A classic, generations old, old fashioned recipe for pumpkin bread! Super Moist Pumpkin Spice Bread is just as its name says: soft, sweet, and perfectly seasoned!
OK – I’m just going to say it. I used to be anti pumpkin everything. Anti pumpkin lattes, anti pumpkin bread, and definitely anti pumpkin pie. (I know, I know – that might anger some of you). But ever since I met my husband, pumpkin has started to grow on me and it’s because of Super Moist Pumpkin Spice Bread!
Well, kind of! My husband likes pumpkin bread but used to only eat box mix. That’s fine, not really an issue since I never had a recipe for pumpkin bread.
That is until I was digging through a recipe book my husband’s mom gave me and voila! A pumpkin spice bread recipe. And it’s his great grandmother’s recipe no less!
This recipe is super easy and super tasty!
It’s important to make sure your ground spices are always the freshest they can be. If not, they lose flavor and potency. If you think you might not use all of your spices before they reach that point, I urge you all to buy the smaller containers of spices.
Generally, it’s best to make sure your ingredients are room temperature, even your eggs. This helps your pastries get fluffier! (There are some instances where a recipe may call for cold ingredients, it’s best to follow what’s specified in the recipe).
When you buy your canned pumpkin, make sure there isn’t any added sugar and that you’re getting 100% pure pumpkin. Above all else, I am a Libby’s fan. It is by far the BEST puree, the most flavorful, and with the most vibrant colors.
Next, line your loaf tins as the picture below shows and you’ll make your life so much easier when it comes to removing the bread from the pans after they bake.
This bread, like banana bread, is best eaten fully cooled. Remove the bread from the tins after a few minutes to speed up the cooling process.
Enjoy your Super Moist Pumpkin Spice Bread on its own or with my Cinnamon Whipped Cream!
A classic, generations old, old – fashioned recipe for pumpkin bread! This Super Moist Pumpkin Spice Bread is just as its name says, it's soft, sweet, and perfectly seasoned!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 20Slices
Calories: 230kcal
Equipment
2 Standard Size Loaf Tins (approx 8½ in by 4½ in)
Ingredients
¾CupVegetable Oil
½CupWater
15ozCanned Pumpkin Puree (1 15 oz can or 1½ cup)
3Large Eggs
2½CupsAll Purpose Flour
2¼CupsWhite Sugar
1½tspBaking Soda
1tspKosher Salt
1½tspGround Cinnamon
1½tspGround Ginger
1½tspGround Nutmeg
1½tspVanilla Extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease and line two standard size loaf tins with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix together the sugar, flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
In a second bowl mix together the vegetable oil, water, canned pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Create a well in the first bowl and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix well.
Pour batter evenly between the two loaf tins and bake for about 60 minutes.
Every oven is different so check the bread every 5 minutes starting at the 55 minute mark. This bread could even take 65 minutes to bake.
You'll know the bread is done when a toothpick placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Hotteok is a Korean style sweet pancake that is stuffed with cinnamon sugar and walnuts! Made with a simple yeasted dough and can be stuffed with any flavor of your choosing!
Chewy, soft not too sweet with a good all spice-esque flavor! Maple Clove Cookies are super simple and sure to curb your sweet craving with just around 100 calories!
A super easy recipe for AUTHENTIC homemade sun dried tomato pesto. Eat on your favorite toasted bread or with some pasta!
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto! The extra flavorful younger sibling to the classic green basil pesto. This recipe is as authentic as it gets and stays true to the Italian classic!
This recipe requires a food processor (or a high powered blender) but aside from that it’s pretty easy.
It’s really important to get high quality ingredients for this recipe. Make sure you have the freshest basil leaves you can find.
Don’t get pre oil soaked tomatoes, you won’t be able to control the amount of oil you have in the final product. This recipe is formulated to be used with dry sun dried tomatoes.
I used raw / unroasted / unsalted pine nuts for this recipe as well.
The most important thing to keep in mind is the quality of your parmesan. Please don’t use pregrated parmesan, the quality is not there at all. Make sure to get parmigiano reggiano in a wedge shape.
Roasting the red bell pepper is really important to impart really good flavor in the pesto. You should do it on an open flame if you can, or on a grill, but if not then you can roast them in an oven at 450 for 15 minutes.
Once the red bell pepper is roated, peel the skin off so you get really tender, sweet smelling flesh.
