Nov
2022

No-Knead Mini Loaves

categories: Breads
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No-Knead Mini Loaves are crusty on the outside, soft on the inside and use only 4 ingredients! Makes enough for 5 small artisan bread loaves!
No-Knead Mini Loaves are crusty on the outside, soft on the inside and use only 4 ingredients! Makes enough for 5 small artisan bread loaves!

Today I want to share a fabulous recipe I found online a while back. The recipe is unique because you stir up dough in about 5 minutes, let it rise, and then refrigerate the dough until you want to bake a loaf or two of bread. The recipe (as written) will yield 4 large (1 pound) loaves OR if you make them a tiny bit smaller, you can make 5 no knead mini loaves from the dough. My husband and I enjoy the smaller loaves, since they’re the perfect size for the two of us.

After the dough has risen, it can be kept (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. That means you can have hot baked bread often! Isn’t that awesome? Then, when you want to bake a small loaf for dinner, just pull some of the dough out of the fridge about 1½ hours before you want to eat it. Shape the dough, let it rise for a short time, and then bake it FRESH! We love having enough dough in the fridge to make 5 mini loaves, because it’s so convenient! This amazing dough can also be used to make small dinner rolls, pizza dough, etc. Here’s how to make no knead mini loaves.

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

Make The Dough

To make the dough for this bread, you need to heat water to 100° F. (or 37.7°C). The water needs to be at this temperature when you add the yeast in order to activate it. If the water is too hot,  it can kill the yeast, and we don’t want that to happen! You also want to ensure the yeast you are using is still fresh. If you’re not sure if it’s fresh or not, you can check its viability by doing this.

Place the 100°F. water in a very large bowl or food-safe container (about 2 gallons), and whisk or stir in the active dry yeast until combined. Now add flour and salt to the liquid mixture and stir WELL to combine. This dough will be very thick and sticky, but just keep stirring until all the ingredients have been successfully combined.

Dry active yeast is whisked into warm water in a large, 2 gallon bowl.Flour and salt are stirred into the water and yeast to form a sticky bread dough.Thick and sticky, the dough is combined in a large bowl for the no knead mini loaves.

Let The Dough Rise

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then top the bowl with a kitchen dish towel. Place the bowl on the counter, in a warm place in your kitchen. Let the dough sit at room temperature, undisturbed for 2 hours.

After the dough has rested at room temperature for 2 hours, place the covered bowl into the refrigerator. Let the bread dough chill in the refrigerator overnight OR until 1½ hours before you want the baked bread to be ready! It should have doubled in size and be ready to go when you are!

I usually mix up the dough the night BEFORE I want to bake the bread. Then I pull out just enough dough to make a loaf or two, re-cover the remaining dough and pop it back in the fridge until I’m ready to make another fresh loaf. This bread dough will keep (if covered) up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so it’s really convenient to have around.

Bread dough is covered with plastic wrap and sits undisturbed at room temperature for 2 hours.

Ready To Make No-Knead Mini Loaves!

Okay… so now you’ve let the bread dough refrigerate overnight and it’s about 1½ hours before you want a nice hot, fresh loaf of bread. Here’s how to make the mini-loaves out of that beautifully risen dough! Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl.

Flour a banneton proofing basket generously with flour for each loaf you will be making (rice flour or all purpose), then set it aside. NOTE: If you do not have access to a banneton proofing basket, place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and lightly sprinkle it with flour.

Pull out a grapefruit sized portion of dough from the refrigerator (return remaining dough to fridge). With floured hands, shape it into a ball, by stretching out the dough and tucking the edges under the bottom of the dough ball. You want it to be smooth on top, and the outer edges tucked under to form a tight, round dough ball. Pinch the dough together on the bottom to seal the edges together as much as possible. Place the dough ball, top-side DOWN, into the prepared banneton. NOTE: If using parchment paper (no banneton), place the dough ball, top side UP onto the parchment paper.

Dough has risen to double its original size after being refrigerated overnight.Bread dough ball is transferred top side down into a floured banneton basket for rising.

Time To Bake Some Bread!

Cover the bread with a dish towel, set the banneton or parchment on the counter, and let it sit and rise at room temp. for 40 minutes. Halfway through this rising time (about 20 minutes), preheat your oven to 425°. At the same time, place a Dutch oven into the oven, so it will preheat, as well.

Once the dough has risen for 40 minutes, if using a banneton, carefully turn the banneton over onto a large sheet of parchment paper. TIP: Place a large sheet of parchment on a baking sheet, then turn it over to cover the banneton (paper onto banneton with baking sheet on top). Securely hold the baking sheet and banneton with both hands and carefully flip it over to release and invert the dough ball from the banneton onto the parchment paper.

Remove the hot Dutch oven from the preheated oven. Lift the parchment paper with the bread dough and lower the loaf carefully into the pan. Put the lid on the Dutch oven, place it back into the oven, and let it bake for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and continue baking uncovered for about 5 minutes or so, until the loaf is a light golden brown color on top.

Bread dough ball, transferred from banneton basket onto parchment paper.When the no knead mini loaves are golden brown in color, they are removed from the oven.

Who Wants A Warm Slice Of Homemade Bread?

Remove the pan from the oven, and carefully (it’s HOT) transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before attempting to slice it. Once the no knead mini loaves have cooled slightly, use a serrated knife to cut the warm bread into slices. We usually get between 6-8 thin slices per loaf. Grab some butter, spread it on thick, and enjoy a slice or two of these absolutely delicious no knead mini loaves!

One of the no knead mini loaves of hot bread, ready to be sliced.Slices of the no knead mini loaves on a wire rack, ready to be buttered and eaten.

I really hope you enjoy this delicious bread as much as we do! The first time I made an extra loaf for our son (who was sick), and took him some homemade hot soup and a fresh loaf of this bread. He said it was one of the best loaves of bread he has ever had! I really think you’ll enjoy it, too. It is so handy to have the dough already made up and in the fridge for when you want fresh hot bread for dinner! YUM!

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 GREAT day!

Looking For More BREAD Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious bread recipes, savory and sweet, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Original recipe source: With thanks to Carolyn Thomas, at: homesteadingfamily.com/no-knead-artisan-bread/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

5 from 1 vote
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No-Knead Mini Loaves
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Resting Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
 

No-Knead Mini Loaves are crusty on the outside, soft on the inside and use only 4 ingredients! Makes enough for 5 small artisan bread loaves!

Category: Bread
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: no-knead mini loaves
Servings: 5 small loaves
Calories Per Serving: 597 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 3 cups water at 100°F. temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 6½ cups all purpose flour or combo of whole wheat/all purpose
  • 1½ Tablespoons sea salt
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
To Make Dough:

  1. Place the 100°F. water in a very large bowl or food-safe container (about 2 gallons), and whisk or stir in the active dry yeast until combined. Now add flour and salt to the liquid mixture and stir WELL to combine. This dough will be very thick and sticky, but just keep stirring until all the ingredients have been successfully combined.

  2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then top the bowl with a kitchen dish towel. Place the bowl on the counter, in a warm place in your kitchen. Let the dough sit at room temperature, undisturbed for 2 hours.

    After the dough has rested at room temperature for 2 hours, place the covered bowl into the refrigerator. Let the bread dough chill in the refrigerator overnight OR until 1½ hours before you want the baked bread to be ready! It should have doubled in size.

To Make Loaves: (Begin 1½ hours before you want a fresh loaf)

  1. Flour a banneton proofing basket (for each loaf) generously with flour; set aside. NOTE: If not using a banneton, place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter; sprinkle with flour.

    Pull out a grapefruit-sized amount of dough from bowl (return remaining dough to fridge). With floured hands, shape it into a ball, by stretching out dough and tucking edges under the bottom. You want it smooth on top, and outer edges tucked under, forming a tight, round dough ball. Pinch dough edges together on the bottom to seal edges as much as possible. Place dough ball, top-side DOWN, into prepared banneton. NOTE: If using parchment paper (no banneton), place dough ball, top side UP onto prepared parchment paper.

  2. Cover bread with a dish towel. Set banneton or parchment on counter; let it sit/rise at room temp. for 40 minutes. Halfway through rising time (20 minutes), preheat oven to 425°. Place Dutch oven into the oven, so it will preheat, as well.

  3. Once dough has sat for 40 minutes, if using a banneton, carefully turn the banneton over onto a large sheet of parchment paper. TIP: Place a large sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet, then turn it over on top of the banneton (paper onto banneton with baking sheet on top). Securely hold baking sheet and banneton with both hands; carefully flip it over to release and invert the dough ball from banneton onto parchment.

  4. Remove Dutch oven from the preheated oven (it's HOT). Lift parchment paper with dough ball; lower loaf carefully into pan. Put the lid on Dutch oven; place back in oven; bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid; continue baking uncovered for about 5 minutes, until loaf is light golden brown in color.

  5. Remove pan from oven. Carefully lift paper/bread loaf out; transfer bread to wire rack to cool 4-5 minutes before slicing with a serrated knife. Enjoy!

  6. NOTE: Dough will keep, (covered in fridge) up to 2 weeks. Each time you want a fresh loaf, follow instructions above for making a new loaf!

Nutrition Facts
No-Knead Mini Loaves
Amount Per Serving (1 loaf (1/5 of total))
Calories 597 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 0.3g2%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Sodium 2104mg91%
Potassium 190mg5%
Carbohydrates 125g42%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 0.4g0%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin C 0.004mg0%
Calcium 30mg3%
Iron 8mg44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!No-Knead Mini Loaves are crusty on the outside, soft on the inside and use only 4 ingredients! Makes enough for 5 small artisan bread loaves!


