Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen

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Easy Sheet Pan Roasted Green Beans with Lemon

by 3 Comments

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 39 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 or turkey 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

by 10 Comments

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!

Jump To:

🧡 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

by Leave a Comment

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.

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No Mayo Deviled Eggs

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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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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

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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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Lindrusso's Spinach Balls

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Skewers of pasta salad ingredients next to a pitcher of balsamic vinaigrette.

Pasta Salad Skewers with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Food on a stick is always more fun! Greek yogurt adds creaminess to the dressing in this fun spin on a party favorite.

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Platter of tomato bruschetta mixture on top of toasted bread with fresh basil.

Settino's Italian Bruschetta

My family's favorite bruschetta recipe, just the way my Italian father-in-law taught me to make it. This quick & easy appetizer recipe is always a hit!

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Croissants on a platter filled with apple, cheddar, and bacon jam.

Cheesy Bacon + Apple Croissants

Bacon jam adds smokiness to this sweet-and-salty 5 ingredient appetizer recipe. An easy apple-studded hors d'oeuvre that will be a hit at any party!

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Small dish of mini meatballs in sweet and sour sauce.

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 with toothpicks holding them closed on a plate.

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Sweet, salty, and almost always the first appetizer to disappear at any game day gathering!

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Overhead view of a tray of deviled eggs with colorful garnishes.

French-Inspired Deviled Eggs

These mayo-free beauties get a big boost of flavor from fresh tarragon, cornichons, and Dijon.

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Overhead view of a bowl of spiced almonds.

Ethiopian Spiced Almonds

Roasting nuts with berbere makes for an exotic snack. Feel free to use this same method, swapping it out with other spices for flavor variations.

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Overhead view of a platter of tortilla roll-ups with cream cheese and vegetables.

Veggie Cream Cheese Roll-ups

Eat the rainbow with these colorful, veggie-packed bites! Easy to assemble and completely customizable to your preferences.

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Crostini topped with manchego, chorizo, figs, and honey on a wooden board.

Honeyed Chorizo & Fig Crostini

This smoky-sweet Spanish appetizer recipe is guaranteed to be a hit at your next tapas party! A simple, elegant hors d'oeuvre that can be prepared in under 15 minutes.

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Meatballs in a dish with a dipping sauce alongside.

Hoisin Cocktail Meatballs

Incredibly tender and flavorful party bites with a delicious dipping sauce.

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Mini tostadas topped with avocado, tuna, cilantro, and lime.

Tuna Tostada with Avocado Dressing + Chipotle Sour Cream

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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Overhead view of prosciutto and brie crostini with dried apricots.

Prosciutto & Brie Crostini with Dried Apricots

France meets Italy in this simple prosciutto & brie crostini recipe that packs a flavorful, sweet-and-salty punch. With only a handful of ingredients, they're perfect party bites for entertaining that are easy enough to make last minute. Plus tips for building your own stellar crostini!

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Platter of fried dumplings with macaroni and cheese inside.

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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Bowl of crispy potatoes with a chipotle aioli dipping sauce alongside.

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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Platter of stuffed baby potato skin appetizers.

Cheesy Potato Skins with Smoky-BBQ Shredded Beets

Bite-sized potatoes are stuffed with cheddar cheese and baked till crispy, then topped with a vibrant array of toppings in this healthier spin on a party classic.

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¾ view of a platter of General Tsao's Chicken Egg Rolls with a bowl of dipping sauce.

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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Overhead view of a popcorn bowl with rosemary, marcona almonds, adn dried cranberries.

Marcona Almond + Dried Cherry Popcorn with Crispy Rosemary

An upscale twist on classic movie theater popcorn. Make it right in the comfort of your own home with only 6 ingredients!

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Platter of Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp + Peanut Sauce.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp + Peanut Sauce

Wrapping up these Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp & Peanut Sauce is easier than you think!

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Cantaloupe wrapped with prosciutto.

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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Tempura Green Beans with Sriracha Aioli + Soy Ginger Dipping Sauces

Tempura Green Beans with Sriracha Aioli + Soy Ginger Dipping Sauces

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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Close-up of someone holding a deviled egg with a cornichon on top.

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

Overhead view of layered taco dip with tortilla chips alongside.

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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Bowl of buffalo chickpea dip with celery sticks and veggie chips

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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Platter of hummus with fresh veggies and pita chips.

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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Tortilla chip scooping up guacamole.

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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Overhead view of mango black bean salsa with tortilla chips.

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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Cheese board featuring a layered gorgonzola fruit torta.

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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Bowl of vibrant green chimi-verde dip with naan crisps alongside.

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 in a serving dish.

5 Layer Greek Dip

This quick and easy dip packs a lot of flavor with very few ingredients.

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Mortar and pestle with toasted spice guacamole surrounded by tortilla chips.

Toasted Spice Guacamole

Freshly toasted spices add extra flavor to this game day favorite.

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Caramelized onion dip in a bowl with fresh veggies alongside.

Caramelized Onion Dip

A simple appetizer that tastes like French onion soup but without the guilt!

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Butternut goat cheese spread on a crostini with nuts on top.

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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Spinach Dip served in a bread bowl.

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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Overhead view of baked brie with a slice taken out.

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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Overhead view of a bowl of yogurt and chopped cucumbers for tzatziki.

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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A bowl of mango salsa with cilantro.

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.

Overhead view of bowls of Spicy Turkey Three-Bean Chili with toppings and cornbread alongside.

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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Overhead view of a slice cut out of a Burrata Pizza with Prosciutto and Pickled Grapes

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

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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¾ view of 3 assembled Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches with au jus, an Instant Pot, and shredded meat alongside.

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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Close-up view of a heaping portion of mashed potatoes in a bowl with beef goulash poured over top, sprinkled with parsley.

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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Pulled chicken sandwich with BBQ sauce and pickles on a plate.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

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 on a platter.

Chicken Salad Sliders

Because all sandwiches are more fun when they're slider-sized, right? These are great on mini rolls, stuffed in pita bread, or on regular rolls.

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2 bowls of beef stew with bread and butter.

Grandpa Henderson's Beef Stew

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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Bar-B-Q Pulled Pork Fries with Cole Slaw on a plate with a fork.

Bar-B-Q Pulled Pork Fries with Cole Slaw

Take French fries to the next level by piling them with tender, slow-cooked pulled pork and tangy cole slaw for an epic plate of comfort food. Grab a fork and dig in!

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Lamb Burger on a plate with pickles and toppings.

Grazin' TriBeCa's Lamb Burger

Delicious burgers with homemade tzatziki - always a hit with a crowd!

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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.

Platter of pasta salad with salami, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, and basil.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Bring the fun of an antipasto spread to picnic season with this colorful spin on an Italian favorite + a giveaway from prAna!

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Corn muffins with a bite taken out of one of them.

Sweet Corn Muffins

These muffins go great alongside stews or chili, and are also great on their own!

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Overhead view of Roasted Garlic Gruyère Pull-Apart Bread.

Roasted Garlic Gruyère Pull-Apart Bread

Crusty bread is slathered with Parmesan and herb-roasted garlic butter then stuffed with Gruyère cheese.

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Bowl of creamy cole slaw.

Cole Slaw

This is the way my mom makes cole slaw, and it rocks! Simple, delicious, sweet, and creamy.

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Ramekins of Rainbow Slaw with Smoked Paprika Mayo.

Rainbow Slaw with Smoked Paprika Mayo

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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Instant Pot "Baked" Beans: Bacon and molasses take this sweet-and-salty side dish to the next level!

Instant Pot "Baked" Beans

Bacon and molasses take this sweet-and-salty side dish to the next level!

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Overhead view of a bowl of coleslaw with a fork.

Best Barbecue Coleslaw

This slaw uses buttermilk, lemon juice, and vinegar for extra tang, and it gets better and better the longer it hangs out in the fridge.

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Two ramekins of Asian broccoli slaw.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

A zesty, sweet-and-spicy dressing is the perfect coating for this colorful cilantro-studded slaw.

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Overhead shot of an oval casserole dish full of creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Super creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes are easy to make in a fraction of the time thanks to the Instant Pot. Perfect with beef goulash or meatballs!

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Overhead view of a dish of Cucumber & Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill

Cucumber & Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill

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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3 containers of potato salad with fresh herbs in the background.

Easy Instant Pot Herbed Potato Salad

Quick-cooking baby potatoes and fresh herbs come together in this easy Instant Pot potato salad recipe (stovetop directions included).

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Balsamic Roasted Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad

Balsamic Roasted Tomato Caprese Pasta Salad

Tossing sweet, garlicky balsamic-and-basil roasted tomatoes with pasta and fresh mozzarella is a fun spin on a classic Caprese salad that's perfect for potluck season!

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Scooping a spoonful of Calabrese potato salad from the bowl

Calabrese Potato Salad with Green Beans + Tomatoes (Italian, No-Mayo)

This simple mayo-free Italian potato salad recipe includes fresh & dried oregano, olive oil, & red wine vinegar. A Calabrian family favorite!

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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!

Guava cocktails on a tray with fresh citrus fruit in the background.

Guava Cooler Tequila Cocktail Recipe - Tropical and Refreshing!

This guava tequila cocktail is made with guava nectar, triple sec, and a mix of fruit juices for a refreshing, tropical take on happy hour!

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Bloody Mary with garnishes.

DM Bloody Mary

Chile-Infused Vodka makes this is a nice, spicy way to kick off any game day party.

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Tray of cocktails made with watermelon, mint, lime, and tequila with a bottle of Tajin seasoning in the background.

Watermelon Sugar High Tequila Cocktail

Move over, margaritas! This refreshing watermelon cocktail made with fresh mint, lime, & tequila is the perfect way to cool off when the game gets heated.

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Overhead view of a copper mug filled with a Cucumber Moscow Mule cocktail with ingredients alongside.

Cucumber Moscow Mule

Homemade cucumber-infused vodka is a deliciously cool addition to this spicy ginger cocktail, served in a copper mug.

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Gin cocktails garnished with lime.

The Herbalist

Cucumber and lavender team up with gin in this super refreshing cocktail.

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Bourbon cocktail garnished with a lemon twist.

Bourbon Rouge

This cocktail is a great way to enjoy bourbon's sweeter side!

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Gin cocktails with cucumber and mint garnishes.

Cucumber Gin Elderflower Smash

Choose a cocktail or mocktail version of this cool, refreshing gin cocktail.

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Cola cocktails garnished with lime wedges.

Chile Libre

A spicy-yet-refreshing way to enjoy rum and cola.

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Two glasses of mulled wine surrounded by spices and orange slices.

Spiced Mulled Wine

Make this easy spiced mulled wine recipe on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or Instant Pot for the ultimate cozy spiked beverage.

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Three shot glasses with salted rims.

Launch Party: Rooster Shots

This is a spicy little shot that will really wake you up and get you ready for kickoff!

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Side view of 3 Bloody Mary cocktails garnished with Italian antipasto ingredients next to a jar of Bloody Mary mix.

Antipasto Bloody Mary

A drink with a built-in snack is the perfect addition to your game day party!

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Glasses of white sangria with fruit on a table.

White Sangria

A sweet cocktail that you can make in advance and keep chilled with frozen fruit.

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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!

Overhead view of bowls of Puppy Chow (AKA Muddy Buddies)

Puppy Chow (AKA Muddy Buddies)

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

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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Overhead shot of a plate with rectangles of white coconut jelly.

Coconut Jelly

A silky smooth, slightly sweet way to end any dim sum party! These luxuriously smooth treats take only 5 ingredients and 10 minutes on the stovetop, then just stash them in the fridge until party time!

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Margarita bundt cake on a cake stand with lime garnish.

Superbowl Party: Margarita Cake

A boozy cake with a boozy glaze that's always a hit at our game day gatherings.

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Pretzels with white chocolate and green candies pressed on top.

Pretzel Hugs

Sweet, salty, and super simple to assemble. Use corresponding candy colors to show your team spirit!

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Dunking a Deep Fried Nutella S'mores Dumpling into marshmallow fluff.

Deep Fried Nutella S'mores Dumplings

We took all the fun of s'mores but upped the ante by stuffing them inside dumpling wrappers, swapping the chocolate for Nutella, deep frying them, and dunking them in marshmallow fluff.

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Cranberry Orange Snickerdoodles in a tin.

Cranberry Orange Snickerdoodles

Fresh orange and dried cranberries add seasonal flair to this classic cookie!

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Dark Chocolate Pinwheel with Creamsicle Yogurt Dip

Dark Chocolate Pinwheel with Creamsicle Yogurt Dip

Pie crusts are stuffed with rich, dark chocolate and baked until golden brown before being dunked in an orange-infused yogurt dip!

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Peanut Butter Haystacks

Peanut Butter Haystacks

Easy make-ahead treats with only a few ingredients. Crunchy, sweet, and delicious!

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Brie and waffle skewers with strawberries and maple syrup.

Brie Waffle Bites

Brunch on a stick! A fun way to enjoy sweets with maple syrup for dipping.

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Dessert Nachos with Fresh Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips: A colorful fresh fruit salsa, honeyed Greek yogurt + chocolate hazelnut butter are piled atop this plate of sweet-and-salty nachos! #StonyfieldBlogger

Dessert Nachos with Fresh Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

A colorful fresh fruit salsa, honeyed Greek yogurt + chocolate hazelnut butter are piled atop this plate of sweet-and-salty nachos!

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Brownies on a cake stand dusted with powdered sugar.

Rich Cocoa Brownie Bites

Bust out your favorite cocoa powder and satisfy your brownie cravings with this super rich, bite-sized chocolate-packed dessert.

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Tray of copycat Starbucks Espresso Brownies.

Copycat Starbucks Espresso Brownies

Enjoy some sweets with a kick of caffeine with these rich, chocolatey treats.

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Cooling rack of decorated cut out sugar cookies.

Grandma's Classic Cut Out Sugar Cookies

My grandma's classic roll-out cookie recipe makes deliciously soft cookies that hold their shape well for decorating. Use a glass to make round cookies and decorate them with your team's colors!

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Chocolate cookies and chocolate chips on a blue and white backdrop.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies

These supremely chocolatey cookies are a great way to use a partial container of buttermilk - guaranteed to satisfy even the strongest chocolate cravings.

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Margarita Donuts on a plate with lime wedges.

Margarita Donuts

These donuts have lime zest running through them, and they're glazed with a tequila and orange liqueur-laced icing.

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Stack of snickerdoodle cookies topped with cinnamon sticks.

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

One of our all-time favorite cookies! Soft, delicious, and easy to bake.

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Holding a square cereal bar with dried cranberries.

Cranberry-Oat Cereal Bars

A fun, sweet, dried fruit spin on marshmallow cereal bars.

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Container of ricotta cookies with tissue paper.

Ricotta Cookies

This simple dessert recipe makes lots of pillowy soft, tender cookies that are sure to be a family favorite! Use your favorite team's color for the sprinkles to tie it all together.

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Peanut butter cookies cooling on a baking sheet

Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

These soft, chewy peanut butter cookies are a dessert recipe that my family has been baking for years. Easy to make & guaranteed to be a hit!

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A stack of dessert bars with a shot of tequila, fresh citrus, and a jar of butter flavored coconut oil.

Margarita Bars

Take traditional lemon bars to the next level with the addition of fresh lime and orange, plus a salty-sweet garnish. Shot of tequila optional, but encouraged!

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Milk and cookies surrounded by peppermints and mini marshmallows.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hot cocoa and cookie lovers unite! Peppermint hot chocolate cookies are a festive treat.

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Banana halves on popsicle sticks coated in peanut butter and bacon.

Elvis-Style Frozen Bananas

Elvis-Style Frozen Bananas take the classic Elvis sandwich (peanut butter, banana + bacon) to a new level! This easy 3 ingredient frozen dessert ROCKS!

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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.

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🧡 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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Note: This post includes affiliate links for items that I genuinely enjoy. Big Flavors will receive a tiny commission from purchases made through affiliate links on this site at no added cost to you. This allows us to cover site-related expenses and helps to keep us cooking up a storm!

Grandma's Classic Cut Out Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe

by 16 Comments

My grandma's classic roll-out cookie recipe makes deliciously soft cookies that hold their shape well for decorating. A Christmas tradition!

Cooling rack of decorated cut out sugar cookies.

No holiday baking session is complete without a signature cookie. And when it comes to Christmas cookies, this cut out cookie recipe is the one that comes to mind.

Sure, my Italian ricotta cookies are a great tradition for the winter holidays. But if I'm thinking about my childhood favorite, these rolled-out sugar cookies reign supreme.

My grandma Helen used to bake these cookies every year for Christmas and would give boxes of them to all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I loved helping her in out in her (also tiny, now that I think about it!) kitchen in Leo, Indiana. As an adult, I've been making these cookies for all sorts of holidays - Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day, Halloween, and more!

I've got lots of tips and tricks for cookie baking success in the post below. Grab your favorite cookie cutters and let's get baking!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • They're a true classic cookie, perfect for any occasion.
  • You can re-roll the scraps of dough after cutting out your cookies, eliminating any food waste.
  • These cookies are soft and tender and hold their shape very well!
  • The icing is simple to put together and absolutely delicious.
  • Cut out cookies are great for cookie decorating parties, and kids have a blast helping to make and decorate them.
  • Let's face it, grandma's recipes are always the best! In addition to these cookies, my grandma made some fabulous devilied eggs, Dutch apple pie, and my grandpa made the best beef stew.
Ingredients ready to make cut out sugar cookies.

📝 Ingredients

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

  • Unsalted butter - this goes both into the cookie dough and the icing. It needs to be softened, so you'll need to plan ahead just a bit.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs
  • All-purpose flour
  • Cream of tartar
  • Baking soda
  • Fine-grain salt
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk
  • Food coloring
  • Sprinkles (optional, but encouraged!)
Pouring sugar into a bowl with softened butter.
Adding eggs to a bowl while making cookie dough.
Electric mixer making cookie dough.

🔎 Ingredient Spotlight: Cream of Tartar

This recipe uses cream of tartar which can be found in your grocery store located in the baking aisle.

Cream of tartar is one of those ingredients that tends to confuse people. The name doesn't sound like something you'd necessarily find in baked goods.

There are several recipes that I make that rely on cream of tartar as an ingredient (like my grandma's cut out Christmas cookies, double chocolate chip cookies with vanilla icing, classic snickerdoodle cookies, cranberry orange snickerdoodles, or chai spiced snickerdoodle cookies).

You can also use cream of tartar to turn baking soda into baking powder. This can come in handy if you find yourself without any baking powder on hand.

If you have baking soda and cream of tartar, simply mix them together at a ratio of 2 parts cream of tartar to 1 part baking soda (and optionally, add 1 part cornstarch). This will make an acceptable substitute for standard double-acting baking powder in most cases.

Adding cream of tartar to a bowl of sugar cookie ingredients.
Electric hand mixer combining ingredients for cookie dough.

You can find more information about cream of tartar in this ingredient guide from Simply Recipes.

✅ How to make this recipe

These roll out cookies come together really easily. You'll need to plan ahead a bit when making them since there's some chilling time for the dough and cooling time for the cookies before you decorate them.

  1. Cream together softened butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
  2. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the dry ingredients and beat until combined.
  4. Divide the dough in half and refrigerate for an hour (you can shortcut this a bit by using the freezer - see tips below).
  5. Roll out the cookie dough on a well-floured surface. Cut with your favorite festive cookie cutters. You can also use a glass, turned upside-down, for round cookies.
  6. Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool.
  7. Mix the icing ingredients together in a large bowl, then divide into smaller bowls and tint with food coloring.
  8. Decorate the cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles as desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Cookie dough coming together in a bowl with an electric mixer.
Holding a beater from an electric mixer in front of a bowl of cookie dough.

📌 Tips

Here are a few tips that will help you have success when baking this chewy sugar cookie recipe.

  • Roll your cookie dough to an even thickness. I usually go around ⅛-inch thick. Even thickness means that they'll all bake at the same rate.
  • Be sure to chill your cookie dough. You should let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or longer for the best results. I'll be the first to admit that I get a little impatient waiting for cookie dough to chill, so I will say that you can absolutely shortcut this process a bit. I like to divide my dough in half, put them in containers with lids. Put one container in the fridge and one in the freezer. Instead of waiting an hour, I'll wait just 30 minutes (and clean up the dough-making mess), preheat the oven, and then start rolling out the dough that was in the freezer. By the time you've rolled, cut, and baked those cookies, the refrigerated dough will be chilled plenty. You can read more about the benefits of (and the science behind!) chilling cookie dough in this article from King Arthur Baking.
Sprinkling flour onto sugar cookie dough to roll out.
Removing excess cookie dough from cut out star shapes.
Metal spatula scooping up star-shaped sugar cookie dough.

  • Keep sprinkling flour onto your work surface, rolling pin, and cookie dough while you're rolling it out to help keep it from sticking.
  • Use a thin metal spatula to help transfer your cut out cookie dough shapes from your work surface to the baking sheet.
  • Let your cookies fully cool before icing. If they're still warm, the icing will melt off.
  • Use a fork when making the icing. I find it really helps to mix the ingredients together more easily to use the tines to smash the softened butter and mix it all together.
  • If your icing is too thick, add a splash of milk and stir it in to thin it out a bit.
  • If your icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar and stir it in.
  • Let your decorated cookies sit until the icing has hardened before storing them in airtight containers.
Metal spatula lifting a star-shaped sugar cookie off of a baking sheet.
Christmas shaped cut out sugar cookies on a cooling rack.

🥣 How to decorate sugar cookies

For these cut out sugar cookies, I like to keep the decorating fairly simple and approachable. This makes the process less intimidating and it's fun for kids and grown-ups alike.

If you're looking to get into some more complex decorating, Wilton has a royal icing video tutorial, and Sally's Baking Addiction has some fun options that involve piping bags and piping tips.

Icing ingredients on a cutting board with cut out sugar cookies on a cooling rack to the side.

I like to keep it pretty simple and have a few bowls of colored icing on the table. There are a few different ways to color your icing - I most often use liquid food coloring or gel food coloring.

Liquid food coloring can sometimes thin your icing out, depending on how much you use. More drops = more vibrant color.

I find this especially impacts red food coloring, as you'll need a lot of it in order to get a deep red, not pink.

Adding food coloring to bowls of white icing.
Mixing green food coloring into a bowl of icing.
Mixing bowls of green, yellow, blue, and red icing.

Gel food coloring is more pigmented and doesn't thin out the icing consistency as much as the liquid-style. There is also powdered food coloring pigment that I haven't personally worked with, but I've heard great things about it.

In addition to icing, an assortment of sprinkles is always fun. I like to include a mix of multi-colored and single-colored options, as well as different shapes/sizes of sprinkles, and sanding sugar.

Have lots of little utensils handy for decorating! We like using demitasse spoons, small butter knives, and toothpicks (or even cocktail picks) for tiny details.

Holiday baking is all about having fun. In my experience, you need to let go of any perfectionist tendencies and just enjoy the process.

This is especially true if you're decorating with kids. We want this to be laid back and fun, right?

Icing a Christmas tree-shaped sugar cookie.
Adding sprinkles to a green iced Christmas tree-shaped cookie.
Holding a Christmas tree-shaped decorated sugar cookie.

🔪 Equipment

You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to make this recipe, but a few things do come in very handy.

  • Measuring cups and measuring spoons
  • Mixing bowls
  • A handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer to really cream the ingredients together.
  • Silicone spatula - for scraping the sides of the mixing bowls.
  • Rolling pin - if you don't have one, you can use a tall glass or even a wine bottle.
  • Cookie cutters - you can use holiday-specific ones, or simply turn a glass or mug upside-down and use that to cut circular cookie shapes out of your dough.
Assortment of holiday cookie cutters on a cutting board.

  • Baking sheets
  • Thin metal spatula - for gently transferring cookies from the baking sheets to cool.
  • Wire cooling racks - for helping the air circulate around your cookies while they cool. I bought a collapsible cooling rack recently and have been LOVING it. It saves counter space while cooling multiple batches of items and collapses nice and small for storage when it's not in use.
Cooling rack of decorated cut out sugar cookies.

🥡 Storage recommendations

Once the decorated cookies are fully cooled and the icing has set, store them in an airtight container on the counter. They'll keep for quite a few days.

If you're stacking layers of decorated cookies and you want to preserve the designs, place a layer of parchment paper or wax paper in between each layer of cookies to help protect them.

These are great to give to friends, family, and neighbors as gifts. There are lots of great cookie tin options out there. You can find them in many grocery stores, dollar stores, and online.

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Baked Rigatoni with Spinach: Cheesy Italian Pasta Bake Casserole

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This vegetarian pasta bake with spinach and cheese is one of our favorite comfort food meals. A meatless casserole with Italian flair!

Baked rigatoni pasta casserole with Parmesan and a salad on the side.

I've been making this vegetarian rigatoni baked pasta casserole recipe for many, many years now. It smells amazing while it's cooking, and is pure comfort food.

I often serve this with a salad and either my favorite garlic bread or this skillet garlic Parmesan bread to go alongside.

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It makes a LOT of food and tastes great as leftovers.
  • This recipe uses simple ingredients that always go over well, even with picky eaters.
  • The pasta mixture can be frozen and baked later on.
  • Let's be honest - you get a great cheese pull when you go to serve it up. And who can resist that??
Spoon pulling a serving of baked rigatoni out of a casserole dish.
Spoon pulling a serving of baked rigatoni out of a casserole dish.

📝 Ingredients

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

  • Olive oil
  • Onion - I usually use yellow, but you can use whatever color you have on hand
  • Garlic
  • Canned crushed tomatoes - you can use ones that have garlic and/or herbs already in them for an extra flavor boost!
  • Dried oregano
  • Rigatoni - this is our favorite shape for this pasta bake, but feel free to swap out another tube-shaped pasta such as ziti or penne
  • Kosher salt - we'll use this to season the pasta water as well as the ingredients as they cook
  • Tofu - this is the surprise ingredient here! Blending a block of tofu and mixing it into the filling gives you the texture of ricotta cheese with a nice boost of protein. And it doesn't taste like tofu.
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Freshly grated nutmeg - you can also use a pinch of ground nutmeg if you don't have whole
  • Frozen spinach
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil or parsley - optional, for garnish

✅ How to make this recipe

There are a few components that come into play when assembling this vegetarian baked rigatoni recipe. They'll all come together in one big, beautiful casserole dish.

  1. Boil the pasta until it's just al dente.
  2. Sauté the onions and garlic with crushed tomatoes and seasonings and let simmer.
  3. Purée the tofu in a blender or food processor along with an egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  4. Stir together the cooked pasta, most of the tomato sauce, the tofu mixture, drained spinach, cubed mozzarella, and grated Parmesan and spread it into a 13x9-inch baking dish.
  5. Top with remaining tomato sauce, sliced mozzarella, more grated Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.
  6. Bake at 350°F until golden and bubbly, then let sit for 10 minutes or so before garnishing with fresh herbs and diving in!

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Baked rigatoni pasta casserole with Parmesan and a salad on the side.

💡 Tips and serving suggestions

  • Be sure to cook your pasta just to al dente. Err on the side of a little less cooked than a little more cooked. It will be in the oven for a bit, so it will continue to cook a bit. Overcooked pasta will result in a mushy casserole texture.
  • Let the pasta bake sit for 10 minutes or so before diving in. This will help things cool down a bit and it'll hold together a bit better when you go to scoop it.
  • Place a large baking sheet underneath your baking dish. It should stay clean, but juuuuust in case, it'll be there to catch any spills, preventing cheese and sauce from overflowing and burning underneath your oven rack. I tend to do this with muffin tins, pies, and more. I'd rather have to clean a little bit off of a sheet pan than my oven.
  • If you're making my favorite garlic bread (or garlic parmesan bread) to go alongside, you can use the same sheet pan that you had underneath your baking dish to cook the bread while the pasta cools a bit.
  • Fresh basil makes a wonderful garnish for this baked rigatoni! Wait until right before serving and tear or cut it and scatter it on top. If you pre-cut your basil it often turns brown, so I like to save this step for the last moment.
  • If you're a strict vegetarian, be sure to check your Parmesan cheese, as it is often made with animal rennet. There are brands that make vegetarian-friendly Parmesan, such as this vegetarian Parmesan from BelGioso. You can also omit the Parmesan, or use a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast to get a similar nutty flavor.
  • Casseroles like this freeze and reheat well. There are some great tips on freezing and reheating casseroles in this article on Southern Living.
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🔪 Equipment

  • Pasta pot
  • Blender or food processor
  • 13×9-inch baking dish
  • Baking sheet
  • Box grater
  • Microplane

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Thanksgiving Central: Recipes, tips, + more for your holiday table

by 6 Comments

Thanksgiving prep doesn't have to be stressful! Grab our favorite Turkey Day recipes, tips, and more all in one spot.

Collage of Thanksgiving recipe images with text that reads, "Thanksgiving Central".

Thanksgiving is a busy time for many families. Prep work, hosting duties, and recipe selection can feel daunting. This page is here to help you out!

Pick a section from the list below, or just dive on in at the beginning. My goal is for this page to be a go-to resource for all things Thanksgiving.

There are plenty of recipes, tips, and ideas to help you in your holiday preparations.

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Jump To:

🧀 Favorite Thanksgiving Appetizers

Starters are great to serve on Thanksgiving as they can give guests something to munch on while dinner prep is still underway.

Below are some of our favorite Turkey Day appetizers. It's a mix of things I grew up with in the Midwest and some Italian dishes that I started making when I married into an Italian family.

I've also included a delicious fall soup recipe here, as some families like to kick the meal off with a soup course.

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🍽 Festive Thanksgiving Side Dishes

One of the best parts about Thanksgiving dinner is the assortment of side dishes! You can make as few or as many as you'd like to round out your meal.

For my family, mashed potatoes are an absolute MUST, along with homemade cranberry sauce. I like making both of those dishes in the Instant Pot in advance to save oven and stovetop space on Thanksgiving day.

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Serving bowl full of garlicky broccoli rabe.

Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) is a bitter green vegetable that is easily transformed into a family favorite Italian side dish with a few ingredients.

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Plate of maple-balsamic roasted carnival squash.

Maple-Balsamic Roasted Carnival Squash

Wedges of squash are tossed with a sweet-and-tangy vinaigrette and roasted till tender.

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Roasted delicata squash on a plate with a whole squash in the background.

Sweet and Spicy Baked Delicata Squash

A few ingredients and a little time in the oven make for a simple and delicious way to use this creamy, dreamy winter squash.

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Thanksgiving Classic Green Bean Casserole

This classic green bean casserole recipe is a staple from my childhood Thanksgiving dinners in the Midwest. Using fresh green beans makes it even better!

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Bowls of cranberry sauce garnished with orange twists.

Bourbon-Orange Cranberry Sauce

This boozy side dish can be prepared several days in advance and is the perfect accompaniment to any holiday meal!

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Serving dish with cumin-roasted carrots inside.

Caramelized Cumin-Roasted Carrots

Aromatic cumin seeds add Indian flair to this simple side dish.

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Sweet Corn Muffins

Sweet corn muffins are a tender, delicious treat that are great for breakfast, snack time, or dessert. Great for baking with kids!

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Stuffed artichokes ready to be cooked.

Grandma Suraci's Stuffed Artichokes

A recipe inspired by my husband's Italian grandmother. This was a staple at their family's holiday table!

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Yams on a plate of Thanksgiving food.

Yams

This is the yam recipe that my mom makes using canned yams. It's decadent and delicious and VERY easy.

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Roasted asparagus and tomatoes topped with toasted sunflower seeds.

Rosemary Roasted Asparagus + Tomatoes with Toasted Sunflower Seeds

Tossing veggies with your favorite vinaigrette, roasting and topping them with toasted seeds makes a quick and delicious side dish!

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Sheet pan with roasted squash, broccolini, peppers, and tomatoes.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Broccolini with Truffle Salt

This dish has it all - creamy, caramelized butternut squash, slightly crispy broccolini, sweet baby bell peppers, tangy white wine vinegar and juuuust enough garlic. Plus a touch of truffle salt. Woah.

