To prepare pastry, mix flour with salt and sugar. Pour in vegetable oil and milk. Mix well with a fork. Transfer to a deep-dish pie pan and press with fingers to spread over bottom and up sides of pan.
To prepare filling, combine rhubarb with sugar and flour. Spoon into piecrust. Dot with butter.
To prepare the topping, mix butter, sugar and flour with a pastry blender or your hands until crumbly. Sprinkle over rhubarb mixture.
Bake 1 hour or until filling is bubbling and topping is browned.
Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken is a delicious and easy to make recipe that is great for a weeknight and impressive enough for a dinner party!
I’m always looking for new and delicious recipes that are easy to make on weeknights, but are impressive enough to serve for dinner parties. This Cheesy Pesto Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken is not only completely easy to make on a weeknight, but it is an impressive dinner party main dish as well!
If you’re new to my blog, you might not know I have a thing for wrapped chicken dishes.
Clearly I have a thing for wrapping and stuffing chicken! It’s not just a random obsession- its a great way to infuse flavor, keep chicken from drying out, and it is incredibly easy. Just a few minutes of prep and throw it in the oven- this turns out perfect every time!
If you’re not familiar with prosciutto, it is very similar to bacon- but thinner, and cured like pepperoni or salami (you can eat it uncooked) and it has a more mild flavor. It doesn’t have quite as much fat as bacon, so we’re adding more fat with the oil in pesto and some delicious, melty, oozy-gooey mozzarella. This helps the chicken not dry out when tossing it in the oven. Its hands down one of the easiest ways to cook chicken!
Instructions
cut chicken in half, butterflied (you'll want to keep part of the halves touching for easier stuffing)
add 1/4 cup pesto to inside of each chicken
repeat with 1/4 cup cheese per chicken breast
wrap with prosciutto
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until chicken juices run clear or reach 170 degrees with a meat thermometer.
I used store-bought pesto with lots of pine nuts, but I would probably use my own in the future because I like my pesto a little spicier- but feel free to use pre packaged pesto to save time. I tried Giada’s new pesto that I found at Target- its pretty darn yummy!
If you can’t find prosciutto at your local market, check the deli counter (sometimes they have it behind the counter)- or you can use bacon. I like that prosciutto has a milder flavor and doesn’t overpower the chicken- but bacon would work just fine in a pinch.
For more easy weeknight meals, check out some of my favorites! They are all simple dishes that wow a crowd!
One Pot Chicken Risotto is delicious, quick, and easy- and always a huge hit with our family!
One Pot Chicken and Asparagus is delicious and easy, full of garlic and lemon flavor- and your side dish cooks right in the same pan with the chicken!
Dutch Oven Grecian (Lemon and Garlic) Chicken is one of the easiest and most impressive ways you can cook a whole chicken- and it is SO delicious! Tell everyone you spent hours on it… your secret is safe.
One Pan Tuscan Pork Chops are a delicious, easy and impressive way to cook pork chops to perfection!
For my cousins birthday dinner we are just gonna grill up some hot dogs and hamburgers, so what better day to bring a pasta salad! This pasta salad combines some of my favorite things so if you love a classic caprese salad and pesto sauce then you will love this!!
Recipe from: http://www.theitalianfork.com
Ingredients for Pesto:
1-2 cups of basil leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Directions for Pesto:
In a food processor, add washed basil leaves, olive oil, cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper.
Pulse for about 20 seconds until you get a pastey mixture.
Scoop into a bowl an refrigerate.
Ingredients for Pasta:
1 box Penne pasta
1 container Roma tomatoes, halved
Small container or mini mozzarella balls, halved
Directions for Pasta:
Boil water in a large pot.
Add penne and cook for about 12 minutes.
Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water until the pasta is cool.
Put pasta in a large bowl.
Add pesto and mix well.
Add the halved tomatoes and mozzarella and mix.
Refrigerate until ready to serve!
• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract 6 to 8 drops green food color
• 1 egg
• 1 cup creme de menthe baking chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
Heat oven to 350°F then in large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room
Hey hey hey there sweet friends! Looking to end your search for the best rolled sugar cookies? You’re in luck! I’ve got you covered with this comprehensive guide to my version of the The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies which will having you baking cut out sugar cookies like a pro in no time. This no chill + easy sugar cookie recipe is the perfect yummy canvas for decorated sugar cookies whether you’re a cookie decorator or simply looking for an easy sugar cookie recipe to create frosted holiday memories. Together we’ll dive into Rolled Cookies 101: making the sugar cookie dough, tips and tricks to easily perfect your cut out sugar cookies, as well as my must have cookie tools.
