The Grateful Girl Cooks!

19
Sep
2026

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Instant Pot)

1 Shares

Make a delicious chocolate zucchini cake (Instant Pot) for a dessert or snack that serves 8. Instructions for icing (optional) are included.

If you’ve got an Instant Pot and are looking for a yummy cake recipe, may I suggest this one for chocolate zucchini cake?

That’s right… the cake has fresh grated zucchini in it too, so it MUST be healthy, right? Ha Ha. I found the original recipe online and made only a couple small changes to it.

This cake can be enjoyed as a snack or a dessert and you can also add icing to the finished cake (optional), if that’s what you would prefer.

I’ve included the ingredients for the icing, as well in the printable recipe, so if that’s what you want to do, go for it. Here’s how to make chocolate zucchini cake in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Cake Batter

Whisk the “dry” ingredients together in a medium bowl until combined. The “dry” ingredients are flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the “wet” ingredients until fully combined. The “wet” ingredients are 2 large eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.

Once they are combined, add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir well until combined into a thick batter.

Finish The Cake Batter

The final step is to add grated zucchini (undrained) and semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cake batter. Stir well, until they’re incorporated because the cake batter is quite thick!

Prepare The Pan For Baking

Grease and lightly flour an 8″ push pan (or springform pan). It must be able to fit inside the inner cannister of your Instant Pot.

Wrap the bottom of the pan tightly with aluminum foil because this will help keep the batter IN the pan with no leakage while cooking.

Spread the chocolate zucchini cake batter evenly in the prepared pan. Cover the top of the pan loosely with aluminum foil.

Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot, then place the trivet onto the bottom of the pot. Carefully lower the covered push pan with a sling down into the pot, placing it on top of the trivet.

Use a sling made of heavy foil or a silicone sling (as shown below) to lower the pan onto the trivet. The one I use remains in the Instant Pot during cooking.

Cooking The Cake In An Instant Pot

Lock the lid in place and then flip the toggle switch on top to SEALING. Press the MANUAL setting and set the cooking timer for 65 minutes on High PRESSURE.

It will take the Instant Pot 10-15 minutes to reach full internal pressure, then the pressure gauge on top will pop up and the cooking program timer will start.

When cooking program has finished, flip the toggle on top to VENTING (for a natural release of internal pressure).

Once all steam (and internal pressure) has been released, the pressure gauge button on top will drop back down and it will be safe to open the Instant Pot.

Carefully remove the pan from the Instant Pot and then remove the aluminum foil wrap from the pan. Let the pan cool on a wire rack (with the cake still in the pan!).

After the cake has cooled completely, open the latches on the springform pan, push up the bottom of the cake to release the cake.

Let the cake finish cooling on the wire rack (I leave the bottom tray of the pan still under the cake).

Serve The Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, it is ready to be enjoyed. Slice the cake into 8 wedges and serve!

The cake is delicious, dense, moist and very chocolatey in flavor! You will hardly even notice the zucchini (you can sneak it in so little kids don’t even notice)!

This cake tastes very good, served just as it is, or you may want to add an “optional” icing on top to make it sweeter, if that is your preference (see below).

Optional Icing

The chocolate zucchini cake tastes wonderful “as is” so go ahead and enjoy a slice! However, you might also enjoy drizzling the cake with a simple powdered sugar icing, as shown below.

This adds a bit more sweetness to the cake, if that is what you would prefer. I have included the ingredients and instructions for this optional “add on”. They are listed at the bottom of the printable recipe card, for your convenience.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this versatile, delicious cake for a snack or to serve to those you love as a dessert.

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

Looking For More CAKE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful cake recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from: Instant Pot Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread – Aileen Cooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Instant Pot)

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 5 mins

Total Time

1 hr 25 mins

Make a delicious chocolate zucchini cake (Instant Pot) for a dessert or snack that serves 8. Instructions for icing (optional) are included.

Category: Cake, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: chocolate zucchini cake, Instant pot

Servings: 8 slices

Calories Per Serving: 402 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini do not drain
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Cake Batter:

Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil and vanilla until fully combined. Add this to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir well until combined (thick batter). Stir in grated zucchini and chocolate chips until incorporated into batter.

Prepare Pan:

Grease/lightly flour an 8" push pan (or springform pan). It must fit inside the inner cannister of your Instant Pot. Wrap the bottom of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Spread cake batter evenly in prepared pan. Cover the top of the pan loosely with aluminum foil.

Cook The Cake:

Place trivet on bottom of the pot. Add 1 cup of water to the Instant pot. Carefully lower pan with a sling down into the pot, placing it on top of the trivet.
Lock lid in place; flip toggle switch to SEALING. Press MANUAL setting; set cooking timer for 65 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. It will take 10-15 minutes to reach full pressure, then pressure gauge on top will pop up and the cooking program will start. When cooking program has finished, flip toggle on top to VENTING (for a natural pressure release). Once all steam (and internal pressure) has been released, pressure gauge on top will drop back down, indicating it's safe to open the Instant Pot.
Carefully remove pan from Instant Pot; remove foil. Transfer pan to a wire rack (cake still in the pan). After cake cools about 10 minutes, open latches on the pan; push up the pan bottom to release the cake. Let cake finish cooling on wire rack. Once cake has cooled to room temperature, slice and serve! (see below for instructions for icing the cake, if desired-optional). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

FOR OPTIONAL ICING: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 3-4 tsp. water and ¼ tsp. vanilla. Drizzle over surface of cake.

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Instant Pot)

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 402 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 47mg16%

Sodium 236mg10%

Potassium 255mg7%

Carbohydrates 53g18%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 30g33%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 104IU2%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 39mg4%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

12
Sep
2026

Fruit and Granola Parfait

categories: Breakfast

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

Want a quick and easy breakfast? Make a yummy fruit and granola parfait with fresh fruit, crunchy granola and creamy vanilla yogurt!

If you are looking for a delicious breakfast treat, may I suggest making a fruit and granola parfait? It is a quick and easy dish to pull together using vanilla yogurt, fresh fruit (of your choice), and granola.

You can use purchased or homemade granola (with or without raisins) which makes it very convenient, especially on busy mornings!

I’ve been making these simple breakfast parfaits for years and years and often serve them to out of town guests when they stay with us. They are always a big hit!

The recipe I am sharing today will yield ONE fruit and granola parfait, but it is super easy to double or triple the recipe (or change the fruit used) to meet your needs.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Parfait In Layers

If you have a nice decorative serving “glass” or ice cream sundae glass (shown below), I recommend using it because it will look really nice for the presentation.

The fruit and granola parfait looks good when you can look through the clear glass and see the different layers inside. You can always use a pretty bowl, too, if that’s what you have!

Make the first layer by spooning one-third of the low-fat vanilla yogurt into the bottom of the glass. Top that with some of the granola (with or without raisins) to cover the yogurt layer.

Next, add a layer of fresh fruit (your choice of fruit). I use about a third of the amount of fruit for this layer and for the parfait shown below, I used fresh peaches, raspberries and blueberries.