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Butternut squash casserole in a baking dish.

Butternut Squash Casserole

My mom has been making this for years! The squash is nice and smooth, and the crunchy topping is perfect. This packs a lot of flavor and makes a ton!

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🦃 The Main Event: All Things Turkey

For many people, turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving show. Be sure to give your turkey time to thaw if you purchase one that's frozen.

Our go-to method is to spatchcock (cut the backbone out and butterfly) our thawed turkey, rub it with a dry brine seasoning blend, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 4 days before roasting.

This means that Monday is the heavy prep day for our turkey, and we can spend other days that week prepping our accompaniments.

Here are our favorite recipes for a beautifully juicy, roasted turkey and delicious homemade gravy.

Bowl and spoon holding dry brine seasoning blend for turkey.

Dry Brine Seasoning Blend for Turkey and Chicken

Dry brining poultry isn't just for Thanksgiving! This flavorful seasoning mix brings big flavor and crispy skin to both turkey and chicken.

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Spatchcocked Roasted Turkey with Homemade Dry Brine

Spatchcocking a turkey drastically reduces the cook time of your holiday meal + helps the white & dark meat both stay juicy while cooking!

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Pouring gravy onto mashed potatoes.

Our Favorite Turkey Gravy

Save the backbone and giblets from your Thanksgiving turkey to make this rich, flavorful gravy recipe. It's a family favorite holiday staple!

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🥧 Satisfying Thanksgiving Desserts

Whether you're gathering with a large or small group for Thanksgiving, it's hard to deny the power of a good dessert spread. Pumpkin and apple are classics, but there are lots of options that are fitting for a holiday feast.

Storebought pie crust can be a huge time saver when you're doing holiday baking. You can also make your own pie crusts and freeze them in advance, to lessen the amount of work you need to do during the holiday week.

Plates of Dutch apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top.

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.

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Pumpkin pie with a slice on a plate.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

This classic pumpkin pie is super easy to put together and it will not disappoint!

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3 plates with slices of triple chocolate pumpkin pie.

Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

Graham cracker crust is slathered with a layer of bittersweet chocolate that's hidden beneath a pumpkin & semi-sweet chocolate filling.

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Two plates with slices of Italian cream cheese and ricotta cheesecake.

Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake

This super rich, creamy, tangy, no frills, crustless Italian-style cheesecake is easier than you'd think to prepare at home! It's always a HUGE hit with everyone at the table. Perfect for holiday desserts, dinner parties, and celebratory meals.

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Plates with slices of bourbon bacon pecan pie.

Bourbon Bacon Pecan Pie with a Whole Wheat Crust

The bacon isn't super noticeable here, but it adds a nice bit of saltiness to the sweet filling. The perfume of bourbon is definitely something I could get used to in my after-dinner treats.

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Plates with slices of chocolate cream pie with orange zested whipped cream.

Chocolate Cream Pie with Orange Zested Whipped Cream

This was a big hit with my family! The orange flavor really comes through in the whipped cream, and the chocolate is rich and decadent.

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Butterscotch Haystacks

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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🥂 Beverage Recommendations

We love a nice glass of wine or prosecco with our holiday meals. If you're feelin' fancy, why not try one of these fun, festive cocktails?

The spiced mulled wine is particularly nice for the holidays because you can leave it warming in a slow cooker or Instant Pot so it's hot and ready whenever your guests would like a drink.

Glasses of spiced mulled wine with orange slices.

Spiced Mulled Wine

Make this easy spiced mulled wine recipe on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or Instant Pot for the ultimate cozy spiked winter beverage.

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Flutes of prosecco with hibiscus flowers in syrup.

Prosecco with Hibiscus Flowers

Dress up your bubbly with jarred hibiscus flowers in syrup for an elegant beverage upgrade!

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Bloody Mary glasses garnished with skewers of antipasto ingredients.

Antipasto Bloody Mary

If your holiday festivities are starting early, why not have a snack and a drink wrapped into one?

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Overhead view of a bourbon cocktail garnished with a lemon twist.

Bourbon Rouge

Bourbon and vanilla bean syrup make a great match, and this cocktail offers a great way to enjoy bourbon's sweeter side!

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Two Chile Libre cocktails garnished with lime wedges.

Chile Libre

This classic cocktail gets a spicy kick from chile-infused rum.

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Old fashioned cocktail in a glass with a maraschino cherry.

DM Old Fashioned

A classic cockatil featuring homemade blood orange bitters.

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Espresso martinis garnished with lemon twists.

DM Espresso Martini

Coffee-infused vodka is the star of the show in this elegant martini recipe.

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Glass of mulled wine with an orange slice on top.

Wine-Beyond-the-Wall (or, Wine-ter is Coming)

This Game of Thrones-inspired mulled wine is deeply comforting and can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

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Hot chocolate mix containers along with a mug of brewed hot cocoa.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix

Grab your favorite mug and cozy up to this homemade hot cocoa mix! This recipe makes a large batch - have a jar handy and all you need to add is hot water!

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Holding a mug of hot chocolate with chocolate shavings on top.

Hot Hot Hot Chocolate

Keep warm with some seriously delicious grown-up hot chocolate, spiked with spicy chile rum!

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📝 Tips for Thanksgiving Prep

Earlier in the week...

  1. Gather your cookware & serving dishes in advance. Gather the recipes you plan to make for Thanksgiving dinner and make a note of which cookware and serving dishes you'll require for each one. It can be helpful to put a post-it note inside each dish, noting what it will be used for (mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc.). Go ahead and get the serving utensils out as well, and stick them in their corresponding dishes.
  2. Figure out what you can prep in advance. Any recipes you can fully cook ahead of time will make things easier on Thanksgiving day. Things like cranberry sauce, many pies, or anything that's served chilled make good candidates to knock out early. If the whole dish can't be done in advance, maybe parts of it can be, like prepping, chopping, or measuring out ingredients.
  3. Make a timeline and add some buffer time. Review the recipes you're planning to prepare and note how long each will take. Figure out what time you want to serve your holiday meal and work backward from there. Plan in an extra 45-60 minutes in case things don't go quite to plan.
  4. Utilize your freezer. Along with prepping in advance, many things can be frozen and thawed/reheated for Thanksgiving dinner. Cranberry sauce, turkey stock, gravy, and mashed potatoes are all good candidates for the freezer.
  5. Accept help! Don't think that you have to take every single part of the meal all by yourself. If someone offers to bring something, let them! And don't be afraid to ask for what you need. "Can you bring dinner rolls?", "It would be a big help if you could bring 2 bottles of wine", or "I'd love it if you could bring a vegetable side dish" are all great ways of asking people for help. And if there aren't people to help out, consider buying some (or all!) of your Thanksgiving dinner components. Local stores, restaurants, and bakeries have lots of wonderful options to help round out your meal.
  6. Set your table on Wednesday. If you're hosting, don't wait until the last minute to set your holiday table. If you happen to be running behind with cooking, you don't want to be scrambling to get all of the dishes in their place. Consider using fancy disposable dinnerware so you don't have to worry about doing dishes all night.
  7. Have containers ready for leftovers. Whether it's food storage containers, aluminum muffin tins, food prep containers, or reusable bags, having something on hand to hold your leftovers is important. Whether it's for your own leftovers or for guests to take leftovers to-go, clean containers will come in very handy. I even sometimes place a mix of leftovers in casserole dishes to send home with people who brought food in them.

The day of...

  1. Group like dishes together. If you have multiple casseroles or veggie dishes that cook at the same temperature, cook them at the same time to maximize oven space and minimize time spent juggling.
  2. Keep things warm. If you have items that are already cooked that need to stay warm until dinner time, there are several options for keeping them warm. If your oven is free, you can place it on the "keep warm" setting (or the lowest temperature your oven can be set to, around 200°F) and let dishes hold at that temperature until you're ready to serve. You can make items in your Instant Pot or slow cooker (or transfer them to one of those appliances) and let them sit on "keep warm" also. And if you're doing a buffet-style serving area, you could always use chafing dishes or a disposable buffet set.
  3. Enjoy yourself! Things can (and will!) go wrong, but try not to let it dampen the festivities too much. Thanksgiving is all about spending time with your loved ones and being thankful for things in your life. Burnt stuffing isn't the end of the world, and being able to laugh about it instead of stressing out over it can save your sanity.

Puff pastry helps you make the most of your holiday leftovers with these easy bite-sized turkey pot pies. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter!

💡 Ideas for Leftovers

Leftovers are one of my favorite parts of the whole Thanksgiving experience! While my family enjoys reheating a plate of assorted leftovers, there are also ways to repurpose items that you have left after the big day.

When reheating things that could dry out like turkey or stuffing, splash them with some stock (turkey, chicken, or vegetable) or even water before reheating in the microwave to help keep them from drying out. I tend to do this even if I'm adding gravy on top.

Here are some other things to consider doing with your Thanksgiving leftovers:

  • Mini Turkey Pot Pies with Puff Pastry (pictured above) - Puff pastry helps you make the most of your holiday leftovers with these easy bite-sized turkey pot pies. You can also make a standard-sized pot pie by using 2 pie crusts.
  • Make savory stuffing waffles - spray a waffle iron with oil or cooking spray (check the instructions on your model to see if it needs to be sprayed - some have a coating that doesn't require this) and plop some stuffing down instead of waffle batter. Press and cook until golden brown. These are great topped with turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce, or just served on the side of another meal.
  • Turkey Salad Tea Sandwiches with Dried Cherries - Dried sour cherries add a pop of sweet-tart flavor to the filling in this simple yet elegant tea sandwich recipe. A great way to use leftover cooked turkey!
  • Use various leftover bits of meat and veggies as the filling for a quiche or frittata. The recipes linked can give you guidelines for how much of the base ingredients (eggs, milk, etc.) to use.
  • Shred cooked turkey and heat it in a skillet with taco seasoning to make a filling for tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, or a topping for nachos.
  • Thanksgiving sandwiches are always a good idea! Layer up any of your toppings on your bread of choice. We like mixing some of the leftover cranberry sauce with mayo as a condiment for these. You can grill and press sandwiches with a panini press (we love our Griddler), make sliders with dinner rolls, or just stack everything between 2 slices of your favorite bread.
  • Turn mashed potatoes into potato pancakes or breaded croquettes.
  • Make a casserole! I tried this turkey and mushroom casserole recipe from The Lemon Bowl a few years ago and we really enjoyed it.
  • Top a wheel of brie with some of your cranberry sauce and wrap it in puff pastry for a delicious appetizer.

If you have any other holiday tips or tricks that have helped you out, I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!

Whatever you end up doing this Thanksgiving, I hope your day is full of happiness, love, and something tasty. Cheers!

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Spatchcocked Roasted Turkey with Homemade Dry Brine

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Spatchcocking a turkey drastically reduces the cooking time of your holiday meal + helps the white & dark meat both stay juicy while cooking!

Platter of spatchcocked roasted turkey made with a dry brine surrounded by Thanksgiving sides.

Spatchcocking sounds like a funny word, but it's an incredibly efficient way to prepare turkey (or chicken!) for quick, even cooking.

Gone are the days of waiting allllll day for your turkey to roast in the oven. No more worrying about overcooking the white meat while waiting for the dark meat to cook through.

This method is a total game-changer and one that we've used exclusively for Thanksgiving for several years now.

It can seem intimidating at first (yes, you're going to need to cut the backbone out of the turkey). But this post is here to walk you through the process so you can feel confident when it's time to make your Turkey Day dinner at any time of the year.

Thanksgiving dinner on a plate with a glass of wine.

Jump To:

🦃 Why spatchcock a turkey?

  • Spatchcocking enables your cook time to be reduced by about half, which is especially welcome if you're making turkey for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other holiday meal.
  • The white meat and dark meat finish cooking at roughly the same time. That means there's less of a chance of ending up with dry breast meat.
  • You can roast the meat at a higher temperature. And since all of the skin is on top, you achieve crispier, more delicious skin.
  • The discarded backbone adds rich flavor to homemade turkey gravy or stock.
Spatchcocked roasted turkey on a wooden cutting board.

Collage of Thanksgiving recipe images with text that reads, "Thanksgiving Central".

Thanksgiving prep doesn't have to be stressful! Grab our favorite Turkey Day recipes, tips, and more all in one spot.

Thanksgiving Central has recipes categorized by course, ideas for using leftovers, and more. Check it out here! 🦃

🥣 Benefits of using a dry brine

When we spatchcock a turkey (or chicken!), we also like to use a dry brine to season and tenderize the meat while keeping it moist and juicy.

  • The spices have more of a direct impact on flavoring the meat.
  • It helps keep the skin crispy.
  • You'll get a deep, rich, natural turkey flavor. Injected saline solutions often mask these flavors.

My homemade dry brine seasoning blend recipe is super easy to put together, and you can make a big batch and keep it in the pantry until you're ready to use it.

Spoon lifting a dry brine seasoning mix out of a bowl.

Note that my recipe makes around 1 ½ cups of seasoning, but you'll only need 1 tablespoon per 4 pounds of meat that you want to dry brine.

There's lots more info about this in my dry brine post, so head over there if you want the lowdown.

It is important to note that if you're using a dry brine, you want to choose a turkey that hasn't been previously injected with a saline solution, so be sure to read the label.

You can also check out this article from Serious Eats on how to brine a turkey or chicken (they cover both wet brining and dry brining).

Close up of sliced turkey breast with golden brown skin.

📝 Ingredients and kitchen equipment

Here's everything you'll need to spatchcock your poultry. It's pretty minimal, but having these tools will make the process of breaking down the turkey or chicken much easier (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Dry brine seasoning mix (check out our favorite dry brine recipe here)
  • Whole turkey or chicken (preferably one that hasn't been injected with a saline solution)
  • A sharp knife for scoring the skin
  • Poultry shears for removing the backbone
  • Fish bone tweezers or clean pliers (not necessary, but incredibly helpful for removing any feathers that may still be hanging out in the skin of your turkey)
  • Paper towels
  • Baking powder (look for an aluminum-free variety when shopping)
  • 9x13 baking dish - I find this helpful for keeping the meat contained in the refrigerator during the dry brining process.
  • Baking sheet - a half sheet pan size works well to hold large pieces of meat flat while roasting
  • Dual-probe thermometer for monitoring the temperature of both white and dark meat

🍗 A few notes about giblets

When you buy a whole turkey or chicken, you'll often find the neck bone and a bag of giblets stashed in the cavity.

Don't be afraid of that little bag - use it to add flavor to your meal!

While I recommend utilizing giblets for homemade gravy, you certainly don't have to.

Whether you're using the giblets or not, you'll need to be sure to remove that bag from the turkey before you cook it so you don't end up accidentally cooking it.

The bag often contains a mix of organs - heart, liver, and gizzards. You can read more about giblets here, but just note that for the gravy recipe, you'll want to remove the liver.

The liver is deep red and shiny. It's usually the most slippery of the organs, for lack of a better term.

Including the liver in gravy can make it bitter, so I completely omit it.

Container holding turkey bones and giblets.
Collect the giblets, neck bone, and backbone in a container to use for gravy or homemade stock.
Raw turkey with giblets removed showing the liver.
The liver is deep red and shiny and can make gravy bitter, so I usually omit it.
Patting turkey bones and giblets dry with a paper towel.
Pat the giblets and any reserved bones dry before adding them to a hot pan when cooking them.

For my gravy recipe, I utilize the rest of the giblets and neckbone along with the backbone of the turkey if I have spatchcocked it.

When working with a dry brine, I remove the giblets and put them in a sealed container in the refrigerator along with any bones and trimmings from prepping the turkey.

On the day I plan to roast the poultry, I'll take them out, pat them dry, and use them to make this gorgeous gravy recipe.

I have a full post to show you how to spatchcock a turkey and will link it here as soon as I publish it.

The method for spatchcocking is great for chicken, too, and you can make gravy for your chicken in the same way.

Packaged whole turkey showing the label.
Look for a turkey that hasn't been injected with a saline solution or pre-brined.

✅ How to spatchcock a turkey

Roll up your sleeves, because prepping a turkey (or chicken) for spatchcocking is a bit of work. It's not difficult, but it takes muscle for sure, especially if you have a larger piece of poultry.

Spatchcocking is basically butterflying the piece of meat so it lays open nice and flat for even cooking.

I'm going to walk you through the entire process with photos of each step so you can feel confident moving forward in your own kitchen.

Remove the bones, giblets, and feathers

Reaching into a turkey to remove the bag of giblets.
Reach into the cavity of the turkey to remove giblets and/or the neck.
Pulling the neck bone out of the cavity of a raw turkey.
Save these pieces to make a delicious homemade turkey gravy!
Holding the bag of giblets from a raw turkey.
Be sure to check the neck-end of the turkey for a bag of giblets also.

Turkeys often have the neck bone and/or a bag of giblets (heart, gizzards, liver) stuffed inside of them. Growing up, I remember these bags always getting tossed. But hang on to those bits!

Pop them into a freezer bag or container and save them to make some seriously delicious homemade turkey gravy. Trust me! The added depth of flavor is absolutely incredible.

Up until a few years ago, I only ever saw the bag of turkey parts stuffed into the main cavity of the turkey. But some, like the one in the photos for this post, have a bag stashed in the neck-end as well.

Be sure to check both - you don't want to wind up baking that in with your meat.

There are also sometimes still a few feathers (or bits of feathers) stuck in the skin of the turkey. You can sometimes remove them by hand, but I find that fish bone tweezers or clean pliers work best.

Things can get slippery, and having something to get a good grip on the feathers helps with easy removal.

Dry the skin of the turkey well

Patting the skin of a raw turkey dry.
Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
Drying raw turkey with paper towels.
Be sure to get all of the areas so it's as dry as possible.
Drying under the wings of a raw turkey.
Don't forget to lift the wings!

Next up, dry your turkey well with paper towels. Make sure you get the exterior as dry as you can, including spots like under the wings.

The dryer it is, the better. I'm all for reducing kitchen waste whenever possible, but some jobs are just best left for paper towels. This is one of those times (but, bonus - paper towels are compostable!).

Score the skin and remove the backbone

Scoring the skin on one side of the backbone of a turkey.
Score the skin of the turkey along both sides of the backbone with a sharp knife.
Cutting the backbone of a turkey with poultry shears.
Use poultry shears to cut through the ribcage along both sides of the backbone.
Cutting a turkey backbone in half.
Use a knife to cut the backbone so it fits in your storage container or saucepan.

Once your turkey is dry, flip it so it's backbone-side up on your work surface. Use a sharp knife (I like using a fillet knife here) to score the skin all the way from the neck to the tail along the outer edge of both sides of the backbone.

We've skipped this step in the past, but no longer. Poultry shears are great for cutting through bones, but they don't do a great job of cutting through skin. Having the skin moving around while you're trying to cut through the backbone makes the work more difficult.

Once you've scored the skin, use your poultry shears to cut through the bones all the way down both sides of the backbone. This can take some muscle, especially if it's a big turkey. But you can do it!

I like to save the backbone to make turkey stock or gravy. I find that cutting it in half or thirds once it's removed is helpful for when you go to store and/or cook with it later.

Note here that you can freeze the bones for later use. Just thaw them before proceeding to make turkey stock or gravy.

Crack the breastbone and apply the dry brine

Pressing on the breastbone of a turkey while spatchcocking.
Flip the turkey over and press firmly down on the breastbone until you feel it pop.
Rubbing dry brine under the skin of a turkey.
Gently lift the skin of the turkey and run your hand underneath to separate it from the meat.

This is the last part of turkey prep that takes some muscle. You need to flip the turkey over and break the breastbone. To do this, place one hand in the center of the breast, then place your other hand on top.

Press firmly until you feel (and hear!) the breastbone pop and break. Depending on your size and the size of your turkey, this can take considerable effort. I often lean in with most of my body weight to get it to break.

Breaking the breastbone ensures that your turkey can lay nice and flat for even cooking. When turkeys are cooked whole, that big, dense ball of meat takes a long time to cook. But with a nice, flat layer, it happens much more quickly.

Are you still with me? It's time to start applying the seasoning!

Rubbing dry brine seasoning mix underneath the skin of a spatchcocked turkey.
Try to find areas to get under the skin, rubbing the spice mix as you go.
Rubbing dry brine seasoning blend into the cavity of a spatchcocked turkey.
Rub some of the dry brine spice mix on the cavity side of the turkey, drying it first if needed.

If the skin of your turkey isn't dry, pat it with paper towels again. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin of the turkey away from the meat. You're going to need to reach in and use your hands to poke around to create a pocket between the skin and the flesh.

This usually takes a little finagling, but do the best you can, finding any areas that you can work your way underneath the skin.

Take some of the dry brine spice mixture and rub it underneath the skin. You want to try to get an even-ish layer, but you don't need to measure things precisely here.

Flip the turkey back over and dry out the cavity with paper towels again if needed. Sprinkle a little more of the dry brine seasoning mixture onto the cavity side and rub it around to coat.

Final seasoning for a crispy skin

Rubbing baking powder onto the skin of a turkey.
Rub baking powder all over the skin side of the turkey.
Sprinkling dry brine seasoning blend onto a turkey.
Add the remainder of the dry brine spice blend to the skin of the turkey.
Rubbing a spatchcocked turkey with dry brine seasoning.
Rub the spice mixture all over for an even coating on the skin.

Pat the skin dry once more, then sprinkle a teaspoon of baking powder all over the skin. Rub it to really spread it around, making sure to get places like underneath the wings.

The addition of baking powder aids in getting that perfectly crispy skin once you roast the turkey.

Add the remainder of your dry brine spice mixture to the skin side of the turkey and rub it all over to coat evenly. Again, remember that you're only using a total of one tablespoon per four pounds of turkey.

So, for example, the turkey in the photographs was 16 pounds, so I used 4 tablespoons of the mixture. You don't have to be super precise here, but try to stay in the ballpark so your meat isn't overly salty.

Refrigerate your prepped turkey for 1-4 days

Placing a dry brined turkey into a baking dish.
Transfer your seasoned turkey into a baking dish, if needed.
Turkey in the refrigerator with a dry brine mix applied to the skin.
Refrigerate for 1-4 days.
Dry brined turkey ready for the oven.
The dry brining process removes excess moisture, so it'll look dried out.

To save on refrigerator space, I like to then transfer my seasoned turkey to a 9x13 baking dish. Clear out a little space around your refrigerator so that nothing is touching it, and leave it alone in the refrigerator.

We always try to aim to brine our turkey for 4 days, but things happen and schedules can get interrupted. One day is the minimum amount of time you'll need for the dry brine to start working its magic, up to a maximum of 4.

Is leaving poultry uncovered in the refrigerator safe?

This process is similar to dry-aging steak and is done with the meat uncovered in the refrigerator.

You need to make sure you have plenty of space around the turkey for this process to take place without the worry of contaminating other things in your refrigerator.

As long as the turkey isn't touching anything, all should go well.

But if the thought of leaving poultry out in the open in your refrigerator is worrisome, you can cover the turkey with cheesecloth. This way it can still get the air circulation while it brines.

Time to cook!

Arranging a dry brined, spatchcocked turkey on a sheet pan.
Transfer turkey to a baking dish and lay flat, skin-side up.
Inserting a probe thermometer into a turkey breast.
Place one probe in the center of the white meat and one in the center of the dark meat to monitor the cooking temperature.
Spatchcocked turkey on a roasting pan in the oven ready to roast.
Roast until both probes read 165°F.

When it's go-time, preheat your oven. The cook time and temperature will vary based on the size of your turkey (see chart below). Your best bet is to monitor the temperature as it's cooking.

We love using a dual-probe thermometer for this, as you can monitor the temperature of the breast meat and the leg/thigh at the same time. You can also use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature periodically during roasting.

Transfer your brined turkey to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Place probes in the center of the light and dark meat to monitor the temperature of both while it roasts.

Dual probe thermometer display showing turkey temperature settings.
If your two probes are changing at drastically different rates, it's likely they aren't placed correctly.
Spatchcocked roasted turkey on a half sheet pan in the oven.
Once both probes have reached 165°F, remove the tray from the oven.
Spatchcocked turkey on a half sheet pan.
Do NOT discard the pan drippings! Save them for gravy-making!

Try to be sure you're probing the meat in the center of the breast and thigh. If you're touching bone or are too close to the edge, the thermometers won't read properly.

If the temperatures are changing at drastically different rates, it's likely that they aren't placed properly. No big deal, just take it out, readjust, and pop it back into the oven.

⏲ How long to cook a spatchcocked turkey

Here are some general guidelines for cook time and oven temperature, based on the weight of your turkey:

Turkey WeightOven TemperatureCook Time
8-12 pounds325°F2 ¾ to 3 hours
12-14 pounds450°F2 to 2 ¼ hours
12-14 pounds425°F2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours
15-17 pounds450°F2 ¾ to 3 hours
15-17 pounds425°F3 to 3 ¼ hours
18-20 pounds450°F3 ¼ to 3 ½ hours
18-20 pounds425°F3 ½ to 3 ¾ hours
21-23 pounds450°F3 ¾ to 4 hours
21-23 pounds425°F4 to 4 ¼ hours
24 pounds450°F4 to 4 ¼ hours
24 pounds425°F4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours
Use a thermometer to ensure your turkey has reached 165°F in the center of both the white and dark meat.

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Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake with Bacon (without Ice Cream!)

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This post is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This easy ice cream-free peanut butter banana milkshake recipe (with an optional shot of whiskey) is topped with peanut butter and maple-infused whipped cream and crispy bacon.

Placing a maraschino cherry on a peanut butter banana milkshake.

This dreamy milkshake recipe is a twist on a fantastically decadent "Jimmy Carter Milkshake" that I had at The Rookery in Macon, Georgia. It was made with banana ice cream, peanut butter, and bacon.

I was inspired to create a healthier version of this milkshake without using any ice cream. And while I was at it, I figured it'd be fun to make a boozy option as well.

Because, well... peanut butter whiskey is a delicious thing, and you can pair peanut butter with whiskey on your own without buying a special bottle.

I'll be showing you two different ways to make this peanut butter shake. Feel free to go light and skip the toppings, or go all in.

I'm talking bacon, whipped cream made with peanut butter powder, and a maraschino cherry (or 3) up top.

Whichever path you choose, the results will be fan-freakin'-tastic!

Jump To:

🥜 Peanut harvest tour recap

I traveled to Georgia with my friends at the Georgia Peanut Commission and Southern Peanut Growers for their annual Peanut Harvest Tour.

On the trip, I learned a ton about what goes into one of my very favorite ingredients. I also gained an all-new appreciation for peanut farmers, scientists, and the peanut industry as a whole.

We had a jam-packed schedule full of farms, fun, and food. If you want to read a bit more about what we did during the trip, check out the Instagram recap posts I did for each of the 3 days.

Day One:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjTIigWuRYt

Day Two:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjYb37aOU6Z

Day Three:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjamDeXOoiI

OK, let's get onto the milkshakes!

Overhead view of 2 peanut butter banana milkshakes with bacon.

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Frozen bananas have an incredibly creamy texture when blended, allowing you to make this peanut butter milkshake without any ice cream!
  • This recipe comes together quickly with only a few ingredients.
  • Peanut butter powder adds a boost of peanutty flavor to both the milkshake base and the whipped cream.
  • The addition of crispy bacon and maple syrup makes this treat wonderfully sweet-and-salty.
  • You can keep it classic with a maraschino cherry for a soda fountain feel or get fancy with a shot of something boozy (peanut butter goes great with whiskey, bourbon, or rum) and add some Amarena cherries or Luxardo cherries on a cocktail pick for a more grown-up treat.
  • Since we're using a blender, this recipe is easily scalable to make as many or as few peanut butter banana milkshakes as you'd like.
Ingredients ready to make a peanut butter banana milkshake with bacon.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make these peanut butter banana milkshakes.

The first 4 ingredients are all you need if you want to forego the toppings. And it's absolutely delicious without any toppings!

But if you're feeling extra, go for the full shebang (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Bananas
  • Vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • Milk (your favorite dairy or plant-based variety)
  • Peanut butter powder
  • Heavy cream
  • Maple syrup
  • Bacon
  • Peanut butter (you can even make it from the powder!)
  • Maraschino cherries (or Amarena cherries / Luxardo cherries if you're feeling fancy!)
  • Whiskey, bourbon, or rum (optional for a boozy milkshake)
Overhead view of a blender with peanut butter banana milkshake ingredients inside.
Pouring a milkshake into a peanut butter-lined glass.
Topping a peanut butter banana milkshake with bacon and a maraschino cherry.

🥓 How to cook bacon in the microwave

This recipe uses bacon which can be found in your grocery store's meat department.

Cooking bacon doesn't need to be fussy or take a lot of time. In fact, when I need a quick slice or two I don't want to mess with frying it in a skillet or baking it in the oven.

Enter: the microwave.

Microwaving bacon sounds like it wouldn't be a great idea, but trust me, it works beautifully!

You can use this method for both regular and thick-cut bacon.

Placing thick-cut bacon on a paper towel-lined plate.
Lay bacon on a microwave-safe plate lined with a double layer of paper towels.
Covering bacon with paper towels on a plate.
Top it with another double layer of paper towels.

I usually cut the slices of bacon in half with kitchen scissors so they aren't as long, but you don't need to do that. It works well if you have an oblong plate like I do here.

You can also add a second layer of bacon onto the plate if you want to cook more at once. It'll take longer to cook, but it's doable!

Just be sure to put a double layer of paper towels in between each layer of bacon.

Ensure that each slice of bacon has a little space and isn't overlapping another slice. The top layer should be another double layer of paper towels.

The paper towels absorb the grease as the bacon cooks and help prevent splattering in your microwave.

Lifting paper towels to reveal cooked bacon on a plate.
Crumbling cooked pieces of bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate.

I like to start with 2 minutes for regular bacon, and 3 minutes for thick-cut. Just take a peek when the time is up and if it's not as crispy as you'd like, add another 30 seconds at a time until it is.

If you're doing two layers of bacon, check on each layer and take out any pieces that look like they're cooking faster than the rest so they don't burn. It'll likely take closer to 6 minutes for a double layer, but keep checking on it to make sure it doesn't overcook.

Once cooked, carefully remove the plate from your microwave. Gently peel back the grease-soaked paper towels.

From here, feel free to crumble them into pieces or leave them whole, depending on how you plan to use them.

For my family, I'll often just bring the plate to the breakfast table, and we'll peel back the layers of paper towels as we work our way through the bacon.

Cooked bacon can be stored in a sealed container in your refrigerator for future use. It'll keep well for several days.

I often store mine in a stasher bag, as it takes up minimal shelf space.

Paper towels are compostable, so you can dispose of them in your home compost bin if you have one.

🍦 How to make a milkshake without ice cream

The key to making a milkshake without ice cream is to use frozen bananas. They take on the texture of ice cream so perfectly when blended.

There was a trend going around for a while called "nice cream" or "nana ice cream" that used frozen bananas in this way.

If you have a really powerful blender, such as a Vitamix, you don't even have to break your bananas into pieces when freezing them. You may need to use the tamper/mixing rod to help work the frozen bananas into the blades.

Peeling a ripe banana.
Peel the bananas.
Breaking a banana into pieces to freeze.
Break each banana into pieces.
Stasher bag full of pieces of banana.
Transfer to a freezer bag and seal well.

I like to peel the bananas, break them into about 4 pieces each, and put them in a freezer-safe storage bag (like a stasher bag). I'll squeeze the air out of the bag, then put it in the freezer until the bananas are frozen solid.

Let them freeze for at least an hour before blending. This is a great use for really ripe bananas - just keep adding them to a bag in your freezer so you always have them on hand!

Now let's make this milkshake with no ice cream! Since the bananas are pretty solid, you'll need to loosen things up with your milk of choice.

I used regular milk here (since I'm going for whipped heavy cream on top) but you could use your favorite plant-based milk to make this a vegan banana milkshake.

