The BEST Smothered Chicken

While this may not be a traditional smothered chicken like you'll find in the South, this is my idea of something even better!

It's easy to prepare and it has the most delicious blend of fresh flavors. It's like a BLT sandwich transformed into a crave-able chicken dish.

One change here however is that we do substitute spinach for the traditional lettuce, the "L" of BLT. This is because lettuce wouldn't hold up well to cooking and doesn't have near as much flavor as spinach. Soggy lettuce, no thanks.

I'm nearly certain this is one of those entrees that will wow your family and friends. That's basically a given right? Because it includes bacon!

I recommend pairing this with pasta of sorts, we like this lemon orzo. Then also steamed asparagus is a nutritious and colorful pairing.

Loaded Salmon Rice Bowl

These salmon rice bowls are loaded with the works! It's an abundance of fresh ingredients all piled together in one bowl for maximum flavor.

You get a harmonious blend of various textures, an exciting combination of flavors that all highlight each other perfectly, and there's a visually pleasing variety of vibrant color.

It's made up of nutritious ingredients and it's such a filling dish. I'm a white rice fan lately but you can easily swap white jasmine rice for brown rice (regular, short grain, or jasmine brown rice) or quinoa.

I've also listed other various substitutes to use in this dish based on what you have on hand (see ideas below).

This is one to add to the dinner rotation, it's incredibly delicious!

What is Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Cordon Bleu is a dish with Swiss origin that is a derivative of schnitzel.

Chicken cordon bleu specifically is made of chicken that has been pounded thin, layered with ham slices, and topped with Swiss cheese. They layers are rolled snug or folded over, after which it's breaded with flour, egg and dried breadcrumbs. And to cook it's and either pan fried or baked.

In the United States it was a dish that was very popular between the 60's and 70's. In my experience as a kid growing up in the 90's I commonly remember chicken cordon bleu casserole which was a simplified version (which wasn't quite as good, but mimicked the same flavors).

You can serve it whole (note in this recipe though you'll only get four servings if doing so), or you can slice and layer them on a platter domino style. I prefer the later as you'll get more servings and presentation is eye catching with those pretty swirls.

And the creamy honey mustard sauce, which I believe is a staple to the dish, should be poured over each individual servings right before it's served (so the breading doesn't get soft, because that crispy crunch is a crowning finish!).

This dish is perfect for entertaining or for the holidays. It may be a little bit of extra effort but very well worth it!

The Best Ricotta Cookies Recipe!

Our favorite ricotta cookies! They're easy to make and they're always consistently delicious.

They're so good that you can never stop at just one.

The ricotta cookie dough can be made two days in advance so it's a great make ahead recipe. Plus it makes a huge batch of cookies so they're great for celebrations and gifting.

You'll love their lightly lemony flavor, the melt-in-your-mouth texture and that sweet and simple icing finish. And if you want a little contrast finish them with crunchy sugar sprinkles which also adds a pretty and festive pop of color.

Easy Crockpot Mac and Cheese!

This is hands the absolute easiest way to make macaroni and cheese! And believe it or not and it's unbelievably creamy, no broken curdled sauce, and the taste is simply perfect.

My tricks to a good crockpot mac and cheese are to use a combination of cream, water, and evaporated milk - instead of regular milk so it doesn't curdle. Then also waiting until closer to the end to add the cheese so that doesn't overheat and separate.

And another important key is to use a combination of cheeses for great flavor and texture. Sharp cheddar builds up the best traditional macaroni and cheese flavor, while each American cheese and Monterey Jack cheese create a velvety sauce.

The starches of cooking everything together in one pot (or slow cooker insert technically) also helps create a smooth sauce.

This is a family favorite! It has a well balanced flavor that isn't too harsh so people of all ages love it, and the cook will love the ease of preparation.

It's jam packed flavorful goodness in every bite and undoubtedly worthy of the holidays, but yet simple enough for a weeknight side dish!

