Doughnuts are sometimes viewed as a delicacy that can readily be bought, but not easily made at home. We’re here to put that myth to bed (and then it can wake up in the morning and have fresh doughnuts, made by you!). This easy recipe for snowy sugar doughnuts will show you the way. Before you get started, you might want to read our detailed guide on how to make doughnuts.
What are sugar doughnuts?
Take a quintessential yeast doughnut, dust it with powdered sugar, and you have a sugar doughnut! If you mix the sugar with milk and paint on the resulting icing, you’ll get a crackle-crusted glazed doughnut.
Yeast doughnuts take awhile to make because they need to rise twice before frying, but many find the results to be more flavorful than cake doughnuts, which use baking powder for leavening. Want to know more? We’ve got the whole story of cake doughnuts vs yeast doughnuts.
Homemade Sugar Doughnuts Recipe
This recipe, which yields three dozen delicious doughnuts, comes to us from Taste of Home contributor Alice Dunkin. Is her name a coincidence? We’re not sure!
Ingredients
- 2 packages (1/4-ounce each) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (110°-115°F)
- 1-1/4 cups warm milk (110°-115°)
- 1/2 cup canola oil, or another neutral oil of your choice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- Oil for deep-fat frying
- Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Directions
Step 1: Make the batter
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add warm milk and oil. Add sugar, salt and eggs. Stir in flour (dough will be very sticky).
Step 2: Let it rise
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Step 3: Get rolling
When the dough is risen, stir it so that it deflates slightly, gather it into a ball, and turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Roll to 1/2-inch thickness, and cut with a 2-1/2-inch doughnut cutter.
Step 4: Let it rise again
Place your cut doughnuts on greased baking sheets; cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
Step 5: Fry
In an electric skillet, deep-fat fryer or Dutch oven, heat oil to 375°. Make sure you use an oil that is intended for high temperature cooking. Fry the doughnuts, a few at a time until golden brown on both sides, about two minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Then fry the doughnut holes.
Step 6: Dust with sugar
If desired, roll the finished doughnuts in granulated sugar, or dust with confectioners’ sugar. For even more flavor, you can add some cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice to the sugar.
How to Store Sugar Doughnuts
I prefer to store leftover doughnuts in an airtight container on the counter. They should be eaten within two days. You can also store doughnuts in the fridge, but it changes the texture a bit. If you choose cold storage, let the doughnuts come up to room temperature before eating.
Tips for Making Sugar Doughnuts
What’s the best oil to use for frying doughnuts?
It’s important to choose an oil that can withstand frying temperatures, and one that has a neutral or slightly nutty flavor that will complement the doughnuts. I like to use sunflower oil, but in a pinch, I’ll choose peanut oil. Here’s a great guide on the best frying oils.
Because good quality oil is pricey, you may want to save it to reuse for you next frying project. To do so, let the oil cool, and strain it through a coffee filter to remove any bits of food. Place it in an airtight container, and keep it in a dark, cool place. Make sure to smell and taste the oil before reusing it. If it has started to oxidize it will taste bitter and rancid, and at that point, you should dispose of it.
How do you make sure the doughnuts fry evenly?
When frying, it’s important to not overcrowd your pan. Your doughnuts should be able to cook without touching each other.
Also, as you add doughnuts to the pan it will drop the temperature of the oil, so keep an eye on your thermometer, and adjust the temperature as needed.
Start checking the doughnuts for doneness after they’ve been in the hot oil for around 2 minutes. You’ll want them to be a beautiful golden brown. Doughnut holes won’t take as long to cook, so start checking them after a minute.
Can you bake sugar doughnuts?
This recipe is specifically designed for frying, but check out this baked doughnuts recipe, which can be glazed or rolled in sugar after baking.
Want to try more? Check out our best doughnut recipes!
Can you make sugar doughnuts ahead of time?
Like most fried foods, these sugar doughnuts are most delicious the same day that they’re made. However, they do last for a couple of days, so you can cook them in advance, if necessary. Reheating the doughnuts in a 350° oven is a good call if you’re serving day-olds.
The air plant (tillandsia), as its name suggests, has a reputation for living on air. Technically, they don’t float, but they do absorb what they need through their pointy, sometimes swirly, leaves rather than their roots.
In the wild, you may find them attached to tree branches or in patches of root below. Their architectural rosette is unlike soil-bound plants and adds visual flair for indoor gardeners. Despite having roots in the tropics, they can basically grow wherever the light and temperature support them, inside or out. Not only are they included in the great air-purifying plants for your home, but they are also among the easiest-to-grow houseplants.
What Are Air Plants?
Air plants are part of the Bromeliaceae or Bromeliad family. There are hundreds of varieties in shades of gray, green, rose or coral (these are some of our favorite air plants!). They’re categorized as epiphytes, meaning they live above ground and receive all of the moisture they need from rainfall and humidity in the air.
Nutrition will come from the atmosphere or a host plant as well. That means they can thrive wherever they find a perch and don’t need soil to do so. With the correct conditions, they will bloom but only once. It’s a necessary part of their lifecycle after which they can propagate by throwing “pups.” They live between two and five years, but the offshoots can perpetuate an air plant.
How to Care for Air Plants
Despite their sometimes dusty appearance and their reputation of ease, air plants do have a few specific growing requirements.
Planting Air Plants
In nature, air plants attach where they land with the help of their shallow roots. In a house, planting is more like styling. There is only one rule: avoid soil. They can be placed in a bowl with pebbles, attached with moss and fishing line to an orchid with its similar growing conditions or added to driftwood. Use your imagination and current decor to guide display choices; you can even group a few together for a bolder look. Wherever you decide, just ensure they can be easily removed from their support for watering.
Watering Air Plants
If you’re cultivating air plants at home, be mindful of their water requirements. There are a couple of ways to give them what they need. Misting them fully two to three times per week can work, but a complete bath is preferable. Immerse it in water once a week for at least 30 minutes. (Avoid chemically softened water!) Shake out excess water before returning your air plant to its home. The best time to water plants is in the morning. When air plants have damp leaves at night it will be more challenging for them to absorb carbon dioxide.
The Best Air Plant Environment
For healthy air plants, try to channel their tropical heritage. They prefer bright, dappled light and warm, well-circulated air. Avoid placing them in temperatures that drop below 50°F, but they’re fine with a cooldown at night. In homes that experience winter, keep them away from super cold window exposure.
Giada De Laurentiis is the queen of easy, everyday Italian cooking. From comfort food favorites like her crispy sheet pan lasagna to her dreamy, soft-baked lemon ricotta cookies, we’ve never tried a recipe from her we didn’t like. Which is why we knew we had to put her 5-star chicken piccata recipe to the test.
Made in a single skillet, ready in around 30 minutes (like this one-pot sausage and basil pasta), and dripping in a beautifully indulgent lemon butter sauce with capers, it’s hard to imagine this dish will be anything less than delicious.
What does piccata mean?
The origin of the word piccata is debated. Some sources claim it is derived from the French word piquant or piquancy, meaning tart or zesty. Meanwhile, other sources attribute the term to the Italian adjective piccato, which means “pounded until flat.” Both accurately describe this beloved dish in which thin, butterflied chicken breasts are dredged in flour, pan-fried, and finished in a delectable lemon butter sauce.