Blitz the ingredients in intervals, begin with the bell pepper, garlic, and soaked tomatoes. Then add the pine nuts, black pepper, and salt. Blitz again, and add the grated parmesan, basil, and crushed red pepper. Blitz!
Finally, stream in the remaining olive oil while the processor is going.
At this point you can add more crushed red pepper, salt, or black pepper according to your taste preferences!
Store the finished sun dried tomato pesto in an air tight glass container. But make sure not to seal the lid before the pesto is completely cooled. If not, you may run the risk of getting mold in your pesto.
A super easy recipe for AUTHENTIC homemade sun dried tomato pesto. Eat on your favorite toasted bread or with some pasta!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 12Servings
Calories: 175kcal
Equipment
Food processor (if not, high powered blender)
Air tight jar or container
Ingredients
1cupSun Dried Tomatoes
¼CupPine Nuts
5ClovesGarlicmedium to large, peeled
¼CupGrated Parmesan
1½tspKosher Salt
¼tspCracked Black Pepper
¾CupExtra Virgin Olive Oildivided ½ and ¼
1Red Bell Pepper
½tspCrushed Red Pepper
10leavesBasillarge leaves
Instructions
Soak sun dried tomatoes in ¼ cup olive oil.
On an open flame on your stove top, roast the red pepper until the skin is charred and black. (if you dont have a gas stove top, roast the bell pepper at 450° in an oven for 15 minutes)
Peel the charred skin off of the roasted bell pepper.
In a food processor, blend the roasted red pepper, oil soaked tomatoes, and garlic until fully chopped. (it'll be chunky)
Add the pine nuts, black pepper, and salt and blitz again. (it'll still be chunky)
Add the grated parmesan, basil, and crushed red pepper and blitz once again. (still sort of chunky)
Turn on the food processor (or blender) and continuously stream in the remaining ½ cup of olive oil.
Blend for a solid minute.
Add salt to taste and enjoy!
Let cool fully before storing in an air tight glass jar in the fridge.
A step up from the simple and classic oven roasted brussel sprouts. These Honey Garlic Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts are garlicky, savory, a little sweet, and have a small kick of heat. Great even for those that don’t like the bitter taste of brussel sprouts!
Asparagus smothered in a garlic butter all wrapped in a cheesy pillowy pastry cushion! These Cheesy Asparagus Parcels are the PERFECT side dish to impress!
Spicy seasoning for sweet corn disks sauteed with onions and a dash of lemon juice! The perfect snack or accompaniment for a main entree. A 10 minute dish!
This soft, silky, and not too sweet cinnamon whipped cream is perfect on top of pumpkin or banana bread, in coffee, or with berries!
OK – hear me out. I know the idea of cinnamon whipped cream on fruits might seem weird to some of you. But it’s actually AMAZING. This cream isn’t super sweet and it perfectly compliments the flavor of berries. My favorite fruit to eat it with is strawberries.
This recipe is inspired by a cinnamon whipped cream my fiance ate at his cousins house many years ago. His aunt served it with pumpkin bread but my fiance’s mom serves it with fruits! It works with all kinds of foods.
It’s honestly the simplest recipe but it is sure to be a hit with everyone.
It only needs 4 ingredients!
A word of advice, just because it’s easy doesn’t mean there’s not a chance it can go wrong. I say that because it happened to me. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve made this recipe, hardly paying attention, and it’s gone perfectly.
However, the day I made this recipe for photos, it went horribly wrong. I somehow managed to curdle my whipped cream!
So here’s what NOT to do: Don’t turn your cream on the fastest speed and walk away, because you’ll overwhip it and your cream will look like this:
EW – pretty sure nobody wants that
So overall, your best best is to premeasure everything and put it in the bowl before you begin whipping.
You should begin on a low setting first before you speed it up. I wouldn’t recommend whipping at a speed higher than medium.
You shouldn’t push your cream past this point. I call it a ribbony texture.
This cream is great on banana bread or pumpkin bread, or with an assortment of berries. But it’s also AMAZING scooped onto black coffee!
Cinnamon, sugar, cream, black coffee… SIGN ME UP
Share if you like this recipe of Cinnamon Whipped Cream!
Japanese Strawberry Shortcake is a perfect mix between the classic American strawberry shortcake and angel food cake. Paired with fresh strawberries and light and fluffy homemade whipped cream! Best served 24 hours after assembly!
Lemon Pound Cake is the best solution for citrus lovers! There’s lemon in every component of this recipe, it’s in the cake and in the glaze. Comes with a mixed berry compote to top the cake! (Starbucks Copycat!)
