Cranberry Nut Muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cups Ocean Spray cran-tropical juice (or something similar)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup (heaping) chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 12-cup regular-sized muffin tin.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar and baking powder.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.
  4. Add the cran-tropical juice and oil to eggs and whisk until well mixed.
  5. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until combined (will be lumpy).
  6. Fold in the cranberries and nuts until evenly distributed.
  7. Spoon mixture into the prepared muffin tin (cups will be nearly full).
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and they pass the toothpick test.
  9. Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before removing from pan and cooling on a wire rack.

The original recipe I followed to make these tasty muffins can be found here.

Bacon Cracker “Candy”

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil.
  2. Place a baking rack on top of the foil.
  3. Lay the crackers on top of the baking rack in a single layer.
  4. Slice the bacon into fourths.
  5. Place a piece of bacon on top of each of the crackers.
  6. Sprinkle the brown sugar (as much as you like) on top of the bacon pieces.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until bacon is crisp and the crackers are browned (increase the baking temperature to 275 degrees after the first hour if desired).
  8. Serve warm.

Sheet Pan Bacon Cheeseburger Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bacon
  • 3 pounds ground meat (beef, turkey or pork)
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons minced onion
  • 2 tablespoons hamburger seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons salad supreme seasoning (or other favorite)
  • 8 large tortillas
  • 28-32 slices American cheese
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Slice bacon strips in half and cook them in batches in a large skillet. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the drippings.
  2. Transfer the bacon grease to a large pot.
  3. Over medium heat, cook the ground meat in the bacon grease, adding the minced onion and seasonings as it starts to brown.
  4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  5. Line a 11-by-17-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and arrange 6 of the tortillas on the bottom. Situate them so each side has two tortillas and each end has one tortilla, all of which hang a little more than half way over the side of the pan (these will be folded over the top). Place a seventh tortilla in the center, overlapping the other tortillas.
  6. Place American cheese slices over the tortillas, using enough to cover the bottom and cutting them in half if necessary to fit.
  7. Spread the cooked meat evenly over the cheese.
  8. Place another layer of cheese slices over the meat, again making sure to use enough to get full coverage.
  9. Place bacon strips on top of the cheese.
  10. Place the final tortilla in the middle on top of the bacon slices.
  11. Fold over the rest of the overhanging tortillas onto the top of the meat and cheese, overlapping the tortilla in the center.
  12. Brush melted butter over the tortillas.
  13. Cover the buttered tortillas with a piece of parchment paper.
  14. Take another sheet pan, press it down onto the top of the parchment paper and transfer it to the preheated oven.
  15. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the tortillas are browned and crispy.
  16. Remove from the oven, take off the top pan and the parchment paper and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into rectangles.
  17. Serve hot as is, or with your favorite burger condiments.
  18. When reheating, wrap each quesadilla section tightly in aluminum foil and bake at 325 for about 10 minutes.

The inspiration for this incredibly tasty sheet pan meal came from Dan Shaba on TikTok. His video can be viewed here.

Broccoli Cheddar Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice (regular, not Minute)
  • 1 can (10.5 ounces) broccoli cheese soup
  • 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of broccoli soup
  • 1-1/4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add the rice, soups and broth to a 2.5-quart casserole dish, and stir until well combined.
  3. Place the stick of butter on top.
  4. Cover the casserole dish with foil and place the lid on top if you have one.
  5. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir.
  6. Recover the casserole dish, return it to the oven and bake for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
  7. Allow the rice to cool slightly, then fluff with a fork.
  8. Serve alongside your favorite main dish or enjoy as a Meatless Monday option.

My inspiration for this tasty side dish comes from @aquickspoonful on TikTok. Her video can be found here.

Roasted Delicata Squash

Ingredients

  • 2 medium delicata squash
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons garlic and herb seasoning

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a large, rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.
  2. Remove the ends from the squash, then cut each one in half, lengthwise.
  3. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
  4. Place the cut sides of the squash down and slice across the ridges into 1/2-inch thick slices that resemble half moons.
  5. Place the squash pieces in a large bowl.
  6. Add oil and seasoning to the bowl and toss until the squash is evenly coated.
  7. Place the squash pieces on their sides in a single layer on the baking sheet.
  8. Roast in the preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes, or until the pieces are fork tender.
  9. Serve hot alongside your favorite main dish or enjoy on a salad.

