I realized the coincidence yesterday. I borrowed Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee (Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking) from the library at the beginning of Black History Month. Now there are lots of ways that I strive to be an ally. But celebrating the accomplishments of Black people through food? So perfect. All this month…
The challenge of a list entitled Essential Bar Tools for Cocktails at Home is that everyone is different. While my favorite cocktail is a dry martini, you might hate gin and want only to make creamy espresso martinis. The goal of this list of bartending equipment is to cover you, whether you’re just starting out,…
This quick Canned Tuna Dip is inspired by a classic Italian tonnato sauce recipe, traditionally made with canned tuna, lemon, capers, and olive oil plus the anchovies and mayonnaise omitted here. But this lighter version tuna spread takes just 5 minutes and is just as delicious whether you serve it at a Superbowl party or…
These Oreo Cheesecake Brownies are made with four layers of Oreo cookie crust, dark cocoa brownie batter, a creamy cheesecake layer, and crushed Oreo cookies. They’re the black tie, red-carpet-ready version of Oreos, if Oreo cookies had dreams of Hollywood glamor. Read on to learn all about baking with your favorite cookie and the tips…
These Salted Caramel Espresso Brownies are made with a gooey caramel layer on top of a fudgy chocolate espresso brownie. They’re easy to put together in under an hour and will reward you with the best gooey brownies ever. Read on to learn how a failed attempt at Smitten Kitchen’s salted caramel brownies became a…
These Southwestern black bean burgers are seriously delicious and easy to make! With just a few simple ingredients like black beans, corn, and spices, you can create a burger patty that’s bursting with flavor. Die-hard carnivores won’t ask, “Where’s the beef?” when they try these veggie bean burgers. There’s no mushy bean burger here, and…
This Pornstar Martini Mocktail is a non-alcoholic version of the Pornstar Martini made with passion fruit puree, lime juice, simple syrup, vanilla extract, and a dash of bitters. It’s a lovely drink, whether you’re doing Dry January, trying to cut calories, or drinking for two, This Pornstar mocktail keeps all of the flavor, the balance…
The 52 weeks of cocktails challenge continues for its third year! This cocktail challenge was suggested as I wrapped up the 2021 reddit 52 weeks of baking challenge with my chocolate peppermint spritz cookies. I dabbled in cocktails in 2021. However, it wasn’t until I started making cocktails at home every week that I Iearned…
This Pornstar Martini, sometimes called the passion fruit martini, is a passion fruit sour made with vodka, passion fruit purée and passion fruit liqueur, lime juice, simple syrup and vanilla. Served with a shot of sparkling wine on the side, it’s a fun and delicious sipper with tropical flavors and aroma. So it’s no surprise…
These Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes make an easy two-step, three-ingredient recipe to accompany a simple roast or an unusual Thanksgiving side dish. If you love mashed sweet potatoes and banana, this is the recipe for you! You’ll love that the richness in these vegan mashed sweet potatoes comes only from the sweet potatoes and the…
These mini pie crust shells make the perfect bite sized mini pies. Fill them with savory fillings, and they’ll be the hit for your next cocktail party. Fill the shells with sweet fillings, and you have mini dessert cups. Making your own can be fussy, and you might be tempted just to buy pre-made pie…
This Nutella Banana Bread recipe is not your everyday banana bread. It’s rich and decadent and packed with chocolate chips and ribbons of Nutella swirl. And yet it’s still an easy banana break to make when you’re craving something sweet. Enjoy a slice of your Nutella banana bread as an afternoon snack or a late-night…
Many hazards in the kitchen are obvious. Knives are sharp, or at least they should be. The stove is hot. But there are other common kitchen hazards you may not be aware of. These thirteen surprising hazards are things that doctors like me want you to know. Because we’re the ones in the emergency rooms…
This Aperol Sour is a refreshing cocktail that combines the bitter and sweet flavors of Aperol with the tartness of lemon juice and a touch of of simple syrup. Add in some gin and an egg white foam for a more complex Aperol gin sour. Regardless of which Aperol variation you make, the result is…
This Cherry Bakewell cocktail is a dessert cocktail inspired by the flavors in a Cherry Bakewell tart – pastry topped with frangipane (an almond custard) and then a layer of jam. I must warn you that all this deliciousness is dangerous! Read on to learn all about the cocktail ingredients and tips and tricks for…
This Spicy Margarita recipe is made with jalapeño simple syrup and a chipotle salt rim. The end result is a tantalizingly tangy and thirst-quenching cocktail that packs a fiery punch, perfect for those who like a little sizzle in their sips! A spicy margarita is a great cocktail for Taco Tuesday or to accompany any…
With this 4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe, it’s never been easier to whip up a batch of homemade guacamole for Taco Tuesday or your next game night. All you need are ripe avocados, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and a little bit of love. Guacamole is perfect for scooping up with chips, slathering on tacos and taco meatloaf,…
These Blackberry Cheesecake Brownies are made with a homemade blackberry syrup swirled into a cheesecake layer that floats atop a fudgy brownie. Add a scoop of ice cream, and you have a decadent dessert that’s not hard to make. Do you love brownies and cheesecake and want a dessert to impress your friends without a…
The Creamy Espresso Martini with Baileys and Kahlua adds Baileys Irish Cream to a classic espresso martini recipe. That makes this easy coffee cocktail rich and creamy and just a bit sweeter than the original. A Baileys espresso martini is the perfect drink for coffee lovers, whether you have a home espresso maker or use…
This lemon apple curd recipe makes a silky smooth apple curd that’s not too sweet and not too tart. Whether enjoyed straight from the fridge or freezer or used to fill a pastry shell, every bite is a mouthful of memories of rain boots and red-orange maples. This apple curd follows in the footsteps of…
This blackberry strawberry banana smoothie bowl is for those of you looking for a simple, beautiful, fruit-filled breakfast bowl. Or keep it as a blackberry strawberry banana smoothie and drink it on the go. Making smoothies and smoothie bowls isn’t challenging. All you need is a blender.
