We are NOT eating enough beans in this country. And yeah, I know, everyone has already harangued you about buying dried beans instead of the canned variety. “They’re so much more economical!” “They have so much more flavor!” “You don’t know what you’re missing!”
I’m not gonna say these are healthy peanut butter cups, but I will double down on this: these peanut butter and jelly cups are 10x better than store-bought Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It’s a great recipe to work on with kids since there’s really no cooking involved and the chocolate sets up quickly!
is this shame that I feel right now? Is that what happens when I delve into the cutesy territory too often? Yeah. That’s it. But you know what? I’m an equal opportunity recipe developer. I know that these are just going to tickle some of you pink. And I love you for that ;)
Braising is one of those fundamental techniques we should all be comfortable with. It’s terribly easy, and unbelievably practical. Just remember: you don’t want to completely submerge your meat ;) Keep the temp. low and slow (I’m a fan of oven-braising, come @ me you stovetop braisers), and you’ll find success without too much effort.
I. DON’T. DO. CUTE. I don’t even like cooking in specific shapes. But every once in a while I gird my loins and cook like BuzzFeed and Tasty want me to ;) Look: if you don’t want to make hearts out of these, DON’T. I won’t be upset. Just roll these like regular cinnamon buns and shove them into a pan.
I’m usually a quick-seared-crispy-skin kind of guy when it comes to fish, but this preparation is so easy and the flavors are fantastic so I’ll make an exception ;)
Ginger and butter are secret best friends. Like, we all know ginger hangs out with cardamom, and coconut, and yeah, garlic, but ginger’s got this secret side-bestie. Butter. Just straight up butter. These blondies are the public realization of their friendship and I couldn’t love them any more for it.
Somewhere there’s a forest made of cakes and candies, and from that fair copse we can harvest gorgeous yule logs year-round. But until we find that magical wonderland, we’ll have to make the damn cakes ourselves!
I am aggressively resisting the cultural expectation to use gendered language with these cookies. Will it cost me in SEO ranking? SURE. Do I care more about crushing the patriarchy than my page rank on Google? DUH.
I know you know this is totally not me, but accept it: I’ve made something cute. I don’t usually care for the adorable side of the baking equation, I’m far too practical to paint faces on my desserts. Until now. I was pondering the crisp autumnal air and started imagining a forest scene: hedgehogs, owls, and squirrels partying together amidst burnished leaves on the woodland floor. And once the image took hold in my head, I thought it might be fun to make a cookie inspired by that fever dream.
Since I’m such a voracious snacker, I often have to bargain with myself: “I’ll let you eat in between meals,” I say to myself, “if you eat something healthy. Ish. Healthy-ish.” And this peanut butter dip definitely fits the bill.
I’m like a magpie sometimes, my eyes caught on anything bright and shiny. A candied apple will always turn my head and this Fall I’m making batch after batch to serve guests at my home (who doesn’t squeal in delight at the shiny shell?).
I’m not normally the sort of person who thinks an apple needs much adornment. But every once in a while, I do love an apple dipped in buttery caramel. And this caramel is the best. It’s thick and luscious, it’ll coat the apple without pulling out your teeth, and it’s easy to make.
Another delectable puff pastry treat, this time twisted into a spiraling straw! Any flavor of jam will work perfectly here, just make sure not to overfill the cookies! Though you think it will make them better, all that extra jam will just leak out and burn!
Don't be ashamed of buying puff pastry from the freezer instead of making your own, just make sure you buy the good stuff (all butter)! These cookies come together quickly and look as good as they taste!
Hallmark Channel is a huge advocate for rescue animals, and I couldn't resist making a hot dog bun to honor their commitment to emptying America's pet shelters!
Take that rainy-day-favorite and put it on the grill! Reducing tomato soup into a spreadable condiment is a perfect way to amp up this grilled cheese hot dog!
It's worth scouring garage sales and thrift stores for clay baking vessels. For some reason, people dispose of them after a few years of use. Trust me, when you find one, hold onto it. You may not bake in it every week, but when you use it you'll be in awe of the results.
This is the ultimate one-pot dinner. Imagine you're a cowboy living on the frontier and this dish starts to make sense. I corralled the sort of ingredients that would have been available to ranchers and cowboys and frontierspeople in the 1800's. Coffee, whiskey, beef, potatoes, they're all in here.
Want something unique to serve at brunch? I love a sweet-savory mashup, and this definitely hits the spot. Caramelizing onions in bacon fat is a surefire way to make your house smell good before guests come over! The dish takes a little time, and a lot of stirring (to avoid burning), but don't let that scare you away! Trust me, your guests will be clamoring for it.
