Dec 21, 2023

White Wine Sautéed Mushrooms

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This lovely white wine sautéed mushrooms recipe is quick and easy to make, full of rich savory flavors, and can pair well as a side dish with many different entrées.

Looking for a super-simple yet elegant side dish to serve for dinner? These white wine sautéed mushrooms are always a great idea.

This recipe has been one of my back-pocket favorites for years to pair with various meat or seafood entrées, pastas, risottos, salads, grain bowls, quiches and more. Simply sauté a big batch of mushrooms in butter and olive oil until they are perfectly browned and caramelized, toss with garlic and your favorite seasonings, deglaze and simmer in white wine, then finish with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan. I mean, there’s really no way to go wrong here, right?

That said, this recipe is clearly very flexible and open to customization. So if you’d like to experiment with different seasonings, add in a drizzle of pesto or balsamic glaze, sauté with shallots or pancetta, sprinkle on some nuts, or toss with cream…please feel free. It’s one of those dishes that can be easily dressed up for a formal dinner, but simple enough to also whip up on a busy weeknight. And after years of making various versions of it, I can vouch that mushroom-lovers around the table always make the entire pan disappear. ♡

Let’s sauté some mushrooms!

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Dec 18, 2023

Swedish Meatballs

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This traditional Swedish meatballs recipe is bursting with rich, savory flavors and topped with a creamy gravy. Always so comforting served over mashed potatoes or noodles!

Who’s ready for a big bowl of Swedish meatballs served over buttery mashed potatoes with a generous ladle of creamy gravy on top? ♡

I don’t know about you, but this traditional Swedish favorite is always one of my favorite comfort foods this time of year. I actually had the good fortune of being able to visit Stockholm a few times while we were living in Europe, and always loved sampling the various takes on traditional meatballs and gravy around town (in between eating a million kannebular!). My favorite meatballs were always those that were more generously-seasoned with spices such as nutmeg and ginger and allspice, those that were perfectly browned, and of course, served up with creamy potatoes and gravy and a spoonful of lingonberry sauce on the side. The savory, creamy, sweet combination is just impossible to beat!

So this winter, I’ve been working on fine-tuning my own favorite Swedish meatball recipe to make here at home. I’ve aimed for it to be as traditional as possible (although from what I’ve read, there are a number of different ways that this classic is actually prepared in Sweden, so please take my interpretation with a grain of salt!). The meatball recipe is a riff on my classic, but browned on the stovetop with some different seasonings mixed in and then topped with a classic creamy gravy. I highly recommend whipping up a batch of my favorite mashed potatoes to serve here, or you can opt for wide egg noodles instead. And if lingonberry sauce isn’t available where you are (we admittedly pick up ours from IKEA), a dollop of cranberry sauce on each plate is a delicious substitute too.

Let’s make some Swedish meatballs!

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Dec 16, 2023

Irish Coffee

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This classic Irish coffee recipe is easy to make with 4 ingredients in just a few minutes. Always so warm and cozy!

Let’s warm up with a hot mug of Irish coffee! ♡

This classic 4-ingredient cocktail is always such a fun and cozy drink to serve during the wintertime — especially if you’re making a big round of drinks for a group — and it’s very simple and straightforward to make as well. Simply brew up your favorite coffee, mix it with a shot of Irish whiskey, add in your desired amount of sweetener, and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream. (I also highly recommend adding some chocolate or nutmeg shavings on top too!)

If you happen to be sensitive to caffeine in the evenings like I am, you’re more than welcome to brew a pot of decaf to make these cocktails caffeine-free. And if you’re looking for a fun twist on the classic, it can also be fun to swap whipped cream for a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream and serve these as floats instead.

Let’s make some Irish coffee! (more…)

Dec 13, 2023

Snickerdoodle Blondies

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This snickerdoodle blondies recipe is irresistibly rich, buttery, tangy, and sprinkled with a crunchy cinnamon-sugar topping.