These chocolate-dipped peppermint chocolate spritz cookies combine a tender chocolate mint cookie with a layer of rich, dark chocolate. Make them for your holiday cookie tray, chop them up to mix into peppermint ice cream, or give heart spritz cookies to your boo on Valentine’s Day. These spritz cookies are intended to be a copycat…
This Nutella Babka is made with a buttery brioche dough wrapped around a smooth chocolate and hazelnut filling. It’s definitely not a lesser babka. If you’ve never made babka before this, be assured that it’s not difficult to make, but it does require patience. So grab your mixer and hold my hand as we walk…
This Rose Syrup French 75 is a festive variation of a classic cocktail made with Empress gin for color and rose syrup for floral flavor. It’s a variation on the classic French 75 recipe that includes gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup topped with bubbly. Enjoy this rose syrup cocktail during the holidays or any…
This Perfect Brandy Manhattan recipe is a variation of one the most classic cocktails. It combines the rich and smooth taste of brandy with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. There are few rights and wrongs when it comes to what you like in food and drink. You might like a traditional Manhattan. You might…
This chocolate chip loaf cake recipe is for anyone who’s a fan of both pound cake and chocolate chips. And who isn’t? The recipe makes the softest chocolate chip pound cake using pantry staples in the classic baking ratio of equal amounts of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. It’s perfect for a simple dessert, an…
This easy Garbanzo Bean Soup is inspired by the classic Italian chickpea soup called pasta e ceci. It’s a hearty one pot vegetarian soup that’s packed with vegetables and garbanzo beans and takes under one hour from start to finish. Read on for tips and tricks about this garbanzo bean soup and how to create…
These Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookie Bars are a twist on traditional s’mores, featuring a buttery graham cracker cookie bar, gooey toasted marshmallows, and melting chocolate chips. They’re the perfect treat to bring back fond campfire memories. So gather your ingredients, grab a glass of milk, and get ready to indulge in a decadent and fun…
This sweet corn soup recipe is an ode to the end of summer. A time to revel in the bounty of the harvest and enjoy the last few warm days and nights. This corn soup is for those nights.
These Nutella waffles are a 30 minute recipe that combines a traditional, crisp buttermilk waffle laced with the chocolate hazelnut spread you know and love. Top your Nutella waffles with Nutella, some banana slices, and a drizzle of maple syrup? Now that’s breakfast. So read on to learn all the detailed tips and tricks for…
The Gin Espresso Martini swaps out the vodka and combines gin, espresso, and coffee liqueur for an espresso martini variation. If you love coffee and cocktails and you love an espresso martini, then an espresso gin martini is a cocktail to try. So read on for all the info and detailed tips and tricks about…
This Dry Peanut Butter Manhattan recipe is made with peanut butter whiskey, dry vermouth, and a dash of bitters. It’s a unique variation of a classic cocktail that’s bursting with peanut butter flavor. A Peanut Butter Manhattan may not be the first peanut butter whiskey cocktail you think of. But it’s one you’ll make again…
This Mediterranean Bowl with Spiced Lamb Meatballs is what my kiddo calls a “little bit of everything dinner.” Bowl dinners are great for picky eaters to try a variety of tastes and textures. And they can be time savers for weeknight meals when you have leftover grains and greens and other chopped vegetables. Read on…
The Lady Bridgerton is an Empress gin cocktail designed, taking a liberty or two, to celebrate the success of the Bridgerton series. It’s a an Empress gin sour made with a classic sour formula using Empress 1908 gin, lemon juice, and a homemade Earl Grey and lavender simple syrup. Sip this Empress Gin cocktail neat…
This rainbow fruit tart is made with brightly colored seasonal fruit arranged in a spiral pattern. It’s a showstopper dessert for all of your summer get-togethers.
This Fig Bacon Jam recipe has that rare balance of sweet and salty, creamy and crispy. Make the bacon and fig jam recipe ahead of time and you have a weeknight meal that comes together in the time it takes to cook your pasta. I know some of you will have no interest in reading…
These duck burgers with cherry ketchup are a delicious alternative to a traditional beef burger. With just 30 minutes of active time and your favorite condiments, you can make juicy duck burger patties that will be your new go-to for a mouthwatering and memorable meal.
These Lamb Meatballs with Pine Nuts and Raisins are a 30 minute recipe that is certain to go on repeat in your household over other meatball recipes. It is quick to assemble for a weeknight dinner. And kids love it. The sweetness from the raisins and cinnamon in the lamb meatballs appeals so strongly to…
This Strawberry Gimlet is a slightly sweet, refreshing cocktail made with gin, strawberry simple syrup, and fresh-squeezed lime juice. It’s a classic cocktail variation made for sipping alongside a cheese or charcuterie plate, great friends, and good conversation. Read on for information about gimlets and detailed tips and tricks how to make them. Or just…
Looking for a delicious and colorful breakfast idea? Look no further than these red velvet beet waffles! Made with puréed beets and cocoa powder, these waffles are a feast for the eyes and a treat for your taste buds. Plus, they’re a great way to sneak extra veggies into your diet! Serve them up with…