Nov
2022

Banana Streusel Coffeecake

categories: Breakfast
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Banana Streusel Coffeecake is a yummy breakfast treat, featuring a banana sour cream coffeecake with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping.
Banana Streusel Coffeecake is a yummy breakfast treat, featuring a banana sour cream coffeecake with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping.

We LOVE coffeecake! How about you? There’s just something about a slice of delicious coffeecake to go with my big old mug of hot coffee in the morning! Today I want to share this recipe for a delicious banana streusel coffeecake that is simple to make, and tastes wonderful!

This coffeecake is truly not difficult to prepare, and yields 12 slices of yummy coffeecake, perfect for a breakfast or afternoon snack! Here’s how to make this treat.

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

Prepare The Coffeecake Batter

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Preheat your oven to 350°F.  You will also need to line a 9″ cake pan with parchment paper (extending the paper to overhang the edges of the pan).

Leave parchment paper hanging over the sides, because you will lift the finished coffeecake out of the pan later using the excess paper as “handles”. Lightly spray the parchment paper with non-stick baking spray.

Okay… now it’s time to make the batter for this coffeecake. Place melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, an egg plus an egg yolk, sour cream and coffee powder in a large mixing bowl. Mix these wet ingredients together until combined and the batter is smooth. Add mashed bananas to the bowl and stir until the mashed bananas have been fully incorporated into the batter.

Batter ingredients for the coffeecake are combined in a large mixing bowl.Mashed bananas are added to the batter and mixed until the batter becomes smooth and thick.

Combine And Add Dry Ingredients To Batter

In a separate bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, baking soda and salt. These are the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time to the wet ingredients (the batter), and stir only until all ingredients have been combined. Don’t overmix! You will be left with a fairly thick coffeecake batter. Set this aside while you make the streusel topping.

Flour, baking soda and salt are whisked together until combined.The flour mixture is then added, a little at a time, to the wet banana batter.A very thick batter is now ready to pour into the baking pan.

Make The Streusel Topping

Place flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and small chunks of COLD butter in a medium bowl. Use a hand held pastry blender, two forks (or your fingers), and cut the butter into the other ingredients until the streusel crumbs become about the size of peas.

Flour, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon and cold butter are placed in bowl to combine into topping.A pastry cutter is used to cut the cold butter into the streusel topping.

Bake The Banana Streusel Coffeecake

Spread the banana streusel coffeecake batter evenly in the parchment paper-lined cake pan. Sprinkle all of the streusel topping over the top of the batter, making sure to coat the entire surface.

Coffeecake batter is spread into a parchment paper lined cake pan.Streusel topping is sprinkled over the entire top surface of the coffeecake.

Bake the coffeecake at 350°F. for about 45 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted into the top middle of the coffeecake comes out clean. Your time may vary just a bit due to oven temperature variations. When done, remove the pan from the oven, and transfer it to a wire rack to cool.

Let the banana streusel coffeecake cool for 10-15 minutes, then carefully lift it up and out of the pan by using the parchment paper “handles”. Place the coffeecake back onto the wire rack and let it cool completely before removing the parchment paper.

After baking, the banana streusel coffeecake cools in the pan, on a wire rack.

Who Wants A Slice Of Banana Streusel Coffeecake?

When the banana streusel coffeecake has cooled completely (to room temperature), remove the parchment paper from the sides and bottom. Now this delicious coffeecake is ready to slice and serve! We feel this coffeecake tastes the absolute best when served at room temperature! Cut the coffeecake into 12 wedges and serve with a steaming cup of coffee, tea OR a big old glass of cold milk. YUM!

The recipe will yield 12 nice sized pieces, and any leftovers will keep (covered, at room temp.) for several days. Any leftover coffeecake slices can also be frozen, if wrapped and stored in an airtight container or wrapped well in aluminum foil.

The banana streusel coffeecake is cut into wedge shaped pieces before serving.One slice of the banana streusel coffeecake, on a white plate, ready to be eaten.

I really hope you try this absolutely delicious banana streusel coffeecake. I’m confident you’re going to love it! Thank you for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More COFFEECAKE 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 coffeecake recipes for you to check out, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Author's signature

Original recipe adapted from Lauren Miyashiro at: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a57269/banana-bread-coffee-cake-recipe/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Banana Streusel Coffeecake
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

Banana Streusel Coffeecake is a yummy breakfast treat, featuring a banana sour cream coffeecake with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping.

Category: Breakfast, Desssert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana streusel coffeecake
Servings: 12 slices
Calories Per Serving: 336 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Coffeecake Batter:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter melted (½ cup= 1 stick)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg YOLK
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ teaspoon instant coffee granules (finely ground) or espresso powder
  • 3 bananas (very ripe) mashed
For Streusel Topping:
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 Tablespoons cold butter cut in small cubes
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a 9" cake pan with parchment paper, leaving some parchment paper hanging over the sides. You'll lift the coffeecake out of the pan later using excess paper as "handles". Lightly spray parchment paper with non-stick baking spray. Set pan aside.

  2. Make Batter: Place melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, an egg plus an egg yolk, sour cream and coffee powder in a large bowl. Mix together until combined and smooth. Add mashed bananas; stir until they're fully incorporated into the batter.

  3. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Add this dry mix a little at a time to the wet batter. Stir only until ingredients have been combined. Don't overmix! Set bowl aside.

  4. Make streusel: Place flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and chunks of COLD butter in a medium bowl. Use a hand held pastry blender, two forks (or your fingers), to cut the butter in until the streusel crumbs are about the size of peas.

  5. Spread batter evenly in the parchment paper-lined cake pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter, coating the entire surface.

  6. Bake coffeecake at 350°F. for 45 minutes OR until a toothpick inserted into the top middle of the coffeecake comes out clean. Your time may vary a bit due to oven temperature variations. When done, remove pan from oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then carefully lift it out of the pan by using the parchment paper "handles". Place coffeecake back on wire rack; cool completely before removing parchment paper.

  7. Remove parchment paper from coffeecake sides and bottom. Cut the coffeecake into 12 wedges and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Banana Streusel Coffeecake
Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/12 of total))
Calories 336 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Trans Fat 0.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 342mg15%
Potassium 174mg5%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 30g33%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 410IU8%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 30mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Banana Streusel Coffeecake is a yummy breakfast treat, featuring a banana sour cream coffeecake with a brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping.


Nov
2022

Classic Turkey Croquettes

categories: Holidays!, Main Dishes, Turkey
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Use leftover turkey to make Classic Turkey Croquettes! An old diner favorite, with turkey, potatoes and spices, baked and topped with gravy.
Use leftover turkey to make Classic Turkey Croquettes! An old diner favorite, with turkey, potatoes and spices, baked and topped with gravy.

After Thanksgiving has come and gone, and all the turkey sandwiches have been enjoyed, do you ever glance at the remaining turkey meat leftover and wonder what to do with the rest of it?

Well, today I want to share with you a recipe for classic turkey croquettes, that are a perfect solution for that leftover turkey!

What Is A CROQUETTE?

First let’s talk about what a “croquette” is, ok? Many countries have their own version, but the word “croquette” has French origins, and comes from the word “croquer” which means “to crunch”. There are recipes for croquettes that date back to the 17th century!

Croquettes typically contain meat, seafood or veggies, mixed with a thick “binder” to hold it all together, like potatoes, bread or sauces. They can be shaped into balls or oval disks, and are usually breaded and then deep fried. *Info source credit here.*

Apparently, croquettes started becoming popular in the U.S. in the early 1900’s and were a common, but popular diner meal.

I originally found this printed recipe taped onto an index card in an old recipe box. There was no mention on the card of the source, so I am grateful for whoever came up with this yummy recipe originally.

These turkey croquettes are good old comfort food at its best! Here’s how to make classic turkey croquettes.

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

Prepare Potatoes For The Filling

The first thing I do when preparing this recipe is to preheat the oven to  350°F. and cook the potatoes. Now… if you just happen to have 2 cups of mashed potatoes lying around, by all means use them! I typically don’t, so I make them from scratch.

You’ll need 2 cups of mashed potatoes for this recipe, which is the equivalent of about 3 medium-sized russet potatoes. Peel the potatoes, then cut them into small chunks. Place them in a large saucepan and cover them with water.

Bring the water to a full boil on medium-high heat, and then cook the potatoes until they’re tender. This usually takes about 15 minutes, and you can check for tenderness by inserting a knife into a potato chunk. It should glide right into the potato, if tender.

Drain the potatoes, then mash them, without adding any butter or milk. Mash by hand or by using an electric mixer until the potatoes are lump-free. Set aside.

Peeled and cubed potatoes are boiled until tender.The cooked potatoes are mashed with an electric mixer until lump-free.

Prepare The Croquette Ingredients

Place the leftover pieces of turkey into a food processor and pulse about 6-8 times or until the meat become minced into very small pieces.

If you do not have access to a food processor, finely mince the turkey meat by hand with a sharp knife. Place 2 cups of the minced turkey in a large mixing bowl. 

Add chopped onions, Italian bread crumbs (reserving part for later), salt, pepper, tarragon, sage, Worcestershire sauce and an egg to the turkey.

Stir these ingredients well, to fully combine them. Once combined, add the mashed potatoes to the mixture, and fold (or gently stir) them in, until fully incorporated.

Pieces of leftover turkey are minced, using a food processor.Turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onions and spices are placed in large mixing bowl and combined.Mashed potatoes are added and folded in to the meat mixture for turkey croquettes.

Final Step

After folding in the mashed potatoes, the turkey croquette mixture will be mostly “bound together”, but might still be a bit crumbly. This is where you need to add a small amount of turkey or chicken stock, ONLY UNTIL THE MIXTURE BINDS TOGETHER.