Second Layer

Repeat the layers once again, starting with the vanilla yogurt. Use just enough yogurt to cover the fruit, then continue adding granola, then fruit for the second layer.

Finish creating the fruit and granola parfait by repeating the layers one last time. Yogurt, granola and then fruit. Sprinkle a bit more granola on top and that’s it!

You just made a beautiful fruit and granola parfait to enjoy for breakfast! Grab a spoon and dig in!

Enjoy Other Fruits With Your Parfait!

You can use other fruits when they are in season, because the fruit and granola parfait tastes best when you use fresh fruit (not frozen of thawed).

Fresh peaches are delicious and when using them, I lightly sprinkle each yogurt layer with a small amount of ground cinnamon. It’s yummy!

Strawberries are another option to use for this delicious breakfast (shown below). You can never go wrong with this one because they can be found in most grocery stores year-round.

Enjoy The Fruit And Granola Parfait

Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the fruit and granola parfait! I love the crunch of the granola, the creaminess of the sweet vanilla yogurt and of course the fresh fruit in every bite.

I really think you are going to enjoy this simple breakfast because it is SIMPLE, QUICK and DELICIOUS!

I hope you have the chance to make a fruit and granola parfait for yourself AND trust you will also make more of them for those you love!

Of course, I hope you will also take this “basic” recipe and make it your own by changing or adding ingredients (nuts, other fruits or flavors of yogurt) to satisfy your personal taste.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More BREAKFAST Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a wonderful variety of breakfast recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Fruit and Granola Parfait

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Want a quick and easy breakfast? Make a yummy fruit and granola parfait with fresh fruit, crunchy granola and creamy vanilla yogurt!

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: fruit and granola parfait

Servings: 1

Calories Per Serving: 398 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

5.3 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt =1 small container
½ cup granola with or without raisins
⅓ cup fresh raspberries
⅓ cup fresh peaches peeled, cut in 1" cubes
⅓ cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

Make the first layer by spooning one-third of the yogurt into the bottom of the glass. Top with some granola (with or without raisins), enough to cover the yogurt layer. Next, add a layer of fresh fruit (your choice of fruit). Use about one third of the fruit for this layer.
Repeat layers again, starting with the yogurt. Use one-third of the yogurt to cover the fruit, then continue adding granola, then more fruit for the second layer.
Finish by repeating the layers one last time, with yogurt, granola and then fruit. Sprinkle a tiny bit more granola on top, then serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE#1: The caloric calculation was made by using a combination of 3 fruits: peaches, blueberries and raspberries (as written in recipe card). Your choice of fruit may vary the total calories slightly.

NOTE #2: Use a total of 1 cup of fruit (singular or combination of fruits) for one parfait.

Nutrition Facts

Fruit and Granola Parfait

Amount Per Serving (1 parfait)

Calories 398 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 107mg5%

Potassium 490mg14%

Carbohydrates 76g25%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 42g47%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 272IU5%

Vitamin C 23mg28%

Calcium 292mg29%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

05
Sep
2026

Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops

categories: Main Dishes, Pork

1 Shares

Pin1

Yum

It’s easy to make delicious raspberry balsamic pork chops (for 2)! Pan-seared chops are coated in a simple glaze and are ready in 25 minutes.

If you’re looking for a delicious and super EASY way to cook thick bone-in pork chops, then I hope you will continue reading because today’s recipe is wonderful!

Raspberry balsamic pork chops only take 10 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking time, and the finished dish produces really scrumptious, glazed pork chops!

I found the recipe online and want to share the recipe here today. I adapted the recipe to only make two servings for my husband and I (1 thick chop per serving). Here’s how to make these yummy pork chops.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Raspberry Balsamic Sauce

Measure raspberry jam (I make my own), balsamic vinegar, dried thyme and minced garlic into a small bowl. Stir well until these ingredients are fully combined.

This is the sauce that will glaze the cooked pork chops. Set the raspberry balsamic sauce aside while you prepare the pork chops.

Prepare The Pork Chops

Pat the pork chops dry using paper towels and then season them lightly on both sides with salt and pepper (to taste).

Cook The Pork Chops

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a medium-sized skillet (I recommend cast iron if you have it). Once the oil is very hot (but not smoking), add the pork chops in a single layer.

If you are doubling the recipe, plan on using a larger skillet to ensure the pork chops will fit in a single layer (for best browning results) OR cook them in batches.

The oil should sizzle as the pork chops are placed in the hot skillet. Pan-sear the pork chops in the skillet for 4-5 minutes without moving them.

This will give the meat a nice brown color on the bottom of each pork chop, which is what you want!

Turn the pork chops over and continue to cook them (without moving them) for an additional 4-5 minutes or until they’re fully cooked through.

Check the internal temperature occasionally using a meat thermometer. The pork chops are fully/safely cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 145°F.

Transfer the fully cooked pork chops out of the skillet onto a plate. Cover them with aluminum foil to keep them hot while you quickly cook the sauce.

One Last Step

Immediately turn the heat down to medium-low. Give the raspberry balsamic sauce a good stir, then pour it all into the hot skillet.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for 2-3 minutes, making sure to stir the sauce frequently as it simmers. It will turn into a slightly thicker glaze consistency.

Place the cooked pork chops back into the sauce in the skillet. Spoon the raspberry glaze over the top and sides of the pork chops to fully cover them.

Cook the raspberry balsamic pork chops for one more minute until they are hot and coated with raspberry glaze, then serve the pork chops immediately.

Serve The Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops

Place a pork chop on each plate and spoon some more of the remaining glaze over the top. Serve the chops with your favorite side dishes and enjoy a wonderful meal.

We enjoyed the raspberry balsamic pork chops along with rice, green beans and air fryer glazed butternut squash (we grew the squash and beans).

You can see (in the photo below) the inside of a pork chop after a slice was cut. Our pork chops were juicy, perfectly cooked through and were NOT dry.

The really simple (but yummy) raspberry glaze adds so much additional flavor to this dish! I’m confident you will enjoy raspberry balsamic pork chops, too.

I hope you have the opportunity to make these delicious pork chops for yourself and for someone you love. The recipe can easily be doubled to meet your needs.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More PORK CHOP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious pork chop recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from and with thanks to Nicole Harris, at: RASPBERRY GLAZED PORK CHOPS + WonkyWonderful

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

It's easy to make delicious raspberry balsamic pork chops (for 2)! Pan-seared chops are coated in a simple glaze and are ready in 25 minutes.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: raspberry balsamic pork chops

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 437 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Sauce:

¼ cup raspberry jam
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¾ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon dried thyme

For Pork Chops:

1½ Tablespoons olive oil
2 1" thick pork chops (bone-in) approx. 6 ounces per chop
salt and black pepper enough to season chops