Pouring milk into a blender with frozen bananas.
Adding peanut butter powder to a blender with frozen bananas and milk.
Adding vanilla bean paste into a blender with frozen bananas.
  1. Add your frozen bananas to the blender.
  2. Pour in your milk of choice, then add peanut butter powder and vanilla bean paste.
  3. If you're making a whiskey milkshake, add in one ounce of whiskey per serving.
  4. Blend on high, stopping and scraping down the edges if needed, until blended.

Feel free to use a scoop of regular peanut butter and vanilla extract if you don't have the powder or paste on hand. It'll still be delicious!

Blending a peanut butter banana milkshake.
Blender mixing a peanut butter banana milkshake.

If your mixture is too thick, add another splash of milk. If it's too thin, you can add more frozen banana pieces or a few ice cubes to help thicken it.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

🥤Dressing up your milkshake

This ice cream-free milkshake is great on its own, but adding some fun finishing touches really makes it something special.

Placing peanut butter around the inside of a glass.
Pouring a milkshake into a peanut butter-lined glass.

I like to pour this shake into peanut butter-lined glasses and top it with whipped cream, bacon, and maraschino cherries.

And when it comes to whipped cream, I gave this one a little extra oomph, thanks to peanut butter powder, maple syrup, and vanilla bean paste. They take it to the next level and really finish it off beautifully.

Homemade whipped cream

There are a few ways to make your own homemade whipped cream. They range from most labor-intensive to least.

You can absolutely use a chilled bowl and a whisk to make whipped cream by hand. It takes a lot of elbow grease, but it can be done.

The most accessible method is to use a chilled bowl and a hand mixer. This does the job much quicker but still does take a little bit of time. Nowhere near as much time as a whisk, but time nonetheless.

🥣 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!

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Guava Cooler Tequila Cocktail Recipe - Tropical and Refreshing!

by Leave a Comment

This guava tequila cocktail is made with guava nectar, triple sec, and a mix of fruit juices for a refreshing, tropical take on happy hour!

Guava cocktails on a tray with fresh citrus fruit in the background.

This guava tequila cocktail is a copycat recipe that we created based on the Guava Cooler at The Cabin Restaurant in White Plains, New York.

My husband said the location isn't actually White Plains - it's more like Elmsford, but their website (and Google Maps) say White Plains. So I'm leaving it at that.

This isn't the first restaurant copycat cocktail recipe that me and my husband have worked on. This Watermelon Sugar High Tequila Cocktail and these Passionfruit Margaritas are also fantastic choices.

Grab a glass and a plate of taquitos and let's dig in. Cheers!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • The combination of fruit in this Guava Cooler recipe is really unique and seriously delicious.
  • It's a great way to use tequila and triple sec outside of a traditional margarita.
  • Making cocktails at home is much more budget-friendly than ordering them when you're out and about.
  • Guava nectar gives this cocktail a beautiful color!
Ingredients ready to make a guava tequila cocktail.

📝 Ingredients

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

  • Freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (we love this large citrus squeezer to help w that)
  • Pineapple juice
  • Guava nectar
  • Triple sec
  • Tequila blanco (check out the spotlight box below for more info about various types of tequila!)

🥃 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:

Squeezing grapefruit juice into a jigger.
Pouring tequila into a cocktail shaker.
Pouring a guava cocktail into a glass of ice.

📌 Guava nectar vs. guava juice

This guava cocktail recipe calls for guava nectar. Guava nectar is a product made from the pulp that comes from crushed fresh guava.

Fruit nectars are diluted with water and additional ingredients and/or sweeteners. They are often more affordable and readily available than pure fruit juices, especially when it comes to tropical fruit.

You can often find guava nectar sold in cartons in the Mexican or Latin food aisle at the grocery store.

There's some great info on the differences between juice and nectar in this article over at The Daring Kitchen.

Overhead view of 2 guava tequila cocktails on a tray with fresh citrus fruit.

✅ How to make this recipe

This recipe comes together really quickly. We're using a mix of fresh and store-bought juices here. Adding the ingredients to your cocktail shaker in order of least expensive to most will help ensure you don't waste any of the "good stuff" if you accidentally goof up the measurements.

  1. Add a king cube (a large ice cube also known as an "agitator cube") or several normal-sized ice cubes to your cocktail shaker.
  2. Pour in your juices, guava nectar, triple sec, and tequila, and shake well.
  3. Strain and pour in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and grapefruit twist, if desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

🍊 Tips for juicing citrus

This recipe calls for fresh grapefruit juice, which you can absolutely squeeze by hand if needed. If you juice a lot of oranges or grapefruit, you may want to look into getting a large citrus squeezer like the one pictured above.

Large citrus squeezer ready to make a cocktail.

This is much larger than the standard lemon squeezer that can handle lemons and limes. The larger squeezer can also juice smaller citrus fruits, so if you only want to buy one gadget, I'd recommend that one.

I've mentioned this tip in my virtual cooking classes before, but I still share it every time just in case anyone doesn't know about it...

Lime in a citrus juicer.

When you're putting halved citrus fruit into one of these squeezer-style juicers, you want to put the flat, cut side down into the tool.

When I first used a squeezer I'd put it curved side-down to match the arch of the tool. But you want to do the opposite - that allows the squeezer to press down into the fruit, really getting all that juice out of the fruit.

Grapefruit in a citrus juicer.

Another quick tip is that if you want to make a citrus twist garnish, use a vegetable peeler or swivel peeler (my current favorite) before you cut into your fruit.

Once you've grabbed some strips of zest, go ahead and juice that wonky-looking fruit.

We even sometimes grab zest from fruit and then pop the rest of the fruit into a stasher bag in the fridge if we only need the zest.

Pouring guava cocktails into glasses filled with ice.

🔪 Equipment

Aside from the aforementioned gear, there are a few things that will help make your cocktail mixing go much more smoothly.

  • A jigger for measuring your ingredients.
  • A cocktail shaker for mixing everything together.
  • King cube ice cube tray (if you want to make large ice cubes)
  • Cocktail picks or bamboo skewers for holding garnishes (I used these arrow cocktail picks for these photos)
  • A Hawthorne strainer if your shaker doesn't have a built-in strainer.
Holding a guava cocktail glass garnished with lime and grapefruit.

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Easy Classic Hummus Using Canned Chickpeas

by 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Smooth, delicious homemade hummus using canned chickpeas comes together in minutes with just a few ingredients. An easy appetizer or snack!

Platter of hummus with fresh veggies and pita chips.

This hummus recipe has been getting rave reviews in my cooking classes for yeeeears now. I've been teaching it alongside my homemade seasoned pita chip recipe, and it's always a hit.

This recipe is easy enough for kids to make and adults love it, too!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Making hummus at home is less expensive than store-bought.
  • It's easily scaled up to feed a crowd or for entertaining.
  • Homemade hummus is a healthy option for school lunch boxes and snack time.
  • This recipe comes together quickly with no need to soak dried chickpeas or turn on the stovetop.
  • You can control the ingredients and texture of the finished product.
  • It can be made in advance and stays fresh for several days when stored in the fridge.
Pita chip scooping up hummus.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make our very favorite classic hummus (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Canned chickpeas
  • Garlic
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Tahini
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground Cumin
  • Water

You can also opt to drizzle it with a little extra-virgin olive oil and ground paprika or ground sumac before serving.

Ingredients ready to make homemade hummus.
Hummus in a food processor on high speed.
Scooping freshly made hummus from a food processor with a spatula.

🥣 Ingredient Spotlight: Tahini

This recipe uses tahini which can is usually found in your grocery store in one of the following aisles: condiments, organic/health foods, or international foods. It's also sometimes found in the same aisle as bread and peanut butter.

Tahini is a condiment made from sesame seeds. It's used a lot in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Depending on the brand and how it's stored, tahini can vary from a thin, pourable, sauce-like consistency to a thicker, paste-like one.

Adding tahini to hummus ingredients in a food processor.
Overhead view of the ingredients for Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads.

Tahini that's sold in a squeeze bottle is my personal favorite. You can also buy cans or jars of tahini. There are lots of brands to choose from - I'll share a few of my personal favorites below.

Tahini recommendations

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Similar to natural-style peanut butter, some brands of tahini will separate as they sit. You'll end up with a layer of oil on top of the paste. Give it a good stir before using and/or measuring it to reincorporate that oil.

Since sesame seeds can tend to spoil quickly, especially at higher temperatures, it's often advisable to store tahini in the refrigerator. Again, this is where I find the squeeze bottle style of tahini much more practical.

It doesn't require any stirring to reincorporate oil that has separated. Storing it in the refrigerator doesn't seem to impact the consistency, so the tahini stays nice and smooth, even when cold.

Tahini is used in many recipes and is a key ingredient in hummus. A few of my favorite ways to use tahini include my Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads, these cucumber bites, and this chickpea salad.

✅ How to make this recipe

Hummus is super simple to make with a food processor or blender. My preferred method is the food processor. The longer you let the motor run, the smoother the consistency of your finished hummus will be.

  1. Rinse and drain your chickpeas.
  2. Process all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure it's evenly blended.
  3. Transfer your hummus to a serving bowl and garnish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, ground paprika, and/or ground sumac if desired.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Adding chickpeas to a food processor.
Adding tahini to hummus ingredients in a food processor.
Combining ingredients for hummus in a food processor.

The longer your run your food processor or blender, the smoother your hummus will be.

Make sure to stop the motor occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. This will ensure that all the bits of chickpeas break down evenly.

🧄 Top Tip: Quickly Mince Garlic

This is my all-time favorite method for quickly mincing garlic. It has been a big hit with people who take my cooking classes, and I wanted to share it with you today.

I use this method for mincing a single clove of garlic for recipes like my classic hummus, as well as for mincing several cloves like for our favorite cilantro chimichurri.

The key piece of equipment you'll need for this garlic mincing trick is a food processor. I haven't tried this out in a blender yet, but I'll be sure to update this post once I do. I suspect it will work that way as well.

Peel your garlic and set it aside.

Remove the pusher from your food processor - it's the little piece that slides into the feed tube.

Pusher removed from the feed chute of a food processor.
Remove the pusher from your food processor.
Turning a food processor on low speed.
Turn the food processor on low speed.

Next, turn the power on - I usually start at low speed. Drop your peeled garlic clove(s) down the feed chute while it's running.

You can place the pusher back in now if you'd like. Just let the spinning blade do its thing - the cloves will bounce around and get minced.

If it doesn't seem to be chopping them up quite small enough, you can increase the speed to high.

Garlic being minced in a food processor.
Food processor mincing garlic.
Overhead view of a food processor containing minced garlic.

The whole process should only take a few seconds, and then you're rewarded with pretty evenly minced garlic. No knifework required!

💡 What to serve with hummus

Hummus is such a versatile dish - it can be used in a myriad of ways. Here are some of our favorites:

  • Use it as a dip for fresh veggies like cucumbers, celery sticks, grape or cherry tomatoes, radishes, bell peppers, carrots, sugar snap peas, broccoli, or cauliflower.
  • Spread onto pita bread, sliced bread, or tortillas as a condiment for your favorite sandwich or wrap.
  • As part of an assortment of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dips along with tzatziki, babaghanoush, muhammara, baba ganoush, etc.
  • Serve your homemade hummus alongside crispy dippers such as pretzels, crackers, tortilla chips, or our favorite homemade pita chips.
  • Layer it with tzatziki, chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, and top with a sprinkle of feta cheese for an easy, Greek-inspired dip.
  • Add it to a Mediterranean platter along with stuffed grape leaves, tabouli, grilled meat, veggies, or kebabs, and pita bread or lavash.
Platter of colorful veggies and pita chips.

🍴 Finishing tips

You can really dress up your hummus based on how you finish it off.

For a simple presentation, you can smooth the hummus out with a spoon, creating little indentations of varying heights. This will add a little interest to an otherwise smooth pile of chickpea purée.

I like to then drizzle a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil on top and then sprinkle it with ground paprika or ground sumac for a pop of color.

Smoothing hummus into a bowl with a spoon.
Sprinkling paprika onto a bowl of hummus.
Close-up of hummus with paprika and olive oil.

You could also add freshly chopped herbs to the top, or a few delicate sprigs. Parsley is a favorite of mine for topping hummus.

A drizzle of flavored oil would be nice addition, too! Basil, chili, or citrus-infused oils are all quite tasty.

Toasted nuts or a bit of chopped or thinly sliced roasted red pepper are nice as well. A sprinkle of pomegranate arils or crumbled feta cheese would also be lovely!

You can also reserve a few whole chickpeas from the can before making your hummus to place on top for visual interest.

🥡 Storage recommendations

Your homemade hummus will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

You can absolutely make your hummus in advance, and store it in the fridge until serving. I recommend holding off on any garnishes until right before serving, to keep them looking their freshest.

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22 Favorite Cumin Recipes

by Leave a Comment

Cumin is an incredibly versatile, aromatic spice that can be used in a variety of ways. Check out our collection of (now 22!) favorite cumin recipes!

My family loves to use ground cumin and cumin seeds in recipes from all over the world. If you've ever been looking for ways to use cumin more in the kitchen, keep reading!

Collage of recipe images with text that says 21 Favorite Cumin Recipes.

Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

I usually quadruple the recipe and make it in a jar so I have it on hand at all times for tacos and taco salads.

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.

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Our Favorite Chicken Fajitas

Grab your cast iron skillet - these chicken fajitas are a one-pan meal that is so good they'll outshine your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant!

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Dino's Restaurant-Style Guacamole

Restaurant-style guacamole is super simple to make at home! 2 ripe avocados + a few ingredients and you have the perfect Mexican appetizer in just 5 minutes!

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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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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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The Best Homemade Fajita Seasoning Recipe - Penzeys Copycat Spice Mix

Learn how to make the best homemade fajita seasoning blend from pantry staples so you can have restaurant-style fajitas at home any time!

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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!

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Spiced Chickpea Tacos with Cilantro-Peach Relish

A sweet and tangy peach relish is piled on top of spiced chickpeas for a summery spin on these meat-free tacos.

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Grilled Steak with Spicy Latin Rub

A flavorful mix of spices and chipotle peppers impart bold flavors onto your steak of choice. Great with a spicy glass of Chilean red wine!

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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.

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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 game day appetizer spread, dinner party, or cocktail party.

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Our Favorite Steak Fajitas

These tender steak fajitas are one of my family's very favorite meals - a perfect Tex-Mex dinner made in a single cast iron skillet.

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Chicken Quesadillas with Chipotle Ranch Dip

Simply seasoned chicken thighs are cooked in the Instant Pot till tender, then shredded + sandwiched between 2 types of cheese in this delicious recipe.

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Latin-Spiced Pork + Squash Skillet with Chili Lime Cherries

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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Roasted Kabocha and Eggplant Tacos with Poblano Crema

There's no need to peel the squash for these vegetarian tacos - just scrub it clean! You can even save the seeds and roast them for a tasty snack later.

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Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce

Chickpea and herb patties are stuffed into pocket pitas for a tasty, plant-based sandwich. Delicious with a quick, tangy yogurt-herb sauce!

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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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Terri's Favorite Vegetarian Black Bean Burger

These veggie burgers pack some major flavor! The combination of cumin with fresh cilantro and green onion inside the patties is a real keeper.

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Toasted Spice Guacamole

Toasting spices before grinding them with a mortar and pestle amps up the flavor in this guacamole recipe.

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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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Caramelized Cumin-Roasted Carrots

Caramelized Cumin-Roasted Carrots

Aromatic cumin seeds add Indian flair to this simple side dish.

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I hope this post has inspired you to pop open a jar of cumin and get cooking!

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16 Favorite Sweets for Big Flavors' Sweet Sixteen

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Celebrating 16 years of Big Flavors with a collection of 16 of our favorite sweet recipes - desserts, drinks, apps, and more!

Text that says 16 Favorite Sweets to Celebrate Big Flavors' Sweet Sixteen along with a photo of apple pie a la mode and chocolate peppermint cookies.

You know what they say... time flies when you're eating delicious food!

And my oh my is it blowing my mind that I started this little online adventure a whopping 16 years ago!

Things have changed so very much since I began posting about food online back in 2006. I've talked about some of those ways before (check out this post from 2013 for more on that topic).

I thought it'd be nice this year to have a sweet celebration.

Because my baby is turning 16. Big Flavors is old enough to drive a car now. It's wild!

So without further ado, here are 16 of our very favorite sweet recipes from the past 16 years.

And since I make the rules in this little corner of the internet, I'm sharing the recipes below in alphabetical order. It's hard enough for me to pick favorites without having to rank them any further than that.

Bon appétit!

2 bowls of yogurt topped with chocolate, coconut, caramel, and Rice Krispies cereal.
5-Ingredient Samoa Cereal Bowls

1. 5-Ingredient Samoa Cereal Bowls

This quick & easy 5-ingredient Greek yogurt cereal bowl features toasted coconut + Rice Krispies - an ode to one of my favorite cookies, the Samoa!

The flavor combination here is absolutely delicious. It's a fun twist on a yogurt parfait!

Hand holding chocolate covered raspberry petit fours.
Chocolate Covered Raspberry Petit Fours with Petite Crème Filling

2. Chocolate Covered Raspberry Petit Fours with Petite Crème Filling

Graham crackers are coated in bittersweet chocolate, topped with filled raspberries, and drizzled with even more chocolate for a simple yet elegant dessert. Or breakfast. No judgment here!

This recipe was one that I created for Stonyfield back in 2015, and they have since discontinued the Petit Crème line of yogurt. It was SO good, and I'm bummed that it's gone.

I'm going to have to go back to this recipe and try to tweak it to use a new filling. I think thick Greek-style yogurt with vanilla bean paste mixed in would be fairly close.

Side view of a slice of Dutch apple pie a la mode
Classic Dutch Apple Pie

3. 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.

My favorite way to enjoy this pie is warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. SERIOUSLY delicious!

Plate of peanut butter cookies with bites taken out of one
Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

4. Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

These soft, chewy peanut butter cookies are a dessert recipe that my family has been baking for years. Easy to make with kids & always guaranteed to be a hit!

By far one of the top cookie recipes I make, these peanut butter cookies are always a crowd-pleaser. They've gone over extremely well in my cooking classes, both in-person and virtual, for many years now.

Dunking a Deep Fried Nutella S’mores Dumpling into marshmallow fluff.
Deep Fried Nutella S’mores Dumplings

5. Deep Fried Nutella S'mores Dumplings

We took all the fun of s'mores but upped the ante by stuffing them inside dumpling wrappers, swapping the chocolate for Nutella, deep frying them and dunking them in marshmallow fluff.

This recipe was a collaboration between me and my friend Joanne from Eats Well With Others. We had a "Dumplingpalooza" at my house back in 2015 and this was the dessert round.

You can check out her take on the fun here.

Banana halves on popsicle sticks coated in peanut butter and bacon.
Elvis-Style Frozen Bananas

6. Elvis-Style Frozen Bananas

Elvis-Style Frozen Bananas take the classic Elvis sandwich (peanut butter, banana + bacon) to a new level! This easy 3 ingredient frozen dessert ROCKS!

It's a sweet treat that's fit for the king!

Holding a decorated, Christmas tree-shaped cookie with a bite taken out of it.
Grandma's Christmas Cookies

7. Grandma's Christmas Cookies

Traditional roll-out sugar cookies are a Christmas dessert that keep my grandma's memory alive. Break out the cookie cutters and let's get baking!

Super soft and absolutely delicious. These are an absolute dream to bake up, and fun to make with kids of all ages.

And don't think you have to limit these beauties to Christmastime - they're great for any occasion! I've made them for Valentine's Day (heart-shaped), Halloween (cats, bats, ghosts, pumpkins, etc.), "plain" round ones, and more.

Carrots in a serving dish topped with parsley.
Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

8. Honey Balsamic Roasted Carrots

This sweet-and-tangy side dish is super easy to put together and adds a nice pop of color to your dinner table!

The sweetness of the carrots combined with honey and tangy balsamic makes this simple veggie dish a delight!

We often enjoy this with Easter dinner, but it's great any time you need to whip up a low-maintenance side.

A board with honeyed chorizo and goat cheese crostini along with red wine.
Honeyed Chorizo & Fig Crostini

9. Honeyed Chorizo & Fig Crostini

This smoky-sweet Spanish appetizer recipe is guaranteed to be a hit at your next tapas party. Pair it with a fruity Spanish wine for a simple, elegant hors d'oeuvre that can be prepared in under 15 minutes!

This sweet-and-smoky appetizer is easy and delicious. I love serving it in combination with my Prosciutto & Brie Crostini with Dried Apricots.

Overhead shot of two plates, each topped with a slice of Italian Cheesecake
Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake

10. Italian Cream Cheese and Ricotta Cheesecake

This super rich, creamy, tangy, no-frills, crustless Italian-style cheesecake is easier than you'd think to prepare at home!

Great plain or with your favorite toppings (like fruit, chocolate, caramel, or crushed Oreos). It freezes beautifully, too, making this an awesome make-ahead dessert option.

I've been making this recipe for yearssssss and it's always a hit. I have updated photos and tips that I plan to put into a revamped post soon but haven't gotten to it quite yet.

Overhead shot of a bowl of Mango, Jicama + Black Bean Salsa with tortilla chips.
Mango, Jicama + Black Bean Salsa

11. 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!

This salsa is seriously tasty on top of tacos or grilled meat, seafood, or tofu also. Deliciously refreshing for summertime!

Cookie jar and platter of peppermint hot chocolate cookies with glasses of milk alongside.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

12. Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hot cocoa and cookie lovers unite! Peppermint hot chocolate cookies are a festive treat perfect for winter holidays and cookie exchanges.

These cookies are a spin on another favorite recipe, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Buttermilk Chocolate Cookies. They're a great way to use up a partial container of buttermilk and so much fun to make around the winter holidays.

My virtual cooking class participants have really enjoyed these cookies. I have another recipe for a pancake version of them that I've taught several times but have yet to post here on Big Flavors.

There is so much deliciousness in store for the future, and I'm excited to share it with you!

Rhubarb custard pie on a plate with a fork next to the pie plate.
Rhubarb Custard Pie

13. Rhubarb Custard Pie

This sweet-tart, custardy pie makes a unique addition to any holiday table. It's a simple make-ahead recipe that's been a family favorite since I was a kid!

If I was hard-pressed to choose my favorite dessert of all-time, it'd probably be this one. It's unlike any other pie I've had, and I absolutely love it.

My mouth waters just looking at the photo!

Overhead view of Roasted Honeynut Squash with Burrata, Pomegranate + Pepitas
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Burrata, Pomegranate + Pepitas

14. Roasted Honeynut Squash with Burrata, Pomegranate + Pepitas

This roasted honeynut squash + burrata recipe is easy enough for a weeknight and elegant enough for your holiday table. A perfect, colorful side dish!

It's like butternut squash's adorable little cousin. The petite size makes for perfect individual portions!

And you know I'll take any excuse to break some burrata cheese over a dish...

2 dishes of strawberry basil shortcake with popcorn.
Tolon’s Strawberry Basil Shortcake

15. Tolon's Strawberry Basil Shortcake

This recipe is one that I learned from Chef Matthew Nolot at his restaurant Tolon in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I had such a great time with him in the kitchen that day, and watching him create a recipe with ingredients that inspired him at the farmers' market that morning was a real treat.

The combination of flavors in this dish is just outrageously delicious, and the pièce de résistance is the buttered popcorn whipped cream that finishes off the dish.

So, so, SO very delicious!

2 cocktails garnished with watermelon and fresh mint.
Watermelon Sugar High Tequila Cocktail

16. Watermelon Sugar High Tequila Cocktail

Move over, margaritas! This refreshing watermelon cocktail made with fresh mint, lime, & tequila is the perfect way to cool off this summer.

Wrapping up this sweet 16 celebration with this insanely delicious cocktail that was inspired by a local restaurant last summer.

The post includes a mocktail variation, because something this refreshing shouldn't be exclusively for people who imbibe.

Cheers!

And there you have it! 16 of our favorite sweet recipes in celebration of 16 years of Big Flavors. Did your favorite make the list?

I'd like to thank each and every one of you for being on this journey with me. I appreciate every comment, email, DM, class participant, and social media shoutout.

Your support means the world to me. The friendships and conversations I've had thanks to this little venture of mine have been truly wonderful.

👩🏻‍💻 Let's stay in touch!

If you aren't already subscribed to Extra Helping, my email newsletter, you can do that here. You can also find me on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and Twitter).

Feel free to check out my events schedule for upcoming virtual and in-person events. And finally, find my digital product offerings over at Gumroad.

Want to see more blogiversary celebrations?

Craving more? Check out my latest posts…

Homemade Grill Seasoning: The BEST Spice Blend for Meat & Veggies

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This homemade grill seasoning is perfect for chicken, steak, pork, seafood, & veggies! Great for grilling or as an all-purpose seasoned salt.

I've been using this blend on anything and everything in my kitchen lately and I'm excited to finally share the recipe with you!

Glass jar filled with layers of spices.

Homemade spice mixes are super easy to put together and come in handy so, so often.

I don't use spice blends too often but I do have a few staples in my pantry including our favorite fajita seasoning and this super versatile grill seasoning blend.

This 5-ingredient workhorse is great any time you want to add a little extra oomph to an otherwise plain, unseasoned ingredient like steak, chicken, pork, salmon, shrimp, tofu, or veggies.

There are a lot of recipes that call for grill seasoning or seasoned salt, and this homemade mix can be used as either.

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🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It comes together with just 5 ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
  • Making your own spice blends is less expensive than buying them from the store.
  • When you make your own, you can tweak the ingredients to fit your family's preferences.
  • Grill seasoning is endlessly useful to add flavor to otherwise "plain" items.
  • The flavor of this grill seasoning compliments so many different ingredients - it's endlessly versatile!
Ingredients to make homemade grill seasoning.

📝 Ingredients

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

  • Kosher salt (see notes below)
  • Ground black pepper (use the pre-ground kind here, not freshly cracked)
  • Garlic powder
  • Smoked paprika
  • Chili powder
Pouring kosher salt into a glass jar.
Pouring garlic powder into a glass jar.
Pouring chili powder into a glass jar.

🧂 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!

✅ Instructions

This recipe is super simple to put together! Just add all of your ingredients to a jar and shake to combine!

You could also stir or whisk everything together in a bowl and then transfer it to your storage container(s) of choice.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Holding a glass jar filled with layers of spices.
Shaking a glass jar full of spices to combine.
Glass jar filled with homemade grill seasoning.

💡 Ways to use homemade grill seasoning

I'm constantly finding new ways to use this spice blend. I've said it before, but I really do mean it... it's incredibly versatile!

Sometimes we actually grill whatever item we season with this mix, and other times we use the air fryer, stovetop, or oven. It's awesome on roasted veggies. Again - it can really work wherever you need it!

Below are just some of the many items we've sprinkled our grill seasoning on so far:

  • Salmon
  • Chicken (thighs, breasts, cutlets)
  • Steak
  • Burger patties (turkey, beef, or vegan meat substitute - we like Beyond Beef)
  • Shrimp
  • Scallops
  • Cod
  • Tofu
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Veggie skewers
  • Bell peppers
  • Shishito peppers
  • Corn on the cob

As far as recipe-specific uses, here are a few ways I love using this grill seasoning:

Scooping a small spoonful of homemade grill seasoning from the jar.

🫙 Equipment and storage recommendations

Once your grill 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 find it helpful when working with more finely ground ingredients.

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.

Glass jar with homemade spice mix inside next to a labeled metal lid.

🌱 Eco-Friendly Tip

Eco-friendly tip: Hang on to empty spice jars as you use them in your kitchen. That way when you have a homemade spice blend, you already have a perfect storage container!

You can remove the label from old jars and tins and write on them with a permanent marker. Or bust out your label maker and make a pretty new label if that's more your style.

I personally have a mix of both handwritten and "properly" labeled mixes in my house.

Label maker with the word seasoning typed out.
Glass jar full of spice mix labeled "grill seasoning".

My tiny kitchen is short on space, so I have to store my spices in a few different places.

I have a bin of spice jars above my sink. I also have an assortment of magnetic spice tins displayed on the wall in my kitchen. I keep bags of spices in buckets tucked away in a cabinet.

Use whatever works for the space you have. Here are a few recommendations if you're in the market for new spice storage options:

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🍽️ More DIY seasoning blends

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Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips

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Homemade crispy, baked pita chips and an easy sumac vinaigrette add Middle Eastern flair to this veggie-packed fattoush salad recipe.

Bowl of fattoush salad with serving utensils.

I came up with this fattoush salad recipe as a way to use up some of my leftover baked pita chips.

The results, paired with my homemade sumac vinaigrette, wound up quickly joining the regular recipe rotation in my house.

The components of this salad can all be prepped in advance, and you can toss it all together right before serving. Keep reading for more info, tips, and tricks for fattoush salad success!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • This salad is super crisp and refreshing! Perfect for warm weather and picnics.
  • It's a great way to use up odds and ends that are hanging out in your produce drawer.
  • Colorful food is always a welcome addition to the table.
  • Fattoush is great on its own as a meal, or as a side to other dishes like my broiler kebab, Persian meatloaf, or Persian Beef and Celery Stew (Khoreshe Karafs).
  • It's easily made vegan by omitting the feta or using a vegan substitute.
Tossing together ingredients for fattoush salad in a bowl.

🫓 What is fattoush?

When people ask me to describe fattoush salad, I usually liken it to a Middle Eastern version of an Italian panzanella salad.

Instead of stale bread, fattoush uses crumbled, seasoned pita bread. In the case of this recipe, it uses baked pita chips.

There aren't any strict rules on what types of veggies you use here. Feel free to add your favorites, along with any salad greens that you enjoy!

Basically, making fattoush entails mixing up a big salad, packed with fresh veggies, and breaking up the pita chips over top of it. A quick mix, and the pita chips start to soak up the flavors of your salad, but still retain their crispiness.

It's key with fattoush to only add the pita chips right before you plan to serve your salad. the longer they sit, the soggier they'll get.

And nobody wants a soggy salad!

Overhead view of ingredients for fattoush salad.

📝 Ingredients

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

  • Tomatoes - I like using grape or cherry tomatoes. The multi-colored mixes are especially lovely in this recipe!
  • Cucumber - I tend to buy English cucumbers, but whatever type you prefer is fine. If using a smaller variety, like a Persian cucumber, use 3-4 instead of just one.
  • Radishes
  • Flat-leaf parsley
  • Fresh mint
  • Green onions (also called scallions)
  • Feta cheese (optional)
  • Sumac vinaigrette
  • Pita chips (preferably homemade, but storebought is absolutely fine!)
Adding cucumbers to a bowl of tomatoes.
Slicing radishes.
Pouring sumac vinaigrette over a fattoush salad.

🔎 What is sumac?

This recipe uses ground sumac which is available at most specialty spice shops and Middle Eastern markets. It can also sometimes be found at organic/health food markets or grocery stores with a big selection of international foods.

If you don't have any of those options nearby, it's readily available online.

Culinarily speaking sumac is a crimson-colored spice that is made from ground sumac berries. It is not the same thing as the poisonous sumac plant.

Ground sumac is often found in a shaker next to the salt and pepper in Persian restaurants. It's delicious when sprinkled over grilled meat and seafood, kebabs, vegetables, rice, or hummus.

Sumac is a lovely addition to anything you'd like to lightly dust with its tart flavor and deep red hue.

👅 What does sumac taste like?

The flavor of sumac is tart and a bit lemony with a slightly astringent flavor. It's a bit sweet, and a bit sour.

Sumac is often mixed with salt, so I recommend leaving out any additional salt in recipes that call for more than a pinch of sumac until you're able to taste it for seasoning.

📌 Substitutions for ground sumac

Sumac is a tricky spice to substitute, but you can get in the ballpark, flavor-wise.

If you don't have ground sumac, you can omit it and add a little fresh lemon zest and kosher salt, to taste, for seasoning.

Many brands of za'atar also have sumac mixed in, so that's another option. It won't be exact, but it'll be tasty!

