Thyme of Season

50 Best Food Blogs in 2023

Over 50 Food Blogs to Discover and Follow in 2023

Food as we all know is essential for survival, but food is so much more than that. Food encompasses family, gatherings, memories, celebrations, happiness, and creates priceless moments. Whether you are sitting down at your family dinner table on a Monday night or celebrating a milestone event with friends and family, food will be a focal point. Planning and preparing goes into every meal you put on your family’s table or serve your guests at an event. We hope you will discover a new food blogger to follow from our 50 Best Food Blogs in 2023 roundup.

The choices of meals to prepare and serve are endless. There is a recipe for practically anything you can think of. Some time ago, before the internet, cooking TV shows, cookbooks and magazines were a popular way to learn new recipes and find inspiration. Sure, many of us have family recipes that were passed on from generations, but new inspirations were not in abundance. Forward to today, we have food blogs and recipe videos being shared by home cooks and professional chefs from all over the world.

The knowledge, ideas, talent and inspiration in the culinary arts are endless. We can find multiple recipes for practically whatever we desire to make via food blogs. There are thousands of food blogs and recipe sharing sites available to us just by simply searching. We created this post to introduce you to a little over 50 food blogs that we think are inspiring and offer amazing recipes with equally delicious looking photos. We hope you take a moment and visit these blogs and discover a few new food bloggers to follow. Recreate and enjoy some of the recipes they were kind enough to lovingly share with all of us.

General Food Blogs

Here are our Top 50+ Food Blogs to Discover and Follow in 2023. These are food blogs that offer a variety of recipes and are not niche blogs or diet specific. They offer a little bit of everything and are listed in alphabetical order.

A Couple of Cooks

A Couple Cooks is the online resource for home cooks. Powered by husband-and-wife authors Sonja and Alex Overhiser, you’ll find thousands of original recipes, cooking tips, and meal planning ideas to help you do amazing things in the kitchen.

A Cozy Kitchen

Adrianna runs A Cozy Kitchen, a food blog where she shares her favorite recipes and random tangents about life. The recipes she loves to make are ALWAYS comforting and cozy and often times are inspired by her Latin-American background.

A Family Feast

Jack and Martha Pesa, the team behind A Family Feast. They hope you enjoy the recipes and cooking tips we share. For them – preparing a great meal is one way that they show their love and caring to family and friends.

Aleka's Get-Together

At Aleka's Get-Together, Aleka has been testing recipes and entertaining tips for over 5 years in hopes of sharing everything she learned about entertaining and hosting get-togethers at home. Her goal is to share fun and easy party appetizers, desserts, snacks, cocktails and party tips to help you entertain like a boss at home!

Alexandra Cooks

In 2006 on a whim, Alexandra Stafford started Alexandra’s Kitchen, a place for mostly simple, always seasonal recipes. Eleven years later, her cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs, made its way into the world. And today she spends her days cooking, baking, writing, and eventually recording everything here on Alexandra’s Kitchen. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband, four children, and two cats.

Amanda's Cookin'

Amanda Formaro, owner and founder of Amanda’s Cookin, a food blog that offers easy family friendly recipes. Amanda loves to cook, bake and crafts. Take a look at her food blog.

Ambitious Kitchen

Monique launched Ambitious Kitchen back in 2011 and over the years have learned how powerful food can be when we hold a positive place for it in our lives. Her goal is simply this: to inspire you both in and out of the kitchen.

Averie Cooks

Averie Sunshine began blogging in 2009 as a way to share recipes, and what began as a little hobby, has turned into one of the best things she has ever done. Sharing recipes, connecting with readers, making lots of friends along the way, and cooking up a storm has been so much fun. She posts new recipes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Barley and Sage

Kyleigh is the writer, photographer, and recipe developer for Barley & Sage! You'll find delicious scratch-made recipes ranging from quick and easy cocktails or salads, to time intensive labors of love like how to make sourdough bread completely from scratch or her popular salted caramel French macarons!

By Kelsey Smith

When it comes to cooking, Kelsey is all about simplicity and shortcuts. If a recipe calls for more than a dozen ingredients, she is not interested in making it.

Chef Lindsay Farr

Chef Lindsey Farr created this blog as a place to share her love of food with the world. She posts new recipes, cooking tips, instructional videos, and behind-the-scenes looks at the food industry

Chili Pepper Madness

Chili Pepper Madness, where spicy food is always on the menu. Mike and Patty are here to bring you easy-to-follow recipes you can make at home whenever you want, and as SPICY as you want, too.

Completely Delicious

While baking will always be Annalise's passion, she also loves to share her family’s favorite meals and other savory dishes too. She has been sharing recipes on this site since 2008.

Cookie and Kate

Kate believes that cooking should be fun and recipes, flexible. She chooses not to cook meat, so all of the recipes on Cookie and Kate are vegetarian. She believes in eating whole foods, which are foods that are as close to their source as possible.

Cooking Classy

Jaclyn is a wife and mother, as well as the self-taught cook, baker, writer, editor and photographer behind this little space on the web Cooking Classy is a place for her to share the food she loves as she hopes to expand her photography and writing skills.

Cooking Therapy

Cooking Therapy is a place where Becca can share her personal stories around food as well as provide a source of inspiration for the every day home cook.

Culinary Hill

Meggan loves to combine her Midwestern food memories with her culinary education to create her own delicious take on modern family fare. There’s nothing she loves more than cooking for her family, friends, and every occasion! Food is love on Culinary Hill, and she knows you feel the same way in your own home.

Easy Dinner Recipes

Amy created Easy Dinner Recipes out of her desire for quick, satisfying, and family-friendly options to feed her busy family without sacrificing her love of real, good food.

Eat Love Eats

At Eat Love Eat, Sasha works with her husband Jacob to create modern and approachable recipes that highlight the magic in simplicity; it’s their passion.

Entirely Elizabeth

Elizabeth Swoish is the face behind Entirely Elizabeth. She believes in turning ordinary days into a party with easy desserts to sweeten things up, refreshing mocktails to mix it up and savory appetizers to tantalize your taste buds.

Food, Folks and Fun

Jillian is the creator, and author of Food Folks and Fun. She has over30 years of experience cooking for others. There’s nothing she loves more than cooking for her family.

Get on my Plate

One of the main struggles Casey hears from moms and busy women is constantly having to come up with meals to cook for their families! The goal of this blog is to show you that food does not have to be complicated! She shares easy recipes, meal planning, and simple kitchen tips to take the stress out of everyday cooking!

Gimme Some Oven

Ali created this little corner of the internet to celebrate life around the table and the good food that bring us all together. Here in her house, they gravitate towards recipes that are quick, easy, seasonal, (mostly) healthy, and big on flavor.

Grandbaby Cakes

Jocelyn Delk Adams created Grandbaby Cakes, a brand inspired by her grandmother which shares classic recipes in a modern and accessible way. She hopes to inspire a new generation of bakers and cooking enthusiasts to learn kitchen skills and not feel guilty about enjoying dessert

Half Baked Harvest

Tieghan's hope is to inspire a love for food in others, as well as the courage to try something new!

She started this blog in 2012 and has since been featured on The Cooking Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Crate & Barrel, Shape Magazine, Self Magazine, the Huffington Post, and PopSugar, among others.

House of Nash Eats

Amy started this blog as a way to share our mostly from-scratch, favorite recipes with friends and family and it has grown from there.

I am a Food Blog

I am a Food Blog is a recipe & travel blog written by husband-and-wife team Mike & Steph. In its 7 years of existence, it has covered such diverse subjects as mini beef wellingtons, driving through Iceland’s ring road, and making pho in a pressure cooker.

Jessica Gavin

Launched in 2012, Jessica enjoys developing & sharing recipes in her home test kitchen where she is able to infuse food science knowledge in every recipe. She loves the challenge of creating eye-catching dishes while maintaining the quality of the product and balancing flavors.

Julie Blanner

Julie is the voice behind the lifestyle blog filled with do-it-yourself inspiration for effortless entertaining, easy recipes and home design. She began sharing her effortless style of entertaining through this blog in 2008.

Killing Thyme

Dana is a journalism grad with a healthy appetite for writing, a taste for culinary adventure, a thirst for good beers, and an endless hunger for food photography—it’s no wonder she landed here! With Killing Thyme, she gets to fulfill each of these passions. This all started in 2012 as a hobby and slowly became her full-time gig.

Laughing Spatula

Kathi and Rachel are the mother/daughter duo behind the Laughing Spatula. They only share recipes that are tried and true! They fully curate, develop and test everything they post.

Little Sunny Kitchen

Diana is the creator of Little Sunny Kitchen and the cook and photographer behind all of the recipes you’ll find on the blog. She has been publishing easy recipes on the blog since 2014. What started out as a fun hobby has become a wonderful community of home cooks and a catalog of delicious and simple recipes that she is so proud to have created.

Love from the Table

Danielle is behind Love from the Table, a blog dedicated to simple recipes for busy families. She believes that food does not have to be complicated or fancy to be delicious, and that homemade meals don’t have to take all day. She focuses on family favorites made from real food ingredients that are easy enough even for the busy weeknights.

Natasha's Kitchen

Natasha comes from a family of fantastic cooks and she is here to share generations of recipes that are homey, fresh, healthy, family-friendly, authentic, and adventurous. Most importantly, the recipes taste great and you can trust that they actually work.

Once Upon a Chef

Jenn Segal is cooking for her family and sharing all her tested and perfected recipes with you here. The recipes on Once Upon a Chef reflect what her life is about; as a mom, she needs easy meals the whole family will enjoy but the chef in her needs to eat too!

Paint the Kitchen Red

Neena creates Air Fryer and Instant Pot recipes and guides. Her recipes have flavors from around the world. She lives in Salt Lake City and loves the beauty of the west!

Pinch of Yum

Lindsay is the voice, author, and creator behind Pinch of Yum. What started as a casual hobby over 10 years ago in 2010 while she was working as a fourth grade teacher has now grown into a full-blown business that reaches millions of people with fun recipes each month.

Preppy Kitchen

A few years ago John decided to follow his first passion in life which is culinary arts and Preppy Kitchen was born! Baking, Cooking, and the process of content creation he does for Preppy Kitchen is the perfect mix of his creative background as an artist, experience teaching math and science (so much of both goes into baking), and the lifelong education he received in the kitchen from his mother.

Recipe Tin Eats

Nagi is the voice, cook, photographer and videographer behind RecipeTin Eats, and she live sin the beautiful northern beaches area of Sydney, Australia with her dog Dozer.

Salt and Lavender

Natasha Bull is the author and photographer behind Salt & Lavender. Welcome to her online kitchen! If you're wondering what's for dinner, you've found the right website.

Spend with Pennies

Holly is the creator at Spend With Pennies! Where you will find deliciously simple recipes for the every day home cook. Easy to follow, tried, tested and loved! Happy cooking!

Steamy Kitchen

At the heart and soul of Steamy Kitchen is founder, author, and television chef Jaden Rae. Steamy Kitchen is all about sensual cooking and mindful eating. We live, love, and eat by one mantra: Simple pleasures, deeply felt.

Tastefully Grace

Cooking and baking with the seasons has been a part of Grace Vallo's life since since she was just a little kid. Here in New England, seasonal cooking is more than the fresh produce available during that time of year. It’s the “feeling” that you get when making popsicles or grilled meats in the summer, or a warm bowl of pasta in the winter! Whether it’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter or any holiday in between, I hope these recipes satisfy your seasonal cravings.

The Cookie Rookie

On The Cookie Rookie you’ll find EASY recipes for every occasion. Becky Hardin tries to keep the ingredient lists and instructions short and simple, and make sure that every recipe is the kind the entire family will love.

The Cozy Apron

Here's where Ingrid Beer shares her passion for food, people and life through her culinary creations and her writing; and where her husband Michael both share our love for food photography. Food inspires Ingrid to connect to people in the spirit of love and nurture; it is something tangible that gives taste to the intangible.

The Food Blog

Colleen loved to cook since she had to stand on a stool to do it! The kitchen is one of her favourite places to be.

The Littlest Crumb

The Littlest Crumb shares tasty brunch, dinner, drink & dessert recipes that are simple and easy to make.

The Recipe Critic

Alyssa Rivers is the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share her passion for cooking. She loves trying new things and testing them out with her family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

The Savory Cipolla

Liz Cipolla loves all things food. She loves cooking, eating and creating new recipes. In addition to creating new recipes, she also loves to share her family recipes that they use over and over again as well as use combinations of recipes and pick her favorite ingredients from each to create something delicious.

Thyme of Season

Thyme of Season launched in 2021 and is our food blog. Henrie Marie shares seasonal recipes and inspiration from her kitchen to yours. Living in beautiful seasonal Hudson Valley, NY, there is always an abundance of inspiration for seasonal recipes.

With Spice

With Spice is a collection of exciting and memorable recipes. Indi Hampton strives to produce recipes that are reliable, delicious, seasonally inspired and informative.

How amazing are these 50 food blogs? The recipes, the photography, the creativeness, its all graciously shared with us by these amazing cooks, chefs and creators. We hope you found this list of Best Food Blogs to Follow in 2023 very helpful. Our goal was to introduce you to food blogs you may have not discovered yet. Visit a few or all of these amazing, talented recipe developers and get is the kitchen to recreate these amazing recipes. Happy Cooking!

Strawberry Banana Bread

by Henrie Marie

This strawberry banana bread is packed with fresh strawberries and ripe bananas! The all-natural strawberry frosting adds extra sweet strawberry flavor. This is an easy recipe you are going to want to make.

Easy Strawberry Banana Bread Recipe

Banana bread is so simple and satisfying. It is a perfect snack or quick breakfast. There are many variations, and we thought the combination of juicy strawberries and perfectly ripe bananas would make a fantastic moist banana bread. This is a perfect alternative to the classic banana bread. We couldn’t get enough of this banana strawberry bread. It is a great alternative to regular banana bread.

The best part is that you can make this recipe all year long since bananas and strawberries are usually available throughout the year. Strawberry season in the north-east is usually in June, but the grocery stores carry strawberries in the winter too.

This recipe is a fast, easy and you don’t need any equipment. This is a no mixer recipe, just need a large bowl, a whisk and some mixing skills.

What’s in Strawberry Banana Bread?

For this delicious strawberry banana bread recipe, you will need:

Dry Ingredients:

All-Purpose Flour – for this recipe we recommend using bleached or un-bleached all-purpose flour. We haven’t tried this recipe with whole wheat flour or almond flour. Using whole wheat flour would alter the texture of this banana bread. And for gluten free banana bread, we recommend using a specific recipe developed for a gluten free classic banana bread and just add the strawberries and frosting.