Don’t miss all of our piccata-inspired recipes.
What do you serve with chicken piccata?
Chicken piccata can be served with an array of side dishes. Popular choices include buttery mashed potatoes, angel hair pasta or crisp salad with Italian vinaigrette.
Giada De Laurentiis’ Chicken Piccata Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut in half
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- All-purpose flour, for dredging
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Step 1: Dredge
Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Then, dredge the chicken lightly in flour and shake off any excess. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter has melted and the oil starts to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken to the skillet. Cook for 3 minutes per side, then remove and transfer to a plate once deeply golden on both sides.
Add an additional 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot and melted, cook the remaining 2 pieces of chicken in the same way. Remove promptly to the plate with the other browned chicken.
Step 3: Finish the sauce
Add the lemon juice, chicken stock and capers to the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any cooked-on bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pan. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired, then return the chicken (with its juices) to the pan.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken as it finishes cooking. Remove chicken to a serving platter. Then finish by melting the final 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce and whisk vigorously until the sauce looks glossy and velvety.
Step 4: Serve
Pour the finished sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.
Here’s What I Thought
Holy yum! If you’re looking for a restaurant-style chicken piccata recipe that can be on your table quickly with minimal effort, look no further. We followed Giada De Laurentiis’ chicken piccata recipe to a T, and the resulting dish was absolute perfection. The chicken was tender and juicy, and the satisfyingly rich butter sauce was perfectly balanced with just the right amount of bright lemon flavor. Buenísimo!
When my mom would bring home a variety pack of Entenmann’s doughnuts from the grocery store as a kid, the crumb doughnuts were always the first to go. Each tiny morsel on top added craveable texture and additional sweetness that we loved. Even the crumbs that had fallen off the doughnut and into the box were scooped out and eaten plain.
As everyone got older, boxes of Entenmann’s doughnuts weren’t brought home quite as often, but they were loved all the same. Here’s how to make homemade crumb doughnuts that will jog your childhood memories.
Ingredients for Crumb Doughnuts
- Flour: All-purpose flour does the trick for pastries with a soft dough, like doughnuts. There’s no need for a higher protein count like you’d find in an alternative like bread flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: This particular doughnut recipe needs the combined power of baking soda and baking powder. Together, they make the dough rise and increase the volume of the doughnut batter. Learn the difference between baking powder and baking soda before you get started.
- Melted butter: The butter needs to be melted when making the dough to avoid creating little pockets of air. Besides creating the texture you’d typically expect in a baked doughnut, the melted butter also provides tenderness and moisture.
- Milk: We recommend using 2% milk in this recipe, but 1% or whole would work as alternatives. Fuller fat milks add richness, which is something you won’t get as much of with skim milk.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives the dough some moisture without adding more liquid to the dough.
- Cold butter: When you’re making the topping for the doughnuts, cold butter is absolutely key to the formation of crumbs. You cut the cold butter into a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, granulated sugar and flour for the perfect copycat topping.
Crumb Doughnuts Recipe
This recipe from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen makes two dozen doughnuts and takes just 35 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
Doughnuts:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Crumb topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup cold butter
Directions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine the flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, butter and vanilla.
Step 2: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients
Stir the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, just until moistened. Overmixing will result in a tough doughnut later on.
Step 3: Pipe the doughnut batter into the pan
Cut a small hole into the corner of a food-safe plastic bag and fill it with batter. Pipe the batter into a greased 6-cavity doughnut pan, filling the cavities half full. Make sure you’re not overfilling in order to leave room for the crumb topping. Otherwise, the topping will fall right off when the doughnuts rise in the oven.
Test Kitchen Tip: Spray the doughnut pan with cooking spray right before you add the doughnut batter. If added too soon, it may drip down and pool in the bottom, causing the doughnuts to stick to the sides of the pan.
Step 4: Prepare the crumb topping
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut the cold butter into small cubes to make it easier to cut into the dry ingredients. Then, use a pastry cutter to cut in the cold butter until crumbly. If you don’t have a pastry cutter at home, use a fork.
Step 5: Sprinkle the topping onto the doughnuts
Sprinkle the crumb topping over the batter, pressing down the crumb mixture with your fingers to adhere it to the dough. That way, it won’t fall off as easily when you take the doughnuts out of the pan later.
Step 6: Bake the crumb doughnuts
Bake the doughnuts for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the doughnut comes out clean.
Cool each batch of doughnuts for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
While these crumb doughnuts are pretty sweet on their own, you can make them even sweeter by drizzling a classic vanilla doughnut glaze on top made with confectioners’ sugar, half-and-half and vanilla. Since the doughnuts contain cinnamon and nutmeg, a maple glaze would be a delicious decision too. Don’t be afraid to experiment with adding different flavors to a glaze—there are plenty of warm flavors that would complement the doughnuts, such as pumpkin pie spice or coffee.
A sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar on top would be the perfect finisher as well.
How to Store Crumb Doughnuts
Keep crumb doughnuts in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days. Know that they’ll taste better fresh, so eat them sooner rather than later!
If you don’t plan to enjoy them all within that timeframe, you can keep them in the freezer in a zip-top freezer bag. Place a sheet of waxed paper between layers if you plan to freeze more than what can fit in a single layer. Our guide to how to freeze doughnuts provides more tips and tricks for preserving our favorite breakfast treat.
Tips for Making Crumb Doughnuts
How long should you let the crumb doughnuts cool before removing them from the pan?
Let the doughnuts cool for five minutes in the doughnut pan before transferring them to a cooling rack. Before then, you might have a hard time getting them out, whether they stick to the pan or are simply too hot to handle.
Can you make baked crumb doughnuts without a doughnut pan?
You can definitely make doughnuts without a doughnut pan if you have a muffin tin and some tin foil. Create makeshift doughnut-shapes with the foil and place in each muffin cup.
Can you make crumb doughnuts ahead of time?
You can make crumb doughnuts a day ahead of time if you need, although they’ll taste better fresh. Keep them in an airtight container overnight and enjoy the next day.
Easy to prepare and quick to cook, pork chops are a great weeknight dinner idea—but it’s easy to get stuck in a rut with the same-old recipes. Time to try these ranch pork chops! Slathered with rich, savory seasoning, they pack a flavor wallop. As a bonus, they come together in minutes and call for just five ingredients. Here’s how to cook ’em.
Ingredients for Ranch Pork Chops
- Ranch salad dressing mix: Lots of recipes start with a packet of ranch dressing. As the title suggests, ranch flavor infuses every bite.
- Pork chops: When choosing which pork chops to buy, look for a bone-in loin chop. The bone helps insulate the meat during cooking, ensuring that the pork stays moist and tender.
How to Make Ranch Pork Chops
This recipe was developed in the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. It makes six pork chops, but can easily scale up or down.
Ingredients
- 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 6 bone-in pork loin chops (1 inch thick and 10 ounces each)
Directions
Step 1: Make the rub
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a small bowl, stir together the seasonings.
Step 2: Rub
Rub the seasoning evenly over the chops.
Step 3: Bake
Place the pork chops on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Make sure to leave space between the chops so the heat can flow around them.
Bake until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork reads 145°, about 20-25 minutes.
Step 4: Enjoy!