Chewy, soft not too sweet with a good all spice-esque flavor! Maple Clove Cookies are super simple and sure to curb your sweet craving with just around 100 calories!
These Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies are soft and delicious. Enhanced with maple syrup and cinnamon, these are sure to be the best oatmeal cookies you’ll make.
This garlic and herb compound butter is perfect for sauteeing with vegetables, basting your meats, as a pad of finishing butter, or spread on bagels or to toast for homemade garlic bread!
Hello to all of my fellow butter lovers!!! As someone who loves to bake, I love butter and I value the place it has in the kitchen. Now I’m not trying to say that butter is boring, BUT we can always add to it. Enter: Garlic and Herb Compound Butter.
This compound butter (also similar to a finishing butter that you would see on a cooked steak) is packed with garlic and herbs. As the garlic and herbs mix with the butter and sit in the fridge for a while it allows the butter to soak up all the flavor.
Have you ever seen those garlic bread loaves at your grocery store with the butter pre-spread, all you need to do is bake them? That’s what you can do with this butter as well! Say goodbye to frozen garlic bread and hello to the fresh loaves!
Use this butter as a marinade for any meat, to slather and baste your steaks, or to saute with your vegetables!
Here are some recipe tips and notes that are crucial to ensure you get the best flavor and quality out of your garlic and herb compound butter.
Butter Tips:
I used Kerry Gold butter for this recipe. Now, I don’t always use Kerry Gold butter but this brand of butter is incredibly rich and has a wonderful flavor which is perfect for this recipe! If you can’t use this brand or can’t find it where you are, look around your grocery store and find the best quality butter there is.
This recipe also uses salted butter. I would prefer you all use salted butter for the recipe but if you get unsalted butter, add 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt to the mix.
Herb Tips:
Make sure you use fresh herbs! The flavor is much better that way because dried herbs usually need to be cooked or rehydrated to has as much flavor. Just be sure to finely chop the herbs.
Storing Tips:
You can either store the butter in an airtight jar. Or you can store it in a log, wrapped in parchment paper.
To wrap in parchment paper you should make a rectangle of parchment and place the butter in the center. Pat it down into a rectangle shape and begin to roll the paper.
Refrigerate the butter for at least an hour before you cook with it and continue to store the butter in the fridge.
This garlic and herb compound butter is perfect for sauteeing with vegetables, basting your meats, as a pad of finishing butter, or spread on bagels or to toast for homemade garlic bread!
Once you start making this easy sandwich loaf bread, you’ll never want to buy the store bought stuff ever again! It’s slightly sweet and toasts to the perfect crunch!
Made with a creamy coconut base, this Thai Red Curry with Shrimp is flavorful and packed with vegetables. Omit the shrimp and you’ve got a simple, fully vegetarian dish! One pot meal!
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip is truly one of the best, well loved dishes around! This recipe stays true to the classic creation but offers a unique way to achieve creaminess.
A step up from the simple and classic oven roasted brussel sprouts. These Honey Garlic Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts are garlicky, savory, a little sweet, and have a small kick of heat. Great even for those that don’t like the bitter taste of brussel sprouts!
Asparagus smothered in a garlic butter all wrapped in a cheesy pillowy pastry cushion! These Cheesy Asparagus Parcels are the PERFECT side dish to impress!
I like cheese, I like asparagus, and I like puff pastry. If you guys do as well then you’ll be sure to love these Cheesy Asparagus Parcels.
To be honest, I was a little skeptical about the combination of asparagus and puff pastry. But I started to think about artichoke spinach puffs. Well, those are green veggies, cheesy, and wrapped in pastry and those taste delicious. So I decided to push through with this recipe!
Make sure your asparagus as super green and super healthy. Some people prefer the thinner stalks and some prefer the fatter ones. Here, I’ve used the fatter ones, but you can choose whichever you prefer.
This recipe calls for store bought puff pastry. (store bought puff pastry is great! I love the Pepperidge Farms puff pastry) Aside from the thawing process, you don’t need to roll or reshape the pastry sheets. Just unfold it and cut it into square quarters.
The asparagus should be tossed in a garlic butter before assembly but I’m including the above photo to show how the parcels should be assembled.
The type of cheese you end up using is optional BUT I think pepperjack cheese is the best option. The flavor compliments the buttery texture of the puff pastry and the cheese is extra gooey as it bakes. IF you want a little heat, you can add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes before you wrap the parcels up. Don’t forget to sprinkle some kosher salt on the puff pastry after you give it an egg wash.