Yes, they’re just as good as you would imagine. ♡♡♡

Turns out that everyone’s favorite cinnamon-sugar cookie (with its signature slight hint of tanginess) is a dessert mashup match made in heaven with rich, buttery, caramelized blondies. I simply added some extra cinnamon and cream of tartar to my favorite blondies recipe, tossed the batter with white chocolate chips, sprinkled the tops with a thin layer of crunchy cinnamon sugar and popped them in the oven until they were just ever-so-slightly underbaked (the key with blondies!). And oh my goodness, they were so much better than I even expected.

We absolutely loved these snickerdoodle blondies, as did everyone who happened to be passing through out house during the weeks that our first batch…the second batch…then third batch were available for the sampling. Highly recommend adding them to your baking bucket list this holiday season!

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Dec 11, 2023

Creamy Garlic Mushroom Orzo

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This creamy garlic mushroom orzo pasta recipe is easy to make and always so comforting and delicious.

Say hello to one of my favorite back-pocket recipes that’s elegant enough to dress up for a dinner party or date night…yet also totally easy enough to whip up for a busy weeknight dinner in. ♡

This comforting creamy garlic mushroom orzo works for just about any occasion. And here in our house, it is always such a winner. It’s made with a full pound of mushrooms, which we’ll sauté in butter with garlic and shallots until browned and extra-flavorful. To those, we’ll layer in a creamy basil sauce made with lots of umami-rich Parmesan, plus some (optional) lemon juice and zest if you’d like. And just before serving, everything is mixed together with al dente orzo and fresh spinach to create a well-balanced, comforting, and beautiful pasta dish that everyone is certain to love.

We generally serve this dish vegetarian in our house, but feel free to add in an extra protein (Italian sausage, chicken, shrimp, etc) or some meatballs if you would like. You’re also totally welcome to add in some extra veggies or sun-dried tomatoes, or change the seasonings here completely (ideas below). The dish itself is quite flexible and versatile, so it’s a great one to bookmark and customize with whatever ingredients you happen to be craving and have on hand.

Let’s make some orzo!

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Dec 8, 2023

Homemade Dog Treats (3 Ingredients!)

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This 3-ingredient homemade dog treats recipe is quick and easy to make and cut into whatever shapes you love.

This holiday cookie season, we can’t forget about our furry friends!

I don’t know about your dogs, but our sweet elderly pup, Fiona, has been sniffing eagerly around the kitchen all season long as we’ve been baking up a storm. So I decided to whip up a simple batch of pet-safe dog treats to keep on hand for her so that she wouldn’t be left out of the sweet cookie fun.

After a bit of research, I decided to play it as safe as possible and limit the ingredient list to three basic AKC-approved ingredients for dogs — natural peanut butter, oat flour and bananas. Simply mix all three together until you have a dough that is firm enough to roll out. Cut out your desired shapes, like these cute little dog bones. Bake until crispy, and drizzle with a little extra peanut butter if you’d like. Then get ready to make your pup’s day. ♡♡♡

Lol, Fiona was convinced she won the lottery with these peanut butter cookies and jumps and twirls and wags her tail a million miles per hour each time we bring another one out for her to enjoy. So hopefully your pup is a big fan too! Enjoy!

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Dec 4, 2023

Kimchi Beef Noodle Soup

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This kimchi beef noodle soup recipe is made with your choice of noodles, veggies, and a richly seasoned sesame kimchi broth. Stovetop, Instant Pot and Crock-Pot options included!

When we were living in Barcelona, our flat happened to be a block away from my absolute favorite Korean restaurant in the city. And on cold winter days when I returned home chilled to the bone after walking all around town running errands, their kimchi soups were always some of my absolute favorite ways to warm up. I tended to alternate between their soondubu jjigae or yukgaejang or their various Korean ramens — basically anything that came with their richly-flavored kimchi broths. And to say those soups sparked joy would be a bit of an understatement. I absolutely loved them.