Light Brown Sugar – dark brown sugar can be substituted. The only difference in light brown sugar and dark brown sugar is the molasses content. Mixed in the recipe, we don’t believe it will make a noticeable difference in the taste of the bread.

White Sugar – regular granulate sugar to add sweetness to the bread.

Baking soda – is chemical leavening agent that causes the batter to rise as it bakes. It is important that baking soda is fresh.

Salt – table salt or sea salt, actually any salt will do, a very small amount is needed just to bring out the flavors of all the ingredients.

Wet Ingredients:

Ripe Bananas – soft brown bananas work best. The banana peels should be mostly brown, and the bananas should be soft to the touch, almost mushy. Lots of dark brown spots or completely dark banana peel is a sign of an overripe banana. Ripe bananas add moisture and natural sweetness.

Fresh Strawberries – sliced into small pieces. It is important to pat the strawberries with a cloth or paper towel to remove any extra juice. Strawberries contain a lot of juice, and we don’t want any added moisture. We do not recommend using frozen strawberries, the have too much moisture.

Sour cream – plain full fat works best for this recipe. If you do not have sour cream, you can substitute it with full fat plain Greek yogurt.

Butter – unsalted melted butter is recommended. However, you can use salted butter just eliminate the salt from the recipe.

Eggs – large eggs at room temperature. Bringing the eggs to room temperature will help them blend better with the ingredients. Eggs also help bind the ingredients and give the bread structure.

Vanilla Extract – use pure vanilla extract and avoid imitation.

See the ingredient photos below:

How to Make Strawberry Banana Bread

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare a 5-inch loaf pan, line it with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool. It should be melted but cooled to room temperature.

Mash the bananas with a fork and set aside. Cut the strawberries into small pieces. Place between paper towels and gently press to remove any excess water. Set aside.

Place flour, light brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl and mix until combined.

Place mashed bananas, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract into a medium bowl and whisk together.

Combine the wet mixture with the flour mixture. Mix well.

Gently fold the strawberries into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Place the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean from the center of the bread. Bake time will vary based on individual ovens.

Check the top of the banana bread at 45-50 minutes, it will not be done but the top may be getting dark. It is a good idea to tent the pan with aluminum foil to the top of the bread to prevent burning. You want a nice golden-brown top.

Let the bread cool completely before frosting and serving.

See the step-by-step photos below:

How to Make Strawberry Frosting

Ingredients for the Strawberry Frosting

Powdered Sugar – for sweetness

Freeze Dried Strawberries – pulverized in a blender or food processor. Pure strawberry powder is available to buy as well. The strawberry powder adds a deep, vibrant, and natural fresh strawberry flavor to the frosting.

Heavy Cream – you can use half and half or whole milk.

Directions:

Place powdered sugar, strawberry powder and heavy cream into a mixing bowl and mix together.

Once the strawberry banana bread is completely cooled, frost the top of the bread and enjoy.

See the ingredient and step-by-step photos below:

How to Store Strawberry Banana Bread

The banana bread will last 1-2 three days at room temperature. It contains fresh fruit, and it is best when consumed within a day or two and make sure it is tightly wrapped with plastic wrap. You can also store in the refrigerator. Lastly, you can easily freeze this bread just seal it in a freezer bag. Frosting is optional if freezing the bread. If you decide to freeze frosted bread, just let it thaw at room temperature. Do not thaw in the microwave. Unfrosted banana bread can quickly thaw in the microwave or even toasted to bring out the banana flavor.

Helpful Tips for this Recipe

Use a timer and bake until done. Start monitoring at 45-50 minutes and watch your bread. Ovens vary and don’t worry if it takes longer to bake than the baking estimates provided.
Store in an airtight container to prevent from drying out.
The strawberry banana bread is perfect and tasty without the frosting. The frosting just adds another layer of sweetness and vibrant strawberry flavor. You can just add fresh strawberry slices or strawberry jam, jelly or spread that would add extra strawberry flavor. You can also add scoop of strawberry ice cream.
If you prefer, you can use this batter to make strawberry banana muffins. It is a bit dense banana bread recipe, but it would work for muffins. The baking time would be much less. If attempting to make muffins, I recommend checking them at 25 minutes to see if they are baked through.

Try our tropical inspired Pineapple Banana Bread recipe!

Banana Bread with Fresh Strawberries

This strawberry banana bread is packed with fresh strawberries and ripe bananas! Theall-natural strawberry frosting adds extra sweet strawberry flavor.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 275 kcal

Ingredients

Strawberry Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 overripe bananas – smashed
1 ½ cups fresh strawberries
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 stick unsalted butter – melted
2 eggs - room temperature
½ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup strawberry powder
¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Prepare a 5-inch loaf pan, line it with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool. It should be melted but cooled to room temperature.
Mash the bananas with a fork and set aside. Cut the strawberries into small pieces. Place between paper towels and gently press to remove any excess water. Set aside.
Place flour, light brown sugar, white sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl and mix until combined.
Place mashed bananas, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract into a medium bowl and whisk together.
Combine the wet mixture with the flour mixture. Mix well.
Gently fold the strawberries into the batter with a rubber spatula.
Place the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean from the center of the bread. Bake time will vary based on individual ovens.
Check the top of the banana bread at 45-50 minutes, it will not be done but the top may be getting dark. It is a good idea to tent the pan with aluminum foil to the top of the bread to prevent burning. You want a nice golden brown top.
Let the bread cool completely before frosting and serving.
For the Strawberry Frosting:
Place powdered sugar, strawberry powder and heavy cream into a mixing bowl and mix together.
Once completely cooled, frost the top of the bread and enjoy.

Keyword banana, banana bread, ripe bananas, strawberry

Ricotta Toast Recipe with Grilled Peaches

by Henrie Marie

This ricotta toast recipe is made with crunchy toasted sourdough bread, creamy whole milk ricotta cheese, grilled ripe peaches, crunchy pistachios, fresh mint and drizzled with peach glaze.

Gourmet Toast

Open faced sandwiches have become very popular recipes. Rightfully so, they are quick, easy and so satisfying. Especially since the topping possibilities are endless. The toast can be simple with just ricotta cheese and a drizzle of honey. Or it can be gourmet toast with more toppings and specific flavor combinations. We love easy recipes that taste sophisticated.

Toast recipes are a great way to satisfy a crowd as well. You can slice the toast and serve it as a snack or an appetizer at a dinner party. It holds up at room temperature.

Ingredients You Need

Sourdough bread – sourdough bread is our first choice for this recipe. The bakery section in most grocery stores have sliced or unsliced fresh bread. We prefer pre-sliced bread. The upside of pre-sliced bread is that you don't have to slice it. The downside is that you may not like the thickness of the pre-sliced bread.
Whole milk ricotta cheese – whole milk ricotta works best for this recipe. The protein and fat in the fresh ricotta add a rich, flavor.
Peaches – peaches should be ripe, but firm. Perfectly ripe peaches have the best flavor. Slightly grilling the peaches will enhance the flavor.
Pistachios – we prefer unsalted pistachios for this ricotta toast flavor combination. However, you can use any nuts you prefer. Almonds or walnuts would be tasty too,
Fresh mint – finely chopped fresh mint adds a refreshing flavor in each bite. If you don’t have fresh mint or if you prefer not to use mint, you can add fresh lemon zest. The lemon zest will liven up all the flavors.
Peach glace –homemade peach glace adds a touch of sweetness and extra peach flavor. Get the simple recipe for Easy Homemade Peach Glace Topping. A drizzle of honey or maple syrup is a great way to add a touch of sweetness too!
Olive Oil – to brush the toast if toasting it in a pan. We toasted the bread in a grill pan to achieve the grill marks. This optional and not needed if using a toaster over or air fryer to toast the bread.
Salt and pepper – sprinkle the grilled peach ricotta toast with a pinch of salt. Use sea or kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to enhance all the flavors.

Best Bread for Ricotta Toast

We prefer sourdough bread for ricotta toast. We also prefer sourdough bread for avocado toast too. Actually, we just love sourdough bread for any open sandwich recipe. I think a lot of recipe developers do too!

A good, freshly baked sourdough bread has a more complex flavor with hint of tanginess that comes from the natural acids in the sourdough starter.

If you can’t find sourdough bread, you can use other types of bread. The ricotta toast toppings in this recipe are bit heavy and we suggest a heartier bread that will hold the weight. You can try the following breads for this recipe:

Rustic Italian Bread sometimes called Tuscan Bread.
Ciabatta Bread.
Bagels.
French Bread – cut in half length wise.
Any Artisan Style Crusty Bread

Crunchy Bread is a Good Idea!

As mentioned before, this recipe is a little bit heavy with the rich ricotta cheese and the grilled peach slices and it best when paired with a crunchy and hearty piece of toast.

We toasted our bread in a grill pan over medium heat. We brushed the pan with light olive oil and toasted both sided of the bread until crunchy and grill marks were achieved. You can toast your bread in a toaster oven or air fryer too.

How to Make Creamy Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese does not have a creamy texture like cream cheese does. The texture is smooth with slight graininess. If you prefer a creamier texture, you can make it smoother and creamier with just a few simple ingredients and following these steps.

Place 8 ounces of whole milk ricotta cheese into a food processor with metal blade or a blender.
Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream and 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend for 2 minutes or until silky smooth in the food processor or blender, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container once or twice with a spatula.

Whipped ricotta has a light, airy, and creamy texture. The simple process smoothens the graininess that you may not prefer. We did not whip the ricotta cheese for this recipe. We used it right out of the container, and it worked well. It is up to you to whip or not to whip.

What goes with ricotta toast

The most common question is what goes with ricotta toast? The answer is whatever you prefer since the base of ricotta toast is simply a piece of toast with ricotta cheese spread. The toppings you add is entirely up to you and your mood. It is open to sweet or savory options.

This grilled peach open faced sandwich is slightly on the sweeter side. It is sweetened by ripe grilled peaches and peach glace. Here are some of our other favorite ways top and enhance this simple toast:

Easy Breakfast Idea– add sliced hard-boiled eggs, smoked salmon, capers, fresh dill, green onions, freshly squeezed lemon juice and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Quick, satisfying and simple breakfast.

Light Lunch Suggestion– add fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, slivered almonds, orange zest, add a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper to season and finish with drizzle of hot honey.

Simple Appetizer – add roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar reduction, sprinkle with fleur de sel and red pepper flakes. Serve sliced on a serving dish for the whole family to enjoy. It is also a great idea to serve it at a dinner party. Just a little something to put out for your guests to enjoy before dinner.

New to Ricotta Toast? Try this Simple Recipe

If you never had ricotta toast and it is your first time making it, we recommend using toppings that require no cooking time. May we suggest a super simple avocado ricotta toast, just add ripe sliced avocado and season with salt and pepper. It will take you 1-2 minutes of prep time to put this simple, toast together. If you enjoyed a simple ricotta toast, you could experiment with other toppings and move on to the next level of open sandwich recipe creations. The possibilities for ricotta toast recipes are endless! You may like this Easy Strawberry Ricotta Toast too. Enjoy!

Ricotta Toast Recipe with Grilled Peaches

This ricotta toast recipe is made with crunchy toasted sourdough bread, creamy whole milk ricotta cheese, grilled ripe peaches, crunchy pistachios, fresh mint and drizzled with peach glaze.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch, lunch

Cuisine American

Servings 2

Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients

2 slices sourdough bread toasted
1 peach sliced
½ cup full fat ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted pistachio – roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint – julienned
peach glaze
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Grill Peaches

Lightly brush peach slices with light olive oil and place on hot grill or in a grill pan.
Grill 1-2 minutes in each side, until grill marks are achieved.

Toast or Grill Bread Slices

Toast or grill bread slices. Either place bread slices into a toaster oven and toast or lightly brush with olive oil and grill on a hot grill or grill pan.

Assemble Ricotta Toast

Evenly spread ricotta cheese over the toast.
Add toppings and drizzle with peach glace.
Optional - cut in half or thirds if preferred.

Keyword grilled peaches, open sandwich, ricotta cheese, ricotta toast

What to Make with Chicken Thighs

by Henrie Marie

Did you happen to find a great deal on family size chicken thighs? And now are wondering what to make with chicken thighs. Don't worry, we have searched the internet and found mouthwatering, delicious looking recipes for you to try. Here are our top recipe suggestions for what to make with chicken thighs. The hero ingredient truly shines in all of the recipes that made it to our 10 Best Recipes with Chicken Thighs. In fact, we want to make them all and you may too. So, get in the kitchen and start cooking.

Want to learn more about chicken thighs? Keep reading! Or...

JUMP to RECIPES

What Are Chicken Thighs?

Chicken thighs are popular and affordable dark meat from a chicken. They have a richer, more intense meatier flavor than chicken breasts. However, they are milder in flavor when compared to a gamier bird, such as duck meat. The thigh is cut from the top section of the chicken. They are very popular with restaurant chefs and home cooks. Many cooks prefer chicken thighs over chicken breast because of their deeper flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. They are more tender because the thighs contain more fat than chicken breast, this fat releases juice and flavor when cooked.

Chicken thighs are sold at your local grocery store or butcher shop, and most often they are bone-in with the skin on. Some grocery stores carry bone-in and skinless or boneless and skinless chicken thighs. There are numerous ways to cook chicken thighs, such as roasting, braising, frying or grilling. Grilling chicken thighs is probably the most popular way to cook them, especially in the warmer summer months.

How to Prepare Them

Once you are ready to make a delicious meal with the thighs, there really isn’t much to do but follow the recipe you chose to make. They can be used right of the package. You can de-bone them if you wish or remove the skin if you prefer but other than that they really don’t require any special preparation unless the recipe you are using indicates a specific preparation step.

How to Cook Them

To get the deepest flavor out of chicken thighs we recommend cooking them with bone-in and skin-on. Fat is released from the skin and cartilage is released from the bone during the cooking process. Both add extra flavor and moisture to the meat regardless of the cooking method you choose. If you watch cooking shows, any chef will tell you that fat equals flavor.

Chicken thighs are a popular choice among home cooks because of their forgiveness during cooking. Due to their higher fat content, they don’t overcook and dry out as easily as chicken breast. For example, if you are baking the thighs and you leave them in for five minutes longer than the recipe calls for, they will still be tasty and juicy, whereas with chicken breast, that extra five minutes will dry out your chicken, and you will notice the difference.

The thighs can be marinated as well. A well-balanced marinade will add another enhanced layer of flavor. They can be roasted, grilled, fried in a deep fryer or pan fried. They are delicious when air fried as well and perfect for slow cooker recipes. The various cooking methods allow for versatility when deciding what to make with chicken thighs.

* Please note that all chicken products must be cooked thoroughly. Raw chicken should never be consumed. Best way to know when chicken is thoroughly cooked is by using a meat thermometer.