Pro tip! Use the egg as glue for the portion of the parcel where one side of the pastry overlaps with the other. If not, your parcels won’t stay intact and they’ll split open as they bake.
OOEY GOOEY CHEESE
Enjoy your Cheesy Asparagus Parcels as a side dish or make a smaller version of them for a potluck and they’ll surely be loved by everyone!
Asparagus smothered in a garlic butter all wrapped in a cheesy pillowy pastry cushion! These Cheesy Asparagus Parcels are the PERFECT side dish to impress!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4Parcels
Calories: 325kcal
Ingredients
20StalksAsparagus (about 1 pound)
1½TbspUnsalted Butter, melted
1CloveGarlic, grated
¾tspKosher salt, divided
¼tspBlack Pepper
4SlicesPepper Jack Cheese
.5tspCrushed Red Pepper (optional if you want a kick)
1PackagePuff Pastry (fully thawed)
1Egg, beaten
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Cut off some of the stem of the asparagus, I usually cut about .5 to 1 inch off depending on the stalk.
Melt the butter and stir in the grated garlic, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ tsp of black pepper. (if you want a little more spice, you can add the crushed red pepper to this mixture)
Generously coat and toss the asparagus in the garlic butter mixture.
Unfold the sheet of puff pastry so it lays flat on a clean surface. (there is no rolling required)
Cut the pastry in half horizontally and vertically so you have four pieces. Arrange them so they are sitting diagonally.
Lay a slice of cheese on each of the four pieces (the slices should be a little smaller, which is exactly what you want)
Lay five stalks of asparagus on each parcel. The stalks should be centered on the parcels to they stick out evenly top and bottom. The asparagus should also be arranged with a layer of three and a layer of two stacked on top.
Brush the part of the pastry that is exposed around the cheese with the beaten egg.
Then fold the side corners of the pastry squares over each other. Make sure to brush some of the beaten egg where the overlap, it'll act as glue.
Brush the outside of the pastries with the egg.
Sprinkle the remaining ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt on the pastry parcels.
These Potato Pastry Pinwheels are the perfect finger food for any potluck or as a passed appetizer! It is salty, spicy, and a little sweet from the pastry! This recipe is simple and utilizes store bought dough!
Soft, fluffy and easy to make, these buttery garlic knots are perfect with any italian dish or soup! Eat on the side with a salad or just as a snack! Top with parmesan or flaky salt!
A step up from the simple and classic oven roasted brussel sprouts. These Honey Garlic Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts are garlicky, savory, a little sweet, and have a small kick of heat. Great even for those that don’t like the bitter taste of brussel sprouts!
Raise your hand if you love brussel sprouts! If you don’t, don’t worry about it. There’s a chance you just haven’t have the right brussel sprouts. I’d give these Honey Garlic Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts.
To be honest, I hadn’t eaten brussel sprouts until I started dating my fiance and a family friend made me try them at our first Thanksgiving together. It was….. okay, to say the least. But it shocked me because I just always assumed brussel sprouts were as bad as all my friends growing up said they were but it was just okay.
That’s when I realized that brussel sprouts are fine, I just think there’s one superior way of cooking them. And that is by oven roasting them. As far as brussel sprouts go, there’s nothing better than super brown and crispy roasted sprouts, and layering them with a sweet and salty glaze will help cut any bitterness that the sprouts may have.
This recipe is super easy but I include a trick for how to get the BEST roasted sprouts. That is preheating your baking sheet along with the oven so that it is already ripping hot when you place the brussel sprouts in the oven. You also want to leave your sheet unlined and place the sprouts face down so there’s continued and direct contact between the hot metal and the open face of the sprout. In the last five to ten minutes of baking time you want to turn the sprouts over so that they cook evenly. And with just that, you’ll always have the most perfectly roasted brussel sprouts.
You should always toss brussel sprouts in salt, pepper, and oil before you roast them. That’s how you get your classic roasted brussel sprouts. But here’s how you get your Honey Garlic Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts.
After the sprouts are cooked, saute the garlic and butter together for about 30 seconds and then stir in honey, herbs de provence, and crushed red pepper and then toss the roasted brussel sprouts in and coat!