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place raspberry jam, balsamic vinegar, thyme and minced garlic in a small bowl. Stir until fully combined. Set aside while you cook pork chops.
Pat pork chops dry with paper towels; season (both sides) with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a skillet (cast iron if you have it). Once oil is very hot (but not smoking), add pork chops in a single layer. Oil should sizzle as they are added. Pan-sear the pork chops 4-5 minutes without moving them. Turn chops over; continue cooking (without moving them) for 4-5 minutes or until fully cooked through. Pork chops are fully cooked when they reach a safe internal temperature of 145°F. Transfer pork chops out of the skillet onto a plate. Cover with aluminum foil to keep them hot (while you cook the sauce).
Turn heat down to medium-low. Stir raspberry sauce, then pour it into the hot skillet. Bring sauce to a simmer; let it cook 2-3 minutes, stirring sauce often. Place pork chops back into skillet. Spoon sauce over the top/sides of the pork chops to fully coat. Cook one minute until chops are fully glazed/hot.
Serve immediately. Place a pork chop on a plate; spoon remaining sauce over the top. Serve with favorite side dishes and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts

Raspberry Balsamic Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 437 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 12g

Cholesterol 88mg29%

Sodium 86mg4%

Potassium 485mg14%

Carbohydrates 31g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 22g24%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 13IU0%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 39mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

29
Aug
2026

Glazed Peach Scones

categories: Breads, Breakfast, Scones

1 Shares

Pin1

Yum

Glazed Peach Scones are a tasty snack or breakfast treat! Filled with fresh peaches and glazed with a sweet peach icing, they are delicious!

Recently I went peach-picking at a local farm (a summer tradition of mine) and brought home 2 huge boxes of juicy, delicious fresh peaches.

We enjoyed eating quite a few of those sweet peaches and then I got busy in my kitchen using the rest of them for several different things so we could enjoy them later in the year!

I canned jars of peach jam and canned sliced peaches and then I made (and froze) a yummy peach cobbler to serve when our son and daughter in law come for a visit from their home in Portugal later this summer.

The last thing I used the remaining peaches for was to make these delicious, glazed peach scones. Today I am sharing the recipe with you (after making several changes to a basic peach scone recipe found online). Here’s how to make glazed peach scones, step-by-step!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Dough

Before starting, preheat your oven to 400°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set them aside while you make the scones.

Combine all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon in a large bowl. Add very cold butter that has been cut into small chunks.

Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it becomes the size of peas. The mixture will be crumbly.

NOTE: If you have a food processor, you can use it for this step, if desired. Pulse the butter and dry ingredients several times until the butter is the size of peas.

Peel and chop fresh peaches into small pieces. Place the peaches onto paper towels and try to blot them gently, but well to remove excess juice.

The number of peaches you will need for the scone dough is 1 cup of chopped peaches, so it will depend on the size peaches you use (usually 1-2).

NOTE: You will also use one half of a small peach for the finishing glaze on the baked scones later on, so plan accordingly.

After blotting the peaches, add them to the dry ingredients and gently stir until combined (as shown below).

In a separate bowl, mix together sour cream, one egg and vanilla extract. Once they’re combined, add this to the dough mixture and gently stir until it is combined (don’t overmix!).

The dough will be fairly “moist and tacky” in texture due to the peaches and liquid mixture added to the mixture.

Shape The Dough

Transfer the “moist and tacky” dough onto a floured work surface (shown below in the first photo). Sprinkle additional flour over the dough, as needed to remove the stickiness of the dough.

Knead the dough gently (5-6 times) with your floured hands, sprinkling it with additional flour as needed to bring the dough together.

Using your hands, shape the dough into a circle about 8″ wide and about 1″ high (shown below in the second photo).

Prepare The Scones For Baking

You will find that the dough is fairly moist (from the peaches), so carefully cut the dough into 8 equal-sized wedges with a knife. Re-shape them as needed (due to the moist dough).

Place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a circle, leaving ¾”-1″ inch between each wedge. While the scones bake, they will expand, rise and bake together, so the little space in between disappears.

Bake The Scones

Place the scones in a preheated 400°F. oven and let them bake for 18-20 minutes (check them at about 18 minutes). When done, the scones should be cooked through and golden brown on top.

A toothpick inserted into a scone should come out free of batter. The scones will have slightly baked together (shown below).

Let the scones cool on the parchment paper, then carefully separate them using a knife to cut the wedges apart.

Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool. Place the piece of parchment paper UNDERNEATH the rack to catch any drips while glazing the scones later.

Make Peach Icing While The Scones Cool

While the scones cool, make up the peach icing. It’s super simple to do this and takes only a couple minutes at most.

In a small bowl place powdered sugar, vanilla and a very crushed half of a small peach. Mash the peach up very well using the flat side of a meat mallet or a fork (shown below)! Stir well to combine.

The juice from the mashed peach will help to turn the powdered sugar mixture into a more liquid form. The glaze should be not too thin OR thick, but “paintable” so it can be easily brushed onto the cooled scones.

If you feel the icing is too thin, add a tiny bit more of powdered sugar or if you think it is too thick, add a drop or two of water and stir again.

Glaze The Scones

Once the baked scones have cooled to room temperature, it’s time to glaze them! DO NOT glaze them while the scones are hot or the glaze will run all over the place!

Use a pastry brush to brush the peach icing over the top of each scone, lightly covering the surface as much as possible (for best flavor!).

Brush the icing (glaze) over all the scones, then if you have any icing left over, go back and brush it over any parts missed on the first go-around.

Let the scones rest for a bit after they have been glazed. This allows time for the peach glaze to “firm up” on top of the scones.

Once the icing has hardened slightly, these yummy, glazed peach scones are ready to be eaten and enjoyed and I’m confident you’ll love them.

The finished scones are not dry and crumbly but are soft, filled with pieces of peaches, and they have an overall great peach flavor!

I hope you have the opportunity to make these absolutely delicious, glazed peach scones for yourself and for those you love. My hope is that you enjoy them as much as I do!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More SCONE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of amazing scone recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from Savannah Pierce at: Peach Scones – ivoryapron

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Glazed Peach Scones

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Glazed Peach Scones are a tasty snack or breakfast treat! Filled with fresh peaches and glazed with a sweet peach icing, they are delicious!

Category: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: glazed peach scones

Servings: 8 scones

Calories Per Serving: 381 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup COLD butter = 1 stick/8 TBSP., cut in small chunks
1 cup peaches peeled, cut in small pieces
½ cup light sour cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Peach Glaze:

1¼ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ small peach MASHED

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add very cold small butter chunks. Use pastry blender to cut in butter until it's reduced to the size of peas. NOTE: Use a food processor if desired. Pulse butter and dry ingredients several times until butter is size of peas.
Peel/chop fresh peaches into small pieces. Place on paper towels; blot gently to remove excess juice. Add peaches to dry ingredients; gently stir until combined.
In separate bowl, whisk sour cream, one egg and vanilla extract well. Once combined, add this to the peach mixture; gently stir until combined (don't overmix). Dough will be fairly "moist and tacky" in texture.
Transfer dough onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle additional flour onto dough, as needed, to remove the stickiness. Knead dough gently (5-6 times) with floured hands, adding additional flour as needed to bring dough together. Shape dough into a circle about 8" wide.
Carefully cut dough into 8 wedges with a knife. Reshape as needed (due to the moist dough). Place them on parchment lined baking sheet in a circle, leaving ¾"-1" inch between each wedge. While scones bake, they expand, rise and bake together, so the little space in between disappears.
Bake at 400°F. for 18-20 minutes (check them at 18 minutes). When done, scones should be cooked through/golden brown on top. A toothpick inserted into a scone should come out free of batter. Let scones cool a few minutes, then separate them with a knife. Transfer scones to a wire rack to cool completely. Place parchment paper UNDERNEATH rack to catch drips while glazing scones.