Buying and Storing Tips

When shopping for chicken thighs make sure to look at the dates and try to get the freshest ones.

Plan out your recipes ahead of time and purchase accordingly. Use them within three days of purchase, or as the package “use by date” indicates.

If you are buying a family-sized package and will not cook the entire package at once, we recommend freezing some of the thighs. They freeze very well. Make sure to wrap each thigh individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. They can remain frozen for a few months.

Nutritional Facts

Since the thighs of the chicken contain more fat, especially when cooked with the skin on they contain a higher calorie count compared to leaner, skinless chicken breast. The size of the thigh matters as well. The package will contain various sizes of thighs, similar but some will be larger or smaller than others. The source of the nutritional chart below is from myfooddata.com and USDA. It is meant to be used as a guide not an absolute source, since certain variables can vary. If you have special dietary needs, please consult a professional in the health care and nutrition profession. We are neither.

10 Best Chicken Thigh Recipes

Every single one of these recipes looks amazing! We think this list will give you some inspiration and ideas. Thank you to all the recipe developers for creating these delicious recipes.

Buffalo Chicken Thighs

Buffalo Chicken Thigs photo by: Kelsey Smith bykelseysmith.com

Kelsey Smith from by Kelsey Smith describes her dish as "Buffalo chicken thighs are a meatier take on a traditional Buffalo chicken wing. These bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are baked until the skin is crisp then covered in wing sauce made from cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter". View Full Recipe.

Creamy Garlic Chicken

Creamy Garlic Chicken photo by: Kathi and Rachel Kirk laughingspatula.com

Kathi and Rachel Kirk from the Laughing Spatula describe this dish as "Creamy Garlic Chicken is made with tender chicken thighs, potatoes and a light cream sauce. All tossed in a baking dish for the easiest and most delicious meal!" View Full Recipe.

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs photo by: Henrie Marie thymeofseason.com

Henrie Marie (that's ME) from Thyme of Season (This Site) suggests making this easy and delicious lemon pepper chicken thighs made with juicy thighs that are marinated in an easy homemade citrus and peppery spice marinade. Chicken thighs are oven baked and finished with vibrant fresh squeezed lemon to add a refreshing pop of zest. Simple and delicious chicken dinner for a later summer evening! View Full Recipe.

One-Pan Chicken Puttanesca with Creamy Orzo

One-Pan Chicken Puttanesca with Creamy Orzo photo by: Dana Sandonato killingthyme.net

Dana from Killing Thyme created this "One-Pan Chicken Puttanesca with Creamy Orzo is a beautiful meal, and it’s simple enough for your weeknights." View Full Recipe.

More Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes

Cast Iron Chicken Thighs with Cherries

Cast Iron Chicken Thighs with Cherries photo by: Sasha eatloveeats.com

asha from Eat Love Eats created this "Cast iron chicken thighs with cherries is the perfect one-pan dinner. It's easy to make and perfectly balanced in flavour - and you’ll LOVE the extra crispy chicken skin! A great dish to use fresh cherries at the height of the season!" View Full Recipe.

Quick Chicken Cacciatore

Michelle from Now Cook This offers "This Quick Chicken Cacciatore has tender boneless chicken thighs in a flavorful homemade tomato sauce that’s full of onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, garlic, herbs, and red wine. It’s so easy to make and ready in less than an hour!" View Full Recipe.

Low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs (Paleo, Whole30)

Low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs (Paleo, Whole30) photo by: Gail goodnomshoney.com

Gail from Good Noms, Honey! created "These low FODMAP Creamy Bacon Mushroom Chicken Thighs taste so delectable, you'll completely forget you're on a restricted diet! Made with low FODMAP quantities of canned mushrooms and coconut milk to make a rich, decadent sauce, this chicken thighs recipe adapted for low FODMAP from 40 Aprons will become your go-to guilty-pleasure comfort food dish." View Full Recipe.

Harissa Chicken

Harissa Chicken photo by: Ingrid Beer thecozyapron.com

Ingrid Beer from The Cozy Apron describes this recipe as "Zesty and beautifully rustic, my harissa chicken is a mouthwatering one-pan chicken recipe scented with bright, aromatic spices and rich, earthy flavor. Prepared with an accompaniment of yellow baby potatoes and a delicious sauce made with aromatic onions and garlic, this easy harissa chicken recipe is comfort food with a delicious North African slant!" View Full Recipe.

Stovetop BBQ Chicken

Stovetop BBQ Chicken photo by: Kristen theendlessmeal.com

Kristen from The Endless Meal crated this easy recipe for "Stovetop BBQ chicken is a quick and easy recipe that you can make year-round whenever you're craving BBQ flavor. No need to fire up the grill!" View Full Recipe.

And, last but not least

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Thighs With Mushrooms

Quick Chicken Cacciatore photo by: Michelle nowcookthis.com

Sarah from A Saucy Kitchen says "Make the most of seasonal ingredients with this balsamic cranberry chicken dish the entire family will love! Marinated chicken thighs, sautéed mushrooms and juicy cranberries cooked and coated in a bright and savory balsamic sauce. Dairy Free + Paleo Friendly." View Full Recipe.

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

by Henrie Marie

Easy and delicious lemon pepper chicken thighs made with juicy chicken thighs that are marinated in an easy homemade citrus and peppery spice marinade. Chicken thighs are oven baked and finished with vibrant fresh squeezed lemon to add a refreshing pop of zest. Simple and delicious chicken dinner for a later summer evening!

We used bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. To learn more about chicken thighs read our article on What to Make with Chicken Thighs.

lemon pepper chicken without lemon pepper seasoning

This lemon pepper chick thighs recipe is made with all natural ingredients. Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest gives the marinade a natural refreshing lemon flavor that you want to shine though in this dish. I decided to flavor the chicken thighs by marinating them in an all-natural homemade marinade rather than using common lemon pepper seasoning.

Why? Firstly, most lemon pepper chicken recipes on the internet are made with a store-bought lemon pepper seasoning. And secondly, almost all lemon pepper seasonings on the market contain citric acid and/or artificial ingredients. Citric acid is a natural component in citrus fruits such as lemons and limes and it is the ingredient that gives these fruits their sour flavor. However, manufactured citric acid is not the same.

Manufactured citric acid produced from a specific type of mold and is used in various ways. Most commonly as flavoring and preserving agent. It still has the sour tasting flavor and that’s why most lemon pepper seasonings have a sour taste. Citric acid is also used as a preservative and as a cleaning agent. Also, a lot of lemon pepper seasonings have other ingredients that you may want to avoid such as tricalcium phosphate and silicone dioxide which is used to keep the seasoning from sticking together and/or yellow #5 which is an artificial food coloring.

Lemon pepper seasoning substitute

Try this all-natural lemon pepper marinade instead of store-bought lemon pepper seasoning. These are the few ingredients for this simple lemon pepper marinade:

Light olive oil – or any other vegetable oil you have on hand.

Lemon juice – fresh squeezed works best.

Vinegar – white wine vinegar such as white balsamic. You can substitute red wine vinegar if that’s what you have.

Lemon zest – freshly grated.

Garlic – fresh minced garlic, however you can substitute garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic.

Parsley – fresh or dried will work just fine.

Honey – used a sweetener to balance the acidity for the lemons and vinegar. You can use agave nectar, maple syrup or simple syrup if you don’t have honey

Black pepper – fresh ground coarsely.

Paprika – added for a sweet peppery flavor. You can use ground cayenne pepper if you prefer a little spice.

Sea salt – to taste.

Oregano – we used dried oregano for a touch of herby flavor. You can omit it if you don’t have it or just simply don’t like oregano.

You will also need chicken thighs. This recipe calls for three pounds of bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs, about six pieces.

Directions for lemon pepper chicken thighs

For the marinade- place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together.

Place chicken thighs in a small but deep dish and pour the marinade all over the chicken thighs. For optimal flavor, lift the skin from the meat and brush the meat with the marinade. Cut off any extra skin.

Cover and refrigerate for at least a half hour, preferably an hour.

When ready to bake - pre-heat oven to 375°.

Place chicken thighs in a pan. Optional: line the pan with a cooling rack so as the chicken thighs bake, the fat has someplace to drip rather than the thighs just sitting in it as they bake.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the largest thigh temperature is at least 165°-170°. I recommend using a food thermometer.

Check the thighs at 25 -30 minutes, they should be fully cooked. Turn the oven to broil and leave in for about 5 minutes or until the skin becomes nice and crispy with a vibrant brown color. Keep an eye on them, broil can turn to burned quickly!

What to serve with lemon pepper chicken

There are so many sides for chicken, but you should try our roasted cauliflower mash with these lemon pepper chicken thighs. Roasted cauliflower mash is a perfect side for chicken, really a fantastic combination. And the whole dinner plate is gluten free and keto friendly. Get the recipe for our easy, five ingredient Roasted Cauliflower Mash.

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs

Easy and delicious lemon pepper chicken thighs made with juicy chicken thighs that are marinated in an easy homemade citrus and peppery spice marinade.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

marinade time 30 mins

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 440 kcal

Equipment

food thermometer

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken thighs – bone-in skin-on
½ cup light olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

Lemon Pepper Marinade

Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together.
Place chicken thighs in a small but deep dish and pour the marinade all over the chicken thighs. For optimal flavor, lift the skin from the meat and brush the meat with the marinade. Cut off any extra skin.
Cover and refrigerate for at least a half hour, preferably an hour.

When ready to bake

Pre-heat oven to 375°.
Place chicken thighs in a pan. Optional: line the pan with a cooling rack so as the chicken thighs bake, the fat has someplace to drip rather than the thighs just sitting in it as they bake.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the largest thigh temperature is at least 165°-170°. I recommend using a food thermometer.
Check the thighs at 25 -30 minutes, they should be fully cooked. Turn the oven to broil and leave in for about 5 minutes or until the skin becomes nice and crispy with a vibrant brown color. Keep an eye on them, broil can turn to burned quickly

Keyword baked chicken, chicken dinner, chicken thighs recipe, lemon pepper chicken

Shrimp Ceviche with Passion Fruit

by Henrie Marie

Summer heat has officially arrived, and we just crave easy meals that will cool us down. During July and August, we use our oven as little as possible. No need to add extra heat into the kitchen if it’s avoidable. Needless to say, this shrimp ceviche with passion fruit is refreshing and vibrant. Our ceviche with cooked shrimp, zesty lime juice, exotic slightly tart passion fruit and just the right heat from the jalapeno is a delicious, invigorating and welcoming dish. Serve it as a snack, lunch, or light dinner with a bowl of tortilla chips and watch it disappear. I would say you can store this ceviche in the refrigerator for about a day, but it will not last that long.

What is Ceviche

Ceviche is a popular Latin American dish made by soaking raw fish and other seafood such as shrimp, scallops, or octopus in an acidic liquid citrus juice, usually lime or lemon. The acid in the citrus denatures which means takes away or alters the proteins in the fish. By altering these proteins in the fish, it essentially “cooks” the fish without adding heat. The flesh of the fish becomes opaque in color with a firm texture, very similar to when it is cooked with heat.

Classic ceviche is made with a few simple ingredients, usually, a citrus marinade, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and salt and pepper to season. However, the possibilities for a ceviche recipe are endless. I think ceviche would be amazing with avocado, corn, celery, cucumbers, radishes, mango, sweet potatoes, pineapple, peppers just to name a few suggestions. Use your creativity.

Ceviche is usually served as an appetizer with tortilla chips. But really there are no rules!

Is Ceviche Safe to Eat

Classic ceviche recipes contain raw fish or seafood. The macerating method might not completely kill any or all the lingering bacteria that may be in the fish or seafood. Therefore, it is crucial to use the freshest seafood you can find when making ceviche.

I might add that there is absolutely nothing wrong with cooking the fish, allowing it to cool and adding it to the mixture of your choice. As a matter of fact, when I make shrimp ceviche, I prefer to fully cook the shrimp. Our shrimp ceviche with passion fruit recipe contains fully cooked and cooled shrimp. And it’s fantastic!

In short, yes ceviche is safe to eat if you are using super fresh raw fish or seafood, eat it within a day, and don’t cross contaminate the raw fish or seafood.

Using cooked shrimp for ceviche

Fresh, raw white fish such as mahi-mahi, sole, grouper or bass work very well with ceviche. However, any other seafood such a shrimp, scallops or octopus, I prefer pre-cooked and chilled before mixing in with citrus juice and ceviche ingredients. Especially if using frozen seafood. Technically frozen seafood is not a fresh product, it is a frozen product. And I highly suggest cooking it with heat rather than letting it marinate in citrus juice.

Main Ingredients

raw frozen shrimp – we used a 12-ounce bag of raw frozen shrimp with tails on. Since this recipe calls for cooked shrimp, there is a short but extra step that requires cooking and cooling the shrimp. To give the shrimp some extra zesty and spicy flavor, we cooked it in a citrus boil. If you wish to eliminate the cooking step, you can use defrosted, already cooked and peeled shrimp. It’s as easy as defrosting and cutting the shrimp. And I think it will work well in this recipe.

fresh passion fruit pulp – passion fruit is available at most grocery stores during the summer. It is more difficult to find it during the colder months. Passion fruit is usually imported from Hawaii or other tropical countries. If you can’t find fresh passion fruit, freeze dried passion fruit can be substituted. Freeze dried passion fruit easily rehydrates with just a little hot water and looks and tastes like the fresh fruit pulp.

Ingredients and Variations for this Recipe

red onion – thinly sliced or chopped. If you don’t have red onions, you can use yellow or white onions.

cilantro – is a classic ingredient in ceviche, if you don’t like the flavor of cilantro, you can eliminate it. However, it will be missing the unique fragrant citrusy flavor the cilantro adds to the dish.

fresh lime juice – works best in this recipe. If you don’t have lime juice, you can use lemon juice.

pure passion fruit puree – frozen unsweetened pure passion fruit puree is recommended. Goya has frozen pure passion fruit pulp available in some grocery stores. I found it at Target and Shop Rite here in New York. If you can’t find unsweetened passion fruit puree, you can eliminate this ingredient. Note: you can use sweetened passion fruit puree but if you do eliminate the agave.

jalapeno pepper – will add a delicious, balanced heat to the shrimp ceviche. However, if you prefer less spice cut the jalapeno in half or if you prefer no spice you can substitute with green bell pepper. It will add a peppery flavor and crunch without the heat.

agave nectar – we used agave nectar to balance the acidity in the recipe. Both the lime juice and unsweetened passion fruit pure pack a sour punch that needs a bit of balance. You can use maple syrup, honey or simple syrup if you don’t have agave nectar on hand.

fresh ginger – ginger adds a fresh vibrant flavor to this recipe with a hint of distinct spice. You can eliminate the ginger if you prefer.

seasonings – salt, fresh ground black pepper, and paprika

shrimp boil - left over lime, salt, crushed red pepper and black peppercorns. This boil is essentially flavored water to cook the shrimp in. As the shrimp cooks it absorbs the flavored water and is more flavorful.