Well, fast forward to our first winter now living back in the States, and I have to admit I’ve been missing Barcelona and these particular kimchi soups lately something fierce. So I’ve been experimenting with my own kimchi broth recipes here at home the past few months and have recently landed on this one as a favorite. I want to note that it’s just loosely inspired by some of the soups I have tried, so if you’re looking for an authentic recipe for a traditional Korean dish, please turn instead to any of the talented Korean food blogs out there. But if you’re looking for an incredibly cozy and flavorful soup to try this winter, this broth is loaded up with lots of fresh kimchi, spices, garlic, ginger and sesame. And when slow-cooked with beef until it’s fall-apart-tender, lots of mushrooms (plus the veggies from the kimchi), and your choice of noodles, this soup has quickly become one of my new favorite comfort foods. SO flavorful!

I’ve included options below for how to make this soup using either the Instant Pot, Crock-Pot or a simple pot on the stovetop — all options work well. Feel free too to add whatever other types of veggies and noodles (or rice!) that you love best here. And if you feel like adding an egg on top, that’s never a bad idea either.

Let’s simmer up a big pot of soup together, friends!

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Dec 1, 2023

Hot Buttered Rum

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Hot buttered rum is the perfect cozy cocktail to warm you up on a winter’s night and perfect for easy entertaining.

Another warm cocktail recipe that needs to be in your winter rotation — hot buttered rum! ♡

I have to admit I was late to the party when it came to this classic rum cocktail, having spent years usually turning to mulled wine or a hot toddy once the weather grew cold. But while living in Europe, we were (re)introduced to various versions of this creamy spiced cocktail and were quickly reminded why it’s been such a favorite now for centuries. It’s absolutely delightful! And, as it turns out, a super convenient cocktail for large groups if you happen to be entertaining around the holidays.

This colonial-era cocktail is said to have originally been made by floating a pat of butter atop a mug filled with hot water and rum. But most modern versions usually kick things up a notch by adding a spiced butter batter to the cocktail, made with warming spices, sugar, a pinch of salt, and — the surprise starring ingredient — a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. It only takes a few minutes to mix up a batch of the butter batter, then you can pop it in the freezer to have on hand all season long to mix with rum and hot water for an impromptu single cocktail or a big batch for a dinner party with friends. We’ve found it to be such a fun drink to serve at winter gatherings and everyone always loves the creamy, frothing topping served with a cute cinnamon stick for garnish.

So if you’re looking for a cozy cocktail to warm up with this season, grab a bottle of rum and let’s make a batch!

Hot Buttered Rum Ingredients

Here are a few quite notes about the hot buttered rum ingredients you will need to make this recipe:

  • Dark rum: I really recommend using dark rum in this recipe, which has a more complex and intense caramel flavor than light rum. That said, light rum will also totally work here, or you can use a spiced rum which will add to the spices in the butter batter.
  • Spiced butter batter: Our spiced butter batter butter is quick and easy to make with creamy vanilla ice cream, white and brown sugars, a mixture of warming spices (ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) and a pinch of sea salt. We’ll freeze the mixture, and then you’re welcome to just dip in for a scoop whenever you’d like to make a cocktail!
  • Boiling water: We’ll add boiling water to the rum and frozen butter batter mixture to ensure that the drink is nice and warm.
  • Garnish (optional): Finally, you’re welcome to garnish your drink with a cinnamon stick or star anise if you’d like, or you’re also welcome to add a swirl of whipped cream on top.

Hot Buttered Rum Tips

Full instructions for how to make hot buttered are included in the full recipe below, but here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:

  • Use a good-quality rum: The flavor of your rum will really shine through in this cocktail, so I recommend a mid- to higher-priced dark rum whose flavor you love.
  • Adjust ingredient ratios to taste: Feel free to give the cocktail a taste and add more rum, butter batter or water to taste.
  • Sweeten to taste: I find this cocktail to be plenty sweet as written, but you’re welcome to stir in some extra sugar or maple syrup (or your desired sweetener) if needed.
  • Serve in pre-warmed mugs: To keep the cocktail nice and hot, I recommend warming your mugs beforehand.