Make Glaze While Scones Cool:

In a small bowl place powdered sugar, vanilla and mashed peach half (mash peach well with flat side of a meat mallet or a fork). Stir to combine. Mashed peach will turn mixture into a more liquid form. The glaze should be not too thin OR thick, but "paintable" so it can be easily brushed onto the cooled scones. Too thin? Add a bit more powdered sugar. Too thick? Add a drop or two of water.
Once scones have cooled to room temperature, it's time to glaze them! Use a pastry brush to brush icing on each one, lightly covering surface. After glazing scones, if you have any icing leftover, go back and brush it on any missed parts. Let glaze harden slightly, then serve and enjoy the scones!

Nutrition Facts

Glazed Peach Scones

Amount Per Serving (1 scone)

Calories 381 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.5g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 59mg20%

Sodium 264mg11%

Potassium 264mg8%

Carbohydrates 60g20%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 33g37%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 525IU11%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 100mg10%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

22
Aug
2026

Egg Topped Cheesy Grits

categories: Breakfast

2 Shares

Pin2

Yum

Egg Topped Cheesy Grits is an easy, filling breakfast made in minutes using quick cooking grits, cheddar cheese, green onions and spices.

Today I want to share a delicious breakfast recipe for egg topped cheesy grits. Grits are a true staple in traditional Southern cooking. They are filling, taste great and are easy to make!

Grits are made for the public by grinding dried corn or hominy through a mill into various grind sizes (similar to coffee grinding!).

The corn or hominy kernels are hulled, dried, ground and then sold in grocery stores as “instant” grits, “quick cooking” grits and “regular stone-ground” grits, depending on the grind.

Why I Like This Quick Recipe

One reason this is a quick breakfast to make is because the recipe calls for “quick cooking” grits as opposed to the more traditional stone ground grits.

Quick cooking grits take only 5-6 minutes to cook (they’re ground smaller, so they cook faster). Standard stone ground grits are a larger grind, so they take about 30-45 minutes to cook.

That makes this an easy and convenient way to enjoy grits, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to make breakfast. Here’s how to make egg topped cheesy grits using the quick cooking variety.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Cook The Grits

To make quick cooking grits, first bring 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, slowly stir or whisk in ¼ cup of quick cooking grits until combined. Reduce the heat down to LOW and put a lid on the pan.

The amount of grits used (¼ cup) will yield one cup once cooked, which is the amount you’ll need for one serving.

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to meet your needs, but you may need to adjust the cooking time as necessary for a larger number of grits!

Cook the grits, stirring them occasionally for about 5-6 minutes. If you prefer thicker grits, simply cook them just a bit longer.

After the grits have cooked for 4 minutes, add garlic powder and thinly sliced green onions to the saucepan, reserving some green onions for garnishing the grits before serving.

Stir until the green onions and garlic powder have been incorporated into the grits. You can see in the photo below that a lot of the liquid has already been reduced at this point.

Add The Cheese

Once the grits have finished cooking, add grated sharp cheddar cheese to the saucepan. Using sharp cheddar produces a stronger cheese flavor, but if you don’t have it, substitute mild cheddar.

Stir well to combine the cheese and grits, stirring often until all the cheese has melted and been fully incorporated.

Take a quick bite and add more salt and/or black pepper, if desired (to suit your personal taste). Cover the grits and keep them hot off of the heat.

Fry The Egg

Now you will need to quickly fry a large egg to serve on top of the cheesy grits. Fry the egg to your preference of “done-ness” using oil or butter.

When I make this dish, I fry the egg in a small skillet with a tiny amount of butter until it is cooked “over easy” because I like it to run into the grits a but when cut.

Season the fried egg with salt and pepper if desired, to suit your taste. Once the egg is finished cooking, it’s time to serve this hearty breakfast dish.

Serve The Egg Topped Cheesy Grits

To serve, spoon the cheesy grits into a serving bowl. Use a spatula to transfer the egg on top of the grits.

Sprinkle the reserved sliced green onions on top of the egg topped cheesy grits and serve immediately, while hot.

Enjoy the egg topped cheesy grits! Whenever I make this, I find it to be quite delicious AND it is a very filling dish for breakfast.

As you can see from the second photo below, this yummy breakfast was gobbled up… completely! It REALLY tastes great!

I hope you have the opportunity to make egg topped cheesy grits for your own breakfast and trust you’ll enjoy this dish, as well.

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More BREAKFAST Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a large variety of delicious breakfast recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Egg Topped Cheesy Grits

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

Egg Topped Cheesy Grits is an easy, filling breakfast made in minutes using quick cooking grits, cheddar cheese, green onions and spices.

Category: Breakfast

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: egg topped cheesy grits

Servings: 1

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 pinch salt
¼ cup quick cooking grits
1 stalk green onion (green/white parts) thinly sliced *DIVIDED USE
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅓ cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
butter or oil for frying egg* *Your personal preference
1 large egg

Salt/Pepper for Egg (if desired) and Reserved Green Onion Slices (for garnish)

Instructions

Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Once boiling, slowly stir in quick grits until combined. Reduce heat to LOW; put a lid on the pan. Cook the grits, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes. After grits have cooked for 4 minutes, add garlic powder and thinly sliced green onions. Stir until combined. TIP: Set aside some green onions to use as a garnish before serving.
Once grits are done, add grated sharp cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine the cheese and grits, stirring often until all the cheese has melted and been incorporated. Taste grits; add more salt and/or black pepper, if desired. Cover the pan and keep grits hot (off the heat).
Fry egg in a small skillet (in oil or butter) until it is cooked to your preference. Season egg with salt and pepper, to suit your taste.
To serve, Spoon hot, cheesy grits into a serving bowl. Use a spatula to transfer the egg on top of the hot grits. Sprinkle remaining green onions on top; serve immediately. Enjoy!

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

15
Aug
2026

Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

categories: Asian, Main Dishes, Turkey

8 Shares

Pin8

Yum

You’ll LOVE fabulous Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs, coated in an amazing Asian-style sauce. Recipe uses 1 lb. of ground turkey (4 servings).

Today I want to share a recipe for some fantastic meatballs! I know, right? You’re probably sitting there wondering if meatballs are EVER that good, but you know what?

These honey garlic turkey meatballs ARE THAT GOOD! They are seasoned so well and are glazed with a fantastic tasting Asian-inspired sauce, so I know you’re going to love them.

A pound of ground turkey will yield approximately 20-24 meatballs, which will make at least 4 servings. If you serve them on a bed of rice with a veggie on the side, you will have an amazing meal that tastes wonderful.