How to make shrimp ceviche with cooked shrimp

Chop red onion, cilantro and jalapeno. Set aside

Squeeze juice out of one large or two small limes and save the leftovers for the shrimp boil.

Create the shrimp boil by adding water into a large pot along with left over lime, salt, red crushed pepper and crushed black peppercorns. Bring to a boil.

Add shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they become firm and opaque white and bright orange in color. Remove from boil and let cool completely. To expedite the cooling process, rinse with cold water.

Remove tails and any shells from the shrimp.

Roughly chop shrimp into bite sized pieces.

Place chopped shrimp into a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix well and transfer into a serving dish.

Cover the shrimp ceviche mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry. Mix well before serving.

Enjoy with tortilla chips or eat alone.

Shrimp Ceviche with Passion Fruit

Shrimp ceviche with passion fruit is a must try. It’s bright and fresh; full of zesty lime juice, exotic slightly tart passion fruit with just the right heat added from the jalapeno. We mixed in a touch of agave nectar to balance out the tart acidity.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine South American

Servings 2 people

Calories 220 kcal

Ingredients

12 ounces raw frozen shrimp – defrosted
1 fresh passion fruit pulp
⅓ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons pure passion fruit pure
2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon pressed ginger with the juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Chop red onion, cilantro and jalapeno. Set aside
Squeeze juice out of one large or two small limes and save the leftovers for the shrimp boil.
Create the shrimp boil by adding water into a large pot along with left over lime, salt, red crushed pepper and crushed black peppercorns. Bring to a boil.
Add shrimp and cook for 2-4 minutes or until they become firm and opaque white and bright orange in color. Remove from boil and let cool completely. To expedite the cooling process, rinse with cold water.
Remove tails and any shells from the shrimp.
Roughly chop shrimp into bite sized pieces.
Place chopped shrimp into a large mixing bowl and add all the ingredients. Mix well and transfer into a serving dish.
Cover the shrimp ceviche mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry. Mix well before serving.

Keyword ceviche, shrimp

Fresh Green Apple Salsa

by Henrie Marie

This Fresh Green Apple Salsa (also known as pico de gallo) is one of my favorite salsas to make. It is so refreshing and the flavors for the green fruit and vegetables blend well together. It is so easy to make, simply prepare the ingredients and mix together. On the table in just a few minutes.

fresh green apple salsa

I first made this salsa in October with my Jackfruit Tacos recipe. At the time, I did not take any pictures of the salsa itself since it was not a focus dish but rather a topping.

Since that time, the Jackfruit Tacos recipe along with this fresh Green Apple Salsa (now renamed as my original Emerald Salsa) has won a contest. YES! This Emerald Salsa is a contest winning Recipe!

Naturally, at this point in time with all its accomplishments the Emerald Salsa deserves an original post on its own.

As you would imagine, the Emerald Salsa is just that – Emerald Green. The recipe contains only green ingredients. When preparing the ingredients for this recipe, the kitchen just smells fresh, clean, vibrant and healthy. I wouldn’t think raw ingredients would have an aroma that fills the kitchen, but to my surprise it did. The natural flavors off all the green ingredients work so well together that, all you need is fresh lime juice for acidity and salt to season and brighten all the flavors. That it is! It is clean, healthy and tasty. Add some chips and watch it disappear. Serve it with your favorite tacos or fajitas for an added unique flavor.

Green Apple Salsa Ingredients

baby cucumbers – I prefer baby cucumbers, but regular cucumbers can be used.

green apple – green apple five this salsa a tart flavor, other apples can be used but keep in mind that it will change the flavor. For example, a sweeter apple will obviously sweeten the salsa.

green bell pepper – or any other green pepper that is not spicy

avocados – ripe avocados work best. Avocados are ripe when they feel firm but yield or give when light pressure is applied.

jalapeno – for a little spice

green onion – also known as scallions, however white onion can be substituted.

lime juice – fresh lime juice works best.

fresh cilantro – fresh cilantro, do not use dried cilantro. Cilantro has a very deep, distinct flavor and aroma that some people do not like. It can be eliminated from the recipe if you really do not like cilantro, otherwise use it.

sea salt – or your preference

How to make Pico de Gallo [fresh salsa]

Dice cucumbers, apple, green bell pepper, jalapeno, avocado, and green onion.

Finely chop the cilantro.

Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Add lime juice and salt. Mix well.

Transfer into a serving dish.

What is the difference between Pico de Gallo and Salsa?

Technically, this Emerald Salsa is Pico de Gallo and Pico de Gallo is technically a type of salsa. Wow really??

Let me explain why these two terms are often used interchangeably even though they are slightly different. Here are the three most common differences.

Consistency - Pico de gallo has a lot less liquid than salsa and therefore is thicker in consistency. Although, salsa can be chunky too, the tomatoes are usually blended or pureed which gives salsa a runnier consistency.

Ingredients - Pico de Gallo is ALWAYS made with fresh ingredients, whereas salsa may contain canned or cooked ingredients, such as tomatoes, charred peppers and corn. I think this is the big difference between the two condiments. Also, the reason salsa is on the shelves and pico de gallo is in the refrigerated section at the grocery stores.

Preparation - Pico de gallo is a simple mixture of freshly chopped ingredients. Salsa, however, involves a food processor or blender to make ingredients, usually the canned tomatoes smoother or pureed, hence the more liquid in the consistency.

You may notice all these three variations have tomatoes in common. Yes, tomatoes, weather fresh, roasted or canned, are the main ingredient in salsa and pico de gallo. And no there are no tomatoes in my Emerald Green Salsa/Pico de Gallo.

There were no green tomatoes in October. Besides, I don’t think the flavor of un-ripened, bitter green tomatoes would add anything tasty to this recipe. But I will try it this year when my tomatoes are still green, just out of curiosity.

Green Apple Salsa

Fresh green apple salsa made with all green ingrdients.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 2 people

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup baby cucumbers diced
1 cup green apple diced
½ cup green bell pepper diced
2 small avocados or 1 large diced
1 medium jalapeno diced or less
¼ cup green onion sliced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Dice cucumbers, apple, green bell pepper, jalapeno, avocado, and green onion.
Finely chop the cilantro.
Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Add lime juice and salt. Mix well.
Transfer into a serving dish.

Keyword fresh salsa, green salsa, mexican food, pico de gallo, salsa

How to pick a watermelon

by Henrie Marie

Nothing screams summertime more than a ripe, sweet, and juicy slice of watermelon. Watermelon is perfect for this time of season. It is fantastic on its own. However, there are countless recipes that you can make with fresh watermelon. Watermelon can be used for satisfying salads both sweet and semi-savory, healthy smoothies, alcoholic cocktails, non-alcoholic refreshers, cold soups known as gazpacho, and so on. Watermelon also contains vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, fiber, antioxidants and lots of water for hydration.

But how do you know if the watermelon is juicy, sweet, ripe and not mealy on the inside. Is round watermelon better than oval? Does watermelon weight matter? What is that yellow spot on the watermelon? Ah, so many questions and we have the answers. Follow the tips below and learn how to pick a watermelon that will not disappoint you when you cut into it.

Look at the watermelon colors and outer texture

The colors of a watermelon are usually shades of green and yellow with a striped design. The best watermelons are ones with deep dark green and light, creamy yellow stripes. The outer layer of the watermelon rind that is visible should be dull. If it is shiny, it is most likely not very ripe.

Examine the watermelon field spot

What is the “field spot” you ask. The field spot is the discolored spot of the watermelon that is created as it sits in the field. This spot is an indicator of the watermelon's flavor. This field spot should be creamy, yellow and on the light orange side. The darker the field spot the riper the watermelon. If the field spot is more towards the white or light-yellow shade, it may not be the best watermelon to buy since it may be light in flavor.

Watermelon stem

If the watermelon has a stem, which many in grocery stores do not, it should be dry and brown. A dry stem indicates that the watermelon is mature and had time to ripen. If the stem is green, it may have been picked too soon and may lack sweetness. If a watermelon is missing the stem, then examine the stem area, it should be dry and brown.

Watermelon webbing or veining

Look for dry webbing on the outer rind of the watermelon. If you find these dry lines, it is a good sign. These dry webbings are created from the sugar that seeps out of the watermelon. The more webbing or veining on the outer layer of the watermelon, the sweeter the fruit should be.

Watermelon Weight Matters

Choose a watermelon that seems to be heavier for its size. The heavier the watermelon the more water it contains. High water content usually leads to a sweeter, juicier watermelon. Watermelon weight is important.

Watermelon shape - Round or Oval which shape is better?

It depends on the watermelon you are buying. Small watermelons, such as pixie watermelons, are usually round and seedless. If you are looking for small watermelons, choose a rounder, more evenly shaped watermelon. Oval shaped watermelons such as picnic watermelon, tend to be large and heavy. If you are looking for oval watermelons, choose an evenly shaped oval watermelon. Either shape is fine as long as it is as perfect of a shape as it can be, and it does not have uneven dents, or its miss shaped.

When is watermelon in season?

As with any fruit, the best time to buy watermelon is when it is in season. Watermelon is synonym with summer. Naturally the best time to enjoy the sweetest, juiciest watermelon is during the summer months. The tastiest watermelons can be enjoyed between May and September.

Now that you know exactly what to look for when shopping for that perfect watermelon, may we suggest some of these tips:

Wash the watermelon thoroughly with dish soap or fruit rinse designed for washing fruit. Even though you are not eating the outer rind of the watermelon, it has been handled by many hands and it has been in many places. You are cutting into it and you do not want to eat the bacteria that may be spread onto the fruit.
Be careful when cutting the fruit. The rind can be thick and hard to cut through. Place the watermelon onto a non-slippery surface and cut in half first, then in half again. Use a large sharp knife and use caution.

Looking for summer watermelon recipes? Try our refreshing Watermelon Mint Salad.

We hope you found this article helpful and answered the how to pick a watermelon question that so many readers have.

Honey Prosecco Vinaigrette

by Henrie Marie

Make this easy Honey Prosecco Vinaigrette in less than five minutes. There is nothing easier than making homemade salad dressings and vinaigrettes. I cannot tell you the last time I purchased a bottle of salad dressing at the grocery store. And we eat a lot of salads! Especially during the hot summer months when we just don’t feel like cooking.

Why you should make your own salad dressings

Besides the fact that they are easy and take almost no time to make, the flavor is fresher and you know exactly what you put into the recipe. Most homemade salad dressing recipes contain only natural ingredients and require no preservatives for longer shelf-life. Certain ingredients that are used to extend the life of the dressing may cause allergies, can trigger headaches and overall may not be good for you. Try this Honey Prosecco Vinaigrette, so easy and so flavorful.

Balancing the Honey Prosecco Salad Dressing

A good vinaigrette or salad dressing has a balance between sweetness and acidity. This honey prosecco vinaigrette is sweetened with natural honey and it perfectly balances the white balsamic vinegar. Try this salad dressing with our Watermelon Mint Salad. Perfect for the hot summer days.

Ingredients for Honey Prosecco Vinaigrette

light olive oil – or any oil that you prefer that does not have a strong flavor. Extra virgin olive oil should not be used.

Prosecco – or champagne or any sparkling wine will work. You can use non-alcoholic sparkling cider too.

white balsamic vinegar – or any other white wine vinegar. White balsamic vinegar has a deeper floral and fruity flavor with a slightly sweet finish and we love using it for salad dressings. It just brightens up the flavor.

honey – any hone you have on hand is fine. We used clover honey.

parsley flakes – we like using dried parsley flakes for salad dressings. You can use fresh if you prefer. Fresh parsley has a deeper earthy flavor.

onion powder – using onion powder gives the dressing a nicely balanced onion flavor without needing to use too much onion.

garlic powder – garlic powder has a less potent flavor as opposed to fresh garlic. We like it in salad dressings since it has a less offensive flavor

salt and black pepper – to taste

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until all ingredients are combined.

Transfer into an easy pour container with a top.

Shake well before serving. Contents may separate.

Storing Tips for Homemade Salad Dressing

Since most homemade salad dressings do not contain any preservatives, naturally the shelf life of the dressing may be less than the store-bought salad dressings. This salad dressing will last in the refrigerator for seven to ten days. However, the exact recipe makes about 8 ounces of salad dressing. It may not last that long.

The dressing should be stored in the refrigerator. Please keep in mind that it will thicken in the refrigerator, and it will separate. We suggest storing it in a sealed container that can be shaken before dressing the salad.

Honey Prosecco Vinaigrette

This honey prosecco vinaigrette is sweetened with natural honey and it perfectly balances the white balsamic vinegar.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 70 kcal

Ingredients

¾ cup light olive oil
¼ cup prosecco
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a high-powered blender and blend until all ingredients are combined.
Transfer into an easy pour container with a top.

Keyword homemade sald dressing, honey vinaigrette, prosecco vinaigrette, salad dressing

Watermelon Mint Salad

by Henrie Marie

This Watermelon Mint Salad is a must try, especially in the hot summer months. This impressive watermelon salad with goat cheese has it all. It is balanced with flavor, it is filling and satisfying and most importantly it is ready to eat in less than 15 minutes. This watermelon salad without feta cheese has a more delicious and unique addition. We stepped it up a notch with fresh, cold pistachio crusted goat cheese balls. The creamy goat cheese is a divine alterative to the traditionally used feta cheese.

This watermelon salad recipe has only a few ingredients, but they work so well together. The light crispy greens are layered with ripe, refreshing watermelon cubes, large protein packed butter beans, sweet red grape tomatoes and fresh lively chopped mint leaves. The creamy pistachio crusted goat cheese balls add a much-welcomed softness with a complimentary flavor to each bite. We highly recommend making our Honey Prosecco Vinaigrette for this watermelon mint salad.

Ingredients and Variations for this Watermelon Salad Recipe

mixed baby greens – any mix of baby greens will work great for this salad. Romaine lettuce mixed with baby spinach would be amazing as well. When it comes to leafy greens, I like to use organic as often as possible. If using store bought baby spring mix packed in clamshell containers, they are usually ready to use. Meaning that you do not have to rinse the greens. Double check the package.

seedless watermelon – ripe seedless watermelon cut into bite sized cubes. Learn How to Pick a Watermelon that is ripe, sweet and juicy.

butter beans – large, white canned butter beans add plant-based protein to the salad. If you don’t have large white butter beans or can’t find them in your grocery store, cannellini beans will be a fantastic substitution. The flavor and texture will be similar to the butter beans, they will just be much smaller.

tomatoes - I used red ripe grape tomatoes, however any small tomato will be great such as cherry tomatoes or colorful mix of tiny tomatoes.

fresh mint leaves – roughly chopped fresh mint leaves add a refreshing flavor to the salad. You can use more if you prefer a heavier mint flavor. I like a hint of mint in every bite, for me a little goes a long way. If you don’t care for mint, you can omit it entirely or substitute it with fresh basil. Basil will add a more earthy sweet herby flavor opposed to the refreshing bite of the mint leaves.