Whisking seasoning and oil together for pita chip coating.
Adding feta cheese to a salad.
Tossing a bowl of fattoush salad together with tongs.

✅ How to make this recipe

This recipe has 3 components, but they all come together fairly quickly. I like to get the pita chips into the oven first and work on the other parts while they're baking to streamline the prep.

  1. If you're making your own pita chips, prep the pita bread and bake it. See my homemade baked pita chip recipe here. You can also use storebought pita chips.
  2. While the pita is in the oven, whisk together the vinaigrette. You'll need ⅓ cup of it for this salad. See my sumac vinaigrette recipe here.
  3. Chop all of your veggies and put them in a large bowl.
  4. Add feta, if using, and the vinaigrette and toss well to combine.
  5. Once your pita chips are fully cool, crumble them over the rest of the ingredients, give them a gentle toss, and serve!

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Bowl of fattoush salad ready to be served.

🍅 Quick tip: the fastest way to slice tomatoes

I learned this tip yeeeeears ago, and it was a total game-changer. I believe I originally saw it on one of Rachael Ray's cooking shows.

It never fails to blow minds in my virtual cooking classes, so I'm sharing it here for you, in case you haven't seen it yet.

You'll need 2 lids - the type you find at the deli, or when you get something like soup from a restaurant takeout or delivery order.

Tomatoes and fresh herbs.
Add a layer of tomatoes onto one lid, lip-side up.
Prepping grape tomatoes to be sliced for salad.
Place another lid on top, lip-side down.
Slicing grape tomatoes in half with a knife.
Press down with one hand and slice through between the two lids.

Be sure to use the "lip" of the lid (the raised edge/rim) to secure your tomatoes. It should be facing up on your bottom lid, and down on the top lid so that the two lids cradle the tomatoes.

Use gentle pressure with one hand to secure the tomatoes while you use your chef's knife to slice through the tomatoes.

You'll use the space between the two lids as a guide, and your knife will do all the work for you!

Sliced tomatoes and a glass of fresh herbs.
A bowl with sliced tomatoes and a glass of fresh herbs.

This works beautifully with grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, pitted olives, grapes, or anything else that's small and round like this.

It makes super quick work of slicing, and it's a kitchen hack I use often!

This method comes in handy for salad prep, quickly chopping toppings for tacos, and more. I hope it finds a place in your cooking arsenal, too.

🥡 Storage recommendations

The components of this salad can be made in advance. If you don't plan to eat it within 30 minutes or so, I strongly recommend storing the pita chips in a separate container.

You can also store the sumac vinaigrette separately if you'd like, but the salad does hold up pretty well after it's been dressed.

Alternately, you could put the vinaigrette on the bottom of your serving bowl, add all of your veggies on top, and refrigerate it like that. Then, when you're ready to serve, toss it together before adding your pita chips and gently mixing.

Your homemade seasoned pita chips will stay nice and crispy for several days (if they last that long!) stored in an airtight container.

The most important thing is to make sure the chips are completely cool before moving them into your storage vessel of choice.

The sumac vinaigrette will keep well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.

Because of the oil, it may solidify when chilled. You may need to take it out of the refrigerator to let it warm up a bit before using it again.

Fattoush salad will hold up well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days, again, as long as you keep the pita chips separate.

I reeeeeally can't stress that enough.

I made that mistake the first time I made it and the leftovers were full of sad, soggy pita bread instead of deliciously crispy pita chips.

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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! | Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette | bigflavorstinykitchen.com
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette
Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Salad with Plate of Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette and pita chips.
Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette

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Sumac Vinaigrette: Quick & Easy Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe

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Ground sumac is a wonderfully tangy spice used in Middle Eastern recipes. This 4-ingredient sumac vinaigrette is a quick & easy way to enjoy it!

Ingredients for sumac vinaigrette.

Ground sumac is such a fun ingredient. The last time I bought some, the jar was so big that I was determined to find ways to use it other than just sprinkling it on top of my kebab.

And that's how this sumac vinaigrette recipe came about. I wanted to make a homemade dressing to go with my fattoush salad with baked pita chips.

I figured that the tangy bite of sumac would pair beautifully with the other flavors in that dish, and boy did it!

Pouring sumac vinaigrette over a fattoush salad.

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • It's quick and easy to put together.
  • This sumac vinaigrette makes great use of the jar of ground sumac hanging out in the pantry.
  • It only requires 4 ingredients.
  • The vibrant crimson color adds a nice pop to any green salad.
  • It can be made in advance and holds up well in the refrigerator for several days.
Holding a small pitcher of sumac vinaigrette.

📝 Ingredients

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

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Ground sumac
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Kosher salt (only if needed - most sumac is already mixed with salt, so be sure to taste!)
Pouring olive oil into a bowl.
Juicing a lemon.
Pouring lemon juice into a bowl of oil.

🔎 What is sumac?

This recipe uses ground sumac which is available at most specialty spice shops and Middle Eastern markets. It can also sometimes be found at organic/health food markets or grocery stores with a big selection of international foods.

If you don't have any of those options nearby, it's readily available online.

Culinarily speaking sumac is a crimson-colored spice that is made from ground sumac berries. It is not the same thing as the poisonous sumac plant.

Ground sumac is often found in a shaker next to the salt and pepper in Persian restaurants. It's delicious when sprinkled over grilled meat and seafood, kebabs, vegetables, rice, or hummus.

Sumac is a lovely addition to anything you'd like to lightly dust with its tart flavor and deep red hue.

👅 What does sumac taste like?

The flavor of sumac is tart and a little lemony with a slightly astringent flavor. It's a bit sweet, and a bit sour.

Sumac is often mixed with salt, so I recommend leaving out any additional salt in recipes that call for more than a pinch of sumac until you're able to taste it for seasoning.

📌 Substitutions for ground sumac

Sumac is a tricky spice to substitute, but you can get in the ballpark, flavor-wise.

If you don't have ground sumac, you can omit it and add a little fresh lemon zest and kosher salt, to taste, for seasoning.

Many brands of za'atar also have sumac mixed in, so that's another option. It won't be exact, but it'll be tasty!

💡 Uses for ground sumac

We love sprinkling sumac over lots of things. It's fantastic on top of kebab or your favorite grilled meat. It's also the perfect pop of color on top of homemade hummus or muhammara. It's also a key part of the sumac vinaigrette that I use in my fattoush salad.

✅ How to make this recipe

This sumac vinaigrette is super simple to put together. Just whisk together all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, taste for seasoning, and serve!

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Adding cinnamon to a bowl of oil and spices.
Whisking sumac vinaigrette ingredients together in a bowl.
Whisk in a bowl full of sumac vinaigrette.

🥡 Storage recommendations

This vinaigrette will keep well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.

Because of the oil, it may solidify when chilled. You may need to take it out of the refrigerator to let it warm up a bit before using it again.

You can speed up this process by running some hot water over the container to help re-liquefy any oil that has solidified.

Then just give it a good shake and use it as desired!

I like storing my homemade salad dressing in a mason jar or glass flask in the refrigerator. I also found this salad dressing mixer that seems like it'd be great for things like this that tend to separate when stored.

💡 Other ways to use sumac

Ground sumac is a versatile ingredient! Some of our favorite ways to use it are:

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Homemade Seasoned Pita Chips: Easy, Baked, 5-Ingredient Recipe

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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 and you're ready to dig in.

Holding a baked pita chip with a bowl full in the background.

Who doesn't love a crispy, delicious pita chip? They're perfect for scooping up hummus, babaganoush, muhammara, buffalo chickpea dip, and more.

These pita chips have been a huge hit during my cooking classes (both virtual and in-person) for years now, and I'm finally bringing the recipe to my website. They're also a staple in my favorite fattoush salad.

So grab a package of pita bread and buckle up. Your home snacking game is about to get a major upgrade!

Jump To:

🧡 Why we love this recipe

  • Baking the pita chips is a much healthier (and easier!) option than frying.
  • The seasonings are super versatile! You can use the suggested seasonings below or change things up. The sky (and your pantry) is the limit!
  • You can control the amount of each ingredient (fat, salt, etc.) so they can fit in with whatever your current dietary needs may be.
  • They can be made in advance and stay fresh and crispy for several days in an airtight container (see storage tips below).
  • Homemade pita chips make a fantastic addition to snack boards, appetizer spreads, picnics, and lunch boxes.
Ingredients ready to make homemade pita chips.

📝 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make your own baked pita chips (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

  • Pita bread - I like using pocket-style pita bread for thinner pita chips, but pocketless pita bread will work, too.
  • Olive oil - just a few tablespoons to help the pita chips get nice and crispy.
  • Dried parsley
  • Dried oregano
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground paprika
  • Black pepper
Pouring olive oil into a large bowl.
Pouring salt and pepper into a large bowl with seasoning and olive oil.
Whisking herbs and spices in a bowl with olive oil.

🧂 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!

Pita bread cut into small triangles for homemade pita chips.
Separating triangles of pita bread for homemade pita chips.
Using tongs to toss pita triangles with seasoned oil.

✅ How to make this recipe

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  2. Cut each piece of pita bread into triangles and separate the layers.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and seasonings.
  4. Add pita to the bowl and toss to coat with the seasoned oil mixture.
  5. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet.
  6. Bake until golden brown and crispy.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Spreading seasoned pita triangles onto a baking sheet.
Transfer your seasoned pita bread to a sheet pan.
Single layer of seasoned pita bread on a baking sheet.
Spread the pieces out in a single layer for even baking.

📌 Tips for crispy pita chips

There are a few things to help ensure your pita chips get nice and crispy in the oven.

First off, only make one batch at a time using the middle rack of your oven. I've tested this recipe several times. Having 2 baking sheets in at once means that some of the chips are pretty close to the top heating element of the oven.

This led to uneven baking, and chips that curled up a bit toward the heat. Baking them down a little further helps them stay nice and flat.

If you want to make a double (or triple) batch of this recipe you absolutely can. Just do it in shifts, one sheet at a time, for best results.

Tray of baked pita chips fresh out of the oven.

Try to keep your pita pieces in a single layer when they're heading into the oven. A little overlap is OK, but a single layer will ensure the crispiest chips.

Be sure to let your chips cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.

If they're still warm when you seal your container, the residual heat will create condensation causing moisture to soften your (previously) crispy chips.

Bowl of freshly baked pita chips.

💡 What to serve with pita chips

Pita chips are super versatile! Here are some of our favorite dishes to enjoy alongside pita chips.

Pita chips are also great as an addition to snack boards, cheeseboards, and mezze boards. They can also be used as croutons on top of your favorite salad or soup.

They're a key ingredient in my Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips pictured below.

Tossing together ingredients for fattoush salad in a bowl.
Fattoush Salad with Homemade Pita Chips

🥣 Variations and other seasoning ideas

The seasonings in this recipe are by no means written in stone! Feel free to spice things up by swapping out and substituting different herbs and spices to really customize your pita chip experience

Below are a few suggestions, but feel free to play around with the recipe. Swap out just one or all of the spices I have listed in the recipe card below!

The baking time should be the same regardless of your choice of seasonings. If you try out a new combo, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section at the bottom of this post!

Seasoning ideas for your baked pita chips:

  • Cheddar cheese powder
  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Fajita seasoning
  • Garlic & herb
  • Ground sumac
  • Italian seasoning
  • Smoked salt
  • Southwest seasoning
  • Taco seasoning
  • Tajín
  • Truffle salt
  • Za'atar

🥡 Storage recommendations

Your homemade seasoned pita chips will stay nice and crispy for several days (if they last that long!) stored in an airtight container.

The most important thing is to make sure they are completely cool before moving them into your storage vessel of choice.

If you put them in a closed container while they're still warm from the oven, condensation will form, causing them to get soggy.

I like storing my pita chips in a stasher stand-up bag. It has plenty of room, and I just squeeze out any extra air (without crushing the chips) before sealing it up.

A large food storage container is another great option for storing your cooled chips. A glass jar with a lid is another option. Whatever you go with, just make sure it's airtight to maintain maximum freshness.

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Calabrese Potato Salad with Green Beans + Tomatoes (Italian, No-Mayo)

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This simple mayo-free Italian potato salad recipe includes fresh & dried oregano, olive oil, & red wine vinegar. A Calabrian family favorite!

Scooping a spoonful of Calabrese potato salad from the bowl

I learned to make this mayo-free potato salad from my Italian father-in-law, who grew up in Calabria, Italy. The mixture of potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, oregano, and vinegar makes for such a refreshing side dish.

This is a family favorite that is especially great when made with fresh summer produce, though we make this recipe all year round.

My family enjoys garlicky recipes, and this Italian potato salad is no exception. Some of our other garlicky recipe favorites are:

Why we love this recipe

  • It's a great make-ahead side dish. In fact, it tastes better after sitting in the refrigerator for at least a few hours.
  • This potato salad is mayo-free, so it doesn't feel super heavy. It's a great alternative to a lot of picnic and BBQ side dishes that tend to be packed with mayonnaise.
  • You don't need to peel the baby potatoes used in this recipe. That means less prep work and more nutritional benefits. It's a win/win!
  • This salad is the perfect way to use fresh summer tomatoes. I know many people end up with a bounty of garden tomatoes, and this recipe really lets them shine.
Ingredients for Calabrese Potato Salad with Green Beans + Tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • Baby potatoes
  • Kosher salt
  • Green beans
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Fresh oregano
  • Dried oregano
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Fresh tomatoes

See recipe card below for quantities.

A bowl of multi-colored baby potatoes being cut with a knife.
Adding salt to a pot of colorful baby potatoes.
Pouring water into a large pot of raw potatoes.

🧂 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

This Italian potato salad is super simple to prepare:

  1. Place quartered potatoes in a large pot with salt and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches.
  2. Bring to a boil, then add the green beans. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender.
  3. Drain the veggies and stir in the remaining ingredients while everything is still warm.
  4. Let the mixture cool down at room temperature, give it a stir, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

See recipe card below for full instructions.

Drizzling olive oil onto a bowl of hot potatoes and green beans.
Pouring minced garlic and oregano into a bowl of potatoes and green beans.
Pouring tomatoes into a bowl of potato salad with green beans.

Recipe tips

Tossing the oil, vinegar, and herbs into the potatoes while they're still hot is key here. It helps all of the seasonings absorb into the potatoes.

Be sure to let the mixture sit out on the counter to cool off before transferring it to your refrigerator. You don't want it to be piping hot when you move it to the fridge to chill.

We like this potato salad best when served cold, but it's also delicious while it's still warm.

I know because I usually take several "quality control" bites to taste for seasoning while it's cooling off. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Stirring a bowl of Calabrese potato salad.

What kind of potatoes are best for this recipe?

My father-in-law always used red potatoes in this potato salad recipe. He would cut them into big chunks before boiling.

The skin of red potatoes isn't as thick as some other varieties of potatoes, and they're less starchy.

I thought it'd be nice to use new potatoes (also called baby potatoes) when I first made this recipe.

I opted for a multi-colored bag, much like when I learned to make his recipe for Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Peas. The texture and flavor work beautifully in both dishes.

This swap got his stamp of approval, so I've used those smaller, colorful potatoes when making these recipes ever since. It gives these dishes a little extra pop of color but isn't necessary.

Feel free to go with single-colored baby potatoes if that's what you find at the store.

Fingerling potatoes are similar to baby potatoes and can be used here, too. You may need to cut them into a few more pieces to accommodate their longer shape.

The key is really that the cut potatoes should all be consistently sized. This helps them cook more evenly.

Looking for a different potato salad recipe that uses baby potatoes? My Easy Instant Pot Herbed Potato Salad is a fantastic choice!

Chopping tomatoes on a cutting board.
Campari tomatoes are a good all-year round option.

What kind of tomatoes should be used?

This recipe really showcases the beauty of perfectly ripe tomatoes.

My first choice would be a tomato straight from the garden. An heirloom variety from the farmers' market would be awesome.

But since I make this recipe all year round, I most often opt for Campari tomatoes. They're usually sold still on the vine in clamshell containers at the grocery store. They're pretty consistently ripe all year round.

If you aren't familiar with Campari tomatoes, Wikipedia says, "Campari is a type of hybrid tomato noted for its juiciness, high sugar level, low acidity, and lack of mealiness. Camparis are deep red and larger than a pear or cherry tomato, but smaller and rounder than common plum tomatoes."

My next choice would be cherry or grape tomatoes. Just go for the ripest tomatoes you can find, and you can't go wrong.

Stirring a bowl of Calabrese potato salad to combine.

Equipment

You need a large pot to accommodate the potatoes and green beans in this recipe.

If you have one with a strainer lid, perfect. Otherwise, you'll need to use a colander or spider to separate the veggies from the boiling water.

I like to use the largest bowl of my mixing bowl set (the 4-quart size) because it fits perfectly and has a tight-fitting lid.

Storage

This potato salad holds up really well in the refrigerator for several days when kept in a sealed container.

Plate with Calabrese potato salad, sliced steak, and corn on the cob.

What to serve with Calabrese potato salad

This side dish is super versatile and can be served with all sorts of dishes. It's great to bring along to a BBQ, picnic, or potluck.

We often serve it with grilled steak, chicken, or sausages. It'd be delicious with burgers as well.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

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The Best Homemade Fajita Seasoning Recipe - Penzeys Copycat Spice Mix

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This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Learn how to make the best homemade fajita seasoning blend from pantry staples so you can have restaurant-style fajitas at home any time!

This easy, Mexican-inspired spice mix is my family's go-to when it comes to making our favorite chicken fajitas, steak fajitas, and more.

Holding a spice jar with layers of ingredients for homemade fajita seasoning Penzeys copycat recipe.

Why we love this recipe

  • The flavor of this spice blend is different from most other fajita mixes on the market. My family absolutely loves it! I reverse-engineered our favorite Penzeys fajita seasoning to make this copycat recipe.
  • Homemade seasoning blends tend to be more budget-friendly than their storebought counterparts. You can often make them with ingredients you already have on hand. Those individual packets and jars can really add up!
  • Being able to control the ingredients lets you customize this recipe to your family's taste. Reducing the salt, increasing the level of heat, or leaving out spices that you don't care for is easy to do!
  • The combination of Mexican spices in this blend is easily turned into a tasty marinade for chicken or steak fajitas. Just mix with water, olive oil, and lime juice.
Overhead view of spices in bowls for homemade fajita seasoning.

Ingredients

What's in this fajita seasoning blend? It seems like a lot of ingredients, but they're all easy to find and are likely to already be hanging out in your pantry.

  • Kosher salt
  • Dried oregano
  • Dried basil
  • Ground cayenne pepper
  • Celery seed
  • Ground cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Dried marjoram
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground paprika
  • Ground black pepper
  • Dried rosemary
  • Dried thyme

See recipe card below for quantities.

🧂 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!

Looking for more homemade seasoning blends? This homemade grill seasoning recipe is super versatile! We also love using this dry brine seasoning blend for turkey and chicken, especially around the holidays.

Pouring dried rosemary through a funnel into a spice jar.
Pouring ground paprika through a funnel into a spice jar.
Pouring dried oregano through a funnel into a spice jar.

Turkish vs. Mexican oregano

There are several types of dried oregano available at most grocery stores here in the U.S. The 2 most common types are Turkish and Mexican.

Penzeys uses both Turkish and Mexican oregano in their fajita seasoning blend for a quite oregano-forward flavor punch.

I tend to use Mexican and Turkish oregano interchangeably at home, so I only included one type of oregano in the ingredients for this recipe.

If you happen to have both types, feel free to split the quantity between the two. You can read more about the differences between Mexican and Turkish oregano from Cooks Illustrated here.

How to make this recipe

This spice mix is super easy to put together. Just measure everything out, mix it together, and store it in an air-tight container.

I like to measure everything directly into a spice jar, seal it, and shake it up to combine. Easy peasy!

Once it's mixed together you'll have a jar of delicious homemade fajita seasoning at the ready for whenever your next fajita craving strikes.

And in my house, those cravings strike often!

Shaking a spice jar to combine fajita seasoning ingredients.

How to use fajita seasoning

This recipe makes just over 4 tablespoons of homemade fajita seasoning.

Most of the recipes I use it for (like chicken fajitas or steak fajitas) use just 1 tablespoon of this seasoning blend. That means each batch of this seasoning recipe will allow you to make fajitas 4 times!

Here's how to turn the seasoning into a homemade fajita marinade:

  1. Mix 1 tablespoon of fajita seasoning with 2 tablespoons of water in a large zip-top bag (I like using a stasher stand-up bag) or a large food storage container.
  2. Slice 1 pound of your protein of choice (we usually use chicken or steak) into ¼-inch thick pieces and add to the spice mixture.
  3. Add ¼ cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
  4. Mix everything together and seal the container, removing as much air as possible. Transfer the container to the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Marinating allows the fajita seasoning to permeate the meat before you cook it. And that means more flavor!

Check out the full recipe for my chicken fajitas or steak fajitas to get the rundown on how to cook everything to restaurant-quality perfection!

Other ways to use fajita seasoning

You don't have to use this seasoning strictly for fajitas! There are other ways to utilize this seasoning blend in your kitchen.

  • Sprinkle it into beans or rice for a side dish with a flavor boost.
  • Mix it into sour cream, plain greek yogurt, or Mexican crema for a tasty topping for your tacos, nachos, or quesadillas.
  • Use it as a spice rub for meat.
  • Sprinkle it onto grilled veggies.
Cast iron skillet with steak fajitas, tortillas, and garnishes.
Our Favorite Steak Fajitas
A cast iron skillet filled with chicken fajitas with tortillas and garnishes alongside.
Our Favorite Chicken Fajitas

Substitutions

Feel free to play with this recipe and adjust the amounts of the different spices to fit your preferences. I've included a few common substitutions below:

  • Low sodium - feel free to reduce (or omit) the salt as needed if sodium is a concern for your diet. Be sure to take a look at "🧂 A Note About Salt" above for more info on brands of kosher salt.
  • Heat-seekers - if you want to make this fajita season spicier, feel free to increase the amount of ground cayenne pepper. Another spice to consider adding is Hungarian hot paprika.
  • Less spicy - my family doesn't find this spice blend to be spicy. Heat tolerance is a personal matter and preference. Feel free to decrease or omit the ground cayenne pepper and/or ground black pepper as desired.
  • Oregano - as mentioned above, this recipe is quite oregano-forward. Feel free to reduce the amount you use if you find it to be too bold for your taste.
  • Dried herb substitutions - if you don't have one of the dried herbs like marjoram, basil, or rosemary in your pantry (or don't like one of them), just omit it completely. You can replace things you omit with something milder if you'd like. Dried parsley would be a good option.

Fajita seasoning vs. taco seasoning

A lot of store-bought fajita and taco seasoning blends include very similar ingredients.

The common players in most of these are ground cumin, ground paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and ground black pepper.

Taco seasoning often contains cornstarch. This can help thicken the final taco filling and make it a little "saucy".

A lot of premade seasoning mixes contain sugar or other additives. The sugar can help to caramelize your ingredients while cooking.

I personally don't think sugar is necessary to use in these spice blends. If you follow one of my fajita recipes you'll learn how caramelizing onions properly can add the perfect amount of sweetness - no sugar needed!

You can season your tacos with fajita seasoning. You can season your fajitas with taco seasoning. It all comes down to personal preference. Feel free to play around and use them interchangeably if you'd like.

If you're looking for a store-bought option, Penzeys fajita seasoning is my family's favorite. We used this for the first several years that we made fajitas at home.

For store-bought taco seasonings, we like Old El Paso taco seasoning mix, Simply Organic's southwest taco, or mild taco seasoning.

Equipment and storage

Once your fajita 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.

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.

🍽️ More DIY seasoning blends

Looking for other homemade seasoning blend recipes? Try these:

🌱 Eco-Friendly Tip

Eco-friendly tip: Hang on to empty spice jars as you use them in your kitchen. That way when you have a homemade spice blend, you already have a perfect storage container!

You can remove the label from old jars and tins and write on them with a permanent marker. Or bust out your label maker and make a pretty new label if that's more your style.

I personally have a mix of both handwritten and "properly" labeled mixes in my house.

My tiny kitchen is short on space, so I have to store my spices in a few different places.

I have a bin of spice jars above my sink. I also have an assortment of magnetic spice tins displayed on the wall in my kitchen. I keep bags of spices in buckets tucked away in a cabinet.

Use whatever works for the space you have. Here are a few recommendations if you're in the market for new spice storage options:

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Gorgonzola Fruit Torta

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Gorgonzola & cream cheese are layered with fresh herbs, dried fruit, & toasted nuts upgrading any festive cheese board or appetizer spread.

Cheese board featuring a layered gorgonzola fruit torta.

Why we love this gorgonzola torta recipe

  • The colorful layers are absolutely gorgeous!
  • It looks beautiful as part of a cheeseboard, charcuterie board, or appetizer spread.
  • This recipe has sweet, salty, creamy, crunchy, and fresh components. It hits it all!
  • Gorgonzola torta can be made in advance and freezes well.
  • It's versatile - use a loaf pan, ramekin, muffin tin, or almost any size or shape of container you'd like!
Ingredients for gorgonzola fruit torta lined up on a cutting board.

I've been making this recipe for many years now. It's something that's perfect for dinner parties, potlucks, and holiday gatherings.

This gorgonzola torta recipe is always something that impresses a crowd and gets rave reviews.

It's been a hit both in person and virtually during my online cooking classes.

How to make this recipe

  1. Mix together cream cheese, butter, gorgonzola, and salt in a food processor.
  2. Line loaf pan, muffin tins, or other containers with aluminum foil and spray with oil or cooking spray.
  3. Layer dried fruit, gorgonzola mixture, and herbs into the prepared pan.
  4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until firm.
  5. Turn out onto a serving platter, unwrap, then sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.
  6. Serve the gorgonzola torta with your favorite crackers.
Adding salt to a food processor with cream cheese and gorgonzola.
Sprinkling dried cranberries into a foil-lined loaf pan.
Sprinkling dried apricots onto a loaf pan full of layers of gorgonzola and cream cheese.

This appetizer recipe comes together really quickly.

Just blend the cream cheese & gorgonzola mixture together in a food processor then layer it into your containers of choice, and refrigerate until firm.

You'll alternate the different ingredients when layering it into the pan, spreading about ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture in an even layer on top of each addition.

Adding cream cheese and gorgonzola to a layered fruit torta in a loaf pan.

I like to spritz an offset spatula with some oil or cooking spray before spreading the cream cheese mixture.

The oil helps it spread easier without sticking, but it can be a bit finicky. It's worth a little extra patience, I promise!

It freezes beautifully, making it perfect for make-ahead dinner party prep.

I often divide the gorgonzola mixture between several containers and freeze all but one so I have future party food already made.

Gorgonzola fruit torta on a platter, topped with toasted slivered almonds.

Serving the gorgonzola torta

Then when you want to serve your gorgonzola torta, just unwrap it, invert it onto a platter, and sprinkle it with toasted slivered almonds.

If it was frozen, transfer it to the refrigerator and let it thaw in there overnight.

I usually toast the almonds in advance, let them cool fully, then store them in an airtight container, that way everything is prepped in advance.

Sprinkling slivered almonds into a skillet.
Skillet of toasted almonds.
Sprinkling toasted slivered almonds onto a gorgonzola fruit torta.

You could even freeze the cooled, toasted nuts if you'd like to portion some out to save for later.

The gorgonzola torta can be added right onto a cheeseboard, charcuterie assortment, or put on a platter all by itself.

ℹ️ Slivered Almonds vs. Sliced Almonds

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

There can be a little confusion about the difference between the various types of almonds sold in the baking aisle, so I'm going to help clear that up.

The two types of prepared almonds that are most often confused with each other are slivered almonds and sliced almonds.

Toasted almonds in a skillet.

So just what is the difference between slivered and sliced almonds?

Slivered almonds (pictured above) have been peeled, split, and cut into "slivers" that are thicker than sliced almonds.

Slivered almonds are fairly rectangular in shape, and don't resemble the oblong/circular shape of a whole almond.

Sliced almonds often still have the skin on them, but they have been thinly sliced.

Sliced almonds are oblong - they look like slices cut from a whole almond. They're typically very thinly sliced and are sometimes referred to as "flaked" almonds.

Slivered almonds will give you more crunch than sliced almonds since they're cut more thickly.

Sliced almonds are a nice, delicate topping with just a bit of crunch.

You can use either for this recipe, or even chopped almonds, but I prefer to use slivered here.

Layered gorgonzola fruit torta on a cheese board.

What to serve with a gorgonzola torta

I like serving crackers alongside this gorgonzola torta.

Then people can just spread as little or as much of the mixture onto their crackers as they want.

Since the recipe has a lot of flavor from the sweet fruit, fresh herbs, and the tangy gorgonzola mixture, I tend to go for fairly mild crackers.

That means I'm not serving anything with tons of flavor alongside, because it could easily overpower the torta or get lost in the mix.

Cutting into a mini gorgonzola fruit torta with a small knife.
Overhead view of a cheese board with assorted cheeses, meat, fruit, pickles, olives, and crackers.

📝 Pro Tip: Toasting Nuts on the Stovetop

Toasting nuts is a way to intensify the flavor that they bring to a dish.

It's easy to toast nuts on the stovetop, which is my preferred method for toasting.

Add the nuts in a single layer to a dry skillet.

Place your skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Let them cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until they're golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Remove the nuts from the pan and allow them to cool. Leaving them in the pan after they're toasted will increase the risk of them burning from the residual heat.

One thing that can help in preventing nuts from burning while they toast is to turn off the heat when you see them starting to brown.

They'll continue to cook from the residual heat of the skillet and will be less likely to burn.

Once toasted nuts have cooled fully, you can transfer them to an airtight container and store them for later use.

With all nuts, if you don't plan on using them for a while, I recommend keeping them in the freezer.

The natural oils in many nuts can spoil quickly, so freezing them is a great way to help them last longer.

Close-up of a cracker topped with cheese, dried fruit, and herbs.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Now I'm off to go dig around the freezer to see if I have one on standby...

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Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

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Hot cocoa and cookie lovers unite! Peppermint hot chocolate cookies are a festive treat perfect for winter holidays and cookie exchanges.

Milk and cookies surrounded by peppermints and mini marshmallows.

Why we love this cookie recipe

  • It's the best part of a peppermint hot chocolate beverage but in cookie form!
  • Chocolatey cookies get a major upgrade with peppermint candy and mini marshmallows.
  • You can use any mix of milk, dark, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips - a great excuse to clean out your pantry!
  • They're fun to make with kids and great for holiday cookie exchanges.
  • Peppermint hot chocolate cookie dough freezes beautifully. You can freeze some of it to have freshly baked cookies another day.
  • Crushing the candy canes or peppermint candies for these cookies can be seriously cathartic.
Ingredients for peppermint hot chocolate cookies in bowls.

I came up with these cookies as a fun Christmas-y spin on my Melt-in-Your-Mouth Buttermilk Chocolate Cookie recipe.

Rich and chocolatey, these peppermint-infused sweets are perfect for the winter holidays but are equally delicious for the rest of the year.

I've made these several times in my virtual cooking classes, and they've gone over extremely well.

I even have a pancake version that has been going strong in my virtual classes. Stay tuned for that recipe soon, too!

🍫 Ingredient Spotlight: Cocoa Powder

This recipe uses Dutch-process cocoa powder which can be found in your grocery store located in the baking aisle.

There tends to be some confusion around the two different types of cocoa powder available to purchase, so let's dive a little deeper!

Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder

These two types of cocoa powder have different chemical properties and therefore serve different purposes when used in recipes.

Dutch-process cocoa powder has gone through a process that neutralizes its acidity.

This means that it's most often paired with baking powder as a leavening agent in recipes since it doesn't react with baking soda.

Dutch-process cocoa powder tends to be smoother and has a more mellow flavor than natural cocoa powder.

Natural cocoa powder is an acidic type of cocoa powder with an intense cocoa flavor. It's often paired with baking soda as a leavening agent, where the two react and cause your baked goods to rise.

Be sure to use the type of cocoa powder that a recipe calls for, as it will have likely taken the acid/base reactions into account.