A step up from the simple and classic oven roasted brussel sprouts. These Honey Garlic Herb Roasted Brussel Sprouts are garlicky, savory, a little sweet, and have a small kick of heat. Great even for those that don't like the bitter taste of brussel sprouts!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 125kcal
Ingredients
1PoundBrussel Sprouts
1TbspOlive Oil
½tspKosher Salt
¼tsp Black Pepper
1TbspUnsalted Butter
1CloveGarlic, finely minced or grated
¾TbspHoney
½tspHerbs de Provence(or Italian seasoning)
½tspCrushed Red Pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° and place a baking sheet in the oven while it preheats (make sure it is an unlined baking sheet)
Trim the stem end of the brussel sprouts and remove any outer leaves, them cut the brussel sprouts in half, lengthwise.
Toss the brussel sprouts in the olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
Once the oven has reached 390°, remove the baking sheet and arrange the brussel sprouts face down on the sheet (please do this carefully as the pan will be very hot and make sure the pan is still an unlined sheet. The sprouts should not stick to the pan as they bake and preheating the pan will help to really roast the sprouts)
Place the brussel sprouts in the oven at 400°. Bake for 20 minutes and then flips the sprouts so they are face up. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes (remove when the sprouts are roasted to your preference. I did the full 10 minutes)
Once you remove the brussel sprouts, heat up the butter in a pan and cook the garlic for about thirty seconds (do all of this on a medium low heat)
Add the honey, herbs de provence, and crushed red pepper. Stir thoroughly.
Immediately add the roasted brussel sprouts and toss until they are coated.
Creamy Indian Chicken Curry that requires no cream! A perfect introduction into authentic south Indian cooking that uses nuts to make it creamy! Enjoy with rice, roti, or naan!
Spicy Salty Snack Mix utilizes unique flavors to create a wonderful homemade alternative to the store bought stuff! It’s super easy to make, which is great because it’s a super addicting snack!
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip is truly one of the best, well loved dishes around! This recipe stays true to the classic creation but offers a unique way to achieve creaminess.
These Potato Pastry Pinwheels are the perfect finger food for any potluck or as a passed appetizer! It is salty, spicy, and a little sweet from the pastry! This recipe is simple and utilizes store bought dough!
Potatoes and pastries often make a great marriage of flavor when it comes to cooking. I love making this potato pastry pinwheels be all kinds of parties. They’re one of the easiest and tastiest side dishes you can make for a home party or even for a potluck. They’re great for picnics as well! Kids will love them and so will adults.
This is a 4 ingredient recipe (along with some light seasonings) and is super simple to make. All you need are potatoes, half an onion, Pillsbury Crescent Rounds (not the Rolls!), and cilantro. As far as seasonings go, you’ll just need salt, chili powder, and olive oil.
Chop the potatoes and onions finely but to a uniform size. You’ll want to sweat the onions for a bit in the oil before you add the potatoes in to cook them. Wait until they’re slightly translucent and then add the potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are soft, but still hold their shape. Add the spices after the potatoes, and add the cilantro at the end.
You want the potato filling to cool COMPLETELY before you spread it among the pastry. The crescent rounds sheets have premarked lines on them, indicating the 8 rounds. You’ll want to roll the sheets out so they’re at least 10 inches long (vertically) and you should place it so the lines are vertical.
Spread half of the stuffing on each of the pastry sheets. Make sure to spread all the way to the side edges but leave the top edges empty so rolling is easier.
Roll the pastries tightly, as you would cinnamon rolls and refrigerate the logs so it is easier to cut them. Cut them with a thin bladed serrated knife. The pastry has 8 precut lines, you should double up on those lines and cut 16 pieces per long instead of 8.
Place the logs on a pastry sheet and bake in a 350° oven for 15 minutes. Let cool and enjoy your potato pastry pinwheels on their own or with a spicy dipping sauce of your choice!
These Potato Pastry Pinwheels are the perfect finger food for any potluck or as a passed appetizer! It is salty, spicy, and a little sweet from the pastry! This recipe is simple and utilizes store bought dough!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 32Pinwheels
Calories: 74kcal
Ingredients
1½lbsYukon Gold Potatoes (peeled and finely diced)
½Onion (finely diced)
1tspKosher Salt
1tspChili Powder
2½TbspOlive Oil
3SprigsCilantro (finely chopped)
2TubesPillsbury Crescent Rounds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
Peel and finely chop the potatoes and the half onion.
Sautee the onion in a pan with the oil until the onions are slightly translucent.
Add the potatoes, salt, and chili powder and cook until the potatoes are soft.