Ingredients and Variations for Goat Cheese Balls

goat cheese – for this recipe I recommend using plain goat cheese. Goat cheese has a great texture that can easily be rolled into balls and will hold their shape. We opted for goat cheese instead of feta cheese for this recipe. Watermelon and feta cheese combination is very popular, and we thought you would enjoy a watermelon salad without feta cheese.

pistachios – we used unsalted shelled pistachios roughly chopped into small pieces. If you don’t have pistachios or prefer another flavor, use shopped walnuts or pecans. They will work very well in this recipe.

How to make Watermelon Mint Salad with Goat Cheese

Making this salad couldn’t be any easier. Simply prepare your ingredients:

Rinse and slice tomatoes. Rinse can of beans thoroughly. Cut the watermelon into bite sized cubes. Roughly chop mint leaves.

Assemble the salad in a large serving bowl or individual salad plates.

Add pistachio crusted goat cheese balls and dress with salad dressing.

Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese

Make pistachio crusted goat cheese balls by rolling about a teaspoon full into a ball in the palm of your hands, you can make these as small or big as you prefer.

Chop pistachios into small pieces and roll the goat cheese balls in chopped pistachios until completely coated. Add the pistachio crusted goat cheese onto the salad.

Dress the salad with our homemade Prosecco Vinaigrette.

watermelon mint salad with pistachio crusted goat cheese

Watermelon Goat Cheese Salad

Fresh baby greens with ripe watermelon, butterbeans, tomatoes, fresh mint and pistachio crusted goat cheese balls.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients

Watermelon Goat Cheese Mint Salad

4 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup seedless watermelon – cubed
1 cup butter beans -rinsed
½ cup sliced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
4 ounces pistachio crusted goat cheese balls

Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese Balls

4 ounces plain goat cheese
¼ cup chopped pistachios

Instructions

Prepare all the salad ingredients
Mix together in a serving bowl or on individual salad plates
Add pistachio crusted goat cheese balls and drizzle with salad dressing
Scoop the goat cheese and roll into small balls
Roll in the chopped pistachios to coat completely

Keyword butter beans, goat cheese, mint salad, pistachio, watermelon salad

Chickpea Endive Boats - Cold Appetizer for Summer

by Henrie Marie

These little chickpea endive boats are a perfect appetizer to serve during the hot summer months. They are light, nutritious, easy to make and best of all require no cooking. Perfect cold appetizer for summer you can make in a just a few minutes.

The chickpea smash is full of flavor. We added crisp green celery for crunch, green grapes for a hint of sweetness, Dijon mustard for some zest and nutritional yeast for a bit of nuttiness. You may also like our Curry Chickpea Salad recipe too.

Ingredients for Endive Boat Appetizer

Endives – can be found in your local grocery store. Fresh endives should be firm to the touch and the outer edges should feel crisp and vibrant in color.

Chickpeas – for ease and no cooking use canned chickpeas. Make sure you drain and rinse thoroughly. You can buy dried chickpeas and cook them, if you prefer or if you are trying to avoid canned products.

Celery – cut into small pieces, adds a refreshing crunch to the smashed chickpea salad.

Green grapes – cut into small pieces for a hint of sweetness. You can use red grapes or any other varietal grape if you prefer.

Mayonnaise – use your favorite brand of mayo. The appetizer can be easily made vegan, just use your preferred vegan mayo.

Nutritional yeast – adds protein and vitamins that are naturally in nutritional yeast as well as a nutty flavor.

Scallion (green onion) – chopped into small pieces. You can substitute shallots, red onion or simple white onion.

Dijon mustard – we used course Dijon mustard for this recipe but any mustard you have on hand will work, spicy brown mustard would be our alternative choice.

Seasonings – salt, fresh ground black pepper and paprika

Fresh dill – for garnish. This is optional and the dill adds a slight lemon herb flavor

How to make Chickpea Endive Boats

Cut the thick core of the endive and carefully peel the leaves off the endive one layer at a time. Set aside.

Rinse chickpeas and smash them with a fork or potato masher.

Chop the celery, green grapes and scallion into small pieces, relatively the same size.

Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together until well blended.

Fill the endive leaves with the chickpea salad and place on a serving platter.

What is Endive?

Endive is a leafy vegetable that is related to the chicory plant. It is white in color and has yellow to light green edges. Some varieties have beautiful deep burgundy hued edges. Endives have a crispy texture and they are mainly used in salads or raw dishes. The leaves of the endive resemble boats and make great endive boat or endive cup appetizers. There are endless options for endive boat appetizers.

Endives can also be roasted, grilled or braised and added as a side dish or mixed with other roasted vegetables.

What Is the Flavor of Endive?

Raw endives have a slight bitter sharp flavor with a crisp, crunchy texture. The flavor of cooked endives transitions into a mellow, nutty flavor with a hint of buttery sweetness.

Endive Benefits

Endives have several health benefits. The leaves are high in fiber, calcium, potassium folate, and vitamins A, C and E. They are low in sugar, sodium and fat. They contain inulin, a carbohydrate that stimulates appetite and helps digestion.

chickpea endive boats appetizer - cold summer appetizer

Chickpea Endive Boats - Cold Appetizer for Summer

The chickpea smash is full of flavor. We added crisp green celery for crunch, green grapes for a hint of sweetness, Dijon mustard for some zest and nutritional yeast for a bit of nuttiness.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Calories 75 kcal

Ingredients

2 endives
1 can chickpeas – rinsed
2 stalks celery – about ½ cup chopped into small pieces
½ cup green grapes – cut into small pieces
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 scallion green onion – about 1 tablespoon chopped into small pieces
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
fresh dill for garnish – optional

Instructions

Cut the thick core of the endive and carefully peel the leaves off the endive one layer at a time. Set aside.
Rinse chickpeas and smash them with a fork or potato masher.
Chop the celery, green grapes and scallion into small pieces, relatively the same size.
Place all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together until well blended.
Fill the endive leaves with the chickpea salad and place on a serving platter.

Keyword chickpea salald, chickpeas, endive, vegetarian

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

by Henrie Marie

These delicious chocolate thumbprint cookies are made with mandarin zest, cranberries, dates and hazelnuts. Filled with silky smooth chocolate ganache. Perfect fruit and nut cookie with a chocolate center.

chocolate thumbprint cookies with fruit and nuts

Baking season is that much better with Endangered Species Chocolate! These buttery fruit and nut thumbprint cookies with chocolate ganache are made with mandarin zest, dried cranberries, dates and hazelnuts. They are filled with smooth and silky chocolate ganache made with Endangered Species Chocolate baking chocolate.

The chocolate thumbprint cookie recipe was inspired by the delicious flavors of the traditional fruitcake. We added dates and cranberries to the cookies. The fruit gives them a soft chewy texture and a sweet and tart flavor. The hazelnuts add some nuttiness and crunch. The mandarin or orange zest adds another layer of sweet, fruity and slightly bitter citrus zesty bite. The flavor combinations of fruit, nuts and chocolate work harmoniously in this cookie recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE

Fruit and Nut Cookies

All-purpose flour

Unsalted butter room temperature

Granulated sugar

Hazelnuts

Dried cranberries

Medjool dated

Mandarin or orange zest

Pure vanilla extract

Baking powder and sea salt

Chocolate Ganache

Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heavy cream

How to make fruit and nut cookies

Pre heat oven to 350°.

Place flour, hazelnuts, cranberries, dates, mandarin zest, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Place room temperature butter and sugar into the bowl of a high-speed mixer and mix until well mixed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fluffy.

Incorporate the dry mixture a little at a time and form the cookie dough.

Roll about a tablespoon full of cookie dough into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the back of the spoon to create a dip.

Bake cookies for about 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

How to make chocolate ganache

Heat the heavy cream.

Add chocolate chips to the heated heavy cream and mix together.

Fill the cookies with the chocolate ganache. Cool before serving.

More cookies to Bake...

Our Sunflower Butter Cookies have become quite popular. Try them as an alternative to peanut butter cookies. They are a great nut-free cookie option.

Our Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies are a must try, a delicious cookie to enjoy any time of the year.

If you are looking for a semi-sweet treat for your best doggie friend, try our Peanut Butter and Jelly Doggie Linzer Cookies. They are adorable and contain only a few natural ingredients.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Delicious fruit and nut Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Ganache are made with mandarin zest, cranberries, dates and hazelnuts. Filled with silky smooth chocolate ganache.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 13 mins

0 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 2 dozen cookies

Calories 125 kcal

Ingredients

Fruit and Nut Cookies

1 ¾ cup flour
1 ½ sticks butter room temperature
½ cup sugar
½ cup chopped hazelnuts
¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
¼ cup chopped medjool dated
1 tablespoons mandarin zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extracts
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Chocolate Ganache

½ cup chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place flour, hazelnuts, cranberries, dates, mandarin zest, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Place room temperature butter and sugar into the bowl of a high-speed mixer and mix until well mixed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fluffy.
Incorporate the dry mixture a little at a time until cookie dough is formed.
Roll about a tablespoon full of cookie dough into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the back of the spoon to create a dip.
Bake cookies for about 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Fruit and Nut Cookies

Chocolate Ganache

Heat the heavy cream.
Add chocolate chips to the heated heavy cream and mix together.
Fill the cookies with the chocolate ganache. Cool before serving.

Keyword chocolate ganache, fruit cookies, nut cookies, thumbprint cookies

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Pistachios

by Henrie Marie

If you love Brussel Sprouts you are going to love these crispy Brussels sprouts with added zing from lemon juice and lemon zest. Sauteing Brussels sprouts will give them a caramelized and charred flavor and keep the texture crispy. The lemon really livens up these amazing little cabbages. The toasted pistachios add a layer of nutty crunch to every bite. They are a perfect side dish addition to your dinner.

Sauteed Citrus Brussel Sprouts

Sauté vs. Roasting

For this recipe we sauteed the brussels sprouts instead of roasting them in the oven. I would recommend sautéing or roasting Brussels sprouts. Either of these cooking methods will give you the best caramelized flavor and crispy texture and I like them equally. However, for this recipe we recommend sauteing Brussels sprouts.

Roasting is a little bit easier because you simply prepare the Brussels sprouts and place them in the oven to roast. Sautéing requires a bit more attention and time since you have to stand over them and actually cook them, turn them and keep an eye on them while they are cooking.

The main difference between sauté vs. roasting is the texture and color. Roasting the sprouts will cook them through more and therefore they will be softer in texture and lose their vibrant green color. Sautéing will brown them on the side that is directly on the pan and give them color in those areas, leaving some parts of the sprout green. In turn, these parts of the sprout will remain less cooked and maintain a crunchier texture.

How to make crispy Brussels sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussel sprouts – cut in half

toasted unsalted, shelled pistachios

light olive oil – or vegetable oil

Juice of one small lemon

Zest of one small lemon

teaspoon onion powder

teaspoon sea salt and black ground pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the Brussel sprouts. Carefully, shake pan so most cut sides of sprouts facing down in the oil. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until cut sides of sprouts become caramelized.
Stir and continue to cook until sprouts have taken on a caramelized color and start to char. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until they are tender. Season with lemon juice, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir and cook another minute.
Remove from heat, toss in toasted pistachios and transfer into a serving dish. Top with lemon zest.

** Cooking time may very slightly if your Brussel sprouts a on the bigger side. Keep an eye on them.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Pistachios

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Crispy Brussel Sprouts with Lemon and Pistachios

Sauteed Citrus Brussel Sprouts with lively lemon zest and toasted pistachios.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 12 mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients

1 pound Brussel sprouts – cut in half
⅓ cup toasted unsalted shelled pistachios
¼ cup light olive oil – or vegetable oil
Juice of one small lemon
zest of one small lemon
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt and black ground pepper

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet or sautee pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the Brussel sprouts. Carefully, shake pan so most cut sides of sprouts facing down in the oil. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until cut sides of sprouts become caramelized.
Stir and continue to cook until sprouts have taken on a caramelized color and start to char. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until they are tender. Season with lemon juice, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir and cook another minute.
Remove from heat, toss in toasted pistachios and transfer into a serving dish. Top with lemon zest.

Notes

* Cooking time may very slightly if your Brussel sprouts a on the bigger side. Keep an eye on them.

Keyword healthy recipes, lemon zest, pistachios, sauteed Brussel sprouts, vegan side dish

Cheesy Garlic Ciabatta Bread

by Henrie Marie

This easy cheesy garlic ciabatta bread is loaded with fresh garlic, butter, olive oil, Italian seasonings, red crushed pepper and Italian cheese mixture. Baked to toasty perfection.

Homemade Easy Italian Garlic Bread

There is nothing like the scent of toasted garlic taking over the kitchen. It has such a homey feeling. You will want to make this easy garlic bread over and over again. It is a great bread to serve with most meals but especially an Italian dish made with red sauce. It just goes hand in hand. This garlic bread recipe is buttery, garlicky, cheese and divine!

The topping for this garlic toast is a combination of butter and olive oil. The Italian seasoning add extra flavor, and the red crushed peppers add a hint of spice. We used freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and romano cheeses to add authentic Italian flavor to this garlic bread. This is not a traditional cheesy- pull apart bread that you often see. The garlic toast is not gooey or stringy. It is a warm, cheesy, garlicy divine toast that is perfect to dip in marinara sauce, dunk in your favorite soup or just have a quick snack.

Best Bread to use for Garlic Toast

We love using Ciabatta bread for garlic toast. It toasts up crunchy on the outside while maintaining a chewy consistency. Alternatively, French bread is also fantastic for this recipe. It will toast up similar to Ciabatta bread.

How to make garlic bread

INGREDIENTS

unsalted butter very soft

Romano cheese finely grated

Parmesan cheese finely grated

olive oil

fresh minced garlic

fresh parsley chopped - can use dried parsley flakes

Italian seasoning

red crushed pepper

fresh ground black pepper

Ciabatta rolls - French bread will work great as well

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the Ciabatta bread in half.

Place remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. You should have a creamy, easily spreadable consistency.

Spread the garlic mixture evenly onto the Ciabatta rolls.

Toast the Ciabatta rolls. Toast until golden brown. Most toasters or ovens vary, 5-7 minutes is ideal on the toast setting but it can vary on your appliance. Keep an eye on it.

