multiple items that you're cooking at the same time, or something like roast turkey where you want to monitor the white and dark meat to prevent overcooking.

We used this on Thanksgiving this year and it made all the difference! I've used dual-probe thermometers in the past but none of them have held up well, and they tended to glitch out on me.

Digital multi-probe bbq thermometer.

With Signals, you get four probes, and you can set high/low alarms for each one individually. You don't have to use all four, but they're there if you want to. There are also color-coded silicone rings so you can make sure you know which probe is in which item.

It comes with an app that is super easy to set up, and there are lots of great customizations you can make. You can label each probe separately, set the color so you know which one it's referencing, and set high and low alarms to get notified if you're temperature is dropping too low or approaching your desired doneness level.

You can also name your device, which is adorable. I just put my last name on mine for now, but I'm absolutely open to fun name suggestions!

Screenshot meat temperature graph from a probe thermometer.
Screenshot meat temperature graph from a probe thermometer.

Within the app you can also see a graph of temperatures over your cook time. There's a place for notes as well, and you can go back and reference the notes at a later date if you plan to make the same thing again and want to take a look back at your last cooking session.

This thing seriously has a lot of fun features, and I'm excited to play with it more in the future. It comes with 3 high-temp cooking probes, 1 high-temp air probe, and a grate clip, which comes in handy if you're using it in a grill or smoker.

You can use the app over Bluetooth or wi-fi, which means you don't have to be RIGHT next to the base to check on temperature readings. This is huge, especially for longer cooks like brisket.

🚊 Spill-proof Commuter Mugs

I've been a fan of Corkcicle for many, many years now. Their Whiskey Wedge Ice Wedge Whiskey Glass is one of my all-time favorite pieces of barware. I've also been super into their double-walled stemless flute glasses. The little contoured part where

This past October I checked out the Corkcicle pop-up booth in Rockefeller Center. They're set up there through January 10, 2024. It's a great location - you can watch the ice skaters, check out the holiday decorations, and get some good NYC people-watching in.

Corkcicle pop-up booth at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Corkcicle pop-up booth at Rockefeller Center in New York City.

The pop-up has some exclusive designs for sale, including my favorite Commuter Cup with the adorable New York City 2023 holiday logo. I picked up one of them at the pop-up and immediately bought 2 more after I tried it out. I love them so much!

The Commuter Cup comes in 17-ounce and 9-ounce sizes with a variety of design options. I bought The Mandalorian™ one for my husband and a smaller one in Nebula for when we want a smaller coffee on-the-go. That one is also the perfect size for my son!

Three insulated mugs with various designs and lids.
Trio of Corkcicle Commuter Cups

These mugs seriously impressed me! They're perfect for people who are on the go. My husband doesn't commute to NYC daily anymore, but when he did, there were a few incidents with leaky mugs.

I tested out the Commuter Mug's no-spill claims by filling it up, popping the lid closed, and turning it upside down. ZERO leaks! I was super impressed.

I love how easy the lid is to pop up/down to seal it or drink from it. The design of the 360° Sip Lid lets you sip from anywhere around the top, so you don't have to search for the opening. It's the little things that add up for a superior design here.

Pressing down on the lid of a New York City themed insulated travel coffee cup.
360° Sip Lid
Pressing down on the lid of a New York City themed insulated travel coffee cup.
Press to lower the lid for easy sipping

My family has been using these mugs daily, and we really love them! We mostly use them for coffee and tea, and they keep them hot for 5 hours. They also keep cold beverages chilled for 18 hours.

The mugs are made from insulated stainless steel that's ceramic-coated, which has made it a lot easier to clean than a lot of other travel mugs I've owned. They're also top-rack dishwasher safe.

Mandolorian themed insulated travel coffee cup.
Star Wars™ Commuter Cup
Insulated plaid patterned coffee mug with lid.
Holiday Coffee Mug

I've been super happy with all of the Corkcicle products I've owned. They have lots of creative and innovative items for both home and travel.

The holiday coffee mug was also from the NYC pop-up I went to, and does a great job of keeping my coffee piping hot. It comes in the buffalo plaid red that I have and also a peppermint plaid that's white and green with a little bit of red.

Special Promo for Big Flavors Readers

Be sure to use my link and enter code BIGFLAVORS10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase!

🧊 Portioned Freezable Silicone Food Storage Trays

I've been using Souper Cubes for a few years now. They're the perfect way to portion and freeze items in the kitchen. They come in a variety of sizes and are really easy to use and clean.

Portioned silicone freezer tray with lid.

Using Souper Cubes has totally changed the way I save and freeze a lot of leftovers. The size I bought has ½-cup and 1-cup markings inside so you can be sure to portion things out equally if desired.

Initially, I was just using this for things like extra chicken stock, leftover beef stew, pasta sauce, or chili, but it's come in handy for SO many more things over the years!

Portioned silicone freezer tray filled with various food.
Portioned silicone freezer tray filled with various food.

After last year's Thanksgiving dinner, I froze some of my Instant Pot Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Bourbon in 1-cup portions, and it worked out beautifully! When this year's holiday meal rolled around, I knew I wanted to freeze even more leftovers in them.

The photo above shows one tray holding some of the turkey bone broth I made from our roast turkey bones, two portions of Instant Pot mashed potatoes, and our favorite turkey gravy.

The tight-fitting lid keeps the contents of the cubes from getting freezer-burnt, but I usually transfer them to freezer bags and vacuum-seal them to keep them fresh for even longer.

Portioned silicone freezer tray with lid.

Once the items are frozen, they come out of the silicone tray super easily. I really love the ease of use and cleaning, and the ability to perfectly portion things. It comes in handy to have exactly one portion of soup, half a cup of pasta sauce, etc. ready to go when you need it.

Plus, it's yet another way to reduce kitchen waste, and I'm allllll about that.

🧽 Eco-Friendly Kitchen Goods

I'm always trying to find new ways to be more sustainable at home, especially when it comes to reducing kitchen waste. One of the brands that I absolutely love when it comes to low-waste, reusable kitchen items is Porter Lee's Reusables.

Reusable paper towels and sponge.

I've been using Porter Lee's products for several years now. Aside from the quality of their products, I really enjoy the variety of designs they offer. You can find something to go with any decor that you have going on in your house.

Reusable sponge.

My entry into Porter Lee's product lineup was the washable reusable sponge. I picked one up from a local bookstore that has a table full of low- and zero-waste household goods. I had previously only used the yellow and green scrubby sponges from the grocery store.

These "Unsponges" are made from 100% white cotton terry cloth on one side and 100% cotton flannel with a polyester mesh layer on the other side, giving a soft side and a scrubby side.

Reusable sponge.

They're filled with 1" thick, mildew-resistant, washable, hypoallergenic foam made from recycled materials. You can machine wash them in the washing machine or dishwasher and tumble dry on low or air dry.

If you make sure to squeeze them out well after each use, they won't likely get funky too often. When it's humid, they tend to need to be cleaned a little more often in my experience.

We tend to wet the sponge and microwave it for 3 minutes to help kill any funkiness whenever it needs it.

New and old reusable sponges side-by-side.

We usually buy a few of these per year. They last a really long time, even with daily use. The above photo shows a new one versus one we've been using for a long time.

It has some cosmetic damage and is about ready to be replaced. But it can handle a LOT of loads of dishes!

Reusable paper towels.
Reusable paper towels.

I've used "unpaper towels" for years now, and they made a huge difference when it comes to the amount of paper waste coming out of my kitchen. I do still use regular paper towels for a few things, like when I need to pat raw meat dry, but for the most part I use these reusable ones.

What I like about Porter Lee's compared to others I've tried is that they don't have any snaps or other plastic accessories that are used to keep them together on the roll.

Reusable paper towels.

They're made from flannel and can be rolled right onto a roll on your paper towel holder. I also bought a reusable kraft tube to make rolling them up easy.

The other reusable cleaning product I've bought from Porter Lee's that would also make a great stocking stuffer is a set of reusable mop covers. These are a great alternative to the disposable ones that come with a lot of housekeeping items.

Aside from kitchen items, they also have several beauty and personal care reusables like reusable face rounds and reusable cloth wipes. Can't decide on just one item? Check out the Sustainable Seasons Greetings Gift Box or the Eco Extravaganza Gift Box, perfect for the sustainability enthusiasts in your life.

There is such a fun variety of patterns available, and their customer service is always super friendly. I applaud their passion for sustainability and am so glad to have discovered their products!

🥛 Plant-based Milk Maker

Do you drink plant-based milk? There are lots of brands and varieties out there, with various price points.

But did you know that it's easy to make your own plant milks at home? And it's incredibly easy to do!

Plant-based beverage maker.

The Soyabella makes quick work of making milk from a variety of different items. I love that the Soyabella allows you to make a variety of plant-based milks while knowing exactly what the ingredients are. No additives, preservatives, or unpronounceable ingredients unless YOU add them.

Not only is this great for people, like me, who have a member of the household who has lactose intolerance, but it's also a great way to encourage more economical beverage options at home.

Plant-based beverage maker.

I most often use my Soyabella to make raw almond milk, but I've also made oat milk and cashew milk. It's really easy to use, and you can make raw plant-based milk from soaked nuts, seeds, grains, and beans in just seconds. It grinds and processes everything for you.

You can also opt to use the heated process, which will grind and process the ingredients in as little as 15 minutes.

Mesh screen for a plant-based beverage maker.
Plant-based beverage maker.

The model that I have also came with a tofu-making kit, which enables you to make homemade tofu from your soy milk. I haven't tried that part out yet, but I do plan to give it a go.

Special Promo for Big Flavors Readers

Be sure to use my link and use promo code TINYKITCHEN15 at checkout for 15% off of your purchase through January 31, 2024.

However you're celebrating, I hope this holiday season treats you well!

Best Classic Italian Tiramisu

by 10 Comments

Why choose between coffee and dessert when you can have BOTH? This recipe for the best classic Italian tiramisu is easy to make in advance and holds up well in the refrigerator for several days, making it perfect for dinner parties. This decadent, creamy dessert has been getting rave reviews for years!

Homemade tiramisu in a serving dish with plates and forks for serving.

I've been making this homemade tiramisu recipe for well over a decade now. It's one that always impresses my dinner party guests, and it's deceivingly simple to make.

Some other make-ahead dinner party recipes that fall into this category are my Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake and my all-time favorite Rhubarb Custard Pie.

Read on to learn how to make what is seriously the best tiramisu!

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Plates of tiramisu with forks.

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It packs a ton of flavor with just a few ingredients.
  • The ladyfingers are soaked in espresso or coffee and melt in your mouth with every bite.
  • Make-ahead desserts like this are perfect for alleviating the stress that can come from entertaining.
  • Tiramisu is a great way to have dessert and coffee, all at once! You can also opt to use decaf if you don't want to get an extra dose of caffeine.
  • This recipe comes together quickly and holds up well as leftovers for days.
  • It's easily scaled up - you can make it in a larger container to serve a crowd!

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make your new favorite tiramisu (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Ingredients laid out to make homemade tiramisu.
  • Espresso or strongly brewed coffee - you can even use instant espresso to help make things easier here in a pinch.
  • Eggs
  • Granulated sugar
  • 16 ounces mascarpone
  • Marsala wine - this is optional but it adds a nice richness to the mascarpone mixture.
  • Ladyfingers - also known as savoiardi, a delicate sponge cookie that gets quickly tossed in coffee before being layered in the tiramisu.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish. This is optional but makes for a classic presentation. You could also use chocolate shavings or a few chocolate-covered espresso beans.

🤎 Ingredient spotlight: ladyfingers

This recipe calls for ladyfingers which can sometimes be a little tricky to find. They can be found in many grocery stores and specialty markets in the baking aisle.

Ladyfingers are also sometimes seen labeled savoiardi, boudoirs, or sponge fingers.

If you have an aisle with French or Italian products in your local market, you can sometimes find them there. Here in New York, many Italian-owned delis sell packages of ladyfingers along with other imported dry goods and pantry items.

Ladyfinger cookie getting ready to be dipped into coffee for tiramisu.

Ladyfingers are cookies that are piped into long shapes, similar to, well... lady's fingers. They're usually dusted with powdered sugar before baking, giving the top a bit of a crystallized texture.

The batter used to make ladyfingers is light and airy. The texture of a baked ladyfinger is very delicate, meaning the cookie can break fairly easily.

Ladyfingers soak up liquids quickly and are often used in layered desserts like trifles and tiramisu.

Digging a serving spoon into a dish of homemade tiramisu.

🥣 Substitutions

We love a classic tiramisu but feel free to experiment with swapping out some ingredients or adding things to suit your preferences.

A few ideas are:

  • Swap out the ladyfingers for Italian amaretti cookies. These almond cookies would make a fun twist on the usual texture and flavor here. You could even crush some of them on top right before serving for a little added texture.
  • If you love banana pudding, try substituting vanilla wafers for the ladyfingers.
  • Change up the flavor profile a bit by using Kahlua or other coffee liqueur instead of Marsala.
Egg whites being beat to soft peaks with an electric hand mixer.
Beat the egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form.
Adding mascarpone into a bowl of egg yolk mixture for tiramisu.
Add mascarpone to the egg yolk mixture.
Beating tiramisu ingredients together in a bowl with an electric hand mixer.
Beat in mascarpone and Marsala wine.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Beat the egg whites with some of the sugar until soft peaks form.
  2. Beat the egg yolks with sugar, then incorporate the mascarpone and Marsala wine.
  3. Gently fold the egg white mixture into the mascarpone mixture.
  4. Dip ladyfingers into room temperature coffee or espresso, one at a time, and layer into a serving dish. Top with ⅓ of the mascarpone mixture, then repeat two more times until you have 3 layers of each.
  5. Dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Dipping a ladyfinger into a bowl of coffee for tiramisu.
Quickly coat ladyfingers in coffee and layer into a casserole dish.
Layering coffee-soaked ladyfingers over a mascarpone mixture for tiramisu.
Form a single layer of soaked cookies, breaking them up if needed.
Layering a mascarpone mixture over coffee-soaked ladyfingers for tiramisu.
Alternate 3 layers each of the ladyfingers and the mascarpone mixture.

📌 Tips

If you want to use individual shots of Feel free to pull individual shots of espresso for this recipe. You'll need about 12 shots to make the cup and a half that you'll need to be able to soak all the ladyfingers for this tiramisu.

I prefer to brew some strong coffee instead. It's less work and the taste is spot on. I've even used instant espresso granules in a pinch, and that's worked out just fine.

You only need 2 of the 3 egg whites for this recipe. Feel free to reserve the extra egg white in a sealed container in your refrigerator to use within a few days. You can add it to other eggs when making scrambled eggs or omelets, in an egg wash to glaze bread or pastries, in homemade mayonnaise, or in delicious French macarons. You can even freeze egg whites for later use.