If the recipe doesn't specify which type of cocoa powder to use, you can usually assume that you should use Dutch-process cocoa powder if there's baking powder in the ingredient list and natural cocoa powder if it calls for baking soda.

A general rule of thumb is that you can use either type of cocoa powder if your recipe doesn't call for any leavening agents (such as frosting).

You can get much more in-depth information on Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder on this post from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Hand holding a peppermint hot chocolate cookie.

How to make this recipe

  1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
  2. Whisk in Dutch-process cocoa powder into warm melted butter until smooth.
  3. Add vanilla, sugar, mint extract, and buttermilk.
  4. Stir in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, working in batches (about ⅓ of the mixture at a time).
  5. Stir in chocolate chips (and definitely QC a few of them while you're at it!).
  6. Place dough balls onto baking sheets that have been lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  7. Press a few mini marshmallows into the top of each ball of cookie dough, then bake at 350°F for 10-14 mnutes.
  8. While the cookies are still hot, sprinkle crushed peppermint candies or candy canes on top, then let them cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transfering them to a wire rack to fully cool.
Whisking buttermilk into a glass bowl of chocolate.
A variety of chocolate chips being poured into a bowl of chocolate cookie dough.
Pressing mini marshmallows into a ball of chocolate cookie dough.

📝 Pro Tip: Use Cookie Scoops for Perfect Portions

There's nothing at all wrong with using a regular kitchen spoon to portion out cookie dough. Your cookies will vary a bit from cookie to cookie, but they'll still be delicious.

But if you want to take your cookie game to the next level, you'll want to ensure that all of your cookies are the same size.

Having consistently sized portions of cookie dough is key for helping your cookies bake at the same rate.

And that's where a cookie scoop comes in handy.

Cookie scoops come in a variety of sizes, and they have a handy lever that you can squeeze to release the dough from the scoop itself.

If you take a peek inside the cookie scoop, you'll often see a little number engraved in the metal "swiper" piece that releases the cookie dough from the scoop.

Cookie scoop indicating a number 50 engraved inside.

In the photo above, you can see that this is a #50 scoop, which holds about the same as a heaping tablespoonful of cookie dough. This is the size I use most often in cookie recipes.

You could certainly weigh your cookie dough with a kitchen scale to be absolutely certain that each portion of dough is exactly the same size, but I find that a scoop works just fine for picture-perfect baked goods.

Aside from portioning out cookie dough, you can also use this style of scoop to measure out meatballs, falafel patties, frosting, or filling for stuffed pasta.

We use a large scoop for portioning ice cream.

Metal scoops are a great tool to keep in your cooking arsenal!

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.

Adding mint extract to a bowl of chocolate, sugar, and vanilla.

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.

A dozen peppermint hot chocolate cookies ready to go into the oven.

Don't feel like you need to use the same exact number of mini marshmallows on each piece of cookie dough.

I find that 3 is the maximum that will work, but I often make these with just one or two as options, too.

When it comes to the candy topping, I think candy canes work better from an aesthetic perspective, because they tend to have more red bits than round peppermint candies.

But the good thing about some peppermint candies is they're already wrapped, so you can easily crush them right in their wrappers.

Smashing a peppermint candy with a meat tenderizer.
Holding up a crushed peppermint candy.
Sprinkling crushed peppermint candy on top of freshly baked cookies.

You can also 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.

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.

Tap, tap, tap...

Chocolate cookies topped with marshmallows and crushed peppermint candy.

I tested this recipe a few times to see which method of adding the peppermint worked best.

Sprinkling the peppermint on before baking the cookies made it melt and get kind of funky. The striped look didn't really hold up, and the texture got weird.

I landed on sprinkling the peppermint pieces onto the cookies right after they came out of the oven.

Since the cookies are still piping hot and not yet set, the cookie welcomes the toppings and kind of seals them in as the cooling process takes place.

I like to let them sit for a few minutes on the baking sheet to firm up a little bit before transferring them to a metal cooling rack to completely cool.

Cookie jar and platter of peppermint hot chocolate cookies with glasses of milk alongside.

A thin metal spatula works well for transferring the cookies from the baking sheet to the cooling rack.

I find that the thin one works best to get under delicate cookies without ripping them. Just make sure they have set for a few minutes before you go to transport them.

Those spatulas are also great for moving cookie dough for cutout cookies. I use one to transfer my grandma's Christmas cookies from the counter to the sheet pan.

You know how sometimes the dough is tricky to move if you haven't properly floured your work surface? A thin metal spatula is a great tool to get underneath without ripping your cutout designs.

Storing peppermint hot chocolate cookies

These cookies store well in an airtight container for several days.

Make sure the cookies are fully cool before you store them. This helps prevent any residual heat from causing steam and excess moisture inside of your container.

This dough freezes beautifully!

If freezing peppermint hot chocolate cookie dough, I recommend portioning individual cookie scoops first.

Place your scoops of dough on a flat surface. You want to use something that is flat and can fit in your freezer easily.

A quarter sheet pan works well, but you can also use something like a cutting board or a plate.

Let the cookie dough freeze solid (give it at least an hour). Then transfer the frozen cookie dough portions into an airtight container, removing as much air as possible before sealing it.

Scooping chocolate cookies onto a prepared baking sheet.

To bake this recipe using frozen cookie dough, place the frozen dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets.

Press your mini marshmallows in as directed in the recipe. You likely won't be able to press them in as far down into the dough as if it wasn't frozen. But don't worry - it'll still work!

Add an additional 2-3 minutes to your bake time if working with frozen dough.

Easy peasy!

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Our Favorite Turkey Gravy

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Save the backbone and giblets from your Thanksgiving turkey to make this rich, flavorful gravy recipe. It's a family favorite holiday staple!

Pouring gravy over turkey on a Thanksgiving plate.

Why we love this homemade gravy recipe

  • It puts the backbone and giblets from your turkey (or chicken!) to good use.
  • The flavor is deep and rich - so much better than the stuff in a jar!
  • Homemade gravy doesn't take any fancy ingredients - just a few fridge and pantry staples.
Pouring gravy onto mashed potatoes on a plate of Thanksgiving food.

My grandpa was from the South, and I learned a thing or two about making gravy from him.

Years ago I saw that my father-in-law was discarding the giblets from his Thanksgiving turkey and opening up a jar of store-bought gravy.

Now don't get me wrong - there's nothing wrong with buying gravy (or anything you don't want to cook). But he had all the ingredients on hand for a killer gravy, so I stopped him and asked if I could have a few minutes at the stovetop.

That gravy blew him away, and the family all agreed that it was way better than the premade kind.

🍗 A few notes about giblets

When you buy a whole turkey or chicken, you'll often find the neck bone and a bag of giblets stashed in the cavity.

Don't be afraid of that little bag - use it to add flavor to your meal!

While I recommend utilizing giblets for homemade gravy, you certainly don't have to.

Whether you're using the giblets or not, you'll need to be sure to remove that bag from the turkey before you cook it so you don't end up accidentally cooking it.

The bag often contains a mix of organs - heart, liver, and gizzards. You can read more about giblets here, but just note that for the gravy recipe, you'll want to remove the liver.

The liver is deep red and shiny. It's usually the most slippery of the organs, for lack of a better term.

Including the liver in gravy can make it bitter, so I completely omit it.

Container holding turkey bones and giblets.
Collect the giblets, neck bone, and backbone in a container to use for gravy or homemade stock.
Raw turkey with giblets removed showing the liver.
The liver is deep red and shiny and can make gravy bitter, so I usually omit it.
Patting turkey bones and giblets dry with a paper towel.
Pat the giblets and any reserved bones dry before adding them to a hot pan when cooking them.

For my gravy recipe, I utilize the rest of the giblets and neckbone along with the backbone of the turkey if I have spatchcocked it.

When working with a dry brine, I remove the giblets and put them in a sealed container in the refrigerator along with any bones and trimmings from prepping the turkey.

On the day I plan to roast the poultry, I'll take them out, pat them dry, and use them to make this gorgeous gravy recipe.

I have a full post to show you how to spatchcock a turkey if you're interested.

The method for spatchcocking is great for chicken, too, and you can make gravy for your chicken in the same way.

💡 Pro Tip: You can make gravy without bones or giblets

Homemade gravy doesn't require searing any bones or giblets! You can use the same method to make gravy without them.

Just melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the veggies as directed. Continue with whisking in the flour, herbs & spices, and turkey broth.

If you have pan drippings from roasting a turkey, feel free to add those in as well. They aren't required, but they'll deepen the flavor of your gravy.

No turkey stock? No problem! Chicken stock works well here, too!

You could even use vegetable stock if you were making a vegetarian gravy (although I doubt you came across this post if you're looking to make vegetarian gravy).

How to make this recipe

  1. Pat the turkey parts dry with a paper towel.
  2. Sear turkey parts in a mixture of butter in oil until brown all over, then transfer to a plate.
  3. Sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in the turkey drippings, scraping up any browned bits as you go.
  4. Whisk in butter and flour, then season with herbs and spices.
  5. Slowly whisk in turkey stock, then add turkey parts and simmer until the liquid has reduced by ⅓.
  6. Strain the gravy to remove any solid pieces, place in a gravy boat, and serve!
Turkey bones and giblets in a pan being seared.
Stirring sautéing veggies in a saucepan.
Pouring turkey stock into a saucepan of sautéed vegetables.

If you're making the gravy when your turkey finishes roasting, I highly encourage you to add the pan drippings from your roasting pan into the gravy.

This can be done at any stage in the gravy-making process once you've added the turkey stock. The pan drippings are already fully cooked, so they don't really need any extra time.

Be sure to scrape all those caramelized bits from the pan into your gravy. The rich flavors from the roasted turkey will make the gravy even better!

Adding seared turkey backbone pieces into a saucepan of gravy.
Sprinkling dried herbs into a saucepan of gravy.
Pouring turkey drippings from a baking sheet into a pot of gravy.

I usually add the herbs and spices before I add the stock to my gravy, but I did it after when I was shooting this recipe and it still turned out beautifully!

💡 Equipment Spotlight: Straining Your Gravy

This recipe utilizes a fine-mesh conical strainer to ensure a silky smooth finished gravy.

A cone-shaped pestle or wooden spoon can be used to press the solid bits and extract even more liquid and flavor from them without adding any solid bits to your gravy.

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When I'm straining my gravy, I like to use tongs to remove the largest pieces first.

I then strain the gravy from the saucepan over a large glass measuring cup (like this 8-cup measuring cup) before using the pestle to get the most flavor from the veggies that were simmering with the gravy.

Removing a turkey backbone from a saucepan of gravy.
Pouring turkey gravy through a conical mesh strainer.
Straining the solids out of a batch of homemade turkey gravy.

If you don't have that particular type of strainer, you can put a layer of cheesecloth over a regular strainer to help strain your gravy a little more thoroughly.

Using a regular strainer is also fine - it will remove any large bits of meat, veggies, and herbs from the gravy. The results will still be delicious, just not as smooth.

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Once you've strained your gravy, you can transfer some of it into a gravy boat or other serving vessel.

If your gravy is a little oily/greasy on top, you can let it sit for a few minutes before skimming it off with a spoon.

I've never personally used a gravy fat separator but I have friends who love using them.

Reheating leftovers with gravy

When you save gravy in the refrigerator, it congeals and is scoopable instead of being liquidy.

Reheating gravy with your leftovers usually benefits from a few splashes of stock, broth, or water to help keep things juicy.

I tend to add a scoop of gravy on top of my turkey and one on my mashed potatoes (and some on my stuffing while I'm at it) and then splash a bit of turkey stock on top of everything.

And let's be real, leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving, right?

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Dry Brine Seasoning Blend for Turkey and Chicken

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Dry brining poultry isn't just for Thanksgiving! This flavorful seasoning mix brings big flavor and crispy skin to both turkey and chicken.

Bowl of dry brine seasoning mix with a spoon lifting some out.

Why we love to use a dry brine

  • Dry brining turkey or chicken keeps the skin crispy.
  • The spice blend has more of a direct impact on flavoring the meat.
  • You get a deep, rich, natural turkey or chicken flavor that injected saline solutions often mask.
  • You can make a big batch of the spice blend and let it hang out in the pantry so it's ready when you are.
Butcher block with bowls of ingredients for a dry brine seasoning blend.

For years, I never made a Thanksgiving turkey. My father-in-law, Settino, was a phenomenal cook, and he always prepared the turkey for our family's holiday celebration.

I always made lots of appetizers, side dishes, and desserts but didn't touch the turkey prep.

When he started getting really sick, me and my husband took over the rest of the Thanksgiving meal prep, including the turkey.

Our preferred method of turkey prep

When trying to figure out the best way to prepare our holiday turkey, we quickly decided that spatchcocking (cutting the backbone out of the turkey and flattening it before roasting) was the most time-efficient way of cooking it.

Spatchcocking allows the white and dark meat to be cooked properly in roughly the same amount of time.

This means both the light and dark meat can be juicy and tender. Less chance of dry, overcooked breast meat!

I have another post (coming soon!) on how to do the spatchcocking process, but for this post, I'm focusing on a dry brine spice blend that you can use for both turkey or chicken.

Choosing a turkey

When you're shopping for poultry to brine, be sure it isn't one that has already been injected with saline solution. If you use turkey that already has added salt, your final cooked meat will be much too salty.

You can also check out this article from Serious Eats on how to brine a turkey or chicken (they cover both wet brining and dry brining).

Know that a lot of stores carry turkeys that are frozen. You'll need to be sure to calculate thawing time in when planning your meal.

The dry brining process adds an additional 1 to 4 days. This isn't a last-minute meal, but it is mostly unattended time.

🧂 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!

Cutting dehydrated apple rings.

How to make this dry brine seasoning blend

  1. Chop up dehydrated or freeze-dried apples. Note: If you're dehydrating your own apples, core them and slice ⅛-inch thick, preferably with a mandoline, then use your dehydrator. For me this took about 7 hours at 135°F.
  2. Mix chopped apples with kosher salt (see note below!) and remaining herbs and spices together.
  3. Store in a cool location in an airtight container.
Chopping dehydrated apples with a knife.
Pouring dried thyme into a jar.
Jar with layered spices ready to be mixed together.

🌱 Ingredient Spotlight: Sage

Sage is a perfect addition to Thanksgiving recipes like turkey, stuffing, dressing, and gravy.

With its bold flavor, sage is a good candidate for hearty, comfort food recipes.

Fresh sage leaves are soft and a bit fuzzy, and are a delicious addition to your cooking repertoire.

Pouring rubbed sage into a jar.

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

Rubbed sage has a light, fluffy texture. It is less dense than ground sage, so if you're substituting here, use half the amount of ground sage.

Looking for more homemade seasoning blends? Some of the most used in our house are this homemade grill seasoning recipe and this homemade fajita seasoning blend.

Spoon with dry brine seasoning mix.

Using the dry brine seasoning blend

This dry brine seasoning blend is great to keep on hand for whenever you're craving skin-on chicken or turkey.

The basic directions for using it for turkey are to pat the skin dry, then rub some of the spice mix underneath the skin.

Sprinkling dry brine seasoning blend onto a turkey.

Pat dry again and sprinkle a teaspoon of baking powder all over the skin and rub to spread it out. This aids in getting that perfectly crispy skin once you roast the turkey.

Follow this with more of the spice blend on top of the baking powder-coated skin.

You'll then place the turkey in your refrigerator to let the dry brining happen by leaving it to chill for anywhere from 1-4 days.

During this process, excess moisture is removed from the meat and the dry brine flavor is concentrated, reabsorbing back into the meat. You can read more about dry-brining here.

Turkey in the refrigerator with a dry brine mix applied to the skin.

Is leaving poultry uncovered in the refrigerator safe?

This process is similar to dry-aging steak and is done with the meat uncovered in the refrigerator.

You need to make sure you have plenty of space around the turkey for this process to take place without the worry of contaminating other things in your refrigerator.

As long as the turkey isn't touching anything, all should go well.

But if the thought of leaving poultry out in the open in your refrigerator is worrisome, you can cover the turkey with cheesecloth. This way it can still get the air circulation while it brines.

The last time we made this, our turkey was 12.5 pounds and we used just over 3 tablespoons of the dry brine seasoning mix total.

Dry brined turkey ready for the oven.

It looks a little crazy when it comes out, but trust me - this process really does wonders for the flavor and texture of turkey!

I have a full post on how to do the whole spatchcocking process, as well as dry brining a turkey (coming soon).

I hope you'll try this method out - it really does take Thanksgiving dinner to the next level!

Platter of spatchcocked roasted turkey made with a dry brine surrounded by Thanksgiving sides.

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Spiced Mulled Wine

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Make this easy spiced mulled wine recipe on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or Instant Pot for the ultimate cozy spiked winter beverage.

Plus, get some tips on how to make holiday entertaining less stressful so you can enjoy spending time with your friends and loved ones.

Two glasses of mulled wine surrounded by spices and orange slices.

Why we love this recipe for spiced mulled wine

  • It's easy to put together and only requires a few ingredients.
  • Mulled wine is warm and cozy during the cool weather months.
  • It's versatile - make it on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
  • Spiced mulled wine can hang out in your chosen vessel, warm, for hours, so people can help themselves whenever they need a refill - perfect for low-stress entertaining!
  • It's festive! Mulled wine is always a hit at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other fall and winter holiday gatherings.
Ingredients for making spiced mulled wine.

The holiday entertaining season is upon us, and for many people, that means that hosting duties are ramping up.

I'm a big fan of finding ways to make entertaining less stressful. There's nothing quite like the frantic feeling of wondering if you're forgetting something when your guests are about to arrive.

So let's get in the spirit (see what I did there?) with some fun, festive additions to your holiday food and beverage repertoire.

Having a warm cocktail at the ready when your guests arrive is a great way to welcome them to your home.

They'll be sipping and chatting while you can attend to any last-minute details.

There are lots of ways to set yourself up for success when it comes to entertaining. Read on for a few of my favorite tips!

💡 Tips for Making Holiday Entertaining Less Stressful

Hosting duties can be overwhelming.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your prep time so you're able to sit back and enjoy your company.

  • Choose recipes you've made successfully in the past. Trying out a new recipe for a dinner party adds the fear of the unknown into the mix.

    A recipe you've tried and enjoyed is less likely to throw you for a loop or turn out poorly.

  • Prep food in advance! Wherever you're able to, get portions of your recipes done a day (or more!) ahead of your party.

    Things like prechopping ingredients, making appetizers, and even fully making recipes that hold well in the fridge (or even taste better reheated!) will make life much less hectic on the day of your party.

  • Don't be afraid to accept help! If someone offers to bring something, take them up on it! Tell them what you'd like them to bring (fresh fruit, bread, a bottle of wine, dessert) and let them help you out.

    They'll feel like they're contributing to the experience, and you have one thing taken off of your plate.

    Buy something pre-made from the grocery store or a local restaurant to fill out your meal. There's no law that says you MUST make everything from scratch.

    Focus your efforts on the things you truly want to make and buy things to help round out the meal.

  • Set your table ahead of time. You don't need to wait until the food is done in order to have your table ready. You can even do it the night before if you want!

  • Let your appliances do the work for you. Utilize a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or the warming feature of your oven/stovetop to help keep things warm.

  • Batch your beverages! Individual cocktails are wonderful, but making them one-by-one can be very time consuming.

    Making larger batches of cocktails (or mocktails!) ensures that there's plenty for everyone and that people can get refills whenever they're ready for them.

  • Embrace the imperfect. Things may go wrong. That's just life! People aren't going to be upset with you if everything doesn't go exactly to plan.

    What will really stick with them is how you handled any curveballs that got thrown your way during your gathering.

Instant Pot next to winter spices, sliced oranges, and glasses for red wine.

How to make this recipe

  1. Pour a bottle of full-bodied red wine, such as Merlot, Shiraz, or Garnacha (also called Grenache) into your cooking vessel of choice (saucepan, slow cooker, or Instant Pot).
  2. Add brandy, maple syrup, orange bitters, whole spices, and orange zest.
  3. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-25 minutes.
  4. Ladle into mugs or heat-safe glasses and enjoy!
Pouring red wine into an Instant Pot.
Pouring brandy into an Instant Pot with red wine.
Adding aromatics to an Instant Pot full of wine.

📝 Pro Tip: How to keep your mulled wine warm

One of the great things about serving mulled wine is that it can hang out on the back burner (literally, if you so choose!) while you enjoy your guests.

There are several ways that you can keep your mulled wine warm.

  • If using the stovetop, after your mulled wine is ready, move it over to a warming burner (if you have one), or keep it on low heat, stirring occasionally.
  • For using a slow cooker, I recommend simmering it first on the stovetop, then transferring it into your slow cooker. You can leave it on low heat or the warm setting if your model has that option.

    Alternatively, you can place everything in your slow cooker and cook on low heat until warmed through, which will take about an hour, depending on your model. This takes longer but keeps you from dirtying an extra pot.
  • With an Instant Pot (which is my preferred method for making this mulled wine), use the sauté setting on low (or less) to do the initial simmering. Once it's warm, switch it to the "keep warm" setting.

After your mulled wine has simmered, it can hang out on your "warm" setting of choice for hours! It's perfect for parties.

And as a bonus, if you're using an Instant Pot (or slow cooker with a locking lid), you can easily transport your spiced mulled wine.

Ladling mulled wine into a glass garnished with an orange slice.
Holding a glass of spiced mulled wine.

I hosted a big cheeseboard demo party several years ago, made the mulled wine at home, and brought it to the event venue in my Instant Pot.

The whole room smelled so lovely from the wine and spices and it was a huge hit with the crowd!

When serving mulled wine, opt for mugs or heat-safe glasses.

Not all glasses should hold hot beverages, so be sure to check this before you serve your warm mulled wine.

Instant Pot with mulled wine next to a sliced orange and a ladle.

What kind of wine should you use to make mulled wine?

Choose a full-bodied red wine such as Merlot, Shiraz, or Garnacha (also called Grenache) when making mulled wine.

Opt for red wines that use words like "fruity" or "jammy" in the description - these will pair nicely with the mulling spices and fruit.

Don't choose expensive wines here, as the additional ingredients may mask some of the nuances of the wine.

There's a time and place for pricey wine, and this isn't it!

Overhead view of a glass of spiced mulled wine.

I hope you enjoy my take on mulled wine. The blend of spices I use makes it really special.

Whether you serve it at a holiday dinner party or cozy up with a glass and a good book, I really hope it hits the spot for you.

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Easy Homemade Mini Pizza Bagels

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This homemade pizza bagel recipe is quick & easy to make! These freezable snacks are fun for kids to cook in the oven or air fryer.

Close up of assorted mini pizza bagels on a platter.

What makes this homemade pizza bagel recipe so great

  • They're bite-sized, and mini food is always more fun!
  • Kids have a great time making them
  • Toppings are customizable - the sky is the limit!
  • Pizza bagels freeze well for quick meals in the future
  • This recipe is easily scalable - make a few or make a lot at once!
  • The sauce comes together with pantry staples
Hand holding a mini pizza bagel with a bite taken out.

Who doesn't love pizza?

Pizza bagels take all the fun of pizza one step further to make it even more delicious.

And mini pizza bagels are the ultimate in quick, easy comfort food.

Back when I was a kid, if I went to a friend's house and they had bagel bites in the freezer, we would be so excited for snack time.

And now that I know how easy pizza bagels are to make from scratch, I've been making them with my son pretty regularly.

I love that we can make a bunch at once, pick our own toppings, and stash a bunch in the freezer for another time.

And with mini pizza bagels, you can have lots of different topping combinations. It's great for indecisive or picky eaters!

If you're looking for another adorable way to enjoy bite-sized pizza, my friend Susie over at We Are Not Martha has a fun recipe for pizza cupcakes. So cute!!

🥫 Ingredient Spotlight: Tomato Paste

This recipe uses tomato paste which can be found in your grocery store located in the canned goods or pasta aisle.

The main difference between tomato paste and other canned tomato products (like pasta sauce, crushed tomatoes, or tomato purée) is that tomato paste is super concentrated.

It has a thick texture with a deep, rich tomato flavor. That means that a little goes a long way.

A favorite pantry staple, tomato paste can be used in a variety of ways. It's very versatile!

Some of our favorite recipes that utilize tomato paste are:

Tomato paste comes in cans and also squeezable tubes (they look a bit like tubes of toothpaste). I personally like to keep both types on hand at home.

For recipes that require a small amount of tomato paste, I'll squeeze some from the tube and then store the rest in the refrigerator.

Recipes like this one, that call for an entire 6-ounce can of tomato paste, are perfect for using up a full container versus squeezing a small amount out of a tube.

Once a container of tomato paste is open, any unused product should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and used within a week or so.

Ingredients for homemade mini pizza bagels on a butcher block.

How to make pizza bagels

  1. Stir together tomato paste, cold water, dried parsley, dried oregano, and garlic powder. You could also swap the parsley and oregano for an Italian seasoning blend.
  2. Slice your mini bagels in half with a serrated knife or bread knife.
  3. Spread a thin layer of homemade pizza sauce on the cut side of each bagel half.
  4. Place bagels on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
  5. Top with cheese and toppings as desired.
  6. Bake and enjoy!
Mixing homemade pizza sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Spreading homemade pizza sauce onto mini bagels.
Adding cheese to pizza sauce topped mini bagels on a sheet pan.

📝 Pro Tip: Prep Your Toppings in Advance

Part of the fun of this mini pizza bagel recipe is that you can add any combination of toppings that you want to some or all of the bagels.

Due to their smaller size, I recommend cutting down larger ingredients into smaller pieces. This allows you to space the ingredients out a bit without letting one thing take over the entire surface area of your mini bagel.

Board topped with bowls full of pizza sauce and toppings.

For toppings like pepperoni, I like to cut them into quarters, either with a knife or kitchen scissors.

Things like bacon, sausage, bell peppers, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and onions are best sliced, chopped, or crumbled fairly small.

To keep things organized and fun for a group, prep each topping and place it in a separate pile or bowl.

Let everyone mix and match their toppings to their heart's content!

Freezing pizza bagels

6 assorted mini pizza bagels on a sheet pan.

One of my favorite things about making this mini pizza bagel recipe is that I can pre-make extras. I stash them in the freezer for future use.

Getting two or meals done at once? Yes, please!

I like to fully assemble the pizza bagels on a quarter sheet pan and place that pan in the freezer.

Once they're set (about an hour or so, though sometimes I forget and leave them overnight).

Tray of mini pizza bagels on the side with a hand placing some in a freezer bag.
Reusable freezer with mini pizza bagels inside.

Then I transfer them into a freezer bag and squeeze as much air out as I can.

My preferred bag is a reusable half-gallon size stasher bag. They're reusable and handy for so many things around the kitchen.

To cook from frozen, you only need to add an extra few minutes to the cooking time.

You're looking for the cheese to be melted and the toppings to be browned to whatever degree you prefer.

Topping a mini pizza bagel with pineapple.
Tray of mini pizza bagels ready for the oven.

Cooking pizza bagels in the air fryer

We have a fairly small air fryer, and it's the perfect size for heating up a small batch of pizza bagels.

I find that pizza bagels cook even faster in the air fryer than in the regular oven.

When I'm air frying pizza bagels, I set my air fryer to 330°F. They cook perfectly in just 4-6 minutes, even from frozen!

There's no need to preheat your air fryer, just pop them in and let them cook!

Platter of mini pizza bagels with assorted toppings and fresh basil.

I don't bother lining the air fryer with foil if I'm cooking pizza bagels. The shorter cook time doesn't generally make too much of a mess.

Luckily, my model is also pretty easy to clean.

Play around with the time and temperature here. Air fryer models vary quite a bit.

What works for me may not quite work for you, but my suggestion is a good starting point.

Don't start with too high of a temperature. Your pizza bagel toppings may burn before the rest of the bagel is warmed through.

Platter of 10 assorted mini pizza bagels with fresh basil.

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Spinach, Bacon, Green Onion, and Cheddar Frittata

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This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Frittata is a great, easy meal for busy weeknights. Sauté a few things on the stovetop, pour in your eggs & milk, and bake until golden.

Frittata in a cast iron skillet with a few slices taken out on plates to the side.

Why we love this to make this spinach frittata recipe

  • Frittata recipes require only a handful of ingredients, and they're really versatile!
  • It's great at any time of the day - breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
  • Frittata cooks quickly. Just sauté your ingredients on the stovetop, add your eggs, and transfer it to the oven to finish.
  • You can use it as an excuse to clean out the fridge! Use odds and ends from your produce and deli drawer to make a tasty combination for your frittata.
  • You can serve it right in the pan you cook it in. Less dishes to clean up later on!
  • A little freshly grated nutmeg is the perfect accompaniment for leafy greens. It enhances the flavor of the spinach beautifully in this frittata recipe.
  • Bacon + cheddar is always a win at our table.
Spinach, eggs, green onion, cheddar cheese, bacon, milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper on a butcher block.

My family absolutely loves spinach, even my son.

It's such a nutritious ingredient, and I love finding ways to pack it into our meals wherever I can.

But if you've ever worked with cooking baby spinach, you know that you can take a mountain of it and it cooks down to barely anything.

Still, it's a great ingredient and it adds great flavor and texture to this easy spinach, bacon, green onion, and cheddar frittata recipe.

One of my husband's all-time favorite foods is quiche, and frittata is like the lower maintenance cousin of quiche.

That makes it a weeknight win in my book!

Looking for more frittata recipes? This squash blossom frittata and this zoodle frittata are great options.

Two wedges of spinach, bacon, green onion, and cheddar frittata with toasted English muffin slices.

🍳 What's the Difference: Frittata vs. Quiche

Eggs have got to be one of the most versatile ingredients in anyone's kitchen arsenal.

They're the main component of so many dishes, including 2 often confused items: frittata and quiche.

The main difference between frittata and quiche is the crust. Frittata doesn't have a crust, but quiche almost always does.

Quiche is usually poured into a savory pie crust and baked. Since it has the stability of a crust to hold things together, the filling often has more liquid, like cream, in the mixture.

Frittata almost always has milk or cream mixed in with the eggs to help make the final texture nice and fluffy.

There is also crustless quiche, but in general, a quiche cooks more slowly than a frittata.

A frittata can be cooked fully on the stovetop or, like in this recipe, started on the stovetop and transferred to the oven to finish cooking until the eggs are set.

I prefer to do the stovetop/oven combination method as it eliminates the need to flip the frittata like when it's cooked strictly on the stovetop.

Hand cracking an egg into a small bowl.

How to make this recipe

  1. Cook bacon in a cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet), reserving some of the drippings.
  2. Sauté the white part of your green onions and spinach in the skillet, seasoning with freshly grated nutmeg.
  3. Whisk together egs, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  4. Pour egg mixture over the spinach.
  5. Top with cheese, remaining green onions, and crumbled bacon.
  6. Bake until set and lightly golden.
Pouring milk into a large measuring cup with eggs.
Whisking milk and eggs together.
Pouring eggs and milk into a cast iron skillet with spinach.

🥓 Pro Tip: Use Kitchen Scissors to Cut Bacon

Kitchen scissors are one of my favorite tools to use while cooking.

When cutting things, I don't want to use the same scissors that we use for other, non-food items around the house.

For things like bacon, I usually cut the slices in half before cooking. It makes the size of the bacon better for most sandwiches, and it's easier to store any leftovers.

When making this frittata recipe, I used my kitchen scissors to cut each slice of bacon in half so I could fit them all in my skillet.

Cutting bacon over a cast iron skillet with kitchen scissors.
Bacon being cut with kitchen scissors over a cast iron skillet.
Bacon in a cast iron skillet.

We've always had a dedicated set of scissors to be used for cooking, and the ones I love most are these OXO kitchen scissors.

The stainless steel blades are sharp and they separate completely for easy cleaning. You can use them individually to chop things if you want, too!

The handles are soft and comfortable, and there's even an herb stripper in the center.

I really love them - if you're in the market for kitchen scissors, I highly recommend these!