Garlic Ciabatta Bread

Homemade garlic bread with fresh garlic and seasonings toasted to perfection.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients

½ stick unsalted butter very soft
¼ cup Romano cheese finely grated
¼ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped or dried
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red crushed pepper
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 Ciabatta rolls

Instructions

Cut the Ciabatta bread in half.
Place remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. You should have a creamy, easily spreadable consistency.
Spread the garlic mixture evenly onto the Ciabatta rolls.
Toast the Ciabatta rolls. Toast until golden brown. Most toasters or ovens vary, 5-7 minutes is ideal on the toast setting but it can vary on your appliance. Keep an eye on it.

Keyword bread, garlic and oil, garlic bread, toast

Spicy Edamame Appetizer Recipe

by Henrie Marie

Just sharing a quick, simple, delicious and spicy edamame appetizer recipe. This is a well-seasoned edamame recipe loaded with flavors of soy sauce, sesame oil, Chile oil, sesame seeds, mandarin, lime zest and a touch of sea salt. Learn how to cook edamame beans with optimal flavor combinations that really elevate the plain frozen edamame beans. Enjoy this Yummy Snack!

spicy seasoned edamame appetizer recipe

How to Season Edamame

Every time we have sushi for dinner, we always get an order of edamame as an appetizer. They are usually the same, just simply steamed with a bit of salt and served with ordinary soy sauce. Nothing spectacular but they are good, nevertheless. This recipe has a little spice and zest that will make your taste buds do a little dance.

I added little jazz to those simple bean pods with soy for salt, Chile oil for spice, lime and mandarin zest for citrus and sesame seeds and oil for nuttiness. I added a dash of course sea salt for an extra salty crunch. When you are looking for a salty, spicy and zesty snack or appetizer to share, this one is a hit. It is a tasty, delicious, and super simple edamame appetizer recipe to make.

How to Cook Edamame

BOIL: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the frozen edamame pods and bring back to a boil. Cook until bright green about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain water and transfer the pods to mixing bowl.

MICROVAWE: Place the frozen edamame pods into a microwave-safe dish with about ¼ cup water, cover partly and microwave on high until bright green, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on your microwave power.

STEAM: Bring about two cups of water to a boil in a pot. Place the frozen edamame pods in a colander or steam basket. Once the water is boiling, add the edamame pods to the pot and cover. Steam the edamame until they are heated through and become bright green, about 6 to 8 minutes

Spicy Edamame Appetizer Recipe

INGREDIENTS for THIS RECIPE

frozen edamame in the pod - use store bought frozen edamame. They are available in the frozen section at most grocery stores. They have shelled too which are perfect for veggie bowls or hummus. For this appetizer, we prefer them in pods.

soy sauce – you can use low sodium, if you prefer.

sesame seeds – white sesame seeds work great for this recipe. I mixed white and black since I had both and I love the contrast. You can slightly toast the sesame seeds for an extra toasty flavor.

mandarin zest – regular orange zest will do if you don’t have mandarins.

sesame oil – adds a toasty sesame flavor, I don’t have a substitution for this flavor. If you do not have sesame oil, you can omit it.

lime zest – adds a strong tangy flavor that’s similar to its juice. Limes are very distinct in flavor and aroma. You can substitute lime zest with lemon zest if you don’t have limes.

Chile oil – this is where the spice comes in. Add a little a time to get the level of spice you prefer. Chile oil tends to have a good amount of heat and a little can go a long way.

coarse sea salt – optional, just a dash for extra bite of crunchy salt flavor.

DIRECTIONS for THIS RECIPE

Cook the edamame beans either by boiling, microwaving or steaming them.

Place all other ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Once the beans are cooked, drain the water and add them to the bowl.

Mix well and transfer into serving dish.

Learn more about edamame beans and health benefits here.

Try these other Easy Appetizer Recipes

Blistered Shishito Pepper Hummus

Fresh Mango Pico de Gallo

Smashed Chickpea Salad on Toast

Spicy Edamame Appetizer Recipe

This spicy edamame appetizer recipe is loaded with flavors of soy sauce, sesame oil, Chile oil, sesame seeds, mandarin, lime zest and a touch of sea salt.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 6 mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

10 ounces of frozen edamame beans in the pod
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon mandarin zest
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon chile oil
coarse sea salt - to taste

Instructions

Cook the edamame beans either by boiling, microwaving or steaming them.
Place all other ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Once the beans are cooked, drain the water and add them to the bowl.
Mix well and transfer into serving dish.

Keyword beans, easy appetizer, edamame, edamame beans, quick snack, vegan recipe, vegan side dish

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

by Henrie Marie

This is the perfect Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie recipe for you to make. These cookies are made with quick oats for a chewy texture, dried cranberries for a sweet and tart bite and orange zest for a burst of citrus flavor. This recipe is a must try, especially if you are searching for an oatmeal cookie recipe without raisins. The classic orange and cranberry combination give these oatmeal cookies a burst of festive flavor. They are fantastic with a cup of coffee in the morning, they may be even healthy.

orange cranberry oatmeal cookies

Homemade Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and Orange Zest

The classic combination of cranberry and orange is so vibrant in these cranberry orange oatmeal cookies. They are excellent for the holiday baking season. These cookies are loaded with dried cranberries, also known as craisins. The lively citrus flavor from the orange zest and orange extract really compliments the cranberries. This oatmeal cookie recipe made with quick oats and it is one of my favorite cookies. I recommend using quick oats for oatmeal cookies because they make a chewier texture that you will not get from other oats.

Oatmeal Cookies without Raisins

If you are not a fan of raisins that are traditionally in oatmeal cookies, then this recipe is a great variation. The dried cranberries give these cookies texture and a slightly sweet and tart flavor in each bite. You must add this oatmeal cookie recipe without raisins for your next dessert table or holiday cookie exchange. They are soft and chewy on the inside with little crunch on the outside and full of festive flavor!

Ingredients you will need:

quick oats – cook quicker and give the cookies a chewy texture.

all-purpose flour – can use whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor.

dried cranberries (craisins) –use only dried cranberries, do not use fresh cranberries in this recipe, they will release too much moisture.

granulated sugar and light brown sugar – both are necessary for a balanced sweetness with a hint of malt from the brown sugar.

unsalted butter softened – I always recommend unsalted butter for baking, however, if you only have salted butter, it is ok to use. NOTE: Do not add salt to the recipe if using salted butter.

eggs room temperature – let the eggs come to room temperature for about an hour, alternatively, place the eggs in hot water for about two minutes.

vegetable shortening – at the time this recipe is being written, we have not tested this recipe with any other fat substitution. Use vegetable shortening for best results.

maple syrup – adds a touch of silkiness to the cookies.

orange zest and natural orange extract – adds a deep natural orange flavor.

vanilla extract – only use pure vanilla extract.

baking powder – gives the cookies a nice plump rise.

salt – brings all the flavors together. Do not add the salt if you are using salted butter.

How to Make these Cranberry Orange Cookies

Mix flour, baking powder and salt well in a large mixing bowl, set aside.

Whisk eggs, maple syrup, orange zest, orange extract and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl, set aside.

Place butter, shortening, sugar and brown sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the whisk attachment and whisk together until smooth.

Add the egg mixture to the butter and sugar. Continue mixing.

Turn mixer to low, and slowly add the flour mixture, a little at a time to the bowl. Continue mixing until blended. Scrape sides as needed.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in quick oats and cranberries.

Place the cookie dough in a bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least a half hour to chill.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees.

Place about a tablespoon of rolled cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the cookie down with a flat object to create a flat circle. These cookies don’t spread too much when they bake. Make sure cookies are at least 1 inch apart.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

oatmeal cookies made with quick oats without raisins

cranberry orange oatmeal cookies

A Healthier Variation:

To make the cookies healthier with less sugar and calories, eliminate the white sugar from the recipes.

Notes:

This recipe makes about 3 ½ dozen cookies. The cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or you can freeze it for several months.

Looking for more cookie recipes using fruit? Try our delicious Lemon Ricotta Cookies

or our Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

This is the perfect Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookie recipe for you to make. These cookies are made with quick oats for a chewy texture, dried cranberries for a sweet and tart bite and orange zest for a burst of citrus flavor.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

refrigerate 30 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 120 kcal

Ingredients

3 cups quick oats
1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dried cranberries craisins
½ cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter softened
2 large eggs room temperature
½ cup shorting
2 tablespoons maple syrup
zest of one orange
2 teaspoons orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Mix flour, baking powder and salt well in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
Whisk eggs, maple syrup, orange zest, orange extract and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl, set aside.
Place butter, shortening, sugar and brown sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Use the whisk attachment and whisk together until smooth.
Add the egg mixture to the butter and sugar. Continue mixing.
Turn mixer to low, and slowly add the flour mixture, a little at a time to the bowl. Continue mixing until blended. Scrape sides as needed.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in quick oats and cranberries.
Place the cookie dough in a bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least a half hour to chill.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees.
Place about a tablespoon of rolled cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press the cookie down with a flat object to create a flat circle. These cookies don’t spread too much when they bake. Make sure cookies are at least 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely.

Notes

You can eliminate the white sugar if you would like to cut down on calories and sweetness.

Keyword cookies, cranberry cookies, cranberry orange cookies, holiday cookies, oatmeal cookies

Easy Strawberry Ricotta Toast

by Henrie Marie

Strawberry ricotta toast with cucumbers, pistachios and honey drizzle. Seasoned with sea salt and crushed pink peppercorns. Ricotta cheese toast breakfast or appetizer recipe ideas has become a viral trend recently. They are so popular because of the easy and versatility they offer for an appetizer or breakfast. You can make them just about any flavor you prefer with added toppings.

strawberry ricotta toast with pistachios and honey

Strawberry Ricotta Toast with Valentine's Day Theme

Ricotta toast has become quite trendy over the past couple years, well since the pandemic. Some might even say that it trumps the avocado toast. I tend to love both, since they are easy, nutritious and versatile. You can make ricotta toast savory or sweet, just depends on the toppings you add. Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, we thought we would make this easy Strawberry Ricotta Toast. We jazzed up the simple sourdough toast and plain ricotta with ripe strawberries, baby cucumbers, pistachios and drizzled it with a touch of honey. Finished with a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh crushed pink peppercorn berries for a hint of unique peppery spice. These toppings worked really well together and complimented the creamy texture of the ricotta. The flavors are vibrant and refreshing with a hint of sweetness, a bit of salt and a touch pepper.

Recipe ideas are endless

Enjoy this recipe for breakfast, brunch, lunch or just as a quick mid-day snack. However, feel free to experiment with variations to this recipe. The beautiful thing about this is that there are endless variations to a simple ricotta toast recipe. The toast and ricotta are the core and main ingredients. Hence the name "ricotta toast". The toppings are what differentiate each recipe and makes it individual. Just try a ricotta toast breakfast idea with a poached egg on top add Calabrian chiles and finish with a touch of salt. It would make a fantastic breakfast with a hint of spice. Now we have to try it so look for the recipe, it's coming soon.

Ingredients for this Recipe

Sliced Bread - we used pre-sliced sourdough bread. Sliced Italian bread would be wonderful too. You can used hearty nut or seed breads as well. The nutty bread would give this recipe an added toasted nutty flavor.

Ricotta Cheese - we used plain, full fat ricotta. You can use low fat if you prefer to cut down on fat and calories.

mini cucumber - we prefer mini cucumbers. They are less bitter and easy to prepare. No need to peel and seed. Just wash and slice. Optionally, you can make it festive and cut out heart shapes with a mini heart shaped cookie cutter.

strawberries - ripe strawberries thinly sliced into heart shapes. When you slice strawberries, they naturally have a heart shape. We went a step further and used a cookie cutter to define the heart shape at the top.

unsalted pistachios - roughly chopped. You can use other nuts if you prefer. Walnuts, pecans or almonds would be great as well.

honey - just a little drizzle of honey adds the right amount of sweetness.

sea salt - sprinkle on top to season.

pink pepper corns - crushed pink peppercorn berries for unique peppery flavor. If you don't have pink peppercorns, you can fresh ground black pepper or eliminate it.

How to make this easy strawberry ricotta toast

Lightly toast bread.

Spread ricotta cheese onto each slice of toast.

Top with sliced cucumbers, strawberries, and pistachios.

Drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Optional – use small heart shaped cookie cutters to cut strawberries and cucumbers into heart shapes to add a Valentine’s Day theme.

Strawberry Ricotta Toast

Strawberry ricotta toast with cucumbers, pistachios and honey drizzle. Seasoned with sea salt and crushed pink peppercorns.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Calories 225 kcal

Equipment

small heart shaped cookie cutters optional

Ingredients

4 slices of bread we used sourdough
½ cup ricotta cheese
1 mini cucumber – sliced
4-5 strawberries – sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios – chopped
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pink pepper corns - crushed

Instructions

Optional – use small heart shaped cookie cutters to cut strawberries and cucumbers into heart shapes to add a Valentine’s Day theme.
Lightly toast bread.
Spread ricotta cheese onto each slice of toast.
Top with sliced cucumbers, strawberries, and pistachios.
Drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Keyword honey, pistachios, ricotta toast, strawberry

Strawberry Banana Pudding

by Henrie Marie

Easy chilled Strawberry Banana Pudding is inspired by NYC Magnolia Bakery's famous Banana Pudding. Our recipe has a slight variation from the original recipe. This banana pudding is made without instant pudding. We also added ripe strawberries for a vibrant, fresh flavor. You can't go wrong with a strawberry banana flavor combination and this recipe proves it. Give it a try, you will love it!

Strawberry Banana Pudding

NYC Magnolia Bakery – Famous Banana Pudding

Have you heard of Magnolia Bakery’s famous Banana Pudding? It is a very popular creamy banana pudding that is made with just a few simple ingredients. Magnolia Bakery is a very famous bakery in NYC and they have shared the recipe for their famous banana pudding.

Their famous banana pudding can be purchased on their website or you can make at home.

Banana Pudding without Instant Pudding - our variation

There are a lot of banana pudding recipes on the internet that share a lot of similarities. I noticed that most of them contain instant vanilla pudding. I thought I would experiment and attempt to make banana pudding without instant pudding.

Magnolia Bakery's original recipes calls for instant vanilla pudding. Our variation is made without instant pudding. I eliminated instant pudding because to me, it has an artificial flavor that I don’t care for. To get the vanilla flavor, I added a generous tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract is the perfect addition that achieves a natural vanilla flavor. The recipe is not overly sweet and the vibrant vanilla flavor is present. Let's make pudding without pudding!

Ingredients you will need for this Recipe

Mini Nilla Vanilla Wafers – you can use one box of regular size wafers if you like, I love the minis.

Heavy Whipping Cream - make sure the cream stays refrigerated until ready to whip.