Dusting the top of a tiramisu with cocoa powder.
Dust the top of the tiramisu with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Placing a lid on a dish of homemade tiramisu.
Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Years ago, I didn't have a small sifter, so I filled a tea ball with cocoa powder and it worked out beautifully for dusting the top of my tiramisu. Ha!

💡 Main course ideas to serve with tiramisu

Tiramisu is a great way to end many meals. Typically we crave it after an Italian dinner, often with a batch of easy homemade garlic bread. Some recipes we often enjoy with tiramisu include:

🥡 Storage recommendations

Tiramisu holds up well in the refrigerator for several days. Make sure it's tightly covered. If you've scooped some portions out, you may find a bit of coffee liquid at the bottom of the empty spots in your serving dish. That's totally fine!

I haven't tested out freezing this tiramisu recipe yet, but I'll be sure to update this post with the results and my recommendations when I do.

Plate with a fork holding a bite of tiramisu.

🍽️ More Italian dessert recipes

Marrying into an Italian family really enhanced my appreciation of Italian cuisine. If you enjoy this tiramisu recipe, here are some more of our favorite Italian dessert recipes to try:

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Gingerbread Pancakes with Peppermint Whipped Cream

by 5 Comments

Bring the flavors of the holidays to your breakfast table with this easy, winter-inspired gingerbread pancake recipe. A decadent, delicious way to start the day, complete with homemade peppermint whipped cream. Sure to become a family favorite!

2 plates of gingerbread pancakes topped with whipped cream & peppermint.

It's no secret that I love to put a fun spin on a pancake breakfast. Homemade pancakes are super simple and easy to dress up in endless ways to satisfy any craving!

Whether you're in the mood for basic fluffy homemade buttermilk pancakes or something more creative (like these birthday cake confetti pancakes with sprinkles, or these mocha chip pancakes), I've got you covered!

I've been making these gingerbread pancakes, along with the accompanying peppermint whipped cream, with my virtual cooking classes for several years now. They're always a HUGE hit with kids and grown-ups alike!

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Drizzling maple syrup over a stack of gingerbread pancakes.

🧡 Why we love this gingerbread pancake recipe

  • It's festive - perfect for holiday breakfast or brunch.
  • Kids can help make it! Pancakes are a perfect way to get kids involved in the kitchen.
  • The peppermint whipped cream is the perfect complement to the warm gingerbread spices and molasses.
  • Any time you get to crush up some candy to go on top of a meal, it's a good time!
  • This is basically an excuse to eat gingerbread for breakfast. Santa would absolutely approve!
Bowls of ingredients laid out and ready to make gingerbread pancakes.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these festive pancakes (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Fine-grain salt
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground cloves
  • Ground allspice
  • Ground mace
  • Ground ginger
  • Unsalted butter - for the pancake mix, plus extra for the griddle
  • Buttermilk - be sure to shake it in the container before measuring!
  • Eggs
  • Molasses - I usually use one labeled "original - unsulphured" NOT blackstrap molasses. Here's a great article all about molasses from Southern Living.
  • Vanilla extract

Note that the spice mix for the pancakes is flexible. If you don't have ones like mace or allspice, no need to go buy them. Your pancakes will still have plenty of flavor from the other spices.

Pouring granulated sugar into a bowl of flour.
Add dry ingredients to a bowl.
Adding ground nutmeg to a bowl of dry pancake ingredients.
Don't worry if you don't have all of the spices listed!
Whisking together the dry ingredients for gingerbread pancakes.
Whisk dry ingredients together to combine.

🥣 Ingredient Spotlight: Baking Powder

Baking powder increases the volume of baked goods, creating a nice rise and light, fluffy texture.

In most cases, recipes that call for baking powder refer to double-acting baking powder, though there are some instances when single-acting baking powder is used.

Please note that many brands of baking powder contain aluminum, which can cause a metallic or bitter taste, especially when used in larger quantities.

I recommend using brands that are specifically marked aluminum-free. Some of my favorites are Rumford and Bob's Red Mill.

Popping the yolks of eggs in a mixing bowl with a whisk.
Pop the egg yolks first to make whisking easier.
Pouring buttermilk into a bowl of beaten eggs.
Remember to shake the buttermilk before measuring.
Pouring molasses into a bowl of wet ingredients for a gingerbread pancake recipe.
Use regular molasses, not blackstrap.

✅ How to make this recipe

These festive pancakes come together pretty easily. Just follow a few steps:

  1. Preheat a griddle (or nonstick skillet) over medium heat (or 375°F).
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Melt butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. (You can also do this in a small saucepan on the stovetop if desired.)
  4. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (or vice versa) and stir to combine, being careful not to overmix.
  6. Cook the batter onto a preheated, buttered griddle until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Serve pancakes with maple syrup, peppermint whipped cream, and crushed peppermint candies (or candy canes) as desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Whisking together the wet ingredients for a gingerbread pancake recipe in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients together.
Wet ingredients whisked together in a bowl for gingerbread pancakes.
Whisk until well combined.

📌 Tips

One of my favorite things about making pancakes is that they tell you when they're ready to be flipped.

You'll notice that small bubbles will form on the surface of your pancakes as they cook. Once those bubbles pop, that's your indicator that it's time to flip.

They should be nice and golden brown. If for some reason they aren't, no worries! You can always flip them back over to continue cooking.

An added benefit of using a measuring cup (or another standardized scoop to portion out your batter) is that they all cook at the same rate.

Of course, skillets and griddles could have hot spots, so certain positions may brown more quickly than others. Patience and a bit of experimentation are key!

I find that the pancakes take less time to cook on the second side than the first and that the second doesn't get quite as brown when it's done.

Pouring the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients for gingerbread pancakes.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients (or vice versa).
Incorporating wet and dry ingredients together in a bowl with a silicone spatula.
Gently stir the wet and dry ingredients together.
Gingerbread pancake batter in a bowl with a silicone spatula holding a scoop of batter.
Don't overmix - the batter will be lumpy and that's OK!

🥣 Tips for measuring flour

When measuring flour, especially for baked goods, pancakes, and waffles, I recommend using the "scoop and sweep" method to ensure proper measurements.

Use a spoon to scoop flour from your container into the measuring cups, being sure to overfill them a bit. Then, sweep across the top to level it off before adding to your recipe.

Pouring flour into a measuring cup.
Pour flour from the scoop into the measuring cup.
Pouring flour into a measuring cup.
Overfill the measuring cup.

You can sweep with the back of a knife, the handle of a spoon or spatula, or even your finger (hey, clean hands are great kitchen tools!).

Try to avoid plunging the measuring cup into your container of flour and compressing it against the side of the container when measuring. This will pack more flour into each cup and could negatively impact the final texture of your baked goods.

Leveling off a measuring cup full of flour.
Use a flat edge to sweep across and level off the measuring cup.
Leveling off a measuring cup full of flour.
Once you've scooped and swept, your measurement is ready!

💡 What to serve with gingerbread pancakes

These pancakes are great all by themselves, and pretty filling. You can for sure dress them up with some fun toppings and/or sides.

We like these pancakes served with some peppermint whipped cream, crushed candy canes or peppermint candies, and maple syrup. A dusting of powdered sugar would be nice. Regular whipped cream would be a fun addition, too.

Mini marshmallows and a drizzle of melted white chocolate could be a fun alternative to the whipped cream and mint combo.

As far as sides go, these pancakes would be fantastic with homemade breakfast sausage patties or oven-baked bacon. I love a sweet and salty moment!

Sprinkling crushed peppermint candies onto a stack of gingerbread pancakes.
Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy for a colorful topping!

🔪 Equipment

You don't need a ton of special equipment to make these gingerbread cake pancakes. I usually cook ours on our Griddler, which we've had for a million years and it still gets a lot of use (especially for breakfast foods!).

  • Griddle or large nonstick skillet
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Medium bowl
  • Large bowl
  • Small microwave-safe bowl and microwave OR a small saucepan and stovetop
  • Whisk
  • Flexible spatula or spoon
  • Spatula or turner for flipping pancakes
  • Sheet pan and wire rack (optional) if keeping pancakes warm in the oven

Two plates of gingerbread pancakes topped with peppermint whipped cream, crushed peppermint candies, and maple syrup.

🥡 Additional tips and storage recommendations

If you'd like to serve your pancakes all at once, you may want to keep them warm while you finish cooking the rest. If you have a super large griddle, you won't need this tip, but most of us will likely have to work in batches.

When you start cooking, place a baking sheet in your oven and set it to "keep warm" or whatever the lowest temperature setting is. If you have a wire baking rack, be sure to put that on the sheet pan, too, as this will allow the heat to go fully around your pancakes.

As your pancakes finish cooking, transfer them from the griddle or skillet onto the tray in the warm oven. Keep them there while you cook, so they stay nice and warm until you're ready to serve.

Leftover pancakes can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for several days. You can reheat them in the microwave, on the stovetop, in an air fryer, or in a toaster/toaster oven.

Pancakes freeze really well! My recommendation is to freeze them in a single layer first, then you can stack them and place them into an airtight container. Freezing them separately first will help keep them from sticking together once frozen.

Stack of gingerbread pancakes topped with peppermint whipped cream and crushed peppermint candies.

Still hungry? You may also like...

Close-up of a forkful of birthday cake confetti pancakes.
Birthday Cake Confetti Pancakes with Sprinkle
Brie Waffle Bites on a platter with maple syrup.
Brie Waffle Bites
Overhead view of spinach and cheddar quiche with forks.
Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach
Overhead view of assorted breakfast items displayed on a board.
Epic Brunch Board on a Budget

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

Check out my latest posts...

Easy Homemade Garlic Bread

by 4 Comments

This is the BEST easy homemade garlic bread recipe made with garlic herb butter! Make it in the broiler, oven, or in a skillet on the stovetop.

Overhead view of a baking sheet of golden brown garlic bread with plates of pasta and a chunk of Parmesan cheese alongside.

I am always game for making a quick batch of homemade garlic bread. It's super easy to put together, and I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand.

This garlic bread recipe is also the base for my Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches and a great alternative to my homemade skillet garlic Parmesan bread.

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Homemade garlic bread is so much tastier than the frozen garlic bread you can buy at the supermarket. I often freeze my homemade garlic bread (or even just the garlic butter portion) to enjoy at a later time, too.
  • You can make it with any bread you have on hand! I've used things like baguettes, brioche, sourdough, sandwich rolls, and even hot dog buns.
  • It's easily made dairy-free and vegan by using a plant-based butter alternative.
  • Garlic bread is the perfect side dish for so many meals!
  • You can cook this recipe in a variety of ways! I usually use the broiler, but it works equally well in the oven on the highest temperature, or in a skillet.
Overhead view of ingredients ready to make homemade garlic bread.

📝 Ingredients

You only need a few ingredients to make this homemade garlic bread (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Bread
  • Unsalted butter
  • Dried parsley
  • Garlic powder
  • Kosher salt

🔪 Featured kitchen tool: serrated knife

For this recipe, I recommend using a serrated knife. Serrated knives (also sometimes called bread knives) come in handy for a lot of different kitchen tasks.

The blade of a serrated knife is jagged with "teeth" that allow you to cut through things in a sawing motion instead of pressing straight down. This comes in handy for delicate and soft items like bread.

A serrated knife is also great for cutting things like tomatoes nice and thin. Anything that may "squish" easily can be cut more easily with a serrated blade.

When cutting with a serrated knife, don't press down too hard on the item you're cutting. Be sure to use a sawing motion, back and forth, with the knife, applying gentle pressure, when cutting.

Serrated knives come in handy for slicing things like bread for garlic bread or sandwiches, tortilla roll-ups, a baguette for crostini, and super thin slices of tomatoes or onions for your favorite burgers. They also work great for slicing cucumbers and citrus fruit.

Two serrated knives on a cutting board.

Just note that dicing or mincing isn't something that you should do with this type of knife. You want clean cuts through the skin with a regular chef's knife for that.

I personally like a larger bread knife that has an offset handle so you can slice all the way through a loaf of bread without having your knuckles hit the counter. I have one like that and a smaller one with a standard handle.

Overhead view of a tray of garlic bread with some cut into smaller pieces.

🥣 Substitutions and variations

There are lots of ways you can mix up this garlic bread recipe. Here are some suggestions:

  • Want to spice things up a bit? Feel free to add some crushed red pepper flakes or Calabrian chili paste to your butter mixture.
  • Like things cheesy? Grate some Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese into the garlic butter.
  • LOVE garlic? Swap out the garlic powder for some roasted garlic (maybe try it with my slow cooker roasted garlic recipe!).
  • Into pesto? Add a tablespoon or two in with the garlic butter instead of dried herbs and garlic.
  • Forgot to soften your butter? No problem! Feel free to melt it in the microwave or on the stovetop and use a pastry brush to apply it to your bread.
  • Follow a vegan diet? Swap out your favorite non-dairy butter and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Overhead view of a bowl of garlic herb butter with bread in the background.
Add dried parsley, garlic powder, and salt to the softened butter.
Combining ingredients for garlic herb butter in a bowl.
Stir well to combine.
Overhead view of a bowl of garlic herb butter with bread and ingredients alongside.
Garlic butter can be used for more than just garlic bread!

✅ How to make this recipe

I cannot stress enough how easy it is to make this garlic bread! You're just a few steps away from golden brown, garlicky deliciousness.

  1. Preheat your broiler to high heat. Alternatively, you can set your oven to its highest temperature, or heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Cut your bread in half horizontally (if using a whole loaf) or slice into 1-inch thick slices.
  3. Combine your softened butter, dried parsley, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. You can also melt your butter (see notes in the section above).
  4. Slather the cut-side of your bread with a layer of the garlic herb butter and place, buttered-side up, on a baking sheet. If cooking in a skillet, place it into the preheated skillet, butter-side down.
  5. Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on it and rotate your baking sheet if you find that some parts are getting a lot more brown than others.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Spreading garlic herb butter on bread to make garlic bread.
Spread a thin, even layer of garlic butter onto your bread.
Overhead view of bread slathered with garlic herb butter ready to cook to make garlic bread.
If you have extra garlic butter, be sure to save it in the fridge!

💡 What to serve with garlic bread

Homemade garlic bread is delicious with so many different meals! It's great with Italian dishes, as an alternative to bread for sandwiches, on the side of a nice salad, and it's great for dunking into soups and stews!

Some of the dishes I often serve with garlic bread include:

Baking sheet with 4 big pieces of golden brown garlic bread.

🔪 Equipment

You don't need much to whip up a batch of this delicious garlic bread.

  • Oven (or stovetop)
  • Cutting board
  • Serrated bread knife
  • Small bowl
  • Measuring spoons
  • Butter knife or spoon
  • Large, rimmed baking sheet (broiler-safe, don't use nonstick) - or a nonstick skillet or griddle if you're making it on the stovetop

🥡 Storage recommendations

You can store leftover garlic bread in a sealed container (or wrapped in foil) in the fridge.