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of stock, but it usually does not take all of it to bind the ingredients together.

Add a little bit of the stock at a time, and stir after each addition. You need the meat mixture to easily be formed into a meatball shape, where the ingredients will hold together.

Potatoes have been added to the turkey croquette mixture and combined.A small amount of turkey or chicken stock is added to help bind the turkey mixture together.

Shape The Turkey Croquettes

Form the turkey croquettes into a meatball shape, by scooping out a generous heaping Tablespoon of the meat mixture and shape it into a ball using your hands to roll and form it.

Place each croquette onto wax paper, and continue until all the turkey mixture is used. The recipe, as written, will yield somewhere between 16-20 meatballs, but I usually get 19!

Place the reserved bread crumbs on a small plate, and roll each of the turkey croquettes around in it, until all sides are coated with the bread crumbs. 

Heaping Tablespoons of turkey mixture is shaped into round balls.Each of the classic turkey croquettes are rolled in Italian bread crumbs before baking.

Ready To Bake

Place the bread crumb-coated turkey croquettes onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.

Bake the croquettes at 350°F. for 28-30 minutes (mine usually take 30 minutes!) Please note that the baked croquettes will not brown a lot, so don’t expect that!

TIP: If you want to freeze some of the classic turkey croquettes for later use, do this BEFORE baking. Place the bread crumb-coated croquettes on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours until solidly frozen.

Remove them from the baking sheet and place them in a freezer bag, label with oven temps, etc., and save for another day!

Bread crumb-coated turkey croquettes are placed on baking sheet to cook in the oven.One of the baked classic turkey croquettes after coming out of the oven.

Serving Classic Turkey Croquettes

Classic turkey croquettes are always topped with hot chicken or turkey gravy to serve. Please note that I have not included a gravy recipe in the written recipe below.

You can use your own homemade chicken or turkey gravy, OR you can use purchased bottled gravy or mix at the grocery store. The type of gravy you use is entirely YOUR CHOICE, but just know that you really will want that delicious, hot gravy on top!

Place the hot croquettes on each plate, then spoon gravy over the top of each one, to serve. If you prefer store bought or making your own, by all means, use it! Whatever is the most convenient and the easiest for you, is the best plan! No judgement here.

We enjoy eating classic turkey croquettes served with fresh green beans (from our garden!), and Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams on the side. This meal “felt” like Thanksgiving, with all those great colors and flavors. YUM YUM!

Classic turkey croquettes are covered with gravy, and served with green beans and yams on the side.One of the classic turkey croquettes is cut in half to reveal the inside.

I hope you will consider trying these classic turkey croquettes, and trust you will enjoy them like we do! They can easily be reheated in the microwave, which makes perfect for a quick lunch the next day or two!

We eat part of them for dinner, have a few leftovers for lunch the next day or two, plus I freeze about half of them (before baking) to use for later meals. It’s really easy on the ol’ budget that way, too!

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you with much to be thankful for, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More TURKEY Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some truly delicious recipes using turkey, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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.
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Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Classic Turkey Croquettes
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

Use leftover turkey to make Classic Turkey Croquettes! An old diner favorite, with turkey, potatoes and spices, baked and topped with gravy.

Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: classic turkey croquettes
Servings: 6 (3 per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 277 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked turkey meat minced
  • 1 cup yellow onions chopped
  • 2 cups Italian bread crumbs (or plain) DIVIDED USE!
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning (or ground sage)
  • ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (EACH)
  • 2 cups mashed russet potatoes approx. 3 medium
  • ½ cup turkey or chicken stock use only enough to bind meat
Top croquettes with your choice of homemade or purchased turkey or chicken gravy (heated)
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to  350°F.

    2. Peel potatoes; cut into small chunks; place them in a large saucepan/cover with water. Bring to full boil on medium-high heat. Cook until they're tender (approx. 15 min.). Check tenderness by inserting knife into potato (should glide right into potato). Drain potatoes, then mash, by hand or mixer until lump-free. Set aside.

    3. Place cooked turkey into food processor; pulse 6-8 times or until turkey is minced into small pieces, OR mince turkey by hand with a sharp knife. Put turkey in large bowl. Add onions, 1½ cups bread crumbs (reserving ½ cup for later), salt, pepper, tarragon, sage, Worcestershire and egg to bowl. Stir well, to combine. Add mashed potatoes; fold (or gently stir) them in, until fully incorporated.

    4. Add turkey/chicken stock a little bit at a time, stirring it into turkey mixture ONLY until turkey mixture binds together (usually doesn't take all of it to bind the ingredients together.

    5. Scoop a generous heaping Tablespoon of turkey mixture and shape it into a ball using hands to roll/form it. Place croquette onto wax paper; continue until all turkey mixture is gone. **Recipe (as written) yields between 16-20 croquettes.

    6. Place reserved ½ cup bread crumbs on a small plate. Roll each turkey croquette in it, until coated on all sides with bread crumbs.

    7. Put croquettes on ungreased baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake at 350°F. for 28-30 minutes. Note that baked croquettes will not brown a lot. **TIP: If you want to freeze some croquettes for later use, do this BEFORE baking. Place bread crumb-coated croquettes on foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze several hours until solidly frozen. Remove croquettes from foil; place in a freezer bag, label with oven temps, etc., and save for another day!

    8. To serve: Classic turkey croquettes should be topped with turkey or chicken gravy to serve. Use your own homemade or purchased gravy for this. Place baked croquettes on serving plates. Spoon hot gravy over each croquette to serve.

    Recipe Notes

    Caloric calculation was made using 3 croquettes per serving. Gravy to top croquettes was not included in the Caloric calculation, as different varieties may be used.

    Nutrition Facts
    Classic Turkey Croquettes
    Amount Per Serving (1 (3 croquettes))
    Calories 277 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0.01g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 63mg21%
    Sodium 756mg33%
    Potassium 504mg14%
    Carbohydrates 40g13%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 19g38%
    Vitamin A 151IU3%
    Vitamin C 6mg7%
    Calcium 102mg10%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Use leftover turkey to make Classic Turkey Croquettes! An old diner favorite, with turkey, potatoes and spices, baked and topped with gravy.


    Nov
    2022

    Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

    categories: Cakes, Desserts, Holidays!
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    Make a delicious Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll for the holidays (or any time)! This classic dessert has sweet cream cheese filling rolled inside!
    Make a delicious Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll for the holidays (or any time)! This classic dessert has sweet cream cheese filling rolled inside!

    I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the classic Fall flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves! This dessert takes those flavors and imports them into a thin cake that is spread with sweet cream cheese filling and rolled into a long “log” of sorts. After chilling, the pumpkin roll is sliced, revealing the spiral shaped cream cheese filling.

    This pumpkin cream cheese roll not only LOOKS good, it tastes WONDERFUL! NOTE: Don’t be scared off by the amount of photos or the long recipe card instructions! I only want to give you explicit instructions so you, too, can be confident in making this recipe! Today I want to share all this so you see how simple it actually is to make this lip-smackin’ dessert!

    My youngest sister Joni recently visited us in Oregon from her home in Georgia. I asked her before she got here to email me the recipe she’s used for years to make pumpkin rolls, and told her we’d make it together (and photograph the steps), so I could share it here on my blog. We had fun making this pumpkin roll, and shared it with our extended family at a dessert night. So… here’s how to make a delicious pumpkin cream cheese roll for holidays, Fall, or any time of year!

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

    First Things First

    Preheat your oven to 350°F. while you prepare the pumpkin roll. Grease and flour a 10″ by 15″ cookie sheet or jelly roll pan GENEROUSLY. I can’t say this enough. You need to generously grease then generously flour the bottom and sides of the pan, so the cake will release easier when you flip it out of the pan later. This is the method I used in the photos below.

    Another option for preparing the baking sheet is to lightly grease the pan, then place a large sheet of parchment paper in the pan (to fit). Use softened butter to then generously “grease” the parchment paper (all of it) before adding the pumpkin batter to the pan.

    Make The Pumpkin Batter

    Beat eggs and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on High speed in a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl). Continue beating these two ingredients for about 1-2 minutes until well-combined and the sugar has dissolved.

    Mix in pumpkin puree and lemon juice on Low speed only until they have been incorporated into the egg mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. STIR the dry ingredients into the pumpkin batter until combined.

    Eggs and sugar are beaten with an electric mixer until sugar dissolves.Pumpkin puree and lemon juice are mixed into the egg mixture for the pumpkin roll batter.Flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and other ingredients are added to the pumpkin batter.

    Time To Bake!

    Pour the pumpkin batter into the prepared baking pan, and spread it out, evenly filling the pan. Place the pan into a preheated 350° oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top/middle comes out clean. Another way to test for doneness is by lightly touching the surface of the cake with a finger. If the “cake” springs back, it should be done.

    Pumpkin roll batter is spread in a large greased/floured cookie sheet.

    Prepare Damp Towel For Cake While It’s Baking

    A few minutes before the cake is done baking, wet a large kitchen dish towel with water and then wring the excess water out. Lay the very damp towel on the kitchen counter and GENEROUSLY sift powdered sugar over the surface. You want enough powdered sugar to be the same size/shape as the baking pan. The cake will be turned out onto the towel, and the powdered sugar will help the cake to not stick.

    Sifted powdered sugar is used to cover a damp kitchen towel where the baked cake will go.