Ripe Bananas – ripe bananas work best however, make sure they are not over ripened. The skin of the banana should be a deep yellow without any green or brown. Green in the skin indicates a under ripened and brown skin indicates over ripened.

Strawberries – fresh, ripe strawberries work best. If the strawberries in their natural state are not sweet enough to your taste, you can sweeten them with the sugar in the recipe. This is optional and a preference.

Sweet Condensed Milk – sweetened condensed milk has a very distinct flavor. It adds a unique flavor to the pudding.

Granulated Sugar - optional to sweeten the fresh strawberries.

Pure Vanilla Extract - do not use imitation vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract adds a deep vanilla flavor to the whipped cream mixture.

How to Make Strawberry Banana Pudding

Smash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.

Wash, dry, hull and dice the strawberries. Optional: Add sugar and mix well. Set aside.

Place cold heavy whipping cream into a bowl of a high speed mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk until whipped cream is formed.

Add condensed milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Add the Nilla vanilla wafers and smashed bananas to the whipped cream mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Pudding is at its best when refrigerated for 12 hours.

Once set transfer pudding mixture into serving dishes and layer with strawberries. They are now ready to serve and enjoy!

Adding Fresh Strawberries

Strawberry and banana flavor combination is very popular in dessert recipes. I added sweet fresh strawberries to the pudding for a lively flavor. I mixed my strawberries with granulated sugar. The sugar adds sweetness to the strawberries. This is optional. If you prefer less sugar and calories, you can omit it. Using unsweetened strawberries will add a naturally sweet and slightly tart flavor to the banana pudding.

How long to chill banana pudding?

I used mini vanilla wafers, I thought they would be cuter, but regular wafers are fine too. I don’t think this makes much difference. However, the mini wafers may soften in less time. Regardless whether you use mini or regular wafers, the pudding is ready to eat after it has chilled in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. The wafers become soft during this time as they absorb the moisture from the whipped cream mixture. It is also best to eat the chilled banana pudding as soon as it is assembled with the fresh strawberries.

Pudding recipes are very easy to make. They are the perfect dessert when you are craving a sweet creamy treat. You may want to try our prize wining Apple Rice Pudding. This recipe won a contest hosted by the FeedFeed and Think Rice.

Strawberry Banana Pudding

This easy chilled Strawberry Banana Pudding is inspired by NYC Magnolia Bakery's famous Banana Pudding. Made without instant pudding.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Chill 8 hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

high speed mixer

Ingredients

1 box mini Nilla Vanilla Wafers – can use one box of regular size wafers - 11 ounces
3 cups heavy whipping cream
4 ripe bananas – smashed
2 cups strawberries – diced
1 can sweet condensed milk – 14 ounces
¼ cup granulated sugar - optional
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Smash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.
Wash, dry, hull and dice the strawberries. Optional: Add sugar and mix well. Set aside.
Place cold heavy whipping cream into a bowl of a high speed mixer. With the whisk attachment whisk until whipped cream is formed.
Add condensed milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Add the Nilla vanilla wafers and smashed bananas to the whipped cream mixture. Mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving. Pudding is at its best when refrigerated between 8-12 hours.
Once set transfer pudding mixture into serving dishes and layer with strawberries

Keyword banana, pudding, strawberry, vanilla donut

Refreshing Strawberry Breeze Cocktail

by Henrie Marie

This Strawberry Breeze cocktail is related to the classic Sea Breeze and tropical Bay Breeze. It is just as refreshing with a sweet strawberry flavor. This Valentine's Day cocktail is refreshing strawberry vodka drink made strawberry liqueur for a vibrant flavor. It is a semi-sweet strawberry cocktail that is very smooth and enjoyable as well a perfect addition to the "Breeze" family.

strawberry breeze vodka cocktail for Valentine's Day

Strawberry Breeze

It is a perfect cocktail for Valentine’s Day. Strawberries, red roses and chocolate are synonyms with Valentine’s Day. This cocktail can also be enjoyed in the beginning of the summer just when strawberry season starts. You get the most gorgeous strawberries in June. The Strawberry Breeze is a refreshing welcome at the end of a long day.

Creating the Perfect Cocktail

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, I always like to serve light and easy to drink cocktails that won't fill you up and make you feel heavy. The key to crafting the perfect cocktail is balance, flavor and smoothness.

First, you want the cocktail to be balanced, meaning that one ingredient does not overpower another. Examples would be not too sweet, not too sour, not too much alcohol, etc...

Second, you want the cocktail to have flavor. If you are making a strawberry vodka cocktail, then strawberries should be predominant. If you are making a pineapple cocktail, you should taste the pineapple immediately.

Lastly, you want the cocktail to be smooth. This means that you don't want it overpowered by alcohol. However, this does not mean that you make the cocktail weak. Alcoholic beverages should contain a good amount of alcohol. To create a smooth, easy to drink cocktail it is essential to use quality ingredients that complement each other and not compete against each other.

The Strawberry Breeze has all three of these elements. The sweetness is balanced by the citrus lemon juice, the strawberry flavor shines through, and the cocktail is easy to drink!

You should try some of our other perfectly crafted cocktails. May we suggest the Candy Apple Martini or the Nutty Pear Cocktail.

Ingredients for this Valentine's Day Drink

vodka - use your favorite brand. We used Titos.

strawberry schnapps - we recommend you use De Kyuper. This is the only brand of schnapps that we recommend and is the only brand we serve at our restaurant. In my opinion, they have the truest flavor profiles and are good quality.

lemon juice - freshly squeezed, we do not recommend using bottled juice.

white cranberry juice - you can use regular cranberry juice if you can't find white cranberry juice. The color of the cocktail will be red.

ice - use in the shaker and pour over ice to serve.

strawberries - thinly sliced and/or whole use as garnish,

How to Make this Strawberry Breeze Cocktail

Slice Strawberries - and sliced strawberry randomly inside the serving glass and add ice.

Combine all Ingredients - in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.

Strain - cocktail mixture into a cocktail glass and serve.

Garnish - with fresh strawberries.

Strawberry Breeze Cocktail

This Strawberry Breeze cocktail is related to the classic Sea Breeze and tropical Bay Breeze. It is just as refreshing with a sweet strawberry flavor.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 0 mins

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Servings 1 person

Calories 200 kcal

Equipment

cocktail shaker

Ingredients

1 ½ ounce vodka
1 ounce strawberry liqueur
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
3 ounces white cranberry juice
Ice
fresh strawberry thinly sliced

Instructions

Place sliced strawberry randomly inside the serving glass and add ice.
Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake well
Pour cocktail mixture into the serving glass and serve.

Keyword alcohol, strawberry cocktail, Valentine's day, vodka cocktail

Baked Mini Donuts with Strawberry Frosting

by Henrie Marie

These baked mini cake donuts with strawberry frosting are super cute and easy to make. The frosting is naturally flavored with freeze dried strawberries. Add some pink and white sprinkles for a sweet Valentine's Day donut treat.

baked mini donuts with strawberry frosting and pink sprinkles

Valentine's Day Donuts

Want to make sweet, flavorful and adorable donuts for Valentine's Day? Try this easy baked donut recipe with gorgeous pink hued frosting and fun, festive sprinkles. They boast of sweet vanilla cake and naturally flavored strawberry frosting. Traditional Valentine's Day sweet treats are chocolate and strawberries. Making these strawberry donuts is a must try. They are baked and there is no need to spend time over the fryer. And the best part is, that the kids can have fun and help with decorating them. My three-year-old niece had fun and loved adding the Valentine's Day Sprinkles to the donuts. And I loved spending the time with her.

Mini Cake Donuts

These are mini cake donuts, since they are made with cake batter and have a cake-like consistency. The cake batter is made with just a few simple ingredients; however, it is the combination of those ingredients that are important. In this recipe we used melted butter and vegetable oil. The fat content is the exact amount that this recipe calls for. Using melted butter adds flavor and using vegetable oil adds moisture to the cake. Most of my batter recipes whether for baked cakes, cupcakes or donuts will contain a combination of melted butter and vegetable oil. Try our Spiced Pear Coffee Cake recipe.

Natural Pink Strawberry Frosting

The frosting is sweet with a strong strawberry flavor. We used Freeze Dried Strawberries to make a natural pink strawberry frosting. Freeze dried fruits have a concentrated flavor and make a fantastic flavoring for frostings or cake batters. We blended the strawberries in a Mini Food Processor until they pulverized into a fine powder. The strawberries became almost the same consistency as the powdered sugar. They had a deep vibrant crimson color and made a perfect natural flavor enhancer and colorant for the frosting. All natural with no artificial coloring or flavoring. How awesome is that?

Ingredients and Variations for this Recipe

Donut Batter

all-purpose flour – use a spoon to add the flour to the measuring cup and level with a butter knife

whole milk – this recipe calls for whole milk, but you can substitute low fat milk to reduce fat and calories

sugar – white granulated sugar works well

unsalted butter – use unsalted regular American butter. Don’t use European butter, it contains more fat and we have not tested it with this recipe. Too much fat in baked products with result in a greasy texture.

vegetable oil – regular vegetable oil, canola oil or light olive oil will work well in this recipe

eggs – room temperature

vanilla extract – use pure vanilla extract, do not use imitation vanilla extract, ever, for anything

baking powder – adds volume to the donuts

fresh squeezed lemon juice – adds acid to the donuts

baking soda – activates the lemon juice in this recipe

salt – balances and enhances all the flavors without add a salt flavor

Strawberry Frosting

powdered sugar - regular powdered sugar works well

melted butter - unsalted melted American butter at room temperature

milk - whole milk, but low fat can be used as well

freeze dried strawberries - pulverized into fine powder similar to powdered sugar using a food processor, we used a mini one for this recipe

How to bake donuts

Donut Batter

Preheat oven to 425°.

Spray Mini Donut Pan with non-stick spray, set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and place in a large Mixing Bowl.

Add sugar to the sifter flour and mix well. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk all remaining ingredients until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and carefully fold in with Spatula until batter is formed. Don’t overmix.

Place the donut batter into a large plastic bag and cut a hole in one of the corners.

Pipe the batter into the donut cavities halfway.

Bake for about 6-7 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Let donuts cool completely before frosting them.

Strawberry Frosting with Freeze Dried Strawberries

Making an all-natural, flavorful and vibrant colored frosting for these baked donuts is very easy. You only need a few ingredients and follow these few steps.

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together.

Frost donuts and add sprinkles for decoration.

Pink Strawberry Donuts for Valentine's Day

I hope you enjoyed making these super fun pink strawberry donuts for your special Valentine. If made these, we want to see them!!! Tag us on instagram @thymeofseason. We love seeing your creative imagination at work.

pink strawberry donuts for Valentine's Day

Baked Mini Donuts with Strawberry Frosting

These mini baked donuts with strawberry frosting are super cute and easy to make. The frosting is naturally flavored with freeze dried strawberries.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 6 mins

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 donuts

Calories 165 kcal

Equipment

mini donut pan

Ingredients

Donuts

1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter melted
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 eggs – room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Strawberry Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons strawberry powder
3-4 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter – melted

Instructions

Donuts

Preheat oven to 425°.
Spray donut cake pan with non-stick spray, set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add sugar to the sifter flour and mix well. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk all remaining ingredients until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and carefully fold in until batter is formed. Don’t overmix.
Place the donut batter into a large plastic bag and cut a hole in one of the corners.
Pipe the batter into the donut cavities half way.
Bake for about 6-7 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Let donuts cool completely before frosting them.

Strawberry Frosting

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix together.
Frost donuts and add sprinkles for decoration.

Keyword baked donut, frosted donut, strawberry donut, vanilla donut

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with Nutella

by Henrie Marie

Looking for recipes to bake with Nutella? These darling snowflake Nutella linzer cookies are as delicious as they look. They have a rich chocolate flavor and are loaded with Nutella hazelnut spread. This Nutella cookie recipe has only a few ingredients and it is very easy to make. They look like you spent hours making them but you won't.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with Nutella

Chocolate Cookies with Creamy Nutella Hazelnut Spread

These chocolate hazelnut cookies with Nutella are very easy to make and you only need a few ingredients. Mostly Nutella hazelnut spread. The spread is in the cookie dough as well as in the finished cookie. These cookie sandwiches will satisfy your chocolate-hazelnut craving. The best part, you can make these year-round. The cookie dough can be cut into any shape you like.

These fun and festive cookies are really chocolate sandwich cookies with Nutella. To be more fancy, we can call them Nutella Linzer Cookies. The coconut is optional. We used it a as a fun way to mimic snow since we made these cookies in December as part of our Christmas cookie platter. Try this chocolate Nutella cookie recipe next time you are in the mood for a delicious chocolate hazelnut cookie. And believe me when I tell you, they will taste just as delicious if you are making them for Valentine's Day in heart shapes or in May in spring flower shapes.

Chocolate Nutella Snowflake Sandwich Cookies

Things to bake with Nutella

If you haven't baked with Nutella, I would say to you to "start now". We grew up eating Nutella sandwiches and that all I knew about Nutella or just literally eating out of the jar. Which, I still do on occasion. Years ago, I discovered that baking with Nutella has endless possibilities, especially around the winter holidays. But don't limit yourself to seasonal baking when it comes to this divine chocolate hazelnut spread.

To give you some inspiration try our Banana Nutella Bundt Cake recipe. Our Nutella Bread Pudding is an all-time favorite at our restaurant and it sells out every night we serve it. Have we mentioned our Nutella Tiramisu? They are a modern variation on the classic much loved tiramisu dessert. Try all these four Nutella desserts, you will not be disappointed!

Ingredients for this Recipe

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies with Nutella

For the Cookie Dough

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup Nutella hazelnut spread

One egg – room temperature

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur

One teaspoon vanilla extract

For Filling and Decorating

1 cup Nutella hazelnut spread

¼ fine unsweetened coconut flakes – optional

Sprinkles or sugar - optional

How to make Chocolate Snowflake Sandwich Cookies

Cookie Dough

Place flour and cocoa ponder into a large mixing bowl and whisk together.

Place Nutella, egg, coffee liqueur and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix until dough is formed.

Form the dough into a round disc.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

When Ready to Bake

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on slightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness.

Cut out cookie shapes.

Place cookies on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 7-9 minutes. Baking depends on size of the cookies. If making small cookies check at 7 minutes. The edges should look baked and slightly darker.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Once cooled, spread a generous amount of Nutella hazelnut spread onto a cookie and add another cookie on top to make a sandwich. Dab a bit of Nutella onto the edge of the cookies and roll in coconut. Use the Nutella spread to act as glue if adding sprinkle or other decorations.

Are you shopping for some cookie baking accessories? Shop our favorites.