Reheat leftover garlic bread briefly in the microwave, air fryer, or oven. It often doesn't need much time to get warm again. Just note that with the microwave it won't be crispy like it was when you made it fresh. If you want it crispy, go with an air fryer, oven, or toaster oven for reheating.

Garlic bread freezes beautifully! I like to spread the garlic butter on it, then place it in the freezer on a plate until frozen. I'll then put it in an airtight container or freezer bag, squeezing all the air out, until we're ready to enjoy it again.

Frozen garlic bread can be reheated without thawing. Just put it in the oven on a baking sheet at 375°F until heated through. I recommend checking it at around 10 minutes to see if it's heated through.

Once it's heated, if you want the top to get a little more brown, you can switch it to broil for a couple of minutes.

If you have extra garlic butter, you can place it in an airtight container and stash it in the fridge. You can make more garlic bread with it, or feel free to toss a little of it with some pasta, rice, couscous, or orzo. It's also a great addition to grilled meat, sautéed shrimp, and more. Don't be afraid to get creative!

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17 Most Repeated Recipes to Celebrate 17 Years of Big Flavors

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Celebrating 17 years of food and recipes here at Big Flavors by sharing 17 of the recipes that I repeat most often for my family at home.

Collage of images with text that reads, "17 Most Repeated Recipes to Celebrate 17 Years of Big Flavors".

Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen launched way back on August 1, 2006.

It's been an incredible, delicious journey, and I love taking a moment to look back at how much things have changed each year when August rolls around.

If you're new around here, you may not know much about me, so I'm going to give you a quick overview of what you can find in my little corner of the internet before we dive into the recipe roundup.

Only here for the recipes? No worries! Just click here to jump right to the roundup.

  • My website (Hi 👋🏻 that's where you are right now!) is where I post all of my recipes. There's a lot here, so have fun exploring. You can use the dropdown menu to select a specific type of recipe (beverages, main courses, desserts, etc.) or enter what you're searching for in the search bar.
  • Extra Helping is the email newsletter that I send out every Tuesday. You can sign up here if you'd like to get recipes and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
  • You can learn about my online cooking classes here. I have lots of different offerings, and it's SO much fun to connect with you from my tiny kitchen to yours, no matter where you live. If you're on my email list, you'll also get an email on the first Friday of each month with my class schedule. I'd love to cook with you!
  • Follow me on your favorite social platform(s):
    • Facebook - I post here several times a week and love getting conversations going, especially with my weekly audience survey questions.
    • Flipboard - this platform is one I used yeeeears ago, but have recently heard that people are back on it, so I may be there a little more often now.
    • Instagram - this is probably where I'm most active. I especially enjoy sharing Instagram Stories and having conversations with followers in the DMs.
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest - My recipes have been circulating on Pinterest for a loooong time now. I love that so many of you pin my recipes to save and try!
    • Threads - this is a fairly new platform (as of this writing) but it's looking like a nice Twitter alternative.
    • TikTok - I'm not on this platform a ton, but this recent video ended up getting a ton of views and comments, which has been fun.
    • Twitter (or X or whatever it's called at any given minute...) - I've admittedly stopped using this platform for the past several months, but I'm leaving it here in case that's your jam and also in case it's somewhere I end up going back to in the future.
    • YouTube - I'm working on editing more videos to go on this platform. I recently posted part 1 of a new video series - 5 of the BEST restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland.
  • Love cookbooks (or reading in general)? I have curated lists over on Bookshop.org. Shopping through my storefront helps support local independent bookstores.
  • Doing some online shopping? I have all sorts of lists over on my Amazon shop. There are kitchen tools, appliances, baking supplies, eco-friendly items to help reduce kitchen waste, mixology and cocktail supplies, things for your home café, and my favorite items for getting kids in the kitchen. I even have a list of funny culinary-themed gifts for holiday gift exchanges or white elephant parties.

However you found Big Flavors, I want to thank you for being here. I love sharing recipes, tips, tricks, and talking about food with all of you. Your support is so very appreciated!

Here are our 17 most repeated recipes...

Balsamic Marinated Pork Tenderloin

This simple, comforting pork tenderloin recipe is a family favorite that's simple enough for a weeknight and elegant enough for entertaining.

Make this recipe

Broiler Kebab Sheet Pan Meal

Get the game plan for a complete Persian comfort food meal in just 20 minutes! Complete with video and step by step tips for timing your meal.

Make this recipe

Classic Dutch Apple Pie

This easy homemade deep-dish Dutch apple pie recipe has been the star of my family's holiday gatherings for generations. Truly a classic, favorite dessert.

Make this recipe

Dino's Guacamole - Restaurant-Style Guac in Just 5 Minutes!

Restaurant-style guacamole is super simple to make at home! 2 ripe avocados + a few ingredients and you have the perfect Mexican appetizer!

Make this recipe

Easy Classic Hummus Using Canned Chickpeas

Smooth, delicious homemade hummus using canned chickpeas comes together in minutes with just a few ingredients. An easy appetizer or snack!

Make this recipe

Easy Sheet Pan Roasted Green Beans with Lemon

This 10-minute, 4-ingredient sheet pan recipe for roasted green beans is one of our favorite simple side dishes. A weeknight staple!

Make this recipe

Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads

Naan is covered in garlicky tzatziki sauce and covered with Middle Eastern-spiced chickpeas, tahini, fresh herbs and Sriracha in this street food/comfort food mashup.

Make this recipe

Farro, Avocado, Cucumber, and Cherry Tomato Salad with Feta

This chilled salad is on repeat in my house all year long, but especially in the summer! It's light yet satisfying and makes a perfect meatless main course or colorful side dish.

Make this recipe

Homemade Grill Seasoning: The BEST Spice Blend for Meat & Veggies

This homemade grill seasoning is perfect for chicken, steak, pork, seafood, & veggies! Great for grilling or as an all-purpose seasoned salt.

Make this recipe

My Favorite Garlic Bread

I make some version of this garlic bread OFTEN. The garlic butter is delicious on lots of different types of bread. I usually broil it, but you can also cook it in a skillet or on a griddle.

Make this recipe

No Mayo Deviled Eggs

This easy-to-make, classic deviled egg recipe is a bite-sized party appetizer favorite! Made with pantry staples - no mayo needed!

Make this recipe

Our Favorite Chicken Fajitas

Grab your cast iron skillet - these chicken fajitas are a one pan meal that are so good they'll outshine your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant!

Make this recipe

Rhubarb Custard Pie

This one-crust rhubarb custard pie has been a mouthwateringly sweet-yet-tart family favorite for decades. A classic that's sure to impress!

Make this recipe

Ricotta Cookies - A Family Favorite Italian Holiday Dessert Recipe

This simple dessert recipe makes lots of pillowy soft, tender cookies that are sure to be a family favorite! Perfect for cookie exchanges & holiday parties.

Make this recipe

Skillet Lasagna with Lamb, Ricotta + Mint

Lamb lasagna in under an hour! This deliciously addictive pasta lamb skillet recipe is simple enough for a weeknight & impressive enough for dinner guests.

Make this recipe

Settino's Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

My Italian father-in-law made the BEST stuffed mushrooms! This is his recipe for the best bite-sized appetizer - perfect for holiday entertaining!

Make this recipe

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp + Peanut Sauce

Wrapping up these tasty spring rolls with peanut sauce is easier than you think! A cool, refreshing recipe that's perfect for summer.

Make this recipe
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Thank you again for all of your support throughout the years. Here's to many, many more!

Want to see more blogiversary celebrations?

Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

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Explore Big Flavors in Ocean City, Maryland

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Enjoy the best coastal cuisine at 5 of our favorite restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland - our favorite family-friendly beach vacation spot!

Collage of images with text that reads 5 of the BEST Restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland Part One.

My family has been going to Ocean City, Maryland every summer since 2013.

We have lots of favorite restaurants and I'm finally sharing my top picks in this video series.

Jump To:

Check out these recommendations in my OCMD restaurant video below:

🐂 Bull on the Beach

Our first stop is always the 94th Street location of Bull on the Beach.

They have a great raw bar so we always get oysters to start.

My son loves their fried shrimp and their cole slaw is killer. 

We are absolutely obsessed with their pit beef sandwiches.

My favorite is The Dunker which comes with insanely tender pit beef topped with onions, melted Swiss and provolone cheeses, and a side of au jus.

You can find Bull on the Beach at 17 94th St. Ocean City, MD 21842.

Visit them online at bullonthebeachoc.com.

🪝 Hooked

Hooked features a menu driven by the seasons and local farming community.

They have a great cocktail menu and outdoor bar.

We've honestly never been disappointed by any menu item here.

It's all delicious.

Our favorite is the hot crab dip.

We're never patient enough to let it cool off and not burn our mouths, but it's worth it. 

Honestly? we dunk everything from the bread course to our son's fries in this magnificent crab lava. 

You can find Hooked at 8003 Coastal Hwy. Ocean City, MD 21842.

Visit them online at hookedoc.com.

🌊 Coastal Salt

Coastal Salt is right on the boardwalk in Ocean City.

They have awesome appetizers and cocktails. 

The fried deviled eggs with lump crab and malt vinegar aioli are spectacular.

Their namesake cocktail with passion fruit, tequila, and black salt is my favorite.

You can find Coastal Salt on the OCMD Boardwalk at 1601 Atlantic Ave. Ocean City, MD 21842.

Visit them online at coastalsaltoc.com.

🦐 The Shrimp Boat

The Shrimp Boat is the only place in Ocean City to get head-on shrimp.

Be sure to check out their on-site fish market.

Each guest gets a free shrimp sample to prove just how fresh it is.

The food at this place honestly blew us away.

Our son loved the crab nuggets and mac and cheese and the shrimp po' boy was awesome. 

The sides are great as well, and they have our favorite orange crushes in town.

You can find The Shrimp Boat in West OCMD at 9724 Stephen Decatur Hwy. Ocean City, MD 21842.

Visit them online at shrimpboatoc.com.

🥃 Dry 85

Dry 85 is a modern industrial take on a prohibition-era speakeasy.

They have a huge selection of bourbon, whiskey, and rye as well as super creative cocktails and outstanding food. 

My skirt steak salad was topped with some delicious fried goat cheese.

We loved everything they served, including dessert.

You can find Dry 85 at 12 48th St. Ocean City, MD 21842.

Visit them online at dry85.com.

My family enjoys the wide variety of dining options and price points available in this friendly beach town.

We have so many favorites, so stay tuned for part 2.

Check out my latest posts...

Rhubarb Custard Pie

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This one-crust rhubarb custard pie has been a mouthwateringly sweet-yet-tart family favorite for decades. A classic that's sure to impress!

A rhubarb custard pie with plated slices and forks

Most people have had strawberry rhubarb pie, but not many that I have met have had my favorite pie of all time - rhubarb custard pie.

I had been telling my husband about this pie for yeeeeears, and he had no idea what he was in for the first time he finally tried it. It's such a unique flavor combination, and the texture is just lovely!

Growing up in the Midwest, my family always had a deliciously decadent assortment of homemade pies at every family gathering. I didn't realize how spoiled I was!

This dessert recipe holds a special place in my heart, along with this classic Dutch apple pie and my grandma's classic cut-out sugar cookies. They're childhood favorites that I still make to this day.

My aunts always made this rhubarb custard pie (and lots of other delicious pies) with the Betty Crocker standard pastry pie crust recipe. The combination of that crust with this pie filling is truly magical!

That being said, over the years I have tried out several different pie crust recipes. I also quite often use storebought pie crusts (usually ones bought from the freezer section of the grocery store).

This pie is a great way to use fresh or frozen rhubarb, and I hope you love it as much as we do!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this rhubarb pie recipe

  • It can be made with either fresh or frozen rhubarb.
  • This pie tastes best served chilled, so it's a perfect candidate for a make-ahead dessert.
  • There are only a handful of ingredients.
  • You can use a homemade pie crust or a store-bought one. And you don't have to blind-bake it before adding the filling!
  • The recipe makes enough filling for one deep dish or two standard pies. I usually go the deep-dish route.
  • It's different from the typical strawberry-rhubarb combination that people are familiar with.
  • The sweet-tart flavor is truly magical!
Stalks of rhubarb with butter, flour, sugar, salt, and eggs for making pie.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this rhubarb custard pie (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Fresh rhubarb
  • Granulated sugar
  • All-purpose flour
  • Fine-grain salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Eggs
  • One unbaked deep-dish pie shell (or two standard-sized ones)
Chopped rhubarb along with other ingredients for making rhubarb custard pie.

Slice your rhubarb evenly. I like ⅓- to ½-inch thick pieces.

Overhead view of a bowl of custard being mixed for rhubarb custard pie.

Beat the eggs in a bowl before adding to the dry ingredients.

Sliced rhubarb in a bowl of custard for pie.

Strain out the liquid from your rhubarb before adding it to the custard mixture.

🥧 Ingredient spotlight: store-bought pie crust

This recipe uses a pre-made pie crust. There are a few different options when buying these from the store.

Frozen, pre-made pie crusts can be found in the frozen food aisle. In the stores I've been to, they're usually near the frozen whipped topping, berries, and cans of frozen juice.

If your store has a section with frozen pies and puff pastry, the pie crusts may be there also.

You can usually find both standard and deep-dish frozen pie crusts, so be sure to get the right size for the recipe you're making.

A bonus about this type of pie crust is that a disposable baking dish is already included, so you don't even need to own a pie plate in order to bake with them.

Another benefit of these pre-formed pie crusts is that they're already rolled out and shaped into the pie pan. The edges of the crust are crimped beautifully for you, saving you from having to do it yourself.

I tend to keep frozen pie crusts on hand in my freezer so I always have one handy if I'm in the mood to bake a pie or quiche.

Apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a pie crust.
Dutch Apple Pie
Rhubarb custard filling being poured into a pie crust.
Rhubarb Custard Pie

You can also often find refrigerated pie dough at the grocery store. It's usually in the dairy/egg department near the cans of refrigerated biscuits, croissants, etc.

Refrigerated pie dough is usually sold in pre-rolled sheets, so you'll need to fit them into a pie plate at home.

The dough sheets are rolled up and sealed in a bag, then tucked into a box, which is nice because they don't take up too much room in your refrigerator.

Of course, if you have time and are so inclined, you can make your own pie crust. My go-to pie crust recipe is this standard pastry recipe. The buttery all-purpose crust in this pie recipe is also delicious, as is this whole wheat pie crust.

You can even make your own pie crusts in advance and freeze them for later use. There are some great tips for this in Teeny's Tour of Pie, a cookbook that I reviewed years ago with lots of great recipes.

Whatever route you take, pie crusts are a versatile item to use in the kitchen. They're used in many sweet and savory dishes.