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Spinach, bacon, green onion, and cheddar frittata in a cast iron skillet.

What to serve with your frittata

Once your frittata is set, pull it out of the oven and serve it right from the skillet you cooked it in.

For a light meal, you can serve it with a toasted English muffin, fresh fruit, or cottage cheese.

If you want something more substantial, a green salad and fried potatoes or hashbrowns would be great alongside.

You could also reserve the bacon that you fry up and serve it alongside the frittata instead of in it.

Spinach, bacon, green onion, and cheddar frittata with toasted English muffin.

In all honesty, when we have frittata for dinner, we tend to eat 2 slices each, so just a small side is plenty.

For the photos in this post, I served the frittata with a sourdough English muffin from one of my favorite locally run small businesses, Dam Good English Muffins.

I split and toasted it and then cut it into 6 strips so we could each have 2 pieces. It was the perfect amount. My son slathered his in jam and me and my husband enjoyed ours plain.

Close-up of a fork taking a piece from a spinach, bacon, green onion, and cheddar frittata.

The texture of this frittata is soooo nice and fluffy. The first time I made it (back in 2012!), I used a 10-inch cast iron skillet, and it was taller and fluffier.

For the photos in this post, I used a 12-inch skillet, which worked out well, but the final product was a bit thinner.

The good news is that it cooked up faster than when I used the small skillet.

The next time I make this, I'll go back to the 10-inch skillet, because we liked the thicker one a bit better.

Either way you do it, it's going to be delicious!

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15 Favorite Food Memories to Celebrate 15 Years of Big Flavors

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Food can make life's moments so special. To celebrate 15 years of food & recipes on Big Flavors, today I'm sharing 15 of my favorite food memories.

Orange block with white text that reads: 15 Favorite Food Memories to Celebrate 15 Years of Big Flavors.

Today is a special day. It's my 15-year "blogiversary"!

Food is tied to so many special moments in life. Have you ever eaten something and been transported back to a moment in time?

Or smelled something cooking and recognized it and felt emotional?

Positive or negative, food memories can impact us on a daily basis.

I thought it would be fun to take a little trip down memory lane to share 15 of my most memorable food moments to celebrate 15 years here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen.

But first, a little bit about how my business has evolved to where it is today.

Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen first hit the web back on August 1, 2006. I've written a celebration post of some sort almost every year (not sure what happened back in 2008!) and this year is no exception.

So far, 2021 has been wonderful for my small business. I've been able to reach more people than ever thanks to virtual cooking classes and live events. We've cooked together, laughed together, cracked eggs together, and made lasting bonds that I truly cherish.

I've also finally gotten my email newsletters going with a good rhythm to share my best kitchen tips, recipes, and menu recommendations each week. If you haven't signed up for Extra Helping and would like to, you can do that right here!

I very much appreciate all of the wonderful messages, comments, shares, and feedback I've received from my all of you.

Whether you've interacted with me on social media, left a comment and star rating on one of my recipe posts here on my website, showed off a photo that you took of one of my recipes, or ran into me in the grocery store and chatted about cheeseboards for 20 minutes (it's been known to happen), I appreciate each and every one of you.

The world has been an interesting place since life changed back in 2020, and I'm glad that things like food and cooking have been able to bring us together.

Overhead view of ingredients laid out for macarons.

Food Memory #1: Flour Fight

When I was in middle school, I was at my aunt Jan's farmhouse out in the country. My cousins and I decided to bake something together.

While we were measuring out ingredients, one thing led to another and we ended up having a full-on flour fight* in the kitchen.

It was a blaaaaaaast, but OMG we made a huuuuuge mess.

My aunt was... let's just say less than pleased when she walked into the kitchen. It was coated in powdery flour dust, and so were we.

Looking back on it, I don't know how my aunt let us leave that room alive. She was finding flour in cracks and crevices in her kitchen for months (if not years!).

*Note: I do not endorse food fights. They're wasteful and messy, albeit a lot of fun in the moment.

Food Network Star Jason Smith speaking to the NY Dairy Tour bloggers.

Food Memory #2: Cooking for a Food Network Star

Back in 2018, I went on a press trip with the American Dairy Association Northeast up to the Finger Lakes Region of New York.

You can read about my trip here if you'd like, but one of the stand-out moments (other than the cheese cave!!) was being part of a dairy-fueled cooking competition that was hosted by Food Network's Star Jason Smith.

It was my first time cooking in a professional kitchen, and I swear it was just like it looks on TV - the film crew came over just as I was getting my bearings and getting my game plan ready.

Judges eating Burrata Pizza with Prosciutto and Pickled Grapes during a cooking competition

I made this Burrata Pizza with Prosciutto and Pickled Grapes, and it was a big hit with everyone who tried it!

ADANE posted a fun video of him interviewing us during the cooking portion of the competition. You can see my part around the 4:30 mark, and again around the 22-minute mark.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=320781902043020

Waaaaay back when I was dating my now-husband, I was visiting New York to spend some time with him before I went back to college out in Wisconsin.

We were heading to a birthday party for our friend Marilena and I wanted to bring something homemade.

Mind you, I was in my late teens (maaaybe 20) at this point and hadn't yet had a ton of experience in the kitchen.

There was one thing that I had been baking with my mom for years and I knew it would be a hit: peanut butter cookies.

Pressing the tines of a fork into peanut butter cookie dough.

So I went and grabbed the ingredients from his mom's pantry and got to work. Something felt a little "off" while I was baking them, but I figured it was just the fact that I was in a different kitchen using different tools, etc.

We all know that a freshly baked cookie is one of life's simplest pleasures, right? So I bit into the cookie that I had made a hundred times before...

...and it was TERRIBLE.

I had no idea what was wrong with it. I had my then-boyfriend taste it. He agreed that something was seriously off. His dad came in and tried one and he said they were great.

They were not great.

I told him they weren't great - they were like doorstops! Dense and just... not at all good.

We called his mom into the kitchen and showed her all of the ingredients that I used to make them wondering if maybe something was off.

She looked at the canister of flour and said, "Why did you use pancake mix?".

The canister was labeled flour.

She liked to store pancake mix in it.

Frustration ensued, and we asked if there was any actual flour in the kitchen. There was, it was not labeled as such.

We scrapped the cookies and started over. They turned out great.

If you want to make awesome peanut butter cookies, this classic peanut butter cookie recipe is fabulous. Just don't substitute pancake mix for the flour.

A stack of peanut butter cookies - the top one has been bitten

Food Memory #4: Desserts with my Grandpa

My grandpa was a really special guy. He was kind, funny, and a big kid at heart.

One of the special things we did together after a day of playing golf or woodworking was to share a dessert.

Our go-to was to take a Klondike bar and share it. Nothing fancy - the standard vanilla ice cream bar coated in chocolate.

The way we split it was he'd cut straight through the foil wrapper (on an angle if he was feeling fancy) to divide it into two pieces.

Something about peeling back the wrapper and sharing it with him as our own little treat always made my day.

Simple pleasures like that can truly leave a lifelong impression!

Small cutting board filled with sliced pickle treat appetizers.

Food Memory #5: Snacks for Dinner

Me and my mom used to eat a lot of snacky type food as dinner.

Whether it was a plate full of pickle treats, some slices of cheddar with salami, crackers, and pickles, or air-popped popcorn, we could turn anything into the main event.

We'd assemble our snack plates, head into the living room, and watch TV while munching on our assortments.

Now that I think about it, even though I had Lunchables occasionally as a kid, I bet these little snack assortments are part of the reason I love making cheeseboards so much to this day.

Food Memory #6: The Reason I Don't Like Corndogs

There aren't many foods on my "will not eat" list, but corndogs sure are.

It doesn't make sense. I love cornbread. I enjoy hot dogs. But the corndog combo was ruined for me when I was a kid and I just haven't been the same since.

I was at a babysitter's house back in elementary school. Me and her daughter were chasing her son around the perimeter of their above-ground pool with sand in our hands.

Her daughter hit my hands so the sand would fly out into her brother's face. He cried and told his mom that we were being mean, and I got in trouble. (Her daughter didn't for some reason).

She made me stand in the corner (does anyone else remember this weird punishment from the '80s??) for an hour and then forced me to eat a corndog even though I was upset.

A few weeks later, my step-mom made corndogs for all the kids at her house and the smell of it jogged some memory, and... let's just say I got pretty sick from it.

I've tried to eat corndogs since but I just can't do it. The smell still makes my stomach turn.

Just goes to show you how deeply those associations can run!

Empty plate with utensils, pints of Guinness, and a bouquet of flowers.

Food Memory #7: The Day My Slow Cooker Died

You can read the story of what happened on Saint Patrick's Day 2011 in this post.

TL;DR: my slow cooker died and I came home from work to a raw, spoiled meal that had been sitting at room temperature all day.

The reason this memory stands out so much is that I found out 2 days later that I was pregnant with my son.

So corned beef and cabbage is always associated with the happiness of finding out that my world was going to be forever changed.

If you want a killer recipe for corned beef and cabbage, I got you!

Overhead view of 3 slices of Dutch apple pie with ice cream on some

Food Memory #8: Winning a Blue Ribbon

When my son was in second grade, his school had an apple pie baking contest.

I was excited to enter my family's favorite Dutch Apple Pie. It's a recipe I learned from my aunt and have been enjoying since I was a kid.

It was fun to make this dessert and have it be judged by a panel of locals, including a local baker and one of the school district principals.

My pie was awarded first place, and it was such a fun day!

There were a lot of fun family activities at this fall harvest event, and we had a wonderful time.

My son didn't win the whipped cream pie eating contest that day, but he suuuuure had fun trying!

If you want to try this award-winning pie for yourself, get the recipe here!

Adam Richman, Dino Covelli, and Ashley Covelli.

Food Memory #9: Adam Richman is the BEST

I've met Adam Richman twice (so far). He is one of those celebrities that truly shock you with just how down-to-earth and wonderful they are in person.

The second time we met was at a cookbook launch party event in NYC.

We were chatting while he signed copies of his book, Straight Up Tasty, for me and my husband (AKA his doppelganger). It came up that I had lived in Wisconsin and he asked what part.

I did the typical, "I lived in a suburb of Milwaukee" bit since nobody out in New York has heard of Waukesha or Mukwonago, Wisconsin, but he asked which suburbs and he knew them!

And not just knew them but KNEW them.

As in rattled off some of his favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants in those towns and everything.

He is such a sweet guy, and he let me interview him for Big Flavors afterward, and even threw out a cooking challenge that I fully accepted:

Nailed it!!

Adam Richman, Dino Covelli, and Ashley Covelli.
Ashley Covelli and Alex Guarnaschelli.
Ashley and Dino Covelli at an outdoor evening event in NYC.

Food Memory #10: Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival Blue Moon Burger Bash 

Living close to New York City, I've been to quite a few epic food events. One of the most memorable was the Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival Blue Moon Burger Bash back in 2014.

This was such a fun way to have a night out on the town with my husband, stuffing our faves with an assortment of burgers from a wide range of chefs.

We didn't realize just how big this event was going to be when we first got there, and thought we'd each eat an entire burger (slider-sized) from each chef before casting our votes for our favorite.

Very quickly we realized that we could not even come close to sampling every burger there. We shared bites from as many booths as we could before voting for our favorites.

I chose Chef Robert Irvine's Bavarian burger & dill potato salad. It was outstanding - I walked back over to him for a high-five because it was just.that.good.

Dino Covelli, Marc Murphy, and Ashley Covelli.
Meet & greet with Chef Marc Murphy, whose delicious LAMB-MARC burger won top honors from the judges.

It was a star-studded evening hosted by Rachael Ray and judged by Anne Burrell, Adam Richman, Nick Mangold, and Andrew Zimmern.

It was one for the record books for sure! You can read my recap of the event here if you're interested.

Nothing beats Grandma's recipes! These traditional roll out sugar cookies are a Christmas dessert that keep my grandma's memory alive. Get ready to break out the cookie cutters and decorative sprinkles for these festive treats!

Food Memory #11: Grandma's Christmas Cookies

To this day, it just doesn't feel like Christmastime without making, decorating, and devouring a batch of my grandma's roll-out Christmas cookies.

I make this recipe for other occasions as well - they're the perfect soft, delicious cut-out cookies that hold their shape while baking.

These are fun to make and decorate with kids. I even made a bunch of these for a cookie decorating party that I hosted at my local library several years ago.

They were a huge hit with everyone there!

Big Flavors from a Restaurant Kitchen Volume 2: Top Chef All Star Marcel Vigneron

Food Memory #12: My First Celebrity Interview

Back in 2015 I had the pleasure of chatting with Top Chef All-Star Marcel Vigneron at a Stonefire Naan food truck event in New York City.

I was surprised by how not "over the top" he was in person. He had so much passion for food and cooking, and it really came through during our conversation.

And I only made ONE joke about foam. If you watched his season of Top Chef, you know why.

This event kicked off a series that I ran for a while on this site called Big Flavors from a Restaurant Kitchen, where I'd interview chefs and make their recipes at home and share the results.

You can check out the full interview here, and you can also check out how his Chimi-Verde Dip recipe came out when I made it at home (spoiler alert: it was AWESOME!!).

Food Memory #13: Cooking with My Son

This is an ongoing memory that I've been loving so much.

Looking back at older photos of us cooking together gives me allllll the feels.

Cooking with kids is such a fun way to get them involved in doing an activity together with you.

I have so many great memories of cooking with my grandparents and want to make sure my son has lots of opportunities to get in the kitchen to cook with me.

Sometimes it's a bit of a struggle to get him to agree to stop playing Minecraft to come to cook with me, but once we get past that hurdle it's always a good time.

Currently, his favorite things to make are tacos (especially on Tuesdays), our family's very favorite broiler kebab sheet pan meal, mini pizza bagels, hummus with homemade pita chips, and any kind of cookies, and sweet corn muffins.

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your kids in the kitchen, check out my events schedule. I offer classes regularly and they're a ton of fun!

Food Memory #14: My First Goat Cheese Experience

Believe it or not, I was a super picky eater as a kid.

I grew up in the Midwest. I grew up in a house where we didn't eat seafood and there were a lot of foods on my "ick" list.

After moving to New York in 2004, I slowly but surely started trying more and more adventurous foods.

The first time I encountered goat cheese was on the rooftop terrace of my husband's cousin's Upper East Side apartment in NYC.

The evening was so lovely. There was great wine, great food, and this... log of cheese that had me really concerned.

Goat cheese just sounded like it would taste "funky" to me.

But I decided to suck it up and take one tiny taste to be polite.

Let me tell you... that first taste was so incredible that I had to physically refrain from devouring the entire log right there.

These days, goat cheese is one of my very favorite ingredients! It's a beautiful addition to any cheeseboard and something that I include in lots of recipes.

One of my favorite goat cheese recipes is this one for Garlicky Goat Cheese + Herb Stuffed Peppadews. Give it a try - it's a bite-sized treat that packs a ton of flavor!

Hand pulling a leaf off of a stuffed artichoke

Food Memory #15: Cooking with My Father-in-Law

I couldn't end this list without mentioning something that encompasses so many fond kitchen memories.

My father-in-law was an amazing human and one of my best friends.

When I first moved to New York and lived in his home with my now-husband, we would cook together in his kitchen all the time.

I learned so much about food and cooking from him. He was originally from Italy, then lived in Belgium before moving to New York.

We cooked up a storm on many occasions, drank our fair share of wine together, and always laughed the whole time.

I've shared some of the recipes that I learned from him, or that we created together here on Big Flavors over the years:

I have a few more recipes that I've already photographed but haven't written up yet, because I'm still pretty torn up from losing him to cancer back in March of 2019.

Those recipes and memories will make their way here eventually, and I love that his memory has lived on through so many kitchens all over the world.

I hope you've enjoyed this trip down memory lane!

There were loads of food memories that didn't make the cut, but I had so much fun reflecting back on these special moments.

What are some of your favorite food memories? I'd love to hear about them in the comments section below!

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Easy Instant Pot Herbed Potato Salad

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Quick-cooking baby potatoes and fresh herbs come together in this easy Instant Pot potato salad recipe. There's no need to peel or cut the potatoes, making prep time minimal.

Stovetop directions are also included below so you can make this potato salad without needing to have an electric pressure cooker.

Ramekins of potato salad with fresh herbs in the background.

Why we love this herbed potato salad recipe

  • Using an Instant Pot speeds up the potato cooking process.
  • There's no need to cut or peel the potatoes before cooking.
  • The finished potato salad is packed with a seriously delicious combination of fresh herbs.
  • A bit of malt vinegar and Dijon mustard gives our potato salad the perfect amount of tanginess.
3 containers of potato salad with fresh herbs in the background.

How to make this recipe

  1. Cook baby potatoes in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop (see below).
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, chop the herbs and green onions.
  3. Smash the potatoes using a potato masher, meat chopper, or fork.
  4. Mix in mayonnaise, Dijon, malt vinegar, fresh herbs, salt, and black pepper.
  5. Chill the herbed potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve!
Mashing boiled baby potatoes in a bowl for potato salad.
Adding fresh herbs and green onions to a bowl of smashed potatoes for herbed potato salad.
Stirring mayonnaise and herbs into potato salad.

Do you need an Instant Pot to make this potato salad recipe?

Absolutely not.

I like using my Instant Pot for recipes like this, but it's not at all necessary.

If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can absolutely boil the potatoes instead. Here's how:

  • Place potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with cold water by a few inches.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil.
  • Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife or fork, about 10-15 minutes.
Instant Pot and ingredients for making potato salad with fresh herbs.

This recipe can also be made with leftover boiled potatoes straight from the fridge. That's the way I made it the first time around and it came together so quickly!

Looking for another fantastic potato salad made with baby potatoes? My Calabrese Potato Salad with Green Beans + Tomatoes is a fantastic option!

How to cook baby potatoes in an Instant Pot

Cooking potatoes in your Instant Pot is super simple. You don't need to peel or cut your potatoes at all!

  • Place 1 cup of cold water into the insert of your Instant Pot. Place a steamer rack on top of the water - I like using an expandable steamer insert for this job.
  • Add your potatoes, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, and do a quick pressure release.
  • Use kitchen tongs or a large spoon to carefully remove the hot potatoes to a bowl and you're good to go!

Every year for Thanksgiving, I use this recipe for Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, which uses full-sized golden potatoes. Check it out if you want to see another method for cooking whole potatoes in your Instant Pot.

Fork going into a bowl of herbed potato salad.

🌱 Ingredient Spotlight: Dill

This recipe uses fresh dill which is an herb that can be found in the produce department of your grocery store.

Dill is super versatile and one of my very favorites to use in the kitchen.

When buying fresh dill, look for bunches that have fresh, vibrant green leaves. Dill leaves are wispy and delicate and therefore bruise and wilt very easily.

If fresh dill isn't available (or doesn't look good), freeze dried dill is a great substitute. It's often found in jars right next to the fresh herbs.

With freeze dried herbs, I generally use the same amount that I'd use with fresh.

I use dried dill in many recipes as well. That can be found in the spice aisle in your supermarket.

Dried herbs tend to have a more concentrated flavor than fresh. So if substituting dried herbs, use about ⅓ to ½ of the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe.

Some of our favorite recipes using dill:

Polo Shevid Baghali (Persian Dill + Lima Bean Rice): Potatoes are fried in a buttery saffron mixture that help form a beautifully golden crust when this fragrant rice dish is turned out onto a platter. #ad
Polo Shevid Baghali (Persian Dill + Lima Bean Rice)
Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill Butter + Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes: Garlic, fresh herbs and citrus elevate the flavor of this simple seafood meal.
Pan-Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dill Butter + Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes
Overhead view of a dish of Cucumber & Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill
Cucumber & Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill
Roma Salad with Caper-Dill Vinaigrette: Chickpeas, corn, black beans, feta cheese, + sun-dried tomatoes turn salad greens into a deliciously filling meal. Top it with a tangy homemade vinaigrette! #CookingWithCoke #CollectiveBias
Roma Salad with Caper-Dill Vinaigrette

What to serve with herbed potato salad

This potato salad is seriously the perfect side dish for summer. It goes great alongside anything you're cooking up on the grill.

Some ideas for main dishes to serve this potato salad with include:

And what's better than an assortment of side dishes at a summer BBQ? Along with potato salad, we also love:

We've enjoyed this herby potato salad with Grilled Chicken Speedie Sandwiches (recipe coming soon!) on several occasions now and it's a seriously delicious match.

It would also be a delicious addition to any picnic spread or potluck. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Herbed potato salad on a plate with a grilled chicken sandwich.

What are your favorite summer side dish recipes? I'd love to hear about them in the comments section below!

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Watermelon Sugar High Tequila Cocktail

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Move over, margaritas! This refreshing watermelon cocktail made with fresh mint, lime, and tequila is the perfect way to cool off this summer.

The combination of sweetness with a chili lime-spiced Tajín rim makes this tequila cocktail seriously delicious!

Watermelon cocktails on a tray surrounded by fresh watermelon, mint, and lime.

Why we love this cocktail recipe

  • It was inspired by a cocktail we had at a restaurant for our 14th anniversary dinner.
  • Fresh watermelon and mint are a ridiculously refreshing combination, perfect for summertime gatherings.
  • Rimming the cocktail glasses with Tajín (or other chili lime seasoning blend) gives us the best of both salty and spicy to balance the sweetness of this watermelon cocktail.
Tray of cocktails made with watermelon, mint, lime, and tequila with a bottle of Tajin seasoning in the background.

For our first date night out in about 15 months, me and my husband went to Stone Fire Restaurant in Mount Kisco, New York.

Their cocktail menu was really interesting, and the one that jumped out to me was the Watermelon Sugar-Hi, a mix of tequila, fresh watermelon, mint, agave, fresh lime juice, and a Tajín sugar rim served on the rocks.

Not only was the name catchy (come on, it's impossible not to get Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles stuck in your head!), but it was absolutely delicious.

I knew that we could recreate this refreshing summer cocktail at home.

I had a few things that I wanted to change up with the cocktail - having it lean a little more toward the salty side vs. sweet, so we got to experimenting.

And let me tell you - this watermelon cocktail knocked our socks off! It's ridiculously tasty, and it's versatile! I'll share a few variations below, as well as a non-alcoholic version that our son absolutely loved.

If you're looking for another tropical, tequila-based beverage that is easily made into a mocktail, check out these passionfruit margaritas.

🥃 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:

Ingredients ready to make a watermelon tequila cocktail.

How to make this watermelon cocktail

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle together fresh watermelon and mint leaves.
  2. Add freshly squeezed lime juice, agave syrup, saline solution (or salt), fill with ice, then shake together.
  3. Rim cocktail glasses with Tajín or other chili lime seasoning.
  4. Strain mixture into a double rocks glass over a large ice cube, spoon in some of the watermelon and lime with a bar spoon, and give it a stir.
  5. Garnish with a mix of watermelon, fresh mint, and/or lime, if desired.
Pouring cubes of watermelon into a cocktail shaker.
Adding mint leaves to a cocktail shaker.
Muddling watermelon with fresh mint in a cocktail shaker.
Muddled watermelon and mint in a cocktail shaker.
Juicing a fresh lime.

🍉 Pro Tip: Picking a Ripe Watermelon

This summer cocktail recipe uses fresh watermelon which can be found in the produce department of your grocery store.

If you have access to a local farm or farmers' market, you can get some incredibly delicious fresh watermelons in the summertime.

You want to use a seedless watermelon for this recipe. If you buy a seeded watermelon, you will need to remove the seeds. Here's an article from Kitchn on the difference between seedless and seeded watermelons.

A few things to look for when selecting a watermelon:

  • Uniform shape. Watermelons can be round or oblong - both can be delicious. Look for one that's firm and symmetrical without any irregular bumps or cuts.
  • Pick it up! A ripe watermelon should feel heavy for its size.
  • Look for the field spot. Watermelons usually have a yellow field spot (or ground spot) on their underside indicating where they were resting in the field before they were harvested. A large, yellow spot indicates that it was left to ripen and will likely be sweeter than one with a smaller, whitish field spot, which was likely harvested before it reached peak ripeness.
  • Give it a thump! Pick up the watermelon and thump/tap. A deep sound is a good indicator of ripeness.
Tajín rimmed cocktail glasses with a jigger and cocktail shaker.

Rimming your cocktail glass

The restaurant that inspired this cocktail used Tajín, a Mexican spice blend made of chili pepper, lime, and salt. I love sprinkling Tajín on sweet fruit like mango and watermelon, or even on slices of crisp, refreshing jicama.

A good alternative to Tajín seasoning is Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend. And, if you have your own homemade chili lime seasoning blend, you can absolutely use that as well. I'm planning to work on one sometime soon.

If you're in the market for a fun gift assortment, there's a Tajín Fan Pack that has 6 different varieties of this iconic seasoning.

Rubbing a lime on the rim of a cocktail glass.
Rimming a cocktail glass with Tajín seasoning.
Cocktail glass rimmed with Tajín seasoning.

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.

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.

Stone Fire used sugar mixed in with their Tajín rim mixture, but I prefer it without the added sugar. Feel free to experiment and see what flavor profile you like best.

Pssst - If you're looking for another fun, refreshing summer cocktail recipe this guava cocktail with tequila is another excellent choice!

🧊 Ice, Ice Baby 🧊

This cocktail calls for two different types of ice. While not necessary, it's nice to be able to pick the right type of ice cube (or sphere!) for different parts of your cocktail mixology process.

For the cocktail shaker, use regular ice cubes from your freezer. We like using ice made in a small square ice cube tray that makes cubes around one-inch in diameter.

This size is great for both stirred and shaken cocktails, and won't dilute your cocktail mixture too quickly. They also fit into almost any glass you may be serving up your beverages in!

Placing a king cube into a double rocks cocktail glass.
Placing ice cubes into a cocktail shaker.

To serve the Watermelon Sugar High, I recommend pouring your mixture over a larger ice cube, such as one made in a king cube ice cube tray, that measures about two-inches in diameter.

Not only do king cubes look pretty cool, but they keep your drink nicely chilled while reducing the amount of dilution. They're also useful for shaking some cocktails, as they change the final texture.

There's some great info on different types of ice used for mixing up cocktails in this article from Tasting Table: A Guide to Ice for the Home Bartender.

This resource over on Difford's Guide is also really interesting: Shaking cocktails: advanced myths, tips and lessons.

Pouring agave syrup into a cocktail shaker.

Mezcal variation on this watermelon cocktail

Looking to take this cocktail to the next level? Our favorite variation swaps the tequila blanco for reposado, and replaces the other half with mezcal.

The smoky flavor from the mezcal is such a lovely addition to this spicy-sweet beverage.

Since the smokiness of mezcal can be overpowering, we took a tip from Death & Co. and tamed that flavor by adding reposado tequila.

I highly recommend giving it a try!

This cocktail would likely be delicious with other spirits, such as light rum, too, but I haven't tried it out yet. Please let me know what you think in the comments section below if you do try it out!

Pouring a watermelon and tequila cocktail into Tajín rimmed cocktail glasses.

Nonalcoholic "mocktail" version

We like trying to find alternatives to alcohol 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 watermelon "mocktail", simply replace the tequila with 1 ounce of coconut water and 1 ounce of pineapple juice. Once everything is in your glass, top it with a splash of sparkling water.

I tried this nonalcoholic variation and it was seriously delicious! It makes for a nice, refreshing drink that's appropriate for any time of the day.

Hand holding a glass with a watermelon cocktail garnished with fresh mint and watermelon with a Tajin rim.

Still thirsty? You may also like...

Cucumber Gin Elderflower Smash: Beat the heat with this cool, refreshing summer cocktail + mocktail variation!

Cucumber Gin Elderflower Smash

3 Bloody Mary cocktails garnished with Italian antipasto ingredients.

Antipasto Bloody Mary

1 gin cocktail in a glass on a tray with a bottle of gin and garnishes.

The Grace Lane Graduate: A Gin Cocktail

Overhead view of 2 copper mugs filled with Cucumber Moscow Mule cocktails with ingredients alongside.

Cucumber Moscow Mule

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Dino's Guacamole - Restaurant-Style Guac in Just 5 Minutes!

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Restaurant-style guacamole is super simple to make at home! 2 ripe avocados + a few ingredients and you have the perfect Mexican appetizer!

Tortilla chip scooping up guacamole.

Why we love this restaurant-style guacamole recipe

  • It reminds us of our favorite Tex-Mex restaurants.
  • Smashing the garlic and spices with the mortar & pestle makes the flavors blend together beautifully.
  • Making your own guacamole is significantly less expensive than ordering it from a restaurant!
Ingredients for making restaurant-style guacamole.

Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant and ordered the kind of guacamole that they make tableside?

It's so fun to see the fresh ingredients all come together in a Molcajete (a large, stone mortar and pestle that's used in traditional Mexican cooking).

It's such a treat, but depending on the price of avocados, it can be quite pricey to buy when you're dining out. Whether you enjoy it as an appetizer or as a condiment/dip for some homemade baked taquitos, you can never go wrong with guac!

But restaurant-style guacamole is seriously simple to make at home!

🥑 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.

Smashing garlic and spices with a mortar and pestle for restaurant-style guacamole.
Smashing garlic and spices with a mortar and pestle.
Making a paste from garlic and spices for homemade guacamole.

How to make the best homemade guacamole

  1. Smash the garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander using a mortar and pestle until they form a paste.
  2. Add in the avocados, cilantro, lime juice, tomatoes, and red onion.
  3. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or lime juice if needed.
  4. Grab a tortilla chip and dive on in!
Using a mortar and pestle to make homemade guacamole.
Squeezing a lime half into a mortar full of homemade guacamole.

I did a demo of this recipe in the middle of a Facebook LIVE a while back while my mashed potatoes were cooking in the Instant Pot.

I've embedded the video below. It should jump to the start of the guacamole portion, but if not, feel free to fast forward to 20:57.

Tips for making guacamole

You don't need a Molcajete to make restaurant-style guacamole at home, but a mortar and pestle is pretty key.

The rough edges of the mortar are perfect for grinding your garlic and spices into a beautifully fragrant paste.

If you need your guacamole fix but don't have a mortar and pestle, you could chop your garlic, then smash it together with the salt into a paste on your cutting board using the back of your knife.

Use a potato masher, pastry cutter, or a fork to mash up the other ingredients until they reach the consistency you like. I've even used a meat chopper in a pinch and it works great!

Keep smashing the avocados until they reach the texture that you prefer. My family enjoys it fairly chunky, but sometimes we want it nice and smooth. There's no wrong way to do it!

Stirring guacamole ingredients together.

Customizing this homemade guacamole recipe

There are several ways that you can tweak and adjust this restaurant-style guac to your liking. Here are a few suggestions:

  • No limes? No problem! Use a bit of vinegar instead. I made this guacamole yesterday to use up some avocados that were super ripe, and I realized I was out of lime juice. I used 1 ½ teaspoons of white wine vinegar instead, and it worked out beautifully! (If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my excitement over that very fact)
  • Don't like cilantro? Leave it out! Feel free to substitute parsley if you still want some fresh herb flavor.
  • No tomatoes? Leave 'em out! They're totally optional. I tend to add more of them to my guac than my husband does when he makes it because I really love them.
  • Raw onion a bit too strong for you? Use some green onion instead. Alternately, you could soak your red onion in cold water for 5-10 minutes before you mix it into your guac. Just drain it and add it in. Soaking it will mellow the sharpness of the flavor quite a bit. You could do the same with shallots.
  • Prefer smaller bits of cilantro? Add it in with the garlic and spices and smash it into that paste. The pieces will be smaller, and the flavor will still be there.
  • Like it spicy? Add some fresh minced jalapeño or serrano peppers. Use as little or as much as you like!
  • Making guacamole for a crowd? Feel free to scale the ingredients up as much as you like. I'd suggest making all of the paste first, then moving it to a bowl and smashing your avocados in batches. Then just stir everything together for one big vat-o-guac!
Using a tool to quickly quarter tomatoes for guacamole.

I've had this OXO grape cutter for years, and what I use it for most often is quickly quartering grape or cherry tomatoes.