Hot Buttered Rum Variations

Here are a few optional variations that you are welcome to try when making this hot buttered rum recipe:

  • Add ginger: Stir a thin slice of fresh ginger into your cocktail for an extra kick of ginger spice.
  • Add citrus: Add an orange slice to the cocktail or add some orange zest to the spiced butter batter for extra citrus.
  • Use a different liquor: Use your favorite whiskey, brandy or cognac in place of the rum.
  • Use tea: Use your favorite tea (I would recommend a black tea) in place of the water.
  • Make it dairy-free: Use your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream and butter in the spiced butter batter.

More Warm Winter Drinks To Try

Looking for more cozy warm drinks and cocktails to try this winter? Here are a few of our favorites:

Print

Hot Buttered Rum

  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 1 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 mins
  • Total Time: 3 mins
  • Yield: 1 serving

Description

Hot buttered rum is the perfect cozy cocktail to warm you up on a winter’s night and perfect for easy entertaining.


Ingredients

Individual Cocktail Ingredients (Single Serving):

  • 2 ounces (1/4 cup) dark rum
  • 2 tablespoons spiced butter batter
  • 6 to 8 ounces boiling water
  • optional: cinnamon stick or star anise, for garnish

Spiced Butter Batter Ingredients (32 servings):

  • 2 cups vanilla ice cream, lightly softened
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened to room temperature
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Make the spiced rum batter. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir (or use an electric beater to mix) until evenly combined and smooth. Freeze the batter in an airtight container until ready to use.
  2. Mix the cocktail. Briefly stir together the rum and 2 tablespoons of the spiced rum batter in a heat-safe mug. Add your desired amount of boiling water and stir until the batter is melted and evenly combined.
  3. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Prep time: Prep time listed above is for a single cocktail, with the spiced butter batter previously mixed. The butter batter takes about 10 minutes to prep on its own.

Nov 29, 2023

Gingerbread Cake

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This gingerbread cake recipe is easy to make, perfectly moist and fluffy, and made with a delicious blend of molasses and warming spices.

This is one of those recipes where I so wish I could just pop over and serve you a warm slice to try. ♡

Because if you love gingerbread as much as I do this time of year, I’m telling you, this gingerbread cake needs to be part of your life. It’s made with the classic rich mix of molasses and warming spices that we all love in a good batch of gingerbread. And I’m partial to this particular gingerbread cake recipe because it bakes up to be incredibly moist and fluffy. You can either serve it up solo, dust it with some powdered sugar, or go all out and top it with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting — all will be delicious. And of course, cake for breakfast the next morning is always an excellent idea too.

I’ve included a few extra customization ideas below, if you would like to mix in some orange zest, chocolate or bourbon for a slightly different twist on this recipe. But however you make it, you can count on the fact that this cake is going to make your home smell extra cozy and festive this time of year…and taste even better.

Alright, let’s make some gingerbread cake!

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Nov 27, 2023

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These espresso chocolate chip cookies are made with a soft and chewy espresso-vanilla dough, melty chocolate chips and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. Basically…heaven.

In all my years of baking, I don’t know if I’ve ever received a more enthusiastic response to a new cookie recipe. My friends and family are absolutely obsessed with these espresso chocolate chip cookies lately! ♡

We made our first batch a few weeks ago as an experimental riff on my tried-and-true classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, swapping in some espresso powder in place of the usual flour. And while an initial taste test of the dough had me a bit nervous that we had overdone it with the extra coffee flavor, the cookies themselves ended up baking to perfectly-balanced mocha perfection.

There’s just the right amount of espresso here to announce that these are decidedly coffee-flavored cookies, without being too subtle or too overblown. And the espresso — as coffee flavor is always faithful to do — brought out an even richer depth of flavor in the semisweet chocolate chips and paired beautifully with the buttery-vanilla flavor of the dough as well. I made sure that the texture of the dough remained perfectly soft and chewy, just the way I like it. And the finishing pinch of flaky sea salt adds the perfect salty crunch to each bite.