    Remove Cake From Pan Immediately After Baking

    As soon as the cake is finished baking, check for doneness, and remove the pan from the oven. Use an offset spatula (or regular long one) to loosen all the edges (sides and under) the cake. You may find you need to really get the spatula under that pumpkin roll to loosen it from the pan. Carefully slide the spatula around under the cake, trying not to cut up the cake with the spatula as much as possible. NOTE: If using the alternative parchment paper method, simply go around the edges of the cake to loosen from the sides.

    Using oven mitts, hold the pan on both of the short sides of the pan, and immediately invert (flip over) the pan of “loosened” cake onto the powdered sugar on the damp towel. It may not look perfect, but remember that this “top surface” will be covered with the cream cheese filling later! NOTE: Remove the parchment paper carefully (if you used that method). NOW it’s time to roll the cake up while it is still hot.

    The pumpkin cake is removed from the oven after baking, and edges are loosened from pan.Pumpkin cake is inverted onto the powdered sugar lined damp dish towel while still hot.

    Rolling Up The Cake With The Towel Inside

    Beginning with the LONG side of the pumpkin roll, fold the still damp towel over the bottom edge of the cake (about 2″ or so). Carefully and tightly roll the towel INTO the cake as you go. Roll until it is completely rolled up and the “seam” side is on the bottom.

    Once rolled (with the towel inside), let the pumpkin roll sit and rest/cool on the counter for 30 minutes, before proceeding to the next step.

    The damp dish towel is rolled up into the pumpkin cake to form a long roll.Finishing rolling up the damp dish towel and pumpkin cake into a log shape, before it rests.

    Fill the Pumpkin Roll And Roll Again

    Okay… once the cake is rolled in the towel and “resting”, it’s time to make the simple cream cheese filling! Place cream cheese, butter, a cup of powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat these ingredients until smooth, fully combined and lump-free.

    After the pumpkin roll has cooled (rolled in the towel) for 30 minutes, carefully unroll the cake. Evenly spread the cream cheese filling over the surface of the cake, all the way to the edges.

    Now you need to re-roll the cake, but this time only use the towel to help guide the rolling. You will now roll the cream cheese covered cake up tightly, starting again on the long side, but rolling the cake by itself (no towel IN the cake). The towel is simply used to help roll the cake as one long unit (see 3rd photo of my sister rolling it below). Your pumpkin roll should now be fully rolled up only as cake and filling.

    Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla are combined for pumpkin roll filling.The cream cheese filling is spread on the unrolled pumpkin cake after it has rested.Now the pumpkin cream cheese roll is re-rolled without the dish towel rolled up inside.

    Wrap And Chill for Best Results

    Carefully transfer the finished pumpkin roll to a large sheet of parchment paper and carefully seal the cake. Place the parchment paper-wrapped roll onto a large sheet of aluminum foil, and wrap and seal the package. At this point, you can either freeze the pumpkin roll to be thawed later OR refrigerate it to serve it chilled that same day.

    This pumpkin cream cheese roll freezes well, and only needs to thaw for 15-25 minutes before slicing and serving it.  This makes it very convenient to make this dessert ahead of time if that works best for you! When you want to enjoy the pumpkin roll, just pull it out of the freezer, unwrap, and let it thaw slightly! The pumpkin roll tastes best when served slightly chilled.

    The pumpkin cream cheese roll will now be well-wrapped and refrigerated or frozen before serving.

    Serve The Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll

    Transfer the pumpkin cream cheese roll to a large serving platter, and give it a good dusting of sifted powdered sugar right before slicing. The cake may absorb some of the powdered sugar, so if you see that, simply sift a bit more on top for a light dusting! It’s so pretty to decorate the platter with some Autumn colors or garnishes of your choice to add to the Fall theme!

    Cut the pumpkin roll with a sharp knife into 10 slices, then serve, sliced side up! Once sliced, you will be able to see the spiraled cream cheese filling inside the pumpkin roll. The combination of the pumpkin flavored cake (seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) screams “Fall”, and the cream cheese filling sends it over the top! It’s so yummy, and we think it’s a perfect Fall or Thanksgiving dessert! Be sure to store any leftovers (wrapped well) in the refrigerator.

    The pumpkin cream cheese roll is sprinkled with powdered sugar before slicing to serve.A slice of the pumpkin cream cheese roll reveals the spiraled cream cheese filling inside.

    I hope you have the opportunity to make this fabulous pumpkin cream cheese roll for those you love, and trust you enjoy it’s great flavor! Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to stop by! 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 PUMPKIN Recipes?

    You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes featuring pumpkin to enjoy, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source: my sister Joni (she does not remember where she got the recipe from, many years ago)

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    14 mins
    Resting Time (cooling)
    30 mins
    Total Time
    54 mins
     

    Make a delicious Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll for the holidays (or any time)! This classic dessert has sweet cream cheese filling rolled inside!

    Category: Dessert, Holidays
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: pumpkin cream cheese roll
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories Per Serving: 272 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    For Pumpkin Roll:
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ⅖ cup pumpkin puree NOT pie filling!
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ¾ cup all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • **damp dish towel and powdered sugar for dusting
    For Filling:
    • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 4 Tablespoons butter softened
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • powdered sugar for dusting
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Option #1: Generously grease/flour a 10" x 15" cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Option#2: Lightly grease pan; place parchment paper in pan (to fit). Use butter to generously "grease" parchment paper (all of it).

    2. Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on High. Continue beating for 1-2 minutes until well-combined/sugar dissolves. Add pumpkin and lemon juice. Beat on Low only until incorporated into egg mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. STIR this into pumpkin mixture until combined.

    3. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread it evenly in pan. Place in oven. Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top/middle comes out clean, OR lightly touching the cake surface with a finger. If cake springs back, it should be done.

    4. 3-4 minutes before cake is done, soak a kitchen dish towel with water; wring excess water out. Lay damp towel on counter; GENEROUSLY sift powdered sugar over towel in same size/shape as the baking pan. Cake will be turned out onto the towel; powdered sugar will help it to not stick.

    5. When cake is done, remove from oven and immediately use an offset or regular metal spatula to loosen all edges (sides and under) the cake. Carefully slide spatula around under cake, to loosen it as much as possible. NOTE: If using alternative parchment paper method, simply run spatula around edges of cake to loosen. Using oven mitts, hold pan on both short sides; immediately invert (flip over) pan of "loosened" cake onto powdered sugar on towel. It may not look perfect, but this will be covered with cream cheese filling later! NOTE: Peel parchment paper carefully off cake (if you used that method).

    6. Roll the cake while it's still hot. Beginning with the LONG side, fold damp towel over bottom edge of the cake (about 2"). Carefully and tightly roll towel INTO the cake, forming a log-shaped roll. Continue until fully rolled and "seam" side is on the bottom. Once rolled (with towel inside), let it cool for 30 minutes.

    7. While cake cools, place cream cheese, butter, a powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat with electric mixer until combined/lump-free. After pumpkin roll has cooled for 30 minutes, carefully unroll cake. Evenly spread cream cheese filling over the top of the cake, all the way to the edges.

    8. Re-roll the cake, but this time only use the towel to help guide the rolling. Starting rolling again on the long side, but roll cake into itself (no towel IN the cake). Use the towel to help roll cake as one long unit, with seam on bottom.

    9. Carefully transfer pumpkin roll to parchment paper and wrap it, then cover with aluminum foil and seal. You can freeze the pumpkin roll at this point OR refrigerate it to serve later the same day. Note; If freezing, frozen roll needs to be thawed for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

    10. To serve: Place unwrapped chilled pumpkin roll on serving platter. Sift powdered sugar on top just before slicing. Cut pumpkin roll into 10 slices, then serve, with the sliced side up! Wrap any leftovers well, and store in refrigerator. Enjoy!

    Recipe Notes

    NOTE: Caloric calculation does not include additional powdered sugar used to sprinkle on the damp dish towel or dust the finished cake, as the amounts may vary per cook.

    Nutrition Facts
    Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll
    Amount Per Serving (1 slice (1/10 of total))
    Calories 272 Calories from Fat 90
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 10g15%
    Saturated Fat 6g38%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Cholesterol 80mg27%
    Sodium 257mg11%
    Potassium 154mg4%
    Carbohydrates 42g14%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 34g38%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 1872IU37%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 69mg7%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a delicious Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll for the holidays (or any time)! This classic dessert has sweet cream cheese filling rolled inside!

     

     


    Nov
    2022

    Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams

    categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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    Baked Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams are amazing! Canned yams are mashed, topped with cranberries, apples & pecans, then drizzled with caramel.Baked Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams are amazing! Canned yams are mashed, topped with cranberries, apples & pecans, then drizzled with caramel.

    Looking for an amazing side dish that is delicious enough to serve for the holidays? Or are you looking for a side dish recipe that goes well with a chicken, beef or pork dinner, any time of year?

    Guess what? I think you will LOVE this recipe for cranberry caramel apple yams! This recipe will make 8 small servings or 6 slightly larger servings.

    This is an easy to prepare layered side dish that tastes wonderful! The bottom layer is creamy mashed yams (with brown sugar), the middle layer is cranberries, apples, walnuts or pecans, and the top is drizzled with caramel sauce!

    This recipe uses canned yams, which makes it convenient, practically effortless to make, and saves a lot of preparation time, too!

    Put those layers of goodness together and you have a colorful, lip-smackin’ delicious side dish! The recipe for cranberry caramel apple yams originated in an old cookbook I had, and now I can’t wait to share it with you. Here’s how to make this dish.

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

    Prepare The Yams (Layer #1)

    Before beginning, preheat your oven to 350°F., and lightly spray or grease the bottom and sides of a 2 quart baking dish.

    Drain the liquid from a large can of yams, then place them in a mixing bowl, along with packed brown sugar and salt. Use an electric mixer to combine these ingredients until thoroughly “mashed” and smooth in texture.

