All the other reindeer loved Rudolph, and all your party guests will love these happy little guys. The only thing better than a Nutter Butter is one dipped in chocolate, and these Reindeer will make you even more popular than the red-nosed guy who saved Christmas!

Guys, I have a little problem when it comes to peanut butter.

I may or may not have a jar stashed under my car seat right now with some disposable spoons. It’s really not my fault, though. It’s hard to abstain when it manages to make its way into sweet and savory dishes!

Peanut butter cookies, crisp buttery edges full of sweet peanutty flavor, with the signature sugar-glazed crisscross pattern that makes extra crispy bits on top, yeah, they’re a real weakness.

Easy access to something like Nutter Butters at the store has pretty much secured my seat in peanut butter anonymous.

I’m here today to lure you over to the brown side too by sharing these seemingly innocent Reindeer Nutter Butter treats.

Trust me, you’ll be commiserating with me in my peanut butter coma soon enough!

Whether someone first dunked their chocolate in peanut butter or smeared peanut butter all over someone else’s chocolate, you almost always find the rich, dark Aztec contribution to the world whenever there’s peanut butter nearby.

We won’t break from that tasty tradition here. You’ll just dip Nutter Butters into melted milk chocolate, then let the decorating begin!

Nutter Butter cookies have only been around since the 1960s, but their popularity grew quickly, and estimates are over 1 billion of these instantly recognizable, peanut-shaped cookies are sold each year.

By the way, that crisscross pattern we all try to replicate on our homemade cookies was actually designed by the same guy who developed Oreos. It kinda all makes sense now . . .

When it comes to dipping chocolate, almond bark used to be the go-to for its wonderful, creamy quality and, more importantly, its super power of hardening quickly and staying that way even at room temperature.

Now lots of different companies make competing products, and I’m a big fan of Ghirardelli’s. Their chocolate is known around the world for its rich, intense flavor and heavenly texture, and their melting wafers do not disappoint!

You should be able to find them at local grocery and craft stores (places that carry Wilson products, for example), but you can always order them online if you’re having a hard time finding them.

You’ll want to pull out your double boiler for these, not melt them in the microwave, because the stovetop version keeps the chocolate at just the right temperature for dipping (especially if you’re prone to sneaking off to a closet to consume a few of those naked Nutter Butters in private).

I probably have a double boiler somewhere, but it’s stealthily buried in a kitchen cabinet. Instead, I just find a glass or metal bowl that sits an inch or two down in whatever pot I’m using and do it that way. Just remember the bowl with the chocolate can get hot so have your oven mits handy while you’re dipping.

Aside from the deep chocolate flavor in these melted wafers, they also work great as glue. It’ll make the cookies stick nicely to the pretzel antlers and securely seat your candy eyes and nose.

You can substitute some contrasting colored mini-chips for the eyes, and, if you don’t feel like sifting through a box of M&Ms for the red noses, you can use any similarly sized red candy (like red hots, for example). The nose can go right in the center, or you can put it down at the bottom of the cookie to look more like a snout.

If you have any royal icing on hand, you can also tint some black and draw little mouths at the bottom.

This is the perfect cooking adventure to kick off the holidays with your little ones since they’re quick, easy, and will be just as festive (arguably more charming!) with antlers glued onto the front or crooked eyes (even more than two).

For a fun holiday party tradition, you can do the dipping ahead of time and set up a little table for kids to decorate them as take-home treats. Have little bowls of melted chocolate wafers on a heating pad nearby with popsicle sticks or brushes for them to help glue their decorations (you might even pull out some sprinkles or other candies). Just be ready to have a hard time getting the kiddos out the door when it’s time to go!

Recipe Notes:

Portable Treats – Speaking of popsicle sticks, you can insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of the Nutter Butter cookies before you get started, then dip and decorate them as desired. After they’ve dried, just wrap them in clear plastic wrap (not the clingy stuff) and tie them with a holiday bow. Instant gift-giving for teachers and friends!

More Creative Christmas Recipes!

Reindeer Oreos -These oreos are completed with a shiny red nose and sure to make a statement in the holidays!
Pretzel Snowman -crispy, chocolaty Pretzel Snowmen come together with just a touch of frosting and a little imagination.
Red Velvet Cake Balls -Easy to make and infused with a decadent flavor!
North Pole Cupcakes – flavorful cupcake supports a giant, snowy drift of peppermint frosting with a cute little sign directing everyone to the place where all the magic happens!
Reindeer Sugar Cookies– Delightful little deer dressed to impress your holiday guest!

The post Reindeer Nutter Butter Treats appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Elf Munch! The favorite snack inside Santa’s workshop!

Everyone knows to leave warm chocolate chip cookies and milk out for Santa on Christmas Eve. It is a great way to say “Thank You!” to the big guy coming down the chimney. But this year, we want to appreciate the work of Santa’s little helpers too.

What snack is the favorite inside Santa’s workshops? Elf much, of course!

This sweet-and-salty concoction is a breeze to mix up – in 10 minutes or so you can have a fresh bowlful of Elf Munch for your “little helpers.”

My version of this classic holiday dish starts with kettle corn. I like starting with kettle corn, as opposed to regular popcorn or cereal or some other base, because it already comes with a flavorful glaze that really compliments the marshmallow mixture we will be adding on top.

Speaking of the marshmallow mixture – are you ready for your kitchen to smell like a winter wonderland? Melting the butter and marshmallows together produces a wonderful sweet aroma that is sure to attract any little elves in the area.

Use a large stock pan to melt your butter and mix in your marshmallows. It may seem like your stock pan is excessive for the butter and marshmallows alone, but remember that later you will need to be able to fit all of your kettle corn in there and mix it up!

Once the butter is melted down, add in the six cups of marshmallows and stir. That last part is the key; you need to stir the mixture regularly to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Remember, too, that you are not trying to boil the mixture. The stovetop just needs to be hot enough to get a good, even melt going. And once the mixture is melted and mixed through, there’s no need to keep cooking it.

When your marshmallow mixture is ready, it is time to add in the green food coloring. Just remember the important principal of using any food coloring: a little goes a long way. You should not expect to need more than two or three drops for this recipe.

If you are interested in a food coloring that does not include some of the nasty chemicals found in other brands, try Watkins brand food coloring. They make their food coloring without any artificial dye, but works just as well as other brands.

I use green for my Elf Munch mix – but you can use any color you want. Try making a batch of red and a second batch of green for a really festive looking mixture!

Mixing in the kettle corn is the fun part. Remember, though, that the glaze mixture is hot. Do your best to mix up the kettle corn with two large wooden spoons or other, similar tools.

And once all the kettle corn is evenly coated, candy time is here! M&M’s and Whoppers are a perfect companion, adding little bursts of chocolate flavor into this sweet-and-salty snack mixture.

I love packaging up this yummy treat and giving it away to teachers, friends, relatives, – really anyone will love this holiday snack.

Recipe Notes:

Storage- Make sure you keep your Elf Munch stored in an airtight container until you are ready to serve. It’s not just about protecting your treat from wandering elves! Keeping the mixture from drying out will make sure it’s as delicious as possible when you start to munch.

Candy Choices- I absolutely love M&M’s and Whoppers in this mix. But really, you can try any candies you want. Chocolate candies are best, because they add to the overall flavor profile

More Christmas Treats!

Italian Christmas Cookies -Moist, cake-like texture that fills any room with an unbeatable aroma!
Soft Batch Christmas M&M cookies – Soft, chewy, fluffy cookies sure to be a favorite in any holiday event!
Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies – Crunchy nut and meringue topping over the berry shortbread crust an absolutely divine combination!
Candy Cane Cookies -Peppermint or almond flavored sugar cookie dough, twisted into these charming cookies.
Christmas Crack – Buttery toffee with a light, crispy crust, coated in rich chocolate and toasted pecans may just be the most addictive snack ever!

The post Elf Munch appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

These Mickey and Minnie Doughnuts will bring a little Disney magic to your treat-making this season. They’re drenched in chocolate and channeling the festive spirit of the holidays.

Today we’re day-dreaming about the happiest place on earth during the most wonderful time of the year by paying homage to Disney’s favorite power couple, Mickey and Minnie Mouse (though Daisy and Donald are a close second).

I think doughnuts are technically considered breakfast food, but I’m not going to discriminate against these “hole-y”, sugary, fried pieces of doughy goodness. I highly recommend consuming them whenever the craving strikes, and Mickey and Minnie Doughnuts are a great pick-me-up any time of day!

There are definitely cake and yeast camps when it comes to doughnuts, but I’ll admit I’ve never met one I didn’t like.

Cake works much better for this particular project, though, because they’re firmer and will hold up to the dipping and decorating a little better than their yeasty siblings. We’re also going to use mini doughnuts here, but I suspect you’d just double the yum if you decide to use full-sized ones from your bakery.

Hostess Donettes are basically mini cake doughnuts, and they come in powdered sugar, glazed, double-chocolate, and chocolate frosted.

I like the combo of vanilla cake and chocolate frosting for these, but the double-chocolate would work just as well (and, you know, have more chocolate!). I’ve also used both the milk and dark chocolate Ghirardelli wafers for ears, if you just happen to have one or the other on hand already from another project.

Guys, if you haven’t used Wilton’s candy melts before, you’re going to love them! They melt super smooth and are easy to work with, just like other melting chocolates, but the colors are really beautiful and vibrant; the red will pop against the dark chocolate color of the doughnuts. Just don’t skip the parchment paper when you’re doing the dipping since it’ll make sure you don’t leave Mickey’s pants behind on the cookie sheet!

Speaking of Mickeys and Minnies, you can definitely make all of these one or the other, but I usually just do half and half. All your Mickeys will be getting yellow buttons on their pants, and the Minnies will be getting bows on their heads and polka dot dresses. You can drive yourself crazy trying to make the polka dots look balanced, so I try to remember less is more.

Shoot for around 12 mini dots or 6 big ones. You might even want to place the holly on your Minnies before you do the polka dot work so you can work around it.

By the way, Donettes come in several size packages with varying numbers of doughnuts. The 10.5 oz bag has ~ 20 in it, so you’ll just need to buy 3 or 4 of the 3 oz. packages if that all you can find.

Anyone with a Mouseketeer hat will fall in love with these cheery treats!

Recipe Notes:

M&Ms – I usually have regular-sized M&Ms around the house for other projects, and they’ll work just fine for Mickey’s pants. Yellow Reese’s pieces will work too (mmmm, peanut butter).

More Christmas Treats

Italian Christmas Cookies -Moist, cake-like texture that fills any room with an unbeatable aroma!
Soft Batch Christmas M&M cookies – Soft, chewy, fluffy cookies sure to be a favorite in any holiday event!
Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies – Crunchy nut and meringue topping over the berry shortbread crust an absolutely divine combination!
Candy Cane Cookies -Peppermint or almond flavored sugar cookie dough, twisted into these charming cookies.
Christmas Crack – Buttery toffee with a light, crispy crust, coated in rich chocolate and toasted pecans may just be the most addictive snack ever!

The post Mickey and Minnie Doughnuts appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Don’t just leave a peppermint stick for ol’ St. Nick this holiday season, leave him a cupcake filled with peppermints from top to bottom! These Candy Cane Fantasy Cupcakes are a show-stopping homemade gift or a guaranteed hit at holiday bake sales.