Candied Cherry Butter Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup green candied cherries, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red candied cherries, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 320 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl), beat the butter until light and creamy (about 3 minutes).
  3. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the bowl and beat another two minutes.
  4. Add the almond extract and beat for another couple minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple times along the way.
  5. Add the flour and baking powder and beat on low until a soft dough forms.
  6. Fold in the candied cherries until evenly mixed into the dough.
  7. Scoop dough (about 2 tablespoons per cookie) and drop it in mounds onto the prepared baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bottoms are brown and the tops are golden.
  9. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool slightly on the baking pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

The original recipe for these festive holiday cookies can be found here.

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons bacon grease or olive oil
  • 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 bag (8 ounces) spinach, stems removed
  • 1 bag (19 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage in bacon grease or oil.
  2. Add in the onion and cook until tender.
  3. Stir in garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
  4. Add the broth and cook on medium-high heat until it reaches a boil.
  5. Stir in the spinach and tortellini, cooking until the greens are wilted and the pasta is done.
  6. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a boil.
  7. Reduce heat to low, add seasonings and stir until combined.
  8. Serve hot; garnish with parmesan cheese if desired.

The recipe I loosely followed for this delicious soup can be found here.

Sourdough Bagels

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) active sourdough starter
  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (255 grams) water
  • 2 tablespoons (40 grams) honey
  • 2 teaspoons (10 grams) fine sea salt
  • 4 cups + 2 tablespoons (500 grams) bread flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Water for the water bath

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sourdough starter, water, honey and salt with a spatula. 
  2. Add the bread flour and use your hands to bring the ingredients together as best as possible. The dough will be very stiff. 
  3. Place the dough hook on the mixer and mix the dough on the lowest speed for 6-7 minutes (or 10 minutes by hand). 
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or other bowl cover (I bought a set of shower caps I strictly use as bowl covers) and let rest for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. 
  7. Shape each piece of dough into a ball.
  8. Use your finger to poke a hole in the center of the dough, then pick the bagel up and gently spin it around to stretch out and shape it into a ring. Repeat with the remaining seven dough balls.
  9. After shaping, place the bagels on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
  10. Cover the bagels with a towel and allow to rise at room temperature for about 1 hour or until they appear puffy.
  11. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  12. In a large pot, bring about 6 cups of water to a boil, then add 1 tablespoon of sugar.
  13. Once the bagels have finished rising, boil them (2 or 3 at a time to prevent overcrowding) for 2 minutes on each side.
  14. Remove the bagels using a strainer or large slotted spoon and return to the baking sheet to cool slightly.
  15. When cooled enough to handle, add desired toppings (sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, poppy seeds, etc.) or leave plain.
  16. Bake the bagels in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
  17. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and eating.

The recipe I followed to make these perfectly dense and delightful bagels can be found here.

Biscuits & Gravy Bake

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground breakfast sausage
  • 3 tablespoons bacon grease, divided (or olive oil)
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 3-2/3 cups milk, divided
  • 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 2-1/4 cups Bisquick mix

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. In a large oven safe skillet (cast iron if you have one), brown sausage in 1 tablespoon bacon drippings.
  3. Add the remaining bacon drippings to the pan, and stir well.
  4. Sprinkle flour over the cooked sausage and cook for a minute, or until it’s all soaked into the meat and grease.
  5. Gradually add 3 cups of milk, stirring constantly until all the milk is incorporated.
  6. Add in the black pepper and stir until combined.
  7. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until the mixture has thickened.
  8. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the Bisquick mix and 2/3 cups milk, mixing until a soft dough forms.
  9. Drop the dough by spoonfuls over the gravy mixture.
  10. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the gravy is bubbly and the biscuits are browned.
  11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

The original recipe for this delicious breakfast bake can be found here.

Pizza Tortellini Hotdish

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16-20 ounces) three cheese tortellini
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 jar (14 ounces) pizza sauce
  • 1 package (8 ounces) American cheese slices, cubed
  • 3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
  • 2 packages (4 ounces each) pepperoni, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook tortellini according to package directions, and set aside.
  3. In a large pot, sauté garlic in oil for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour the milk into the pot, stir and heat over medium until it begins to steam.
  5. Turn the heat to low, then add in the American cheese and 2 cups of shredded Italian blend, whisking until smooth.
  6. Remove from the heat and fold in the cooked tortellini and one package of pepperoni (halved or quartered).
  7. Spread the tortellini mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
  8. Pour the pizza sauce on top, then lightly spread it with a spoon until evenly distributed.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the sauce.
  10. Arrange full slices of pepperoni over the cheese (don’t have to use the entire package).
  11. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

The original recipe for this delicious and flavorful pizza hot dish can be found here.