My husband has proclaimed these my “cookie of the year” and suggests that we make another batch as often as possible. Friends have made requests for the recipe and polished off plates of these cookies in record time. And I’ve already had to restock my jar of espresso powder to keep up with demand, lol. ♡ So suffice it to say, I think this recipe is a keeper.

Let’s make some espresso cookies together!

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Nov 20, 2023

Easy Kettle Corn

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This homemade kettle corn recipe is super-easy to make on the stovetop with 4 simple ingredients.

For over a decade, my friends have known me as the girl who brings nooch popcorn to just about every gathering. But this year, I have officially entered my homemade kettle corn era. ♡

I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I actually had no idea how incredibly easy it is to make kettle corn from scratch! Turns out all you need is a saucepan and 4 basic ingredients — popcorn kernels, sugar, salt and oil — and this irresistibly salty-sweet snack can be ready to go in just 10 minutes. Who knew?!

That said, after practicing for the past few months, I’ve found that there are a few subtle but important preferences that can emerge when it comes to the type of oil and sugar you use and the ratios of salt and sugar. I’m personally partial to the neutral flavor and high-heat versatility of refined coconut oil (although unrefined works just as well, with slightly more coconut flavor). And while you can arguably use just about any type of sugar here, I prefer turbinado sugar (a.k.a. “raw” sugar) whose natural molasses flavor is downright heavenly paired with the sea salt. I’ve included my favorite ingredient ratios in the recipe below, along with a handful of simple tips I’ve learned along the way.

So if you’re looking for a fun new party snack to impress your friends, or just a deliciously salty-sweet snack for a cozy night in, grab a saucepan and let’s make some homemade kettle corn together!

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Nov 17, 2023

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

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These brown butter mashed potatoes are easy to make with a short list of ingredients and swirled with rich and nutty brown butter.

I mean, do we really need any convincing to make this one?! ♡

Deliciously nutty, caramelized, rich brown butter is naturally a match made in heaven when it comes to enhancing creamy mashed potatoes. But when combined with a generous amount of garlic, freshly-grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of fresh chives, these potatoes are simply divine. I’m always tempted to toss in a half dozen other extra add-ins when making mashed potatoes, but I highly recommend exercising some restraint in this case so that the flavor of the brown butter can be front and center here when it comes to flavor. Trust me, you are going to love them!

As always, I recommend making mashed potatoes with a mix of Russets and Yukon Golds, for the optimum mix of starchy and buttery textures. And while I kept things simple for this recipe with plain milk to make them nice and creamy, you’re welcome to add in some extra sour cream or cream cheese if you prefer more of a tang.

Let’s cook up a quick batch of brown butter and take our mashed potatoes to the next level, shall we?

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Nov 15, 2023

Brussels Sprouts Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Parmesan

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This festive Brussels sprouts arugula salad is tossed with pomegranate, Parmesan, avocado, candied pecans and a lemony shallot vinaigrette.

Say hello to my favorite new salad of the season. ♡

I’ve been bringing this festive salad to just about every gathering this season and couldn’t love it more. It’s surprisingly quick and easy to throw together with a gorgeous mix of jeweled pomegranate arils, candied pecans, salty Parm, shredded Brussels, creamy avocado, peppery arugula and my favorite shallot vinaigrette. And the mix of salty and sweet, crunchy and creamy, tangy and peppery flavors here is absolutely delightful! Friends keep asking for the recipe, which is always the best sign!

I’ve gotten in the habit of reaching for a few store-bought shortcuts to speed things up — a bag of pre-shredded Brussels, pre-seeded pomegranate arils, and occasionally store-bought candied nuts — which shave the prep time here down to just 20 minutes. But feel free to make this salad with whatever ingredient swaps and add-ins you love best here. And while it would be a wonderful side dish for the holidays, we’ve also happily made a meal out of this one and find it to be so lovely and filling.