People love it when those pumpkin spice lattes start showing up, lining up outside Starbucks like they’re selling Star Wars tickets. My favorite holiday barista’s treat won’t show up until a few weeks later, though: the peppermint mocha (white chocolate if I’m feeling naughty). When I reach across the counter to grab my warm, festive cup, I get lost in the giant mountain of whipped cream, sprinkles of crushed peppermint dotting the white landscape, all with a minty, sweet treat underneath.

These Candy Cane Fantasy Cupcakes are what happens when a peppermint mocha-loving foodie gets a craving for cupcakes. You’ll have red and white swirls from top to bottom on these impressive holiday treats and an explosion of peppermint that knocks you over and right into the holiday spirit!

We’ll start with an extra rich cupcake batter, with added whipping cream and sour cream so they’re moist and tender and a slightly tangy quality from the sour cream. Then we’ll add the super-secret ingredient (though not so secret, I suppose, given the name of these cupcakes): crushed peppermint pieces. They’ll infuse the cupcakes with peppermint flavor, plus leave little sticky candy pieces in every bite.

We’ll also combine regular batter and some red so the whole thing looks like a giant piece of peppermint.

Of course, the “fantasy” isn’t really much of a fantasy without some epic frosting! It’s a classic buttercream, thinned with whipping cream instead of milk, and a generous amount of peppermint extract. Seriously, this is the stuff coffee shops should put on top of their hot beverages. We’ll swirl a red and white mountain of this stuff on top of the cooled cupcakes. Next step, doughnuts!

Yep, you read that right. Hostess Donettes, little mini cake doughnuts dipped in chocolate, are going on top of these already decadent cupcakes (you can use the double chocolate version of Donettes too for some extra chocolate). To carry on the peppermint winter wonderland theme here, we’ll melt some white chocolate to drizzle onto the doughnuts so they look like they’ve been the victim of the season’s first snow.

Then, while the white chocolate’s still soft, we’ll sprinkle more peppermint pieces on top.

More decorations? Of course! Lest the snow-covered doughnut feel lonely sitting on top of our cupcake, we’ll add some mini candy canes and red and white striped straws. No, you can’t eat the straws, but they look particularly cheerful on top and you’ll have some perfect little peppermint cupcake nibbles waiting at the bottom of each one.

This is peppermint heaven.

Might I suggest pairing these with a hot peppermint mocha?

Recipe Notes:

Peppermint pieces – You can actually buy pre-crushed peppermints for this project. Otherwise, just put some candy canes in a zip-top bag, add another bag on the outside to keep the candy shards from flying around your kitchen, plop it onto a thick wooden chopping block, then go at it with a hammer or kitchen mallet.

Swirl the batter – You can alternate dropping spoonfuls of both colors of batter to get a nice mottled red and white look. If you want something a little more swirly, use a skewer or toothpick to swirl the batters together after you’ve put them in the liners. Just a few swirls will do the trick too; if you over-mix, you’ll have a lovely shade of pink cupcakes instead. If you don’t mind the extra work, you can also use a piping bag prepared just like the frosting bag with the red batter on one side and the plain on the other.

Flat cakes – Although it doesn’t impact the taste at all, we all want perfect little domes, not flat tops on our cupcakes. A few thing can help keep your cupcakes perky. First, don’t over-mix the batter. Too much gluten-building activity will impair the batter’s ability to climb to the top. Second, if you don’t do a ton of baking, you should check the age of your baking powder. If it’s more than 9 – 12 months old, it needs to be replaced. Otherwise it’s just not bringing the oomph factor you need for adequate rising. Lastly, don’t open the oven door over and over again. Impatience will lead to flat cupcakes since it decreases the oven temp each time you peek in to see if they’re done. Consistent temperature is key, and they’ll be ready to eat soon enough!

More Christmas Treats!

Pretzel Snowman -crispy, chocolaty Pretzel Snowmen come together with just a touch of frosting and a little imagination.
Red Velvet Cake Balls -Easy to make and infused with a decadent flavor!
Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites – Cute treats with a perfect combination of crunch, saltiness, and peanut butter!
North Pole Cupcakes -flavorful cupcake supports a giant, snowy drift of peppermint frosting with a cute little sign directing everyone to the place where all the magic happens!
Reindeer Sugar Cookies– Delightful little deer dressed to impress your holiday guest!

The post Candy Cane Fantasy Cupcakes appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Forget sugar plums. You’ll have visions of my Christmas Tree Brownies dancing in your head! These rich brownies are a chocolatey deviation from traditional sugar cookies and are decorated to professional-level perfection.

I’m always amazed by the number of people I see out Christmas-tree shopping before I’ve even fully emerged from my Thanksgiving food coma.

The first trees you’ll find at my house during the holiday season are these cute little conifers, fashioned out of rich fudgy brownies, with happy little faces and smiles almost as big as the one that’ll be on your face when you take your first bite.

Skip the holiday traffic and tree lot madness, and make these in your PJs. You’ll thank me.

This is a pretty standard brownie recipe that starts with melted butter. Melting the butter first will produce a dense, sturdy chunk of chocolate since you’ll eliminate the extra air that’s usually incorporated from the butter/sugar creaming process. Heavy is always good when it comes to chocolate, in my opinion, but a nice substantial brownie will also hold up to the decorating we’ll be doing once they’re baked.

Since you’re mixing these by hand, you’ll want to make sure you lightly beat the eggs before incorporating them into the batter. This little extra step will help make sure the whites and yolks get incorporated more evenly.

Once you start adding the dry ingredients, be sure to mix only until you can’t see the flour anymore. We want a dense but not tough brownie.

Yes, there are walnuts, and no, you don’t have to add them. I know there are some brownie purists who don’t like the texture or flavor interfering with their chocolate fix, but I’m a fan in this recipe, so I like to use them. Toasting them ahead of time is always preferable too, if you have the time.

Parchment paper’s a life saver when it comes to baking in rectangle (or square) pans. You’ll be able to lift the giant brownie out of the pan easily and place your cookie cutter right on the edges to make efficient cuts. Depending on the size cutter you have, you may get anywhere from 6 – 12 trees out of a 9”x13” pan.

All the leftover bits around the edges can be snacked on immediately (my personal recommendation) or saved to sprinkle over ice cream or some of that leftover Thanksgiving pie.

To give these happy little trees their beautiful hue, we’ll be using royal icing. Working with egg whites intimidates some people, but I promise it’s a breeze to put together. The cream of tartar really stabilizes the icing, so you don’t have to worry about deflating the mixture. Just be sure your egg whites are at room temperature for maximum fluffing power, and you’ll be all set.

We want vibrant green trees here, so I like to use the gel food colorings. There’s just no comparison to the intensity of the colors you can achieve with these vs. regular liquid dye. When I start to color the green icing, I usually begin with 3 or 4 drops. Then I keep adding and stirring well until I get the color I want. For filling in the tree, I suggest keeping a small offset spatula handy in case the icing needs a little encouragement to spread from edge to edge.

Some candied eyes and bow transfers are the only other things you’ll need to finish up the faces. Most of the packages of bow transfers I find only have about 4 red bows, so you’ll need to buy multiple packages based on the number of trees you’re able to cut with your cookie cutter. The red’s obviously festive, but you can certainly use black, white, or other colors of bows too rather than buying multiple containers just for the red ones.

One of the beautiful things about royal icing is that it sets pretty well, so you can stack these easily for storage in an air-tight container (unless they all get eaten before, of course). O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how tasty are your brownies?!

Recipe Notes:

Types of cocoa: I don’t know about you, but I usually have multiple containers of different styles and brands of cocoa powder in my pantry. So which should you use in this recipe? Well, Dutch cocoa has been processed to remove some of the acidity that goes along with chocolate (the kind that makes you either love or hate those ultra dark chocolate bars), so it’s what I pull out for making hot cocoa, not for this recipe. Sweetened cocoa powder is also strictly for steaming mugs of winter’s favorite beverage. As for the others, it’s really a matter of personal preference. You can use your Hershey’s Special Dark if you’re wanting lots of deep chocolate flavor or Ghirardelli Premium Cocoa for a lighter but nevertheless decadent cocoa quality.

Piping bags: For an extra “hand” in the kitchen, you can place them into a tall glass with the edges folded over to help hold the bags while you fill them. Zip-top bags with a small bit of a corner cut off will also work really well in this recipe, especially since there’s not a ton of intricate piping work or multiple tips to deal with.

More Christmas Treats!

Candy Cane Cookies -Peppermint or almond flavored sugar cookie dough, twisted into these charming cookies
Christmas Crack – Buttery toffee with a light, crispy crust, coated in rich chocolate and toasted pecans may just be the most addictive snack ever!
No Roll Sugar Cookies -Tender, delicate, and just a bit lighter!
Peppermint Candy Cane Kisses –  tender and delicate with just the right amount of peppermint flavor!
Reindeer Oreos -These oreos are completed with a shiny red nose and sure to make a statement in the holidays!

The post Christmas Tree Brownies appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Think those chain restaurants have a great tortellini al forno? Just wait until you try this recipe for rich, home cooked pasta.

I’m a home cook, and I love experimenting with flavors. But that’s not to say I don’t eat out once in a while. It’s not only relaxing to me, but I’ve found that it’s a (sneaky?) way to get new ideas for recipes to try at home.

That’s why I was so surprised when I tried the tortellini al forno mini pasta bowl at Olive Garden this past weekend.

This rich pasta dish is one I’ve been making for a while. I don’t always make my own tortellini. It takes a while to do, and life sometimes gets in the way of having time to stuff and fold pasta. But I have mastered the art of creating the perfect al forno sauce, if I say so myself. It tastes just like the Olive Garden tortellini al forno – even better, if you ask my family.

The tortellini al forno Olive Garden menu option is fairly simple, but you can tell that it was prepared in a restaurant. I’ve got no complaints with the line cooks, but there’s something different about pasta that has been set in a pot of water: the consistency isn’t quite right. I think you’ll like my homemade tortellini al forno more.

“What is al forno?” you may ask. Well, al forno is an Italian phrase. It literally translates to “baked,” or “in the oven.”

Strangely, the recipe changed over time, consequently the tortellini al forno meaning has changed with it. It’s commonly served right from the stovetop. You won’t need an oven to make tortellini al forno.

Preparing the tortellini for this recipe is simple, just prepare the pasta as the package directions direct. Be sure to strain your pasta well. Leaving water in your pans is the quickest way to ruin a perfectly good pasta dish. Your sauce will thin, and your pasta will become soggy.

It’s up to you, but I also like to add a bit of salt and olive oil to the boiling water before cooking my pasta. The salt will increase the boiling point of the water, so the water will actually be hotter when you add the pasta. Olive oil will add flavor, but it will also keep your pasta from sticking.

Timing is everything when preparing a pasta dish. Tortellini doesn’t take long to cook. Depending on the brand you buy, it’ll only take between 5 and 10 minutes from the time you drop your pasta to the time you’re straining it.

For the best results, boil your water while you gather and prepare your ingredients.