Let the pork chops stand for 5 minutes before serving or slicing. Cutting into a hot pork chop makes the juice run out quickly. Give it time to set, cool and let the juices redistribute.
Recipe Variations
- Change up the spice mix: Most spices and dried herbs taste great with mild pork chops. Think a mesquite rub, Italian herb mix or smoked paprika and brown sugar.
- Slather on barbecue sauce: Before cooking, spread a bit of barbecue sauce over the chops. These are our favorite store-bought barbecue brands.
- Add a twist of lemon: A squeeze of citrus livens up rich, savory pork chops.
How to Store Ranch Pork Chops
Store leftover pork chops, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to four days.
How to Freeze Ranch Pork Chops
Wrap each chop in aluminum foil and seal in a freezer bag. They will keep for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Ranch Pork Chops Tips
How do you keep ranch pork chops from drying out?
Using bone-in pork chops will reduce the chance of dry pork. Keep a close eye on the temperature. For medium-rare chops, look for 145 to 150°; 160° is well-done. Remember that the pork chops will continue to cook for a few minutes after being removed from the heat.
How else can you cook ranch pork chops?
You can cook ranch pork chops in the air fryer, which will be quicker and yield a slightly crisper exterior. You can also cook ranch pork chops on the grill.
What do you serve with ranch pork chops?
Ranch pork chops are surprisingly versatile! Serve them with anything you’d serve with plain pork chops. Think cozy sides like mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and roasted carrots in the winter. In the summer, try grilled corn and potato salad. Snappy green beans, asparagus or a fresh side salad are also tasty vegetable side dishes that would work.
I’ve seen numerous manufacturers crank out chocolate sodas over the years, and none of them have lived up to their potential. Most have a chemical flavor and a weird mouthfeel. (Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge soda, I’m looking at you.)
Now, one of my favorite regional soda manufacturers, Jones Soda, is attempting a chocolate-flavored soda. You probably know Jones Soda for its gimmicky annual Thanksgiving soda offerings, such as Turkey & Gravy. Past flavors have included Candy Corn soda, Candy Cane soda and Eggnog soda—so they’re not beholden to Turkey Day. In fact, this year, I’ve enjoyed the Hatch Chile Lime soda, which blends sweet lime with just enough Hatch chile heat. But their new-for-the-holidays drink leans heavily on the sweet side of things.
What is the new Jones soda?
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The latest Jones flavor is… Orange Chocolate soda. The company describes it as “the sweet, tangy flavor of fresh oranges with rich, crave-worthy chocolate.” It’s not as out there as Turkey & Gravy soda, so it does seem like a perfect match for fall, since chocolate is a Halloween staple. In fact, the company told us that it “tastes like drinking Halloween candy.”
Maybe you’re already a fan of the choco-orange blend, thanks to Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. You know, then, how the bright citrus tang of orange melds with the sweet, creamy chocolate. It’s a delectable blend.
What does Jones Orange Chocolate soda taste like?
I wanted to love Jones Orange Chocolate soda. The flavor combo could’ve been made for me! I adore weird sodas, am a chocoholic and actually seek out Terry’s Chocolate Oranges at Christmas for the thrill of that sweet-tart combo.
It pains me to say it, but I don’t adore this drink. First off, there’s almost too much tart in the orange side of the soda. It needs a little contrast. This beverage is entirely missing the addictive sweetness of Orange Crush, Sunkist or other orange sodas.
And where’s the chocolate? There’s an almost-overwhelming flavor that washes in after the first sip of orange, but it doesn’t carry the creamy delight of chocolate, at least not for me. You’d think the chocolate flavor would sail in on a river of sweetness. Maybe chocolate and orange just don’t blend well in a pre-made beverage? The whole thing kind of reminds me of an off-brand orange soda.
Sadly, I really wanted the orange-chocolate soda to be dominated by its chocolate half, or at least to earn 50% of the taste. I imagined it tasting like a melted Terry’s Chocolate Orange, or like a mocha with tart orange zest grated into it (sometimes called a Valencia mocha).
But instead, the orange flavor takes up chocolate’s half of the bed. The idea of the drink is fun, but it’s not nearly as a-peeling as a more chocolaty version. Orange you glad you know?
Where can you buy Jones Orange Chocolate soda?
If you’re interested in trying Jones Orange Chocolate soda, it’s available now at retail outlets nationwide and at JonesSoda.com. You can scoop it up in four-packs or individual bottles, each with Jones’ fun, creative labels featuring photos taken by customers.
There’s even a neat Halloween three-pack available online that includes three Jones Soda flavors that have been given Halloween-inspired names, one of which is definitely not appropriate to share here.
Even if there’s no return of Turkey & Gravy soda this year, Jones Soda fans can still scoop up this fun fall flavor.
Double, double, toil and trouble! With Halloween around the corner, a classic All Hallows’ Eve activity is in full swing—pumpkin carving. There’s a long history to why we carve pumpkins. But that doesn’t mean we always carve them with ease. Carving can quickly turn messy (for kids and adults alike). Plus, pumpkins aren’t always simple to design or maneuver.
Cue everyone’s favorite grandmother, Babs Costello (aka TikTok sensation @brunchwithbabs) who has us covered thanks to some genius pumpkin carving hacks. Babs never fails to break down the most challenging of house chores and activities (her guide on how to load a dishwasher the right way is a lifesaver!). As one TikToker says in Babs comments, “how do you make everything easier.” Aka, prepare to take notes on how to carve a pumpkin the Babs way.
I mean, if Babs suggests something, we know it’s brilliant. These pumpkin carving hacks offer no exception.
Babs’ Do’s and Don’ts of Pumpkin Carving Hacks
Like many, carving pumpkins for Halloween “is a treasured tradition in our family,” Babs says. Yet, she explains, yuck and mess can plague the process. Before resorting to no-carve pumpkin ideas, try Babs’ tips and hacks that “cut the job in half” for the perfect jack-o-lanterns.
Take note, these hacks are no joke. TikTok can’t get enough of them! Babs’ pumpkin carving video has 4 million likes. Take a look at the viral do’s and don’ts of pumpkin carving that the home hack guru suggests.
@brunchwithbabs 🎃Do’s and Don’ts of Pumpkin Carving 🎃It is a treasured tradition in our family to carve jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. But with all the yuck and mess, sometimes my kids would quit the project before we even started. Babs’ Do’s and Don’ts for Pumpkin Carving, saves the mess and speeds up carving so you can have the perfect jack-o-lantern with no mess and no fuss. Happy Halloween 🎃XO Babs 1. Carve from bottom. That way you have the stem to hold onto and you can easily slip the pumpkin right over a candle or flashlight. 2. Hold pumpkin in your lap to carve. You will have a much steadier pumpkin to cut. 3. Use a red dry erase marker to sketch your design. It erases easily and if you miss a spot, it blends in. 4. Use a hand mixer to clean out your pumpkin. 5. Use cookie cutters and a rubber mallet to carve your design. 6. Cover all cut surfaces with Vaseline to keep the pumpkin moist after carving. Pumpkins should last 1-2 weeks carved! 7. Sprinkle some cinnamon on the inside top of your pumpkin for festive pumpkin spice smell when a candle is lit inside the pumpkin. 🎃 #pumpkincarving ♬ original sound – everyone’s grandmother
Tip #1: Sit, don’t stand
First, “don’t stand and carve your pumpkin, sit!” Babs advises. Carve the pumpkin resting on your lap for a steady work surface.