    Spread the mashed yam mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Set the dish aside while you prepare the cranberry apple layer.

    Drained canned yams, salt and brown sugar are combined in a medium bowl.An electric mixer is used to mash the yams until smooth in texture.Mashed brown sugar yams are spread in a greased 2 quart baking dish.

    Cook The Cranberry Apple Mixture (Layer #2)

    Place fresh or frozen (unthawed) cranberries, chopped apple, granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan.

    Cook the fruit mixture on Medium heat for about 7-10 minutes, stirring often, until most of the cranberries have popped and burst open. As the cranberries “pop”, this fruit mixture will thicken slightly.

    Cranberries, chopped apple, granulated sugar and water are placed in a medium saucepan.Cranberry/apple mixture is cooked 7-10 minutes or until cranberries pop or burst open.

    Remove the saucepan from the heat source and stir in chopped walnuts or pecans (whichever you prefer or have available).

    Spoon the cranberry/apple mixture over the top of the yams in the baking dish, covering as much of the surface as possible.

    Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) are stirred into cranberry/apple mixture in pan.The cranberry/apple/nut mixture is spread on top of the mashed yams in baking dish.

    Make The Simple Caramel Topping (Layer #3)

    Now it’s time to make a simple caramel sauce to drizzle over the top of this dish! It’s EASY! Stir brown sugar, butter and 1 Tablespoon water together in a small saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil on medium-low heat.

    Continue to let the sauce boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly while it cooks. After it has boiled for two minutes, remove the pan from the heat. IMMEDIATELY drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the top of the cranberry/apple layer. Now the cranberry caramel apple yams are ready to bake!

    Butter, brown sugar and a Tablespoon of water are placed in pan to make caramel sauce.Caramel sauce is boiled for two minutes before being removed from heat.Hot caramel sauce is drizzled over the top of the cranberry/apple/nut layer.

    Time To Enjoy The Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams

    Bake the yams (uncovered) at 350°F. for 15-17 minutes. They are done when fully heated through! Serve the cranberry caramel apple yams while hot, and enjoy the creamy yams, tangy and sweet fruit, crunchy nuts, and sweet caramel sauce on top.

    This dish goes GREAT with chicken, beef and pork, and would be a great addition to any holiday feast! The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled, and is truly a delicious yet simple dish to prepare.

    YUM! I even enjoy grabbing a spoonful of the leftovers at room temperature. This dish is so good I can’t help myself. We enjoyed the yams this time, served alongside Classic Turkey Croquettes!

    The cranberry caramel apple yams are baked for 15 minutes to fully heat them through.A fork, holding a bite of the cranberry caramel apple yams, ready to be eaten.

    I really hope you’ll give these cranberry caramel apple yams a try, and am confident you’ll enjoy them as much we do! We love the colors, flavors, and textures of this wonderful side dish!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, and please come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

    Looking For More YAM OR SWEET POTATO 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 yam and sweet potato recipes for you to choose from, including:

    Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

    I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) 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.

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    Author's signature

    Original recipe source:  Gooseberry Patch “Big Book Of Holiday Cooking”, page 245, published in 2012 by Time Home Entertainment, Inc.

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    30 mins
     

    Baked Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams are amazing! Canned yams are mashed, topped with cranberries, apples & pecans, then drizzled with caramel.

    Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: cranberry caramel apple yams
    Servings: 8 small servings
    Calories Per Serving: 273 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 29 ounces canned yams drained
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    For Fruit Layer:
    • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
    • ½ large apple (any variety) cored/peeled/chopped
    • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
    • ⅛ cup water
    For Caramel Drizzle:
    • ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
    • ¼ cup brown sugar packed
    • 1 Tablespoon butter
    • 1 Tablespoon water
    US Customary - Metric
    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray/grease bottom/sides of a 2 qt. baking dish.

    2. Drain liquid from canned yams, then place yams in a large bowl, with packed brown sugar and salt. Use electric mixer to combine, until mashed/smooth in texture. Spread yams evenly in baking dish. Set aside.

    3. Place cranberries, apple, granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook on Medium heat 7-10 minutes, stirring often, until most cranberries have popped/burst open. As it cooks, fruit mixture will thicken slightly. Remove pan from heat; stir in chopped walnuts or pecans. Spoon cranberry/apple mixture evenly over yams in baking dish. Set aside.

    4. Combine brown sugar, butter and 1 T. water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-low heat. Continue to let sauce boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from the heat. IMMEDIATELY drizzle caramel evenly over cranberry/apple layer.

    5. Bake (uncovered) at 350°F. for 15-17 minutes. The yams are done when fully heated through. Serve hot, and enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams
    Amount Per Serving (1 (1/8 of total))
    Calories 273 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0.1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 4mg1%
    Sodium 62mg3%
    Potassium 918mg26%
    Carbohydrates 53g18%
    Fiber 5g21%
    Sugar 23g26%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 202IU4%
    Vitamin C 20mg24%
    Calcium 40mg4%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Baked Cranberry Caramel Apple Yams are amazing! Canned yams are mashed, topped with cranberries, apples & pecans, then drizzled with caramel.


    Oct
    2022

    Spaghetti Squash Italiano

    categories: Italian, Main Dishes
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    Enjoy delicious (and filling) Spaghetti Squash Italiano, with Italian sausage links, roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, garlic and basil.
    Enjoy delicious (and filling) Spaghetti Squash Italiano, with Italian sausage links, roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

    Spaghetti Squash Italiano is a delicious meal that uses strands of roasted spaghetti squash to act as a low carb (and low calorie) substitute for traditional pasta. If you want to enjoy a meal with delicious Italian flavors but are trying to cut calories, may I suggest this delicious main course?

    The only “downside” is that it takes about an hour to roast a medium-sized spaghetti squash, but if you’ve got the time, this is a GREAT recipe to try! You can use either traditional Italian PORK sausage OR Italian CHICKEN sausage (use chicken if you want to cut out even more calories!). It’s your choice, and either type of Italian sausage will be fabulous in this Italian dish. Here’s how to make Spaghetti Squash Italiano!

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

    Roast The Spaghetti Squash

    Preheat your oven to 375°F before starting. Rinse the spaghetti squash, then pierce the skin (on all sides) a total of about 8-10 times using a sharp knife. Place the spaghetti squash on a parchment paper (or silpat lined) baking sheet. For this recipe I use a medium-sized spaghetti squash.

    Bake the spaghetti squash for 1 hour at 375°F, or until it can easily be pierced with a sharp knife. Baking times might be shorter or longer depending on the size squash you’re using and taking into account the temperature variations in various ovens. Know that if the squash can EASILY be pierced with a sharp knife stuck deep into it, it is done.

    A spaghetti squash is pierced several times with a knife before roasting in the oven.

    Pan Sear The Italian Sausage Links

    While the spaghetti squash is roasting, cook the Italian sausage links. I have prepared this meal using traditional Italian sausages (hot or mild) AND have also used Italian flavored chicken sausage links. Both taste wonderful in this dish, but I find that traditional Italian sausage links are more readily available in our local grocery stores.

    Cook the sausages (you need 4 links, not 5 as shown below) in a little bit of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook the sausages on Medium-Low heat, turning to cook all sides, per package instructions, until fully cooked through. Let the sausages cool, then cut them into thin round slices. Set aside.

    Italian sausages are cooked through by pan-searing them in a skillet with oil.

    Prepare The Sauce

    NOTE: Try to prepare the tomato sauce about 15 minutes before the spaghetti squash is done cooling. That way the sauce is HOT when the squash is shredded for serving. 

    Heat a large skillet on Medium-Low heat until quite hot. Add 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the skillet, and once it becomes hot, add 2 finely minced garlic cloves. Stir, and cook the garlic for about 30-45 seconds, then add fresh, chopped tomatoes.

    Stir well, to combine, then add dried oregano, a pinch of red chili pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to the tomato mixture. Cook on Medium-Low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will enable the tomatoes time to cook down into more of a sauce-like consistency.

    Stir thinly sliced, fresh basil leaves and cooked sausage slices into the tomato sauce, until well combined. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and the basil leaves have wilted.

    Diced tomatoes, garlic and spices are cooked in a large skillet to make a sauce.Fresh chopped basil is added to tomatoes and garlic for Spaghetti Sauce Italiano.Cooked Italian sausage is added to the skillet with the tomato basil sauce and heated through.

    Prepare The Roasted Spaghetti Squash For Serving

    After the spaghetti squash has cooled for about 30 minutes, cut a thin slice off of both ends, then carefully slice the squash lengthwise. Use a large spoon to remove all the seeds and pulp from the center of each squash half (and discard).

    Use a fork to gently scrape the squash lengthwise, which will remove the strands of spaghetti squash. Remove as many strands as you can from both halves, without breaking through the outer skin. Keep the spaghetti squash warm, and prepare the dish for serving.

    Seeds are removed from the spaghetti squash after it is roasted.

    A fork is used to pull long strands of spaghetti squash away from the squash peel.A large white bowl on the right, filled with roasted spaghetti squash strands.

    Serve The Spaghetti Squash Italiano

    To serve, place a portion of the warm spaghetti squash strands onto each serving plate (recipe serves 4). Top each portion with the hot tomato and sausage mixture. Sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with a fresh basil sprig on top (if desired). Serve while hot, and enjoy this wonderful meal!

    Spaghetti Squash Italiano is served with grated Parmesan and fresh basil sprig on top.

    I hope you have the chance to try this recipe for yourself and for those you love. It’s really quite delicious, and full of great Italian flavor! Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more delicious, family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day.