I’ve found that chopping the bacon takes longer than any other prep for this recipe. It’s slippery and those little strips can get away from you. I start with the bacon, then move on to the other ingredients.

If you’re grating your own cheese, save that for last. The high kitchen temperatures may cause it to stick together.

One of the best parts of home cooking is the flexibility you’ll have to choose your own ingredients. As you know, there are dozens of tortellini products on the market. I always use cheese tortellini for this recipe. The cheese in the pasta blends well with the mozzarella and the parmesan in the al forno sauce.

But we home cooks love to experiment, right? Why not try mushroom tortellini? Paired with the bacon and the parsley, mushrooms would be a treat. There are also veggie tortellinis you may like to try. Spinach would be great! Cheese and roasted garlic tortellini would pair well, too.

Once your water is boiling and your ingredients are in place, it’s time to start cooking. Begin with the bacon, as you’ll need to reserve some of the drippings for use later in the al forno recipe. Keep your cheese refrigerated until the last minute. Again, you don’t want it to stick, as this will make your sauce lumpy.

Have everything ready to go, and you’ll be rewarded with a dish worthy of a rave tortellini al forno Olive Garden review!

Recipe Notes

Lean vs. fatty bacon – We’ve all got a favorite brand of bacon. Some like it fatty while others prefer the leaner cuts. I’ve found that those leaner cuts work best in this tortellini al forno recipe.

Buying a fatty cut of bacon will mean that more of the product will burn off. You only need a couple tablespoons of drippings for the recipe, so it’s better to opt for the leaner, crispier cuts.\

Can’t find them in the grocery store? Just ask the butcher.  Many grocery stores have a butcher on site. He’ll be happy to cut your meat just the way you like it. Usually this doesn’t cost any more than what you’ll find at the meat counter.

No more clumpy sauce – When I first learned to cook, I picked up an important tip: making gravy is a bear if you don’t do it right. Making turkey or chicken gravy, for example, can result in a powdery and clumpy mess of flour if not done properly.

When you prepare this tortellini al forno recipe, you’re essentially making “bacon gravy.” You’ll whisk flour in with your bacon drippings, your gravy will be very lumpy.

Be sure to add your flour to your bacon drippings gradually. Pouring all the flour in at once will create huge lumps. Be sure the drippings are hot, but not spattering. Then use a tablespoon or even a teaspoon to add the flour, whisking as you go. Don’t add the milk until your flour is fully incorporated into your drippings.

A note on cheese – If you can manage it, I strongly recommend you use fresh cheese. Many times, manufacturers will add fillers to the pre-packaged cheese, and this can impact the texture and the quality of your al forne sauce.

Larger stores like Harris Teeter and Kroger have blocks of cheese in the deli department. You can choose from a variety of brands. I don’t recommend low-fat cheese for two reasons. First, they’ll change the consistency of your sauce. Second, they’re often packed with salt, and the flavor of your dish will change.

Check out these Recipes!

Tortellini Salad – A tour of Mediterranean, infused with bold zesty, creamy, and tangy flavors!

Creamy Artichoke and Creamy Pasta – Refreshing light sauce loaded with chunks of chicken , bacon, artichokes, and capers.

One Skillet Shrimp and Pasta Scampi – Delicious shrimp sauce infused with its signature garlic flavor!

The post Tortellini Al Forno appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

You don’t have to spend hours baking fancy desserts to be the talk of the party. Why not try my recipe for Watergate salad? It just takes a few minutes, and it’ll be the most popular dish at your next potluck!

It used to be that I’d only pull out my recipe for Watergate salad during the hot summer months. The cool summer fruits against the flavors of the pistachio pudding, for me, just shouted summer.

It’s an interesting recipe, really. The lightness of the pineapple and cherries and the fullness of the pistachio pudding create the perfect combination for warm days.

It wasn’t until a friend of mine presented a Watergate salad with cottage cheese at a holiday party last year that I changed my mind. I was almost embarrassed that I’d not thought of it myself. There are so many ways to play with recipes – it was odd that I hadn’t tried my own “winter” Watergate salad variations.

The taste of Watergate salad always brings me back to my childhood. I can almost hear the laughter at the community potlucks where, invariably, someone would bring a dessert salad. They’re so easy and quick to whip up, then simply leave to set. It’s a wonder everyone didn’t bring one, in hindsight.

I’ve not experimented too much with my recipe over the years. I have made a Watergate salad with coconut, and that was successful. I’ve also made a Watergate salad with mandarin oranges. That was a hit as well.

I do love to stick to the tried and true. But, as you know, I also love to play with flavors.

When my friend served her winter salad, I was dumbfounded. I’d honestly never thought of the dessert as a winter dish.

The Watergate salad origin comes from the 1970s, when Kraft released the oddly colored pistachio pudding mix. The pudding started a trend – Pistachio Pineapple Delight.

The recipe took off in kitchens across America, until it was finally printed in a Chicago publication. They say that’s how the Watergate salad got its name, actually. Some cheeky editor from a Chicago newspaper renamed the salad “Watergate salad,” as a joke referring to the political tension of the time. Oddly enough, the name stuck.

Anyway, the dessert is still around, and I know there are just about as many variations on the recipe as there are people who love it. There is Watergate salad with cherries, a Watergate salad recipe with cream cheese – pretty much every modification you can imagine.

My recipe is actually pretty close to the original. There’s something nostalgic about that to me. Even though I’m not afraid to experiment with flavor combinations, I love knowing that my recipe is pretty close to the ones prepared in households back in the 1970s.

That said, I’m curious to find out what you can come up with. What will you add to make your dessert unique? Heck, you can do anything; I’ve even tasted a recipe from one brave chef who created a spicy Watergate salad!

There are a few tips that you’ll need to remember when you make your own dessert dish at home. First of all, the recipe won’t work if you make the pudding first. I tried it once, and it was not a success. Instead, pour the powdered pudding mix into the bowl. There’s no milk in the recipe.

Secondly, I’ve found that, even though this is meant to be an inexpensive recipe, I’ve had better success with the name brands. There’s just something that tastes different about store-brand pistachio pudding or whipped cream. It’s an affordable recipe, so I recommend you go for gold and buy name brand. Try Dole pineapple and Cool Whip.

Last, you can technically use any type of nuts that you’d like. But I’ve tried a few, including walnuts, and my family didn’t care for it. The taste of the walnuts was too earthy for the salad, and I didn’t find that it was successful. But fresh pecans? Oh, heaven.

Alright, are you ready to try it? If you’re feeling curious, look up the Watergate salad recipe retro recipe 1975 style. Then try mine, and you’ll taste the difference.

Be sure to come back here and let me know what you think!

Recipe Notes:

A Classic Recipe – Watergate salad is a classic recipe, and it’s been brought to church potlucks for almost 50 years. You’ll find some version of Watergate salad in almost every church and community cookbook.

What’s great about Watergate salad is that you can keep the ingredients on hand. Even if you’re not headed out to a potluck tomorrow, you can keep the items in the pantry, where they’ll be available for those last minute emergencies. You know, “mom, can you bring snacks to the party tomorrow?”

Pineapple – As you know, there are two types of pineapple in stores. Pineapple can be canned in its own juice or it can be canned in syrup. Steer clear of the pineapple packed in syrup. Not only will you be filling your dessert with useless sugar, but it’ll also turn out way too sweet. Instead, use the pineapple packed in its own juices.

Fresh pineapple doesn’t work in this recipe. Pineapple has enzymes which won’t react well with the whipped topping, and you’ll be left with a soupy mess. Stick with crushed, canned pineapple packed in pineapple juice and you’ll be just fine.

Let it Set – One of the things I like best about Watergate salad is that it’s so easy to make in a pinch. Whether you’ve got a school event, a potluck, or a last minute dinner invitation, it’s easy to toss together this salad recipe.

The key, however, is to make it the night before. Prepare the salad, cover it in plastic wrap, then let it sit overnight in your refrigerator. If you prepare Watergate salad the same day, it will end up tasting like unprepared pudding. Remember, there’s no milk. So you’re depending on the whipped topping to bring the flavors of the fruit and pudding mix together.

Wait until just before serving to add some of your nuts and the cherries. Your nuts will stay crunchy and your cherries won’t change the color of your Watergate salad if you add them right before you serve your guests.

Check out these Salads

Mexican Corn Salad – The perfect mix of tangy , sweet, and savory tastes in a side dish!

Cucumber Tomato Salad – A crisp, colorful, refreshing side with salty bits of mozzarella and a rich, tangy balsamic vinaigrette!

Grape Salad -Wonderful and unique salad, topped with roasted pecans and brown sugar!

The post Watergate Salad Recipe appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Nothing says Christmas cheer more than swirls of red, green and white everywhere you look – including in the kitchen!

Then when you add in Mickey and Minnie Mouse on top of that, you will make anyone, and everyone smile with delight and wonder as you pass around the Christmas cookie tray!

Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928 and has been making children around the world smile ever since, hence the inspiration for this delightful holiday treat.

Starting with softened butter and powdered sugar we cream these together with eggs and pure vanilla extract.

In this particular recipe, we are enjoying the benefits of powdered sugar because the cornstarch in the powdered sugar, ensures that these cookies will produce a smooth, luxurious dough with no lumps. This is exactly what we need and want when we are working with a rolled sugar cookie.

Mixing the dry ingredients in a separate bowl first, also allows you to be able to get out any clumps of flour and to aerate the flour before adding it gradually into the wet ingredients.

After your dough is combined, you simply divide the dough into 4 parts and add in your red food coloring into one part, the green food coloring into another, and then leave the other two parts uncolored.

Next you roll out each piece of dough into a rectangle, leaving you with 4 rectangles.

Now here is my favorite part of this recipe that makes people always say, “How did you do that?” when they see these cookies. Place the red rectangle dough down first and then lay the plain rectangle dough on top of it, slowly rolling them into a log. This will achieve that impressive swirl design! How easy is that?!

You will simply repeat the process with the green rectangle of dough and the last remaining plain rectangle.

Cut each rolled-up log in half. You will need a sharp knife for this so that you do not disturb the swirl design with a dull knife. Then roll one of the half logs into a smaller log for the ears of the cookies. Roll up each log in parchment paper and refrigerate overnight.

The next glorious day is the crowning moment when you may now line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place a big circle and two small circles onto the cookie sheet in the shape of Mickey’s head and bake until a light golden brown!

After this, the hardest thing you have to do is decide which color will be Minnie Mouse and which color will be Mickey Mouse and decorate accordingly.

Thanks to Wilton decorating supplies, that makes this fun job a snap!

I like the royal icing bows for Minnie and the holly melody sprinkles for Mickey the best, but feel free to use your own favorite. Enjoy!

More Christmas Recipes!

Reindeer Oreos -These oreos are completed with a shiny red nose and sure to make a statement in the holidays!

Pretzel Snowman -crispy, chocolaty Pretzel Snowmen come together with just a touch of frosting and a little imagination.

Red Velvet Cake Balls -Easy to make and infused with a decadent flavor!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites – Cute treats with a perfect combination of crunch, saltiness, and peanut butter!

North Pole Cupcakes – flavorful cupcake supports a giant, snowy drift of peppermint frosting with a cute little sign directing everyone to the place where all the magic happens!

The post Mickey and Minnie Swirl Cookies appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Looking for a fun, unique holiday treat? These Gingerbread Mickey Cookies will be the darling of your dessert table with their instantly recognizable shape and delicious chocolate shell.

Growing up, my grandmother always baked gingerbread cookies during the holiday season.

I would walk into her kitchen and see stacks and stacks of un-decorated gingerbread cookies on her counter. Then we’d all gather up with our bowls full of icing and sprinkles and such – snack time and arts-and-crafts time all in one.

These scrumptious Gingerbread Mickey Cookies are every bit as delicious as Grandma’s cookies. They are moist and fluffy in the middle, like good homemade gingerbread cookies should be. And they look fantastic – without all the mess.

The recipe starts with butter and brown sugar. There’s no need for white sugar, because you’ll be adding plenty of sweetness later in the recipe (think: molasses).

I always start with my butter fully softened for this recipe. This helps make the final dough less crumbly and much easier to work with.

Some people think gingerbread cookies are the same thing as molasses cookies.

While they are similar, gingerbread cookies have a unique ginger-and-spice flavor above and beyond the flavor of the molasses. If you haven’t worked with molasses before, be warned: it has a strong smell. But fear not! The smell is really nothing like the flavor. Don’t skip the molasses just because it smells strongly.

And speaking of smells, can we talk about how good these cookies smell in the oven? Prepare for the vultures… erhm, I mean, children… to swarm the kitchen. “What’s in the oven?” “Are those for us?” “When will they be ready?” There’s not many recipes, even for cookies, that smell quite as good as gingerbread cookies baking.

Once your dough is all mixed up, you might think it’s a little crumbly. Don’t worry about it. It will all come together beautifully when you start working with it.

There a few ways to handle the stickiness of the dough. The easiest way is just to stick the dough in the fridge for a couple of hours (1-2) and let it chill. Another method is to let the dough set and come to room temperature before working with it. Then, use plenty of flour, dusting both sides as you’re rolling it out to your desired thickness.

In order to avoid cookies that are thin and brittle, don’t roll the dough out too thin. One inch is the perfect thickness to get those soft, fluffy cookies that we all love. This dough is forgiving, and can be kneaded and re-rolled and kneaded again multiple times to get to its ideal thickness.

Because that melted chocolate dip is so important to the final taste of the cookies, I only use Ghirardelli for this recipe. It is the best chocolate for baking – and in general.  While you could use a microwave to melt in a pinch, a double boiler really is best for melting chocolate in this quantity.

Don’t feel the need to use all your dough now. This recipe keeps well in the fridge. That means you can store half the recipe for later, or make the dough a day ahead!

If you are thinking of going store-bought this gingerbread season…. don’t. Compared to this recipe, store-bought cookies taste like actual cardboard. Instead, bring the fun of Disney into your home with these wonderful Gingerbread Mickey Cookies.

Even picky eaters – the crazy people who don’t love gingerbread cookies – will be delighted by this simple, elegant, scrumptious cookie recipe.

Recipe Notes:

Mixer – I really recommend using a standing mixer for this recipe. The dough gets fairly dense, making hand-mixing almost impossible. Plus, with gingerbread cookies it is important to get a smooth, creamy mixture after each added ingredient. You’ll work your arm off trying to mix by hand! Be careful about doubling the recipe unless you have a really good mixture.

More Christmas Recipes!

Soft Batch Christmas M&M cookies – Soft, chewy, fluffy cookies sure to be a favorite in any holiday event!

Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies – Crunchy nut and meringue topping over the berry shortbread crust an absolutely divine combination!

Candy Cane Cookies -Peppermint or almond flavored sugar cookie dough, twisted into these charming cookies!

Christmas Crack – Buttery toffee with a light, crispy crust, coated in rich chocolate and toasted pecans may just be the most addictive snack ever!

No Roll Sugar Cookies -Tender, delicate, and just a bit lighter!

Peppermint Candy Cane Kisses –  tender and delicate with just the right amount of peppermint flavor!

The post Gingerbread Mickey Cookies appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Appeal to the entire age spectrum with the indulgent and satisfying blend of rich chocolate and peppermint in a happy little cookie!

Topped with a burst of holiday cheer, the Hershey’s Kiss is America’s most popular chocolate since 1907 and crowns this dessert perfectly!

Our delicious cookie base starts out by creaming unsalted butter with white sugar and brown sugar together until fluffy. I love using brown sugar in my cookies, because it gives the cookies just the right amount of chewiness from the molasses in the brown sugar.

And you can’t have a peppermint chocolate cookie base without the chocolate. I knew that’s what you were waiting for too! Here is where we add in the Hershey’s cocoa powder. There’s even a dark chocolate cocoa by Hershey’s, so if you want to up the dark chocolate goodness here, go for it!

Then you add in the pure peppermint extract which pairs decadently with the chocolate and embodies the holidays perfectly.

Chocolate and peppermint together always reminds me of the winter holidays with the coolness of the peppermint resembling the weather outside and the warm notes of the chocolate resembling the warmth inside. Perfect combo!

So now that our cookie dough is combined nicely with the peppermint and chocolate, it’s time to add my happy little tip for ensuring that all cookies come out relatively the same size. Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop out the dough and then roll the dough into a ball by hand.

Make you sure you give them a little spreading room on the baking sheet too.

Oh! and while the cookies are in the oven, the most exciting part…ok, well one of the most exciting parts, is measuring out the one cup of Godiva chocolate chips (and if you have to “rescue” the 5 or 6 that conveniently fell out of the measuring cup,…I totally understand. Been there done that.)

Now melt those chocolate beauties either in the microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring between each time, until they are silky smooth, or you can melt them on the stove top over a double boiler. Either one will produce a great result.

Another exciting part is unwrapping 24 Hershey’s peppermint kisses (and I think that counts as exercise). You might want to have the kids help you with this part too, if you can trust them.

When the cookies are finished baking, press a peppermint kiss into the top of each cookie while they are still soft and then for the grand finale, drizzle the top of each cookie with the melted Godiva chocolate.

You can dip a spoon into the melted chocolate and then move it back and forth over the top of the cookie for the drizzle effect and perfection is not important.

The torturous part is letting them set for about 10 minutes before indulging.

Both young and old will love these Godiva Peppermint Thumbprints and I hope that you give these simple yet delicious cookies a try this season. It’s my gift to you.

More Christmas Treat!

Italian Christmas Cookies -Moist, cake-like texture that fills any room with an unbeatable aroma!

Soft Batch Christmas M&M cookies – Soft, chewy, fluffy cookies sure to be a favorite in any holiday event!

Yugoslavian Christmas Cookies – Crunchy nut and meringue topping over the berry shortbread crust an absolutely divine combination!

Candy Cane Cookies -Peppermint or almond flavored sugar cookie dough, twisted into these charming cookies

The post Godiva Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Ever wonder what Santa’s secret is for lighting the way? I’m pretty positive it’s the glow he gets after savoring one of these Rudolph inspired pops!  As much fun to make as they are to eat, these sleigh bell ringing sweets are sure to go down in history.

Though there are eight others, there was always one of Santa’s four legged helpers who outshine the rest, Rudolph and his brilliant nose! Iconic in every way.

I thought a song dedicated to him was nice, but an adorable edible in his honor would be even better! These perfect cake pops bring to mind the affable sidekick, and bring to heart, the spirit of Christmas.

A hands-on project, these chocolate characters are a perfect project for the family who loves to eat and play while they work.

Coated in milk chocolate from one of Americas oldest chocolatiers and finished with a classic red M&M, this bite sized delectable is a fun alternative to Santa’s cookies and milk (hey, he likes variety too!).

Ghirardelli, named after its founder, the Italian chocolatier Donenico Ghiradelli, prides itself on being one of the oldest chocolate manufacturers in the country.

They are also known for their tedious bean selection, allowing only prime cocoa that meets their quality, and taste standards to be churned into their confections. Somewhat of a seasoned and wise Willy Wonka in the 21^st century!

The batter for these reindeer pops is none other than Betty Crocker’s super moist chocolate cake mix which gives the balls good binding properties.

Next comes the time to deconstruct and mold them with the chocolate frosting. Feel free to tailor the level of chocolate umph you’d like your frosting to have, which begs the question, is there such a thing as too much chocolaty goodness.

You can grease your cupcake pan if you prefer, but I would suggest a small cupcake liner to maximize the yield and minimize the mess of crusted baked bits on the metal.  While they bake, call in the kiddy troops to help recruit the best “Rudolph Nose Red” M&Ms in the bag and to portion off two chocolate wafer ears per reindeer.

Once the cakes are done, allow a proper amount of time for them to sit so that you save your fingers from the hot stuff. Then, get everyone involved in the crumbing of the cake!

After mixing the cake scraps with the frosting I’d suggest using a melon baller or ice cream scooper to scoop up consistent portions, but don’t fear if you are without! We’ve been using our hands up until this point and they won’t fail us here either. Besides, I think Santa himself would be unable to resist “sampling” the batter every now and again too, so I encourage it!

With its ears in place, you can see the pop start to take on that Mickey Mouse form and although you may have to part with them briefly as they freeze overnight, remember your creation is preparing for a thorough chocolate dunking very soon.

When melting chocolate, a double broiler (don’t let the name intimidate you!) is not only the best way, it’s actually a lot simpler than the name implies. And, if you are without one, a pot with a metal bowl over it will work just fine. Fill the water about halfway up, and bring it to a boil, place the metal bowl over the mouth of the pot and let it melt.

Now it’s time to give those pops a dip. To be honest, the hardest part is having to wait for them to cool once their dipped in that decadent milk chocolate.

Parchment paper is the way to go when cooling chocolate, I promise you will thank me the next day when cleanup is a breeze!

While the top layer is warm, place the signature reindeer antlers right in-between the ear medallions and pop an M&M right in the center to finish. And if you come across any bits you find unshapely at the base of your pop, quickly get a knife under some very hot water and cut gently to shape.

And even though Santa’s not picky, I’m sure he will be picking these off one by one so prepare to wake up to an empty offering plate!

The post Mickey reindeer cake pops appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

You’d never guess crispy, gooey marshmallow magic hides in these glorious little goodies. Are they reindeer or cleverly disguised rice krispies treats? You decide!

What’s better than rice krispies treats?

Rice krispies treats dipped in chocolate!

These sensational snacks look happy enough to pull Santa’s sleigh and tasty enough to satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth. Crispy rice, suspended in a buttery web of marshmallow, is plunged into milk chocolate and emerges as the perfect canvas for making delightful deer.

These Reindeer Rice Krispies Treats are super simple to put together. Deciding how many you’re going to give away as gifts, well, that’s a little harder to do.

Making the antlers for the reindeer is the only thing that takes some time, but it’s just drying time so you can skip out for a few hours to do some holiday shopping or even make them the night before.

If you haven’t worked with fondant, you’ll be happy to know it doesn’t require the voodoo most people think it does. It’s pliable, forgiving, and actually really easy to work with. The only real enemy is premature drying, but that shouldn’t be a concern in this recipe because you’re only cutting out a few things.