Silicone Utensils
Tiered Cooling Rack
Cookie Sheets
High Powered Mixer

Nutella Tiramisu Cakes

by Henrie Marie

These Nutella Tiramisu Cakes are a twist on the traditional tiramisu. These are flavored with chocolate hazelnut, espresso and hazelnut and coffee liqueurs.

Nutella tiramisu cakes

Nutella Tiramisu Cakes

These lovely Nutella Tiramisu Cakes are a modern variation of the very popular traditional Italian Tiramisu. Instead of lady fingers I opted for a chocolate hazelnut cake that is a little bit on the dry side. I purposely created a dry cupcake recipe so it will absorb the espresso soak. Any other time, I would consider this cake recipe a failure. However, it is necessary and perfect for this recipe.

The marscapone cream in this recipe is slightly sweet. We only used a ¼ cup of powdered sugar to sweeten the cream. I think it complements the sweet chocolate Nutella filling perfectly. If you prefer a sweeter cream, you can add more powdered sugar and adjust the sweetness.

Ingredients For this Recipe

For the Cakes

Flour - all-purpose flour will work just fine.

Sugar - white granulated sugar.

Nutella hazelnut spread - we recommend using the original Nutella spread. There are other hazelnut spread brands available and if you have a favorite other than Nutella, I'm sure it will make a delicious cookie.

Eggs - medium size

Milk - we recommend whole milk

Cocoa powder

Baking powder

Vanilla extract - use pure vanilla extract, always stay away from imitation or artificial extracts

For the Filling

Nutella hazelnut spread

Marscapone cheese

Whipped heavy cream

Ppowdered sugar

For the Espresso Soak

Espresso or strong coffee - you can use regular or decaf

Hazelnut liqueur - any brand will do; however, we like Frangelico. It has a really deep hazelnut flavor.

Coffee liqueur - any brand will work; however, we like Kahlua. It is the most flavorful.

Topping

Shaved chocolate or cocoa powder - adds a nice chocolate dusting to the dessert.

How to Make These Chocolate Hazelnut Tiramisu Cakes

For the Cakes

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place six cupcake liners into a cupcake pan. Set aside.

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda together in mixing bowl and set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk eggs, milk and vanilla extract together and set aside.

Place the Nutella hazelnut spread and sugar into the bowl of a high-speed electric mixer. Whip together until smooth with the whisk attachment.

Set the speed on low and slowly pour in the egg mixture, continue to mix, scraping the sides as needed.

Slowly add the flour mixture and continue mixing until combined, scraping the sides as needed.

Place the batter into the lined cupcake pan.

Bake for 20-22 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool completely before assembling.

For the Filling

Place Nutella into a pastry bag.

Whip the heavy cream, marscapone cheese and powdered sugar until you reach a thick frosting consistency. Place cream into a pastry bag.

For the Espresso Soak

Mix together the espresso, hazelnut and coffee liqueurs.

To Assemble the Nutella Tiramisu Cakes

Cut each cake into three slices.

Brush each slice generously with the espresso soak.

Pipe equal amounts of Nutella and marscapone cream to the bottom slice. Add the middle layer and repeat. Add the top layer of cake and frost with marscapone cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate or dust with cocoa powder.

Nutella Tiramisu Cakes

These Nutella Tiramisu Cakes are a twist on the traditional tiramisu. These are flavored with chocolate hazelnut, espresso and hazelnut and coffee liqueurs.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 cakes

Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

high speed mixer

Ingredients

For the Cakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
6 tablespoons Nutella hazelnut spread
2 eggs
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling

1 ½ cups Nutella hazelnut spread
8 ounces of marscapone cheese
8 ounces whipped heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar

For the Espresso Soak

⅓ cup espresso or strong coffee
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur
2 tablespoons coffee liqueur

Topping

1-2 tablespoons shaved chocolate or cocoa powder

Instructions

For the Cakes

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place six cupcake liners into a cupcake pan. Set aside.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda together in mixing bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk eggs, milk and vanilla extract together and set aside.
Place the Nutella hazelnut spread and sugar into the bowl of a high speed electric mixer. Whip together until smooth with the whisk attachment.
Set the speed on low and slowly pour in the egg mixture, continue to mix, scraping the sides as needed.
Slowly add the flour mixture and continue mixing until combined, scraping the sides as needed.
Transfer the batter into the lined cupcake pan.
Bake for 20-22 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before assembling.

For the Filling

Place Nutella into a pastry bag.
Whip the heavy cream, marscapone cheese and powdered sugar until you reach a thick frosting consistency. Place cream into a pastry bag.

For the Espresso Soak

Mix together the espresso, hazelnut and coffee liqueurs.

To Assemble the Nutella Tiramisu Cakes

Cut each cake into three slices.
Brush each slice generously with the espresso soak.
Pipe equal amounts of Nutella and marscapone cream to the bottom slice. Add the middle layer and repeat. Add the top layer of cake and frost with marscapone cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate or dust with cocoa powder.

Notes

Note: This recipe makes SIX cakes. The recipe can easily be doubled to make a dozen cakes. The assembled cakes can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.

Keyword chocolate, cupcakes, hazelnut, nutella, tiramisu

Nutella Bread Pudding

by Henrie Marie

Buttery brioche bread, Nutella spread, and vanilla custard baked to perfection. Topped with semi-homemade Banana's Foster ice cream, toasted sweet coconut and candied hazelnuts.

Nutella bread pudding

Best Nutella Bread Pudding

If you love bread pudding you are going to love this Nutella Bread Pudding. If you don’t love bread pudding, you are going to love this one. This recipe is restaurant quality that you can make at home. It has been scaled down, so you don’t make as much as I need to make. When I put this same exact Nutella Bread Pudding recipe on my restaurant’s dessert menu, it sells out that night! Plus, one of my servers buys one as soon as she starts her shift. She loves it that much and knows it will be gone by the end of dinner service. Not only is it one of my best-selling desserts, but I also recently entered this very recipe into a Nutella contest that was hosted by The Feed Feed and Nutella. And this desert is a finalist!

What is the best bread for bread pudding?

To make this same exact recipe, I strongly suggest using brioche bread. If you live near an Aldi’s you’re in luck because you will have access to same bread used in this recipe. I use plain, sliced brioche bread from Aldi’s, it’s fantastic for this specific bread pudding. If you don’t have an Aldi’s where you live, you can use other brioche loaves that are available at your grocery store. You may have to slice the bread yourself.

Pans for Baking

You can use a variety of pans to bake this bread pudding in. A 11x7” inch rectangle pan or 9” cake pan or spring form pan will work great. If you are using a 9” pan, I recommend baking the pudding for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. I used 8 4” mini spring form pans. These pans are amazing for baking individual desserts. If you have these pans, you can use them and easily give some of the bread pudding away and freeze some for another time.

How to serve Nutella Bread Pudding

Make sure that the bread pudding has cooled completely before serving. If it has been refrigerated, simply heat it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Don’t overheat it, just take the chill out of the bread pudding. We serve ours with semi-homemade bananas foster ice cream, but your favorite plain vanilla ice cream will be fantastic. You can also add toppings such as chopped hazelnuts, toasted coconut flakes, whipped cream, caramel or more Nutella, of course.

Ingredients you will need for this Recipe

Sliced brioche loaf - 1 package

Nutella hazelnut spread

Heavy cream

Whole milk

Granulated sugar

Brown sugar

Unsalted butter – melted and cooled

Eggs

Hazelnut liqueur

Vanilla extract

How to make Nutella Bread Pudding

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread a generous amount of Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread onto a brioche bread slice and top with another slice of brioche bred. Basically, make Nutella sandwiches. Use the entire loaf, including the ends.

Cut the sandwiches into small squares, slicing each sandwich four times in both directions. Place the bread into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Nutella sandwiches

Mix all remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well combined.

Add the mixture to the bowl of Nutella sandwiches and gently fold together until the mixture is absorbed by the bread.

Place the mixture into a 7x11” cake pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove and let cool. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream and extra Nutella sauce.

Nutella Bread Pudding

Buttery brioche bread, Nutella spread, and vanilla custard baked to perfection. Topped with semi-homemade Banana's Foster ice cream, toasted sweet coconut and candied hazelnuts.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

18 ounces sliced brioche loaf - 1 package
1 ½ cups Nutella hazelnut spread
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ stick unsalted butter – melted and cooled
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Spread a generous amount of Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread onto a brioche bread slice and top with another slice of brioche bred. Basically, make Nutella sandwiches. Use the entire loaf, including the ends.
Cut the sandwiches into small squares, slicing each sandwich four times in both directions. Place the bread into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Mix all remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
Add the mixture to the bowl of Nutella sandwiches and gently fold together until the mixture is absorbed by the bread.
Place the mixture into a 7x11” cake pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove and let cool. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream and extra Nutella sauce.

Keyword bread dessert, bread pudding, chocolate dessert, nutella

Banana Nutella Bundt Cake

by Henrie Marie

Looking for a Bundt cake recipe? Make this extra moist Banana Nutella Bundt Cake. It has a divine combination of ripe bananas and creamy chocolate hazelnut spread. The Nutella in this banana cake recipe really adds a smooth, creamy chocolate hazelnut flavor. It adds a layer of chocolate sweetness.

banana bundt cake with nutella

Banana Nutella Bundt Cake

We are going a bit nuts and baking a lot with Nutella hazelnut spread. I grew up on Nutella, literally eating it out of the jar. Admittedly, I still eat a heaping spoonful every time I bake with it. Had some very ripe bananas that I needed to use up and it was either banana shake or banana bread. I opted for banana bread, well more like super moist Banana Nutella Bundt Cake.

Bananas, Chocolate and Hazelnuts - A Divine Combination

The combination of chocolate, hazelnut and bananas just sounded really good, and it really is! The bananas, sour cream and butter really make this cake recipe moist and delicious. The Nutella hazelnut spread is baked into the cake, and it is also used as a frosting to top the cake. It is used in its pure form, and you get that true distinct chocolate hazelnut flavor that only Nutella has. The cake itself, is not overly sweet and it makes a great snacking cake or just a “little something sweet” with a cup of coffee in the morning.

Just adding Nutella to an otherwise simple banana cake bring this chocolate banana cake to a higher level.

Ingredients Needed for the Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups Nutella hazelnut spread – place in large pastry piping bag
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup whole milk – room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter – melted but cooled
2 ripe bananas – smashed
½ cup sour cream
two eggs – room temperature
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Non-stick cooking spray for Bundt pan

How to make a Bundt Cake

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spray Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Place flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, butter, smashed banana, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until well combined. Do not overmix.

Place half the cake batter into to the Bundt pan and add about half cup Nutella hazelnut spread to the batter. Gently swirl with a toothpick to spread it out.

Top with remaining cake batter and swirl about 2 tablespoons of Nutella hazelnut spread on top of the cake batter.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Let cool completely.

Once cooled, spread the remaining Nutella hazelnut spread on top of the Bundt cake and serve.

banana bundt cake with nutella

Variation

To make a Bundt shaped cake, you will need a Bundt cake pan. For the most part they are generally the same size, unless you are mini-Bundt cake pans. If you do not have one, you can make this recipe is other cake pans. Just keep in mind that baking time will vary and depend on the cake pan size and shape as well as how deep the batter is. You will have to keep an eye on the cake as it bakes and check it more often. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

by Henrie Marie

These soft Italian lemon ricotta cookies are topped with sweet white chocolate frosting, pistachios and lemon zest for extra vibrant citrus flavor.

Italian Cookies

Not only are these Lemon Ricotta Cookies delicious, but they are also very easy to make. If you never had ricotta cookies, you have to try this recipe. Italian ricotta cookies are similar to small cakes. They are soft, chewy and not too sweet. The white chocolate frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness, and the extra lemon zest adds lemony citrus flavor to every bite. The chopped, unsalted pistachios are complimentary to the cookie and give them added flavor and crunch. These cookies are great to enjoy year-round. They are a perfect treat during the warmer season. At the same time, they are great addition to your holiday cookie platter or Christmas cookie exchange.

Ingredients for the Lemon Ricotta Cookie Recipe

For the Cookies

Flour – all-purpose

Unsalted Butter – room temperature

Sugar – granulated white

Ricotta Cheese – Full fat works best

Egg – room temperature

Lemon Zest – freshly zested

Lemon Extract – pure, do not use imitation

Baking Powder

Vanilla Extract – pure, do not use imitation

Salt – regular table salt is fine

For the White Chocolate Frosting

Powdered Sugar

White Chocolate Chips – we used Ghirardelli white chocolate chips, but you can use your favorite brand

Unsalted Butter – melted

Heavy Cream

Lemon Extract – pure, do not use imitation

Add Toppings

Pistachios - unsalted, chopped

Lemon Zest

How to Make White Chocolate Frosting

White chocolate frosting can be easily made with just a few simple ingredients. It is a delicious, sweet topping for sugar cookies, cakes or these soft ricotta lemon cookies. Follow these simple directions for make the perfect white chocolate frosting.

Melt butter in a large bowl in the microwave.
Place white chocolate chips in the melted butter and stir and mix until chips melt and are combined with the butter.
Add powdered sugar, heavy cream and lemon extract to the butter mixture and mix well. You should have a thick, but spreadable consistency. If too dry add a little heavy cream at a time, if too loose add more powdered sugar.

How to make Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies

The easiest way to make these Italian lemon ricotta cookies is by following these simple directions. I find that if I gather and prepare the ingredients for a recipe first, it is easier and faster to put it together.

Mix flour, baking powder and salt well in a large mixing bowl, set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk egg, lemon zest, lemon extract and vanilla extract, set aside.
Place butter, ricotta and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. With the whisk attachment, whip together until smooth.
Add mixture to the bowl and continue mixing.
Turn mixer to low, and slowly add the flour mixture, a little at a time to the bowl. Continue mixing until blended. Scrape sides as needed.
Place the cookie dough in a bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.
When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place about a rounded tablespoon cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure cookies are at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 15-17 minutes. Let cool completely.
Frost cookies and top with chopped pistachios and lemon zest.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ricotta Cookies

Can you make ricotta cookie batter ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the lemon ricotta cookie dough 2-3 days in advance. Just refrigerate the ricotta cookie dough in an airtight container until you are ready to bake them.

How long do ricotta cookies last?

Once you baked a batch of cookies, you can store baked ricotta cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days or refrigerate them for up to 1 week. If you have frosted the cookies, I recommend that they are stored in the refrigerator. It is best to frost them before serving. The frosting should be refrigerated as well and brought to room temperature when ready to use.

Can frosted ricotta cookies be frozen?

You can freeze these cookies, the white chocolate frosting in this recipe is thick and will defrost well, however glazed ricotta cookies will change their appearance once thawed. Glaze frosting tends to change consistency when it thaws. The flavors won't change, they will still be delicious!

More Cookies to try...

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies