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Red Miso and Ginger Ramen with Pork Belly

Red Miso and Ginger Ramen with Pork Belly

Red Miso and Ginger Ramen with Pork Belly is a main course soup filled with a red miso chicken broth spiced with ginger. In the red miso broth are ramen noodles, tender pork belly, spinach, and carrots. Then, the whole bowl is sprinkled with scallions, 

Tex-Mex Macaroni and Cheese with Pepper Jack Cheese

Tex-Mex Macaroni and Cheese with Pepper Jack Cheese

Tex-Mex Macaroni and Cheese with Pepper Jack Cheese is a baked macaroni and cheese spiced with chili powder, and filled with colorful peppers and spicy jalapeno-dotted cheese. You can bake it in one large casserole or in individual cocottes, or ramekins. The Equipment You’ll Need 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms are cookies made with chocolate peanut butter and topped with a chocolate kiss. They are a beloved cookie at my house, that I’ve made regularly over the years as after school and after dinner treats.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • An Electric Mixer or Food Processor- This is for mixing the cookies. It’s a rather stiff dough, so it would be hard to mix by hand.
  • 3 Baking Sheets- You’ll need these for baking the cookies. You could use one sheet three times, just be sure it’s completely room temperature before you use it.
  • A Food Scale- Use this to weigh your white sugar and your flour. I also find it helpful to weigh your dough balls so they are uniform in size.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter- The Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter is excellent for these cookies.
  • Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts- I rolled my cookies in the Planter’s brand peanuts.
  • Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses- Milk chocolate is the flavor I used.

How I Made my Cookies

  • I used my food processor to make these cookies.
  • First, I carefully measured all my ingredients. I weighed the flour and white sugar. I let the butter come just to room temperature. I cut the stick into teaspoon slices and let them soften on a plate. Just until it felt soft when my finger poked a slice.
  • I also sifted together the dry ingredients.
  • It’s important not too overmix the dough. Just mix until the ingredients are combined.
  • Next, I rolled the dough into 1 inch balls, that weighed 25 grams each.
  • Then, I baked them one sheet at a time, just until the cookies were firm.
  • Finally, I stuck those kisses in right away, as soon as the cookies came out of the oven.

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms are the perfect cookie to include on a Christmas cookie plate, or to serve as an after school snack. If you love chocolate and peanut butter, these are a must try cookie.

chocolate peanut butter cookies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms
Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms

Peanut Butter cookies made with chocolate peanut butter and topped with a chocolate kiss.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup chocolate peanut butter
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour (210g)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup salted dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
  • 30 Hershey's chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • In a mixer or food processor, cream together the butter and sugars, just until no streaks of butter remain. Add the peanut butter, and process until combined.
  • Next, add in the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt, and then add them to the rest of the mixture. Blend until just combined.
  • Roll the dough into one inch balls (25 grams each) and roll each one into the chopped nuts, covering the cookies in nuts.
  • Place each dough ball on a parchment lined baking sheet, placed two inches apart. You'll need at least three sheets.
  • Bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes each, until the cookies are golden.
  • As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, place a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for two minutes, and then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Keyword chocolate cookie, peanut butter cookie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Plum Tomato and Pesto Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella

Plum Tomato and Pesto Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella

Plum Tomato and Pesto Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella is a really fresh tasting pizza with homemade dough topped with a fresh tomato Pomodoro sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh plum tomatoes. Then, it’s drizzled with homemade pesto sauce. This recipe makes two pizzas, and should feed 

Chicken Caprese with Pasta Pomodoro

Chicken Caprese with Pasta Pomodoro

Chicken Caprese with Pasta Pomodoro is an Italian meal of fettuccini tossed with a fresh tomato sauce and topped with fried chicken cutlets, fresh tomato, basil and mozzarella. The Equipment You’ll Need A Dutch oven- You’ll need this to cook your pomodoro sauce. If you 

Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Squash

Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Squash

Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Squash is an oven braised dish, perfect for the crisp fall weather. It is flavored with white wine, ginger, soy sauce, and mirin. And, it has plenty of onions, shallots, carrots, and garlic. As a contrast to the rich beef flavor, my short ribs are topped with pickled yellow squash.

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • A Dutch Oven- You’ll need an oven and stove top safe Dutch oven to make this recipe.
  • A Spiralizer- If you want to spiralize your squash, you’ll need a vegetable spiralizer.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Squash

  • Beef Short Ribs- You’ll need three pounds of beef short ribs for this recipe.
  • Mirin- You can find this in the Asian aisle of your supermarket.
  • Chicken Stock- I always make my own chicken stock. You can find my recipe in Matzo Ball Soup post.
  • Rice Wine Vinegar- You can find this in the Asian aisle of your supermarket.

How I Made my Ribs

  • First, I made sure to dry my ribs off really well.
  • Next, I really took my time browning the ribs on all sides, taking care not to let them burn.
  • Then, I added the rest of the ingredients and baked it.
  • Next, I let the ribs cool a bit and then put them if the fridge uncovered and let the fat congeal on the pot.
  • Meanwhile, I made the pickled squash. I also added some sliced cabbage and red pepper so it would be more of a side dish.
  • Then, I scraped off the fat, and reheated the ribs on low heat, for about twenty minutes. I wanted to serve this with some Korean noodles, but couldn’t find any at the store. So, I served it with white rice, and Macaroni and Cheese, per my daughter’s request. And, you know what? My Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Squash tasted pretty good with that Mac and Cheese!
short ribs with ginger and shallots
Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Ginger
short ribs with ginger and shallots