Here’s how to make yummy honey garlic turkey meatballs.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Meatball Mixture

Place ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, soy sauce, chopped green onion, salt, paprika and black pepper in a medium mixing bowl.

Thoroughly combine these ingredients until they come together in a slightly “wet”, cohesive mixture. Mix only until combined, being careful to NOT overmix the meat.

Form The Meatballs

Now it’s time to shape the meatballs. You should end up with about 20-24 meatballs total from the meatball mixture. Each meatball should be about 1″-1½” in size.

Use a small scoop to make the meatballs (or pinch off meat with your hands). Wet your hands, then roll each portion of meat between your palms shaping it into a round meatball.

Set the meatballs on parchment paper (or foil) to rest until all the meatballs are shaped. Adjust the size of the meatballs, if necessary, to ensure you end up with at least 20 meatballs of similar size.

If you plan on 5 meatballs per serving, you will have four servings, but if you decide to serve 4 (or less) meatballs per person, you will have additional servings (or leftovers).

Make The Honey Garlic Sauce

In a small separate bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, red pepper flakes and sesame oil until they are fully incorporated.

In a separate container mix together cornstarch and water until it is fully combined (use a fork or small whisk). This mixture is called a “slurry” and is a thickening agent for the sauce when it is cooked.

Add the cornstarch mixture to the bowl of sauce and whisk the sauce well to fully combine the ingredients. Set the sauce aside.

Time To Cook The Meatballs

Heat 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet on Medium heat. Once the oil is very hot (but not smoking), it’s time to add the meatballs.

Place the meatballs into the hot oil in the skillet in a single layer. If you only have a small skillet, you might need to cook the meatballs in two batches.

Cook the turkey meatballs for a couple of minutes on Medium until the bottom of each meatball is browned, then carefully turn them over (shown below).

Continue to cook and turn (as necessary) until the meatballs are fully cooked through and nicely browned on ALL sides.

When the meatballs are done cooking, transfer them out of the skillet and onto a plate or a large sheet of aluminum foil. Do NOT wipe out the skillet!

Wrap the meatballs tightly in the foil, because you want them to stay warm while you cook the sauce.

Cook The Sauce Then Add the Meatballs

Using the same skillet (without cleaning it), give the sauce another quick whisk to blend it together again and then add the sauce to the skillet.

Cook the sauce on Medium, stirring often, until it has thickened slightly (about 2-3 minutes).

Once the sauce is hot and thickened, put all of the cooked meatballs back into the skillet with the sauce.

Continue to cook on Low heat and spoon the sauce over the meatballs, turning to make sure they all are covered in honey garlic sauce.

Cook the meatballs only until they are heated all the way through (a couple minutes), and then the honey garlic turkey meatballs are ready to be served.

Serve The Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

The honey garlic turkey meatballs can be eaten “as is” if that’s how you would prefer them, but I recommend serving them on top of a bed of hot, cooked rice.

You can use white rice, brown rice of even rice pilaf, which is how we enjoyed this meal (with rice pilaf).

Garnishing the meatballs is optional, but I like to garnish the meatballs with a few sliced green onions and white sesame seeds, for presentation.

We absolutely LOVE these delicious meatballs and the first time I made them, my husband couldn’t believe they were made from turkey and not beef.

The flavors are amazing and the meatballs are wonderful. I am fully confident you will love them, as well.

I hope you have the chance to make these delicious honey garlic turkey meatballs for yourself and those you love because they are so DELICIOUS!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking for More MEATBALL Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious meatball recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from: Halit, at Easy Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

25 mins

You'll LOVE fabulous Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs, coated in an amazing Asian-style sauce. Recipe uses 1 lb. of ground turkey (4 servings).

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines, Asian

Keyword: honey garlic turkey meatballs

Servings: 22 meatballs

Calories Per Serving: 64 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 stalk green onion finely chopped (white and green)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil* (USED FOR COOKING MEATBALLS!) *do NOT add to the meat mixture

For Honey Garlic Sauce:

¼ cup honey
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Optional Garnish: chopped green onions, white sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, soy sauce, green onion, salt, paprika and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix together only until it comes together in a slightly "wet", cohesive mixture. Don't overmix.
You should get 20-24 meatballs in total. Use a small scoop (or pinch off portions with your hands). Wet your hands, then roll each portion between your palms into a meatball about 1" - 1½" in size. Place shaped meatballs on parchment paper (or foil). Adjust meatball size, if necessary, to ensure you have at least 20 meatballs of similar size. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes and sesame oil until combined. In a separate bowl whisk cornstarch and water until combined. This mixture is called a "slurry" and will thicken the sauce as it cooks. Add cornstarch mixture to the sauce; whisk until combined. Set sauce aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on Medium. Once oil is hot (but not smoking), add meatballs to the skillet in a single layer. Cook meatballs a couple minutes on Medium. When the bottom of each meatball is browned, turn them over. Continue to cook and turn until all meatballs are cooked through and they're nicely browned on ALL sides. When done, transfer meatballs out of the skillet and onto a plate or aluminum foil. Do NOT wipe out the skillet! Wrap meatballs tightly in foil, so they stay warm.
Using the same skillet, give the sauce a quick whisk to blend it again; add the sauce to the skillet. Cook sauce on Medium, stirring often until it has thickened slightly (usually about 2-3 minutes).
Put meatballs back in the skillet with the sauce. Heat on Medium, spooning sauce over the meatballs, turning them until covered in sauce. Cook only until they're heated through. Serve meatballs hot on a bed of rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The caloric calculation is for 1 meatball based on 22 meatballs total. Recommended serving size is 4 meatballs, however the portion sizes (or size of the meatballs may vary per user), so each meatball has been given an individual calorie count so you may adjust accordingly.

Nutrition Facts

Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

Amount Per Serving (1 meatball)

Calories 64 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Fat 2g3%

Saturated Fat 0.4g3%

Trans Fat 0.01g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 216mg9%

Potassium 90mg3%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 0.2g1%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 59IU1%

Vitamin C 0.3mg0%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

08
Aug
2026

Texas Caviar

categories: Appetizers

14 Shares

Pin14

Yum

Make a bowl of Texas Caviar (aka “Cowboy” Caviar), set out the chips for scooping and watch how fast this delicious appetizer is gobbled up!

Today I want to share the recipe for a delicious appetizer! It has been called “Texas Caviar” or “Cowboy Caviar” and has many different variations and ingredients.

Looking for an easy to make recipe? This is it! Texas caviar is a simple dish to make in about 15 minutes and is served as an appetizer with chips for scooping it up.

This is a much-loved Southern dish, and I truly believe you’re going to love it, especially if you’ve never tried it before.

It is seasoned well with a very simple vinaigrette which perfectly complements the fresh, crunchy veggies and the star of the show, black-eyed peas!

An added plus is that the longer it sits, the more flavor it takes on, so you can make it several hours ahead of time and enjoy the best flavor later on.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Here We Go!

First things first! This recipe features black-eyed peas, so you need to rinse and drain one 14-15 oz. can of them! Once they are rinsed and drained, place them in a medium mixing bowl.