This baking 101 post has always been one of your favorite posts on my old site and I am bringing it over to the new site here better then ever! Over the years I’ve changed my go-to rolled sugar cookie recipe bit by bit until I got to the perfect sugar cookie recipe that’s super easy to make and every bit as yummy. No more out of shape sugar cookies that have spread into blobs in the oven. These roll out sugar cookies have very little spread. (I like just a tiny bit of spread to give it a smooth shape.) But wait for it, no floured counters necessary. YES! It’s true!
Ready to make the best rolled sugar cookies the easy way? Let’s roll!
UPDATE!For those of you asking for the original sugar cookie recipe from my old post, no worries! I’ve added the original recipe to the bottom of this post as well. The original rolled sugar cookies are a little softer and spreads a little more. Both recipes are great and I use them interchangeably when needed. However, the newest recipe you will find directly below is what I use most often use now when cookie decorating.
PART 1 TO ROLLED SUGAR COOKIE SUCCESS – A GREAT SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
First things first. In order to nail those cut out sugar cookies like a pro you’re going to need the best sugar cookie recipe.
Let’s first address the giant sugar cookie elephant in the room? It’s that “best” word. How can a recipe be the best rolled sugar cookie recipe? What kind of sprinkle sauce are you drinking here Toni! Well first let’s talk about what makes the best rolled sugar cookies. It’s actually pretty easy. The best rolled sugar cookies are actually the sugar cookies that suits your needs in the absolute best way, best is subjective. Not exactly what you were thinking I was going to say is it? But it’s true guys, I can’t tell you if the the best sugar cookies are crispy or soft, spread, doesn’t spread, puffy, straight, heck maybe it’s Queen of Englands tea biscuit’s. I can however share my best sugar cookie recipe that I use for my cut out sugar cookies.
This sugar cookie recipe is soft yet can have a bit of crunch (with longer oven time), almost a mix of shortbread and sugar cookie. It requires very little prep yet becomes the most beautiful canvas for cookie decorating with very little spread, and it’s not too sweet. Which is important to me as were typically going to layer royal icing over the entire thing.
Have I convinced you this is the best sugar rolled sugar cookie recipe? If so let’s dive right into Rolled Cookies 101, I’ll wait while you grab a warm beverage….
THE FIRST STEP TO GET THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES – WEIGH YOUR INGREDIENTS!
You will notice below I list my dry ingredients in cups and grams. If you’re truly looking to perfect your cut out sugar cookies please weigh your ingredients! Like with any recipe weighing your ingredients is so much more accurate and will assure you get the exact same results each time. A cup of sugar or flour can vary greatly from person to person depending on how packed it is or even the cups you use. Baking scales are cheap and will save you lots of heartache in the kitchen! I really can’t stress this enough. My scale has been the key to success in my cut out sugar cookies.
THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
2 sticks unsalted butter (still cool) I like my butter to sit on the counter for no more then 20 minutes. But if I’m in a hurry I will use it straight from the fridge after chopping it up into small pieces.
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar / 200g (don’t pack)
1 large egg
2 tsp good vanilla
3 Cups / 400g all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Step 1: In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment beat butter on low just until it’s broke apart and no longer in large chunks. We’re not aiming for smooth or creamy here! Sift the powdered sugar over the bowl, and beat again on low-medium until combined. (Sometimes my cool butter will stick to the paddle, I like to turn the mixer up high for a second to “throw” it off)
Step 2: Add in large egg and vanilla and beat on low-medium just until it’s combined and the chunks are for the most part gone.
Step 3: Sift in flour and baking powder into the bowl. Beat on low to incorporate all of the dry ingredients, then medium – high until all of the dough has gathered together on to the paddle.
Step 4: Use a dough scraper or spatula to gather all of the dough and place on a plate or clean counter to rest about 5-10 minutes. (Give those glutens a break!)
Step 5: Kneed the dough by hands for a few moments until it’s nice and smooth. Guys this is the ticket to success here. I find this removes any extra air pockets. The dough should not stick to your fingers when you push into it. If it does kneed in a little extra flour until you get there (This could be from the use of a larger egg.)