Tip #2: Cut out the bottom of the pumpkin
Babs hollows out pumpkins from the bottom rather than the top. This takes out the hassle of trying to perfectly position a candle in the pumpkin. Instead, just slip the carved pumpkin over a tea light. Plus, you can hold onto the stem while carving, too. It’s that simple.
Tip #3: Clean out pumpkin “guts” with a hand mixer
Instead of cleaning pumpkins out by hand, use a hand mixer. That’s right, “get all those strings cleaned out!” The mixer does the heavy lifting of loosening the pumpkin strings. Then you’re free to scoop out the guts.
Psst… Don’t forget to save the seeds. You can roast pumpkin seeds for a snack later on.
Tip #4: Use a dry erase marker to sketch designs
Switch out permanent marker for a dry erase marker when designing pumpkins. Dry erase markers (Babs uses a red marker) erase easily and missed spots can blend into the pumpkin. As Babs says, “you can get rid of the lines after you carve.”
Tip #5: Carve pumpkins with a mallet and cookie cutter
Let’s face it, carving pumpkins with a knife is way harder than it needs to be. That’s why Babs suggests using a cookie cutter and rubber mallet to carve out your design. Make sure to remove the dry erase marker lines once the carved pumpkin pieces are pushed out.
Tip #6: Lengthen pumpkin life with Vaseline
“Don’t let all your work go to waste,” Babs says. To fully enjoy carved pumpkins, cover the cut surfaces of pumpkins with Vaseline. This keeps the pumpkin moist so it doesn’t dry out as quickly, which preserves it for around 1-2 weeks. That’s way beyond the 3-5 days a pumpkin usually lasts.
Tip #7: Scent jack-o-lanterns with cinnamon
Create a fall-scented jack-o-lantern by sprinkling cinnamon on the inside top of pumpkins. Place the pumpkin over a candle for a pumpkin that not only looks amazing, but smells wonderful too. It’s like pumpkin spice!
A grateful TikToker commented, “I was today years old when I realized I’ve been doing this the hard way my entire life!” Another commented, “Babs, you never fail to impress and teach me something new, and inspiring.” And with hacks this good, we can’t help but agree.
If you need us, we’ll be carving pumpkins the Babs way all spooky season long. Happy Halloween!
It’s official, pumpkin season is in full swing. That means we’re bringing all of our best pumpkin recipes to the forefront. It’s sweater weather, so a PSL in one hand and a pumpkin treat in the other arguably makes fall the best time of year.
Here’s another TikTok recipe to add to your list of pumpkin faves for chilly mornings: cinnamon roll pumpkin pancakes. Is this a recipe for cinnamon rolls? Is it pancakes? It’s both, of course!
What are cinnamon roll pumpkin pancakes?
Think pumpkin cinnamon rolls in pancake form. It’s possible—two tasty breakfasts rolled together into one irresistible treat. Imagine a stack of fluffy pancakes with caramelized cinnamon sugar swirls. Then add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for a delicacy that says autumn like no other breakfast can.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Pancakes
We came across this recipe from food and lifestyle creator Well Made by Kiley and knew it was a culinary masterpiece. I mean, with a combination of two of our favorites, how could we not be obsessed? It’s fall genius at its finest. Here’s how to make the pancakes!
@wellmadebykiley PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES All of my Gilmore Girls girlies uniteee 🍂 I can’t even put into words how good these are??? 🤯 Caramelized cinnamon sugar swirls in a stack of soft, tender, and fluffy pumpkin pancakes – truly a dream 🤎recipe below! #Recipe Details: Ingredients: – 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour @Bob’s Red Mill – 3 tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar – 1 1/4 tsp baking powder – 3/4 tsp baking soda – 1/4 tsp salt – 1 tsp cinnamon – Optional: 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice – 1/2 cup pumpkin puree – 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk (can sub milk of choice) – 1 tbsp butter, melted – 1 egg – 1 tsp vanilla extract Cinnamon Swirl: – 4 tbsp butter, softened – 1/4 cup granulated sugar – 2 tsp cinnamon – 1 tbsp of the pancake batter Maple Glaze: – 1/2 cup powdered sugar – 2 tbsp maple syrup + 1 tbsp milk – 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Instructions: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut or brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice (if using). In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, buttermilk, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until just combined. In a small separate bowl, make the cinnamon swirl mixture by mixing together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tbsp of the pancake batter. Transfer the mixture to a small plastic sandwich baggie, and snip a small portion of the corner off. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease with butter. Use a 1/4 cup to pour the pancake batter into the skillet for each pancake. Use the piping baggie full of the cinnamon swirl mixture and gently swirl the mixture into the pancake, pushing slightly into the batter so the cinnamon mixture swirls into the batter, not just on top. Once bubbles appear on the surface, gently flip the pancake over and cook the other side for a minute, or until golden. Repeat with remaining batter and cinnamon swirl mixture. Serve pancakes warm with additional butter, maple syrup, or a simple glaze if desired. Enjoy! #pumpkin #cinnamonroll #pancakes #pumpkinpancakes #breakfast #cinnamonrolls #fall #fallbreakfast #easy #recipe #easyrecipe #fallrecipe ♬ original sound – Well Made by Kiley
Ingredients
Pancake batter:
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons brown or coconut sugar
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon swirl:
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of pancake batter
Maple glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients
First, whisk the flour (Kiley uses Bob’s Red Mill), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients
Next, whisk together pumpkin puree, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon. Make sure the ingredients are fully mixed.
Step 4: Prep the cinnamon swirls
Mix softened butter, sugar, cinnamon and a tablespoon of the pancake batter in a small bowl. Move this mixture to a small plastic baggie and cut a tiny corner of the bag off. This bag will be used to create the cinnamon roll swirls in the pancakes.
Step 5: Pour batter onto a hot skillet
Set a large skillet or griddle over medium heat; drop in a pat of butter. From there, pour pancake batter to create each pancake and then maneuver the small bag to create cinnamon swirls. It should lightly push into the batter, not just rest on the surface.
Step 6: Flip!
When bubbles appear, it’s time to flip that pancake. Cook for around a minute or until golden.
Just add maple syrup and you’ve got an unforgettable fall breakfast!
You have to have a mimosa at brunch or breakfast. It’s a staple. I mean, does anything say “brunch” like the signature orange juice and champagne combo of a mimosa? We think not. For a spooky take on this simple drink, people are making hauntingly tasty “Monster Mash” mimosas!
This recipe is ideal for Halloween breakfast or a Hocus Pocus party at any time of day. Here’s how to make the perfect All Hallows’ Eve cocktails.
What’s in this Halloween mimosa?
It may sound like the mimosas are full of creatures of the night, but the glittering drinks are actually quite sweet. According to TikTok creator The Spritz Effect (@thespritzeffect), her Monster Mimosas taste “like sweet champagne with a hint of melon!” Thanks to the magic of edible glitter, this sparkly delight of melon liqueur and champagne makes for a mimosa worthy of Frankenstein.