    Looking For More ITALIAN 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 yummy Italian recipes for you to choose from, including:

    Interested In More Recipes?

    Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
    There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

    You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

    Author's signature

    Recipe adapted from: Live Smart digital magazine, volume 1, page 35, New Life Promise by isabeldprice.com

    ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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    Spaghetti Squash Italiano
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    1 hr 10 mins
    Total Time
    1 hr 20 mins
     

    Enjoy delicious (and filling) Spaghetti Squash Italiano, with Italian sausage links, roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

    Category: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: spaghetti squash Italiano
    Servings: 4
    Calories Per Serving: 348 kcal
    Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
    Ingredients
    • 1 medium spaghetti squash
    • ½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for sausages
    • 4 links Italian chicken sausage OR Italian pork sausage (see note below)
    • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for squash
    • 4 medium fresh tomatoes diced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 pinch red chili flakes
    • salt and pepper (to taste)
    • 1 cup fresh basil leaves cut in thin strips
    For Garnish (optional but good): Grated Parmesan Cheese and fresh basil leaves
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 375°F . Line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR silpat.

      2. Prepare Squash: Rinse squash; pierce its skin (on all sides) a total of 8-10 times using sharp knife. Put squash on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour at 375°F, or until it can easily be pierced with a sharp knife. Baking time may vary depending on the size squash. and oven temperature variations. Remove from oven; let cool 30 minutes.

      3. Cook Sausages While Squash Bakes: Cook Italian sausages in ½ T. olive oil on Medium-Low heat in a large skillet, turning to cook all sides until fully cooked. Remove sausages, let cool; cut into thin round slices. Set aside.

      4. Make Sauce (15 minutes before squash is done cooling): Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet on Medium-Low heat. When oil is hot, add minced garlic. Stir and cook garlic for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes. oregano, red chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, on Medium-Low heat for 10 minutes. Stir basil leaves and sausage slices into the sauce, until combined. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and basil leaves wilt.

      5. Shred Squash: After squash has cooled 30-40 minutes, cut slice off of both ends; slice squash lengthwise. Use large spoon to remove seeds and pulp from each half (discard). Use a fork to gently scrape squash lengthwise into strands of spaghetti squash. Remove squash strands from both halves, without breaking through outer skin.

      6. To Serve: Divide squash strands onto individual plates (recipe serves 4). Top each portion with hot tomato sauce and sausage mixture. If desired, garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve hot, Enjoy!

      Recipe Notes

      NOTE: I have used both Chicken and Pork Italian sausages at times, for this recipe. The caloric calculation indicated for this recipe was made using Italian CHICKEN sausage links. If PORK Italian sausage links are used, the caloric calculation would be approx. 550 calories per serving.

      Nutrition Facts
      Spaghetti Squash Italiano
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
      Calories 348 Calories from Fat 198
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 22g34%
      Saturated Fat 4g25%
      Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
      Monounsaturated Fat 7g
      Cholesterol 60mg20%
      Sodium 1112mg48%
      Potassium 578mg17%
      Carbohydrates 26g9%
      Fiber 5g21%
      Sugar 11g12%
      Protein 16g32%
      Vitamin A 1940IU39%
      Vitamin C 25mg30%
      Calcium 83mg8%
      Iron 2mg11%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy delicious (and filling) Spaghetti Squash Italiano, with Italian sausage links, roasted spaghetti squash, tomatoes, garlic and basil.

       

       


      Oct
      2022

      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice

      categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice is a tasty, low calorie vegetable side dish that goes well with chicken, beef and pork, and is simple to make!
      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice is a tasty, low calorie vegetable side dish that goes well with chicken, beef and pork, and is simple to make!

      If you’re looking for an easy to prepare veggie side dish that is very low calorie and still tastes good, how about trying this recipe for lemon garlic cauliflower rice? The recipe makes enough for about four (1/3 cup) servings. Of course, if you’re really hungry, this dish can be split between two servings, and no one will be the wiser… wink wink!

      Cauliflower is a vey versatile vegetable to cook. I’ve mashed it, grilled it, used it in casseroles, soups, appetizers, and a variety of main and side dishes. Today I am sharing this recipe for riced cauliflower which is used as a side dish.

      Cauliflower rice LOOKS a bit like long grain white rice, so if you’re trying to cut out carbs or calories, it is considered a viable substitute that is far lower in calories. Typically I use a frozen bag of cauliflower rice (found in most grocery stores), and thaw it before using. That makes it VERY convenient to make, with a lot less prep time. Of course, you can also finely grate fresh cauliflower by hand, if desired! Here’s how to make lemon garlic cauliflower rice.

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

      How To Make Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice

      Melt a Tablespoon of butter in a large skillet on LOW heat. Add minced garlic to the melted butter, and stir, while cooking the garlic for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Make sure to not burn the garlic, because garlic becomes bitter when that happens.

      Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet. Mix these ingredients together until combined, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. NOTE: If you’re using frozen cauliflower rice, make sure it has been fully thawed and drained before adding it to the skillet.

      Minced garlic is cooked in melted butter in a large skillet.Riced cauliflower is added to melted butter and garlic and cooked for a couple minutes.

      Final Steps To Finish This Dish

      Stir chicken broth, dried parsley, Italian seasoning and lemon zest into the cauliflower rice. Mix well, to ensure the spices and grated lemon zest are distributed well throughout the cauliflower rice.

      Chicken broth, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, and lemon zest is added to season the cauliflower rice.

      Pour lemon juice over the cauliflower, and stir until it has been fully incorporated into the lemon garlic cauliflower rice. Cook on medium heat, stirring often for 1-2 minutes, or until the cauliflower rice is completely heated through. That’s it… now it’s ready to be served!

      Fresh lemon juice is added to the seasoned riced cauliflower and stirred to combine.

      Serving The Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice

      Transfer the lemon garlic cauliflower rice to a small serving bowl, and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired (optional). Serve the hot rice alongside a favorite main dish, and enjoy this delicious, low calorie veggie dish!

      The lemon garlic cauliflower rice pairs especially well with chicken, beef and pork! It has a bit of a garlic and citrus “pop” when eaten, which is a nice feature. When I photographed the preparation of the rice, I served it with a wedge of Tamale Pie (recipe coming soon), and they actually “played well” together.

      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice is served in a blue bowl, and garnished with fresh parsley.Shown, served alongside Tamale Pie, the lemon garlic cauliflower rice is a great side dish!

      I hope you have the opportunity to prepare this simple side dish for yourself or for those you love, and hope you enjoy it. Thank you very much for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a blessed day.

      Looking For More CAULIFLOWER 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 vegetable side dish recipes for you to enjoy, including:

      Interested In More Recipes?

      Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
      There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

      You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

      Author's signature

      Recipe adapted from: The online magazine called “LiveSmart”, volume 11, page 34, available through isabeldprice.com 

      ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice
      Prep Time
      5 mins
      Cook Time
      4 mins
      Total Time
      9 mins
       

      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice is a tasty, low calorie vegetable side dish that goes well with chicken, beef and pork, and is simple to make!

      Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
      Cuisine: American
      Keyword: lemon garlic cauliflower rice
      Servings: 4 approx. (1/2 cup per serving)
      Calories Per Serving: 59 kcal
      Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
      Ingredients
      • 1 Tablespoon butter
      • 3 cloves garlic minced
      • 16 ounces cauliflower rice thawed, if frozen
      • 2 Tablespoons chicken broth
      • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
      • ⅙ teaspoon Italian seasoning
      • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (yellow peel)
      • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
      • fresh parsley for garnish, if desired
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Melt butter in a large skillet on LOW heat. Add minced garlic; cook about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Stir often, to not burn garlic, or it becomes bitter.

      2. Add cauliflower rice to the skillet. Mix with butter/garlic until combined. Cook on Medium-Low,, stirring often, for 2 minutes. NOTE: If using frozen cauliflower rice, make sure it's fully thawed/drained before adding to skillet.

      3. Stir chicken broth, seasonings (parsley and Italian seasoning), and lemon zest into the cauliflower rice. Add lemon juice; stir until combined with other ingredients.

      4. Cook on Medium-Low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until the cauliflower rice is heated through.

      5. Transfer lemon garlic cauliflower rice to serving bowl; garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Enjoy.

      Nutrition Facts
      Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 cup per serving))
      Calories 59 Calories from Fat 27
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 3g5%
      Saturated Fat 2g13%
      Trans Fat 0.1g
      Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g
      Monounsaturated Fat 1g
      Cholesterol 8mg3%
      Sodium 85mg4%
      Potassium 357mg10%
      Carbohydrates 7g2%
      Fiber 2g8%
      Sugar 2g2%
      Protein 2g4%
      Vitamin A 90IU2%
      Vitamin C 57mg69%
      Calcium 33mg3%
      Iron 1mg6%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Lemon Garlic Cauliflower Rice is a tasty, low calorie vegetable side dish that goes well with chicken, beef and pork, and is simple to make!

       


      Oct
      2022

      Szechuan Chicken

      categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes
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      Szechuan Chicken is a delicious, easy to make stir-fry with chicken, bell peppers, green onions and nuts cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce.

      If you enjoy making delicious, classic meals at home for a fraction of the cost of what a restaurant would charge for the same dish, may I suggest this recipe for Szechuan chicken? The recipe requires using two chicken breasts, a red and green bell pepper, green onions, and some chopped nuts. Cook them in a simple Asian sauce, combine them, and serve over rice or noodles. BOOM! You just made a tasty, classic Chinese dish for 4 people!