If you want to roll the sugar cookie dough right away, you are good to go. But I have found this recipe is just fine chilled for a bit or even frozen for a few weeks if needed.
BAKER’S NOTE: Let’s take a moment to talk butter. Yes, you absolutely want to use real butter. I get so many questions asking about margarine and the answer is sure you CAN use it, but you won’t get the same outcome. It’s going to melt faster in the oven and spread a lot more. Unsalted is best because then you can tweak the amount of salt you want in the recipe, a good habit for bakers. Though I do not add it to this recipe.
The best sugar cookie recipe + a solid routine of easy techniques. Even with the most perfectly prepared sugar cookie dough, you are going to need a great roll our routine before you can claim NAILED IT! Over time my process has changed time and time again as I was trying to make cut out cookies easier yet still killing’ it.. Part of this is because we move around the country + world. My ovens change, my climate changes, my supplies change. So I’ve worked pretty hard to get a method down that any baker, any where can follow. Of course my way may not be the perfect way for you, but it’s a wonderful starting point. And if cookie decorating is really your jam, over time my guess is you will develop a few tricks and habits of your own. Share them in the comments below!
Step 1: Before we get started I want to reitterate one more time. Knead that dough! I know, I know I’m repeating myself but guys. Like Nike says, JUST DO IT. I knead my dough by grabbing the top of the chunk with one hand and rocking the bottom while pressing it into the counter and repeating until the dough looks silky smooth. After lots of hair pulling testing, I have come to the conclusion this is the reason for “crinkled tops”. Though crinkled tops seemed to be the unsolved mystery of cookies, I’m telling you for me the times I’ve had those dreaded crinkled tops come up, it’s un-kneaded dough, possibly too much air when mixing or just ingredients not combined well. If ever I’m baking rolled sugar cookies and my first tray comes out crinkly tops, I stop and knead the dough again and continue on with the cookies. It always fixes the issue. Most likely I was in a hurry. But then again, with four kids…when am I not?
Step 2: Next I divide the dough in half and roll out the first half of the dough on to the parchment paper. If prepared right, this dough takes no added flour. Depending on my mood sometimes I stop after it’s no longer a “ball” and I add a second piece of parchment paper to the top then roll over that to keep it smooth. I find that this may help on particularly humid days. To keep things easy I use precut parchment papers, and to keep the dough even I use a guided rolling pin. If investing in a rolling pin isn’t an option your can make super cheap guides with items like dowel rods, or paint stirrers. But once you get a guided rolling pin , #gamechanger.
BAKER’S TIP: One way I make sure my dough is perfect is how the edges of the dough look when I roll it out. If it is super smooth I need to add more flour. My “just right” is when the dough cracks just slightly around the edges when rolled.
Step 3: Cut out your sugar cookies. I like to cut out my cookies exactly where they are going to be when they bake, so I’m mindful that they have a little breathing room between cookies. Then I carefully remove any excess cookie dough from around the cookies. I find not having to move the cut out sugar cookies keeps the exact cutter shape, vs. stretching or slightly manipulating the shape when you move them. When I do need to move the cookies, like with the last of the dough, I gently lift the parchment to raise the edge of the cookie so I can get a nice flat spatula under it to move – or even a flip of the paper and my hand if I’m feeling confident.
Make sure you don’t try to put too many cookies on your tray. I generally bake 6 large, 8 medium, or 10 small cookies at a time. (8, 10, 12 in my American oven.)
Step 4: As soon as they are cut I place them in the center of the oven and bake at 400F. Time will depend on the size of your cookies. Mine range from 6 minutes to 9 minutes, majority being 7 minutes. To make sure your cookies are properly baked, stay right by the oven when baking. You’ll probably be rolling out more sugar cookie dough any way! You will notice in the beginning your cookies have a “greasy” look. As they bake from the outside in it you will notice the “grease spot” getting small and smaller until it disappears. From experience I know that if the bottom of my cookie is turning golden from the outside of the oven, it’s going to over bake per my standards. But if your looking for a crisp cookie, thats where you want to stop.
BAKER’S TIP: In the past I use to place my cut out sugar cookies in the freezer for 2 minutes prior to baking. These days I find my recipe does not need it. However, this is a trick you may want to try if your needing help with your cookies not keeping their shape.