Some of our favorite recipes that use a pie crust are:

Pouring granulated sugar onto sliced rhubarb.

Pour granulated sugar over the sliced rhubarb.

Overhead view of a bowl of sliced rhubarb mixed with sugar.

Stir to combine and let it sit, stirring occasionally.

Overhead view of a bowl of sliced rhubarb mixed with sugar.

The sugar will dissolve and liquid will collect at the bottom of your container.

✅ How to make this recipe

This rhubarb custard pie is shockingly simple to make. You need to give yourself a little time to let the rhubarb sit in sugar before assembling, as well as chilling time in the fridge if you plan to serve it cold.

  1. Combine the sliced rhubarb with ¾ cup of the sugar in a bowl. Let it sit, stirring occasionally, until it releases liquid that collects in the bottom of the bowl.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  3. Combine the remaining sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl.
  4. Cut in the cubed butter using a pastry cutter or fork.
  5. Stir in the beaten eggs until combined, then stir in the rhubarb.
  6. Pour the mixture into your unbaked pie shell, then bake for 15 minutes.
  7. Lower the heat to 325°F without opening the oven door and bake for another 45-60 minutes.
  8. Transfer the baked pie to a cooking rack until it reaches room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Bowl of sugar with flour, cubes of butter, and a fork.

Cut the butter into the dry mixture with a pastry cutter or fork.

Spooning sugared rhubarb into a custard mixture.

Stir the sugared rhubarb (minus the liquid) into the custard mixture.

Rhubarb custard filling being poured into an unbaked pie crust.

Pour the mixture into an unbaked deep-dish pie shell on a baking sheet.

📌 Tips

  • Slice rhubarb into consistently-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. I usually aim for around ⅓- to ½-inch thick.
  • You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb for this recipe - both are fantastic! If using frozen, let it thaw, pour off the water, and then toss with the sugar before proceeding to add it to the custard mixture.
  • A fun tip for reducing kitchen waste: save the "rhubarb liquid" that you drain and use it as a simple syrup for cocktails, mocktails, and more - recipes coming soon!
  • I use iodized table salt in this recipe - I have yet to try it with kosher salt, but I think either would work out OK in this recipe.
  • You can use the filling to make 2 standard-sized (vs. deep-dish) pies. You'll need to reduce the baking time but it should fill 2 pie shells easily.
  • I like to place pie pans on a quarter sheet pan (or half sheet pan if making 2 pies) to help catch any potential overflow and make transferring to and from the oven easier.
Overhead view of a freshly baked rhubarb custard pie on a baking sheet.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

Is rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable?

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, though it is often used as a fruit. There's an interesting article on Food Network that touches on why the USDA decided to classify it as a fruit back in the 1940's.

What does rhubarb taste like?

Rhubarb is quite tart, which is why it's often paired with sugar for balance. It can be eaten raw but is most often cooked in some way - roasted, baked, simmered, sautéed, etc.

Is part of the rhubarb plant poisonous?

The leaves of the rhubarb plant are poisonous. You can touch them, but do not ingest them. There is more information on what makes rhubarb leaves poisonous in this article over on Healthline.

Can you freeze rhubarb?

Yes! Freezing rhubarb is a great way to enjoy it, even once rhubarb season is over. If I'm freezing it for pie, I go ahead and cut the fresh rhubarb and freeze it in 4-cup portions so I have the perfect amount for pie-making!

Can I use frozen rhubarb in my pie?

Yes! You'll need to thaw the rhubarb, pour off the liquid, then toss it with sugar and proceed with the recipe as written if using it for rhubarb custard pie.

What can I do with the sugary macerating liquid that comes from rhubarb?

We love saving the sugar liquid in beverages! Pour the liquid into a small saucepan and cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. You can then use it as a sweetnener for cocktails, mocktails, and homemade sodas.

Overhead view of a rhubarb custard pie with forks and plates alongside.

🔪 Equipment

You don't need anything fancy to make this pie - it's likely all stuff that you already have in your kitchen:

  • Oven
  • Cutting board
  • Chef's knife
  • Baking sheet (optional)
  • Pie plate (if making homemade crust)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Medium bowl (I like using a 4-cup measuring cup)
  • Large bowl
  • Pastry cutter or fork
  • Spoon
  • Cooling rack (optional)
Lifting a slice out of a rhubarb custard pie.

Rhubarb custard pie on a plate with a fork next to the pie plate.

🥡 Storage recommendations

Leftover rhubarb custard pie should be stored, covered, in the refrigerator. I usually just place a layer of aluminum foil or beeswax wrap over the top of the pie plate and seal it.

I've seen some fun products for pie storage, like this pie saver with individual slice holders, this pie keeper with hinged lid, and this hi-dome covered pie pan.

Slice of rhubarb custard pie on a plate with a fork holding a bite.

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25+ Must-Try Cucumber Recipes

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Cucumber isn't just for dipping or salads. Whether you have garden bounty or a fridge-full, here are over 25 of our favorite cucumber recipes!

Collage of cucumber recipe images with text that reads, "25+ Must-Try Cucumber Recipes".

A lot of people struggle with finding creative cucumber recipes. Don't be fooled into thinking that they can only be used to dip into a bowl of creamy hummus or sliced on top of your favorite salad.

I have a lot of friends who get frustrated with a summertime garden cucumber explosion. It seems like they all tend to be ready to harvest at once.

There are also a lot of times when I have a partial cucumber or one that just needs to be used up soon hanging out in the fridge.

So I'm here to share over 25 of our favorite cucumber recipes to help you use 'em when you have 'em.

What's your favorite way to incorporate cucumbers into your diet? Do you have a favorite recipe? Leave a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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Vietnamese Shrimp Sandwiches with Peanut Sauce

This Vietnamese shrimp banh mi-inspired sandwich combines colorful quick-pickled vegetables, a sweet-and-spicy peanut sauce, fresh herbs, & tender shrimp.

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Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips

Homemade crispy, baked pita chips and an easy sumac vinaigrette add Middle Eastern flair to this veggie-packed fattoush salad recipe.

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Cucumber Moscow Mule

Homemade cucumber-infused vodka is a deliciously cool addition to this spicy ginger cocktail, served in a copper mug. Cheers to the Cucumber Moscow Mule!

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Close up of a few cucumber slices topped with a spiced chickpea purée.

Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites

These cucumber bites are a healthy party appetizer recipe with major Middle Eastern flair! They're quick & easy to assemble and make a great addition to any dinner or cocktail party. These would also be perfect for game day appetizer spreads!

Falafel-Spiced Cucumber Bites Recipe
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Cucumber & Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill

Mix together 6 ingredients in just minutes with this easy no-cook bean salad recipe. Perfect for summer evenings when you don't want to heat up the kitchen!

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Veggie Cream Cheese Roll-ups

Eat the rainbow with these colorful, veggie-packed bites! Serve 'em up as a dinner party appetizer, or let them brighten up your lunch box.

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Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette

This quick, simple Middle Eastern salad + homemade pita chips brings all the flavor of falafel in a fraction of the time - no deep frying required!

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Gin cocktails garnished with lime.

The Herbalist

This cool and refreshing spin on a gin and tonic combines cucumber and lavender for the perfect summer cocktail.

The Herbalist Cocktail Recipe
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Creamy Cucumber, Avocado, Chickpea, & Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

Make the most of ripe avocados with this super simple, quick, protein-packed salad.

Creamy Cucumber, Avocado Salad Recipe
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Chilled Farro Salad with Avocado and Feta

This make-ahead grain salad is light yet satisfying. Such a great way to use up produce from the fridge. Delicious topped with avocado and feta cheese!

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Thai Chicken Pizza

Thai Chicken Pizza

This cool, refreshing pizza is a colorful and delicious change of pace from your usual pizza night. A family favorite for many years now!

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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette

This quick & easy Greek-inspired chickpea salad is packed with fresh veggies and a lemony herb-studded flax vinaigrette for a delicious Omega-3 boost!

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A sweet and cool, refreshing Persian yogurt side dish that's a family favorite!

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Ripe mango adds sweetness and avocado adds creaminess to this veggie-packed green smoothie. A great way to start the day!

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Birthday Cake Confetti Pancakes with Sprinkles

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Whether you call them birthday cake, confetti, or funfetti pancakes, this fluffy, sprinkle-studded breakfast recipe is irresistible!

Overhead view of 2 plates of birthday cake with a fork holding a portion that has been cut to eat.

Are you team pancakes or team French toast? I love them both, but there's just something about traditional fluffy buttermilk pancakes that's so much fun to play around with.

I've made lots of variations of pancakes over the years (like these gingerbread pancakes and these chocolate chocolate chip pancakes with mint!), and I love testing out the new recipes with students in my virtual cooking classes before publishing them here on Big Flavors.

These sprinkle-studded beauties have been a big hit with both kids and kids at heart. They have the essence of a fluffy vanilla cake and a dose of color from rainbow sprinkles.

If you're looking for a shortcut to making confetti pancakes from scratch, my friend Susie has a great recipe for cake mix pancakes, and she loves using Funfetti cake mix in them!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • They're quick and easy to make.
  • It's a homemade version of some confetti pancakes that my son loved from a local diner when he was a toddler, and they remind me of the funfetti cupcakes and cakes my mom and I used to make from the box mixes when I was a kid.
  • Pancakes are always a crowd-pleasing breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner (my family's fave!).
  • They have extra vanilla flavor to make them taste more like birthday cake than normal pancakes.
  • Colorful foods are always a hit!
  • Because rainbow sprinkles just make everything better. 🌈
Ingredients ready to make birthday cake confetti pancakes with sprinkles.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these birthday cake pancakes (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • All-purpose flour (measured using the "scoop and sweep" method below)
  • Granulated sugar
  • Baking powder (see notes below)
  • Fine-grain salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Buttermilk (shaken before measuring)
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla extract
  • Rainbow sprinkles (or your favorite single color or combination)
  • Your favorite pancake accompaniments like butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.
Drizzling maple syrup onto a stack of funfetti pancakes with sprinkles.

🥣 Ingredient Spotlight: Baking Powder

Baking powder increases the volume of baked goods, creating a nice rise and light, fluffy texture.

In most cases, recipes that call for baking powder refer to double-acting baking powder, though there are some instances when single-acting baking powder is used.

Please note that many brands of baking powder contain aluminum, which can cause a metallic or bitter taste, especially when used in larger quantities.

I recommend using brands that are specifically marked aluminum-free. Some of my favorites are Rumford and Bob's Red Mill.

Whisking together dry ingredients for funfetti pancakes in a bowl.
Whisk dry ingredients together.
Whisking together the wet ingredients for funfetti pancakes.
Whisk wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Pouring the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients for birthday cake pancakes.
Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.

✅ How to make this recipe

These birthday cake confetti pancakes come together really easily:

  1. Preheat a griddle (or nonstick skillet) over medium heat (or 375°F).
  2. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Melt butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. (You can also do this in a small saucepan on the stovetop if desired.)
  4. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the sprinkles.
  6. Cook the batter onto a preheated, buttered griddle until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Serve pancakes with extra sprinkles and other toppings as desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Mixing together pancake batter in a bowl.
Gently stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
Adding rainbow sprinkles to a bowl of pancake batter.
Add sprinkles to the pancake batter.
Stirring rainbow sprinkles into a bowl of pancake batter.
Gently fold in the sprinkles to combine.

One of my favorite things about making pancakes is that they tell you when they're ready to be flipped.

You'll notice that small bubbles will form on the surface of your pancakes as they cook. Once those bubbles pop, that's your indicator that it's time to flip.

They should be nice and golden brown. If for some reason they aren't, no worries! You can always flip them back over to continue cooking.

An added benefit of using a measuring cup (or another standardized scoop to portion out your batter) is that they all cook at the same rate.

Of course, skillets and griddles could have hot spots, so certain positions may brown more quickly than others. Patience and a bit of experimentation are key!

I find that the pancakes take less time to cook on the second side than the first and that the second doesn't get quite as brown when it's done.

Portioning out funfetti pancake batter into a nonstick skillet.
Use a measuring cup to portion your pancakes (I use ¼ cup).
Flipping funfetti pancakes in a skillet.
Once the bubbles have popped, it's time to flip!
Two birthday cake pancakes in a skillet.
The second side usually cooks more quickly than the first.

🥣 Tips for measuring flour

When measuring flour, especially for baked goods, pancakes, and waffles, I recommend using the "scoop and sweep" method to ensure proper measurements.

Use a spoon to scoop flour from your container into the measuring cups, being sure to overfill them a bit. Then, sweep across the top to level it off before adding to your recipe.

Pouring flour into a measuring cup.
Pour flour from the scoop into the measuring cup.
Pouring flour into a measuring cup.
Overfill the measuring cup.

You can sweep with the back of a knife, the handle of a spoon or spatula, or even your finger (hey, clean hands are great kitchen tools!).

Try to avoid plunging the measuring cup into your container of flour and compressing it against the side of the container when measuring. This will pack more flour into each cup and could negatively impact the final texture of your baked goods.

Leveling off a measuring cup full of flour.
Use a flat edge to sweep across and level off the measuring cup.
Leveling off a measuring cup full of flour.
Once you've scooped and swept, your measurement is ready!

Plates of birthday cake pancakes with sprinkles served with maple syrup and butter.

💡 What to serve with birthday cake pancakes

These pancakes are great all by themselves, but you can for sure dress them up with some fun toppings and/or sides.

We like these pancakes served with some extra sprinkles, butter, and maple syrup. A dusting of powdered sugar would be nice. Whipped cream would be a fun addition, too.

If you're feeling bold you could serve them with some lemon curd or your favorite jam or preserves. I personally wouldn't want to add anything that would overwhelm the vanilla cake flavor here.

As far as sides go, these are fantastic with homemade breakfast sausage patties or oven-baked bacon.

I'm always a fan of fresh fruit with any meal, so a bowl of fruit or some berries would be lovely here.

Close-up of a forkful of birthday cake confetti pancakes.

🔪 Equipment

You don't need a ton of special equipment to make these birthday cake pancakes. I usually cook ours on our Griddler, which we've had for a million years and it still gets a lot of use (especially for breakfast foods!).

  • Griddle or large nonstick skillet
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Medium bowl
  • Large bowl
  • Small microwave-safe bowl and microwave OR a small saucepan and stovetop
  • Whisk
  • Flexible spatula or spoon
  • Spatula or turner for flipping pancakes
  • Sheet pan and wire rack (optional) if keeping pancakes warm in the oven
Stack of funfetti pancakes on a plate with a slice taken out of them.

🥡 Additional tips and recommendations

If you'd like to serve your pancakes all at once, you may want to keep them warm while you finish cooking the rest. If you have a super large griddle, you won't need this tip, but most of us will likely have to work in batches.