Add sliced green onions, chopped red and green bell peppers, jalapeño, celery, parsley and cilantro to the bowl of black-eyed peas.

Look how colorful this dip instantly becomes with the fresh veggies added! Stir well, until they are fully combined. See how easy it is to make?

It has crunch, color, freshness, a little heat from the jalapeno and creamy soft, black-eyed peas which all help make this a beloved dish!

Make The Dressing

Whisk vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, salt and black pepper together in a small separate bowl until they are fully combined.

This basic vinaigrette that brings a lot of additional flavors to the Texas caviar, and it only takes a minute or two to make. Whoo Hoo!

“Dress” The Texas Caviar

Pour the vinaigrette dressing all over the veggies. Use ALL of the dressing because that is what helps develop the flavors of Texas caviar (or cowboy caviar) fully.

Stir well, until the vinaigrette and the veggies are fully combined. This will add a final flavor punch to the dip!

Give it a quick taste and season it with additional salt and pepper to suit your personal taste, if desired. Set the dip aside to “rest” before serving.

This is where making this dish ahead of time really plays a big part (see important note below). Plan ahead and this will not be an issue.

IMPORTANT: Do not serve the dip until it has rested for a minimum of one hour! This dip needs time for all the different flavors to develop and come together. The longer it rests, the better the overall flavor will be.

Serve The Texas Caviar

It is ready to be served once the Texas caviar has had sufficient time for the flavors to really come together. You won’t regret waiting a little bit more for the cowboy caviar to have its best flavor.

Before serving, give it a good stir to re-mix the vinaigrette on the bottom of the bowl with the veggies.

Place a bowl of the cowboy or Texas caviar out with a bunch of chips. I recommend using scoopable chips because they hold the weight of the dip very well.

Texas caviar is colorful, crunchy, tangy, and absolutely delicious and those you serve it to will likely love it, as well!

We enjoyed some Texas caviar while watching a World Cup soccer game recently and it was so good (the soccer game AND the dip-ha ha).

I’m confident it will be a wonderful appetizer for any get-together or party and will be among the first foods to be gobbled up.

I hope you have the opportunity to make this delicious appetizer to serve to those you love. The dip has very good flavor, crunch, and is always a favorite.

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of appetizer recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from: “When Southern Women Cook”, page 148, published by America’s Test Kitchen in 2024.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Texas Caviar

Prep Time

12 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Resting Time (INACTIVE PREP)

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 12 mins

Make a bowl of Texas Caviar (aka "Cowboy" Caviar), set out the chips for scooping and watch how fast this delicious appetizer is gobbled up!

Category: Appetizer/Snack

Cuisine: Southwestern

Keyword: Texas caviar, cowboy caviar

Servings: 5

Calories Per Serving: 153 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

15 ounces canned black-eyed peas rinsed, drained
3 stalks green onions thinly sliced (bulb and stalk)
1 medium jalapeño chile stemmed, seeded, finely chopped
½ medium red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, chopped
½ medium green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, chopped
½ stalk celery rib finely chopped
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

For Dressing:

2½ Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1½ cloves garlic (minced)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make The "Caviar"

In a medium bowl, combine black-eyed peas, green onions, jalapeño, red and green bell peppers, celery, parsley and cilantro.

Make Vinaigrette:

In a small separate bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, minced garlic, salt and black pepper until fully combined. Pour all the vinaigrette over the vegetables; stir well, to combine.

Let Rest, Then Serve:

IMPORTANT: Let the Texas caviar rest for a MINIMUM of one hour so the flavors come together (for BEST flavor). The longer it rests, the better flavor it will have! Stir again; serve with scoopable chips on the side and enjoy Texas Caviar!

Nutrition Facts

Texas Caviar

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/5th of total))

Calories 153 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.03g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 241mg10%

Potassium 333mg10%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 6g25%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 752IU15%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

01
Aug
2026

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

14 Shares

Pin14

Yum

Need a new side dish? Try this simple recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Sauce! Steamed broccoli is topped with creamy cheddar sauce. It’s yummy!

Today I want to share a recipe for broccoli and cheese sauce, and I believe you might be as surprised as I was how simple it really is to cook this side dish.

Fresh cooked broccoli drizzled with creamy cheese sauce has long been a favorite of mine. I figured it was about time I shared how just how easy it is to make.

Typically, I steam fresh broccoli florets to enjoy with this sauce, but any way you choose to cook the broccoli will be okay when it’s topped with velvety cheese sauce!

YUM! Here’s how to make broccoli and cheese sauce.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prep The Broccoli

Rinse the broccoli, pat it dry with paper towels and then cut off most of the thick stalk (and discard).

Cut the broccoli into small florets, then place them in a steamer basket over about 2 inches of boiling water in a large saucepan.

Steam the broccoli florets (covered) for about 7-8 minutes or until they become tender. Remove and keep them hot.

TIP: Try to time the broccoli with the time the easy cheese sauce is done, so they are both ready (and hot) at the same time.

Make The Cheese Sauce

Now it’s time to make the simple cheddar cheese sauce which will be poured over the hot cooked broccoli.

Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan.

Once the butter has melted, whisk in 1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Whisk these ingredients together for about 1 minute.

This helps make a “roux”, or a thick paste out of the butter and flour. It also helps to cook the flour because it removes some of the flour “taste” from the roux.

Slowly pour 1 cup of whole milk into the roux, whisking constantly as you add it, to fully combine the milk with the butter and flour mixture.

Cook the mixture (uncovered) on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. Once the sauce has thickened, immediately remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add The Cheese!

Now it’s time to turn the thickened milk mixture into cheese sauce off of the heat. Add 1 cup of grated SHARP cheddar cheese and ½ teaspoon of salt to the saucepan.

Stir often as the cheese begins to melt. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted and has been fully incorporated into the sauce.

The cheese sauce will end up pale-yellow in color and should be a hot, slightly thick but smooth cheese sauce. Take a quick taste and add additional salt to suit your taste (if desired).

Drizzle or pour the hot cheese sauce over the hot, steamed broccoli and serve immediately (while it is still hot).

Serve and enjoy this simple “dressed up” vegetable side dish along with your favorite main dishes, etc. It is so easy make yet tastes quite yummy, too!

My hope is that you will have the chance to make this yummy vegetable dish for yourself and those you love. I trust you’ll enjoy it, too!

Thank you for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More Recipes For SAUCES (sweet/savory)?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have many sauce recipes available to choose from (sweet AND savory), including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Need a new side dish? Try this simple recipe for Broccoli and Cheese Sauce! Steamed broccoli is topped with creamy cheddar sauce. It's yummy!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: broccoli and cheese sauce

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 200 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For The Broccoli:

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

For The Cheese Sauce:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup 2% milk
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
½ teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse broccoli, pat it dry, then cut off the thick stalk (and discard). Cut broccoli into small florets. Cook them in a steamer basket over boiling water in a large saucepan (or use another cooking method you prefer). Steam them (covered) for 8 minutes or until broccoli is crisp- tender. Remove; keep broccoli hot.
TIP: Try to time the broccoli with when the cheese sauce is ready, so they're both ready at the same time.