Step 5: Remove sugar cookies from oven and let rest on the cookie sheet. I like to let them come to a cool right on the cookie sheet. But if you don’t have enough cookie sheets and you need them to bake more, let them sit for about 2-4 minutes then use the corners of the parchment paper to gently slide the parchment paper right on to a cooling rack. Then when the sugar cookies cool you can use a spatula to move and stack. The cookies will look even better after a few minutes out of the oven.
Step 6: Bonus step! Because I just can’t leave good enough alone, once the cookies are out of the oven I take a small metal cake icing spatula and “shape Up” any flaws and gently smooth the tops.
Your process may look a bit different from mine. But it you were to peek inside my kitchen while I’m baking rolled sugar cookies you will notice three stations. One where I am rolling out the cookies, cookies baking in the oven, and one area why my cookies are cooling. I move them from station to station in rotation as I complete a set of cookies.
A FEW MORE HELPFUL THINGS FOR THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES
Bake similar sized cookies together. If you have a tiny cookie and a large cookie the smaller one is sure to over bake or vice versa.
Cutter sticking? If you have a cutter that’s sticking especially due to small parts, dip it in a bit of flour.
If you are in a time pinch, but you prefer to work with chilled dough, you can let the dough chill in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
When using royal icing to decorate cookies, it’s best to wait a day after they are baked, as sometimes oil leaks through to the icing.
Crinkled tops are often a sign of:
too much sugar in your flour to sugar ratio
not enough kneading prior to rolling.
Store sugar cookies in an airtight container, and decorate within a week.
Do your cut out sugar cookies cookies rise perfectly in the oven then sink while cooling? Chances are they are under baked. First check to make sure your oven temperature is correct then add a little more time to your bake time.
To freeze sugar cookies simply stack in an airtight container with layers of parchment in between, wrap entire container in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to a month. Let the entire wrapped container come to room temp on the counter before unwrapping and decorating.
MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES
For real guys, I couldn’t make cut out cookies without these all stars!
NOT PICTURED, BUT I WOULDN’T MAKE SUGAR COOKIES WITHOUT!
READY TO DECORATE YOUR ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES?
Here are a few more informational posts to get you started on decorating royal icing sugar cookies.
CHECK OUT THE COOKIE SECTION FOR IDEAS TO DECORATE YOUR ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES
There are many awesome cookie decorators out there, for more information on cut out sugar cookies and lot’s of help decorating visit some of these decorators which I totally love and admire with all the puffy heart emojis in the world:
Heads up! To keep those legal gurus of the world happy, I need to inform you that some of the links in this post are affiliate links. In short – I may earn a small commission from the use of said link with no cost to you! But don’t worry I only link to stuff I use, love, and know you will too.
THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
5 from 1 vote
The best rolled sugar cookie recipe for making cut out sugar cookies. A soft sugar cookie that holds its shape and spreads very little. No chilling and no flour mess required!
In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment beat butter on low just until it's broke apart and no longer in large chunks. We're not aiming for smooth or creamy here! Sift the powdered sugar over the bowl, and beat again on low-medium until combined. (Sometimes my cool butter will stick to the paddle, I like to turn the mixer up high for a second to "throw" it off)
MY ORIGINAL SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
5 from 1 vote
This sugar cookie recipe is soft and buttery, perfect for decorating holiday cookies! It is particularly great for those who would like to make their sugar cookies with granulated sugar and not powdered sugar.
I GENERALLY AM ABLE TO MAKE 18-24 COOKIES PER BATCH OF DOUGH. HOWEVER, THIS VARIES WITH EACH PERSON DEPENDING ON THE THICKNESS OF DOUGH THEY USED AND THE SIZE OF THE CUTTER THIS RECIPE WORKS BEST MADE IN A KITCHEN MIXER, BUT CAN BE MADE WITHOUT
Puppy chow snack mix gets a festive twist with pumpkin spices and candy pumpkins.
You know how much I love puppy chow, right? The addicting sugary snack makes me weak at the knees. I can never say no when it’s in front of me!
Surely you knew that a pumpkin version was bound to happen.
Puppy chow – aka Muddy Buddies – is not dog food. You would be surprised how many folks contact me about that. “You feed that to your dog?” No, no! Puppy chow is a snack mix – for humans.
I have seen many recipes for pumpkin flavored puppy chow. Ali, Megan, Alyssa, and even Land O’ Lakes. The more of this pumpkin chow, the merrier! (I’m sure there are other recipes out there. Sorry if I am missing you!)