When you start cooking, place a baking sheet in your oven and set it to "keep warm" or whatever the lowest temperature setting is. If you have a wire baking rack, be sure to put that on the sheet pan, too, as this will allow the heat to go fully around your pancakes.

As your pancakes finish cooking, transfer them from the griddle or skillet onto the tray in the warm oven. Keep them there while you cook, so they stay nice and warm until you're ready to serve.

Leftover pancakes can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for several days. You can reheat them in the microwave, on the stovetop, in an air fryer, or in a toaster/toaster oven.

Pancakes freeze really well! My recommendation is to freeze them in a single layer first, then you can stack them and place them into an airtight container. Freezing them separately first will help keep them from sticking together once frozen.

Close-up of drizzling maple syrup onto a stack of birthday cake pancakes.

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Cinco de Mayo: Favorite Mexican-Inspired Recipe Roundup

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Let's celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some of our very favorite Mexican-inspired recipes. Appetizers, main courses, drinks, and more.

Who doesn't love an excuse to have some delicious fajitas, guacamole, or a tequila-spiked cocktail? This roundup has some of our very favorite Mexican-inspired recipes, perfect for your Cinco de Mayo table.

What's your favorite Mexican recipe? Drop a comment below - I'd love to hear all about it!

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Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

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Passionfruit Margaritas

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Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Ranch Dip

Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Ranch Dip

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Dino's Guacamole - Restaurant-Style Guac in Just 5 Minutes!

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Latin-Spiced Pork + Squash Skillet with Chili Lime Cherries: (#ad) This smoky-sweet single skillet meal is a quick and easy way to get a comfort food dinner with Latin flair on the table any night of the week.

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Juicy, ripe mango and fresh lime brighten the flavors of this sweet-and-salty black bean salsa. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, potlucks and summer BBQs!

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Margarita Cake

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Tex-Mex Meatballs with Mexican Cauliflower Rice: This paleo, gluten free Tex-Mex meal is simple enough for a weeknight and impressive enough for company. Super flavorful clean eating at its best!

Tex-Mex Meatballs with Mexican Cauliflower Rice

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Top Chef All Star Marcel Vigneron's Chimi-Verde Dip

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Tuna Tostada with Avocado Dressing + Chipotle Sour Cream (#ad): These bite-sized beauties have a Mexican flair that will wow your dinner party guests. You'll love how easy this tuna tostada appetizer is to put together!

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Easy Baked Taquitos

by 4 Comments

Learn how to make taquitos with this easy oven-baked recipe. Use beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or vegan ground meat substitute.

Plate of taquitos with pico de gallo and lime crema.

My family loves food with Mexican flavors. We're up for any excuse to whip up a batch of homemade guacamole to celebrate Taco Tuesday or Fajita Friday (I'm still trying to make that a thing!).

I was looking to change things up a few months ago and decided to give Taquito Tuesday a shot!

Taquitos seem like they'd be complicated to make at home, but they're really not! Once you get your filling made, you just set up a little assembly line, and off you go!

These baked taquitos have been a big hit at my dinner table, and with students in my virtual cooking classes for a while now. I'm happy to bring the recipe here, just in time for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this taquito recipe

  • It's super versatile! You can use your favorite ground meat or vegan ground meat substitute. My family loves them with ground turkey, beef, or Beyond Meat.
  • They can be made in advance and baked when you're ready to serve. They even freeze well!
  • Taquitos are great as a party appetizer or main course.
  • Baked taquitos get nice and crispy without using much oil or frying.
  • They're delicious served with one or more of your favorite Mexican toppings - pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole, lime crema, cilantro, pickled red onions, queso fresco, or cotija cheese.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these baked taquitos (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Olive oil for the filling and for brushing onto the tortillas
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Ground protein of choice (turkey, beef, pork, or vegan ground meat substitute)
  • Ground cumin
  • Chili powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Smoked paprika
  • Dried oregano
  • Garlic powder
  • Tomato paste
  • Cold water
  • Flour tortillas (I like using fajita size)
  • Shredded cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, Monterey Jack, or your favorite) - finely shredded works best here

🥑 Flavor Spotlight: Favorite Latin Recipes

If you enjoy recipes with Latin flair, there are lots more for you to check out here on Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen! Bookmark these recipes to keep them handy for your next fiesta 💃🏻

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Adding salt to a bowl of Greek yogurt and lime zest.
Lime crema is an easy topping for taquitos.
Adding cilantro to a bowl of pico de gallo ingredients.
Homemade pico de gallo is another great topping option.
Pouring hot sauce over baked taquitos.
Feel free to use your favorite hot sauce (we like Cholula).

🥣 Substitutions and variations

Feel free to use your favorite ground protein in this recipe. It works with chicken, beef, pork, Beyond Meat (or your favorite meatless ground substitute). You could also use some shredded rotisserie chicken or drain some canned beans and smash them up to cook with the spices for a filling.

Switch up the type (and amount!) of cheese that you use. Feel free to try out your favorites, and even add some more to the top of the taquitos before you pop 'em into the oven.

For a fun party appetizer vibe, use smaller flour tortillas. I've seen street taco tortillas that are smaller than the fajita-sized ones that I usually use and they'd be adorable here. Just make sure to use less filling so they aren't over-stuffed.

Have fun with toppings! You could serve these with your favorite salsa, pico de gallo, mango salsa, chimichurri, hot sauce, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt or skyr), or a scattering of fresh herbs.

You could serve sauces like guacamole or chipotle aioli in bowls on the side and let people dip away.

Scooting sautéed onions and garlic to the edge of a pan.
Sauté onions and garlic, then scoot to the side to add the ground meat.
Adding dried oregano to a pan of turkey taquito filling.
Once the meat is cooked, add your dried spices and seasonings.
Adding water to taquito filling in a pan.
Stir in tomato paste and water and simmer until the filling has thickened.

✅ How to make this recipe

These baked taquitos are deceivingly easy to put together. Once you get the components together, it's a quick assembly line job to get them finished.

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.
  2. Sauté onions and garlic in a large, non-stick skillet. Scoot them to the side, then add your ground meat and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until cooked through. Drain any excess fat, if necessary.
  3. Stir in dried spices and tomato paste. Add water and let simmer for a few minutes, until thickened.
  4. Brush flour tortillas with oil on both sides. Add taquito filling and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  5. Roll and place on the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crispy.
  7. Serve with pico de gallo, lime crema, hot sauce, and your favorite toppings.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Brushing flour tortillas with cooking oil.
Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil.
Sprinkling cheese onto tortillas topped with taquito filling.
Add ¼ cup filling and top with shredded cheese.
Rolling up taquitos to bake.
Roll tightly, starting with the filled side.

📌 Tips

There are a few things you can do to help your taquitos come together more easily.

  • Measure your filing. I find that for the fajita-sized tortillas, using a ¼ cup measuring cup works out perfectly.
  • Place your taquito filling off-centered on the tortilla. Then, start rolling from the side with the filling to seal.
  • Roll the filling snugly and be sure to place them on your baking sheet seam-side down.
  • Line your taquitos up snugly on the baking sheet. This will help them keep their shape and prevent them from unrolling while they're baking in the oven.
  • I like to oil my tortillas in batches. I start with a big stack and spread a layer of oil on one side, then flip it and oil the other side. The oil from the first side helps start to oil the tortilla underneath it, and so on.
Spreading taquito mixture onto a tortilla.
Brush both sides of the tortillas with oil.
Adding rolled taquitos to a foil-lined baking sheet.
Line them up snugly on the baking sheet so the taquitos hold their shape.
Sheet pan of taquitos fresh out of the oven.
Bake your taquitos until golden and crispy!

💡 What to serve with baked taquitos

I usually serve our taquitos with pico de gallo, lime crema, and hot sauce. Salsa and restaurant-style guacamole are other great additions.

The lime crema is super easy to put together! In a bowl, stir together:

  • 1 ½ cups of sour cream (or Mexican crema, plain Greek yogurt, or Skyr)
  • The juice and zest of 1 lime (start with 1 tablespoon of the lime juice and add more as needed)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Cold water (add 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches a drizzling consistency)

Mexican-style rice and black beans or refried beans would be great side dish options, too.

Spooning pico de gallo over baked taquitos.
Pico de gallo is an easy and delicious topping for your baked taquitos.
Spooning lime crema over baked taquitos.
Lime crema is another great option for drizzling over crispy taquitos.

🔪 Equipment

You'll be using both the stovetop and oven for this recipe. You don't need too much in terms of kitchen equipment, but a few things will come in handy:

  • Large, rimmed baking sheet
  • Aluminum foil
  • Nonstick cooking spray - I like using avocado oil spray
  • Large nonstick skillet
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Small bowl
  • Pastry brush (optional - you can use your fingers to spread the oil if needed)
Plate of baked taquitos with pico de gallo and lime crema.

🥡 Recommendations for storage & reheating

These taquitos hold up surprisingly well when assembled in advance. I've assembled them and put them in the fridge, covered, and baked them a day or 2 later with great success.

You can store the filling and tortillas separately, then assemble and bake later.

Leftover baked taquitos can be stored in an airtight container (or wrapped in aluminum foil) and heated up in the oven or an air fryer. They'll be nice and crispy and delicious!

If you pre-assemble your taquitos go ahead and lay them out on your baking sheet and cover it with foil, then refrigerate them. Take them out of the refrigerator when you start preheating your oven to take the chill off of them.

Brush or spray them with a little more oil before baking so they get

I also have some unbaked taquitos in the freezer that I'm going to test out reheating, because I think they'll cook up beautifully, too.

Fork picking up a bite of baked taquitos.

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Easy Homemade Peanut Butter

by Leave a Comment

Making your own homemade peanut butter lets you control the ingredients and texture. This easy, money-saving recipe comes together in minutes!

Platter with a jar of homemade peanut butter with peanuts scattered around and a spoon resting in a pile of peanut butter.

Peanut butter is a pantry staple for lots of people. There are lots of brands to choose from at the store, and the ingredients and texture can vary based on which one you buy.

Whether you're making peanut sauce for Vietnamese spring rolls, whipping up some peanut noodles, baking peanut butter cookies, blending up a peanut butter banana milkshake, or adding it to a batch of butterscotch haystacks, having peanut butter in your pantry is key!

But have you ever tried making your own peanut butter? It's super easy to do, and you have full control over the ingredients.

We've been making peanut butter for years now, and I've gotten quite a few questions about how to make it from friends and followers.

Read on to learn how to make it!

Jump To:

Spoon dripping homemade peanut butter onto a plate.

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's less expensive than buying peanut butter from the store. I often buy large jars of peanuts from the wholesale club to cut down on the cost even further.
  • You have full control over the ingredients. No additives, preservatives, etc. You can make it with just peanuts, or feel free to add a little salt, sugar, and/or spices like cinnamon if desired.
  • Make as much or as little peanut butter as you'd like. Use whatever size of jar you want and store it in the pantry.
  • Easily adjust the texture for a creamy or crunchy texture. I actually learned a fun fact about crunchy peanut butter back when I went to Georgia for their annual peanut harvest tour. Crunchy peanut butter isn't blended less than creamy - it's actually creamy peanut butter with chopped peanuts mixed in.
  • It scales easily! Make as little or as much as you want.
Ingredients and supplies ready to make peanut butter.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make your homemade peanut butter (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Peanuts - this is the only actual required ingredient here. You can make peanut butter with just peanuts alone. We're going to use roasted, unsalted peanuts here. If you use salted peanuts, your peanut butter will be super salty.
  • Kosher salt (optional)
  • Turbinado sugar - also known as raw sugar (optional)

Large container of unsalted roasted peanuts.
Pouring peanuts into a blender.
Blender full of peanuts ready to make peanut butter.

🥜 Ingredient Spotlight: Peanuts

This recipe uses peanuts which can be found in your grocery store either in the baking aisle or snack aisle. They are also sometimes sold in an area with other nuts and dried fruit within the produce department.

I learned a ton about the peanut industry when I went on a peanut harvest tour with Georgia Peanuts a while back. Here are a few of my favorite fun facts:

  • Only 12 states here in the U.S. can grow peanuts.
  • Georgia is the biggest producer of peanuts in the country, growing 50-60% of the country's peanuts.
  • Most of the peanuts grown in Georgia are destined to become peanut butter.
  • Peanuts are self-pollinators, which means they don't rely on pollen carriers like bees to transfer the pollen from plant to plant. This is why you don't often see bees in peanut fields - there's nothing to attract them.
  • A one-ounce serving of peanuts has about as much fiber as half a cup of broccoli.
  • Peanuts make their own nitrogen - this feeds the plant and usually leaves some behind in the soil for future crops.
  • Peanuts have the most protein of any nut.
  • Peanuts are botanically a legume but from the way that we eat them and our bodies consume them, they are a nut.
  • In the US 3.2 gallons of water are needed to produce 1 ounce of shelled peanuts compared to 23-28 gallons for other snack nuts.

Check out the Instagram reel I made to see more!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ck4rxBBJs4b/

🍴 Variations

Peanut butter is super customizable! We usually go for "plain" with just a little salt and turbinado sugar, but there are lots of fun ways you can jazz it up. Here are some ideas:

  • Change up the sweetener! Try honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar.
  • Add a little spice! Things like cinnamon, chipotle chile powder, cayenne pepper, five spice powder, cardamom, or nutmeg can make tasty additions to your peanut butter. Start with a small amount, taste, and add more as desired.
  • Give it some texture! As I mentioned above, I learned that "chunky" peanut butter is made by mixing chopped peanuts into smooth peanut butter. Reserve some peanuts on the side and give 'em a good chop, then stir into your prepared PB.
Pouring peanuts into a blender.
Add peanuts to the blender jar.
Adding salt to a blender full of peanuts.
Season with kosher salt.
Adding turbinado sugar to a blender full of peanuts.
Add sugar or other sweetener, as desired.

✅ How to make this recipe

This recipe is really simple to prepare. It may take a little more or less time, depending on the strength of your blender or food processor. However you do it, you'll be rewarded with deliciously fresh peanut butter in a matter of minutes!

  1. Pour your roasted, unsalted peanuts into the jar of your blender (or the bowl of a food processor).
  2. Add salt, sweetener, and any spices you desire.
  3. Blend on high speed until it reaches your desired consistency, tamping as necessary (see tips below).

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Peanuts in a blender making peanut butter.
Run the blender on high speed to start to break down the peanuts.
Puréeing peanuts in a blender to make peanut butter.
Use a tamper to help move the peanuts from the top of the mixture down into the blades (or stop the machine and scrape down the sides).
Blender making homemade peanut butter.
Blend until smooth.

📌 Tips & FAQs

Using a high-speed blender is the fastest way to get a nice, smooth batch of homemade creamy peanut butter.

Using a tamper through the top of your blender will help make sure everything blends evenly. If you're making a big batch, you'll likely need to tamp almost the entire time.