It's perfect for cutting tomatoes for taco night or for quickly adding a few directly into your bowl of guacamole.

This guacamole is always a hit at my house. It's one of our very favorite appetizers, snacks, and side dishes.

How do you like your guac?

If you're looking for more recipes that use cumin, check out this post that showcases 21 of our favorite cumin recipes.

Scooping guacamole with a tortilla chip.

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Bar-B-Q Turkey Burgers with Grilled Pineapple Guacamole

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Big Flavors Kitchen Essentials: Game-Changing Tools

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Essential kitchen tools, gadgets, and appliances that are worth both the price and amount of space they take up in your kitchen.

Collage of kitchen tool images - kitchen scissors and a bench scraper with sides.

Whether you're working with limited kitchen space like me, dislike drawers full of clutter, or just detest "unitaskers", we can all agree that not everything warrants a spot in your kitchen.

This post will highlight some of the kitchen tools that I've found to be absolutely worth the price and the amount of space they take up in the kitchen.

My plan is to keep updating it in batches, keeping things alphabetized, since there are SO many awesome kitchen tools out there. I hope it will become a go-to resource for you when deciding what things are worth the investment!

Pulling the drawer out of a Ninja air fryer.

Air Fryer

Things we love about air frying:

  • Cooking from frozen
  • Reheating leftovers
  • Dehydrating fresh fruit and herbs

I didn't think I was going to love my air fryer as much as I do, but my family ends up using it almost every.single.day.

Aside from making deliciously crispy chicken wings, it's awesome for cooking frozen dumplings, fish sticks, and reheating leftovers.

Once you've reheated pizza to a gloriously crispy state with an air fryer, you'll never go back!

My air fryer also has a dehydrate function, and I've used it to dehydrate fruit, fresh herbs, and more!

Air fryer tray with cooked chicken wings on the rack.

The model that I have is the 4 Quart Ninja Air Fryer and while it's on the small side, it's plenty big enough for my family of 3. Because of its small size, it preheats really quickly (it literally takes just 3 minutes!), so things are able to get in to start cooking almost right away.

There are lots of larger models out there if you have a larger family or enough space to store a bigger one. We bought my mother-in-law this Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer and she absolutely loves it.

It's big enough to toast 6 slices of bread, air fry 3 pounds of chicken wings, bake a 12-inch pizza, or roast a 4 pound chicken.

Scooping carrots from a cutting board onto a metal bench scraper with sides.

Bench scraper (with sides!)

Things we love about this tool:

  • Collects and transports ingredients easily from one area to another
  • Sturdy, stainless steel design
  • Raised sides contain ingredients for fewer spills

Yeeeears ago I happened upon the Chef's Planet PrepTaxi - Stainless Steel Food Scoop and it has consistently been one of my most used kitchen tools.

Metal sides help keep your ingredients in place while you transfer them from one place to another. People in my virtual cooking classes consistently ask about this handy tool after seeing it in action.

This tool works so well for transporting chopped or loose items in the kitchen. I use it for everything from diced onion to sliced bell peppers to scraps that need to go into my garbage bowl. It helps make collecting things for cleanup easier, too!

Meat chopper in a skillet breaking up ground meat.

High-temp meat chopper

Why we love this kitchen tool:

  • Easily breaks up ground meat while cooking
  • Heat safe up to 400°F
  • Can be used for other items like canned tomatoes or mashing potatoes

Ground meat (or vegan ground, like what's pictured above) is easy to break up with this inexpensive tool. I got it as a stocking stuffer a few years ago and kind of laughed it off, but let me tell you, it ROCKS!

If you use ground meat for things like tacos or my favorite skillet lasagna often, this thing will save you a ton of time. I even saw one of the contestants on the Great British Baking Show using it on an episode when making meat pies.

I've had a lot of people reach out after seeing me use it on my Instagram stories, saying that they bought it on my recommendation and LOVE it!

Recently I discovered that it's also a great tool to use to break up whole canned tomatoes. It's even good for mashing potatoes or smashing up hard boiled eggs for egg salad.

Although, to be honest, even if all it did was break up ground meat, I'd still be all about this kitchen gadget!

Kitchen scissors on a cutting board with corned beef brisket, spices, and garlic.

Kitchen scissors

Why we love these particular kitchen scissors:

  • Blades separate for thorough, easy cleaning
  • Cushioned grips for comfort while using
  • Built-in herb stripper

Having scissors dedicated for kitchen use is really important. We had some for years that were just OK, and then I found the OXO Good Grips Multi-Purpose Kitchen and Herbs Scissors.

OMG.

The blades are sturdy-yet-slim and come apart for easy cleaning. You can even use them individually to chop things!

There's an herb stripper in the center to help remove leaves from stems, which works great on things like fresh rosemary and oregano.

The handle cushions are very comfortable. Our last kitchen scissors had hard plastic handles that cracked after a fair amount of use, and they didn't feel great.

Elvis-Style Frozen Bananas take the classic Elvis sandwich (peanut butter, banana + bacon) to a new level! This easy 3 ingredient frozen dessert is fit for The King! #BaconMonth

Silicone baking mats

Things we love about silicone baking mats:

  • Reusable non-stick surface
  • Freezer, microwave, and oven-safe
  • Comes in lots of shapes and sizes

Silpat baking mats get used a lot in my kitchen, especially the half sheet size. They are so useful for creating a nonstick lining on baking sheets when making cookies.

They are freezer, microwave, and oven safe up to 500°F. Their nonstick nature makes them very easy to clean. I know a lot of people even throw them in the dishwasher (my dishwasher is small though, so we just wash them by hand).

Food grade silicone provides consistent heat distribution and promotes even baking and browning. I love not having to constantly use parchment paper - these mats are much more eco-friendly.

Baking mats come in various sizes for different pans, and some even have guidelines to help you gauge where to place items and how big to make them, such as this cookie mat or this macaron mat. Super handy for making uniform treats!

Silpat even has a perfect pastry mat that is a great way to roll and shape things on your countertop. I love that you can measure the dimension of your pastry while you're working.

I use a similar mat for measuring the diameter of pie crust when I roll it out. It makes cleanup super easy as well.

What are your favorite kitchen tools? I'd love to hear about them in the comments section below!

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Fennel + Citrus Salad with Shallots and Capers

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Vibrant citrus and crisp fennel team up in this deliciously fresh, simple salad recipe. Great as a side dish or over your favorite protein.

Bowl of fennel citrus salad with salad hand tools to the side.

Why we love making this recipe

  • It's crisp and refreshing.
  • Mixing and matching different types of citrus make this fennel salad beautifully colorful.
  • It comes together in just a few minutes!
  • No-cook, easy side dishes are always welcome additions to our kitchen repertoire.
Ingredients for fennel and citrus salad with shallots and capers out on a cutting board.

It may surprise you to hear that I was a super picky eater as a child. There were a ton of things that I just would not eat.

One of the ingredients that was high up on my list of dislikes was fennel.

After having fennel roasted for the first time, I realized that there was much more to fennel than just pure crunchy licorice.

🥬 Ingredient Spotlight: Fennel

Fennel is a versatile vegetable that can be used both cooked and raw. The bulb, stalks, flowers, and leafy fronds are all edible.

Many recipes call for just the bulb of the fennel or dried fennel seeds.

Fresh fennel has a crisp texture and licorice-y flavor. When roasted, fennel caramelized and gets beautifully sweet.

When preparing a bulb of fennel for a raw dish, you should take care to remove the tough inner core. I like thinly sliced or shaved fennel when eating it raw.

You can use a mandoline if you want to ensure perfectly even slices.

If you're craving more info about fennel and its uses, there's a great article on what fennel is and how to cook it over on Love and Lemons.

Chopping a bulb of fennel to add to a bowl of fennel and citrus salad.

This recipe is super simple to put together, and it's a nice, refreshing salad that's perfect alongside lots of different main courses.

Fennel citrus salad is delicious in the summer when you don't want to heat up your kitchen by turning on the oven.

It's also a great winter option that goes well with comfort food dishes like lasagna (this Ravioli Lasagna or Skillet Lasagna with Lamb, Ricotta + Mint would both be great choices) or a piping hot serving of Italian Sausage and Peppers.

Cutting the rind off of a grapefruit.

How to make this recipe

  1. Cut off and discard the pith from all of your citrus fruit.
  2. Use your knife to cut supremes of fruit from between the membranes, letting them fall into the bowl.
  3. Squeeze the juice from the membranes over the bowl.
  4. Add sliced remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine.
  5. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and enjoy!
Squeezing juice from the membranes of a grapefruit.
Fresh fennel, citrus, shallots, and capers in a large bowl.
Drizzling honey onto a fresh fennel salad.
Cod topped with fresh fennel citrus salad.
Bowl of fennel citrus salad with knife and honey pot alongside.

We love this fennel and citrus salad served on top of fish like pan-seared cod, or with grilled chicken breasts.

The way the sweet-and-salty citrus juice mixture from the fennel salad drips down onto the meat is really lovely.

There are so many ways to utilize this simple fennel salad, and I'm looking forward to exploring more for years to come!

Bowl of fennel and citrus salad.

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FAQs about this recipe

How should I store leftover fennel citrus salad?

Leftovers should be stored in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to pour off all but a few tablespoons of the liquid before storing leftovers to help prevent it from getting too soggy.

Can I make this salad in advance?

You can, but note that the longer your fennel sits in with the liquid, the less crisp it will be. It will still taste fantastic, but won't have quite as much crunch.

You could also prep everything but leave the sliced fennel in a separate container, tossing it together just before serving.

Can I use different citrus fruit in this salad?

Absolutely! I love the sour-tanginess that grapefruit adds, so I usually use that and one or two other options. Oranges, tangerines, and blood oranges are all great options. You could even use a can of drained mandarin oranges in a pinch.

I'd steer clear of adding lemons or limes, as they'll likely be too sour.

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Sweet Corn Muffins

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This easy, tender sweet corn muffin recipe is one of our favorites to bake! These muffins are great for breakfast, snack time, or dessert and freeze beautifully. Fun to bake with kids, too!

Sweet corn muffin with a bite taken out of it surrounded by more muffins.

Why we love these muffins

  • They're not overly sweet.
  • The texture is nice and tender with a little bit of crunch on top.
  • Sweet corn muffins freeze well and reheat easily.
  • They're versatile - great as breakfast, snack time, part of a meal, and just sweet enough for dessert.
Baking ingredients laid out to make sweet corn muffins.

These muffins have been a favorite in my house for many years now. They're great by themselves and even better slathered with a little salted butter.

There aren't a ton of ingredients to this muffin recipe, which makes them easy to pull together whenever the craving strikes.

Sweet corn muffins freeze beautifully, too, so you can make a batch (or even scale it to make a double batch!) and freeze some to enjoy later on.

🥣 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.

Close-up of a sweet corn muffin with a bite taken out.

How to make this recipe

  1. Whisk together dry ingredients in one mixing bowl and wet ingredients in another.
  2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  3. Pour wet mixture into the well and gently stir, being sure not to overmix.
Whisking dry ingredients in a bowl for sweet corn muffin recipe.
Wet ingredients for sweet corn muffin recipe.
Bowls of wet and dry ingredients for sweet corn muffin recipe.
Pouring wet ingredients into dry ingredients for sweet corn muffins.
Wet and dry ingredients in a bowl with a spatula, ready to mix.

📝 Overmixing Muffin Batter

The texture of your muffins can easily turn from soft and tender to dense and chewy if you overmix your batter.

This can be avoided by mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately, then bringing them together and gently stirring until just mixed.

You want to be sure that all of the dry flour has been combined with the wet ingredients but stop as soon as any dry patches are gone.

Continuing to mix your muffin batter beyond this point won't affect the flavor of your muffins, but it can crush the air bubbles and ruin the desired fluffy texture.

Bowl of sweet corn muffin batter with a spatula.
  1. Divide muffin batter evenly between the cups in your lined 12-cup muffin pan.
  2. Sprinkle the top of each sweet corn muffin with turbinado sugar or other toppings if desired.
  3. Bake, let cool briefly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Scooping sweet corn muffin batter from a bowl.
Dishing out sweet corn muffin batter into a lined muffin tin.
Sprinkling turbinado sugar on top of sweet corn muffins.

🥣 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!

This is a great recipe for kids to help bake. My son absolutely loves these sweet corn muffins.

I taught a great group of kids to make these muffins in one of my virtual cooking classes. If you missed out, you can check out the on-demand class here to make them with us on your own time!

We talked about being patient while things are baking and even played some silly games while the muffins baked to pass time.

Sweet corn muffins on top of muffin stands.

💡 Get creative with toppings!

These sweet corn muffins are great with a little crunch on top. My family loves a sprinkling of turbinado sugar up on top.

Feel free to mix things up! During our virtual cooking class, we experimented with adding some chopped walnuts to a few of our muffins and they turned out great!

It's easy to add toppings to just a few of your muffins to find out which work best with any particular recipe.

Try these with your favorite chopped nuts, flaked coconut, sanding sugar, or even mini chocolate chips!

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Hand holding a decorated Christmas tree cookie with a bite taken out of it.

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FAQs about this recipe

How should I store corn muffins?

These muffins are best stored in an airtight container on the counter for a few days or in the refrigerator for about a week.

How to reheat corn muffins?

You can microwave them for about 15 seconds, or slice them in half and pop them in a toaster oven for a few minutes. They're fantastic cooked in a little butter on a hot griddle, too.

Can I freeze sweet corn muffins?

Absolutely! Feel free to store these muffins in an airtight container in your freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight or microwave for 30 seconds to thaw more quickly.

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Shop Small with the Big Flavors 2020 Holiday Gift Guide – Part 3

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This is part three of my 2020 holiday gift guide. You can check out the other parts here: part 1, part 2.

Collage of holiday gift items including hot cocoa mix, artisan cheeses, honeycomb, and cookbooks.

Support small, independent bookshops while shopping online

I always enjoy giving books as holiday gifts. There are so many topics and you can truly find something for anyone on your list.

One of my favorite new ways to shop for books is by using bookshop.org. Bookshop allows you to support local independent bookstores instead of big box stores and massive online companies.

I have curated several lists of books over on my bookshop profile page including cookbooks, desserts and baking, cocktails & mixology, cooking basics + techniques, breadmaking, and more.

I also have other categories such as novels, memoirs, humor, poetry, young adult, kids books, and more.

Assortment of cookbooks with measuring spoons, bowls, and tiki cocktail supplies alongside.

This first book is quite possibly my current favorite cookbook. Cook Once Eat All Week by Cassie Joy Garcia has completely changed the way I think about meal planning.

Most meal prep strategies that I've encountered in the past involve batch cooking loads and loads of recipes on Sunday and eating leftovers all week.

In Cook Once Eat All Week, each weekly plan focuses on using three base ingredients (such as week 6: ground chicken, bell peppers, and rice) to prep for 3 different meals at once.

Instead of cooking 3 full meals in advance, you do most of the work on your prep day and then on subsequent days spend just a few minutes finishing each recipe to transform those base ingredients into each meal.

I especially like that you're not just reheating leftovers every single meal for the entire week. Don't get me wrong - I love leftovers! But there's something about spending a little time one day cooking up 5 pounds of chicken, roasting some veggies, and making a few sauces, and then turning them into three completely different meals later in the week that has made meal prep much more exciting for me.

A lot of meal prep options that I've come across in the past don't seem to really hit on variety when it comes to repurposing a protein multiple times throughout the week.

These recipes really keep things interesting. You definitely do not feel like you're eating the same baked chicken breast three days a week when the flavor combos and ingredients for each of the 3 meals are so different.

So far I've used the weekly plans in Cook Once Eat All Week to prepare a few weeks' worth of recipes and I'm looking forward to trying out even more.

One note is that this cookbook focuses on the gluten-free diet so I tend to swap certain items such as using low-sodium soy sauce instead of coconut aminos, adding or substituting a grain, and using granulated sugar or brown sugar in place of some of the specialty sugars such as coconut sugar.

The only other note I would say is to really pay attention to the recipe selections and how much food each meal entails. I've noticed that occasionally we would really enjoy an additional vegetable or starch with the meals, so I'll grab something quick from the freezer or pantry to add to them.

Regardless it's been insanely adaptable and really enjoyed the meals that we've made from it. I'm looking forward to trying many more!

Creative Green Living

Speaking of books, my friend Carissa of Creative Green Living has a few books that would make great gifts.

I wrote a review of Beautiful Smoothie Bowls a while back, and now that winter weather has hit here in New York, cozying up with a smoothie bowl sounds like a great way to summon the tropics at home.

Headshot of Carissa Berg Bonham standing outside.

I asked Carissa to share a bit about her small business and her current offerings.

Big Flavors: How long have you been in business? Tell me a bit about your background and how you got into what you do.

Carissa Berg Bonham: I started blogging in 2006 as a way to keep up with my friends and family at home on the west coast while I was away at graduate school in Boston.

When I lost my job during the recession in 2012, I decided to really focus on turning writing into my business. I published my first hardcover cookbook in 2017 and have written three books since then.

Smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit and cashews in front of a book about smoothie bowls.

BF: What products are you currently offering?

CB: I have lots of free recipes and tutorials on my website, Creative Green Living (www.creativegreenliving.com). In my Etsy shop, I have signed copies of my books as well as a downloadable apron pattern and tutorial.

BF: Where can people buy your products?

CB: My cookbook is available at every Barnes & Noble store nationwide, on Amazon and in my Etsy shop. [Big Flavors note: you can also find it on Bookshop!]

My chicken-keeping book is available at every Tractor Supply store nationwide, on Amazon, and in my Etsy shop: [Big Flavors note: you can also find it on Bookshop!]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnELhPsj2r7

BF: Do you have any current promotions/specials?

CB: Your readers can use coupon code BIGFLAVORS to get 10% off anything in my Etsy shop include books and sewing patterns.

BF: Where's the best place for people to connect with you?

On my website: creativegreenliving.com - or on Etsy to purchase books.

The Essential Fondue Cookbook

The last book I'm sharing for this year's holiday gift guide is from a friend and fellow cheese lover that I met on Instagram a while back, Erin Harris AKA The Cheese Poet.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEfdhOzB3vb

Erin shares some seriously swoon-worthy cheese-centric content over on Instagram, and if you aren't following her, you're seriously missing out!

I asked her how she got into the world of cheese, and this is what she told me:

I went to culinary school 20 years ago and worked as a chef for 10 years before taking a leap into the world of cheese! It was the best decision I have ever made. My passion for cheese continues to grow and I love how I never stop learning!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCTmxh7B_ZO

Erin's new book, The Essential Fondue Cookbook contains 75 recipes to seriously upgrade your fondue game.

It covers everything from how to pick the right fondue pot to how to select the perfect cheeses. Traditional and lesser-known fondue techniques and recipes are included.

You can purchase The Essential Fondue Cookbook on Bookshop, Amazon, Indigo (in Canada), and Barnes and Noble.

You can connect with Erin over on Instagram and be sure to check out her website at thecheesepoet.ca.

Second Mouse Cheese Shop

Speaking of cheese, one of my absolute favorite local places is Second Mouse Cheese Shop over in Pleasantville, New York.

I know what they say about Disney, but Second Mouse truly is the happiest place on earth.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE7b6MGlO91

Owner Ivy Ronquillo and staff are eager to help you pick out the perfect cheese, charcuterie, and accompaniments to create the cheeseboard of your dreams!

If you follow me over on Instagram or have attended one of my cheeseboard classes, there's no question that you've seen lots of items that I purchased from Second Mouse Cheese Shop.

Aside from cheese, they also offer small-batch, artisan accompaniments such as jams, crackers, chocolates, condiments, and more. They also sell tools like cheese knives, cheese storage paper and bags, and boards so you can have the perfect cheese spread at home.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8G7UU4p9e7

I appreciate their dedication to small farms, artisans, and craftspeople. All of these goodies are perfect for gift-giving!

For locals, Second Mouse offers a variety of classes for you to get your cheese education on. I have taken a few classes both in-person and online and let me tell you they are worth every penny.

Various cheeses and cheeseboard supplies from Second Mouse Cheese Shop.

The online classes have been great during this strange year that is 2020 and I love being able to pick up the pairing items and accompanying beverages directly from the shop, then bringing them home to participate in the class from my own space, safely.

Ivy really has a wealth of knowledge and is more than happy to help educate you on any and all things cheese-centric.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCBzJhnJfh8

I asked Ivy to share a bit more about how she got into the cheese biz, and also what types of offerings they have for the holiday season.

Big Flavors: How long have you been in business? Tell me a bit about your background and how you got into what you do. 

Ivy Ronquillo: 19 months. I have spent the last 25 years (gulp.) alternating between the Advertising Industry and the Fine Foods world. It was first in mid-2017 that I made a firm, non-reversible decision to commit to what pleases my soul: food and making people happy.

Melty piece of Humboldt Fog cheese.


BF: What products are you currently offering?

IR: Upwards of 80 artisanal cheeses; small-batch accompaniments, like honeys and chutneys; humanely raised and ethically produced Charcuterie; Fresh local breads; Hard-to-find wine, beer, cider, crackers, dried fruit, nuts, chocolates, cookies, specialty teas, homewares, gifts; Prepared Foods; Catering; Classes all about CHEESE!

Gift card from Second Mouse Cheese Shop in Pleasantville, NY.


BF: Where can people buy your products?

IR: At our shop - 357 Manville Rd., Pleasantville, NY (diagonally across the street from Jacob Burns Film Center); or on-line at www.SecondMouseCheese.com for pre-orders or gift basket shipping.

BF: Do you have any current promotions/specials?

We promote the joy of shopping local and shopping small, where customer service is top priority and where transparency is evident. Although we have occasional sales, our motives rely less on volume and more on quality experiences.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CECN25cpMoV

BF: Where's the best place for people to connect with you?

IR: In person! We love seeing our customers. Phones are always ringing, too. But if you wanna see what's happening at the shop, follow us on Instagram (@secondmousecheeseny). We post a few of our favorite things frequently, as well as update our followers with pertinent info.

Honey & Things

Honeycomb and honey gifts from Honey & Things.

Looking for something sweet to go with all that cheese? My friend Amanda's aunt is a beekeeper in Upstate New York who sells honey and gift items made with beeswax over at Honey & Things.

Karen Russell and Theresa Jeffers started Honey & Things and have been in business for about 3 years. 

They started out beekeeping and producing honey and have since branched out to making beautiful items with their beeswax, including hand-dipped taper candles, lip balm, and lotion bars.

Jar of honey with pieces of honeycomb inside from Honey & Things.

I can't wait to add some of this honeycomb to a cheeseboard. How gorgeous is it?!

I've enjoyed honey for lots of things in the past, but it hadn't occurred to me that there was so much that could be done with beeswax!

This vanilla bean lip balm has been on heavy rotation in my house lately. My son loves it, too!

Vanilla Bean lip balm from Honey & Things.

This past year Karen & Theresa developed a soap line and added bath bombs to their offerings.

Honey & Things also sells loose teas, teapots, teacups, and other tea accessories as well as an assortment of gift baskets.

All of their products are available online at honeyandthings.net.

Honey blossoms massage bar and lotion bar from Honey & Things.

Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix

This last one is one of my very favorite holiday gifts to give. It's a homemade gift that comes together quickly and is guaranteed to bring a smile to any recipient's face.

Jars of hot cocoa mix with a mug of brewed hot chocolate.

I recently updated a post that was posted well over a decade ago here on Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen for my very favorite way to enjoy hot cocoa.

The recipe for Uncle Tom's Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix is super simple and absolutely delicious.

I learned to make it from a teacher in middle school and you can read more about why it was so meaningful to me in this post.

For gifting, a festive bag or glass jar is all you need! The recipe makes a LOT of mix, so you can divvy it up and gift it to several people.

I like including a little note that says "Fill mug ¼- to ⅓ of the way with hot cocoa mix, then stir in boiling water." and attach that to the package.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIkIKyzFR9u

To go a step above, you could add a bag of mini marshmallows or candy canes to go alongside your hot cocoa mix.

You could also take it to the next level with a hot cocoa board! If you want to learn how to assemble one of these epic spreads, I have a live virtual class coming up on Monday, December 21st to show you how. You can register here.

An on-demand replay will be available afterward, and I'll post that here once it's available.

Thank you again for considering shopping small and helping out independent businesses. Your support means the world to them, and there are so many great ones to choose from!

I hope the rest of 2020 treats you well, friends! I'm looking forward to lots more deliciousness here in 2021!

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of my gift guides for more inspiration:

Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix

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This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Grab your favorite hot cocoa mug and cozy up to this homemade hot chocolate mix! Perfect for holiday gift giving!

An assortment of jars of hot cocoa mix with a mug of hot chocolate up front.

This post is a revamped version of a hot chocolate recipe that I posted waaaay back in 2007. It's a recipe that I've been making since I was in middle school back in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Homemade hot cocoa mix is one of my all-time favorite homemade holiday gifts to make for people. It's a lot of fun to make with kids and is a hit with adults, too.

I love that it only takes a few ingredients, and they're all readily accessible at the grocery store or online.

Lineup of ingredients for homemade hot cocoa mix.

Gifting homemade hot cocoa mix is easy! Just find some cute jars or containers, divvy up the hot chocolate mix, and be sure to include directions for how to mix it up (see the recipe card below).

I love giving this mix to friends and family around the holidays. It also makes a sweet thank you treat for teachers, hospital staff, postal workers, maintenance people, etc.

If you're feeling festive, you could top a mug of this hot cocoa with some homemade peppermint whipped cream.

It also makes a superb addition to an (optionally boozy) hot cocoa board! I had such a great response to this board on Instagram that I'm working on putting together a virtual class on how to make your own. Stay tuned!

Speaking of teachers, I want to share a bit about the teacher that brought this recipe into my life and why it made such an impact on me.

When I was in middle school, there was a lot going on. My parents divorced and my mom and I were gearing up to move from Fort Wayne, Indiana up to Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Label maker printing labels for homemade hot cocoa mix with jars surrounding.

Being a child of multiple divorces, there was a lot of shuffling going on at home. I changed schools several times throughout my life, so making long-lasting connections was a bit tricky.

One of my only big memories of 6th grade was when Christmas was approaching and my history teacher let us spend an entire class period making (and enjoying!) homemade hot chocolate.

We broke into groups and Mr. C. gave each of us our own copy of a recipe for Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix.

What's with the name, you may ask?

I tinkered this recipe into its present, ambrosia-like state when I lived alone in an old log cabin in the Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado from February to August of 1978. My niece, Heather, called it "Uncle Tom's cabin."

-Tom Cashen

One of the most memorable parts of it was that we mixed each batch in a large, clean, garbage bag.

Yep, that's right, we poured all of the ingredients into a big ol' trash bag, sealed it, then took turns shaking it up like mad to get all of the ingredients to combine.

My classmates and I all loved the "dust storm" that came when we'd open the bag after mixing all of the hot chocolate ingredients together in the bag.

Overhead view of a bin full of homemade hot chocolate mix ingredients.

We were able to enjoy a piping hot mug of cocoa in his classroom whenever we wanted to from there on out. He gave us all a recipe card and told us we could enjoy making it with our families.

I was anxious to make a batch of Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix with my mom after I got home. We made a tradition out of finding fun jars each Christmas season so we could gift homemade hot cocoa mix to friends and family.

Mr. C.'s kindness and unique teaching style really stuck with me and left a lasting impact on my life and how sharing acts of kindness can be an incredibly meaningful way to connect with others.

After that class, me and my mom would make a batch of his hot cocoa mix every year to package up and give it out as holiday gifts to family and friends.

It became a wonderful holiday tradition, both in making something together and spreading joy by passing it out as holiday gifts.

Whisk in a bin full of ingredients for homemade hot chocolate mix.

Back when I originally posted this recipe (13 years ago!), I couldn't remember the name of the teacher who created Uncle Tom's Cabin Moon Gulch Hot Chocolate Mix.

Over the years, I'd occasionally hear from other people who also had him as a teacher and loved this tradition as well.

I had tried to track down the teacher online for years so I could give him proper credit and also thank him for such a great memory. I reached out to the school district, tried Facebook, and all sorts of things and had all but given up last year.

Spooning homemade hot cocoa mix into a mug.

A few months ago, I got an email from someone who came across my post - it was my teacher's daughter! She shared my post with her dad and I sent her my contact info so I could get in touch with her dad.

Long story short(ish), Mr. Cashen and I have been enjoying getting reacquainted with each other online. It's been so wonderful to have been able to thank him for making such an impact on me as a kid, and also to learn about his life and family.

He was thrilled to hear that I've been making his recipe for so many years, and even sent me a revamped version that he has been working on lately.

Pouring hot water into a mug of hot chocolate mix.

His version had a few changes from the original, including a significantly reduced quantity of powdered sugar, dark cocoa powder, and the optional addition of a can of Private Selection Cherry Cordial cocoa that he finds at Kroger.

I haven't found the cherry cordial out here, but I've made the revised recipe several times now and can say that it is indeed better than ever!

Because his recipe calls for items by sizes like "can" and "large box", I decided to make notes of exact quantities for the products I'm able to find currently in the grocery store.

Stirring homemade hot cocoa mix into a mug of hot water.

The amounts are for the package sizes shown in the photos in this post, and they're fairly close to the original amounts. If you're able to come close, that's fine.

I think brands change their packaging fairly often, so this recipe tends to change a bit as the years go by.

He does warn about using different brands for items where the brand name is specified - the formulations are specific, and changing them up will impact the flavor. Experiment at your own risk!

Homemade hot cocoa in a mug surrounded by jars of hot cocoa mix.

This holiday season, make a big ol' batch of homemade hot cocoa mix and pack it up to give as gifts. I promise it'll bring smiles all around!

I packaged up a big batch of this hot chocolate mix and put it in large glass jars that I got from the dollar store, then used my label maker to add the recipe title to each jar. I dropped them off at my son's school, along with a letter about Mr. Cashen and how much teachers matter.

Teachers, we see you. We are so grateful for you. You make a lasting impact on your students beyond what you may see here today.

Happy holidays!

Feeling suddenly parched? Here are some of our favorite beverage recipes:

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Shop Small with the Big Flavors 2020 Holiday Gift Guide – Part 2

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Meet some of my favorite small & local businesses in this year's holiday gift guide for shopping inspiration that makes a big difference! Check out part 1 here.

Collage of small business gift ideas for the Big Flavors 2020 holiday gift guide.

Because I have so many incredible small businesses to share for my 2020 holiday gift guide. I'm splitting things up into a few posts. This is part 2. You can find part 1 here.

I'll also be doing some of my shopping through sites like Etsy for things like unpaper towels, Luke's Diner coffee mugs (where my fellow Gilmore Girls fans at??), and hilarious handmade greeting cards.

I'll also inevitably be buying some things from Amazon (it's just so darn convenient!), but for the most part, I'm looking to shop local and support small businesses.

I also stand by all of the gift guide recommendations from previous years as well.

Nik Bucci bottling cold brew coffee from Bucci Coffee Co.

Bucci Coffee Co.

Nik Bucci has mastered the art of making a divine cup of coffee. Bucci Coffee Co., in Cortlandt Manor, NY focuses on brewing the world's finest organic specialty cold brew coffee for households and businesses.

They offer the same whole bean organic roasted coffees that they work with for customers to brew at home.

Bucci has expanded beyond the local area with his freshly roasted coffee beans and cold brew coffee and now offers mail order distribution anywhere in the United States.

Glass of iced cold brew coffee from Bucci Coffee Co.

I can attest that the cold brew is super smooth and delicious, and the coffee beans make a great cup of hot coffee (especially when the beans are freshly ground in my burr grinder and it's brewed with my favorite pourover carafe and CoffeeSock reusable coffee filter).

And another small detail that I happen to absolutely love is the hand-typed labels for each of their bags of beans.

It's the little (analog) things, ya know?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CG209UoAvEn/

I asked Nik to give me a little more background on his business and how he got into the world of creating this sweet, sweet caffeination.