How to Make Monster Mash Mimosas
The mimosas are a pretty straightforward recipe. As The Spritz Effect says, “these couldn’t be any cuter (or easier)!” That may explain why they’re so popular, racking up nearly 600,000 likes on TikTok. Here’s how to make the eerie viral cocktail. Or, as one TikTok user commented, “the most beautiful mimosas we’ve ever seen!”
@thespritzeffect Monster Mash (melon) mimosas for your spooky brunches this month! Just add a half ounce of melon liqueur to your bubbly! Follow along for more halloween recipes edible glitter is @Fancy Sprinkles®, sprinkles are from target! #halloween #thespritzeffect #mimosa #halloweendrinks #halloweencocktailreciepes #monstermash #fallcocktail #fallrecipes ♬ Monster Mash – Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers
Ingredients
- Just enough vanilla frosting to rim a glass
- Halloween sprinkles
- Pinch of edible glitter
- 1/2 ounce melon liqueur
- Enough champagne to fill the glass
Directions
To create this sparkly Halloween mimosa, start by rimming a drinking glass with vanilla frosting and Halloween sprinkles. The Spritz Effect uses bats and ghosts from Target but any spooky sprinkles will do.
From there, add a pinch of edible glitter to the glass—The Spritz Effect’s is from Fancy Sprinkles—and half an ounce of melon liqueur. Fill the rest of the glass with champagne for a cocktail that offers “no tricks, just treats!” as The Spritz Effect says.
Now that you know how to make ’em, add these mimosas to the list of Halloween drinks for the season. In fact, bring a batch of Halloween mimosas to any upcoming brunches, potlucks or Halloween parties for a smash hit!
“Come over here, sweetie, and show us what you’ve got in your mystery box,” a cheerful woman called. She was pushing a shopping cart filled with five colorful pieces of stoneware and enameled cast-iron cookware. I was elbow-deep in my car’s trunk, unceremoniously tearing open and unpacking the contents of my Le Creuset mystery box while attending the Phoenix Factory to Table Sale event.
I already had two Le Creuset skillets and one Dutch oven to my name—all of them unused because their heft and beauty felt strangely intimidating to me—and I couldn’t wait to discover the iconic French cookware buried within this nondescript brown box. The brand says that each of these brown mystery boxes contains up to $350 in retail value of merchandise, so purchasing one at $50 through the sale was hardly a gamble. An avid home cook, I was determined to add new treasures to my meager collection in an affordable way and finally put them to use.
I briefly lifted my head to respond and realized we were hardly alone. The entire parking lot was abuzz with men and women of all ages and from all walks of life, showing off their mystery box wares and making trades left and right. Apparently, a high-end swap meet had organically transpired in the event’s parking lot. The only currency? Cookware.
What’s your color?
The woman nudged me out of the way to get a better view of what I’d uncovered in my trunk: An all Mist Grey collection of mugs, casserole dishes, a large braiser and a platter. Each piece was striking, but the colors didn’t match my kitchen. I love a bold red (Cerise, in Le Creuset color lingo), and that’s what my heart was set on. “Is this your color?” she asked. When I shook my head no, she sprang into action—this clearly wasn’t the woman’s first rodeo, but she sensed it was mine.
She told me to go ahead and put all that packing material in the bottom of my shopping cart and to lay each Le Creuset piece on top so people can easily see what I’d be trading. “Head over toward that camper,” she said, “It’s where everyone is gathering, and there are snacks and drinks too. Help yourself.” Intrigued, I did as I was told, moving slowly so my wares wouldn’t clank together, but also because I had no idea what I was walking into.
Trading Wares in the Parking Lot
When I arrived at the heart of the action, it would have been easy to feel overwhelmed. I didn’t have a vast knowledge about the brand, wasn’t attuned to the finer points of trading wares in a parking lot, and I didn’t know anyone.
Instead, I was greeted by about 30 friendly faces who turned out to be the most welcoming group of brand loyalists I’ve ever encountered: Grandmothers who have spent decades collecting their heritage cookware reminiscing about Le Creuset’s long-retired vintage collections, savvy moms who make stews and casseroles for their growing families, couples obsessed with hosting rustically chic dinner parties and millennials looking to outfit their first kitchens.
The attendees—some of whom already knew each other from Le Creuset fan Facebook groups—dubbed it “Le Creuchella.” Several had traveled from across the country to attend this event, something they did a few times a year for great deals and camaraderie.
One woman, Gigi, was flitting about, helping other attendees keen to trade their newfound wares identify vessel shapes, sizes and colors, and even helping complete strangers broker deals. I learned that she is a personal chef who’s been collecting Le Creuset for about eight years and is known throughout the fan Facebook groups as a brand expert.
I watched as her eyes lit up when someone revealed a limited-edition piece from their box or a special piece she’d been wanting for years. She had flown in from Florida just to attend this event and brought pool noodles and bubble wrap to help protect her new treasures when she shipped them home. I learned so much by observing her interactions, and she stopped to answer my newbie questions multiple times as I worked up the nerve to begin trading my pieces.
The Joy of a Good Swap
Over the next few hours, I successfully swapped most of my Mist Grey mystery box items for more preferential shapes, sizes and colors. The trading took on a life of its own and I soon noticed my swapped items in the carts of those I hadn’t even “done a deal” with—these pieces were changing hands multiple times. Everyone was on their own personal mission and each pot and pan was simply a tradable vessel in their strategy to successfully add to their own collections.
So I’d accept a trade, then trade that piece for something else, and repeat the process with someone else. At one point, a woman offered me her gorgeous Cerise cast-iron Signature Saucepan in exchange for a few stoneware casserole dishes, and when I told her she was getting the short end of that deal financially, she said she didn’t care. She just wanted, no, needed, my casserole dishes. Fine by me!
That was the beauty of this experience: Nobody felt slighted, nobody cared as much about the “true value” of each piece as they did about getting their hands on coveted pieces, and nobody argued. And I didn’t see a single dollar bill exchange hands.
In the end, I walked away with a larger Dutch oven than the one I already owned (I was convinced it was necessary for bigger batches), an oval Dutch oven (which I gave to my mother), a rice pot, a pie plate, some casserole dishes and a Flame braiser. I was thrilled, and it was so much fun. So fun, in fact, that I was actually sad when I realized I was done.
Where Else to Find Le Creuset Deals
That was about six months ago, but the warm fuzzy feeling of that day has yet to fade. Now, I find myself scouring OfferUp and Facebook Marketplace ads, looking for killer Le Creuset deals. I’ve since purchased a brand-new tagine for $90, a gently used loaf pan for $20, a set of six rainbow-colored ice cream bowls for $45 and an unused roaster for $75.
Each time I score a deal, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. And when I post my newfound gems on the Le Creuset fan Facebook groups, all the members show their excitement about the bargains (especially for those ice cream bowls, which apparently are hard to find).
The community fostered in these groups is a rare mix of respect and helpfulness—they share everything from cleaning tips and recipe ideas to unlikely finds at Marshall’s and tips for avoiding scams when purchasing from eBay.
I was amazed at how something as simple as the appreciation for quality cookware can unite an otherwise unconnected population. In stark contrast to a sample sale or Black Friday, where shoppers have been known to get physically violent while snagging the perfect product, this impromptu Le Creuset mystery box exchange was more than civil; it was heartwarming.