If you don't have one (or you're using a food processor), stop the machine periodically and scrape down the sides of the container as needed.

When using a food processor to make your peanut butter, the process will take a little longer. You'll need to give your machine a few breaks to keep the motor from overheating.

Blender full of homemade peanut butter next to a jar of peanuts.
Pouring homemade peanut butter from a blender into a jar.

How long do you need to blend peanuts to make peanut butter?

It will take a few minutes to get the peanuts to blend to your desired consistency. A high-speed blender will make the fastest work of it, and a food processor will take longer. Expect the process to take at least 3-5 minutes total.

How do you store homemade peanut butter?

Store your homemade peanut butter in an airtight container. We like using glass jars used for canning. Depending on how quickly you go through your peanut butter, storing it in the pantry is just fine. Otherwise, you can put it in the refrigerator. We typically vacuum seal ours right in the jar and store it in a cabinet.

What do you do if your peanut butter has oil that separates in the jar?

Just give it a good stir with a spoon. Alternately, if you have an immersion blender that fits inside of the jar, you can place that in the peanut butter, hold the jar, and pulse a few times to blend it back together and help the oil re-incorporate.

How do you make chunky peanut butter?

Reserve some peanuts on the side and chop them as finely as you'd like. Process the rest of the peanuts into creamy peanut butter, then stir in the chopped peanuts to combine.

Platter with a jar of homemade peanut butter with peanuts scattered around and a spoon resting in a pile of peanut butter.
Lifting a spoonful of homemade peanut butter out of a jar.

🔪 Equipment

The equipment needed to make peanut butter at home is really minimal. A high-speed blender is preferable, but any blender or food processor will do.

You'll also need either a tamper or a flexible spatula or spoon to scrape down the sides of your blender or food processor as it's working.

You can use measuring spoons and cups to get precise amounts of the ingredients, or just eyeball it.

Mason jars or ball jars (or any other airtight container) are great for storage. You could also reuse a container from a store-bought jar of peanut butter.

I hope this post has convinced you to try making this pantry staple for yourself. It's such an easy, budget-friendly thing to make at home.

Pouring homemade peanut butter from a blender into a jar.

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Favorite Peanut Recipes in Celebration of National Peanut Month

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Peanuts are such a versatile ingredient! This peanut recipe roundup features more than 15 of our favorite ways to use peanuts in the kitchen.

Text that reads Favorite Peanut Recipes in Celebration of National Peanut Month with 2 peanut recipe photos on the side.

March is National Peanut Month!

I've always loved peanuts, but I grew even more fond of them after my trip to Georgia in the fall of 2022. You can read more about my trip and the Peanut Harvest Tour if you're interested.

But for this post, we're focusing on allll the delicious peanutty recipes. We've got a great mix of sweet and savory peanut recipes as well as a variety of courses and cuisines.

What are your favorite ways to enjoy peanuts? Let me know in the comments section below - I'd love to hear from you!

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Aztec Torte with Honey Chipotle Cinnamon Mascarpone

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Baked Purple Yam + Sweet Potato Dumplings with Peanut Sauce

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests with Toasted Coconut

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Easy Sheet Pan Roasted Green Beans with Lemon

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This 10-minute, 4-ingredient sheet pan recipe for roasted green beans is one of our favorite simple side dishes. A weeknight staple!

Serving dish with roasted green beans and lemon zest.

This green bean recipe has quickly become a go-to for an easy weeknight side dish.

It comes together so quickly and has lots of flavor even though it only requires a few ingredients. I love using my homemade grill seasoning blend here, but you can absolutely use store-bought, or just salt and pepper.

This green bean side dish is right up there with this Italian potato salad with green beans, these salmon foil packets with green beans, and these tempura green beans as my family's favorite ways to enjoy eating green beans.

I've been teaching these lemony green beans in some of my virtual cooking classes and it's been a huge hit with my students. Thanks to everyone for the feedback!

And now I'm finally bringing the recipe to my permanent website collection. Let's dive in!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's light, quick, and easy to put together.
  • You can mix all of the ingredients together right on the sheet pan so you don't have to dirty a bunch of dishes.
  • Roasted green beans are a versatile side dish that can go with a variety of main dishes.
  • The fresh lemon zest and juice brighten up the beans beautifully.
  • It only requires 4 ingredients, and that's including the oil and seasoning!
  • If you let them cook a few extra minutes, you often get some nicely caramelized bits that taste extra delicious.
Ingredients ready to make sheet pan roasted green beans with lemon.
Only 4 ingredients are needed for this easy green bean recipe.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this simple green bean side dish (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

Squeezing a lemon wedge over a platter of roasted green beans.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice, in addition to lemon zest, really brightens up this green bean recipe.

🌱 Ingredient Spotlight: Green Beans

This recipe uses fresh green beans which can be found in your grocery store located in the produce aisle.

My friend Shareba over at In Search of Yummy-ness has an incredible wealth of knowledge about produce and gardening (her Instagram account is fabulous!).

Since there are a few types of beans that are similar to green beans, I asked her to share some of her knowledge with Big Flavors readers.

There are lots of great tidbits below, plus tips for growing your own green beans!

Close-up of fresh green beans.

What type of beans are green beans?

Green beans are long edible pods that contain small seeds. These beans are sometimes called string beans or snap beans. 

What are the different varieties of green beans?

Although they're all called "green" beans, not all varieties are green. 

Wax beans are pale yellow in color, yet they taste almost exactly the same as the common green beans that you'll find at your grocery store. 

Purple beans are another variation that isn't green. These beans tend to be sweeter in flavor, but unlike green and wax beans they will lose their color when cooked. 

Also, green beans can be sorted into one of two categories: bush beans and pole beans. This refers to how the beans grow. 

Bush beans are great for container gardening, as all you need is a pot. While pole beans can also be grown in a container, they will need a trellis or stakes to support the climbing vines of the plant.

What's the difference between green beans and haricot verts?

Haricot verts are French green beans. These beans are longer and thinner than regular green beans and cook quickly. 

When are green beans in season?

Green beans are at their peak from June to October, although you can find them in grocery stores year-round.

For gardeners, when is a good time to plant green beans?

Green bean seeds can be planted once the soil is warm (70-90 °F). This is usually from mid to late Spring, depending on where you live. 

They like full sun and grow well in raised beds or containers. 

How do you know when green beans are ready to harvest?

Green beans are ready to be harvested when they are about 4 inches in length and have a firm texture. Overgrown beans will not be tasty, so try to pick them before they get too big. 

Tip: If you harvest your beans often, the plant will grow more and you'll have beans all summer!

Overhead view of a dish of roasted green beans with lemon.

🥣 Substitutions

This recipe can be easily made with asparagus in place of green beans.

You could also substitute another type of bean such as wax beans or purple beans (see the ingredient spotlight box above).

The same basic cooking method is easy to use for other, more dense veggies such as carrots or potatoes. You may need to adjust the cooking time, depending on how you cut these vegetables, to ensure they are cooked through.

Green beans with the ends trimmed off with a knife.
Trim the stem end off of the beans if necessary.
Adding fresh green beans to a sheet pan.
Place trimmed beans onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzling fresh green beans with oil.
Drizzle with olive oil.

✅ How to make this recipe

These green beans are seriously easy to prepare.

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  2. Trim the stem end off of your green beans, if necessary. Many beans are sold pre-trimmed, but take a peek through yours to see if there are any stems still attached.
  3. Place the beans on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil and season with grill seasoning.
  5. Roast until

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Adding grill seasoning to a sheet pan of fresh green beans.
Season with grill seasoning.
Tossing green beans with oil and grill seasoning.
Toss well to combine.
Seasoned green beans on a sheet pan ready for the oven.
Spread into an even layer to bake.

📌 Tips

If substituting salt and pepper for the grill seasoning, use ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper.

You can absolutely pile up a lot of green beans onto one baking sheet. If it feels too crowded, you can divide the beans between 2 baking sheets instead.

If you'd like a little extra brown, feel free to let them bake a little longer or switch to broil for an additional few minutes.

I usually squeeze one of the lemon wedges over the beans and toss to combine, then serve the remaining lemon wedges alongside.

Grating lemon zest over a sheet pan of roasted green beans.
Add lemon zest and juice to the roasted green beans.
Grabbing roasted green beans from a sheet pan with tongs.
Toss well to combine.
Roasted green beans with lemon in a serving dish.
Serve and enjoy!

💡 What main dishes are good to serve with green beans

This is one of those side dishes that is so incredibly versatile that it goes with almost anything.

I've taught this recipe in a class where we're also making Sloppy Joes and cole slaw, so that's the first dish that comes to mind. Some other ideas are:

Plate of chicken, mashed potatoes, and roasted green beans.

🔪 Equipment

This recipe is so simple to put together. You don't need anything fancy!

  • Oven
  • Cutting board
  • Chef's knife
  • Large, rimmed baking sheet
  • Measuring spoons
  • Microplane, box grater, or zester (but you can absolutely "do this "zest" with a vegetable peeler and knife if needed)

🥡 Storage recommendations

Store any leftover roasted green beans in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. I often throw them in a Stasher bag to minimize the amount of space they take up.

I don't recommend freezing cooked green beans. The texture isn't great after thawing and reheating.

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Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche Made with Fresh Spinach

by 35 Comments

Fresh spinach and cheddar cheese team up in this easy, fluffy baby spinach and cheddar quiche recipe using homemade or store-bought pie crust!

Close-up of slices of spinach and cheddar quiche on plates with forks.

I came up with this recipe many years ago when I was trying to figure out how to use up half a bag of baby spinach that was hanging out in my fridge.

This quiche was the result of that experiment, and it's one that has been on heavy rotation ever since. And it's been a big hit with Big Flavors readers, too!

I'll often serve this spinach and cheddar quiche with homemade breakfast sausage patties, and a quick salad that utilizes pantry staples to go alongside.

This cucumber & cannellini bean salad with dill, this quick chickpea salad with lemon-dill vinaigrette, or this creamy cucumber, avocado, chickpea, & sun-dried tomato salad are all great choices!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Most spinach quiche recipes call for frozen spinach, but this one uses fresh.
  • This quiche is light and fluffy.
  • It can be made with a homemade pie crust or a store-bought. This homemade pie crust recipe is my favorite, but I often go with a store-bought one.
  • There's no need to pre-bake the pie crust! I usually pull one out of the freezer and let it thaw while I sauté the spinach filling.
  • Quiche freezes beautifully! You can freeze a full quiche or individual slices for later enjoyment.
Ingredients ready to make a baby spinach and cheddar quiche.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this fresh spinach quiche (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Deep dish pie crust - I often buy these as a 2-pack from the freezer section of the grocery store
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Shallot
  • Baby spinach
  • Freshly grated nutmeg (or a pinch of ground nutmeg)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Large eggs
  • Milk
  • Cheddar cheese - you can buy pre-shredded or shred your own
Eggs cracked into a bowl with milk alongside.
Whisking milk and eggs together in a bowl.
Pouring shredded cheddar into a bowl of eggs and milk for quiche.

🥧 Ingredient spotlight: store-bought pie crust

This recipe uses a pre-made pie crust. There are a few different options when buying these from the store.

Frozen, pre-made pie crusts can be found in the frozen food aisle. In the stores I've been to, they're usually near the frozen whipped topping, berries, and cans of frozen juice.

If your store has a section with frozen pies and puff pastry, the pie crusts may be there also.

You can usually find both standard and deep-dish frozen pie crusts, so be sure to get the right size for the recipe you're making.

A bonus about this type of pie crust is that a disposable baking dish is already included, so you don't even need to own a pie plate in order to bake with them.

Another benefit of these pre-formed pie crusts is that they're already rolled out and shaped into the pie pan. The edges of the crust are crimped beautifully for you, saving you from having to do it yourself.

I tend to keep frozen pie crusts on hand in my freezer so I always have one handy if I'm in the mood to bake a pie or quiche.

Apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a pie crust.
Dutch Apple Pie
Rhubarb custard filling being poured into a pie crust.
Rhubarb Custard Pie

You can also often find refrigerated pie dough at the grocery store. It's usually in the dairy/egg department near the cans of refrigerated biscuits, croissants, etc.

Refrigerated pie dough is usually sold in pre-rolled sheets, so you'll need to fit them into a pie plate at home.

The dough sheets are rolled up and sealed in a bag, then tucked into a box, which is nice because they don't take up too much room in your refrigerator.

Of course, if you have time and are so inclined, you can make your own pie crust. My go-to pie crust recipe is this standard pastry recipe. The buttery all-purpose crust in this pie recipe is also delicious, as is this whole wheat pie crust.

You can even make your own pie crusts in advance and freeze them for later use. There are some great tips for this in Teeny's Tour of Pie, a cookbook that I reviewed years ago with lots of great recipes.

Whatever route you take, pie crusts are a versatile item to use in the kitchen. They're used in many sweet and savory dishes.

Some of our favorite recipes that use a pie crust are:

Overhead view of a baby spinach and cheddar quiche with a slice taken out of it.

🥣 Substitutions

For this quiche recipe, feel free to get creative with what veggies and cheese you use. Asparagus, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, and smoked gouda are all great options.

Feel free to add some meat into the mix! Ham, sausage, and bacon are all great additions. Just make sure you cook the meat first before adding it into the egg mixture.

If you're using bacon, you can use the drippings instead of the oil in the recipe. Cook the bacon in the pan first, then remove it and leave 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pan.

Use those drippings to cook any veggies you plan to add, then add the cooked bacon back in and proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.

I've had readers tell me that they've had success with plant-based milk in this recipe also. I haven't personally tried it but am thrilled that it worked well for them!

Adding sautéed spinach to an uncooked pie crust.
Spread sautéed spinach in an even layer.
Pouring an egg mixture over sautéed spinach in a pie shell to make quiche.
Pour egg mixture over top.
Unbaked spinach and cheddar quiche on a baking sheet ready for the oven.
Use a baking sheet to catch any spills.

✅ How to make this recipe

Making this spinach and cheese quiche is super simple. A little upfront prep is required, and then it bakes in the oven while you carry on with your day.

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place your prepared pie crust on a baking sheet and set aside.
  2. Sauté garlic and shallot until soft.
  3. Add spinach, season, and cook until it wilts down.
  4. Beat eggs and milk together in a large bowl, then stir in your shredded cheese.
  5. Spread cooked spinach in an even layer in the pie crust. Pour egg mixture over top and bake.
  6. Let stand a few minutes before slicing and enjoy!

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Overhead view of a slice of spinach and cheddar quiche on a plate next to the pie plate.

📌 Tips

When baking pies I recommend placing a baking sheet underneath the pie plate.

This serves a few purposes - it adds stability when transferring the pie to and from the oven. It also catches any spills that may occur, preventing things from overflowing and burning onto the bottom of your oven.

Often the baking sheet is still completely clean when the pie is done baking, and you can just put it away after it cools off.