Stir in cilantro and put aside to cool completely.
Work with the pastry dough one tube at a time. Unroll the pastry dough and roll out with a rolling pin until it is about a 10 inch square.
Spread half of the potato stuffing onto each of the rolls. Spread the filling all the way to the side edges but leave some space at the top and bottom to make rolling easier.
Roll the dough tightly, as you would cinnamon rolls and put the log in the refrigerator for a few minutes while you prepare the other rolls.
Remove the chilled log and cut it into about 15 or 16 pieces. (note, the rolls will have lines in them indicating 8 slices, you should double up on those so that you get thinner pinwheels) (refer to photos above).
These Potato Pastry Pinwheels are the perfect finger food for any potluck or as a passed appetizer! It is salty, spicy, and a little sweet from the pastry! This recipe is simple and utilizes store bought dough!
Minestrone Soup is the perfect vegetable soup packed full of flavor. Eat it alone as a side dish or with Tortellini to make it the main star. It’s a super healthy and tasty soup.
Asparagus smothered in a garlic butter all wrapped in a cheesy pillowy pastry cushion! These Cheesy Asparagus Parcels are the PERFECT side dish to impress!
These Panko Crusted Tenders with Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce are crispy, juicy, and have the perfect kick of spice! Enjoy on their own or with rice!
These Panko Crusted Tenders with Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce are crispy, juicy, savory, and oh so delicious. The way the chicken is cooked still allows for the same juiciness that fried chicken tenders would but it’s much much healthier. And honestly, sometimes heating up oil, making sure your workspace is safe, and then the clean up and proper disposal of oil is sometimes just too much.
The panko bread crumbs are the best at retaining their crunch when it comes to baking as opposed to using regular italian style bread crumbs.
Double layering the breadcrumbs makes the chicken SO crispy and helps lot in the flavors to make it SO juicy!
When you’re dipping the chicken, be sure to stir the breadcrumbs up every now and then. The grains of the seasonings are a lot more fine than the grain size of the panko and they tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl. So make sure to stir it up!
While the chicken is baking, I suggest taking the time to do some light clean up and prep for the sauce.
The sauce is will cook the most evenly when the raw cane sugar, honey, low sodium soy sauce, gochujang, peanut butter, and water are mixed together properly before being poured into the hot pan.
Also, be sure that once you sautee the garlic and ginger in the oil that the pan isn’t too hot or the soy sauce will burn and become bitter. The sugar, honey, and peanut butter will help counteract that but definitely keep an eye out anyways.
The water in the sauce mixture will ensure that the sauce doesn’t thicken too much before the chicken tenders are tossed in.
I mentioned this in the recipe notes but I’ll mention it again here, this sauce isn’t supposed to douse the chicken generously but rather coat it mildly. You’ll be able to see in the photos what I mean by that.
Top your Panko Crusted Tenders with Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Enjoy on their own with a vegetable side of your choosing or over a bed of rice!
Panko Crusted Tenders with Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce
These Panko Crusted Tenders with Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce are crispy, juicy, and have the perfect kick of spice! Enjoy on their own or with rice!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4
Calories: 390kcal
Ingredients
Chicken Crust
1Small Tray Boneless Skinless Chicken Tenders
1½CupPanko Bread Crumbs
½tspPaprika
½tspGarlic Powder
½tspKosher Salt
½tspBlack Pepper
2Eggs
Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce
1TbspOlive Oil
2ClovesGarlic Grated
½inchGinger Grated
1TbspRaw Cane Sugar
1TbspHoney
⅓CupLow Sodium Soy Sauce
1TbspGochujang (Korean Red Pepper Paste)
2tspPeanut Butter (Smooth/Creamy)
1TbspWater
2tspSesame Seeds
2StalksGreen Onion / Scallions chopped
Instructions
Panko Crusted Chicken Tenders
Preheat oven to 450°. Line a baking sheet with foil.
In one bowl, which the eggs until the yolks and whites are fully incorporated.
In another bowl, mix together the panko, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Dip the tenders into the egg (fully coat) and then dip into the panko mixture (fully coat).
Repeat the previous step, so that you have two coatings of egg and panko on your tenders.
Bake for 25 minutes. Tenders should be light golden brown.
Spicy Sticky Asian Sauce
In a cup or bowl, mix together the raw cane sugar, honey, low sodium soy sauce, gochujang, peanut butter, and water. Set aside.
Keep the cooked chicken tenders ready.
Heat the oil in a pan and sautee the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds.