What’s more, everyone walked away happy, feeling as though they’d somehow gotten the better deal. I arrived an outsider looking in just hoping for a great deal (I didn’t even know how to use my Dutch oven!), and now I’m braising meats and buying yeast for breads because the people in that parking lot inspired me to learn how.
Many fans of Girl Scout Cookies never even got to taste the latest treat—and now it may be too late.
The new Raspberry Rally cookie had a catchy name and a fresh flavor. Raspberry Rally was a twist on Thin Mints, which is almost every state’s favorite Girl Scout Cookie. Like Thin Mints, the cookies were thin, crispy and dipped in smooth chocolaty coating. But instead of being jazzed up with mint, these cookies were infused with raspberry flavor. Our new Girl Scout Cookie review praised Raspberry Rally for its “mild chocolaty flavor” and “not-too-sweet raspberry taste.”
It joined the Girl Scout Cookie lineup for 2023 but won’t be available during the cookie season in 2024.
Raspberry Rally Has Been Discontinued
Instead of being able to buy Raspberry Rally cookies from your favorite neighborhood Girl Scout, cookie monsters had to buy them online. A little less personal, perhaps. But it did allow people who don’t know a Girl Scout, or who live far away from where the Scouts set up their sales tables, to get in on the fun. And they sure did, because Raspberry Rally cookies sold out quickly!
But popularity couldn’t save the flavor. A representative for Girl Scouts of the USA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but as CNN Business reports, the Raspberry Rally has run its course. The boxed treat won’t be sold this upcoming cookie season, which runs from January to April 2024.
“While Raspberry Rally was extremely popular last year, we are taking a pause this season to prioritize supplying our classic varieties,” the Girl Scouts of the USA said in a statement to CNN.
What’s next for Raspberry Rally?
While it’s possible the flavor will never return, we’re holding out some serious hope. “Taking a pause” sounds better than “moving on from” or “replacing with a new flavor.” Since the Raspberry Rally cookie sold so quickly, maybe the Scouts will bring them back in 2025—whether online-only or through the regular selling channels.
For now, Raspberry Rally fans can stock up on eBay, where the boxes are being sold for anywhere from $24.99 to $200.
You might want to try one of our many copycat Girl Scout cookie recipes. While we don’t have a recipe for Raspberry Rally, I bet if you used raspberry flavoring instead of peppermint in the Thin Mint recipe, you might come close. Happy baking!
Fall is full of dazzling flavors—apple cider doughnuts and pumpkin spice everything come to mind. When I was a kid, there was only one treat that I wanted when the leaves started to change. It’s a sticky staple at apple orchards and farm stands… the caramel apple! Enveloped in caramel with just the right amount of tart, crisp apple, it hit my fall-lovin’ sweet spot every time. Plus, it’s an apple, so it’s healthy, right?
Now that I’m older, it’s time to take my childhood snacks to the next level. Hello, caramel apple charcuterie board.
Caramel Apple Charcuterie Board Ideas
You’ve dabbled in the Halloween boards for savory snacks, but it’s time for dessert to take center stage. Grab your caramel apple toppings (and Halloween candy) and get ready to dip apples like you’ve never dipped before.
The Taste of Home caramel apple board above includes a couple different types of apples, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Gala, to name a few. You can leave some apples whole for a pop of color, but slice most of the apples, because it’s so much easier for sharing that way. The board includes caramel apple dip alongside myriad toppings for your dipping pleasure:
- crushed nuts
- cranberries
- mini M&M’s
- mini marshmallows
- chocolate chips
- sprinkles
- pecans
Taste of Home finished our board with delicious extras like pretzel rods, graham crackers, popcorn balls and cream cheese fruit dip. Don’t forget the skewers!
Instagram creators have fun take on this amazing trend, too. @shopwithems integrates a slow cooker into the mix to create milk and white chocolate dips. @glambytes made everything cute and organized by sorting her caramel apple toppings into a muffin tin for easy cleanup.
Everyone has different tastes and interests, so make the caramel apple charcuterie board trend all your own.
Fun for the Whole Family
Like I mentioned above, caramel apples were a childhood fall staple for me. Use this caramel apple board board to make memories with your kiddos. Definitely ask them for fun caramel apple topping ideas! Maybe crumble up Oreos and chocolate chip cookies, to add a different texture. Slice up their favorite types of apples and add in some Halloween candy. Who says you can’t have sour gummy worms—it’s Halloween!
Keep an eye on the kids around things that are hot or sharp. You can use forks instead of skewers and serve dips that are fully cooled. And, as always, feel that fall fun!
Whether it’s getting weeknight dinner on the table for your kids or planning a last-minute get-together with friends, these pan-fried pork chops fit the bill. After all, every busy home cook needs a few easy pork chop recipes in their back pocket.
For this recipe, you can use boneless pork chops or bone-in, fresh from the market or that package from your freezer (Psst: here’s a primer on how to thaw pork chops). Any way you slice it, this quick pan-fry is an effortless preparation. Simply dredge the chops in seasoned flour, fry them in a bit of neutral oil, and you’re good to go. To keep the meat from drying out, we have plenty of tips on how to cook pork chops so they stay tender, juicy and delicious.
How long does it take to pan-fry pork chops?
It doesn’t take a lot of time to pan-fry pork chops. The beauty of this recipe is that it takes mere minutes to get the chops from package to table, and that includes seasoning and cooking them. You need only a few minutes to prep the chops, and around 10 minutes in the pan. If you add in the resting time needed to ensure a juicier pork chop, you’re all in at less than 20 minutes.
Ingredients for Pan-Fried Pork Chops
- Flour: While these aren’t breaded pork chops, you do dredge the meat in seasoned all-purpose flour before cooking. It helps create a nice crust and keeps the pork chops juicy.
- Pork chops: We use boneless pork loin chops for this recipe because they cook in a flash. You can use bone-in pork chops instead, but you will need to adjust your cooking time.
- Salt and pepper: Keep it simple. Salt and pepper are all you really need for delectable pork chops.
Pan-Fried Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 4 boneless pork loin chops (6 ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Directions
Step 1: Coat the pork chops in seasoned flour
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. Dip each chop in the flour mixture and coat both sides. Shake off any excess flour.
Editor’s Tip: These aren’t breaded pork chops, so no need to dip the pork chops in a liquid before the flour. You just want to coat the outside of the meat with the seasoned flour. Also, it’s not imperative to blot them dry with a paper towel. In fact, a little bit of moisture will help the flour stick.
Step 2: Cook the pork chops
In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Cook the pork chops for four to five minutes per side, or until a thermometer inserted in the pork reads 145°F. Let the chops stand for five minutes before serving.
Editor’s Tip: Pork can still have pink in the middle! The proper pork chop temp for a medium-rare chop is 145°. Anywhere between 150° and 160° will be medium to well done. Also, don’t skip the resting step. Letting the pork chops sit for a few minutes after cooking allows the juices to redistribute and create more tender meat.
Recipe Variations
- Use pork chop seasoning: While salt and pepper do all the work you need for pan-fried pork chops, try mixing some homemade pork chop seasoning into the flour. Or make it spicy with a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika.