I know you’re going to love it!

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Nov 13, 2023

Pumpkin Cornbread

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Surprise favorite recipe of the month. I can’t tell you how much we love this pumpkin cornbread!! ♡

Turns out that the sweet and earthy flavor of pumpkin purée complements the classic flavor and texture of cornbread absolutely beautifully. And when made with a rich and nutty browned butter batter, lightly sweetened with honey, and baked up until perfect light and fluffy, this pumpkin cornbread recipe will likely steal the show at your next dinner. We can’t stop making it here in our kitchen!

You’re welcome to customize yours with any additional mix-ins that you might love, such as nuts, dried fruit, or a handful of cheese. I’ve included notes for how to easily make this recipe gluten-free, if you prefer. And while the cornbread is delicious on its own, I’m going to highly recommend that you make a quick batch of honey butter to serve with it. Because melted into a slice hot out of the oven? Oh my goodness, there’s nothing better.

Let’s make some pumpkin cornbread!

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Nov 12, 2023

Honey Butter

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This delicious salted honey butter recipe is quick and easy to make with 3 ingredients.

The spread that makes just about everything better…honey butter! ♡

If you’re not in the habit of whipping up a quick batch of honey butter to add to your meals, it’s time to officially add it to your repertoire. This irresistibly sweet, salty, creamy spread is easy to make in a few minutes with just 3 simple ingredients and can be used in countless yummy ways! And depending on your meal, it’s also easy to customize a batch of honey butter with extra garlic, herbs, citrus, spice…you name it!

You can use honey butter as a spread on toast, biscuits, cornbread, pancakes, waffles, muffins, French toast. Melt and drizzle it on your next batch of popcorn or a sheet of roasted veggies. Add a pat to baked potatoes, corn on the cob, grilled steak or seafood. Use it as a melty dipping sauce for shrimp, crab legs, pretzels or roasted artichoke leaves. There are so many delicious ways to put a batch to use. And I have to say that — for some reason — friends are always so impressed to see a swirly, velvety bowl of honey butter added to the table (even though it’s so simple to make).

So let’s make a quick batch of honey butter together!

Honey Butter Ingredients

Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make this homemade honey butter recipe:

  • Honey: The type of honey here is completely up to you! I typically just reach for whatever clover or wildflower honey we currently have in our pantry, but you’re welcome to use whatever varieties you love best.
  • Butter: I am going to recommend that you use a good-quality butter, if possible, when making honey butter since its flavor will really shine through here. Salted or unsalted is up to you, but see note below about how much additional salt to add for either.
  • Fine sea salt: A little extra salt really helps the flavor of the honey and butter to shine through. So if you’re using a stick of unsalted butter, I recommend adding in an extra 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. If you’re using salted butter, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Flaky sea salt: Speaking of salt, I also really love to sprinkle the final batch with some flaky sea salt for added flavor and crunch. Highly recommend!

Honey Butter Variations

The sky is honestly the limit when it comes to ways to customize your batch of honey butter, but here are a few fun add-ins that you can try:

  • Add dried spices: Add dried spices, such as black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, chili powder, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, or smoked paprika.
  • Add fresh herbs: Add finely-chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, cilantro, dill, lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, tarragon or thyme.
  • Add fresh garlic or ginger: Add grated or minced fresh garlic or fresh ginger.
  • Add citrus zest: Add the zest and/or juice of fresh lemon, lime or orange.
  • Add heat: Add your favorite heat source, such as cayenne, chili crisp, chipotle chiles in adobo, or fresh chiles (such as jalapeño, serrano or Thai bird chiles).