Make sure the heat is set to medium low and pour in the sauce mixture.
Cook until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken. Immediately place the chicken tenders into the pan and coat them with the sauce.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, top with scallions, and Enjoy! (note: this sauce isn't supposed to douse the chicken generously but rather coat it mildly).
If you’re looking for more Asian inspired dishes click here.
This Ultimate Chocolate Cake is incredibly simple to make but tastes just as good as ones made by pros. Includes a chocolate buttercream recipe that perfectly compliments the cake.
ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE CAKE!!! This recipe is my most requested recipe. It’s requested for birthday parties, for grad parties, and even just for plain ol’ family get-togethers.
I know my cousins are waiting for quarantine to lift so I can drop off some slices of cake for them all. I love eating this cake with coffee, tea, or even warmed with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Cake Tips!
I’m the kind of person that will sneak a bite of the cake every time I walk by it. It’s a dangerous game, to be honest. Whether you like sneaking bites like me or you like heaping, generous servings you’ll love this cake all the same.
As with many baking and pastry recipes, a lot of chocolate cake recipes are rather similar. But the technique matters are this recipe will have some tips that will ensure a moist cake.
These tricks apply for those of you that are using a hand mixer or a stand mixer. If you don’t have either of those you can use a hand whisk but it’s definitely helpful to have either one of the electrical equipment.
Prep your cake tins with parchment paper lining the bottom and grease the sides with oil or a spray. Mix all the dry ingredients first and stir them until they’re fully incorporated. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract before the milk and water.
You definitely want to use simmering water. Here’s why: it’ll bloom your cocoa powder. For those of you that make drip coffee, it’s a similar concept. The hot water will hydrate the cocoa powder better than room temperature and cause it to bloom before you bake it, which basically means it activates and enhances the chocolate flavor.
You also definitely want to use warm milk that has had the Tablespoon of instant coffee mixed in. The instant coffee flavor will not be noticeable at all, it just lends a hand in further enhancing the flavor of chocolate in the cake.
Using oil rather than butter, simmering water, and milk coffee all contribute to what makes this an Ultimate Chocolate Cake!
If you don’t have a round cake pan, that is okay! I wouldn’t use a spring form pan as this cake batter is really liquidy and it tends to leak (I have experienced this disaster before). But you can opt into using two 8 inch square pans. Or if you have only one round or one square pan you can decrease the recipe by half or bake the cake layers one at a time! I also wouldn’t use a rectangle pan as the cake will rise to much in the center and not enough on the size, thus overcooking it.
The cake will dome as it rises, but that’s okay. If you want you can level the cake with a serrated knife so it’s easier to stack and ice with the buttercream. But you can also leave it unleveled and ice each layer separately. If you trip the tops off, save the extra bits to eat as a snack with your tea or coffee!
Buttercream Tips!
Make sure your butter is truly softened, the best way is to take the butter out either the night before or right before you start making the cake. It just all depends on the temperate of your house and where you live.
Cream the butter thoroughly! This means to just beat it with the whisk for a minute or more. It should look like the photo above!
For the next few steps, it’s best to alternate pouring small amount of the milk, small amounts of the powdered sugar, and small amounts of the cocoa powder and mix thoroughly before you add more. This will ensure a smooth buttercream and that the whole process is less messy!
Decorating Tips!
If you’re stacking the cake, I would recommend using between 3/4 Cup and 1 Cup of the buttercream inbetween the two layers. That should leave you with enough buttercream to ice the outside of the cake. I would also recommend placing the cakes cut side down (if you level the cake) this will help the cake crumbs not fall apart while you’re spreading the icing.
This next step is totally optional, but you can choose to do a crumb coat once the layers are stacked. This means that you want to use a tiny amount of the buttercream to add a thin layer on the top and the sides of the cake and pop it in the fridge for ten to fifteen minutes. This will lock any crumbs into the cake so your buttercream doesn’t become crumbly. It’s not always necessary but it’s a simple step if you choose to do so.
Finally, evenly spread the rest of the buttercream on the top and sides of the cake and serve!
This Ultimate Chocolate Cake is best served the day after it is assembled, it allows for the cake layers to suck up some of the flavor and moisture from the buttercream and stay really hydrated!