There are a few tips that can help make it all even less painless, though. Using a silicone mat and/or rolling pin will help with sticking. Lightly sprinkling the work surface with powdered sugar can help with sticking too. If it’s particularly humid where you are, you can even use a mixture of ½ powdered sugar and ½ cornstarch. I also like to keep an offset spatula or other thin spatula handy for moving the antlers onto a cookie sheet or cutting board for drying.

Melting wafers are a great thing to keep on hand during the holidays because you can dip just about anything in chocolate – fruit, pretzels, Oreos – and turn it into something special. (You can also get good deals if you buy the wafers in bulk, and they’ll last a long time, especially if you throw them in the freezer.)

Ghiradelli is my favorite brand because of the quality and flavor.

Dipping Rice Krispies Treats is a no-brainer given the delicious pairing of chocolate with the unique crunch and pop of the cereal and gooey, sticky marshmallows. Seriously, why aren’t they marketing these in the candy bar aisle?! Using the packaged treats from the store is a great time saver too, and they’re all uniformly cut (unlike the ones I usually make at home).

Although the microwave is a useful tool for melting chocolate, I find it cools and thickens too quickly for me to do a good job on the dipping. The double boiler keeps the chocolate waiting on me, not the other way around. It can harden fairly quickly once you’ve set your treats out to dry, so make sure you have your antlers and candies ready to press into them once the treats are prepped with the chocolate.

Any round, red candies will work for the noses on the deer, and there are definitely some fun M&M flavors around the holidays (I’m partial to the white peppermint). If you don’t have any use for the other M&Ms in the bag (said no one ever), you can certainly use any of the colors you’d like for the noses.

These Reindeer Rice Krispies Treats are a perfectly acceptable finger food, but you can make them even more festive by pressing a small peppermint stick into the bottom of the treat before you dip them. Then you’ve basically got a Rice Krispies Treat pop that can occupy vertical space on your crowded holiday dessert table.

They’re obviously perfect presents or party fare, but they’ll keep just fine in an air-tight container stashed somewhere only you can find them.

Recipe Notes:

Speed things up: The only thing that takes any time in this recipe is waiting on the fondant to dry. You can accelerate the drying process a bit by using the oven. Place the antlers onto a cookie sheet. Turn your oven on to the lowest/warming setting, then let it preheat. Once it’s hot, turn the oven off. Place the cookie sheet into the oven and let it sit for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and let the pieces air-dry for about 30 minutes. Depending on the humidity in your house, it could take a little longer.

Homemade Treats: Using pre-made treats in this recipe really saves some time, but you can definitely substitute homemade. When I make my own version of Rice Krispies Treats, I discourage pressing them too firmly into the pan since I prefer a more delicate texture. If you’re making some from scratch, though, I’d suggest pressing them pretty firmly so they’ll be dense enough to hold up to the chocolate-dipping. I’d also suggest lining your pan with parchment so you can pull the whole thing out once they’re set and cut them. If you make ~ 3” x 2” treats, you’ll get about 16 treats out of a 9” x 13” pan, so you’ll need to double the recipe to accommodate that many.

The post Reindeer Rice Krispies Treat appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Smoky, salty chunks of ham mingle with curly ribbons of pasta in a decadent cream sauce, loaded with cheese and all the tummy-tempting love of a homemade meal. You won’t find any green eggs here, but you’ll want to eat this hearty Ham Casserole everywhere!

Baby, it’s cold outside, or at least it’s dipped below 90 degrees, which means it’s casserole time at my house.

If you’re a regular visitor to my blog you know I’m a huge fan of quick and easy casseroles. Store-bought convenience items like canned soup are life-savers on busy nights when I want to get a delicious dinner on the table but don’t have the time to fuss over something more complicated.

Sometimes, though, I do have some time, and I’m able to indulge in a craving for something really special, a wonderful, homemade noodle casserole smothered in a luscious, velvety sauce and loaded with smoky chunks of ham. This is that casserole, baby, and you’ll want to make some time for this one in your kitchen too.

Ham casserole recipes are as varied and numerous as the recipe books on my bookshelves. Other than ham, they do all have one thing in common – carbs, glorious carbs!

You’ll find ham and rice casserole, ham and noodle casserole, and ham and potato casserole (including a ham casserole with hash browns).

If you’ve brunched at someone’s house, like ever, you’ve probably had a ham and cheese breakfast casserole. It’s usually a ham potato casserole, meat and potatoes settled into an eggy mixture of cheese and the obligatory canned soup. Like bacon, ham seems to be relegated to breakfast fare in these casseroles, but you don’t have to just make a breakfast casserole with ham. You can make one for any meal of the day!

So what’s the best ham casserole for those other two meals? Well, I’ve never met a carb I didn’t like, and I’m definitely a potato fan when it comes to breakfast, but that comfort-food fantasy for me is definitely a ham noodle casserole, with ruffles of perfectly cooked pasta swimming in a rich, flavorful béchamel, studded with chunks of ham and so much cheese that each spoonful clings to the utensil like its life depends on it [wipe drool off mouth].

Like I said, this is THE casserole to rule all others, and, to answer the question, my ham casserole recipe is the best!

Although this dish has all the tender love and care of a truly homemade meal, the only real effort required is putting together the creamy conduit that marries the ham and noodles. It’s a simple béchamel, with an aromatic base of celery, onions, and garlic.

You’ll notice I saute these in oil, then add butter when it’s time to make the sauce. Unlike butter, the vegetable oil, with its high smoke point, lets me cook the aromatics long enough – and high enough – to extract all the flavor without worrying about it burning.

I do add the butter later, though, because the béchamel really benefits from the richness. That’s why I also suggest using whole milk instead of a reduced fat version since it definitely affects the mouth feel of the sauce.

I know some recipes take the richness to the next level by using heavy cream or sour cream, but I think both make this dish a little too heavy and the tangy quality of the latter actually competes a bit with the other flavors in my sauce.

Those additions are a good glug (that’s my technical term) of Worcestershire sauce, which deepens the flavor with all those magical ingredients they put in that stuff, plus a little Italian seasoning.

Again, my regular readers know this is really a multi-purpose, frequently used spice blend in my recipes because of the complexity just a few shakes can impart on a dish. The earthy qualities of the oregano, the brightness of the thyme, and the licorice flavor of the basil turn this into so much more than your average cream-of-whatever soup base.

Once you taste the difference building all those flavors into the sauce makes, you’ll skip the only-slightly-simpler ham casserole cream of mushroom version.

Every great casserole needs a generous amount of cheese, and I like to mix some into the sauce, plus save some to get brown and bubbly on top of the casserole. Using pepper jack is another little spin I put on other ham pasta casserole recipes. Jack cheese has a lovely, creamy texture, especially when it’s melted, and the peppers bring a subtle heat that adds that little “something special” to the dish.

Even with the cheese coating, you may have bits of noodles peeking out on top that can get brown and crunchy in the oven. I happen to covet those little crispy bites, but you can keep the casserole covered with foil for half the baking process if you’d rather preserve the soft texture.

This is a great recipe for using extra ham after a big holiday meal, though I’d stay away from any honey or brown-sugar-glazed leftovers since the sweetness doesn’t work well in this recipe (be sure to save the ham bone too for this hug-in-a-bowl Ham and Bean Soup). If you’re like me, you may even have some in the freezer you can use, since I often cube and freeze leftover ham for casseroles or quick breakfast scrambles.

Speaking of freezing, one of the (many) things I love about casseroles is they often freeze well, and this Ham Casserole is no exception. You can double the bang-for-your-buck by enjoying half for dinner, then freezing the other half for a quick meal that just needs thawing and reheating.

Whether you’re indulging in a craving like me or just looking for some killer comfort food, you’re going to love my Ham Casserole!

Recipe Notes:

Pasta options – I love egg noodles in this dish mainly because the pasta ribbons just make me happy! If you need to substitute for some reason, though, I’d suggest using fettuccine and breaking the pieces into quarters before you boil them. If you want to make a healthy ham casserole (or at least a healthier version), you can use a whole wheat or whole grain noodle.

Pea haters – Peas are optional. I love them in this dish, but it seems there are a few people who were traumatized by them as a child. Who knew?! Feel free to omit them, if you want. You can actually substitute some chopped broccoli (either blanched or frozen-then-thawed) as a nice, nutritious pop of color.

Choosing cheese – My favorite cheese for this recipe is an extra sharp cheddar, but you can substitute a plain Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or even a pepper jack with awesome (and equally cheesy!) results.

The post Ham Casserole Recipe appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Bye bye, bland, dry pork. These juicy chops bookend a flavorful fruit filling, with a touch of tangy bleu cheese, and they’re so fancy you’ll want to dust off the fine china!

The “other white meat” isn’t the most popular option for home cooks because it’s too easy for it to turn into a dried up mess. There’s not enough gravy in the world to rescue a bone-dry pork chop!

Truth is, the pork industry has been out to get us, raising leaner products over the last few decades, but this Stuffed Pork Chop recipe produces moist and tender results every time thanks to a simple, short brine. It also has a thoughtful, sweet/tart, fruit-laden filling designed to add more juiciness and complementary flavor to the pork.

Although the techniques are simple, there is a little time commitment for executing the recipe for these baked stuffed pork chops, but the payoff is an elegant dish that’s sure to impress (even if you don’t pull out the good dishes).

Stuffing pork isn’t a new concept, but there are so many options that it may seem daunting deciding what to stuff pork chops with.

The most popular mixtures seem to be bread-heavy, things like stuffed pork chops with Stove Top Stuffing or seasoned cornbread. My experience is that stuffed pork chops with stuffing ingredients like these don’t add much flavor. It’s also not necessarily effective to stuff something that already has a tendency toward dryness with something that’s naturally kinda dry.

Other stuffing options take a veggie direction, versions like a mushroom stuffed pork chop or one with spinach and feta cheese. Although these do tend help with the moisture problem, they don’t really pack the flavor punch a good stuffing should. If you’re going to the trouble of stuffing stuff the stuffing should satisfy. Seriously!

The version of stuffed baked pork chops I’m sharing today has a fruit-based filling.  Apple stuffed pork chops and pork loins are definitely a fall classic, but I wanted to make the flavors a little more sophisticated in this dish. My stuffing includes sour cherries, orange juice, dates, and a rich, sweet port, with just a hint of thyme, a combination that could not be a better complement for these chops.

There are four cuts of chops to consider: shoulder, loin, rib, and boneless. Shoulder chops have a nice amount of fat but lots of gristly bits. For that reason, they’re generally cut thin and not conducive to using in a stuffed pork chop recipe.

Cuts from the loin, on the other hand, are tender but very lean. They may even have loin on one side and tenderloin on the other making accurate cooking a challenge. Both cuts can have bits of bone extending down into the center of the chop and bisecting our lovely stuffing pocket.

Although I do love boneless chicken wings (to keep my fingers clean for safe beer-holding), I actually don’t recommend boneless pork chops for this recipe. They’re on the less-desirable lean side, and you’ll miss out on all the flavor in the bones if you use stuffed boneless pork chop recipes. Bones also make meat cook more slowly which adds some wiggle room to the otherwise delicate timing of cooking pork.