Ways To Use Honey Butter

Here are some of our favorite ways to use honey butter:

  • Spread: Spread honey butter on toast, biscuits, cornbread, pancakes, waffles, muffins, French toast…you name it!
  • Drizzle: Melt honey butter to drizzle on popcorn, roasted veggies and more.
  • Topping: Add a pat of honey butter to top baked potatoes, grilled meats or seafood, corn on the cob and more.
  • Dipping sauce: Use melted honey butter as a dipping sauce for shrimp, crab legs, roasted artichoke leaves, pretzels, fondue and more.

Print

Honey Butter

  • Author: Ali
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Yield: 2/3 cup

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted* butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • optional: flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

  1. Whip the butter. Add the butter, honey and salt to a small mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to whip the ingredients together until fluffy. (Or you can opt to just stir them together by hand.)
  2. Serve. Serve, sprinkled with flaky sea salt if you’d like, and enjoy! Leftover honey butter can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Unsalted vs. salted butter: If you are using salted butter, just add in 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (instead of 1/2 teaspoon).

Nov 9, 2023

Grandma’s Beef and Noodles

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This Midwestern-style beef and noodles recipe is easy to make with a small list of ingredients and always so flavorful and comforting.

Now that we’re back living in the Midwest again, I’ve found myself revisiting many of the comfort food classics I grew up with here. And when it comes to comfort food, it doesn’t get more nostalgic for me than my grandma’s homemade beef and noodles. ♡

This simple, flavorful, no-frills dish was a staple at her farmhouse for all of our huge family gatherings. And even though I was her picky-eating granddaughter who avoided just about anything with veggies growing up, my grandma always knew that I would be the first one darting back into the kitchen to scoop up seconds and thirds whenever it was beef and noodles day. I absolutely loved her beef and noodles. And now that our toddler is equally as noodle-obsessed as I am, this winter seemed like the perfect time to introduce him to the family tradition.

Sadly, I missed the opportunity to get my grandma’s exact recipe from her before she passed. But after some tinkering around with ingredients over the years, I’ve landed on a recipe that tastes as close to the original that I remember. It’s intentionally very simple — basically just a tender cut of beef browned and simmered with onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme until ultra-tender, then cooked with egg noodles to saucy, delicious, cozy perfection. You can either slow cook the beef on the stovetop or in a Crock-Pot, or speed things up with an Instant Pot if you’d like. And if you feel like tossing in some extra veggies or greens, you’re more than welcome to add some in too.

So for any of you fellow Midwesterners out there who might also be craving this throw-back dish, or any of you who could just use a cozy bowl of noodles, round up these simple ingredients and let’s make some beef and noodles together.

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Nov 6, 2023

Parmesan Creamed Corn

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This Parmesan Creamed Corn recipe is layered with sweet and savory flavors and sprinkled with irresistible crispy toasted garlic breadcrumbs. Quick and easy to make (and prep in advance, if you’d like) too!

Say it with me — no more boring creamed corn! ♡

This Parmesan creamed corn recipe is here to steal the show this holiday season and is guaranteed to have everyone coming back for more. It’s seasoned with a generous amount of garlic and smoked paprika, balanced out with an extra drizzle of honey to bring out the sweetness of the corn. It’s simmered with a creamy broth which is then mixed with lots of umami-rich Parmesan, to make it extra cheesy. It’s topped with zesty, crispy, toasted garlicky breadcrumbs, which add a fantastic bit of extra flavor and crunch to each bite. And finally sprinkled with chopped herbs for freshness.

Even with all of these delicious flavors and textures layered in, this creamed corn recipe is surprisingly quick and easy to make in less than 30 minutes. I intentionally designed this recipe so that it can be 100% made on the stovetop, in case a turkey happens to be taking up most of the oven. You’re also welcome to prep all of the components up to 3 days in advance if you’d like, then heat and assemble right before serving. And if you have loved ones around your table who are gluten-free, simply swap in gf breadcrumbs to make this dish without gluten.

Everyone around the table raves about this cream corn whenever we’ve served it. So if you’re looking for a winning side dish this holiday season — or for any random weeknight of the week — I hope you’ll give it a try!

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