I use this same method when baking things in a muffin tin as well. I'd rather potentially dirty one more pan than have to scrub my oven.

For pies, a quarter sheet pan is usually large enough. If you're baking 2 at once, I recommend a half sheet pan.

Fork grabbing a piece of spinach and cheddar quiche.

❓ Frequently asked questions

How do you reheat quiche?

When reheating quiche, you can pop it in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also microwave individual slices, or reheat them with an air fryer.

Can you freeze cooked quiche?

Absolutely! It freezes beautifully. You can freeze it whole or as individual slices. You'll likely need to add an additional 10-20 minutes to the baking time to get it warm all the way through.

Can I use frozen spinach in this quiche recipe?

Yes! You'll want to thaw your spinach and squeeze out any excess moisture before adding it to your pie shell. Since it won't have been seasoned when was cooked, I'd add some salt and pepper, nutmeg, and a little garlic powder to the spinach if you don't want to sauté it as instructed in the recipe.

I don't have whole nutmeg. Can I use ground?

Yes! Use a pinch, or about ⅛ teaspoon if using already ground nutmeg.

💡 What to serve with

Quiche can be a full meal in itself. If you're looking for some ideas on what to serve with your quiche, here are a few suggestions:

A simple green salad is always great with quiche, too. Or fresh fruit. Frozen hashbrowns, homefries, or tater tots are other easy options. It doesn't need to be fancy!

Overhead view of spinach and cheddar quiche with forks.

🔪 Equipment

  • Oven and stovetop
  • Baking sheet
  • Pie plate (if your pie crust didn't already come in one)
  • Large non-stick skillet
  • Cutting board
  • Chef's knife
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Microplane or grater (if using whole nutmeg)
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Large bowl
  • Whisk

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Peanut Noodles with Roasted Pork Tenderloin + Honeyed Oranges

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Oven-roasted pork tenderloin cooks quickly and is delicious shredded and served over peanut noodles with honeyed oranges and fresh herbs.

Peanut noodles with shredded pork, fresh herbs, and honeyed oranges.

I've been making this meal for yeeeeears. It's based on a roast pork and almond noodle recipe from Cooking Light.

Pork tenderloin is such a versatile ingredient! Some of our very favorite recipes utilize it, like this balsamic marinated pork tenderloin, this pan-roasted pork tenderloin with balsamic tomatoes, and this breaded pork tenderloin with lemon caper sauce.

In this dish, the pork tenderloin is roasted in the oven, then shredded and served over fettuccine with a delicious peanut sauce. My whole family loves this meal, and I hope you will too!

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Pork tenderloin cooks quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
  • The contrast of the warm pork and noodles with the cool, spiced oranges is so nice!
  • It's colorful and delicious.
  • You just can't go wrong with peanut sauce!
Ingredients laid out to make peanut noodles with pork tenderloin and honeyed oranges.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this recipe for peanut noodles with roasted pork tenderloin and honeyed oranges (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Peanut oil (or other high-heat cooking oil, such as avocado or grapeseed)
  • Pork tenderloin
  • Grill seasoning (homemade, store-bought, or just salt and pepper)
  • Kosher salt, for the pasta water
  • Dried fettuccine
  • Peanut butter (homemade or store-bought)
  • Low-sodium soy sauce
  • Unseasoned rice vinegar
  • Freshly grated ginger
  • Chili garlic sauce
  • Oranges
  • Honey
  • Ground allspice
  • Green onions (also called scallions)
  • Fresh mint
Sprinkling salt onto 2 pieces of pork tenderloin.
Checking the internal temperature of pork tenderloin with an instant-read thermometer.
Fork shredding pork tenderloin on a sheet pan.

🐖 Ingredient Spotlight: Pork Tenderloin

This recipe uses pork tenderloin which can be found in your grocery store located in the meat department.

Pork tenderloin is an incredibly versatile ingredient. It cooks quickly and can be prepared in a variety of ways.

Some of our favorite cooking methods for pork tenderloin include roasting, grilling, breading and frying, pan-searing (then transferring to the oven to roast and cook through), and sous vide cooking (then finishing it off by searing it in a hot skillet or on the grill).

Note that pork tenderloin is a different cut of meat than pork loin. You can read more about the difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin over on this post on allrecipes.

Pork tenderloin is most often sold in a package that has 2 pieces of pork tenderloin wrapped up together. Typically each piece of pork tenderloin weighs roughly 1 pound, so the packages are usually 2-ish pounds in total.

Depending on how you plan to use it, you may want to opt for one that's been already marinated. Most grocery stores sell a variety of flavors of pre-marinated pork tenderloin.

Be sure that if you're using pork tenderloin in a recipe like the one on this page you get one that's not already in a marinade. (If you're looking for a fantastic marinated pork tenderloin recipe, my balsamic marinated pork tenderloin has been a longtime favorite).

Personal temperature and texture preferences vary, but the FDA recommends cooking pork to at least 145°F.

Pork tenderloin is juicy and delicious when it's still a little pink inside.

I know, that whole, "pork - the other white meat" campaign from the '80s made it confusing to think of pork as something that is OK to serve at a variety of temperatures.

But much like steak, the flavor and texture are best when it's not completely cooked through. It can help to think of pork more like beef than poultry.

Some of our favorite pork tenderloin recipes are:

Pouring reserved pasta water into a bowl of peanut butter.
Thin the peanut butter out with reserved pasta water.
Adding chili garlic sauce to a bowl of peanut sauce ingredients.
Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and chili garlic sauce.
Whisking together peanut sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Whisk peanut sauce ingredients together to combine.

✅ How to make this recipe

This recipe has a few components - the pork, the noodles, the sauce, and the honeyed oranges. They all come together beautifully with a few steps.

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  2. Slice each piece of pork tenderloin in half crosswise. Rub with oil and season with grill seasoning (or salt and pepper).
  3. Roast pork for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest.
  4. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
  5. Whisk peanut sauce ingredients together in a bowl, using the reserved pasta water to thin it out. Toss ⅓ of the sauce with the cooked pasta.
  6. Cut oranges into segments and toss them in a bowl with honey and ground allspice.
  7. Shred pork tenderloin and serve on top of the fettuccine with additional peanut sauce, green onions, and mint.
  8. Serve with honeyed oranges alongside.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Oranges on a cutting board with a knife and a bowl.
Cut both ends off of your oranges, then slice off the peel and pith.
Knife removing segments from an orange.
Cut the orange segments by running your knife between the membranes.
Squeezing an orange over a bowl.
Squeeze any juice left in the membranes into a bowl to make the sauce.

📌 Tips

When preparing the oranges, use your knife to cut supremes of fruit from between the membranes, letting them fall onto the cutting board. Squeeze the juice from the membranes over a bowl.

If the honey won't incorporate into the orange juice easily with your whisk, you can microwave the bowl for a few seconds to help it loosen up.

Drizzling honey into a bowl of orange juice.
Add honey to the bowl of orange juice.
Whisking orange juice with allspice an honey in a bowl.
Whisk together with ground allspice.
Stirring orange segments in a bowl of spiced honey.
Gently stir in the oranges to combine.

I often take some of the juice from the bowl of honeyed oranges and drizzle it over my pork and noodles, too. It brightens it up and tastes great together.

🥣 Substitutions

The original version of this recipe was made with almond butter. Any nut butter that you enjoy will work here, including a nut-free substitute like Sunbutter.

If you can't find fettuccine feel free to use linguine or spaghetti as a substitute. I think this recipe works best with "long noodles", but you could use your favorite pasta shape here.

For the oranges, if you don't have honey, you could substitute maple syrup or agave syrup. If using agave, start with half the amount and add more if needed.

2 bowls of pork and peanut noodles with oranges.
Fork twirling peanut noodles served with pork tenderloin and oranges.

🔪 Equipment

Most of what you need to make this recipe is fairly standard, but there are a few optional tools things that will make cooking this recipe go more smoothly.

  • Stovetop and oven
  • Large pot
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Tongs
  • Meat/instant-read thermometer (optional)
  • Colander or strainer for pasta
  • 2 Medium bowls
  • Whisk
  • Fork

🥡 Storage recommendations

Store any leftovers from this recipe in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

When dividing up your leftovers, I recommend storing the hot and chilled ingredients separately. I'll often portion out individual servings so they're easy to reheat, and can be enjoyed right out of that dish.

So one container will have some noodles, pork, and peanut sauce, then another container will have oranges. I find that the green onions and mint hold up best stored separately also, that way you can sprinkle them on top after the pork and noodles are reheated.

When reheating, I like to add a splash of water to the container with the pork and noodles. This helps keep them from drying out in the microwave. Give them a good stir after they've reheated.

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Over 115 of Our Best Game Day Party Recipes

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Kick off your game day party with 115+ of our favorite appetizers, mains, sides, cocktails, and desserts that are perfect for the big game!

Collage of images of party food with text that reads, "Over 115 of Our Best Game Day Party Recipes".

This one is for the sports fans (and those of us who use game day as an excuse for fun food spreads 🙋🏻‍♀️).

Whether you're into football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, golf, bowling, or synchronized swimming, this post is your new go-to resource for all things related to game day food.

Sports gatherings can vary widely, so I've broken things down into helpful categories below, and you can click on any link to jump straight to that section.

Back when my husband worked in a big office, we'd have his department over to watch football with an epic spread of appetizers and desserts with the addition of a 6 foot wedge (that's a giant sandwich) from a local deli.

The top appetizer requests were always this layered taco dip, these sweet-and-sour meatballs, my favorite deviled eggs, these bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, and my classic pickle treats.

Desserts always included these peanut butter haystacks, this margarita cake, a batch of cranberry oat cereal bars, and our favorite puppy chow (AKA muddy buddies).

I hope this post helps you plan the most delicious party ever, regardless of whether it involves your favorite sports team.

Game on!!

Jump To:

🥟 Bite-sized snacks

These are some of our very favorite bite-sized game day snacks. These appetizers are portable and poppable, and many can be made in advance, leaving you relaxed come game time.

Deviled eggs in a serving tray.

No Mayo Deviled Eggs

This easy-to-make, classic deviled egg recipe is a bite-sized party appetizer favorite! Made with pantry staples - no mayo needed!

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Smoked Salmon Roll-ups

This 5 ingredient party food recipe is simple and delicious. It can be made in advance, making party prep a breeze!

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Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

This air fryer chicken wing recipe turns a few ingredients into perfectly crispy, juicy wings coated in a garlicky parmesan butter. Perfect for the big game!

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Easy Homemade Mini Pizza Bagels

This homemade pizza bagel recipe is quick & easy to make! These freezable, endlessly customizable snacks can be cooked in the oven or air fryer.

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Pickle Treats

This 3 ingredient pickle treat appetizer recipe is one of my family's very favorite game day treats. They're salty, tangy, creamy, and absolutely addictive!

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Garlicky Goat Cheese + Herb Stuffed Peppadews

Sweet and a little spicy, these addictive stuffed peppers are the perfect accompaniment to any appetizer spread!

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Settino's Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

This is my Italian father-in-law's recipe for the BEST stuffed mushrooms. They can be made in advance and reheated at game time.

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Homemade Seasoned Pita Chips: Easy, Baked, 5-Ingredient Recipe

Freshly baked crispy pita chips are easy to make at home from pita bread in under 10 minutes! Just 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper. Perfect for dipping in hummus, muhammara, and more!

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Killer Shrimp Cocktail

A flavorful shrimp boil and homemade cocktail sauce bring this Beetlejuice-inspired appetizer to life!

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Pasta Salad Skewers with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Sweet and Sour Meatballs

We love to keep these super simple bite-sized appetizers warm in a slow cooker throughout our parties.

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Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Sweet, salty, and almost always the first appetizer to disappear at any game day gathering!

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Hoisin Cocktail Meatballs

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Prosciutto & Brie Crostini with Dried Apricots

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Deep Fried Roasted Garlic Mac & Cheese Dumplings

Roasted garlic-infused mac & cheese is stuffed into dumpling wrappers, deep-fried till golden, and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the ultimate comfort food snack.

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Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli

A Spanish tapas favorite that's easy to make at home using only a few ingredients! These crispy fried potatoes make a great addition to any meal.

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Cheesy Potato Skins with Smoky-BBQ Shredded Beets

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General Tsao's Chicken Egg Rolls

Two Chinese takeout classics come together in this epic mashup! General Tsao's Chicken Egg Rolls only take a few ingredients & are simple to make at home.

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Marcona Almond + Dried Cherry Popcorn with Crispy Rosemary

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Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp + Peanut Sauce

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Prosciutto Wrapped Melon

A classic sweet-and-salty combination. Be sure to use ripe melon and quality prosciutto for the best results.

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Seltzer is added to flour and salt to create a beautifully light and fluffy tempura batter. Delicious on green beans and other veggies.

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Dressy Deviled Eggs

Sweet, tangy, and addictive - I've put a modern twist on my Grandma's classic deviled eggs. Guaranteed to be a hit at any party!

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Crudité Cups with Homemade Ranch Dressing.

Crudité Cups with Homemade Ranch Dressing

A quick blend of herbs & spices mixed with yogurt makes these colorful, portable snacks the perfect healthy treat!

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🥣 Appetizer dips and spreads

Nothing beats a good dip when it comes to your game day lineup. I usually assemble a few options in advance in casserole dishes and stash them in the fridge until kickoff.

Some of our favorite items to serve alongside dips and spreads are:

  • Pita bread or pita chips (my homemade baked pita chips are divine!)
  • Tortilla chips or scoops
  • Fresh veggies/produce like celery, cucumbers, carrots, jicama, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and grape tomatoes
  • Pretzels, pretzel sticks, or pretzel crisps
  • Potato chips
  • Crackers (both plain varieties and ones with additional flavors/ingredients work well)
  • Sliced baguette, either plain or toasted in the oven (toasted is also fantastic rubbed with garlic while it's still hot)
  • Grissini or breadsticks
  • Bagels or bagel chips
  • Bread bowls
  • Veggie chips or sticks
  • Doritos or Fritos
  • Naan bread or naan crisps

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Layered Taco Dip with Refried Beans

This quick & easy make-ahead layered taco dip recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. Perfect for your next potluck, picnic, or game day gathering!

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Buffalo Chickpea Dip

Why choose between spicy Buffalo wings and smooth hummus when you can have the best of both worlds? Perfect for game day or any appetizer spread!

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Easy Classic Hummus Using Canned Chickpeas

Smooth, delicious homemade hummus using canned chickpeas comes together in minutes with just a few ingredients. An easy appetizer or snack!

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Dino's Guacamole - Restaurant-Style Guac in Just 5 Minutes!

Restaurant-style guacamole is super simple to make at home! 2 ripe avocados + a few ingredients and you have the perfect Mexican appetizer!

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Muhammara

A rich, garlicky dip made from roasted red peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses. Great served with pita bread and feta cheese.