The best stuffed pork chops are made using rib chops from the center where you can get a thick, uniform cut. The bone is intact, which we want, but it skirts the side of the chop leaving a big “eye” of meat in the center for our stuffing. There’s also plenty of surface area and fat to facilitate the perfect sear and adequate brining.

Brining is really the essential step to ensuring this, and any other pork recipe, produces really moist results. It’s a simple salt/sugar/water ratio that only needs about an hour to work its magic. That’s plenty of time for the solution to break down some of the muscle fibers and add some seasoned water to the chop.

Tender and juicy. Check.

The stuffing’s a breeze to put together (even uses a little help from the microwave!), the majority of the time spent just concentrating all the flavors from the sweet onions, fruit, and port. We’ll balance out the sweetness with a little vinegar and add some toasted pecans for additional flavor and texture. The fresh thyme’s a wonderful addition that adds a slightly minty quality.

Just be sure to let the mixture cool down before the stuffing commences so you can work with it without burning yourself. Once the chops are bulging with flavorful fruit, they’re ready for a good sear before finishing in the oven. The oven is the only option when you’re considering how to cook stuffed pork chops.

Although the brining definitely provides a bit of a crutch, it’s still possible to overcook pork chops, and the oven provides the most consistent heating. Leaving them on the stovetop, even covered, means the majority of heat will be coming from the bottom of the pan and the temperature can waver a bit. If you’re making this or any other stuffed pork chops baked is the way to go.

By the way, my method is to sear the pork chops, then move them to a pre-heated pan in the oven to finish cooking. If you have the right cookware, though, you can sear your stuffed pork chops in oven safe skillets instead and do all the cooking in one pan.

A few crumbles of bleu cheese finishes off these easy Stuffed Pork Chops perfectly, and you’ll definitely want to drizzle the tops with any juices that might be left on the resting dish. This is one of those dishes I like to serve on special occasions when we have guests to impress or family to celebrate. You can even stuff the chops the night before if you need to pull off an epic dinner party.

I like to serve these impressive pork chops with cheddar-loaded mashed potatoes or Parmesan-sprinkled polenta and a simple steamed veggie.  My Stuffed Pork Chops is the perfect dish to bring pork back to your dinner table.

Recipe​ ​Notes:

More stuffing stuff – Take your time cutting the pockets in the pork chops since it’ll make the stuffing process quick and easy. I recommend using a shorter, thinner blade since it’s easier to control than a big chef’s knife.

Lots of stuffing recipes need toothpicks or even twine to restrain the bulky chops. This stuffing’s a bit sticky, though, so it likes to stay in the chop, and the orange skins (from the wedges you cut and juiced) will tuck right into the opening and work like colorful little caps to hold everything in while you’re cooking.

Perfecting the pork – Make sure to pull the pork chops out of the brine and let them warm up for about 30 minutes before you get ready to stuff and sear them. This is particularly true if you stuff them the night before.

Also, don’t skip the resting step. Yes, we’ve brined and cooked these chops carefully to keep them as juicy as possible, but cutting into them before the juices have had a chance to settle down after the cooking process can undo all that work.

The post Stuffed Pork Chops appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Need a colorful game-changer for your next holiday spread? My Ham Salad is a perfectly balanced masterpiece of salty, sweet, and spicy, with smoky bits of ham and a light, creamy base that’s destined to top every cracker on your party buffet.

I’m sure our ancestors who first tossed greens in a bowl and dubbed it “salad” would never, in their wildest dreams, have guessed just how far we’d run with the concept. Sure, we still love a simple bowl of green leafies, but what about creamy pasta salads, refreshing jumbles of fruit, and jiggly, gelatin-encased beauties?

We also love deviations that take a meaty direction, things like the classic, grape-studded chicken salad and dilly tuna spread. If you’re not already acquainted, let me introduce you to Ham Salad, the classic pork-lovers’ creation that epically repurposes those smoky leftovers.

All you need is a peek inside school lunchboxes to see just how much we love ham. The hammy sandwich quantities don’t lie, and this Ham Salad is a great way to kick your lunch (or party) up a notch or two.

Although I usually associate ham salad recipes with the South, other areas of the country, especially where pork production is high, definitely know how to make ham salad. Of course, each region puts their own creative spin on the dish (including a ham salad made with bologna), and there are similar European dishes that use sausage or other meats. The main ingredients, though, are salty, smoky chunks of the pink stuff, a thick, creamy base made with cream cheese or mayonnaise (or a combination of the two), and pickles, either sweet or dill.

Many recipes add boiled eggs to this list of must-haves, like the ham salad recipe Paula Deen makes, but mine is decidedly not a ham salad recipe with eggs. I think the texture competes with the ham, plus it dilutes the flavor a bit, so I leave them out.

My Ham Salad has a slightly chunky texture dominated by the ham, a little crunch from chopped celery and onion, and a flavorful cream cheese base that accentuates rather than hides the flavors of the main star here. My version also has a nice balance of salty and sweet, mainly achieved through careful consideration of the perfect pickle.

Some recipes use dill pickles in this dish which definitely cements it in the “salty” camp. Since dill pickles are naturally salty, though, I think using these in addition to the ham means you need more of the creamy base to offset the salt. The dill is also a really forward-facing herb, so it kinda takes over the flavor profile.

Some recipes, like the Honey Baked Ham salad, belong on the other end of the spectrum, using honey-glazed ham, honey mustard, and sweet pickles. This makes the whole thing a little too sweet for me. I do use sweet pickles but just enough to complement the ham, along with some Creole mustard to add a little acidity and a nice touch of heat.

Creole mustard, a popular condiment in Louisiana, is a unique, spicy mustard with a slightly coarser texture than the yellow hot dog stuff and a little more vinegar. (It’s one of the main ingredients in remoulade sauce, if you’ve ever tasted that magical stuff). You should be able to find Creole mustard in your grocery store, but you can substitute another coarse, spicy mustard with similar results.

Speaking of heat, there are some deviled ham salad recipes that crank up the sweetness (often accentuated with cloves) and balance it with plenty of hot sauce, cayenne, or pickled jalapenos. These ingredients are all wonderful (and I do love spicy), but it’s just more flavor competition and I really want this salad to be all about the ham.  The other salad ingredients are chosen with that goal in mind.

My creamy base is a combo of cream cheese and mayonnaise in a good ratio to bind the ham chunks but not let them get lost in it. Both add a nice tang to help preserve that careful salty/sweet balance.

Red onion adds color and crunch, along with a little heat. If they’re a little too hot (which your eyes will let you know pretty quickly), you can always rinse the onion bits under cold water and drain them really well to remove some of the nose-stinging qualities. I’ve also substituted chopped green onions with great results. Celery adds a lovely crunch as well, along with a freshness that cuts through some of the richness of the ham and cheese.

I like to fold in the ham after everything’s mixed well to preserve the little chunks. Texture is important here! Ham Salad does benefit from a little chilling time in the fridge, but you can serve it right away. It’s an inexpensive, easy addition to any party spread that’ll be so popular you’ll need a few extra boxes of crackers on standby!

Recipe Notes:

Salad vs. Spread – Although I do use the food processor to help chop the ham, I like my Ham Salad to have some texture, like the ham salad recipe Southern Living has on its website. I know some people prefer to run all the ingredients through the food processor until things are really smooth, essentially making a ham salad spread, but I just don’t roll that way. If that’s your preference, though, by all means please pulse on!

Btw-I realize that the Ham Salad looks really smooth in the photos. Honestly, it’s not as smooth as it looks. I think the he cream cheese is giving it a smoothed out appearance!

Serving options – I usually serve this with butter crackers or small toasts, but you can serve it in endive “boats” like the ham salad recipe Pioneer Woman makes or with some other crudite. You can also use it to make sandwiches, either cold with some arugula or watercress or hot like the ham salad sandwich recipe Taste of Home publishes (heated in the oven along with some Velveeta slices).

Since soup is a popular meal this time of year, why not make a rolled, grilled cheese version? Just cut the crusts off bread slices, flatten them with a rolling pin, then spread on your Ham Salad. Add a slice of American cheese or a little shredded cheddar, then roll it up. Brown it in a frying pan just like you would a grilled cheese, rolling it around until it’s toasty on all sides.

Lighten Up – If you go the veggie route for serving this dip, you’ll definitely save some calories. You can also turn this into a healthy Ham Salad recipe by substituting low fat cream cheese and mayonnaise or using a combination of low fat cottage cheese and plain yogurt processed in your food chopper until the consistency is similar to softened cream cheese.

The post Ham Salad Recipe appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Dessert doesn’t get any easier than these Apple Pie Cups. Cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling are the perfect pairing for this people pleaser!

Although I could spend most days in the kitchen cooking up a storm, I realize not everyone shares my obsession, I mean, passion. My recipes are all really doable, regardless of your culinary expertise, but I suspect some of you would rather be sitting in a dentist’s chair than hovering over a stove top. Believe it or not, I can actually relate to those times when you just don’t want to spend any time in the kitchen but have a persistent sweet tooth that just won’t take “no” for an answer.

This recipe is for you. It only has two ingredients, which I’m pretty sure is the minimum number to qualify as an actual “recipe,” and it uses convenience items from the grocery store. You can put these Apple Pie Cups together in your sleep (or at least before you’ve had your second cup of coffee), and they’re really so tasty no one will ever know you were practically able to phone this one in!

Imagine a sweet, cinnamon-infused crust, flaky on the outside and doughy on the inside, stuffed with crisp-tender apples suspended in a perfectly spiced filling that’s melted a bit into the crust. Sounds good, huh? All you need are some canned cinnamon rolls and apple pie filling to pull off this sweet treat.

It really is just that simple. Ingredient #1: Pop open a can of those lovely, flaky Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (don’t you love that sound??) and press them into a greased muffin tin. Each can has 8 rolls in it, so you can easily triple this recipe to fill up two 12-count tins and have plenty for unexpected company.

There’s even a reduced-fat cinnamon roll option if you want to save a few calories (and a seasonal pumpkin flavor that would work really great in this recipe). If the rolls are cold, they can be a little harder to stretch out (and stay put), so I like to let them get close to room temperature before starting this recipe.

Ingredient #2: Next, you’ll spoon some prepared apple pie filling into each cup and bake. If you’re worried at all about the sticking, you can cut thin strips of parchment paper and lay them in the bottom of each tin first. It should be long enough so you’ll have little parchment handles to lift each Apple Pie Cup out of its baking place.

And, that’s it, folks! Well, almost – I didn’t forget about the frosting. Remember that sweet buttercream that’s tucked into the cinnamon roll cans? We’ll drizzle that on top!

I like to remove the frosting from the plastic container and put it into a zip-top bag for piping onto the cups. It can be a little stiff right out of the fridge, but just working the filled bag a little with your hands will warm it up enough for easy drizzling.

One of the many reasons I like this recipe is that it’s versatile enough to serve as breakfast or dessert. These Apple Pie Cups are a wonderful pastry to pair with your eggs and bacon on the weekend, and kiddos can definitely help put them together. They’re also a simple dessert for a weeknight meal or a quick, sweet addition to a party buffet.

Speaking of parties, make-it-yourself “bars” are really popular right now, with big tables devoted to things like S’mores, chili, or Bloody Marys (my personal favorite) and lots of toppings and toppables for guests to create their own favorite concoctions. These Apple Pie Cups would work great at a bar! Your toppings could be sweetened whipped cream, ice cream, chopped walnuts or pecans, shredded sharp cheddar, melted Biscoff spread, or caramel sauce (either homemade or prepared).

The sky’s really the limit here . . . or at least your imagination.  Now that you’re just a quick grocery trip away from an apple pie fix, what are you waiting for?

Originally Published on CentlessDeals 

The post 2 Ingredient Apple Pie Cups appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

You’ll be floored by all the layers of flavor in this Chicken Florentine recipe! A rich, cheesy sauce, with leafy, green ribbons of spinach coat tender cheese-crusted chicken breasts in this simple but impressive dish.

We’ve all experienced homesickness at one time or another, and I think food is one of the most reliable cures. Whether it’s digging through old recipe cards to make your grandmother’s Christmas cookies or stopping by the neighborhood restaurant that makes pot roast just like mom did, the right ingredient or dish can ease that separation anxiety.

When Catherine de Medici left her birthplace of Florence, Italy, to (eventually) become Queen of France, she brought her own remedy, something that would always remind her of home. Spinach. Although I suspect many people actually left home (or at least the dinner table) over this infamous leafy green, my Chicken Florentine recipe transforms spinach into a coveted dish, guaranteed to leave family and guests with fond memories of this easy but elegant, home-cooked masterpiece.

Thanks to Queen Catherine, many dishes that use spinach, especially those with a rich, cheesy (Mornay) sauce, are considered a la Florentine, which is French for “in the style of Florence.”  Eggs and fish are pretty common protein additions, but chicken and spinach are a match made in heaven (or at least in Italy).

You may have ordered stuffed chicken Florentine at restaurants before, baked or pan-fried breasts stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, and cheese. This is my twist on that dish, an easy Chicken Florentine recipe that has all the same, wonderful flavors without all the fussy stuffing business. Oh, and copious amounts of a drool-worthy sauce.

We’ll start with sautéing mushrooms and aromatics, in this case, a little garlic. Although some recipes pan-fry their chicken breasts first, then add the veggies to the pan as they’re building the sauce, I find my method of removing the cooked veggies and incorporating them at the end helps preserve the nice, firm texture of these perfectly cooked mushrooms. It also keeps the garlic from cooking too long and turning bitter, plus makes the sauce reduction process more efficient without all the mushrooms floating around.

For the mushrooms, my absolute favorite is cremini since they seem to have a slightly stronger mushroom flavor and meatier texture than other varieties, but button mushrooms work just as well in this particular dish.

The next step is, of course, pan frying the chicken breasts. A light dusting of flour, seasoned with Italian herbs and some grated Parmesan, is a flavorful and critical part of capitalizing on all the wonderful textures in this dish. The cheese in particular adds a lovely saltiness and browns up really nicely. In addition to adding a crispy, flavorful coating to the chicken, the crust also helps insulate the meat to prevent overcooking and creates a surface area designed to cling to the rich, velvety sauce.

A little note about Parmesan. If you can buy a block and grate it yourself, you definitely won’t regret it. It has such a wonderful, unique nuttiness to it that often gets lost when you buy it in one of those green shakers. If that’s not feasible, though, you might try using the pre-shredded variety, at least in the sauce, since I find it melts a little better.

And trust me, it’s the Chicken Florentine sauce that makes this dish! The caramelized pieces of vegetables and chicken are now ready to turn a simple sauce into something you’ll be wanting a loaf of dunkable bread for. This fond, which is the culinary term for the browned bits in the pan, is the main reason I think my version works better than a baked chicken Florentine or chicken Florentine casserole. Without the magic happening in the frying pan, you’re stuck with a second-rate sauce.

I like to do the deglazing with a little chicken stock. It’s so much more flavorful than water, and you can even use chicken-flavored Better than Bouillon (1/2 teaspoon for a half cup of water) if you don’t have any canned or homemade stock handy. Take your time to loosen all the little flavor nuggets on the pan, letting them melt into the sauce and reduce until the flavors are concentrated. That traditional Mornay sauce I mentioned earlier is enriched with cream and cheese, and that’s what we’ll use to finish this one. Just be sure to keep the sauce at a low simmer once you’ve added these ingredients to avoid boiling and curdling the sauce.

The last (and obligatory) ingredient is the spinach. You’ll stir some fresh chopped greens into the sauce just long enough for the leaves to wilt. If you want to avoid the chopping, you can also use baby spinach though the flavor’s a bit milder. Frozen spinach (thawed and drained REALLY well) will work in a pinch, but I really prefer the fresh in this recipe.

The spinach adds beautiful color and a lovely texture to the dish, and we could talk about the health benefits of spinach (including reducing hunger cravings!), but it’s pretty obvious with all the cream and cheese this is not a healthy chicken Florentine dish. Let’s just focus on how luscious and to-die-for the sauce is!

Although I don’t make this an official “chicken Florentine pasta,” with penne and chicken chunks that’s often (sadly) lacking in the sauce department, I definitely do recommend serving this with angel hair pasta and a nice baguette so you can sop up every last drop of the sauce.

If you’re interested in making chicken Florentine, you could spend some time looking for a chicken Florentine Allrecipes version – there are only 6,000 or so recipes (including a chicken Florentine soup) for you to waste a few days pouring over. If you don’t have that kind of time, though, and I’m pretty sure none of us do, take my word for it. This is the best recipe – the only recipe – you need, and it just may make spinach a comfort food for you too!

Recipe Notes:

Fancy Flavorings – If you want to make this even more flavorful, you can use ¼ c. of dry white wine to replace half the chicken broth when you’re deglazing. You can also cook and crumble 4 or 5 pieces of bacon to sprinkle on top before serving.

Mushrooms – I was always taught washing mushrooms were one of the seven deadly sins, but you can actually rinse them with water if you’ll be cooking them, as long as you minimize the amount of time they’re in it. If you choose this route instead of brushing them off with a damp paper towel or soft brush, just make sure you blot them with some towels and saute them long enough to remove any extra water.

The post Chicken Florentine Recipe appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Think you can’t pull together a successful stuffed pasta dinner without hours in the kitchen? You can Cannelloni! One simple shortcut makes this is an attainable, impressive Italian feast that will have your guests toasting the chef!

They say gratitude is one of the best ways to keep the blues at bay.

Taking some time to think about all the things you’re thankful for shifts perspectives in a really positive way and helps with that whole “glass half full” thing. Maybe you’re thankful for friends or family.

Maybe you’re grateful for your health or a much-needed day off, or maybe just a glass of wine with your name on it.

Me, I’m thankful for the brilliant chef, cooking in some makeshift kitchen back in the Middle Ages, who decided stuffing pasta was a great idea.

Yes, it was actually that long ago when people first started stuffing their faces with little pasta pies, or torte, which typically had meat or cheese fillings, fragrant spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and sweet condiments like marmalade or dried fruit. Essentially large raviolis, these were hand-held, inexpensive snacks and meals designed to be hearty and portable.

Cannelloni pasta, the large stuffing shells traditionally used in this dish, became popular in the late 19^th century.

My Cannelloni isn’t exactly portable, unless you consider the casserole dish, but the ingredients definitely pay homage to the original stuffed pasta recipes. This stuffed Cannelloni, which means “big pipe,” in Italian, has a rich, colorful filling of spinach and three types of cheeses, seasoned with Italian herbs and a pinch of nutmeg, all tucked into delicate sheets of pasta and baked with a homemade (but quick!) marinara sauce.

It’s everything you want in a classic Italian meal, the kind that’s cooked with love and shared with your closest friends and family.

By the way, the difference between cannelloni vs manicotti? There isn’t one! Manicotti (which means “big sleeve”) is just the term we use for the same tubular shaped pasta in the U.S.  The word “cannelloni” sounds just like it’s spelled, but if you want an authentic sound to cannelloni pronounce it with an Italian accent!

We’ll start with the marinara, which is a flavorful but simple sauce to put together (sometimes I even double this part of the recipe just to freeze some for last-minute pasta cravings).

I do recommend using a high quality, extra virgin olive oil since it’s the hallmark of a great Italian sauce and you’ll definitely be able to taste it. The carrot’s a little bit of a surprise ingredient here, but it adds a subtle sweetness that tames the acidity of the canned tomatoes.

The sauce needs to simmer for a little while so the flavors can fully develop, but you can work on putting together your filling while it’s doing its thing. There are two basic options when it comes to stuffing this or any other pasta: meat cannelloni fillings (either beef or chicken cannelloni) or cheese like the one I’m sharing today. (If you think you’ve heard about a cannelloni dessert, you’re probably thinking about cannoli which has a similar shape but is fried and stuffed with a sweet ricotta filling.)

The pasta on these is so delicate, and I think the texture gets lost a bit if you make a meaty filling, so for my cannelloni spinach and ricotta are the main ingredients.

Ricotta, with its unique soft, slightly granular consistency, is not your typical cheese. Most firm cheeses, including the mozzarella that has a pretty important seat at the table in this recipe, is made from the solids leftover after straining the liquid (whey) from milk that’s been heated and often “acidified” with some bacteria.

Ricotta, on the other hand, is actually made from the whey. This makes the tiny curds light and airy and creates a creamy cheese with a wonderful texture that contrasts perfectly with the soft pasta. It comes in skim or whole milk varieties, and I like to use the whole milk here.

We’ll use some Parmesan for its lovely nutty flavor and some mozzarella to add a lovely melting quality.

To preserve this thick, rich concoction, you’ll want to make sure the spinach is really dry. I like to put the thawed spinach into a tea towel and wrap it up to help wring out all the extra moisture. I find this works more effectively than my hands, plus I don’t have all the little bits of spinach clinging to my fingers.

You’ll also notice a pinch of nutmeg in the filling. Although we love to add this sweet spice to sugary desserts in the U.S., the Italians often pair it with savory dishes, especially ones with spinach.

There’s some magic that happens when you combine the two, and it even helps bring out some of the subtle flavors in the cheeses.

Now here’s the trick that transforms the stuffing process from a time-consuming and tedious task into an easy cannelloni recipe.

Since stuffing traditional cannelloni shells can be a bit of a bear and hard to fill without tearing, I like to use Barilla’s no boil lasagna noodles instead.

I just LOVE this idea, and they even make a gluten-free version if needed. The lasagna noodles are so much easier to handle, even though they do still require a little time to parboil (just to make them pliable). Basically if you can handle a rolling pin, you’ll find these are a piece of cake to put together and much less trouble that managing a piping bag and pasta tubes.

Everything gets layered and baked (with more cheese!) in the oven and served to wow-ed guests.

This is a great dish to freeze, either before or after it’s baked. You’ll just need to thaw it in the fridge overnight and either cook it according to the directions below or warm it through if it’s already been cooked.

This is also one of those recipes I like to make and take to new parents or other families I might want to deliver a ready-to-eat meal to. It feeds a crowd, and, like lasagna, I think it’s even better the next day!

Say “yes” to hosting dinner at your place soon! All you need is a nice salad and plenty of fresh bread to capture the dribbles of tomato sauce on your plate. Oh, and wine – plenty of red to make this a real Italian night to remember!

Recipe Notes:

Jar sauce: I know some of you may balk at the idea of making a tomato sauce from scratch. I promise this one really IS simple to put together, though it takes a little time for the flavors to mingle, but you can substitute a good quality jarred marinara sauce from the supermarket if you want. You’ll need about 2 ½ (24-oz) jars for this recipe.

The post Cannelloni Recipe appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

A classic Chinese dish gets a new (lighter) twist in my Mongolian Chicken. Tender pieces of chicken, marinated and pan-fried until crispy, get coated in a sweet and savory sauce that can hold its own against any takeout!

I love combing over the menu at a new restaurant, even though other guests get a little impatient with me when it’s time to make a decision. Most of the time you can tell what you’re getting by the title of the dish, but sometimes the names can be deceiving.

French toast? Neither French nor toast-like. Buffalo wings? I’m pretty sure bison can’t fly, and if they could their wings be bigger than those tiny things. Rocky Mountain oysters? Definitely not on the menu at your favorite seafood restaurant.

Mongolian BBQ?  It may, indeed, be made on a grill, but it’s not a Mongolian recipe. The Mongols’ diet does include some beef, but they primarily eat mutton and lots of dairy and other animal fats (it’s cold there!). Their meat dishes are usually large roasts, even whole goats and sheep, or meaty stuffed dumplings or soups.

There’s not really a place for anything that’s not hearty (i.e., vegetables) in that extreme climate. So, if you skip all the veggies (and the part where the diner has to build their own stir-fry), you get Mongolian Beef . . . also not Mongolian.

There’s no definitive answer on the origin of Mongolian beef, but most suspect it was concocted in a Chinese American kitchen by some chef who needed a creative name for a new dish. Who could turn down a meal that might have been eaten by Genghis Kahn!

Mongolian beef is clearly the more popular choice if you do an internet search, and I love beef, but I’m also a big chicken fan (plus the Mongolian Chicken calories are a little lower). Since Mongolian chicken Chinese takeout isn’t usually an option, and I always seem to have chicken breasts on hand, I decided to create my own Mongolian Chicken recipe.

As we’ve already established, this isn’t an Asian dish, so it’s no surprise celebrity Asian chefs don’t have much to offer. There’s no Mongolian chicken recipe by Sanjeev Kapoor or a Mongolian chicken recipe by Chef Zakir. There’s also no Mongolian chicken recipe Allrecipes version, and, unlike the beef dish, there’s no Mongolian chicken wiki to find inspiration from either.

So, what is Mongolian Chicken Gonna-Want-Seconds-style? Well, it’s prepared like the beef dish – a quick marinade, followed by a double-cooking process, and just enough sauce to coat the meat. This isn’t your typical gravy-laden stir-fry that soaks into the rice. It’s a drier but really flavorful dish that will give you a good excuse to work on those chopsticks skills.

What does Mongolian Chicken taste like? It’s sweet and savory, with plenty of garlic, green onions, and sesame oil to bump up the flavor. The chicken has a wonderful texture too, thanks to a crucial frying step that comes after marinating in soy sauce and rice wine.

If you haven’t used rice wine before, it is different than rice wine vinegar, so don’t try to substitute with the latter. The vinegar has an acidic quality (although it’s milder than white vinegar) that you don’t want in this recipe.

Rice wine, which is made from fermenting glutinous rice (the stuff you’ll find in sweet Asian desserts like sticky rice with mango), is a mild, slightly sweet wine used a lot in Asian cooking. It adds a ton of flavor to the chicken in this recipe, plus has just enough acid to help tenderize it. Dry sherry has a similar flavor profile, so it is a good substitute.

Time to fry! The addition of some cornstarch to the marinade creates a light, crispy crust on the chicken that absorbs most of the sauce and makes a really flavorful crust on each piece. You’ll want to avoid crowding the pan during this frying step to make sure the oil stays hot and ensure there’s enough exposed surface area to get a nice crunch on the chicken.

Although we all love the convenience of our crockpot, I don’t recommend making a slow cooker Mongolian chicken. The main thing that gives this recipe such a great mouth feel is that frying step and just enough time in the sauce to absorb it while retaining some of the crispy exterior. If you make a Mongolian chicken slow cooker version, you’ll skip the frying step altogether.

The crockpot recipes also seem to have a lot of sauce, so you’ll basically be missing out on the qualities that make this dish so unique. That sauce is similar to the one used in scallion beef, or Szechuan beef (though without all the heat). It has plenty of umami flavor from soy sauce, bright and spicy fresh ginger, and a good amount of brown sugar.

Sweetness is one of the hallmarks of Mongolian Chicken (or beef) that’s balanced out with a little heat from red pepper flakes, plus the aromatics in the stir-fry. The toasted sesame flavor, from both oil and a sprinkling of crunchy seeds, also works really well with the sugary quality of the sauce.

You’ll want to serve this right away to preserve the texture, and steamed rice is the perfect accompaniment. I love Jasmine rice, but any white rice will do. You can also make this a little healthier by subbing brown rice (there’s even a brown Jasmine variety). Some steamed Bok choy or Chinese broccoli on the side, and you’re ready for those chopsticks!

Recipe Notes:

Oil – Good stir-frys rely on high temperatures to cook things quickly and create those characteristic crisp-tender veggies, so you’ll want to use a high-smoke-point oil for this recipe. The smoke point is simply the temperature the oil can reach before it starts smoking (and before you’ll need to pull out the fire extinguisher). I like to use vegetable oil, which is a plant-based blend, but others with a similar temperature range include canola and peanut oil, though peanut oil definitely imparts a little peanut-y flavor to your dish.

Thinner is better – At least when you’re talking about meat for a stir-fry. Sometimes you can find pre-sliced chicken breasts at the grocery store. If not, though, freeze the chicken for about 10-20 minutes to firm it up so you can slice it thinly and evenly. You also want to cut across the short side of the chicken breasts. Cutting against the grain is important to ensure tenderness.

The post Mongolian Chicken Recipe appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.

Lovers of the Windy City, rejoice! One of Chicago’s most beloved dishes is Here. And man, oh man, is this easy Chicken Vesuvio good. It is hearty, garlicky, and classically Chicago.

Even if you don’t have any connection to the dish’s Chicago roots, everyone can enjoy this family style Italian comfort food.

This easy and inexpensive meal is a perfect addition to your weeknight meal rotation. I make it at least once a month, because the recipe calls for one pot, and ingredients I already have in my cupboard. Plus, it’s very easy to double, which makes it perfect for serving a large family on a regular basis. The final dish has meat, sides, and veggies all wrapped into one. Could a family meal get any easier?

Most locals have their own favorite chicken vesuvio Chicago restaurant. But this recipe is so moist and flavorful – dare I say as good  any restaurant.

And of course, the best part about making it at home – you can sop up all that delicious butter, herb, and wine sauce from your plate (which you definitely shouldn’t try at a nice restaurant, BTW)! This recipe makes a lot of that pan sauce, so there is plenty to spoon lavishly over your chicken and potatoes.

Lots of people prefer a boneless chicken vesuvio recipe. And while that’s obviously perfectly fine, I prefer a whole chicken. I think you get more “bang-for-your-buck” with it, plus all of the different parts of the chicken work well in this recipe – not to mention the flavor you get from the bones.

This is a great recipe for a dinner party with your friends. Its rustic flavor will impress your guests – just serve with a side salad or rolls and everyone will think you’re some fancy Italian chef. The secret of how easy this recipe is to make can stay with you!

Making chicken vesuvio recipe slow cooker style might suit your needs best.. After all, lots of chicken-and-potatoes recipes call for a slow cooker. But I prefer the stovetop and pot version. Getting a nice brown on your chicken and your potatoes will add a lot of flavor and texture to the final dish. And those pan juices are absolutely essential to the sauce! You just can’t get those flavors out of a slow cooker.

Let’s talk potatoes! My recipe calls for red-skinned potatoes, cut in half. I think the smaller size and deeper flavors offered by red potatoes is an ideal to compliment the chicken.

But when making her chicken vesuvio Rachael Ray uses large Idaho or russet potatoes.

Really, any potato will do – the great flavors in the sauce are the main attraction anyway. I like red potatoes, and I think they are much easier to work with. The less chopping required, the better!

But feel free to use whatever potatoes you prefer. Just make sure they get a good brown for a fantastic texture. You might even consider crisping the potatoes separately in the oven, if you prefer a really crispy potato.

Working with one pot is all about timing. You want to make sure each ingredient gets enough time to add its full contribution to the final flavor, without providing enough time for them to burn. For example, if your pot is running really, really hot you may need to add the white wine in immediately after putting the garlic in to avoid burning your garlic. It’s best to wait long enough to give the garlic time to sear nicely, but you don’t want it to burn. So, you’ll need to use your own best judgment.

The artichoke hearts I use in this recipe are pretty standard, and are a great addition to the dish’s overall flavor profile. I use frozen artichoke hearts to cut down on prep time, but if you want to use fresh artichoke that will work just fine. It’s just not as easy.

For her chicken vesuvio Giada prefers lima beans instead of artichokes. If you’re a lima beans fan, you’re a happy camper!

Snap peas or sweet pea pods also work well.

The chicken vesuvio Harry Caray’s serves up is one of the best in Chicago, as long as you like peas…

I think a regular Italian seasoning blend is perfect for this dish, and then you don’t have to get into a complicated decision-making process about spices: “How much oregano?” “Will this much thyme overpower everything?” It’s way easier to use a premixed Italian blend.

But if you have fresh herbs from your garden, this is also a great recipe for those! Because, let’s face it, fresh herbs and spices from the garden are hard to beat.

I am a firm believer that you can never have enough chicken recipes. This delicious and easy chicken vesuvio is a great part of that arsenal. Give it a try!

Recipe Notes:

Salt – Anytime you’re cooking with chicken broth, it’s important to keep in mind how much salt you add to season the meat. Chicken broth has a ton of salt already in it, so be careful that you don’t over salt the whole dish when you salt the chicken. The other side is, of course, that you really don’t want to under season the chicken and make it bland. Look for that perfect middle ground where you get flavorful chicken and a sauce that isn’t bursting with too much salt.

Potatoes – It is a rare dish that can highlight potatoes as well as this chicken vesuvio can. I always think that seasoning the potatoes just like you season the chicken is a good idea. You definitely don’t need the same volume of seasoning as you use on the chicken, because the potatoes will soak up a lot of flavor from the sauce.

Make Ahead – If you’re aiming to make this dish ahead of time, you can brown the chicken and potatoes/veggies beforehand and store them in the fridge. Then, when it’s time to cook, just warm them up in your pot and continue the recipe as directed.

Wine – The recipe lists a “dry wine” for part of the sauce. I cannot stress this enough: Don’t ignore that instruction. Not using a dry enough wine will make your final dish bland and flavorless. The wine is crucial to the final flavor. The drier, the better!

Veggies – There are plenty of other vegetables that will taste good in this dish. I listed a few above, but you might also try onions, carrots, and even peppers! In her chicken vesuvio Lidia Bastianich uses some delicious bell peppers that I think would taste great!

Adapted from: Giada de Laurentiis

The post Chicken Vesuvio appeared first on Gonna Want Seconds.