Make Cheese Sauce:

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Once butter has melted, whisk in flour. Continue to whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to fully combine milk with the butter and flour mixture. Cook (uncovered) on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens. Once sauce thickens, remove saucepan from the heat.
Immediately add grated cheese and salt to the saucepan (off the heat). Stir often as cheese melts. Continue stirring until all cheese is melted. Cheese sauce should be pale-yellow in color and a hot, slightly thick but smooth sauce. Take a quick taste; add additional salt to suit your taste, if desired.
Drizzle or pour hot cheese sauce over hot broccoli; serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Broccoli and Cheese Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 (¼ of total))

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 548mg24%

Potassium 323mg9%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 856IU17%

Vitamin C 61mg74%

Calcium 304mg30%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

25
Jul
2026

Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices

categories: Canning And Preserving, Tip Of The Day, Vegetable Dishes

16 Shares

Pin16

Yum

Make Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices without canning! This EASY recipe yields 1 quart of yummy pickle slices for burgers and sandwiches.

Do you enjoy pickles? We sure do! Most of the time I can our homemade pickles, but sometimes I simply only need or want one jar of pickles that doesn’t require canning equipment. That’s where this recipe comes in handy!

Today I am sharing this recipe for making delicious dill pickle slices that all you do is layer pickling cucumber slices with a few other ingredients (brine, peppercorns, garlic and dill) in a jar and then refrigerate. That’s it!

After a week or two of refrigeration you will have a one-quart jar full of delicious dill pickle slices (sometimes a bit more) ready to enjoy and use for burgers, sandwiches or a quick snack!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Pickling Cucumbers

For this recipe you will need to use “pickling cucumbers”. Unlike “regular” sized cucumbers you would buy in the store, a pickling cucumber is much shorter in size.

Pickling cucumbers also have a “drier” peel”, which allows them to absorb more of the brine when you pickle them!

I am fortunate to grow pickling cucumbers each year in our little raised bed garden, but when they are in season, they can be found at many grocery stores or farmer’s markets.

In the second photo below, you can see several pickling cucumbers (front left) I picked along with some other veggies and fruit from our backyard garden.

How Many Pickling Cucumbers Will I Need?

Today I will be sharing a recipe that will fill a one-quart jar with refrigerator dill pickle slices. To make a one quart jar of pickles you will need approximately 6 pickling cucumbers (about 5-6″ long).

NOTE: Depending on the size cucumbers you use, you might end up with enough slices to fill a small half-pint jar, as well. I always say the minimum yield will fill a one-quart jar but please know you may get more slices out of your pickling cucumbers and require a second small jar!

The number of cucumbers you use will ultimately depend on how many jars you want to make, so the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for that purpose (as needed).

These pickle slices are refrigerated but are NOT canned, so they are very simple (and safe) to make. Since it is only my husband and I at home these days, we only need a one-quart jar of pickles every couple of months.

A Little Prep First

Before you pack the jar full of cucumber slices, you will need to make the pickle brine and let it cool to room temperature before using it.

Fill a medium sized saucepan with 2 cups of water, 1 cup of white vinegar (5%), 1 Tablespoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar.

Bring this liquid mixture quickly to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the salt and sugar fully dissolve. Once they are dissolved, take the pan off of the heat source and let the brine cool down until it reaches room temperature.

While the brine is cooling down, prepare the jar and the cucumber slices so they are ready to go once the brine reaches room temperature.

How To Make Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices

Prepare a quart sized jar by washing and drying it well. Wash all of the cucumbers you will be using. Cut off and discard both ends of each cucumber. Slice each cucumber into rounds, about ¼ inch thick or so.

Fill the jar by layering the cucumber slices with fresh dill, peeled and smashed garlic cloves, and peppercorns. You will put in a few slices, add dill, garlic cloves and peppercorns, then add more, etc. until the jar is full.

IMPORTANT: Fill the jars full but make sure you don’t pack the ingredients in too tightly, because you need room for the pickling brine to get through, okay?

I typically top off the jar with a couple more cloves of garlic, a few peppercorns and more dill. You can see them in the photo below.

Add The Brine

Pour the room temperature brine into the jar (or jars) you are using. Cover the pickle slices and extra ingredients completely with the brine.

Gently push the pickles (and spices) down into the jar (if necessary) to ensure they are completely covered with the liquid.

IMPORTANT: Fully cover everything with brine! This is very important, so the pickles (below the surface of the brine) can soak up all the flavor they need.

Seal the jar of pickle slices with an airtight lid. Place the sealed jar in the refrigerator and let them “pickle” for AT LEAST 1-2 weeks before you ever open the jar and eat them (for best flavor).

NOTE: I usually let my refrigerator dill pickle slices sit in the fridge for about 2 weeks before we open the jar, because that’s when I personally think they’ve reached the peak of flavor!

Storing The Pickles

Refrigerator dill pickle slices will typically last for several months if they remain fully covered by the brine in the jar and kept refrigerated. They are not shelf stable because they are not “canned”, so they must be refrigerated!

NOTE: I feel that these yummy pickles have their best flavor if they’re eaten within 3 months of making them! After that they’re still good (and safe) to eat but may have slightly diminished flavor.

The refrigerator dill pickle slices (shown below) are the last ones I removed from the jar (and refrigerator) about 3 months AFTER I made them. They were still absolutely delicious AND we loved using them on grilled hamburgers for dinner!

The key takeaway is to keep those pickle slices covered with brine the whole time they are refrigerated! Hope you like them!

I hope you have the opportunity to make a jar of these delicious refrigerator dill pickle slices for yourself and those you love. They really are quite GOOD!

Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a great day.

Looking For More SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of side dish recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Recipe adapted from and with thanks to: Krissy, at Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles – Self Proclaimed Foodie

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Make Refrigerator Dill Pickle Slices without canning! This EASY recipe yields 1 quart of yummy pickle slices for burgers and sandwiches.

Category: Condiment

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: refrigerator dill pickle slices

Servings: 1 quart jar + a ½ Pint jar

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For the Brine:

2 cups water
1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon granulated sugar

For The Pickles:

6 pickling cucumbers each approx. 5" long
½ bunch fresh dill torn into pieces (most of stem removed)
½ Tablespoon whole peppercorns (in spice section at most stores)
½ head garlic peeled/separated into cloves/smashed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Brine:

Fill medium saucepan with water, white vinegar (5%), kosher salt and granulated sugar. Bring this to a boil, stirring to make sure salt and sugar fully dissolve, then take the pan off the heat source. Let brine cool to room temperature.