I made this spiced pumpkin snack earlier in the week and let me tell you… it is dangerous to keep around. Especially if you work from home and are knee deep in food props, laundry, and a million other things on your to-do list. Puppy chow is a quick little treat to grab; it’s simultaneously dangerous and amazing.
Making my pumpkin puppy chow could not be easier. It’s really just a few ingredients mixed together. No baking involved, no chilling involved. Less work, more eating.
With pumpkin puppy chow on my to-do list, I got a little excited when I spotted orange candy melts in the store last week. What are candy melts? They are a sugary little coating – wonderful for making cake pops and other dipped candies. Candy melts are not chocolate. Just sugars. And I knew they would make a lovely addition to my pumpkin spiced snack mix!
Here are a few of the ingredients I used to make my pumpkin spice puppy chow. I list substitutes below this photo if you cannot find these products.
Cinnamon Chex cereal.
The cinnamon flavored Chex cereal gives the puppy chow a stronger cinnamon-sugar flavor. It is the perfect base for this puppy chow. You may use Rice Chex, Crispex, or any plain rice cereal squares you can find.
Wilton orange candy melts.
Again, this isn’t chocolate. It’s a sugary, melting coating. It’s sold online, in baking shops, Walmart, and craft stores like Michael’s and AC Moore. It’s very inexpensive. You will need one 12-ounce bag. If you cannot find orange candy melts, use pure white chocolate instead like Baker’s or Ghirardelli – both sold in all major grocery stores.
Mallowcreme pumpkins.
I love adding to this pumpkin spice puppy chow. You could use candy corn, Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses, Pumpkin Spice M&Ms or Candy Corn M&Ms, or some festive orange sprinkles.
This cinnamon-spiced pumpkin snack mix is wonderful to hand out to your little trick or treaters, bring along to fall parties, get togethers, girl’s nights, etc. Or just do what I did this week – snuggle up with a huge bowl on the couch while watching Chopped.
It’s worth every step on the treadmill, I swear.
If you love pumpkin spiced goodies, you’re going to flip for this puppy chow.
Follow me on Instagram and tag #sallysbakingaddiction so I can see all the SBA recipes you make. ♥
Pumpkin Spice Puppy Chow
This sugary snack mix gets a festive twist with pumpkin spices and mallowcreme pumpkins. Be warned - this stuff is addicting! This recipe may easily be halved or doubled.
Ingredients:
13.5 oz box (about 7-8 cups) Cinnamon Chex cereal, or Rice Chex
12 ounces orange candy melts or pure white chocolate
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
Directions:
Pour the cereal into a large bowl. Set aside.
In 20 second increments, melt the candy melts or white chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Stir after each increment until melted and completely smooth. Stir in 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, the nutmeg, cloves, and allspice until combined. Pour mixture over cereal and toss gently to coat each square. Be gentle, the squares break easily.
Pour the confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon into a large zipped-top bag. Add the coated cereal and shake until each piece is coated. Pour back into a large bowl and discard excess confectioners' sugar. Toss in the mallowcreme pumpkins. Use 1 - 2 cups, whatever amount you prefer.
Cover and store puppy chow for up to 2 weeks.
Instead of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice - you can use 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Instead of mallowcreme pumpkins, try adding 1 cup of Pumpkin Spice M&Ms or Candy Corn M&Ms, 1 cup of Pumpkin Spice Hersheys Kisses, 1 cup of cinnamon chips, 1/2 cup of orange sprinkles, or even 1 cup of salty pumpkin seeds (which will cut the sweetness of the snack mix).
Here are a few festive treats to enjoy this season!
Have a great weekend! I am in Cleveland for a girls weekend until Monday. Talk to you in a few days!
I am a recovering entertainer. Which is actually misleading as it suggests that I am trying to curb the habit and have sought help and/or advice for excessive entertaining. I haven't and every month my husband tsks at the food bills and the array of people that come over for a meal or tea or lunch (not breakfast though, that's too early). I can't help myself. When someone emails me to ask if they can pop by I get all excited and start planning food. It's a compulsion. A sickness. And no I don't need any help thankyou very much.