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Breakfast Egg Muffins

Welcome to what may likely be your new go-to breakfast! Our family loves these egg muffins for a quick before school and work breakfast (we serve them with freezer friendly healthy blueberry muffins or oat flour pancakes with blueberry syrup).

They are a nutritious option to start out the day, and there are countless ways you can make them by swapping in your favorite mix-in blends (see some ideas below).

They also store well in the fridge and freezer making them such a tasty make-ahead side dish. In other words it’s a good time to swap out those boring granola bars for this flavorful homemade breakfast instead!

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a beautiful, layered Italian dessert made with lady fingers that have been dipped in strong coffee and aligned in a baking dish, then spread atop is a layer of sweet and fluffy mascarpone custard, and it's dusted with a decadent cocoa finish.

In this tiramisu recipe the layering process is done twice but other versions may have a group of three repetitive layers or just a single set of layers.

It can be made to include a few splashes of alcohol such as rum, brandy or marsala wine, or it can be left out altogether. I prefer without because it really lets the flavors of the coffee and cocoa shine without an overwhelming flavor of alcohol (in a side by side taste test the alcohol free version won for me, but definitely make it how you'd like).

Another difference you'll find among tiramisu is raw eggs or tempered eggs. This version is uses just yolks (I think the whites can have an eggy flavor here), and they are tempered to kill off potential bacteria.

There are several other variations of the dessert. You'll find tiramisu cake, tiramisu cheesecake, there's also tiramisu overnight oats, cupcakes, a martini and trifles.

It also comes in various flavors. This is the coffee and chocolate version but other popular flavors include strawberry tiramisu, matcha, lemon and pumpkin.

This traditional tiramisu is one of my all time favorite desserts! You can't go wrong with those cakey soaked ladyfingers, roasted espresso, rich mascarpone and cream, and a chocolatey cocoa finish. It's such a dreamy dessert!

This post is sponsored by Danish Creamery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Best Homemade Creamed Corn

Once you taste this it's practically guaranteed that you'll never be able to go back to canned creamed corn again. This homemade creamed corn is a million times better!

It's fresher, creamier, has a better texture, and of course it doesn't taste canned. It's something you'd be proud to serve to company.

Plus it's a breeze to prepare and only requires a handful of basic ingredients.

One thing that makes exceptionally tasty is using a fair amount of this key ingredient - Danish Creamery Premium Butter! It has a pure luxurious taste, delicious richness, and it's a consistently reliable product that will upgrade whatever you add it to.

Danish Creamery has been using the same recipe since 1895. Using just two ingredients, high quality cream and a touch of sea salt.

Try it and you'll see that adding this delectable butter to this creamed corn recipe makes it supremely delicious!

Easy Skillet Steak Tacos

Tacos are one of the best foods out there and these steak tacos are no exception!

They are brimming with bright lime flavor and delicious seasonings, the hint of honey in the marinade helps the steak sear beautifully, and the toppings that crown them are the perfect finishing highlight.

The key here is just to pick out good quality steak. I recommend looking for sirloin with a generous amount of marbling or using prime grade. Marbling is the fat swirled throughout the steak, more marbling means more flavor and a more tender piece of meat (I buy prime top sirloin at Costco for about $10 a pound, it's a great place to get good quality steak).

I think it's safe to say these tacos will quickly become a family favorite! They take little effort yet finish with big flavor.

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What is Bolognese?

Bolognese is a slow cooked, thick Italian pasta sauce made up of some type of minced meat (usually beef or pork) and tomatoes. It also includes soffritto which is simply a blend of carrot, celery and onion, and here it's used as a base to build up flavor of the sauce.

The process involves sautéing and gently simmering over the stovetop, and seasonings vary by recipe including things such as herbs, nutmeg or garlic.

Bolognese is pronounced in Italian boh-loh-nyey-zey and in English bow-luh-nayz.

Once it's lengthy simmer is over toss it with your favorite pasta and perhaps pair it with a simple green salad to complete it.

It is one of the ultimate home cooked comfort food recipes! Tended to with care that everyone will thoroughly appreciate.

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