To Make Pickles:

Wash and dry a quart sized jar. Next, wash the cucumbers. Cut off (discard) both ends of each cucumber. Slice cucumbers into rounds, approximately ¼ inch thick.
Fill the jar by layering cucumber slices with fresh dill, peeled and lightly smashed garlic cloves, and peppercorns. (Example: put in a few slices, add some dill, garlic cloves and peppercorns, then repeat this until the jar is full. IMPORTANT: Fill the jars full but don't pack ingredients in too tightly, because you need room for the pickling brine and spice to permeate the cucumbers.
Pour cooled brine into the jar (or jars). Cover ingredients with brine. Press slices (and spices) down into the jar to ensure they are fully covered. IMPORTANT: Fully cover everything with brine so the pickles (below the surface of the brine) can soak up all the flavor they need.
Seal the jar with an airtight lid. Place jar in the refrigerator; let them "pickle" AT LEAST 1-2 weeks before you open the jar and eat them (for best flavor).
NOTE: The pickles taste BEST if eaten within 3 months of making them! After that they're still good (and safe) to eat but may have slightly diminished flavor. Enjoy!

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

18
Jul
2026

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

categories: Chicken, Main Dish Salads

21 Shares

Pin21

Yum

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad is absolutely delicious with mixed greens, candied pecans, feta, mandarin oranges and balsamic dressing!

One of my favorite salads is one I order at a local restaurant, and it is amazing! A few months ago, after having it there once again, I decided to make the salad at home so my husband and I could have it any time we want!

I did a quick check of the menu description from the restaurant, then set about to create this absolutely delicious salad on my own (without a recipe).

This delicious chicken strawberry delight salad is the result, and it is scrumptious (if I do say so myself). Today I want to share the “how-to’s” so you can make this great salad, too!

You can use either grilled chicken OR you can use a rotisserie chicken breast when you want to shave off a lot of prep time. The photos below show what it looks like using a rotisserie chicken breast.

Here’s how to make a chicken delight strawberry salad, which will yield enough for two large main dish servings.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Candied Pecans

For this salad I use a very quick skillet method to lightly “candy” the pecans. If you don’t have pecans, substitute walnuts!

Place butter, water, a pinch of salt and some granulated sugar in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir well to combine as the butter begins to melt.

Once the butter is almost melted and the sugar has dissolved, stir in the pecan halves. Cook the pecans for about 5 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick and burn.

The pecans are done (and “candied”) when the liquid becomes syrupy, glossy and thickened. The pecans should be fully coated with the sweet buttery glaze.

Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the candied pecans to parchment paper. Spread them out in a single layer so they are not touching each other.

Let the pecans cool completely. The sweet glaze on them will harden in about 5-7 minutes. After they harden, separate them from the parchment paper and chop them into smaller pieces.

Set the candied chopped pecans aside until you are ready to make the salad later.

Build The Salad

Place cold mixed salad greens in a LARGE bowl. Top the salad greens with chopped red onions, roasted red peppers (from a jar) and fresh mandarin orange wedges.

Sprinkle the salad with the cooled, chopped candied pecan pieces. Now we’re ready to finish making this yummy salad!

Place strawberry slices all over the top of the salad. NOTE: Set aside 8-10 slices to use as garnish on the finished salads. Now doesn’t the salad look colorful and gorgeous?

Prepare Salad Dressing And Remaining Ingredients

Right before serving the salad, prepare a quick and easy balsamic dressing. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dried basil, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Whisk these dressing ingredients well using a small whisk or fork until they are fully combined. Set the dressing aside.

Cut pre-cooked chicken breast into small slices and crumble feta cheese (or bleu cheese) into small pieces. You will want them ready to go right after adding the salad dressing to the salad.

NOTE: Sometimes I pre-cook the chicken on a BBQ grill, but other times I simply use rotisserie chicken to make the prep much quicker! This time I am using rotisserie chicken.

Sprinkle the salad with about ½ of the feta (or bleu cheese) crumbles. NOTE: You will need to reserve the remaining half of the cheese crumbles to garnish each individual salad before serving!

Drizzle the salad with the balsamic dressing (use all of it). Gently toss the salad to coat everything with the dressing.

Serve The Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

Divide the salad evenly between two serving bowls (shown below). Now it’s time to “garnish” each salad with the remaining cheese crumbles, sliced chicken breast and reserved sliced strawberries.

For a pretty presentation I place the chicken slices on one side of each salad and then place some of the sliced strawberries next to the chicken

Sprinkle the top of each Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad with the remaining feta (or bleu cheese) crumbles and then this delicious salad is ready to be enjoyed.

Doesn’t it look GOOD? I love this Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad because there are so many colors, flavor and textures! Every bite is amazing and I am confident you are going to love it, too!

I trust you will have an opportunity to make this salad for yourself and someone you love. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we do (I’m confident you will).

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More MAIN DISH SALAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of main dish salad recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad is absolutely delicious with mixed greens, candied pecans, feta, mandarin oranges and balsamic dressing!

Category: Main Dish, Salad

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: chicken strawberry delight salad

Servings: 2 salads

Calories Per Serving: 750 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Candied Pecans:

2 teaspoons butter
⅓ cup pecan halves* *Can substitute walnuts
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons water
1 tiny pinch salt

For Salad (makes enough for two main dish salads):

5 cups mixed salad greens chilled
10 wedges mandarin oranges peeled, white pith removed
3 Tablespoons roasted red peppers (from jar) chopped
2 Tablespoons red onion (finely chopped)
10 large fresh strawberries* *DIVIDED USE, sliced thin
⅓ cup low-fat feta cheese (crumbled)* *DIVIDED USE
6 ounce pre-cooked chicken breast* * DIVIDED USE, thinly sliced

For Balsamic Salad Dressing:

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1½ Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch dried basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Candied Pecans:

Place butter, sugar, water, and salt in a large skillet on medium heat. Stir well to combine. Once butter is almost melted and sugar has dissolved, stir in pecans. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Pecans are "candied" when liquid is syrupy, glossy, thickened and pecans are coated with glaze. Immediately remove skillet from heat; transfer pecans to parchment paper. Spread in a single layer, not touching each other. Let pecans cool completely (glaze hardens in 5-7 minutes). Separate pecans from parchment paper; chop into smaller pieces. Set aside.

Build Salad:

Place cold salad greens in a LARGE bowl. Add mandarin orange slices, roasted red peppers and red onions. Sprinkle with chopped candied pecans, then add strawberry slices (reserve 4-5 slices to garnish each finished salad). Set aside.
Cut pre-cooked chicken breast into small slices; crumble feta cheese into small pieces. Sprinkle salad with ½ of the feta (or bleu cheese) crumbles. Reserve the chicken and remaining cheese crumbles to garnish each salad before serving!

Make Balsamic Dressing:

Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dried basil, sugar, salt and pepper together until fully combined in a small bowl. Drizzle salad with dressing right before serving (use all of it). Gently toss salad to disperse the dressing.

To Serve Salad:

Divide salad between two bowls. Garnish each salad with remaining feta cheese crumbles, sliced chicken breast and remaining strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Strawberry Delight Salad

Amount Per Serving (1 salad)

Calories 750 Calories from Fat 522

% Daily Value*

Fat 58g89%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 8g

Monounsaturated Fat 35g

Cholesterol 79mg26%

Sodium 1174mg51%

Potassium 852mg24%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 23g26%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 1466IU29%

Vitamin C 118mg143%

Calcium 82mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!