- Brine your pork chops: Boneless pork chops are super lean and prone to drying out. One way to mitigate this is brining them before dredging in flour. The key ingredients for any brine are salt, sugar and water, but you can also add spices, herbs and citrus peel. How long to brine is key, too. Our Test Kitchen suggests brining pork chops 8 to 12 hours for the best taste, but you can get away with a few hours if you can’t go overnight.
- Don’t use flour: The difference between pan-fried and pan-seared pork chops is the flour. If you want to go gluten-free (or just flourless), follow the recipe for the latter.
- Make a quick pan sauce: After you pull the pork chops out of the pan to rest, add 1/2 cup dry white wine and 1/2 cup broth to the pan. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to pick up the fond, too—that’s good flavor! Turn the heat to medium and let the liquids simmer for four to five minutes, or until reduced by half. Swirl in 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter. Taste and add salt or seasoning if needed, and serve drizzled over the pork chops.
How long do pan-fried pork chops last?
Stored in an airtight container, pan-fried pork chops will last up to three days in the refrigerator. They freeze well, too. Store pork chops wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw cooked frozen pork chops overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
You can reheat pan-fried pork chops in the microwave, on the stovetop, in an air fryer or in the oven. Most pork chops can be reheated in a 350° oven for around 10 minutes. A microwave is the fastest, taking only three to five minutes.
Pan-Fried Pork Chops Tips
What’s the best pork chop to use for pan-frying?
You can use bone-in or boneless pork chops for pan-frying, either the loin or center cut. Thinner pork chops take less time to cook, of course, but they also have a better chance of drying out. Thicker pork chops will require a bit more cooking time, but only a few minutes more per side. Keep the meat thermometer handy: No matter which cut, with bones or without, the safe temperature for pork chops is still 145°.
How do you cook pork chops to keep them from drying out?
To keep pork chops from drying out, the key is to cook them to the right temperature. And just like most meat, let the chops rest for at least five minutes before slicing so the juices have a chance to redistribute.
What can you serve with pan-fried pork chops?
Serve your favorite quick and easy side dishes with pan-fried pork chops. Anything from Chive Smashed Potatoes to steamed green beans, a simple coleslaw or Glazed Ranch Carrots.
Looking for a finger food for your next party? A new favorite way to canape? Look no further than blinis. These small savory pancakes are made to be topped with all your favorite ingredients—from caviar (if you’re feeling fancy) to pickled veggies.
What is a blini?
Blinis are small, unsweetened pancakes served throughout Eastern Europe, though they enjoy particular popularity in Russia. Typically, blinis are made small—between 2 and 3 inches across. They look much like pancakes and have a similar texture.
These bites can be topped with everything from honey to smoked fish.
Blini vs. Blintz
These two foods have similar names but are actually quite different. Blintzes are made with a thinner batter, which creates a much thinner end product. Blintzes are topped with assorted fillings and then rolled into small bundles. They have a soft, fluffy structure while still being very thin.
Blini vs. Crepe
Just like blintzes, crepes are much thinner than blini. Crepes are incredibly thin and are served either folded and topped with assorted ingredients or rolled and filled as you see fit.
Blini Ingredients
- Buckwheat flour: Traditional Russian blinis use buckwheat flour. This grain (technically a pseudo-grain) has an earthy flavor and slightly coarse texture.
- Baking powder: Some blini recipes are leavened with yeast, others with baking powder. Our Test Kitchen prefers the baking powder method for easy results. Before you begin, be sure to test your baking powder to make sure it’s still good and will give the blini the right lift.
How to Make Blinis
Our blini recipe was developed by our Test Kitchen’s all-star recipe editor and tester Maggie Knoebel. She took inspiration from traditional blinis and created a recipe that doesn’t require much fuss.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup 2% milk
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions
Step 1: Whisk up the blini batter
In a large bowl, whisk the milk, egg and melted butter together. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until fairly smooth. A few small lumps are OK here.
Step 2: Cook the blinis
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dollop heaping spoonfuls of the batter into the hot skillet. Like pancakes, cook until bubbles form on top and the underside is golden—about 2 minutes. Then flip and cook until the reverse side is golden brown—another minute. Repeat this process until you’ve used all the batter. If needed, wipe the skillet between batches.
Test Kitchen Tip: If you’re making blini for a crowd, break out your electric griddle! You can portion out a dozen or more of these tiny pancakes all at once.
Blini Toppings
Just like crepes or latkes, blinis are all about the toppings. These small pancakes can be served sweet or savory, so your options are nearly limitless!
- Apples: Spoon warm homemade applesauce over blinis. Top with an extra sprinkling of cinnamon and honey.
- Blueberry: Spoon blueberry preserves (or your favorite homemade jam) over each blini. Top with goat cheese and a sprinkling of lemon zest.
- Caviar: Caviar and creme fraiche is a traditional topping for these tiny pancakes. Making a batch is a great excuse to splurge on this spendy ingredient.
- Goat cheese: Spread blinis with fresh goat’s cheese. Then drizzle with your favorite honey and garnish with fresh orange zest.
- Spicy shrimp: Dollop a bit of creme fraiche in the center of a blini. Then layer on cooked shrimp, drizzle with chili crisp and garnish with sliced green onions.
- Smoked salmon: Top each blini with pieces of smoked salmon or lox. Dollop with creme fraiche and a sprinkling of fresh dill.
- Tzatziki: Spread a teaspoon of tzatziki sauce over each blini. Then top with sliced cucumber and sprigs of dill.
How do you store blinis?
If you want to make blinis but don’t want to eat them all today, you can store them in the fridge or freezer. To heat up premade blini, arrange them in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake at 300ºF for 5 to 10 minutes; the time will vary on the size of your blini.
Use refrigerated blini within a day or two. Frozen blinis should be used within six months.
Blini Tips
Should blini be served hot or cold?
Blinis are typically served at room temperature. That makes these bite-sized treats the perfect party food. You can make them and even top them in advance.
This being said, blini can also be enjoyed hot out of the pan. Be mindful of how you top hot blini, though. Ingredients like creme fraiche and sour cream will melt if the pancake is too hot.
Do blinis need to be made with buckwheat flour?
Buckwheat flour is very traditional in Russian blini recipes. This flour isn’t necessary to make the recipe, though. You can use whole wheat or rye flour instead. These types of flour will imbue the recipe with a similar nuttiness. And if you just have all-purpose flour in the pantry, feel free to use that in lieu of buckwheat.
Are blinis only served as appetizers?
Blinis are most commonly served as appetizers. These single-serve blini are often small—about 3 inches across. However, blinis don’t need to be limited to a snack. You can make larger blini and serve them as a main course. Top them however you choose and serve with a green salad.
Pesto salmon is a simple yet flavorful dish to turn to when you’ve got pesto on hand. Simply spread pesto on top of the fish before popping it into the oven, and voila! You have a two-ingredient entree that couldn’t be easier to prepare.
I’m always on the lookout for quick, healthy weeknight dinners—especially ones with a lot of protein. There are lots of healthy dinner recipes to choose from, but easy salmon recipes are a go-to for me since salmon packs almost 40 grams of protein per 6-ounce serving.
Here’s everything you need to know about making baked pesto salmon.
Baked Pesto Salmon Recipe
This recipe from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen serves four and takes 20 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
- 1/2 cup prepared pesto
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 400°F. While it preheats, arrange the salmon fillets evenly on a greased rimmed baking sheet.