I can trace back this determination to entertain and plan parties to very old dredged up memories from childhood when, at my 7th birthday party, I would have a tantrum at my Mother yelling "You're serving things all wrong!". Imagine the sight of a small child with an Anna Wintour haircut screaming directions-not so cute, more scary. Or think of Franck Eggelhoffer, the Wedding Organiser from Father of the Bride in a pint sized and less charming form. And only_ I _was allowed to put together the lolly bags as I knew exactly which lollies each child would like. And I've a sneaking suspicion that "control freak child from hell" has a picture of me next to it in the dictionary.
I like to think that I've relaxed somewhat, knowing that a stressed and tantrum throwing host is not a good thing and now force myself to relax. These tiny little tarts are ideal cocktail party nibbly food or food for a morning or afternoon tea. They are best when warm from the oven, as I always think there's something magical about hot pastry but cool pastry loses it mojo. As for the tomato on the top, I was torn, about whether I should top the tarts with the tomato before or after they were put in the oven. Once they're baked they collapse a little, like a semi dried tomato so I've shown both, one with the baked tomato top and one with the fresh tomato half. You can choose whichever the inner Franck in your prefers.
Franck Eggelhoffer-organised.
I do concede that some habits haven't died though and I maintain that Franck Eggelhoffer is the real hero of Father of the Bride and that entertainer extraordinaire Colin Cowie is a demi god in my books.
Ricotta, Chive & Tomato mini tarts
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 18-20 tarts
1 sheet of bought shortcrust pastry (or 1.5 sheets if you can't be bothered re-rolling the scraps)
125g of ricotta
50g of tasty or cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon freshly cut chives plus longer pieces to decorate, 40x roughly 1 inch pieces
1 egg
10 dainty cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 mini cupcakes/tart baking tray with holes lightly greased with butter
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 210c. Using a round cutter, cut out rounds of slightly defrosted shortcrust pastry and place in lightly greased baking tray holes. You may have to re-roll the ends a couple of times if you're only using 1 sheet of pastry.
Step 2 - Mix together the two cheeses, egg and chives in a bowl. Top with tomato half if desired (or put the tomato on after its had its time in the oven). Spoon 1/2 teaspoon full into each case. Bake for 10-15 minutes until pastry and cheese is golden.
Step 3 - Decorate with chive pieces. I did them in a "crossed sword" pattern.
When you ask the question, “What should we have for dinner?” chances are everyone answers with their own idea – burgers, chicken, crab cakes. What if there were a dinner chock full of everyone’s favorites that comes together quickly and simply? Sounds impossible, right? Actually, it’s impossibly easy!
Using Bisquick® to start, the Betty Crocker Kitchen experts have re-invented Impossibly Easy Pies. Now they’re mini and the perfect launch pad for your creativity. Here are my absolute favorites:
Wait it gets better! Here’s how you can blend your family’s favorite flavors into your own impossibly easy mini pies!
First, start with Bisquick baking mix, milk and eggs (for recipe details, click recipe titles above). This makes the base for all mini pies. Combine and start with a little less than a tablespoon in each greased muffin cup.
Next add your filling. Cheeseburger, pepperoni pizza, BLT –whatever you can imagine. Add about ¼ cup of the mixture to each cup.
Finally, top it off with one more tablespoon of the Bisquick® mixture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes then pop them out of the pan. Voilà! How easy is that?
Are you ready for the best part of all? Mini pies can be frozen! Gather the kids together to create their faves and seal them in freezer bags. Then just pop them in the microwave for meals on the go, after school snacks and last minute dinners. And let’s not forget about breakfast, a little egg and bacon and you’re set. See what I mean about impossibly easy?
Go ahead, grab a box of Bisquick and get started! Impossibly Easy Mini Pies bring out the creative cook in everyone.
This delicious potato kugel is based on my friend Lauren's recipe and she swears by using red-skin potatoes. The cup idea comes from my husband's best friend Adam's mom, Geanie (what a mouthful). Hubby remembers going to their house on Saturday nights and raiding the fridge for these cups. The best part about them is that every piece is a crusty corner piece, so nobody has to fight over that coveted crunch.
Make Ahead Tip: While potato kugel will be at its best made fresh (refrigeration or freezing will cause it to lose some crunch), you can make it ahead and even freeze it with these instructions.
1. Slightly under bake, cool completely , wrap tightly and freeze.
2. Thaw at room temperature, reheat, uncovered at 375°F for 10 minutes.
To get the best results from this kugel, use a great quality extra virgin olive oil, we love Colavita.