      We enjoy this dish, and because it is made using only one skillet,  I find it pretty easy to make, when we get hungry for Chinese food! I have no recollection of how or when I got this recipe, but found it in an old recipe box years ago, where the recipe was cut out and taped onto a 3×5″ index card. So I truly don’t know who I can give credit to for this yummy dish… BUT, I think you’re going to love it! Here’s how to make it.

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

      Prepare The Chicken For Marinating

      You will need two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The recipe calls for 16 ounces of chicken, so two large 8 ounce breasts will be perfect. Slice the chicken breasts across the width of the breast, holding a sharp knife almost parallel to the surface (angled at a slant). Cut each chicken breast into 1/4″ slices, then put the slices into a medium-sized bowl, and set aside.

      Chicken breasts are cut into 1/4" long slices before marinating.

      Now it’s time to make the sauce which is used to marinate the chicken. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir until the sauce is smooth, with no lumps.

      Pour the sauce over the chicken slices, and toss until the chicken slices are coated with sauce. Once fully coated, set the chicken aside to marinate in the sauce while you pan-sear the other ingredients.

      An Asian-inspired sauce is mixed together to marinate the pieces of chicken breast.Chicken breast chunks are marinated in an Asian-inspired sauce before pan-searing.

      Preparing The Pan-Seared Veggies And Nuts

      Slice six green onions (bulb and stalk) into 2″ long pieces. Remove the stem and seeds from the bell peppers, and cut them into “bite-sized” pieces. Heat ONE Tablespoon of oil over Medium-High heat in a large (10-12 inch) skillet. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, add the green onions and bell peppers to the skillet.

      Stir often until the veggies are “tender-crisp” in texture. This usually takes only about 2 minutes! Transfer the veggies out of the skillet into a bowl, using a slotted spoon (so excess oil can drip back into skillet).

      Add 2 more Tablespoons of oil to skillet and heat until hot once again on Medium heat. Add chopped cashews (or dry roasted peanuts if using) to the hot oil, and cook (stirring frequently) only until the nuts are lightly browned. Transfer the browned nuts to the bowl of cooked veggies using a slotted spoon.

      Green onions and red and green bell peppers are quickly stir-fried in hot oil in skillet.Chopped cashews ae quickly pan fried until lightly browned in hot oil.Cooked bell peppers, green onions and cashews rest in bowl before being added to chicken.

      Cooking The Szechuan Chicken

      Now it’s time to quickly cook the marinated chicken and sauce. You will use the same skillet for this (and any leftover oil in the skillet). Heat remaining oil in skillet over high heat until HOT but not smoking. Add the chicken mixture to the hot oil, and cook, stirring frequently. Continue to cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until it is cooked through and no longer pink in color.

      Quickly add the veggies and nuts (plus any accumulated juices in the bowl) back into the skillet, and stir to combine. Heat on medium heat until all ingredients are heated through (a couple minutes). When thoroughly heated through, the dish is ready to serve!

      Marinated Szechuan chicken is quickly cooked in hot oil in a large black skillet.Green and red bell peppers, green onions and roasted cashews are added to the chicken in skillet.

      Serving Szechuan Chicken

      We really enjoy serving the Szechuan chicken on top of a bed of steamed rice! TIP: If you begin cooking the rice at the beginning of your prep time for this recipe, it should be ready to go when you’re ready to serve. The bed of rice is optional, but I highly recommend it, as it pairs very well with this chicken dish!

      Transfer the Szechuan chicken to individual plates, then lightly sprinkle the surface of each portion with sesame seeds, if desired, for a nice finishing touch! Serve the Szechuan chicken immediately (while hot), and enjoy this tasty dish! I really hope you enjoy it, because it has great flavor and color! It’s not too spicy and really tastes amazing!

      Sesame seeds are sprinkled on top of the Szechuan chicken before serving.A close up of the rice bed below the serving of Szechuan chicken on a white plate.

      I hope you have the opportunity to try this delicious Asian-style main dish. If you have any leftovers, they can be refrigerated for 2-3 days and easily reheated in a microwave. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

      Looking For More ASIAN-STYLE 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 Asian-style recipes for you to enjoy, including:

      Interested In More Recipes?

      Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
      There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

      You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

      Author's signature

      Original recipe source: unknown (found recipe cut out & taped onto a 3×5 card in an OLD recipe box)

      ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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      Szechuan Chicken
      Prep Time
      10 mins
      Cook Time
      15 mins
      Total Time
      25 mins
       

      Szechuan Chicken is a delicious, easy to make stir-fry with chicken, bell peppers, green onions and nuts cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce.

      Category: Main Course
      Cuisine: Asian
      Keyword: Szechuan chicken
      Servings: 4
      Calories Per Serving: 354 kcal
      Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
      Ingredients
      • 16 ounces chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) = approx. two 8 oz. chicken breasts
      • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
      • 2 Tablespoons dry sherry
      • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
      • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
      • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
      • ¼ teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
      • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
      • 6 green onions
      • 1 medium green bell pepper
      • 1 medium red bell pepper
      • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil DIVIDED USE
      • ½ cup chopped cashews can substitute dry roasted peanuts
      • sesame seeds (OPTIONAL) sprinkle as garnish, if desired
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Slice chicken across the width of the breast, using a sharp knife almost parallel to the surface (angled at a slant). Cut each chicken breast into 1/4" slices; put slices in a medium bowl; set aside.

      2. Make sauce: In separate bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir until smooth (no lumps). Pour sauce over chicken; toss until slices are coated with sauce. Set chicken aside.

      3. Slice green onions (bulb and stalk) into 2" pieces. Remove stem/seeds from bell peppers, then cut into "bite-sized" pieces.

      4. Heat ONE Tablespoon oil on medium-High heat in a large (10"-12") skillet. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, add green onions/bell peppers. Cook, stirring often until veggies are "crisp-tender" (about 2 minutes). Transfer veggies from skillet to a bowl, using slotted spoon (so excess oil can drip back into skillet).

      5. Add TWO Tablespoons of oil to skillet and heat on Medium heat. Add cashews (or dry roasted peanuts) to hot oil. Cook (stirring frequently) only until nuts are lightly browned. Transfer nuts to bowl of cooked veggies using slotted spoon.

      6. Heat remaining oil in skillet on high heat until HOT but not smoking. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring frequently. Continue to cook chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink in color. Quickly add reserved veggies and nuts (plus any juices) back into the skillet; stir to combine. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through. Once fully heated, the dish is ready to serve!

      7. We enjoy serving Szechuan chicken on top of a bed of steamed rice! The bed of rice is optional, but I recommend it. Transfer Szechuan chicken to individual plates, then lightly sprinkle each portion with sesame seeds, if desired, Serve immediately, and enjoy

      Recipe Notes

      NOTE: Caloric calculation does NOT include rice or noodles that may be served with the chicken.

      Nutrition Facts
      Szechuan Chicken
      Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
      Calories 354 Calories from Fat 189
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 21g32%
      Saturated Fat 4g25%
      Trans Fat 0.1g
      Polyunsaturated Fat 8g
      Monounsaturated Fat 8g
      Cholesterol 73mg24%
      Sodium 430mg19%
      Potassium 721mg21%
      Carbohydrates 12g4%
      Fiber 2g8%
      Sugar 4g4%
      Protein 28g56%
      Vitamin A 1292IU26%
      Vitamin C 67mg81%
      Calcium 35mg4%
      Iron 2mg11%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s another to pin on your Pinterest boards!Szechuan Chicken is a delicious, easy to make stir-fry with chicken, bell peppers, green onions and nuts cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce.


      Oct
      2022

      Blueberry Dessert Sauce

      categories: Sauces and Dressings
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      Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It’s made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.
      Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It's made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.

      One of my all time FAVORITE desserts is cheesecake. Seriously. I can never get enough of that decadent dessert, especially when it is topped with a sweet fruit sauce (strawberry, cherry or blueberry, to name a few).

      Today I want to show you how simple it is to make a delicious blueberry dessert sauce with just a few ingredients. It tastes wonderful on many desserts (ice cream, pound cake, etc.), but my favorite way to enjoy it is on top of a big ol’ piece of cheesecake! The sauce not only LOOKS good when served, it adds another layer of plump, juicy blueberry flavor to the dessert! Here’s how to make this yummy, sweet sauce.

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

      Making The Blueberry Sauce

      Place 6 Tablespoons of blueberry jam and 2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice in a medium sized saucepan. Stir the mixture to combine the two ingredients and heat on low, only until the mixture is heated through.

      NOTE: This recipe is unique because of its use of blueberry jam. Because the jam is already sweetened, there is no need for additional sugar. Blueberry jam can be found in most grocery stores nowadays which is quite convenient, but I like to use my homemade jam. If you like to can foods, here is my recipe for making homemade blueberry jam (enough to can and keep in long term storage).

      Blueberry jam and lemon juice are warmed in a saucepan on low heat.

      In a separate small bowl, whisk or stir together water and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Stir the cornstarch “slurry” into the saucepan with the jam mixture until well-combined.

      Water and cornstarch are mixed together in a small bowl until smooth and lump-free.A water and cornstarch slurry is added to the blueberry jam and lemon juice in pan.

      Continue cooking the blueberry dessert sauce on low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly. This usually only takes a couple minutes, so keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.

      The blueberry dessert sauce is cooked until it has slightly thickened, then it's cooled.

      Final Step For Making The Sauce

      When the sauce has cooled down slightly, add the blueberries and grated lemon zest to the pan. Stir gently, to incorporate these ingredients into the sauce. Let the blueberry dessert sauce finish cooling to room temperature, then it’s ready to use as a dessert topping.

      NOTE: If you are using frozen blueberries, make sure they are thawed and drained before adding them to the sauce.