Step 2: Dollop the pesto on the fillets
Dollop the pesto evenly onto the fish, 2 tablespoons per fillet.
Step 3: Spread the pesto on the fillets
Spread the pesto dollops evenly over the top of each fillet.
Step 4: Bake the pesto salmon
Bake until the fillets just begin to flake easily with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the fish rest for a few minutes before serving.
How to Tell When Pesto Salmon Is Done
Take the pesto salmon out of the oven when the fillets flake easily with a fork. The internal temperature should reach 145° before you dig in. However, fish will continue to cook a bit with the residual heat from the pan even after you pull it out of the oven. Consider pulling the fish from the oven when it reaches somewhere between 125° and 135°, then letting it rest until it reaches 145°.
Tips for Making Pesto Salmon
What type of salmon fillets should you use?
While you can use skinless salmon fillets, skin-on is a great choice for baked fish. The skin acts as a barrier between the hot pan and the delicate fillet. Beyond that, it’s up to you whether you choose wild or farmed salmon at the grocery store. If you want more guidance on how to choose between the two, here are more tips on how to buy salmon.
If you pick up fresh salmon fillets, cook or freeze them within one to two days. You can also use frozen salmon fillets for this pesto salmon recipe. Our guide on how to cook frozen salmon walks you through all the details. You’ll need to pop the fish in the oven for a few minutes before you spread on the pesto and continue baking; otherwise, the pesto will slide right off the frozen fish in the oven.
Regardless of whether you cook fresh or frozen salmon, try to make sure that each fillet is about the same thickness so that it cooks evenly.
How can you make pesto salmon your own?
Make this baked pesto salmon your own by experimenting with the pesto. Keep it easy and use your favorite store-bought pesto brand, or whip up a from-scratch pesto like parsley pesto, arugula pesto or kale pesto.
If you’ve still got some pesto left in the jar when you’re done, put it to use in any of these recipes with pesto.
What do you serve with baked pesto salmon?
There are plenty of side dishes for salmon that would go well with this recipe, but it depends on how much time you have to prepare them. If you have a little time, orzo recipes such as orzo with spinach and pine nuts would be complementary. Most roasted vegetables would work nicely too, whether you prefer oven-roasted asparagus or Parmesan-roasted broccoli.
If you want to reserve your oven for just cooking the salmon, you can call upon these air-fryer vegetable recipes so that everything can be cooked at the same time.
How do you store baked pesto salmon?
Keep any leftover fish in an airtight container in the fridge. We recommend preparing your pesto salmon fresh every time if you can, simply because it’s so easy—but leftover pesto salmon will last three to four days in the fridge.
Craving luscious apple pie flavor but don’t want the hassle of actually baking a pie? The Barefoot Contessa has you covered with her apple pie bars.
This 13×9 dessert has a tender, sweetened bottom crust—but no rolling pin is necessary. Ina simply presses the dough into the pan, then throws it into the oven to bake. The crust is topped with lots of juicy apples cooked with butter and cinnamon. Walnuts in the top layer give the bars a little extra crunch.
It’s so Ina to create a treat like this that perfectly captures the best flavors of the season! Like most of her favorite recipes, the bars are simple, flavorful and elegant. This dessert is versatile enough to be a casual weeknight dessert or the perfect finish for a friend’s dinner party.
How to Make Ina Garten’s Apple Pie Bars
Ina’s recipe makes 12 thick bars. With the prep, baking and cooling steps, the bars take a little over two hours from start to finish. However, we recommend allowing extra time for baking to be sure the crusts are properly browned.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (This brand is Ina’s favorite butter for baking!)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Filling:
- 1-1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples: peeled, quartered, cored and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
- 1-1/2 pounds Golden Delicious apples: peeled, quartered, cored and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Step 1: Make the dough
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. (Our Instagram Reel shows you how to perfectly cut that parchment.)
Place the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. (Or, for a hand mixer, use a large bowl.) Blend the ingredients on medium speed for two minutes until the mixture is light and creamy.
Sift the flour and salt together in a separate bowl; run the mixer on medium-low speed as you slowly add in the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl once or twice and mix until everything is just combined.
Step 2: Bake the bottom crust
Set aside one-third of the dough. Drop the rest of the dough in clumps over the bottom of the prepared pan. Press the dough down with your fingers to make an even layer across the bottom of the pan and a half-inch up the sides. Refrigerate the dough in the pan for 20 minutes. Then, bake for 18-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Move it to a rack to cool.
Editor’s Tip: The dough will be sticky; flour your hands to make it easier to press the dough. Or, if you’ve been saving butter wrappers like we told you to, now’s the time to use them! The buttered side is the perfect tool to easily press out the dough.
Step 3: Create the topping
Lower the oven temperature to 350°. Place the dough that you set aside into a mixing bowl; add in the chopped walnuts and teaspoon of cinnamon. Pulse the mixer until everything is combined. Hold this topping aside.
Step 4: Make the apple filling
Add all of the sliced apples and lemon juice to a very large bowl, and stir them together to coat the apples in the juice. Add in the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon and ground nutmeg, and mix everything together. (We chose to double the cinnamon and add an extra dash of nutmeg, to make the apples even more delectable!)
Melt the four tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the apple mixture, and bring it to a simmer. Cook the mixture, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated, and the apples are very soft.
Step 5: Assemble
Spoon the apple filling over the baked crust, making an even layer and leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Take the dough topping and drop pinches of it all over the top of the apples; the top won’t be completely covered, but just distribute the dough clumps evenly.
Step 6: Bake
Slide the pan into the oven and bake it for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is browned. Move the pan to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely. Once that’s done, use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the whole thing out and onto a cutting board. Pull the parchment out from underneath. Slice the bake into 12 bars and serve.
Editor’s Tip: The baking times above are Ina’s recommendations, however, we found it took anywhere from five to 15 minutes longer to get a golden-brown top and bottom crusts. To be safe, allow a little extra time just in case the bars need longer in your oven, too.
How to Store Apple Pie Bars
To keep them fresh, cover the bars with plastic wrap or in storage containers and store them in the fridge for up to five days. You can enjoy them cold or warm them up on a baking sheet in a low oven—the bars are delicious either way.
Tips for Making Apple Pie Bars Like Ina Garten
What apples are best for this recipe?
Ina likes a mixture of lightly sweet Golden Delicious and tart Granny Smith apples. They balance each other nicely and the tartness is very tasty inside the sweetened crust. These apples also hold their shape after baking so that the filling isn’t too mushy. Feel free to experiment with other sweet and tart favorite baking apples, such as Honeycrisp, Cortland, Gala, Northern Spy, Pink Lady and Fuji.
Can I substitute other nuts?
Absolutely! Chopped pecans, almonds, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts are all great choices to pair with this apple dessert. To coax the best flavor from any variety, lightly toast the nuts in a skillet for a minute or two, until they’re fragrant and just starting to brown.
How do I get the parchment paper to stay in place?
Ina’s favorite trick to keep the long parchment paper sides from sliding or falling into the pan is to use small binder clips. (Make sure the clips are metal.) Simply clip them over the parchment onto the edges of the baking pan. (Binder clips are one of our Taste of Home pros’ favorite kitchen gadgets.)