Short Ribs with Ginger and Shallots and Pickled Squash

Beef short ribs braised in white wine, ginger, and soy sauce and topped with pickled yellow squash.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Resting Time (optional) 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Korean
Servings 4
Calories 550 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs. beef short ribs
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 cups peeled, sliced carrots
  • 1 chopped shallot
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 inch chunk peeled ginger
  • 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. mirin
  • 1½ cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups spiralized yellow squash
  • â…“ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Dry the ribs off well with paper towels, and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Next, roll them around in the flour until they're completely dusted with flour.
  • Heat a Dutch oven with olive oil, over medium heat. Brown a few ribs at a time, until they're brown all over. Remove browned ribs to a plate.
  • Add the onions, garlic, shallot, and carrots to the pot and cook for five minutes.
  • Deglaze the pan with the wine, and then add the ginger, soy sauce, and mirin.
  • Add the ribs back to the pot along with the stock. Bring the pot to a simmer, and then cover and bake for two and a half hours.
  • For best results, refrigerate the pot for an hour. Then, remove the fat that congeals on the top and reheat on medium heat before serving.
  • Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, vinegar, and squash. Serve the squash on top or along side the ribs.

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal
Keyword beef short ribs, braised short ribs, Korean short ribs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Yellow Squash and Snow Peas

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Yellow Squash and Snow Peas

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Yellow Squash and Snow Peas is filled with tender chicken and crisp vegetables. This whole dish can be prepared in under an hour, and is a great one dish meal. The Equipment You’ll Need A Cast Iron Skillet- I think 

Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Pecans

Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Pecans

Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Pecans are the most baked dessert in my kitchen. I spent years trying different chocolate chip cookie recipes, but when I tried this one, I knew I’d found my forever chocolate chip cookie recipe. This cookie recipe is a variation of 

Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes

Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes

Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes are one of my family’s very favorite meals. My children, especially, have always enjoyed these individual pies filled with tender chicken, potatoes, peas, and carrots all enveloped in a creamy sauce. I think part of their charm is that everyone gets their very own cute little pie. So, there are no issues with sharing!

The Equipment You’ll Need

  • Lots of time!- This is not equipment, but it is very important to the success of this recipe to have a couple of hours to devote to getting all the components of this pie completed.
  • 6 Mini Cocottes or ramekins- You’ll need 6 to make this recipe. I love my LeCreuset cocottes.
  • A Pastry Cutter- You’ll need this for making the pie dough.
  • A Food Scale- You’ll need this to weigh your flour. It’s very important to the success of your dough to measure your flour correctly.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes

  • 2 Chicken Breasts- You’ll need them with their skin and bones intact, to keep the chicken moist. I always use Bell and Evans chicken.
  • Chicken Stock- I always use homemade stock. You can find my recipe in the Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls post.
  • The Vegetables- Feel free to leave some of the vegetables out. I usually omit the carrots and onions, because one of my kids likes the pies better that way.

How I Made My Pies

  • Early in the day, I roasted the chicken and made my pie dough. That way, I could make the rest of this recipe in one hour.
  • Making pie dough can be tricky. Just remember, your pies don’t need to be picture perfect. And, the more you make pie dough the better you get at it. Just take your time and try to get all the butter and cream cheese incorporated into the flour. And, then don’t put too much water into the crust. The dough should be ragged and scraggly, so it ends up nice and flaky.
  • Then, I made the filling and filled the cocottes. I rolled out my dough and enlisted one of my teens to crimp my dough.
  • Finally, I baked off my pies. Everyone loved them and I know we’ll be reheating them in the microwave for leftovers.

I hope you’ll try these cozy and comforting Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes some time soon!

Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes
Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes
Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes

Classic Chicken Pot Pies Baked in Mini Cocottes

Individual chicken pot pies filled with creamy chicken, potatoes, carrots, and peas topped with a pie crust.
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 425 kcal

Equipment

  • 6 cocetttes or ramekins

Ingredients
  

  • 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. each black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup cold butter, cut in half inch pieces
  • 6 ounces cold cream cheese
  • ½ cup ice water
  • 2 cups peeled potatoes, cut in one inch pieces
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced in half inch pieces
  • 8 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • ¼ each black pepper and kosher salt
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Drizzle with oil. Bake for 40 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove the skin and bones and cut the chicken in bite sized pieces.
  • While the chicken cooks, make the pie dough. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour, until the flour is fully incorporated, and the everything is the size of peas. Pour in the ice water, stirring with a fork, until a scraggly dough is formed. Empty the bowl on to a floured board, and shape the dough into two balls. They will be fairly crumbly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for thirty minutes.
  • While the dough chills, place the potatoes and carrots in a three quart saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for about ten minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain and set aside.
  • Also, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a Dutch oven, and cook the onion on low heat for five minutes. Then, stir in the flour. Cook for five minutes. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and cook for two minutes or until a thick sauce forms. Remove from the heat and add the chicken and vegetables.
  • Divide the filling between the ramekins, and place them on a baking sheet.
  • Roll out one ball of dough, and cut circles to fit on the top of your ramekins and hang over it by a little bit. Brush around the top of the ramekin with the egg mixed with the cream. Place the dough on top of the ramekin and brush with the egg. Make a slit on the top and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the tops are golden.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal
Keyword Chicken, chicken pot pie, pie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Chipotle Black Bean Tostadas with Cabbage Slaw

Chipotle Black Bean Tostadas with Cabbage Slaw

Chipotle Black Bean Tostadas with Cabbage Slaw is a meatless meal of crispy corn tortillas topped with melted cheese, black beans, cabbage slaw, and a chipotle mayonnaise. These are so delicious and filling, that I promise, you won’t miss the meat! The Equipment You’ll Need