      Grated lemon zest and fresh (or frozen, but thawed) blueberries are added to the saucepan.A saucepan with the finished blueberry dessert sauce, ready to be used on desserts.

      Serve The Blueberry Dessert Sauce

      My favorite way to use this blueberry sauce is to spoon it over a nice slice of cheesecake! The sauce has a small pop of fresh citrus flavor, thanks to the addition of lemon zest, which makes it taste so good!

      Blueberry dessert sauce also tastes wonderful as a topping for vanilla ice cream or pound cake. This recipe will yield approximately 12 servings (2 Tablespoons per serving), and any leftover sauce can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days.

      A slice of cheesecake is topped with some of the blueberry dessert sauce for serving. We served it as a dessert topping on cheesecake recently to dinner guests, and it was a big hit with them! I hope you enjoy this dessert sauce as much as we do. Thanks for stopping by today, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!

      Looking For More DESSERT SAUCE Recipes?

      You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some delicious, sweet dessert sauces you might enjoy, including:

      Interested In More Recipes?

      Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
      There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

      You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

      Author's signature

      Original recipe source: “Treasury of Christmas”, page 404, published in 1996 by Publications International., Inc.

      ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

      0 from 0 votes
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      Blueberry Dessert Sauce
      Prep Time
      10 mins
      Total Time
      10 mins
       

      Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It's made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.

      Category: Dessert Sauce, Sauces
      Cuisine: American
      Keyword: blueberry dessert sauce
      Servings: 12 (2 T. per serving)
      Calories Per Serving: 37 kcal
      Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
      Ingredients
      • 6 Tablespoons blueberry jam
      • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
      • 2 Tablespoons water
      • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
      • 1 cup blueberries fresh OR frozen (thawed/drained)
      • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated yellow peel)
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Place blueberry jam and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine ingredients. Heat on low, only until heated through.

      2. In a separate bowl, whisk (or stir) water and cornstarch until smooth and lump-free. Add to jam mixture in pan, stirring until well-combined. Cook on low heat until sauce has thickened slightly (a couple minutes), stirring occasionally. Once sauce thickens, remove pan from the heat; let sauce cool for 2-3 minutes.

      3. Once sauce has cooled slightly, add blueberries and lemon zest. Stir gently, to incorporate these ingredients into the sauce. Let sauce cool to room temperature before serving.

      4. Blueberry dessert sauce tastes wonderful as a topping for cheesecake, vanilla ice cream or pound cake. Recipe will yield about 12 servings (2 Tablespoons per serving). Leftover sauce can be covered and refrigerated for 3-4 days. Enjoy!

      Nutrition Facts
      Blueberry Dessert Sauce
      Amount Per Serving (2 Tablespoons)
      Calories 37 Calories from Fat 1
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 0.1g0%
      Saturated Fat 0.01g0%
      Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g
      Monounsaturated Fat 0.01g
      Sodium 4mg0%
      Potassium 20mg1%
      Carbohydrates 9g3%
      Fiber 0.4g2%
      Sugar 6g7%
      Protein 0.1g0%
      Vitamin A 7IU0%
      Vitamin C 3mg4%
      Calcium 3mg0%
      Iron 0.1mg1%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a delicious Blueberry Dessert Sauce to spoon on top of cheesecake or ice cream, etc.! It's made using either fresh or frozen blueberries.


      Oct
      2022

      Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

      categories: Appetizers
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      Make a dozen Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers for your next party! They’re yummy, filled with 2 cheeses and coated in brown sugar-chili spice!
      Make a dozen Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers for your next party! They're yummy, filled with 2 cheeses and coated in brown sugar-chili spice!

      Today I want to share a yummy recipe for bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers! The recipe makes 12 of them, so it’s a perfect appetizer to serve at a small get together or party. I love these so much, they are difficult to stay out of once made!

      I found the recipe online a while ago, and loved the idea of wrapping “poppers” in bacon, then covering it in brown sugar and spice mix for added flavor! It is an easy to make appetizer, too. The whole recipe only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy these tasty treats. Here’s how to make a dozen amazing “poppers”.

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

      Prepare The Peppers For Stuffing

      The first thing you’ll need to do is preheat your oven to 350°F. Now you will need to prepare the jalapeños, to get them ready for the cheese filling. If you’ve never worked with hot peppers before, remember to wear gloves OR to not touch your eyes after handling the peppers and seeds. Just a word of caution, because those seeds contain the heat!

      Cut off the stem end, then slice each jalapeño in half, lengthwise. Carefully remove all the seeds (I use a small spoon), then discard them (the seeds). Wash your hands well, then move forward with stuffing the peppers.

      Six medium-sized jalapeño peppers are used to make poppers.The peppers are sliced lengthwise in half, then the seeds are removed (and discarded).

      Time To Stuff The Jalapeño Peppers!

      To make the filling, beat 4 oz. of cream cheese and 2 Tablespoons of grated cheddar cheese together in a medium bowl. Spoon the cheese mixture into the jalapeño halves, dividing it evenly between the 12 peppers. Place the stuffed peppers onto a lightly sprayed piece of aluminum foil placed on a baking sheet, leaving space between each popper.

      Cream cheese and grated cheddar cheese are beaten together to make the filling.Jalapeño halves are stuffed with the cream cheese/cheddar filling.

      Final Steps And Baking

      Cut each of the 6 slices of bacon in half, width-wise (across the short side). You will be left with 12 half slices of bacon. Carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed pepper. I find it helpful to insert a toothpick or two through the bacon, as needed, to hold it secure on the pepper.

      Mix ¼ cup of packed brown sugar and 1 Tablespoon of chili seasoning mix on a small plate. Roll the bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers around a bit in the spice mix until lightly coated on all sides. Place the seasoned poppers back onto the baking sheet.

      Bake the bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, OR until the bacon is firm and fully cooked through. NOTE: Thick cut bacon slices may require a couple more minutes baking time, due to their thickness. Remove from oven, once done. Before serving, REMEMBER TO REMOVE ALL TOOTHPICKS!

      Half a slice of bacon is wrapped around each of the stuffed jalapeños.Bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers are coated in a brown sugar-chili mix seasoning before baking.The poppers resting after being removed from the oven after baking.

      Time To Enjoy Some Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers!

      Serve the bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers hot from the oven! The cheese filling will be gooey and melted and the born sugar-chili mix coated bacon will add to the amazing taste of these jalapeño poppers! YUM! They are such a delicious appetizer, and we love them!

      Please note that these poppers are always best if eaten immediately following baking on the same day they’re first made. This type of finger food looks great on a platter, and you’ll see just how quickly they are gobbled up at a party or family get together! They are not too spicy, since the seeds were removed, so just about anyone will enjoy them!

      A close up photo of a couple of the bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers on serving plate.A white platter holding a dozen bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers, ready to be eaten.

      Thanks for taking the time to stop by this blog today. I hope you have the opportunity to make these scrumptious appetizers. Have a great day, take care, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes.

      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 some delicious appetizers for you to choose from, including:

      Interested In More Recipes?

      Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
      There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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      Author's signature

      Original recipe source: www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sweet—spicy-jalapeno-poppers

      ↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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      Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
      Prep Time
      10 mins
      Cook Time
      20 mins
      Total Time
      30 mins
       

      Make a dozen Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers for your next party! They're yummy, filled with 2 cheeses and coated in brown sugar-chili spice!

      Category: Appetizer/Snack
      Cuisine: Southwestern
      Keyword: bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers
      Servings: 12 poppers
      Calories Per Serving: 95 kcal
      Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
      Ingredients
      • 6 medium jalapeño peppers approx. 4 inches long
      • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
      • 3 Tablespoons grated cheddar cheese
      • 6 bacon strips cut in half widthwise
      • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
      • 1 Tablespoon chili seasoning mix
      US Customary - Metric
      Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet, and lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.

      2. Cut off the stem end, then slice each jalapeño in half, lengthwise. Carefully remove seeds (use a small spoon), then discard them (the seeds). Wash hands well, then move forward with stuffing the peppers. NOTE: If you've never worked with hot peppers before, remember to wear gloves OR not touch your eyes after handling peppers/seeds. Just a word of caution, because the seeds contain the heat!

      3. Beat cream cheese and grated cheddar together in medium bowl. Spoon cheese into jalapeño halves, dividing evenly between the 12 peppers. Place stuffed peppers on prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one.

      4. Cut each slice of bacon in half, width-wise. You should have 12 half slices of bacon. Carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each stuffed pepper. NOTE: Insert a toothpick through bacon, as needed, to hold it secure on the pepper.

      5. Mix brown sugar and chili seasoning mix on a small plate until combined. Roll poppers around in spice mix until lightly coated on all sides. Place seasoned poppers back on baking sheet.

      6. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, OR until bacon is firm and fully cooked through. NOTE: Thick cut bacon slices may require a couple more minutes baking time, due to their thickness. Remove from oven and place onto serving plate. Before serving, REMEMBER TO REMOVE ALL TOOTHPICKS! Serve, and enjoy!

      Nutrition Facts
      Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
      Amount Per Serving (1 popper)
      Calories 95 Calories from Fat 63
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 7g11%
      Saturated Fat 3g19%
      Trans Fat 0.01g
      Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
      Monounsaturated Fat 2g
      Cholesterol 14mg5%
      Sodium 123mg5%
      Potassium 84mg2%
      Carbohydrates 6g2%
      Fiber 0.4g2%
      Sugar 5g6%
      Protein 3g6%
      Vitamin A 440IU9%
      Vitamin C 8mg10%
      Calcium 36mg4%
      Iron 0.2mg1%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

      Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Make a dozen Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers for your next party! They're yummy, filled with 2 cheeses and coated in brown sugar-chili spice!