This Ultimate Chocolate Cake is incredibly simple to make but tastes just as good as ones made by pros. Includes a chocolate buttercream recipe that perfectly compliments the cake. This cake is best served the day after it is assembled, it allows for the cake layers to suck up some of the flavor and moisture from the buttercream and stay really hydrated!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Assembly15 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16Slices
Calories: 315kcal
Equipment
Two 8 or 9 inch Round Cake Pans
Parchment Paper
Stand Mixer (optional)
Hand Mixer (if not using a stand mixer)
Ingredients
Ultimate Chocolate Cake
1 ½CupAll Purpose Flour
1CupUnsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 ¾CupWhite Granulated Sugar
1½tspBaking Soda
1½tspBaking Powder
1tspKosher Salt
3LargeEggs
½CupVegetable Oil
1tspVanilla Extract
1CupWarm to Hot Milk (2 % or Whole Milk)
1TbspInstant Coffee
¾CupSimmering Water
Chocolate Buttercream
½CupUnsalted Butter, softened
¾CupUnsweetened Cocoa Powder
2-3TbspMilk (2% or Whole)
2½CupsPowdered Sugar
¼tspKosher Salt
1tspVanilla Extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom of cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray or oil.
Ultimate Chocolate Cake
Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. If you're using a stand mixer use the whisk attachment and stir for 30 seconds on the lowest setting.
Bring ¾ cup of water to a simmer and warm 1 cup of milk to be hot enough for the instant coffee to dissolve.
Mix the eggs, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil into the dry mixture and stir lightly until combined.
Pour in the instant coffee – milk mixture into the batter and mix lightly until combined.
While mixing the batter, slowly stream the hot water into the batter.At this stage the batter will be incredibly liquidy but it should be like that!
Evenly divide the batter among the two cake pans and bake for 27 – 30 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean from the center of the cake when ready.
Allow cakes to cool in the pans for at least 10 – 15 minutes before taking out. While the cakes are cooling completely, prepare the buttercream.
Chocolate Buttercream
On either a standmixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer. Place cream the ½ cup of butter thoroughly until light and fluffy. (refer to photo above) ( creaming means to whip the butter to incorporate air)
Add ¾ cup of cocoa powder and whisk thoroughly. You should mix for about a minute.
Add the vanilla extract, salt, 1 Tbsp of milk, and ½ cup of powdered sugar and cream thoroughly for about a minute.
Add 1 Tbsp of milk and another ½ Cup of powdered sugar and continue to cream thoroughly.
Add 1 more cup of powdered sugar and cream for close to two minutes.
At this stage, you can taste the buttercream to see if it's as soft and sweet as you like. If it isn't soft or smooth enough add more milk at ½ Tbsp increments. If it isn't sweet enough you can add more powdered sugar at ¼ cup increments.
Assembly
Please refer to the assembly portion of blog writeup for detailed instructions on assembling and decorating the cake. Enjoy!
Crispy and creamy! Sweet and salty! These crispy smashed potatoes are herby, garlicky, and incredibly satisfying.
Crispy and creamy! Sweet and salty! These crispy smashed potatoes are herby, garlicky, and incredibly satisfying.
Smashed potatoes have all the creaminess as mashed potatoes (without all the gluttony – which isn’t always a bad thing) with the addition of a satisfying crunch! I love mashed potatoes but I always feel like I am missing substance. It took me a while to realize that the missing element is something crispy and crunchy, so these smashed potatoes will be a go to of mine!
Most smashed potatoes recipes I looked at when it came to developing this one used (Yukon) Gold Potatoes. Gold potatoes are great because they’re really creamy and have a smooth consistency. They even make the best mashed potatoes.
I really wanted to make a recipe using red potatoes. I like how buttery and kind of sweet that red potatoes can be. If you boil them enough, they get just as creamy as gold potatoes can be, and their skin is really flavorful. The flavors work really well with the herby, salty flavor of the seasoning.
For the seasoning, you can use a premixed Herb De Provence or Italian seasoning, but if you have all of the individual herbs, I would use them instead. I’m not the biggest fan of salt but you can feel free to add another 1/2 tsp of salt to the seasoning.
When you boil the potatoes, the result is best if they are boiled until are fork can easily pierce it to the center.
Try to make sure that you don’t smash the potatoes TOO much when you crush them with a spoon. I used a flat heavy wooden spoon to smash my potatoes. You want them to still have ridges and be held together for the most part.
This recipe is named Crispy Smashed Potatoes for a reason, but everyone has varying preferences for how crispy they like their potato skins. The recipe calls for 40 minutes for the baking time but I would start checking the potatoes at the 30 minute mark and pull them when they are to your preference!