Looking for a refreshing cocktail recipe that gives a tropical feeling when you drink it? The Cuban Breeze cocktail combines Amaretto, vodka and pineapple juice for a refreshing tropical style drink with just a hint of almonds.
Enjoy the taste of Almonds with A Cuban Breeze
I first became acquainted with Amaretto when I lived in Australia. My husband and I were young, entertained often and went out to eat several times a week. Liqueurs were popular as after dinner drinks in restaurants there and we enjoyed trying a lot of different ones.
Since I love the last of almonds, and smell of anything cooked with them, I fell in love with Amaretto. It is the perfect addition to this Cuban Breeze.
The drink could not be easier. Just add vodka and amaretto over ice and top with pineapple juice.
I love baked apples. And I am starting to enjoy mangos. So I figured, why not try baking them? I knew that, since they are a bit softer than apples naturally, they would not need to be baked as long as apples.
Cinnamon goes with everything, am I right? And I tinkered with a few other flavors before landing on this yummy recipe below. There is a tiny bit of added sugar (via vanilla extract), so you can absolutely leave that out. I don’t normally add any sugar, but since my baby is more of a toddler, I am not so strict anymore.
It’s a VERY basic recipe. This recipe is simply 1 mango, cinnamon, vanilla, and butter. You’ll also need a sharp knife and a drinking glass (okay, the glass is optional, but I’ll show you how I use it to peel the mango in a minute).
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, cut your mango into two big pieces. And use a drinking glass to peel it. Like this:
Once it’s peeled, cut the mango into chunks (or strips, if your baby is just starting out with baby led weaning).
Toss the chunks in 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
In your baking dish, melt 1 tablespoon of butter (or just spray the dish with a nonstick spray). I like the flavor of butter, though! Butter makes everything better. Butter better.
Layer the chunks in the melted butter, then bake for 8 minutes at 400F.
And that’s it!
Now here was my attempt at styling a food photo shoot. I’m learning, and eventually I’ll be …. pretty good. Right?
This recipe for grilled salmon with avocado salsa is so easy to make and is a guaranteed crowd (and family) pleaser. The salmon is seasoned with a mix of coriander, cumin, paprika, onion powder and pepper. It’s grilled (or baked/pan seared) and topped with avocado salsa. Summer seems to finally be here, which means spending a lot of time outside: in the water, playing in the backyard with the kids, grilling outside and having lunch or dinner on the patio. Of course there is also a sort of nice laziness associated with summer, you want meals to be easy and quick to prepare, but also refreshing and filling.
Avocado chunky salsa for grilled fishGrilled salmon with avocado
This grilled salmon is seasoned with a homemade seasoning mix of ground coriander, cumin, paprika and onion powder to give it a nice spicy flavor. It’s grilled perfectly and then topped with a salsa made with avocado, onion, mild hot peppers, cilantro, lime juice, and olive oil.
Grilled fish with avocado salsa
Salmon and avocado are one of those perfect matches; whoever was the first person to put these two together was a genius. The salmon and the avocado both have that creaminess melt in your mouth feeling, while the lime, onion, hot pepper and cilantro add a great contrast of tangy flavor.
Grilled fish with avocado salsaLatin style grilled salmon recipe
I’ve probably said this before but if I had to go to a deserted island and could only choose a few food items to take with me, avocados would be one of them (I’m hoping I could learn how to catch some fish on my island). They’re also one of those items – along with cilantro and limes – that whenever I run out of them it means that I need to go grocery shopping. I’ve prepared this dish before with grilled ahi tuna and it was also a great match – pretty much any fish (halibut, snapper, cod, mahi mahi, corvina, etc) will work great with the avocado salsa.
Salmon with avocado salsa
For an easy summer dinner, you can season the fish in the morning and let it marinate all day or season it while the grills warms up. The avocado salsa can be made in about 5 minutes, and can also be made ahead of time. I usually serve this grilled salmon with rice, either plain Latin/Ecuadorian style cooked rice or lime cilantro rice, and some patacones/tostones or thick green plantain chips.
Grilled salmon with avocado salsa, cilantro lime rice, and patacones/tostonesSalmon with avocado salsa
Step by step photos for grilled salmon with avocado salsa recipe:
Seasoning mix for grilled salmonRub with salmon with the oil and the seasoning mixAvocado salsa for grilled salmonGrilled salmonGrilled salmon with spicy avocado salsa recipeGrilled fish with avocado salsa