Big Flavors: How long have you been in business? Tell me a bit about your background and how you got into what you do.

Nik Bucci: Just under two years. My background is in Engineering and photography, but one of my strongest passions is traveling, which is how I got into coffee.

My good friend Alessandro exposed me to the wide and beautiful world of coffee in Milan through his work as a global green coffee trader.

While I was traveling around the world in 2017, coffee shops were always a home base for me to work on my photography, ponder my next moves, and get energized.

After this three month trip I returned to the US and started working on Bucci Coffee Co.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwasoTdnXKM/

BF: What products are you currently offering?

NB: We are excited to be offering our Specialty Cold Brew in an eco-friendly and shippable pouch dispenser. It's 1.5L which is 8~12 servings, fits nicely in your fridge, and keeps great flavor for weeks. We are shipping this anywhere in the country!

We also sell two different whole bean coffees, for those who grind fresh and brew at home. A medium roast Ethiopian coffee, and a dark roast Brazillian coffee, both fair trade and organic. 

Pouch of cold brew coffee from Bucci Coffee Co.

BF: Where can people buy your products?

NB: The best way to buy is through our website.

We are looking forward to getting back on some local shelves in Westchester, A&S Fine Foods in Croton for example.

BF: Where's the best place for people to connect with you?

NB: Through our email list, and through Instagram/Facebook. And soon in person, the best way!

Assortment of kitchen and dining items from from Bliss Co-op.

Bliss Co-op

Fellow Ossining local (who happens to have also lived in Wisconsin like me AND shares my birthday - July 30th REPRESENT!!) Dana Anders is the force behind Bliss Co-op up in Sugar Loaf, NY.

I met Dana a while back when one of my cheeseboard posts over on Instagram inspired her to reach out to me about gifting me a custom, hand-stamped vintage cheese knife.

I mean, how could I say no?

Hand stamped vintage silverplate knife from from Bliss Co-op.

I've been itching to head up to check out Bliss Co-op in person, but due to the current... 2020-ness of this year, I have yet to make the trip.

I did, however, have the brilliant idea to have Dana take me on a virtual shopping trip to her charming shop earlier this fall, and it was beyond wonderful!

I was able to sit in bed, while recovering from surgery, and have my own personal shopper take me around all the nooks and crannies to see her wide range of offerings.

Set of 3 cheese marker forks that say "chedda" "gouda" and "jack" from Bliss Co-op.

The variety of food and beverage-related offerings in her shop was seriously awesome! I bought a lot of items to add some cheer, whimsy, and usefulness to my kitchen.

One of the things that I love most about Bliss Co-op, aside from the incredibly thoughtful, personalized service, is the focus on women artisans from our local area.

Dana has done a fantastic job of curating items that are absolutely perfect for gift giving!

There are things that would be great for stocking stuffers, like the hand-stamped mini cheese marker forks pictured above or the adorable "Treat yo'self" magnets below.

Assorted food-themed magnets with dessert illustrations from Bliss Co-op.

I'm also a big fan of tea towels, and there were so many to choose from that I could barely contain myself.

Anyone else get super excited about tea towels? Just me? Ha!

One suggestion I have to cut back on waste this holiday season would be to purchase a gift and use a tea towel to wrap it up. No need to waste wrapping paper or gift bags and the recipient can then use it in their kitchen!

Assorted kitchen tea towels from Bliss Co-op.

I asked Dana to share a bit about how Bliss Co-op came to be, and here's what she had to say:

Bliss Co-op opened its doors on April 1, 2011. The idea for Bliss came from me making/ selling greeting cards outside an acquaintance at the times shop in Sugar Loaf.

A storefront opened and it all began. We feature the works of woman artisans mostly from the Hudson Valley Region of NY.

Goods vary from pottery to jewelry to baby items to kitchen/ foodie goods and so much more!

Our goods are available at our Brick and Mortar Shop in Sugar Loaf. Plus, I always welcome people to message me via Instagram and Facebook if I post a product they want. We can ship or local drop off.

We will also be vendors this holiday season at the Wickham Makers Market in Warwick NY and Campwoods Holiday Boutique Ossining NY.

Display of handmade wood cheeseboards and coasters from C.los Carpentry.

C-los Carpentry

During the Westchester Craft Crawl back in October, my first stop was Makers Central over in Tarrytown, NY.

The location is absolutely beautiful and there are several local artisans and makers who use the space as their home base, including C-los Carpentry.

I had been following Carlos and Elena's work over on C-los Carpentry's Instagram account for quite a while before finally seeing their beautiful work in person.

I was wowed by the variety of pieces they create out of wood, and it was hard to narrow down the options for what I chose to buy that day.

Handmade cheeseboard from C.los Carpentry in Tarrytown, NY.

Is anyone surprised that I picked a cheeseboard?

Their collection was absolutely gorgeous and you can tel that they put a lot of love into each and every piece.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9mNk8jn1CI/

Big Flavors: Can you share a bit about you background and how C.los Carpentry came to be?

C.los Carpentry: We have been in business as C-los Carpentry for 2 years now and have seen our business grow and evolve over this time to the point where we have expanded our shop, as well as our products.

We are a team of two: Carlos and Elena.

Carlos has a very strong background in carpentry, having started off in the field as an apprentice at a carpentry shop at the age of 12. He has been steadily working to improve his knowledge and expertise in the craft since then.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B40CXEjFWYa/

Elena has a degree in interior design and has worked for a build-and-design firm where her love of woodworking was initially sparked.

Together, we also have a long history working for fine-dining restaurants, so it seemed like a logical leap to continue working with chefs and hospitality professionals through their woodworking.

Now, we make a variety of kitchen products for the home or restaurant such as cheeseboards, cutting boards, bowls, servingware, trays, and vases.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBinbEQpCQy/

BF: What products are you currently offering?

CC: We offer cutting boards in a variety of sizes and styles with each board bearing an entirely unique pattern.

Frequently, we work with salvaged wood, or wood left over from our furniture projects, to create our cutting boards, which means that no two boards are the same.

We also over cheeseboards in a variety of woods such as cherry, birch, and walnut; vases in maple, poplar, mahogany, and walnut; and salad bowls.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1HDVwDBjGp/

BF: Where can people buy your products?

CC: People can reach out to us directly to make an appointment to stop by our woodworking studio and shop from our inventory.

We will also be hosting another market from the Makers Central Space for the holidays that will be open to the public.

A limited selection of our products is also available for purchase through our website.

This year, we are also participating in the White Plains Holiday Market which will be taking place December 3-13 and will host a variety of local makers.

BF: Where's the best place for people to connect with you?

CC: Email (Carlos, Elena) and Instagram.

4 varieties of candles from Two Knit Wits.

Two Knit Wits

Aimee and Janine are friends of mine who happen to make some of my very favorite gift items!

I asked Aimee how her business began, and here's what she told me:

About 3.5 years ago I started knitting as a hobby then started making things for people which turned into a bunch of requests of friends + sort of continued from there. This year I started to macrame + pour candles.

The hand-poured soy candles come in a variety of cleverly named scents. Their candles are made using phthalate free essential oil blends.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHicJHbLHnm/

I find a lot of scented things overwhelming, but these candles are so beautifully balanced. I have thoroughly enjoyed every.single.candle that I've purchased from them.

There are a lot of food and beverage-themed scents, and I particularly enjoy the clean scents of Mint Grapefruit, Fresh Picked Cucumber, and aPEELing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFwmxe1BVX4/

Holiday scents are in full swing now, and I'm excited to try them all! If you can't decide between all of the festive scents, check out the holiday sampler pack.

I'm excited to try one of their wood wick candles next.

I also love that you can return your empty candle vessels to get 10% off of your next purchase.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCJJ1pJBZeW/

Sign up for candle of the month and you'll receive a new candle each month with a fragrance associated with that month or season.

Two Knit Wits also offers a candle care kit that includes a matte black wick trimmer and wax dipper.

Candle labels can also be customized as well, perfect for gift giving.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4xLU0Bh7bf/

Aside from candles, they also offer a gorgeous assortment of knitwear and macrame.

I personally have bought these geometric triangle earrings and a big braided beanie and love them both!

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of my gift guides for more inspiration:

Shop Small with the Big Flavors 2020 Holiday Gift Guide - Part 1

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This holiday season, shop small & support local businesses with this roundup of some of my favorite gifts (including my cooking classes)! Check out part 2 here.

Collage of small business gifts for the Big Flavors 2020 holiday gift guide.

2020 has been quite... unique, to say the least. With so many unknowns out there, I've been doing my best to support small businesses whenever I can. Especially local ones here in and around Ossining, NY.

I have so much fun putting together gift guides each year, and I usually include a few small, local businesses. But for this year's holiday gift guide, I'm going to put a BIG focus on ways that you can shop small.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still doing some of my shopping through sites like Etsy and Amazon, but for the most part, I'm looking to shop local and support small businesses.

I'm also excited that I have the opportunity to share some of my favorites with a wider audience! I have several friends that are doing fun, delicious things, and I'm happy to help spread the word.

Note that I did receive a few sample items for review, but for the most part, I spent my own money on these items.

Because I have so many incredible items to share for my 2020 holiday gift guide. I'm going to be splitting things up into a few posts. I'll be sure to link to subsequent posts with in each post.

I also stand by all of the gift guide recommendations from previous years as well. I'm still a firm believer in giving the gift of an Instant Pot or Air Fryer for any occasion!

Collage of Connor McGinn Studios ceramic pieces for the Big Flavors 2020 holiday gift guide.

Connor McGinn Studios

First up is the breathtakingly beautiful handcrafted ceramic work from local artisan Connor McGinn.

Connor and his team create products that bring the restaurant experience into your home. They seek out eco-friendly, low-waste practices and focus on upcycling and repurposing their materials into new pieces.

Their collection was designed with the support of some of the culinary world's most incredible minds, such as local Chef Dan Barber from Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

I have been swooning over Connor's work over on Instagram for quite some time now and was thrilled to finally be able to shop for a few pieces to add to my home collection over at Makers Central in Tarrytown, NY recently.

Handmade ceramic pieces from Connor McGinn Studios in Tarrytown, NY.

These pieces are such a welcome addition to my kitchen, and I definitely plan to use some of them on cheeseboards in the future!

I asked Connor to share a bit about his business - check out this brief interview to learn more!

Big Flavors: How long have you been in business? Tell me a bit about your background and how you got into what you do.

Connor McGinn: I've been in business about 4 years now. I had been working as a line cook at a restaurant in Armonk called Restaurant North for a few years and decided to make the transition to starting my own business making handmade flatware for restaurants after the owners had been looking to upgrade their plates and knew that I had dabbled in Ceramics in college.

I offered to make the plates for their new restaurant and after a fair amount of trial and error (mostly error) I finally made it work.

After that things started to really take off once I started making plates for Blue Hill at Stone Barns. I opened up my own studio in Tarrytown 2 years ago and have been doing this full time ever since.

Photo of Connor McGinn in his studio.

BF: What products are you currently offering?

CM: Ceramic plates, bowls, coffee mugs, platters, and serving pieces.

BF: Where can people buy your products?

CM:I have an online shop on my website connormcginnstudios.com.

I'll be hosting 2 open studio/ market events at my space in Tarrytown (Makers Central) on November 28th and December 19th & 20th.

I'll also be setting up a small pop up shop in White Plains From Dec 3rd to the 13th. It will be a Bryant Park Holiday market type event set up like a small market village in the middle of White Plains.

Handmade ceramic meringue serving bowl from Connor McGinn Studios.

BF: Do you have any current promotions/specials?

CM: I will be periodically sending out promotions to my email subscribers throughout the holiday season for discounts on lots of great gifts.

I have lots of completely unique one-off pieces (extras from restaurant orders) that I will be selling at steep discounts only at our Tarrytown Markets on Nov 28th and Dec 19th & 20th.

BF: Where's the best place for people to connect with you?

CM: Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on new releases and special deals! On Instagram @connormcginnstudios.

Collage of baked goods from Rolling out Memories in Ossining, NY.

Rolling out Memories

Next is a local friend and baker extraordinaire here in Ossining, NY, Paige Chavez of Rolling out Memories.

The creativity and attention to detail that Paige puts into her baked goods brings her customers so much joy.

We ordered our Thanksgiving dessert from her this year, an apple crumble pie, and it was absolutely delicious!

A variety of 5 cupcakes from Rolling out Memories.

I asked Paige to give me a bit of info about her business and what offerings she has for both locals and people outside of the Westchester, NY area. Here's the lowdown:

I started baking in college with a one-bowl chocolate cake from Good Housekeeping.  I've evolved quite a bit since then but those early days when I was hopped up on sugar and independence, a love was born.

I remember those infancy stages where I couldn't get the cake out of the pan and that always motivates me to keep learning, keep pushing myself to try new things.  Over the years, I've baked for birthdays, bridal and baby showers, even my mom's wedding.

I've baked for countless events at this point and my absolute favorite part is hearing people's reactions and being a part of their special occasion, their memories.

In 2018, Rolling out Memories was created and has received overwhelming support from my community.  

I offer custom cakes, cupcakes, iced cookies, chocolate chip cookies, banana and pumpkin breads.  My lemon cake with blueberry filling is a huge hit in the warmer months, while my chocolate cake with ganache and caramel is a popular choice all year long. 

I can make a variety pack where you get a little bit of everything. Cupcake kits are also a big hit with the kids. Currently, I can ship cookies and breads.

I am best reached at Facebook or Instagram @rollingoutmemories. Send me a message there and I'm quick to get back to you. We can talk through what would work best for your event.  

Collage of kids making challah french toast in a virtual cooking class.

Virtual Cooking Classes

This is one that I'm particularly excited about since it's from my very own small business!

I've been teaching cooking classes locally in Ossining and the surrounding area here in Westchester County, New York, for several years now.

Join Me for an Upcoming Live Class!

Due to the craziness that 2020 threw our way, I had to cancel my in-person cooking classes.

I ended up pivoting to offer virtual cooking classes, and they have been one of the brightest parts of this difficult year!

Give the gift of virtual cooking classes with Big Flavors gift cards. Variety of ingredients in various states of preparation are shown.

I'm teaching classes for both kids and adults, and they've been so much fun! Helping people gain confidence in the kitchen and getting them excited to cook is one of the main reasons that I love what I do for a living!

I absolutely love being able to join people live in their kitchens. The fact that I can reach people beyond my home base of Ossining has been so wonderful.

I've had people join from all over the United States and even some international participants from as far away as Germany!

Give the gift of virtual cooking classes with Big Flavors gift cards. Image shows slicing a bell pepper with a knife.

One of the biggest perks when it comes to teaching virtual classes vs. teaching in person is that everyone is in their own space.

There's just something about learning in the environment where you already do your cooking that makes things easier than taking a class in a different location.

On demand video classes now available. Photo shows an assortment of recipe images.

Virtual classes are a ton of fun when taken live. I'm here to help you out, answer any questions you may have, and help you troubleshoot if any difficulties arise.

View On Demand Video Class Library

I have a steady stream of classes for kids and adults that I'm adding to my schedule. Everyone who takes a class will get access to the recording afterward to watch whenever they want.

I also have on demand offerings. If my class times don't work with your schedule, you can watch them on your own time!

Collage of sea salt gifts from Shelly Sells Sea Salt.

Shelly Sells Sea Salt

The last small business that I'm featuring in this installment of my holiday gift guide is a friend of a friend who has the best name for a salt company that I've ever heard.

Sorry, Morton.

Shelly Sells Sea Salt From the South Shore is based in Westhampton Beach, New York.

Michele "Shelly" Martuscello grew up steps away from the Atlantic Ocean. Like most Italians, her happiest memories occurred around the family table.

Shelly sells handmade salt for use in the kitchen as well as beauty products infused with sea salt.

Texturizing hair mist from Shelly Sells Sea Salt.

I asked Shelly to give me a bit of background on how she started handcrafting her sea salts:

I started making sea salt from the Atlantic Ocean in Westhampton beach about a decade ago. In the beginning, it was just for fun and for family/friends, but it ended up being a great meditation for me and a connection to where I was raised.

My parents were always really supportive of me making salt and eventually said we should sell this. I wouldn't have a company if it wasn't for them. My dad helped me develop the line, the business model, and experiment, but after he passed in 2015, my mom took over a big role in daily operations.

The company has my name in the title, but we definitely run it together. We started with plain sea salt, expanded into flavors, and a beauty line. The water is harvested right from our local beaches, filtered, and then dried on our property a few blocks from the beach. A real beach to table, sea to table, operation.

Shelly is currently offering the following products so you can bring a bit of the sea shore to your own home!

People can purchase Shelly's products online at ShellySeaSalt.com. If you find yourself on the east end of long island, there are a few stores that carry her products as well. You can find those on her Stockists page.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out all of my gift guides for more inspiration:

Easy Mulled Cider Applesauce (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

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Infuse the flavors of fall into this no sugar added homemade applesauce recipe. Quick & easy to make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker!

Jars of applesauce surrounded by apples and whole spices.

Apple picking season is upon us, and here in New York, there are so many great orchards to choose from.

One of the fun, albeit sometimes stressful, parts of apple picking is figuring out what to do with all.those.apples.

I have lots of go-to apple recipes here on Big Flavors, like this Classic Dutch Apple Pie, these Cheesy Bacon + Apple Croissants, this Bacon and Caramelized Onion Jam Naan Pizza with Gorgonzola and Apples, and Sherry B's Apple Crisp for Two.

But when it comes to one of our favorite ways to use fresh apples, it doesn't get much easier and more delicious than homemade applesauce.

And while you can absolutely make applesauce on the stovetop, I much prefer the speed and ease of making applesauce in either the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.

There's a great post on Bon Appétit all about common mistakes to avoid when making applesauce.

A spoonful of homemade mulled cider applesauce with apples in the background.

What apples are best to use for applesauce?

I prefer to use a mix of apples when making applesauce from scratch. It's the same thing I tend to do when I'm making apple pie. The final product has a much richer flavor.

Some apples are more tart than others. Since this applesauce recipe doesn't have any added sugar or sweetener, balancing the flavor by using both tart and sweet apples works really nicely.

So, for example, a mix of Granny Smith apples (tart) and Gala apples (sweet) would result in well-balanced, sweet applesauce with a fair amount of tartness.

The Food Editor over at Southern Living also agrees that a mix of apples is best for making your own applesauce.

If you want to use just one type of apple in your homemade applesauce, I'd recommend going with sweeter apples such as Fuji, Golden Delicious, Cortland, or Honeycrisp.

This article over on Food52 talks about the 11 best apples for applesauce. Whether you're looking for sweet, tangy, tart, or crisp, there's something on this list for everyone.

Do you need to peel apples for homemade applesauce?

Many recipes call for peeling apples, and you certainly can, but I don't bother. Everything gets softened from the cooking process and gets blended together at the end.

If you're working with red apples, the color from the apple skins will get blended into the final applesauce, giving it a lovely rosy color.

Another benefit of leaving the skins on your apples when making applesauce is the added fiber.

If you absolutely don't want the skins in your applesauce, you can peel them in advance of cooking the apples or run your finished applesauce through a food mill to remove the skins afterward.

Apples being cut on a cutting board with a bowl of apples in the background.

How to cut apples when making applesauce

As with most things in the kitchen, consistency of size is important. If you can make all of your pieces of apple roughly the same size, they'll cook at the same rate.

For pressure cooking with the Instant Pot, I find that big chunks work just fine. I usually end cutting my apples into roughly a 2-inch dice.

When cooking with the slow cooker the heat doesn't get as intense, so I prefer to thinly slice the apples to ensure that they cook fully.

Our favorite way to thinly slice apples is with an apple machine that we bought many years ago when we first went apple picking. I thought it looked kind of ridiculous, but my husband said it was going to make life way easier when dealing with an entire bushel of apples.

Boy was he right - you can peel, slice, and/or core apples very easily by cranking the handle of the machine. The slices are perfectly even, and it makes quick work of a potentially daunting task.

And my son loves using it, too! I'm a fan of anything that encourages kids to help out in the kitchen. I came across a photo of him using it (back in 2015!) over on Instagram so you can see the apple machine in action:

https://www.instagram.com/p/8wHFc8yXWl/

Removing the core of an apple is easy, and there are a lot of ways you can go about it. Many people use an apple corer tool. An apple slicer is another way to core an apple, and it also slices it at the same time.

I tend to just use a chef's knife to cut around each side of the apple, leaving a rectangular piece of apple core on my cutting board. I then cut the pieces of apple into chunks or slices, depending on which method I plan to use to make my applesauce.

Instant Pot applesauce comes together so quickly that it's my go-to method.

Mulling spices on a plate in front of a bowl of apples.

Why you should use a sachet

A sachet is really just a fancy way of saying a bundle of ingredients. The reason it can be helpful to put these ingredients together in a sachet is that it can be easily removed later on.

So, for instance, with this recipe, there are some small (but potent!) spices that need to cook in with the apples. They need to be removed before blending everything together.

I tend to use a sachet for small herbs, spices, and aromatics that may be tricky to find and "fish out" later on.

In this applesauce recipe, I leave the cinnamon sticks with the apples since they're easy to spot and remove after cooking. If I was using a large enough sachet, I'd put the cinnamon sticks in there, too.

Whole spices in a tea ball for infusing mulled cider applesauce.

I place the other whole mulling spices (in this case that's the whole cloves, black peppercorns, star anise, green cardamom pod, and orange zest.

I like using a metal tea ball for making herb and spice sachets. The fact that it's reusable is a huge plus for me. I'm always looking for ways to reduce kitchen waste.

A tea ball being used as a sachet to add spices to a pot of apples for homemade applesauce.

I like this particular tea ball because it doesn't take up a lot of room. It opens easily and has a fine mesh.

And when I'm using it for making tea, the little hook/chain makes it super easy to retrieve.

You can also use cheesecloth and kitchen twine to make your own sachet. There's a great tutorial for how to make a sachet over on Culinary Hill.

Instant Pot with homemade applesauce ready to be pureed.

If you're not up for making your own, there are also reusable drawstring cotton bags available. They can be used for herb sachets, tea, and more.

Once your apples are done cooking, simply remove your sachet and blend to your desired texture.

Immersion blender ready to puree homeade applesauce in an Instant Pot.

How to adjust the texture of your applesauce

My favorite method for making homemade applesauce is to throw everything into my Instant Pot. I'll then use my immersion blender to purée it all together right in the insert.

You can also use a regular blender or food processor to purée everything together.

And if you'd rather go the manual route, you can simply whisk everything together with a balloon whisk. Or mash it up with a potato masher, or even a fork.

An immersion blender pureeing homemade applesauce in an Instant Pot.

When it comes to the texture of your final applesauce, remember that you can always purée it more. You can't un-purée it if you've blended it too much.

There are some tricks for thickening it up if you've gone too far but I prefer slowly puréeing instead.

I like to start slow and pulse the immersion blender instead of running it constantly. This allows me to achieve a chunkier texture when desired. The longer you purée, the smoother your Instant Pot applesauce will be.

You can also split the applesauce into two containers. Purée some of it until it's really smooth and then mash up the remainder to a chunkier texture. Those two can even be mixed together!

Or divide it and have both types from your single batch of applesauce. This recipe makes enough for several servings of both!

A small bowl of homemade apple sauce with mulling spices, apples, and jars of applesauce.

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out some of our favorites:

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

Recipe for Easy Mulled Cider Applesauce (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

If you try out this recipe, please come back and give it a star rating and comment below. It helps other people find my recipes, and I'd love to know what you think of it!

14 Favorite Recipes to Celebrate 14 Years of Big Flavors

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Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen has grown so much since it started in 2006. Let's celebrate by revisiting our favorite recipes from the past 14 years!

14 Favorite Recipes to Celebrate 14 Years of Big Flavors

If you would have asked me back in 2006 if I'd be creating recipes, writing about and photographing food for a living, I would have thought you were crazy.

Back in 2006, I was engaged to be married, working a full-time graphic design job for a national non-profit organization, and I was bored.

My creative job just wasn't feeling too creative, and I needed a way to express my creativity. So I figured hey, we have to eat... why not try to make it look pretty?

So I started taking photos of the meals I cooked and posted them online to share with my friends and family.

Food blogging wasn't really a "thing" yet, but it was exactly the side project that I needed to unwind after a long day in the office.

Fast forward 14 years and here we are. I've moved Big Flavors from a little thing I did for fun into a full-fledged business that I love beyond words.

Photos of pancakes, sloppy joe sandwiches, chicken fajitas, and falafel in pita

When I asked fans of the Big Flavors Facebook page how I should celebrate my 14 year "blogiversary", I got a lot of fun ideas.

Yes, many of them included people asking me to bake and/or make a cheeseboard for them (love you all!!). But one idea really stood out to me as a fun, different way to celebrate this year.

Shoutout to Robyn who suggested that I share a favorite recipe from each of the 14 years that I've been writing about food.

This was such a fun idea, so I jumped to the daunting task of sifting through the thousands of posts here on Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen to pick favorites.

It was beyond difficult to whittle down allllll of my favorites to just one per year. I'm definitely going to add in a few extra notable posts occasionally, but for the most part, here are 14 of my very favorite posts from 14 years of food blogging.

I have a few quick notes to keep in mind while you're reading these old posts. When I started Big Flavors (formerly called "Chopaholic"), I was getting comfortable in the kitchen. I cooked other people's recipes, crediting them always, and posted my results.

I also used to post the same recipe (with new notes) every time I cooked it. We used to rate things on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. You'll see this in some of my older posts.

Some of the posts on this list are ones that I'm working on updating. Some have already been updated since their original post date.

The most noticeable differences in updated posts are the photos and the recipe card and clarity of instructions.

If you ever want to know if a post here is from back before I had a proper photography setup, just look for the window or blinds in the background of the photos.

I have grown a lot personally and professionally over the last 14 years. As always, I appreciate all of your support, questions, comments, and encouragement!

And now, without further ado...

14 Favorite Recipes to Celebrate 14 Years of Big Flavors

Sloppy Joe sandwich with pickles and sweet potato fries

2006: Our Favorite Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

The very first post to ever appear on Big Flavors was for Sloppy Joe Sandwiches. This recipe is an updated version of one of the meals my mom used to make when I was a kid, and it's a total comfort food favorite.

If you head over to the post, you'll even get a peek at the first few photos I took of this messy sandwich.

Molasses sandwich cookies with holiday decorations behind them

2007: Molasses Sandwich Cookies

These soft, chewy cookies were a favorite of ours for many years. I even made them when we first met with our Supper Club back in 2007. The cookies were a hit, and we're still cooking up a storm with our Supper Club 13 years later!

Overhead view of dishes of Instant Pot Tomato Beef Pasta with serving dishes with Parmesan cheese and a tray of garlic bread in the background.

2008: Tomato Beef Pasta

OK... so I put a newer photo here for this recipe. That's because I have since tweaked the recipe and made it doable in the Instant Pot! But if you're doing it on the stovetop, you can still refer to that old post (and it's seriously outdated photos!).

This is another dish that my mom used to make a lot, and it's one of those magical dishes that gets even better after it sits in the fridge overnight.

I like serving this pasta dish with my favorite garlic bread.

French dip sandwich with au jus

2009: Slow-Cooker French Dips

This is another recipe that I've since Instant Pot-ified (and you can get that version of the recipe here!). It's delicious made either way, and it's one that I crave often!

There's just something about a sandwich that's assembled on top of garlic bread and topped with melted cheese that makes me happy. A good dunk in the au jus seals the deal for this family favorite!

A plate of Turdilli & Chinudille Italian Christmas cookies

2010: Turdilli & Chinudille

These cookies have been a specialty that my Italian in-laws have been making for many years now. Up until my father-in-law passed away, we had him and his brother come to our kitchen to make "the cookies" together, complete with lots of laughs and more than a little wine.

These cookies aren't overly sweet, they go beautifully with a hot cup of tea, and they last for quite a while in an airtight container.

Family making Turdilli & Chinudille together

I came across this photo while digging through posts... 3 generations of Covelli men making these cookies together. It just makes my heart so happy!!

2010 was also the year that birthed my Supper Club's annual "pizza night", and also the year that we remodeled our (still tiny) kitchen.

Eggplant and Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

2011: Eggplant and Manchego Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This recipe is one that my husband and I worked on after having a dish very much like it at a (now closed) restaurant in White Plains, NY. It’s like a grilled cheese made with fried eggplant, manchego cheese, and drizzled with honey and truffle oil.

Bowl of colorful chopped bell peppers and onions.

2012: Brazilian Bell Pepper and Onion Vinaigrette

One of our favorite, colorful side dishes, especially in the summertime! My father-in-law and I picked up this dish from some Brazilian hang glider and paraglider pilots upstate at his brother’s flight park a few years back.

It’s super simple and delicious, as long as you enjoy raw onions and peppers.

2 plates with slices of baby spinach and cheddar quiche

2013: Baby Spinach and Cheddar Quiche

My husband loooooves quiche, and this is one of his favorites! It's easy to assemble, too. It's an incredibly fluffy and delicious way to have breakfast in pie form!

2013 was also the year that I moved to a self-hosted site with my own domain.

Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce

2014: Falafel with Yogurt-Herb Sauce

This is hands-down my all-time favorite falafel recipe. It has inspired me to make a lot of other recipes with falafel flavors, like Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Flatbreads, Cucumber Bites, and Chickpea Salad with Tahini-Lemon Vinaigrette.

You can be sure that there are more falafel recipes coming to Big Flavors in the future!

Garlicky Goat Cheese + Herb Stuffed Peppadews

2015: Garlicky Goat Cheese + Herb Stuffed Peppadews

OMG let me tell you - these little bite-sized goodies get rave reviews every time I make them. They're perfect for an appetizer spread or cheese board, they're easy to prepare, and they can be made in advance. It's a win/win/win!

Spicy Shrimp + Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry

I would be remiss not to also mention my Spicy Shrimp + Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry for 2015. This recipe is beyond delicious, and it has been a resounding success over on Pinterest.

I actually have new photos that I shot when I made this on Facebook LIVE a while back, but I have yet to update the post. It's on my list - pinky promise!

Persian Malbec Lamb Burgers with Mast-o-Khiar and Pomegranate Tomato Jam

2016: Persian Malbec Lamb Burgers with Mast-o-Khiar and Pomegranate Tomato Jam

This recipe holds a special place in my heart because it was a challenge given to me by Adam Richman at an event I attended in NYC. Red wine deepens the flavors in both the burgers and jam in this Middle Eastern spin on Adam Richman's Malbec Burger recipe.

He even gave it his stamp of approval:

Pouring syrup onto a stack of buttermilk pancakes

2017: Our Favorite Buttermilk Pancakes

My husband loves making breakfast on the weekend, and these pancakes are some of our very favorites! They're light, airy, and absolutely DELICIOUS!

A cast iron skillet filled with chicken fajitas with tortillas and garnishes alongside.

2018: Our Favorite Chicken Fajitas

This is by far one of the most requested meals in my house! Taking the time to caramelize the onions in a cast-iron skillet really takes these to the next level.

If steak is more your style, I also have a recipe for Our Favorite Steak Fajitas that is phenomenal! Both of these recipes are fabulous served with chips and this 5-minute homemade restaurant-style guacamole.

One other post from 2018 that I'm super proud of is my post on 30 Tips for Reducing Kitchen Waste. I'm working on a major overhaul of that post that will put that number way over 30 and I'm excited to get it fully updated!

2 bowls of beef stew with bread and butter.

2019: Grandpa Henderson's Beef Stew

Me and my grandpa had a really special bond. This is my version of his beef stew, and it's been a family favorite for many years. I've gotten a ton of great reader feedback on this beef stew recipe. It's nice to know that people all over the world are enjoying my family's recipes!

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

2020: Easy Homemade Cold Brew Coffee Recipe + Tips for Success

This post was such a labor of love. My husband and I spent a lot of time perfecting our home cold brew coffee process, and I wanted to be sure to answer all of the questions people may have when making it themselves.

It's one of the most thorough posts I've written, and I've received lots of great feedback on it.

Craving more? Check out how I celebrated past blogiversaries: