You are here: Home / Archives for Recipes

Festive Cocktail Recipes for the Holiday Season

December 17, 2015 by

Holiday treats don't have to arrive in cookie or candy form! Here are three holiday-themed cocktail recipes that even the most knowledgeable home bartender will appreciate.

Easy Blender Eggnog [realsimple.com]
Instead of buying the pre-packaged eggnog, make your own by using just a few common ingredients and a standard kitchen blender. Heavy cream, sugar, and eggs create the drink’s signature rich consistency, while some good brandy adds that deliciously dark flavor.

Mulled Wine Sangria [myrecipes.com]
Update your favorite summer drink for the chilly winter season by simmering red wine in warming spices like cloves and cinnamon. Combine it with sparkly club soda and served chilled with some refreshing orange slices floating throughout.

Candy Cane Cocktail [marthastewart.com]
For guests who prefer drinks with a sweeter flavor, this fun candy cane cocktail will surely be a hit. It’s made with strawberry vodka and crème de menthe combined with some tart cranberry juice that creates a lovely pink color, and lining the rim of a martini glass with crushed candy canes adds an even more special look and a fresh, minty flavor.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Quick and Easy Marinades for That Upcoming Barbecue

July 23, 2015 by

Every barbecue enthusiast knows that the marinade is key when it comes to adding flavor to your meats, but there are a whole lot more options than just the usual barbecue sauce to choose from. From sweet to tangy to spicy, these grill-ready marinades can take foods from bland to mouthwatering in just a few minutes flat. And best of all? They don’t have to sit in the refrigerator all night, so they’re perfect for the last-minute home chef!

Greek Marinade [greek.food.com]
Olive oil and lemon juice impart a bright, zesty flavor to foods like chicken and fish, while a bounty of fresh herbs and spices will make you feel like you hopped a plane to the shores of Greece. Pour this perfect marinade over your meats and pop them into the fridge for an hour before grilling.

Maple Grilled Salmon Glaze [myrecipes.com]
Take salmon to the next level with this sweet and smoky glaze that you can brush on the fish — or even on a juicy pork chop — right as it’s cooking. Garnish with orange slices to bring out even more sweet, citrus-y flavor.

Barbecue Sauce [marthastewart.com]
Although there are limitless options for marinades, sometimes you’re just in the mood for a good old-fashioned barbecue sauce. This simple, straightforward recipe takes just 30 minutes to make, and it can be used on everything from ribs to chicken at your next cookout.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Crowd-Pleasing Barbecue Side Dishes to Try this Weekend

January 22, 2015 by

When the weather warms up and your social calendar fills up, you may run out of side dishes to bring to all of those weekend cookouts and Sunday afternoon barbecues. Here are a few barbecue side dishes that are sure to disappear from any buffet table.

Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon [Real Simple]
Potato salad is a tried-and-true side dish that wows at any summer gathering, but this zesty spin on the picnic favorite will satisfy the carnivores at the party. Fresh herbs give it an added kick of sophisticated flavor, while crispy bacon gives it that smoky, salty taste that everyone loves.

Barbecue Deviled Eggs [Southern Living]
Instead of bringing yet another side dish to add to the mix, try making a tasty appetizer instead. These barbecue deviled eggs bring a down-home flavor to the classic dish by using an unexpected touch of smoky chopped pork.

Grilled Corn with Herb Goat Cheese Butter [Saveur]
There’s nothing quite like the taste of corn cooked on the grill, and this gourmet recipe makes it even better. The herb-infused, cheesy butter adds a rich taste to the sweetness of the corn, and the husk makes it easy to eat it all by hand.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Sample These Acorn Squash Recipes This Fall

September 18, 2014 by

Acorn squash is a type of winter squash with a unique dark green rind, longitudinal ridges and a yellowish-orange inside that tastes sweet and mild. This squash is so versatile that even the most novice home chef can easily prepare it in a variety of different ways. Here are just three ways to try your hand at serving acorn squash this fall.

Baked Acorn Squash [allrecipes.com]
To really get a good idea of how acorn squash tastes, you should first prepare it all by itself. This simple recipe involves baking a halved acorn squash with just a bit of butter and brown sugar to create a healthy side dish or even a unique dessert.

Acorn Squash Soup with Kale [marthastewart.com]
With a hearty texture and autumnal flavors, this soup is perfect for those chilly fall evenings. Pureeing the acorn squash is one of the best ways to prepare it for use in a soup, while adding crispy bacon and finely chopped kale adds a darker, smokier flavor that contrasts the sweetness of the squash.

Spinach and Acorn Squash Ravioli [myrecipes.com]
Acorn squash makes a wonderful filling for pasta, and in this creative recipe it’s blended with creamy ricotta cheese and chopped spinach for added flavor. Plus, using wonton wrappers instead of the usual pasta dough saves on calories, and it’s much easier than rolling out that dough by hand.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Delightful Recipes for Rich Chocolate Pudding

June 19, 2014 by

Just about everyone loves chocolate, and pudding is a simple dish that can be prepared a number of different ways. Combine the two tastes to create decadent chocolate pudding with these easy recipes.

Hasty Chocolate Pudding [AllRecipes]
When your guests are arriving in just a few minutes, this recipe tastes great but takes only a little while to prepare.

How to Make Perfect Chocolate Pudding from Scratch [The Kitchn]
Forego the boxed, prepackaged mixes and learn to make a real chocolate pudding with this recipe.

Best Chocolate Pudding [Smitten Kitchen]
Dark, rich, and just a pinch salty, this recipe makes a truly elegant chocolate pudding dish.

Chocolate Pudding [Food Network]
Learn to make Tyler Florence’s chocolate pudding from this gourmet recipe.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

4 of the Web’s Best Recipes for Banana Pudding

May 14, 2014 by

Banana pudding is sweet and rich, with a creamy taste that people of all ages simply adore. It’s also a very simple dish to make at home, and it serves a large number of guests at one time. Here are a few of the best banana pudding recipes from around the web.

Banana Pudding IV [All Recipes]
When you’ve only got a few minutes to spare, this banana pudding recipe comes together quickly and easily.

Easy Southern Banana Pudding [Kraft]
Use simple vanilla wafers to create this banana pudding in just 20 minutes or less.

Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding [Paula Deen]
True to Paula’s signature style, this recipe is rich, creamy, and truly decadent.

Banana Pudding Recipe & Video [Joy of Baking]
Visual learners will love this tasty recipe because it includes a simple video to help you along.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Nutrition Tips for Vegetarians

April 17, 2014 by

Whether you want to show support for animals or simply choose to avoid meat products, becoming a vegetarian can be a very healthy lifestyle choice. Though it decreases your risk for many long-term diseases, a vegetarian diet can make it difficult to get the protein and other nutrients a person needs to stay healthy and energized.

These vegetarian eating tips can help you create a balanced, meat-free diet:

  • Make sure that you get enough protein by incorporating nuts, beans, peas and soy products into meals and snacks.
  • Keep up with your necessary iron intake to create healthy oxygen absorption in the blood by eating a lot of spinach, kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas and iron-fortified cereals.
  • Choose calcium-fortified soy milk to replace the calcium normally found in regular cow’s milk.
  • Consider vegetarian alternatives to traditionally meat-based foods to keep your diet exciting (for example, bean burritos, veggie lo mein, or vegetarian lasagna).

Tips for Vegetarians [USDA]

Public Domain/Public Domain
Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Basic Cooking Terms for Healthy Home Chefs

March 20, 2014 by

Are you the type of at-home cook who uses the same technique for “grilling” as you do for “sautéing”? Using the proper cooking techniques can make or break a nutritious dish, but many people don’t know the true meaning of most of these terms. This helpful list will ensure that you use the most effective cooking techniques for every healthy meal. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Grill. Ideal for chicken, firmer seafood and hearty vegetables, grilling is a common cooking method that can be done on a stovetop or an outdoor grill.

2. Broil. Broiling is a great technique for dishes that require a crispy surface. It can be used for chicken, salmon, tuna or other lean meats.

3. Sauté. This light stir-frying method is effective on thin cuts of chicken or most vegetables, from mushrooms to kale to zucchini. By using olive oil or another healthy oil, you can add robust flavor without adding fat to your dish.

4. Poach. Ideal for salmon, flounder, trout and other white fishes, poaching uses boiling water to gently cook and add moisture to fish.

5. Steam. Steaming vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, green beans or carrots is one of the healthiest ways to prepare them. By using boiling water in the bottom of a sauce pan, you’ll have tender vegetables in a matter of minutes.

Basic Cooking Instructions [NIH]

Public Domain/Public Domain
Filed Under: Miscellaneous Tagged With: , , ,

Pin It on Pinterest