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Mango, Jicama + Black Bean Salsa

Juicy, ripe mango and fresh lime brighten the flavors of this sweet-and-salty black bean salsa. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, potlucks and summer BBQs!

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Gorgonzola Fruit Torta

Gorgonzola & cream cheese are layered with fresh herbs, dried fruit, & toasted nuts upgrading any festive cheese board or appetizer spread.

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Top Chef All-Star Marcel Vigneron's Chimi-Verde Dip

Tomatillos, fresh herbs, & avocado are blended together in this silky-smooth, spicy dip recipe courtesy of Top Chef All-Star Marcel Vigneron.

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5 Layer Greek Dip

This quick and easy dip packs a lot of flavor with very few ingredients.

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Toasted Spice Guacamole

Freshly toasted spices add extra flavor to this game day favorite.

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Caramelized Onion Dip

A simple appetizer that tastes like French onion soup but without the guilt!

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Butternut, Goat Cheese & Walnut Spread

Roasted garlic and butternut squash are blended with creamy goat cheese for a seriously decadent appetizer spread.

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Classic Spinach Dip

A game day favorite served up in an edible bowl.

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Caramelized Onion and Spinach Dip with Sage in a bowl with crackers.

Caramelized Onion and Spinach Dip with Sage

This dip boasts extra flavor in the form of some seriously mouth-watering caramelized onions, garlic, organic sage, and nutmeg.

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Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa with tortilla chips.

Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa

Sweet pineapple is tossed with spicy jalapeño peppers, black beans, red onion, cilantro, and lime for a quick and refreshing salsa!

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Baked Brie with Jam & Pecans

Puffed pastry and your favorite jam or preserves and some nuts come together in this ooey-gooey appetizer.

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Tzatziki

Garlicky cucumber-yogurt dip makes for a great appetizer. This is part of a burger post, but the dip is fantastic on its own as well!

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Mango Salsa

Ripe mangoes and pineapples make the perfect base for this tropical salsa recipe.

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Cream cheese topped with pepper jelly.

Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Appetizer

A two-ingredient Midwest staple! Sweet, spicy pepper jelly and cream cheese make the perfect dip for crackers.

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🍔 Game day mains

Some people like to celebrate the big game by grilling up burgers, sausages, or brats for a crowd. Many enjoy having a buffet table of dishes for people to fill their plates.

Others like to have a big pot of soup or stew hanging out in a slow cooker for their guests to help themselves throughout the game.

Whatever your style, here are some options for game day entréeas to feed hungry fans.

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Spicy Turkey Three-Bean Chili

The best bowl of spicy turkey chili is easy to make at home! Includes tips for making it milder, freezing, and topping ideas. Perfect comfort food!

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Sloppy Joe sandwich with pickles and sweet potato fries

Our Favorite Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

Old-fashioned comfort food at its best! Sloppy Joes are an easy weeknight meal that's always a hit. Try switching the ground beef for turkey, bison, or vegan ground meat alternative.

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Mushroom and ricotta pizza with baby arugula drizzled with aged balsamic, sliced into triangles.

Garlicky Mushroom Ricotta Pizza with Wild Arugula + Aged Balsamic

Sautéed mushrooms are topped with ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and baked into a store-bought pizza crust for an easy, elegant weeknight meal!

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Overhead view of a dutch oven filled with sausages, peppers, and onions.

Sausage and Peppers

This simple, classic Italian comfort food recipe makes a perfect weeknight meal and is easily scaled up to feed a crowd. Serve it with some nice bread for delicious sandwiches!

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Overhead view of BBQ Chicken Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella on a pizza peel.

BBQ Chicken Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella

Grab your favorite BBQ sauce & a pre-made pizza crust, flatbread, or naan. This easy, sweet-and-smoky chicken pizza recipe will be ready in 15-20 minutes!

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Burrata Pizza with Prosciutto and Pickled Grapes

Three cheeses, prosciutto, and pickled grapes make this sweet & salty burrata pizza recipe served with freshly broken burrata a luscious app or main course!

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Chef Jehangir Mehta's Mushroom Blended "Graffiti" Burger

A blend of mushrooms, angus beef, and exotic spices amp up the flavor in this grilled burger.

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Terri's Favorite Vegetarian Black Bean Burger

Terri's Favorite Vegetarian Black Bean Burger

Cumin, fresh cilantro, and green onion pack major flavor inside these veggie burger patties.

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Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Make the beef for these mouthwateringly tender sandwiches and let it stay warm in your Instant Pot until game time. Then served on top of toasted garlic bread with melted provolone cheese and plenty of au jus for dunking. They'd be great on slider rolls, too!

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Turkey Salad Tea Sandwiches with Dried Cherries: Dried sour cherries add a pop of sweet-tart flavor to the turkey filling in this simple yet elegant tea sandwich recipe. Perfect party food! #ad

Turkey Salad Tea Sandwiches with Dried Cherries

Dried sour cherries add a pop of sweet-tart flavor to the turkey filling in this simple yet elegant tea sandwich recipe. Would also be great on sliders or in mini pita pockets. Perfect party food!

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Falafel in pita bread with toppings served with yogurt-herb sauce.

Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce

Serve these chickpea and herb patties solo or with pita bread. Delicious with a quick, tangy yogurt-herb sauce!

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Bar-B-Q Turkey Burgers with Grilled Pineapple Guacamole: Grilled pineapple-studded guacamole is piled on top of these turkey burgers that have been brushed with a sweet-and-spicy bar-b-q sauce. #ad

Bar-B-Q Turkey Burgers with Grilled Pineapple Guacamole

Grilled pineapple-studded guacamole is piled on top of these turkey burgers that have been brushed with a sweet-and-spicy bar-b-q sauce.

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Instant Pot Beef Goulash

This easy, cozy beef goulash recipe has been in my family for at least 6 generations now. It's delicious when served over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

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A plate of chicken salad with dill on a slice or bread with fresh fruit alongside.

Chicken Salad with Dill

Easy to make in advance and delicious served as sandwiches, sliders, or stuffed in pita bead. Extra delicious with crispy potato chips piled on top!

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Persian Malbec Lamb Burgers with Mast-o-Khiar and Pomegranate Tomato Jam.

Persian Malbec Lamb Burgers with Mast-o-Khiar and Pomegranate Tomato Jam

Red wine deepens the flavors in both the burgers and jam in this Middle Eastern spin on Adam Richman's Malbec Burger recipe. Great as full-sized burgers or sliders for game day!

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Tasty sandwiches with minimal prep. Serve straight out of the slow cooker with slider rolls or buns alongside.

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Chicken Salad Sliders

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My grandpa made the BEST beef stew! This hearty recipe tastes even better the day after it's made and would be great held in a slow cooker during the big game.

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🥗 Super sides

Whether it's creamy mashed potatoes to go with beef goulash, pasta salad or baked beans to go alongside burgers and brats, or a cheese-packed loaf of bread, these side dishes will round out any game day meal.

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Cole Slaw

This is the way my mom makes cole slaw, and it rocks! Simple, delicious, sweet, and creamy.

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Smoked paprika adds depth to this colorful, fresh, and tangy slaw. This is really easy to put together, can be made in advance, and stores well in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat.

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Mix together 6 ingredients in just minutes with this easy no-cook bean salad recipe. Perfect for days when you don't want to heat up the kitchen!

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🍹 Kick-off cocktails

We often serve bottles of liquor with soda, juice, mixers, and garnishes next to a bucket of ice at game day gatherings.

If you're looking to branch out beyond beer and wine, here are some of our very favorite cocktail options!

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Cucumber Gin Elderflower Smash

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🍪 Party-pleasing desserts

Having something sweet to snack on at any gathering is a nice touch. This margarita bundt cake, puppy chow, and peanut butter haystacks are always the most requested at our football parties.

Many of these sweets could be easily customized with colored candies or food coloring to match the colors of the uniforms of the teams playing. Have fun with it!

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What's better than a quick & easy snack that involves cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and lots of fun mix-ins? Use candies in team colors to customize it to the big game.

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Butterscotch haystacks are an easy 4 ingredient no-bake dessert that come together in under 10 minutes and always disappear at parties!

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Layered Taco Dip with Refried Beans

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This quick & easy make-ahead layered taco dip recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. Perfect for your next potluck, picnic, or game day gathering!

Overhead view of layered taco dip with tortilla chips alongside.

This recipe is based on my cousin Carey's fabulous "avocado dip" appetizer. She included it in a book of family recipes for me back when I got engaged, and it's been a game day staple here ever since.

Whenever we host (or attend!) football parties, this recipe, my deviled egg recipe without mayo, and my sweet and sour meatballs are always the top requests. You can check out my big game day recipe roundup post for more party favorites!

This layered party dip doesn't contain any meat, is served chilled, and can be made in advance for easy entertaining.

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • The ingredients are easy to find and it's a budget-friendly appetizer option.
  • It makes a colorful addition to any party appetizer spread.
  • This dip is packed with crowd-pleasing Mexican flavors.
  • It's a great way to use overripe avocados!
  • The toppings are customizable to your preferences.
  • It makes for a great meatless party food option and is perfect for dipping chips and veggies into.
Overhead view of ingredients needed to make a layered taco dip with refried beans.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this layered taco dip with refried beans (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Refried beans - note that if you want to keep your dip vegetarian-friendly, make sure to look for vegetarian refried beans, as those don't contain lard.
  • Ripe avocados - my cousin uses super ripe avocados when she makes this. They can be squishy and not the prettiest on the inside and that's just fine! It'll get mashed up and mixed with other ingredients.
  • Sour cream
  • Mayonnaise
  • Taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso taco seasoning mix - you can also use homemade)
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Shredded cheese - I like using cheddar or a Mexican cheese blend.
  • Sliced black olives
  • Tomatoes - grape or cherry work great here, but any tomatoes will do!
  • Green onions (also called scallions)
  • Tortilla chips or corn chips, for serving
¾ vies of a layered taco dip with refried beans surrounded by tortilla chips.

🥑 Ingredient Spotlight: Avocado

This recipe uses ripe avocados which are a fruit that can be found in the produce department at your local grocery store.

Finding a perfectly ripe avocado can be tricky, but I have a few tips that can help you on your quest.

Ripe avocados tend to have a darker color than unripe avocados. They should feel slightly soft but not too squishy or mushy when pressed gently with your fingers.

If you have a Latin or Asian market in your area, they tend to have avocados that are perfectly ripe already out on the shelves.

If you are buying avocados a few days before you need to use them, buy firmer, less-ripe ones so they don't get too soft before you plan to use them.

To help speed up the ripening process of an unripe avocado, you can place it in a paper bag with a banana or apple. Seal it and let it sit out on the counter for 2-3 days.

On a similar note, I tend to avoid storing bananas and avocados together in the same bowl in my kitchen. They can easily soften too quickly.

Avocado flesh oxidizes and turns brown fairly quickly once it's been cut into and exposed to air. It's best to use avocados soon after cutting into them. A squeeze of lime juice can help slow down this process.

If using half of an avocado for a recipe, save the half with the pit still in it for later use. This helps keep oxidation to a minimum. You can also rub the exposed flesh of the portion you're storing with a little olive oil (or avocado oil!) to help add an extra barrier.

Store unused avocados that have been cut open in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like putting unused avocado halves in a snack size stasher bag.

Spreading refried beans into a serving dish for layered taco dip.
Smoothing a seasoned avocado mixture over refried beans in a serving dish for layered taco dip.
Sprinkling shredded cheese onto a layered taco dip.

✅ How to assemble this appetizer dip

Grab a 9x13-inch baking dish and get ready to do some layering! A spoon or offset spatula will work great for spreading the base layers of your dip.

  1. Spread the refried beans in an even layer on the bottom of your dish.
  2. Mash avocados in a bowl and mix with sour cream, mayonnaise, taco seasoning, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread that on top of the refried beans as your second layer.
  3. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese, black olives, tomatoes, and green onions.
  4. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy with tortilla chips, corn chips, and/or your favorite veggies for dipping.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Sprinkling black olives on top of a layered taco dip.
Adding tomatoes to the top of a layered taco dip.
Scattering green onions on top of a layered taco dip.

🤔 FAQs about this recipe

Can this dip be made in advance?

You can make the base layer and prep the toppings in advance. I recommend storing the toppings separately in the refrigerator and sprinkling them on before serving if you plan to make it more than a day in advance.

My avocados are too ripe - can I still use them?

Overripe avocados are perfect in this recipe! It's totally fine to use avocados that are spotted and/or a bit dark on the inside.

How should I store leftovers?

Pop a lid on your serving dish (or use aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or beeswax wrap) and store leftovers in the refrigerator. The dip will taste good for a few days, but there may be a bit of discoloration or extra liquid in the dish. If you added more delicate toppings (such as lettuce), they will be a little soggy after the first day or 2.

Dipping a tortilla chip into a layered taco dip.
Scooping layered taco dip onto a tortilla chip.

💡 What to serve with layered taco dip

There are lots of options when it comes to what dippers go with this recipe. Some options include:

  • Tortilla chips (my favorite!)
  • Corn chips (the scoop-shaped ones are great here)
  • Carrot sticks or baby carrots
  • Celery sticks
  • Pretzel crisps
  • Pita chips
  • Flour tortillas
  • Sliced jicama
  • Plantain chips

Feel free to experiment here and use whatever you like!

Serving dish of layered taco dip surrounded by tortilla chips.

🍴 Variations

Looking for a little variety? Feel free to split this dip up between 2 separate, smaller serving dishes and change up the toppings you use on each!

You could even make individual layered cups for single-serving grab-and-go options.

Here are some additional topping ideas - feel free to mix and match to your heart's content!

  • Black beans
  • Cilantro
  • Corn kernels
  • Cotija cheese
  • Hot sauce (my family likes Cholula hot sauce for all things taco-related)
  • Pickled jalapeños
  • Radishes
  • Red onion
  • Salsa
  • Shredded lettuce

When I last made this dip, I left the olives off of part of the dip so that one of my olive-hating friends could easily avoid them.

You could do this with any of the toppings that not everyone in your group enjoys. Only put those specific items on top of part of your dish to make things easier!

Tray of layered taco dip with olives removed from one portion.
Feel free to omit certain toppings from part or all of your dip!

🔪 Equipment

This no-cook recipe doesn't require much, equipment-wise, but there are a few things that will come in handy.

  • 9x13-inch baking dish or casserole-type container. You want something that's deep enough to hold the layers. Go for glass if you want to see the layers from the outside of the dish.
  • Can opener (unless your canned items have pull tabs).
  • Flexible spatula, offset spatula, or spoon for spreading your layers.
  • Chef's knife and cutting board for prepping the toppings.
  • Grape cutter (completely optional, but if you happen to have one of these and are using grape tomatoes, this tool will quarter them super quickly!
  • Measuring cups and measuring spoons.

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