Roasted Sweet Potato Salad by Chelsea Lords This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad blends mixed greens, sweet potatoes, wild rice, cranberries, almonds, avocado, apples, and feta, topped with lemon balsamic dressing. Find included shortcuts, prep-ahead tips, and meal prep suggestions. This salad is a holiday classic that pairs perfectly with other side dishes such as mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, roasted Brussels sprouts, and/or a sweet potato casserole! Roasted Sweet Potato Salad The minute fall hits, we make Roasted Sweet Potato Salad an embarrassing number of times. I’m typically craving a bit more veggies with all the fall baking that goes on around these parts.(I’m looking at you, Pumpkin Coffee Cake, Pumpkin Bread, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars) This salad, rich in textures like seasoned wild rice, crisp apples, creamy avocado, and caramelized sweet potatoes, is equally delicious. It’s topped with a favorite balsamic dressing, enhanced with a hint of lemon that perfectly complements the salad’s flavors. Ingredients Sweet potatoes: Provide sweetness and a soft texture. Olive oil: Used for roasting potatoes and as a base in the dressing. Wild rice mix: Adds a chewy texture and nutty taste. Apples: Offer sweetness and crunch. Avocados: Contribute creaminess to the roasted sweet potato salad. Lemon juice: Adds freshness and prevents browning of avocados. Dried cranberries: Introduce a tart sweetness. Roasted almonds: Give a nutty crunch. Mixed greens: Serve as a fresh base. Lemon balsamic dressing: Combines lemon juice and zest, onion powder, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic, bringing a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to the salad. How To Make Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Roast sweet potatoes: with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook and cool wild rice. Make dressing: with lemon juice, zest, onion powder, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and olive oil. Slice apples and avocados: and mix with lemon juice, cranberries, and almonds. Combine: mixed greens, roasted potatoes, rice, and fruit-nut mix in a bowl. Drizzle with dressing, toss, and serve. Store extra dressing separately. STORAGE Storage And Make Ahead Tips Prep ingredients: Cook sweet potatoes and rice, make dressing, and portion cranberries, almonds, and cheese in advance. Handle delicate ingredients last: Cut apple and avocado just before serving to prevent browning. For make-ahead: Keep components separate until serving; combine before eating. Dressing: If it solidifies, warm and shake before use. Leftovers: Dress roasted sweet potato salad only before eating to avoid soggy lettuce and browning of apple and avocado. More Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes Thanksgiving Dressing Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars Mashed Potatoes Cornbread Muffins Butternut Squash Soup FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad 5 from 15 votes - Review this recipe This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad blends mixed greens, sweet potatoes, wild rice, cranberries, almonds, avocado, apples, and feta, topped with lemon balsamic dressing. Find included shortcuts, prep-ahead tips, and meal prep suggestions. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Roasted Sweet Potato Salad 5 from 15 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad blends mixed greens, sweet potatoes, wild rice, cranberries, almonds, avocado, apples, and feta, topped with lemon balsamic dressing. Find included shortcuts, prep-ahead tips, and meal prep suggestions. Course Salad, Vegetarian Cuisine American Keyword roasted sweet potato salad Prep Time 40 minutes minutes Cook Time 30 minutes minutes Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes Servings 6 -8 as large sides Chelsea Lords Calories 625kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 3 cups (438g) chopped sweet potatoes cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil▢ Fine sea salt and cracked pepper▢ 1 package (6 oz; 170g) Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix (like Uncle Ben's)(See Note 1)▢ 2 large apples (we love Honeycrisp best) chopped or thinly sliced▢ 1-2 ripe avocados chopped or thinly sliced▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice▢ 1/2 cup (66g) dried sweetened cranberries▢ 1/2 cup (48g) sliced roasted almonds▢ 9 cups (8 oz; 231g) mixed greens lettuce (I use a 50/50 blend spinach & spring mix leaves)▢ Optional: crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese (add to personal preference)Lemon Balsamic Dressing▢ 2 and 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice▢ 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest▢ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder▢ 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic▢ 1/2 cup (108g) olive oil InstructionsPREP: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1/2-inch chunks and add to a large sheet pan. SWEET POTATOES: Drizzle chopped potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil plus some salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Use your hands to toss and coat in oil and seasonings; then press in an even layer (the more room to roast, the better!). Bake for 10 minutes, flip and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Flip once more and bake for 5-10 additional minutes or until the pieces are crisp-tender and roasted through. Set aside to cool to room temperature.WILD RICE: Meanwhile, prepare the wild rice (either according to the package directions or see Note 1.) Once rice is tender, refrigerate about 10 minutes to cool down a bit so it doesn't wilt the lettuce.DRESSING: Combine all of the ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper). Pulse until combined and emulsified; taste, adjust to personal preference, and then pour into a dressing bottle or Mason jar and place in the fridge.APPLE AND AVOCADO: Chop or thinly slice the apple and avocado(s). Drizzle 2 teaspoons lemon juice over all the pieces.ASSEMBLY: Add lettuce to a large bowl. Top with room-temperature potatoes and cooled wild rice. Add cranberries, almonds, and optional feta or goat cheese. Add the apples and avocado.STORAGE: I recommend only dressing what you will enjoy the same day. (Once dressed, the salad doesn't store well.) See tips in the post for storing the dressing and salad components separately. DRESSING: Drizzle dressing over salad to personal preference. Gently toss salad with dressing and enjoy. You will likely not use all the dressing. Use leftovers on other salads or roasted vegetables; dressing stays good for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Recipe NotesNote 1: Here's how to make homemade wild rice: Ingredients 2/3 cup (116g) wild rice 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil) 1 and 2/3 cups (359g) chicken broth or stock 1/2 teaspoon EACH: fine sea salt and dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon EACH: cracked pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder 1 teaspoon white sugar Instructions In a fine-mesh sieve, thoroughly rinse the wild rice. Combine all of the ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a low simmer (a few notches above lowest temperature). Cover the pot, simmer for about 45 minutes, and then check. If tender, stop cooking; if not, cook for another 10-15 minutes or until it is tender. Add additional broth as needed (if the liquid has all evaporated but rice is not yet tender). When the rice is cooked through, let it stand and steam for 5-10 minutes off heat (still covered with lid) and then drain off any additional liquid and fluff it with a fork. (Wild rice can be tricky sometimes, since cooking time varies by the brand, so you’ll want to keep an eye on it as it does cook.) Nutrition FactsCalories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 1303mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 18653IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese by Chelsea Lords This Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese is one for the books! Ultra cheesy, slightly spicy, jalapeño and bacon-covered pasta with a crispy buttery topping gets baked to pure cheesy perfection! Add our original Baked Mac And Cheese to your list of recipes to try next! Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese This 3-cheese, jalapeño, and bacon-loaded mac and cheese is rich, creamy, and downright delicious! I love a good mac and cheese just as much as the next person, but when it’s loaded up with a buttery, crunchy topping and then baked to gooey perfection — is there anything better?! My favorite jalapeño poppers combine cream cheese, sharp Cheddar, and bacon with a crispy and buttery Panko topping. So we’ve channeled all of those elements into the perfect mac and cheese recipe! We combine sharp Cheddar, cream cheese, and pepper-Jack cheese for the ultimate cheese sauce. Then we crisp some bacon and sauté the jalapeños in bacon drippings. And finally, we finish the whole cheesy lot off with a generous sprinkle of buttery Panko and bake. Truly, it does not get much better than this! Spice Levels As far as spice levels go, it’s pretty easy to adjust the amount of spice in this dish to your personal preference. Add less jalapeño to personal preference and if desired, replace the pepper-Jack cheese with Monterey Jack or mozzarella to further reduce the spice. On the flip side, increase the amount of jalapeño for a spicer jalapeño popper mac and cheese! You can also add a touch of cayenne pepper to the sauce for a spicer mac and cheese Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese Tips Cooks Illustrated shares some great mac & cheese tips. One that we love is to add a small pat of butter or oil to the pasta right after draining. This helps to prevent the pasta from bloating or the sauce from separating which are especially important consideration in a baked mac and cheese recipe. Take time to properly thicken the sauce. Once the milk is added into the roux (butter and flour), take the time to thicken. See the “quick tip” below for how to know if the sauce is properly thickened. Don’t over-bake. To keep the mac and cheese ultra creamy and cheesy, don’t bake it longer than necessary — this will dry out the pasta and sauce! QUICK TIP The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir the sauce, lift up the spoon and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the sauce is thick enough. If not, the sauce needs to be cooked a bit longer. Let’s Chat Cheese The better the cheeses used, the better this Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese will taste! Cream cheese. Be sure to use full-fat brick-style cream cheese for best results. Lower fat cream cheeses don’t melt as nicely and the tub-style cream cheese is formulated to be more spreadable–which we don’t want in this sauce. You need a little patience when melting the cream cheese into the sauce. I recommend thoroughly softening the cream cheese in the microwave before adding it to the pot, and then briskly whisking it in until completely smooth. Pepper-Jack cheese. This cheese is nice and creamy with a subtle emphasis of spice — perfect for a Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese! Cheddar Cheese. We recommend sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar, which has a richer and more pungent flavor (more on this below). For a whiter cream sauce, use sharp white Cheddar instead! The only difference between sharp white Cheddar and regular sharp Cheddar is the addition of annatto food coloring. Flavors are the same! 🙂 The more aged the cheese is, the more cheesy the flavor. For a really tasty and Cheddar-y mac and cheese, look for aged cheddar. Most of the Cheddars you’ll find in the grocery store are aged around 3 months. But you can find some brands that age 9-15 months and they are going to give you the most robust flavor. (Tillamook® sharp or Tillamook extra sharp are two of our favorites — Tillamook’s sharp is typically aged 9 months and extra sharp is aged 15-24 months.) How do you know how long Cheddar is aged? It will usually tell you on the package or you can peruse online grocery stores where it will typically tell you how long each cheese is aged in parentheses. Just remember: aged = sharp = flavor! That said, not all cheeses need aging to taste good. Some cheeses are used to highlight other flavors or to emphasize creaminess in the mac and cheese. For cheeses like Cheddar, pecorino, Parmesan, or blue cheese — the older the better. As far as other cheeses go, aging is not super relevant for this recipe. QUICK TIP Number 1 Cheese Tip: freshly grate the cheeses! Pre-shredded cheese has a cellulose coating that doesn’t melt as well in recipes like this one. To avoid a greasy mac and cheese, take the time to grate your own (or use a food processor with a cheese-grating attachment to do this quickly). Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese Topping The topping for this mac and cheese is so simple — Panko, butter, and a touch of salt. Panko bread crumbs are similar to regular bread crumbs, but they create a much crunchier result. Here’s an article to explain it further. I use panko as opposed to breadcrumbs in pretty much every recipe on this site — you’ll end up with such a crunchier and crispier result! And that’s the main reason I use bread crumbs, so why not? If you don’t want to make the topping, sprinkle on some freshly grated Parmesan instead — that will melt nicely and create a beautiful topping for the mac and cheese. Use any leftovers from this package in this Turkey Meatloaf, these Chicken Parm Stuffed Shells, or this baked Chicken Tortellini — delish! STORAGE Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese Storage Do not assemble ahead of time. Once the pasta is combined with the cheese sauce, the pasta will seep up the sauce and bloat– which we don’t want. To prepare ahead of time: Prepare the sauce but don’t add it to the pasta. Refrigerate the two separately and then when ready to assemble, warm the sauce gently over low heat (add a splash of milk if needed to thin) and then toss the two together and bake from there. Store leftovers in an air-tight container. Reheat by placing mac and cheese in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F or until warmed through. The topping will be soft and pasta a bit bloated, but still cheesy, gooey, and delicious! Mac and cheese is not a great candidate for freezing and thawing — the cheese sauce will likely break and the pasta will become bloated and mushy. More pasta dishes Chicken Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach Chicken Pot Pie Pasta made in one pot Pasta Salad with a two-ingredient dressing Pasta e Fagioli Olive Garden copycat Creamy Orzo made in one pot with loads of veggies! FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese 5 from 4 votes - Review this recipe This Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese is one for the books! Ultra cheesy, slightly spicy, jalapeño and bacon-covered pasta with a crispy buttery topping gets baked to pure cheesy perfection! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese 5 from 4 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese is one for the books! Ultra cheesy, slightly spicy, jalapeño and bacon-covered pasta with a crispy buttery topping gets baked to pure cheesy perfection! Course Dinner, Main Course, Vegetarian Cuisine American Keyword Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese Prep Time 30 minutes minutes Cook Time 25 minutes minutes Total Time 55 minutes minutes Servings 4 -6 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 1072kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $15.46 IngredientsPasta▢ 3 packed cups cavatappi pasta Note 1▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butterSauce:▢ 4 slices thick-sliced bacon, (or 8 regular slices) diced▢ 3-6 tablespoons finely minced jalapeño pepper Note 2▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic (~3 cloves)▢ 1 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ 1/3 cup white flour▢ 2 cans (12 oz.; each) evaporated milk (or 3 cups whole milk)▢ 4 ounces cream cheese full-fat, brick-style ▢ 2 cups freshly grated sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese Note 3▢ 1 cup freshly grated pepper-Jack cheese▢ Fine sea salt and pepperPanko Topping:▢ 2/3 cup panko (breadcrumbs) Note 4▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted▢ Optional: 1 jalapeño for toppingUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPASTA: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions, subtracting 1 minute. Drain, shake off excess water and immediately add pasta back to pot. Add butter and gently stir until butter is melted. Set aside to cool while making sauce. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.BACON: Meanwhile, dice the bacon and cook, over medium-high heat, in a large heavy-bottom pot (we'll use this pot to make the cheese sauce) until golden and cooked to desired preference. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon onto a paper-towel-lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease.SAUCE: Reduce heat to medium and add in the diced jalapeños. Sauté for 1-2 minutes and then add in garlic, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper; I add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add in the butter and once melted, add in the flour. Whisk constantly, cooking for 1 minute. While whisking, slowly pour in the evaporated milk. Add very gradually so it can thicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until thickened properly (Note 5).CHEESE: While sauce is thickening, add unwrapped cream cheese to the microwave. Microwave for 10 seconds, flip and microwave for another 10 seconds. Flip and microwave once more or until very soft. FINISH SAUCE: Add cream cheese into the sauce and briskly whisk until completely integrated and smooth. Remove pot from heat and add in the other cheeses -- Cheddar and pepper-Jack. Stir until smooth (it's okay if it isn't fully melted -- we're baking!).PANKO TOPPING: (optional): Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add panko and salt to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon) and stir to coat. Continue cooking until crumbs become golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside for now.BAKE: Pour the sauce, scraping every last bit of it over cooked pasta (it may seem super saucy, but this will keep it from becoming dry after being baked!). Add in the reserved bacon. Give everything a quick stir and then a quick taste test -- add more salt/pepper if needed. Transfer mixture to a lightly greased 9x9-inch pan. Sprinkle panko topping evenly over pasta and if desired, add a thinly sliced jalapeño on top. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened at the edges and light golden brown on top (don't bake too long or the cheese sauce will dry out!). Remove and serve immediately! Enjoy! Recipe NotesNote 1: Pasta: If you don't have access to cavatappi pasta, you can try another shape of pasta like rotini or macaroni. Use 8 ounces. Note 2: Jalapeño: Remove ribs and seeds (or leave them in for lots of heat). Add as much or as little as you'd like to spice preference. When making for my kids, we use 3 tablespoons of very finely diced jalapeño. They can handle a bit of spice, but I'd still say that is fairly mild. To increase spice, add more jalapeño and even a touch of cayenne pepper if you'd like. To reduce spice as much as possible, use less jalapeño and replace pepper-Jack with Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese. Note 3: Cheddar: White sharp or yellow sharp Cheddar -- either works and they'll taste the same. Whatever you use, freshly grate the cheeses! For a more Cheddar-y mac and cheese, use Tillamook's extra-sharp Cheddar (it has been aged 15-24 months). Pre-shredded cheese has a cellulose coating that doesn’t melt as well in recipes like this one. To avoid a greasy mac and cheese, take the time to grate your own (or use a food processor with a cheese-grating attachment to do this quickly). Note 4: Panko: Panko bread crumbs are similar to regular bread crumbs, but they create a much crunchier result. They can typically be found near other bread crumbs or in the Asian food aisle in the grocery store. Note 5: How to know when cheese sauce is thick enough: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir the sauce, lift up the spoon and immediately trace a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip. If the line retains a clear track, the sauce is thick enough. If not, the sauce needs to be cooked a bit longer. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 1072kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 85g | Saturated Fat: 48g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 241mg | Sodium: 1089mg | Potassium: 780mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 2337IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 1123mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Apple Nachos by Chelsea Lords Apple Nachos are quick and easy to make with basically limitless ways to make ’em! Not only do these make a nutritious snack, they can also be a totally tasty dessert (and a lot easier than making homemade caramel apples!) Use any leftover apples in our popular apple pie, apple coffee cake, or these caramel-filled apple crumble bars. Apple Nachos This post is more of an area of inspiration for creating your own apple nachos recipe — I’m sharing lots of ideas for how you can make your own including my favorite recipes — apple nachos healthy-inspired and caramel apple nachos What Apples To Use Use your favorite apples– green or red. For nutritious apple nachos, we love using crisp and sweet apples as the base, so Honeycrisp or Fuji typically get used the most. If we’re making dessert apple nachos, Granny Smith are our favorite. Since Granny Smith apples are tart they contrast nicely with sweeter, dessert toppings. Good Toppings For Apples Nutritious toppings Nut butters: a drizzle of roasted & salted peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc. We especially love these RX maple nut butter packs (not sponsored!). A handful (or two) of granola: granola adds a fun contrasting & crunchy texture. A handful (or two) of nuts: Try sliced or slivered almonds, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, chopped pistachios, chopped cashews, peanuts, etc. Chia seeds: These small, unassuming seeds are packed with good nutrients, are rich in antioxidants, and provide fiber, iron, and calcium. They add a nice textural topping. Dried fruits: Raisins, dried cranberries, currants, dried cherries, chopped dates, etc. are all great on top of these apple nachos. Coconut: Toasted, unsweetened coconut adds a nice texture and flavor. Sweetener: A drizzle of honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar adds more sweetness Spices: a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or apple spice adds a subtle complexity to the nachos Dessert toppings Caramel sauce: this homemade caramel sauce is very easy to make (no candy thermometer needed). Chocolate chips: coarsely chopped chocolate bar or miniature chocolate chips. Use a couple different chips for a fun flavor (i.e. milk & white chocolate, dark & white chocolate, etc.) Sprinkles: here’s a breakdown of different types of sprinkles, but we like jimmies best since they are the best to eat without being baked. Nonpareils will be too crunchy and may hurt your teeth. M&M® Minis baking bits: the baking bits are cheaper and easier to find as opposed to small tubes of miniature M&Ms. They’re usually found with other baking chips in the baking aisle of the store. Milk Chocolate English Toffee® bits: These are also usually found with other baking chips in the baking aisle of the store. Candy: chop up some candy bars (like Snickers®, Reese’s®, Butterfingers®, etc.) or top with M&Ms® or Reese’s® Pieces How To Make Apple Nachos Prep the apples: we recommend making apple nachos right before you’ll be eating them! Wash and dry the apples and then cut into thin slices, about 1/4th up to 1/2 an inch thick. Layer the apples on a plate: circle slices around like you see in the photos. Not only does it look beautiful, it ensures you’ll have a little bit of everything on each apple slice without a huge mess in trying to eat them! Although, be warned, these do make a mess (doesn’t all the best food? :)). Top: warm up the nut butter or caramel sauce and drizzle over the apples. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy promptly! Apple Nachos FAQs1What can I pair with apples?Beyond nachos, if you have some leftover apples and want to make a quick snack, here are some great pairings: Apples and cheese Apples dipped in almond or peanut butter Combine Greek yogurt with some honey and cinnamon to dip apples in Add apples to salad greens with some candied walnuts or candied pecans and this balsamic vinaigrette 2How do you keep an apple from turning brown?Create a water bath for the apple slices with a ratio of 1 cup cool water with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Soak apple slices for 3-5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. Throughly dry and enjoy apples that don’t brown for several hours. 3Which apples are best with peanut butter?Our favorites with peanut butter are gala, fuji, honey-crisp, or pink lady. 4How do you keep caramel from sliding off apples?Make sure the apples are dry! If the slices are overly wet, the caramel will just slide off. Additionally, if the caramel sauce is too warm, it will also slide off. 5How long will apple nachos last?We like making apple nachos right before eating — this is when they’re best. Yes, there are some ways to keep the apples from browning, but they’re definitely the most crisp and tasty right after being cut. More nutritious snack recipes: Banana Bites two different ways! Monster Energy Balls with miniature M&Ms Healthy Chocolate-Covered Caramels using dates Applesauce Cake with loads of nutritious ingredient swaps Healthy Banana Muffins without refined sugar FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Apple Nachos 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe Apple Nachos are quick and easy to make with basically limitless ways to make 'em! Not only do these make a nutritious snack, they can also be a totally tasty dessert (and a lot easier than making homemade caramel apples!) SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Apple Nachos 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Apple Nachos are quick and easy to make with basically limitless ways to make 'em! Not only do these make a nutritious snack, they can also be a totally tasty dessert (and a lot easier than making homemade caramel apples!) Course Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack Cuisine American, Vegan, Vegetarian Keyword apple nachos Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Total Time 10 minutes minutes Servings 2 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 248kcal Author Chelsea Lords IngredientsNutritious Apple Nachos▢ 2 large cold Honeycrisp or Fuji apples, Note 1▢ 1/4 cup nut butter of choice (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.)▢ 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips Note 2▢ 2 tablespoons pepitas▢ 2 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries▢ Optional: drizzle of honey or maple syrup for sweeter nachos▢ Other ideas: melted dark chocolate drizzle, toasted coconut, chia seeds, granola, chopped roasted & lightly salted nuts, etc.Caramel Apple Nachos▢ 2 large cold Granny Smith apples Note 1▢ 1/4 cup caramel sauce Note 3▢ 1/4 cup Milk Chocolate English Toffee® bits▢ 2 tablespoons miniature chocolate chipsUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsAPPLES: Prep apples (Note 1) and lay apple slices in a single layer around the outside of your plate. Layer more on top in a circular motion towards the inside of the plate.NUT BUTTER OR CARAMEL: Place nut butter or caramel in a small heat proof bowl and heat until just warm (not hot), about 10-15 seconds in the microwave. Transfer to a small plastic bag and cut off the tip. Pipe generously over the apple slices.TOP NACHOS: Top with desired toppings of choice adding as much or as little as you'd like. That's it, dig in! These are best enjoyed right after being made! Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Apples: Before making, store apples in the fridge -- these are best with cold apples! Wash, dry, and thinly slice (1/4th-1/2-inch thick) the apples. The choice of apples is up to your personal preference, but I like the tartness of Granny Smiths when making dessert nachos. They help moderate the sweetness of the toppings. For more nutritious apple nachos, we like using Honeycrisp or Fuji. But there are plenty of other great choices, and it would be pretty to alternate red and green apple slices! Apples: Make Ahead: We recommend eating this apple nachos right after making them (that's when they taste best!), but if they are going to sit out for a little, we recommend the following: Create a water bath for the apple slices with a ratio of 1 cup cool water with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Soak apple slices for 3-5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. Throughly dry and enjoy apples that don't brown for several hours. Note 2: Toppings: The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons up to a 1/4 cup of the various toppings, but feel free to modify as you like -- these are your nachos just add what you want and how much of what you want. (Really, a small handful is what I use, but that's hard to quantify when calculating nutritional information!) Note 3: Caramel Sauce: You can use a store-bought one or our preference is homemade. This homemade caramel sauce is so easy to make (no candy thermometer needed) and ridiculously tasty! Nutrition FactsCalories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 285mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Tuna Macaroni Salad by Chelsea Lords This is our absolute favorite creamy Tuna Macaroni Salad! It’s made with tender elbow macaroni noodles, olive-oil packed tuna, lots of veggies, and a creamy dressing with a “secret ingredient” that adds so much flavor to this salad! Try some of our other popular tuna recipes next like this “Sushi” Tuna Stack, Mediterranean Tuna Salad, or a Tuna Salad Wrap. Tuna Macaroni Salad This salad ranks as one of my favorite creamy pasta salads. I’ve taken my mom’s “famous” macaroni tuna salad and tweaked it over the years so that it’s just how we love it. I couldn’t be more excited about the results! It’s creamy, richly flavored, and has loads of texture. We are completely convinced this is the best of the best as far as tuna macaroni salads go! Pickles, peas, carrots, red onion, celery, sweet peppers, tuna, and tender macaroni get tossed together in a deeply flavored dressing that doesn’t just taste like straight mayo. A few “secret” ingredients set this salad apart, and I’ll describe those in detail below. Tuna Macaroni Salad “Secret” Ingredients Caesar Salad Dressing Caesar salad dressing is the ingredient for the absolute best Tuna Macaroni Salad. I know, it’s a little unique, but it’s a game changer! It complements the tuna so nicely and keeps the salad from only tasting like plain mayo (like so many tuna mac salads you’ve probably had in the past!). The Caesar salad dressing adds a lot of seasonings and flavor to the dressing, so you don’t need to add too many other ingredients. It’s a convenient shortcut for loads of flavor. That said, the type of Caesar salad dressing you use really matters. I’ve tried this salad with all types of store-bought Caesar dressings and it can end up lackluster and bland. My personal favorite is Marzetti’s® Simply Dressed Ceasar dressing (typically in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store). This particular dressing also won a taste tester’s favorites competition. Here’s an article to browse their other top favorites if you can’t find this particular brand. If you prefer a homemade dressing on this Tuna Macaroni Salad, try the Ceasar dressing on this Caesar Salad Pizza. It’s a little more work because you’ll essentially have to make two dressings, but it’s so delicious! Olive Oil-Packed Tuna And next, the tuna. I recommend using canned tuna packed in olive oil for the best flavor. My personal favorite is Genova’s® albacore tuna. Tuna packed in olive oil is richer and has a fresher flavor– which makes a big difference in this Tuna Macaroni Salad. Bread and Butter Pickles Not just any type of pickles, but using bread and butter pickles is the final “secret” to this Tuna Macaroni Salad. This particular variety of pickles has the best balance between sweet and tangy. They’re also very crisp! STORAGE It’s best enjoyed the day it’s made. For storage up to 3-5 days, store all the components separately. Tuna Macaroni Salad Tips Swap out veggies. You can change out pretty much any of the veggies in this salad, based on your preferences. If you aren’t a fan of one of the veggies in this salad, simply substitute more of another veggie in its place. Salt the pasta water. This tuna macaroni salad is a cold salad and that means the flavors tend to get muted. Be sure to generously salt the pasta since salting is the only chance you have to season the actual pasta. Don’t be afraid to add more salt to the finished Macaroni Tuna Salad if it needs it. Read about how to properly salt your pasta water here. As a general rule of thumb, I add 1 teaspoon salt to 4 cups of water. Boil the frozen peas. Add the frozen peas to the boiling pasta during the last minute of cooking. This keeps them nice and crisp while quickly thawing them out. Tuna Macaroni Salad FAQs1What can you mix with tuna, other than mayo?In this salad, we use a combination of mayo and Caesar salad dressing which keeps the salad from tasting like straight mayo. If you’re opposed to combining tuna and mayo, you’ve got to try this mayo-less Mediterranean Tuna Salad — it’s one of our favorites! 2How do I keep macaroni from absorbing too much of the mayonnaise?Pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so the best way to avoid this is to either enjoy the salad soon after being made or by adding the dressing gradually, adding more to moisten as needed. Chilling the salad in an airtight container in the fridge also slows down the absorption of the mayo. Chilled in an airtight container, moisture can’t evaporate the same. 3How do you keep tuna salad from drying out?Keep the salad in an air-tight container in the fridge as much as possible. If needed, add a few additional tablespoons of leftover Caesar salad dressing or even a splash of milk to keep things nice and creamy. More Delicious Salad Recipes Broccoli Grape Pasta Salad with a creamy lemon dressing Italian Pasta Salad with an Italian-inspired vinaigrette Potato Salad with Yukon gold potatoes and lots of veggies Raspberry Fluff four-ingredient dessert “salad” Mango Salad with a creamy cinnamon-yogurt dressing FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Tuna Macaroni Salad 5 from 3 votes - Review this recipe This is our absolute favorite creamy Tuna Macaroni Salad made with tender elbow macaroni, olive-oil packed tuna, lots of veggies, and a creamy dressing with a "secret ingredient" that will blow you away with the flavor it adds to this salad! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Tuna Macaroni Salad 5 from 3 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This is our absolute favorite creamy Tuna Macaroni Salad made with tender elbow macaroni, olive-oil packed tuna, lots of veggies, and a creamy dressing with a "secret ingredient" that will blow you away with the flavor it adds to this salad! Course Appetizer, lunch, Salad, Side Dish Cuisine American Keyword tuna macaroni salad Prep Time 30 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Total Time 40 minutes minutes Servings 8 Chelsea Lords Calories 424kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $6.32 Ingredients▢ 1 and 3/4 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (3 and 1/2 cups cooked)▢ 1 cup frozen peas▢ 2 cans (5 oz. EACH) tuna (preferably in olive oil)▢ 1/3 cup prepared Ceasar salad dressing Note 1▢ 3/4 cup regular mayonnaise▢ 3/4 cup sour cream (I use fat-free)▢ Fine sea salt and pepper▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder▢ 1/2 cup bread and butter pickles▢ 1/2 cup (1/2 of a pepper) red bell pepper▢ 1/2 cup (2 stalks) celery▢ 1 cup matchstick carrots▢ 1/2 cup diced sweet onion (or red onion) Note 2US - Metric USMetric InstructionsPASTA: Prepare the macaroni according to package directions. (Don't cook all the pasta; only use 1 and 3/4 cups.) Make sure to generously salt the water (I add 1 teaspoon to every 4 cups of water.), or the whole salad will taste under-seasoned. Add frozen peas in with the pasta for the last minute of boiling. Drain pasta and peas, rinse under cold water, let cool, and allow to dry. DRESSING: Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients: the Caesar salad dressing, mayo, sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.) and garlic powder.VEGGIE PREP: prepare veggies (measure all AFTER dicing): dice the bread and butter pickles, bell pepper, celery, carrots (or use matchstick carrots), dice the onion.ASSEMBLY: Add pasta and peas to a large bowl. Top with all the salad veggie toppings and the thoroughly drained tuna. Add dressing and gently mix everything to combine. Stir until ingredients are well coated in the dressing and then taste and season again. I usually add another 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt here, but depends on how salty the Cesar salad dressing is.SERVE: Store in the fridge until serving (best served when the salad has been chilled about 20-30 minutes). Re-mix after chilling and enjoy. Salad best used within 2-4 hours of being made. Recipe NotesNote 1: My personal favorite Caesar dressing is Marzetti's Simply Dressed Ceasar dressing (typically in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store). Note 2: Use a shallot for less-intense onion flavor or soak the diced onions in salted ice water for 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly before using in this salad. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.9g | Protein: 16.4g | Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 38.1mg | Sodium: 406mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 6.3g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup by Chelsea Lords This savory, thick and hearty Chicken Pot Pie Soup combines all your favorite elements from a chicken pot pie — succulent shredded chicken, tender assorted veggies, and a flaky puff-pastry topping. Pair this creamy soup with a crisp, crunchy side like this Brussels sprout salad or Caesar Salad. Chicken Pot Pie Soup This soup, as comforting as the classic dish, is thick, creamy, and hearty. It’s filled with shredded chicken, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, peas, corn, and flavorful seasonings. The puff pastry takes this chicken pot pie soup over the top — it adds a great contrasting texture and a buttery, delicious flavor. We love dipping the puff pastry squares into the soup. Ingredients Butter & Olive Oil: Sauté onions, celery, and carrots. Onion, Celery, Carrots, Garlic: Flavor base and texture. Potatoes: Add heartiness. Thyme, Parsley, Celery Seed, Salt, Pepper, Bay Leaves: Enhance flavor. Chicken Bouillon: Boosts chicken flavor. Chicken Stock/Broth: Soup base. Butter & Flour (Roux): Thickens soup. Milk & Heavy Cream: Adds creaminess to the chicken pot pie soup. Rotisserie Chicken: Main protein. Peas & Corn: Sweetness and texture. Cheddar Cheese: Creamy, cheesy flavor. Puff Pastry & Egg (Topping): Buttery, flaky contrast. Italian Parsley: Fresh garnish. QUICK TIPIf you’d rather only use part of the puff pastry squares for this soup, save the leftovers to make toaster strudels or apple turnovers! How To Make Chicken Pot Pie Soup Sauté Veggies: Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and potatoes until tender. Cream Mixture: Simultaneously, make a mixture of butter, flour, milk, and cream. Combine & Finish: Mix the veggies with the cream mixture, then add chicken, corn, peas, and cheese. Serve with fresh herbs and baked puff pastry. Time-Saving Tips Mirepoix: Buy pre-chopped or frozen mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot) for quick prep; aim for 3 cups. Garlic: Use a garlic press or pre-minced garlic in this chicken pot pie soup. Milk: Use room-temperature milk for faster heating. Rotisserie Chicken: Opt for pre-shredded rotisserie chicken; use leftovers in other recipes. Use any leftover rotisserie chicken in other quick and easy recipes like this BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe or these Chicken Shawarma Wraps. STORAGE Chicken Pot Pie Soup Storage Freezing Not Recommended: Dairy causes graininess and separation when thawed. Reheating Leftovers: Gently reheat in a pot, stirring often, without boiling. Puff Pastries: Store separately in an airtight container at room temperature; they may soften over time. More Comforting Soup Recipes Creamy Vegetable Soup Potato Soup Zuppa Toscana Soup Ham and Potato Soup Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Chicken Pot Pie Soup 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe This savory, thick, and hearty Chicken Pot Pie Soup combines all your favorite elements from a chicken pot pie -- succulent shredded chicken, tender assorted veggies, and a flaky puff pastry topping. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Chicken Pot Pie Soup 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This savory, thick, and hearty Chicken Pot Pie Soup combines all your favorite elements from a chicken pot pie -- succulent shredded chicken, tender assorted veggies, and a flaky puff pastry topping. Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup Cuisine American Keyword chicken pot pie soup Prep Time 35 minutes minutes Cook Time 30 minutes minutes Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes Servings 6 -8 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 1344kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $7.13 IngredientsChicken Pot Pie Soup▢ 1 tablespoon EACH: unsalted butter & olive oil▢ 1 cup each: diced onion, celery, & carrots (1 onion, 3 stalks celery, 3 carrots)▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic (3 cloves)▢ 2 cups diced Yukon gold potatoes (11 oz)▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme & dried parsley▢ 1/4 teaspoon celery seed, optional▢ 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder▢ 2 bay leaves▢ Fine sea salt & pepper▢ 3 cups chicken stock/broth▢ 1/3 cup EACH: unsalted butter & white flour▢ 2 cups whole milk▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream▢ 2 and 1/2 cups shredded/chopped rotisserie chicken▢ 1 cup EACH: frozen peas & frozen corn▢ 2 cups freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheeseOptional Toppings▢ 3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley▢ 1 package puff pastry, plus 1 large egg (Note 1)US - Metric USMetric InstructionsPUFF PASTRY TOPPERS: Follow package directions to thaw the puff pastry and to preheat the oven. Cut puff pastry into squares (I cut each puff pastry sheet 3 times vertically and 3 times horizontally to get 9 squares). Place pastry squares on a lined sheet pan. In a small bowl add the egg and whisk until smooth with a fork. Brush each puff pastry square with egg wash. Bake as directed on the package (we baked 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes).VEGGIE PREP: Wash the potatoes and peel if desired (we leave peels on) and cut into small cubes (1/2 inch in size). Finely dice the onion, celery and carrot. Mince the garlic.VEGGIES: Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add in the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot and sauté, stirring frequently, over medium heat, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic in the last 30 seconds. SEASONINGS AND POTATOES: Add in the thyme, parsley, celery seed, chicken bouillon and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon of each). Toss to coat and cook for 1 minute. Add in the diced potatoes and toss to coat, cooking for one more minute.SIMMER: Cover everything with chicken stock. Heat to boiling and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.CREAM MIXTURE: Meanwhile, in another pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Gradually add in the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook for one minute over medium heat. Gradually, while whisking constantly, add in 2 cups of milk and whisk until thickened. Again, gradually, while whisking constantly, add in the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream and stir until thickened. Season cream mixture to taste with salt and pepper (I add another 1/4 teaspoon of each, but add to your preference!)FINISH THE SOUP: Carefully pour the cream mixture into the vegetable and broth. Stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the shredded chicken, frozen peas, and frozen corn to heat through, 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese to melt. Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasonings, stir through the freshly chopped parsley, and serve bowls with puff pastry toppers. Enjoy! Video Recipe NotesNote 1: The puff pastry I recommend in this recipe can be found in the freezer section of your grocery store. It’s a little tricky to find sometimes, so use a store app if your grocery store has one. I like Pepperidge Farm puff pastry dough sheets. That exact package comes with 2 sheets of puff pastry so if you bake them all up you'll end up with 18 total puff pastry toppers. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 1344kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 88g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 256mg | Sodium: 1436mg | Potassium: 1102mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5193IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 730mg | Iron: 6mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies by Chelsea Lords Thick and chewy, spiced Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies start with a sweet pumpkin cookie that is topped with a creamy pumpkin-spice frosting. Try some of our other favorite pumpkin treats — these pumpkin whoopie pies, this pumpkin cheesecake ball, or these pumpkin scones. Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies My sister recently had a small, intimate wedding celebration and she wanted me to make some cookies for it. She said my Cinnamon Roll Cookies were her absolute favorite, but she wanted them to have a fall twist to go along with her theme. Enter: Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies! These bakery-style cookies are filled with pumpkin and fall-inspired warming spices. Roll them in a mixture of pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon-sugar, then top with a sweet cream cheese frosting for a sure-fire winner of a cookie! They’re soft, chewy, dense and spiced to perfection. To say we’re obsessed is an understatement! The cookie base ingredients Butter: Use unsalted butter to ensure you perfectly control the amount of salt (If you use salted, omit the extra salt addition). White sugar Brown sugar: We love the slightly deeper and rich molasses flavor that dark brown sugar contributes to these cookies, even though light brown sugar will work as well. Because dark brown sugar has a higher molasses content, the cookies end up with a more intense molasses flavor; that complements the pumpkin and spices nicely. Pure canned pumpkin: See more on this ingredient below! Pure vanilla extract: Vanilla adds a wonderful background flavor. White all-purpose flour: Make sure to spoon and level this measurement so you’re getting the right amount of flour; there’s more on this in the baking tips. Cornstarch: The cornstarch contributes to the softness of these Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies. Salt: Salt works its magic to intensify all the flavors and balances sweetness Baking soda Spices: We add cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ground allspice, and pumpkin pie spice to these cookies. Feel free to slightly reduce quantities for a less-spiced cookie or increase quantities for a more powerful cookie. QUICK TIP Pumpkin pie spice is a delicious combination of warming spices. You can find it among other spices in the grocery store, or you can make your own! No Eggs? Yes, that’s right! There are no eggs in these cookies. The pumpkin actually replaces the need for eggs in this recipe. Let’s chat about pumpkin Use a good solid-packed pumpkin. I highly recommend Libby’s® pumpkin (not sponsored) for these Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies; I’ve always had the most success with their canned pumpkin — it’s thick, not watery and has a great pumpkin flavor. Avoid pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has added spices and sugar and will make these cookies too sweet and way too spicy. These cookies have been tested with plain canned pumpkin. Measure carefully. Too much pumpkin and these cookies turn overly cake-like. Level the measuring cups/spoons with the pumpkin to avoid excess pumpkin in these cookies. If the pumpkin is overly wet or watery, dab it first with cheesecloth or paper towels. Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookie frosting tips Set out your butter and cream cheese about an hour before you begin, so they reach room temperature. If these ingredients are too cold, they won’t combine very smoothly, and there will be unpleasant cream cheese chunks in the frosting. Here are some tips for how to bring your cream cheese and butter to room temperature quickly. Slowly add in the powdered sugar. Depending on your personal taste preferences and how firm you want the frosting, add more or less powdered sugar (see quick tip below). Let cookies cool fully. Warm cookies = melted frosting, so before frosting, make sure the cookies are completely cool. Pipe the frosting on top. To make these cookies look more cinnamon roll-esque, I like to pipe the frosting in a swirl pattern. Using either a plastic bag or a piping bag, cut off the very tip. Then, holding the cookie in one hand and the frosting bag in the other, swirl the frosting from the inside of the cookie outwards. You can easily cover any piping “blemishes” with the spiced sugar topping. QUICK TIPMore powdered sugar will make the frosting sweeter and firmer; less powdered sugar will leave the frosting a bit tangier and softer. Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookie baking tips Measure the flour correctly. If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour and scoop, you will pack in way too much flour– which results in a cakey cookie with less flavor. Avoid this by properly measuring the flour: spoon the flour into the measuring cup until it is overfilled, and then use the back of a table knife to level the measuring cup at the top. (Video visual here). Roll tall cookie dough balls. Instead of rolling a perfect ball, I’ve found that rolling the dough so it’s taller and skinnier yields that perfectly thick and chewy center and the crisp edges. By using this technique, the bottom of the cookie ball bakes first, which will push out and become the crisp edge. The top of that tall cookie dough ball then becomes the thick and chewy center, creating the perfect texture every time! Keep the dough balls as cold as possible. Chill the dough balls after rolling to be sure the dough is very cold (not warm from being rolled in your hands) going into the oven. The colder the dough balls, the better these cookies bake! Bake at 325 degrees F (162°C) and use a pan liner. Most of my cookie recipes bake at 350 degrees F (176°C), but these cookies are best at 325 (162°C). The temperature is an easy thing to miss, and it makes a big difference for the softness of these cookies. To keep the bottoms from over-browning, I recommend a good baking mat, and parchment paper also works. Press the edges of the cookies in. Working quickly, right out of the oven, use the back of a large spoon to press the edges of these pumpkin cinnamon roll cookies into the center (Watch the video for a visual). This creates really great crispy edges and ensures the cookie has a nice chewy center. Therefore, you’ll need to work quickly; the cookies set up fast and resist being pressed inwards after sitting out for more than a minute or two. QUICK TIP You’ll likely have leftover pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon-sugar mixture. I find it easier to roll dough and top cookies when I have more of this mixture to work with, so I like to mix up more of the spice blend that the recipe actually requires. Store the leftovers in a spice cabinet for months and use as a fun fruit topping, to dredge waffles in (churro waffles — yum!), etc. Use leftover pumpkin in one of these recipes Soft Pumpkin Cookies with chocolate chips Pumpkin Spice Latte Steamer kid-friendly fall beverage Healthy Pumpkin Muffins made without flour Not cake-y (crisp edges) Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 7 Layer Pumpkin Bars with toffee bits FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies 5 from 3 votes - Review this recipe Thick and chewy, spiced Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies start with a sweet pumpkin cookie that is topped with a creamy pumpkin-spice frosting. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies 5 from 3 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Thick and chewy, spiced Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cookies start with a sweet pumpkin cookie that is topped with a creamy pumpkin-spice frosting. Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword pumpkin cinnamon roll cookies Prep Time 35 minutes minutes Cook Time 12 minutes minutes Chilling Time 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 47 minutes minutes Servings 20 cookies Chelsea Lords Calories 300kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.12 IngredientsCookie Base▢ 16 tablespoons (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted▢ 2/3 cup white sugar▢ 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed▢ 6 tablespoons solid-pack pumpkin (I recommend Libby's)▢ 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract▢ 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose white flour (See Note 1)▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ 1/4 teaspoon EACH: nutmeg, ground cloves▢ 1/2 teaspoon allspice▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spiceCinnamon Sugar Coating▢ 1/3 cup white sugar▢ 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamonFrosting▢ 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese at room temperature▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract▢ 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 2 cups powdered sugarUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsWET INGREDIENTS: Place the melted butter in a large bowl and allow it to fully cool to room temperature. This is very important or the cookies will end up greasy and spread. Once the butter is cooled to room temperature, add in the white and brown sugars. Whisk briskly until combined and smooth. Add in the pumpkin and the vanilla extract. Whisk again until combined.DRY INGREDIENTS: In another bowl, stir together the flour (See Note 1), cornstarch, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.COMBINE: Add all of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until JUST combined. Do not over mix the dough.FORM COOKIE BALLS: Roll tall cylindrical balls of dough that are 2 tablespoons in size. If you have a kitchen scale, the balls of dough should be about 45 grams. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon-sugar coating -- the white sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Roll the balls of dough to coat them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.CHILL: Cover cookie balls with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour. When cookie dough balls have almost finished chilling, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.BAKE: Place dough balls on a parchment or Silpat-lined sheet pan with plenty of space (I only add 6 cookie balls at a time) and bake for 10-14 minutes. Watch carefully, being sure to not over-bake. We like our cookies slightly under-baked best!COOL: Remove from the oven and, working quickly, immediately press the edges of each cookie slightly inwards with the back of a spoon. Let stand on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.FROSTING: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating the room-temperature butter and cream cheese until completely smooth. Mix in the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt. Add in the powdered sugar and then beat until the frosting is smooth. It will seem like you need more liquid, but just keep beating; it will come together!DECORATE: Transfer the frosting to a plastic bag or piping bag and cut off the tip. Frost each cooled cookie by piping the frosting in a swirl on top. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with leftover cinnamon-sugar mixture. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour, you will pack in way too much flour; instead, use a spoon to scoop it into a measuring cup and then level the top with the back of a table knife. STORAGE: Because of the cream cheese frosting, these cookies don't store or freeze well once they're frosted. If you're going to have extra cookies that won't be enjoyed the same day, I recommend storing the frosting and cookies separately and frosting right before serving. The frosting needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, while the cookies do best when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Allow the frosting to soften/come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before frosting the cookies; it's very stiff right out of the fridge. FREEZING: While the cream cheese frosting doesn't freeze and thaw as nicely, the unbaked cookie dough freezes beautifully. So, instead of freezing already-baked cookies, freeze the dough! Drop the cookie dough balls on a large sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake the cookies straight from the freezer. There is no need to thaw, but you may need to add an extra minute or two onto the baking time. Bake until the edges are lightly browned and the center is still soft. Nutrition FactsServing: 1cookie | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 2.3g | Fat: 13.6g | Cholesterol: 36.3mg | Sodium: 22.2mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 29.5g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Mummy Bark by Chelsea Lords Only four ingredients in this fun Mummy Bark! This Halloween treat starts with an Oreo® and milk chocolate base and is topped with white chocolate and edible candy eyes. Can’t get enough Halloween treats? Us either! Try these mummy cookies, ghost cookies, or bat cookie pops. An easy Halloween treat! It’s no secret: I love Halloween! My boys will tell you it’s their favorite holiday, too (“after Christmas of course” they’d say)! One of our favorite things to do is make easy Halloween treats– and Mummy Bark is one of the simplest! It takes a bit of patience as the chocolate hardens, but it’s well worth the wait. It’s sweet, crunchy and has so many different notes of flavor, starting with the rich chocolate cookies and the two types of chocolate — milk chocolate and white chocolate. This treat reminds me of Hershey’s® Cookies and Cream candy bars with a bit more of a chocolate-y flavor. How to make Mummy Bark Crush chocolate sandwich cookies by putting them in a plastic bag, sealing the bag, and using a meat mallet(or rolling pin, or the handle of a chef’s knife) to coarsely break down the cookies. No need to remove the cream layer from the cookies first. Melt milk chocolate chips until smooth and then stir in the cookies until well coated. Spread the chocolate cookie bark on a lined sheet pan and place in the fridge to harden. Melt white chocolate chips until smooth and melted. We separate the batch here; most of the melted white chocolate gets smoothed over the milk chocolate layer. The rest will get drizzled on top of the eyes. Add edible eyes however and wherever you’d like. Get creative here! Drizzle remaining white chocolate all over the bark similar to a mummy’s bandages. Let the bark harden, coarsely chop or break it, and enjoy! Chocolate melting tips Using high-quality chocolate chips for a better melt and a richer taste. My favorite is Ghirardelli® or Guittard® (not sponsored). Microwave chocolate chips in sturdy, microwave–safe (glass) bowls instead of using plastic or melamine. To avoid burned chocolate chips, microwave the chips for 30 seconds at a time, and stir it for at least 20-25 seconds between each microwave burst. Remember the chocolate is still melting even after it has been removed from the microwave. White chocolate hardens very quickly so work fast when pressing the edible eyes into the bark. You may need to re-microwave the white chocolate that was set aside if it has hardened while the eyes were being added to the bark. QUICK TIP Be careful when melting chocolate. If a drop of water gets in it, it may seize–get hard and grainy. If it’s overheated, it may turn cloudy and sticky. Going slowly and gradually is the best way to prevent ruined chocolate! Mummy Bark tips Line the pan with parchment paper, wax paper or even foil in a pinch. This makes for easy and clean removal of the bark. I recommend using a 9×13-inch sheet pan or baking pan for this bark; you want the base layer to be about 1/4th inch thick. Adding the white chocolate re-melts the bottom chocolate layer a bit; if it’s spread too quickly, the two colors will blend and swirl together. To avoid this, spread the white chocolate slowly and patiently. If the two chocolates do begin to swirl together, switch to a new spoon to keep the colors separate. Pipe the leftover white chocolate through a small bag for the best results. I like piping the melted white chocolate over the bark as opposed to spooning the chocolate over the bark. I find it creates a cleaner, sharper look. Let’s talk edible eyes Edible eye candies have become increasingly popular over the years. They can be found at craft/hobby stores, most larger chain grocery stores, and online! I like getting edible eye candies in a variety of sizes for Mummy Bark. Here is the exact kit I use. More Halloween favorites Halloween Donuts four different ideas! Free Fall Bucket List with a bonus Halloween bucket list 4 Easy Halloween Cookies witch hat, monster, bats, and spiders Halloween Bat Treats only four ingredients Halloween Oreo Truffles witch, Frankenstein, spider, and owl FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Mummy Bark 4.50 from 6 votes - Review this recipe Only four ingredients in Mummy Bark! This Halloween treat starts with an Oreo & milk chocolate base and is topped with white chocolate and edible candy eyes. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Mummy Bark 4.50 from 6 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Only four ingredients in Mummy Bark! This Halloween treat starts with an Oreo & milk chocolate base and is topped with white chocolate and edible candy eyes. Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword Mummy Bark Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Chilling Time 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes Servings 8 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 85kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $5.70 EquipmentParchment paper9 x 13-inch sheet pan Ingredients▢ 12 Oreo cookies or other chocolate sandwich cookies▢ 1 bag (11.5 oz.) milk chocolate chips (or semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer less sweet)▢ 1 bag (11 oz.) white chocolate chips divided▢ Assortment of candy/edible eyeballs (See Note 1)US - Metric USMetric InstructionsOREOS: Line a 9-x-13-inch baking sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Add the Oreos (no need to remove the cream filling) to a plastic bag, seal the bag and press out extra air. Use a rolling pin, meat mallet, or handle of a chef's knife to coarsely break the cookies into smaller chunks. MILK CHOCOLATE: Melt milk chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring between each burst for 15-20 seconds, until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Stir in the coarsely broken cookies until combined. SPREAD CHOCOLATE: With a spatula, spread the chocolate and cookie mixture onto the prepared pan in an even 1/4-inch thick layer. Place in the fridge to harden. WHITE CHOCOLATE: Melt the white chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring between each microwave burst for 15-20 seconds, until the chocolate is smooth. Remove about 1/4 cup of the melted white chocolate and transfer to a small plastic bag and set aside. Gently spread the remaining melted white chocolate on top of the milk chocolate, using the back of a spoon. If the two chocolates begin swirling together, swap out for a new spoon to keep the colors separate. Immediately top the white chocolate with edible eyes (work quickly -- white chocolate hardens fast!) WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: Cut the tip off the plastic bag with the remaining white chocolate. Drizzle remaining white chocolate on top of the bark to resemble mummy bandages. CHILL: Chill for 30 minutes or until firmly set up. Then coarsely chop or break into bark. Enjoy! If the chocolate is getting melty or soft, return to the fridge to firm up a bit. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Edible eye candies can be found at craft/hobby stores, most larger chain grocery stores, and online! I like getting a variety of sizes for Mummy Bark. Here is the exact kit I use. Nutrition FactsServing: 8servings | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Honey and Banana Sandwich by Chelsea Lords This Honey and Banana Grilled Cheese Sandwich is the BEST — honestly good enough to pass as a dessert! It all starts with rich buttered brioche bread that is covered in creamy mascarpone cheese with thick banana slices, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The bread and bananas get caramelized as they’re grilled, which results in an explosion of flavor and the perfect sweetness. Check out more easy grilled cheese recipes: Grilled Cheese Margherita Sandwiches or these French Dip Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Sweet grilled cheese sandwich To add a little geography and culture to your day, I’m bringing you a grilled cheese sandwich that represents Utah — where I’m from and where I currently live. In Utah (the Beehive State, by the way), we’re known for our honey, so I wanted to incorporate honey into the sandwich. And in my opinion, nothing pairs better with honey than bananas and cinnamon. And then there is always a need for cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich. Mascarpone cheese makes this sandwich unbelievably creamy and sweet. If you’ve never tried mascarpone– fair, warning–you might be hooked. I’d describe it as a sweet (less tangy) cream cheese. The flavor of mascarpone is milder and texture creamier than cream cheese thanks to the heavy cream in the mixture. This grilled Honey Banana Sandwich is a bit unique, but you have to give it a try; you’re going to love it! Brioche Bread The bananas, honey, cinnamon, and mascarpone cheese are sandwiched in between two unforgettable pieces of brioche bread. Brioche is my favorite to use for sandwiches, and it’s even better when it’s grilled for a grilled cheese sandwich. The brioche bread makes the sandwiches mouth-wateringly delicious. Brioche has a rich flavor, soft texture, and offers big thick slices (a must for a good grilled cheese). The bread is made with real butter, sea salt, and a touch of milk. QUICK TIP How is brioche different from regular bread? Brioche bread contains more butter and eggs than regular bread. This increases the fat content, which gives brioche bread its light, flaky, pastry-like qualities as compared to regular bread. The eggs give it a slightly golden color, which adds to its specialness! How to make a sweet grilled cheese sandwich Start by adding a thick layer of mascarpone cheese to one piece of bread. Mascarpone cheese can be pricey, but we don’t use that much in these sandwiches, so it’ll last you for quite a few. The mascarpone cheese is a highlight in these sandwiches so don’t skip it! Add thick slices of a ripe banana to the other slice of bread. Because the bread is so thick, you don’t want the filling to get lost; cut the bananas into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thickness. Get a banana with golden yellow (not brown, not green) skin. Drizzle on the honey. Be as generous or as scarce here as you’d like. We like about a tablespoon of honey, but it does make for a pretty sweet sandwich. If you prefer less, cut back on the honey or replace it with peanut butter or almond butter. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon. This spice is optional but adds another dimension of flavor. You could spice this sandwich up even more with an extra sprinkle of nutmeg. For a fun fall/winter twist, add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice! Place the pieces of bread with the fillings together; add a good amount of butter to the outsides of the bread (where it will hit the skillet). I recommend using REAL butter in a tub for easy application and smooth spreading onto the sandwich. Add the grilled cheese to a large skillet or, even better, a griddle. Grill for 2-3 minutes, on medium-high heat, or until browned to your liking on each side. The timing will vary depending on the pan/griddle you use, the actual heat of the oven or griddle, and how browned you like the bread. Slice the sandwich in half and enjoy immediately! More Unique Sandwich Recipes: Cucumber Sandwiches–perfect to serve with high tea! Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches—add a little Latin flair to your ice cream! Vegetarian Tuna Salad—comfort food for vegans! Egg Wraps—make use of those leftover egg whites! Halloween Sandwich Cookies —frightfully tasty! FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Honey and Banana Sandwich 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe This grilled Honey and Banana Sandwich is the BEST -- honestly good enough to pass as a dessert! This sandwich starts with rich buttered brioche bread and is covered in creamy mascarpone cheese with thick banana slices, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The bread and bananas get caramelized as they're grilled, which results in an explosion of flavor and the perfect sweetness. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Honey and Banana Sandwich 5 from 2 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe This grilled Honey and Banana Sandwich is the BEST -- honestly good enough to pass as a dessert! This sandwich starts with rich buttered brioche bread and is covered in creamy mascarpone cheese with thick banana slices, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The bread and bananas get caramelized as they're grilled, which results in an explosion of flavor and the perfect sweetness. Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword honey and banana sandwich Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 5 minutes minutes Total Time 15 minutes minutes Servings 1 sandwich Chelsea Lords Calories 648kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 2 slices brioche bread I like Sara Lee® Artesanoâ„¢ Brioche▢ 1 and 1/2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese▢ 1/2 large banana▢ 2 teaspoons honey▢ Sprinkle of cinnamon▢ 4 teaspoons unsalted butterUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsASSEMBLY: Lay out the pieces of bread. Spread mascarpone cheese on one side of one piece of bread. Cut bananas into thick (½ to 3/4-inch thick) slices and place them on the other piece of bread. Drizzle honey all over the bananas -- add to taste ( we like about 2 teaspoons). Sprinkle cinnamon to taste right on top – about 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon, depending on preference. Place the piece of bread with mascarpone cheese on top of the bread with bananas. Smooth butter on that top piece of bread (facing outwards).COOK: Preheat a griddle or skillet to medium-high heat. Add the sandwich, buttered side down, to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. While the sandwich is cooking, spread butter on the side of bread facing you that hasn't been buttered yet. Using a large spatula, flip the sandwich and cook for another 2-3 minutes.ENJOY: Remove from heat, slice in half, and enjoy. Nutrition FactsServing: 1sandwich | Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1458IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Halloween Rice Krispie Treats by Chelsea Lords Eight adorable and simple Halloween Rice Krispies® Treats feature mummy, ghost, black cat, spider, bat, zombie, witch, and spider web treats. We love all things Halloween! Be sure to check out our post of four easy Halloween Cookies, this fun collection of Halloween Donuts, or these three-ingredient Halloween Treats! Halloween Rice Krispies Treats There are few things I love more than Halloween and I am so excited to be sharing these simple, fun, and festive treats with you all! I shared these Pumpkin & Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats a few years ago and they’ve been so popular, that I knew a sequel was in order. So today I’m sharing eight different Halloween Rice Krispies Treats. Below are the full recipes as well as instructions on how to make Rice Krispies treats from scratch if you’d prefer those to the store-bought treats. BTW, did you know that Rice Krispies Treats were invented by home economists at the Kellogg Company back in 1939? That’s the company that produces Rice Krispies cereal, and the treat was originally developed as a fundraiser for Campfire Girls. Through the years, the name Rice Krispies Treats has become a generic term for that cereal confection, but we want to acknowledge Kellogg’s original trademarked products. For this recipe, any type of crispy rice cereal will work. I was able to find all the ingredients for these treats at my local grocery store, but I have linked the ingredients below in case you can’t find them locally. The links are as similar as possible to exactly what I used. Additionally, we like these best on popsicle/kraft sticks, but the stick is entirely optional. QUICK TIP Each Halloween Rice KrispiesTreat “recipe” can be scaled up or down. Note that the amount of chocolate will vary on the size of the treat and how much chocolate is coating the treat. I recommend having extra chocolate on hand just in case! Making Rice Krispies Treats from scratch Click here for our absolute favorite Rice Krispies Treats recipe. Simply leave off the white chocolate and sprinkle topping and use the decorations outlined in the recipe below instead. Or try one of these fun flavor variations as the Rice Krispies Treat base: Peanut butter Rice Krispie Treats, Scotcheroos, Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats, or Fruity Pebble Rice Krispie Treats. Halloween Rice Krispies Treats Tips If you opt to make the Rice Krispies Treat base from scratch, here are my top tips for the best possible bars: Keep the heat low: When marshmallows are exposed to high heat, they harden; that will make your bars rock hard. Keep the heat as low as possible and remove the marshmallows as soon as they’re melted. Remember to stir constantly as the marshmallows melt. Use the freshest possible marshmallows: The fresher the marshmallows, the softer and more enjoyable the Rice Krispie Treats will be. When purchasing marshmallows, feel the bags to find the softest ones. Avoid compressing: Don’t push the cereal-marshmallow mixture into the pan. Instead, place it in the pan and gently press down. The less compacted the bars are, the better they will taste and the easier they will be to eat. Eight customized Halloween Rice Krispies Treats Zombie Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats (homemade or packaged) 1 cup vibrant green candy melts 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 5 semi-sweet chocolate chips Handful chocolate jimmies 10 pink confetti sprinkles How to Prepare the Krispie Treats (either make them or un-package them). If desired, add a stick to the base of the treat. If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. Add the candy melts and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt according to package directions. Spoon melted chocolate over the top and then repeatedly tap the treat on the edge of the bowl to get the chocolate into an even and smooth layer. Transfer the chocolate-coated treat to a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan. Working quickly (the chocolate solidifies fast!), press a chocolate chip, pointed side down, into each treat to form an eye. Use chocolate jimmies to create an “x” for the other eye. Place pink confetti sprinkles to create cheeks. Inspired by Design. Eat. Repeat. Black Cat Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 1 cup milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 10 edible candy eyes Handful White Jimmies 5 heart sprinkles How to Prepare the Krispie Treats (either make them or un-package them). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a stick to the base of the treat. Cut an upside-down triangle from the top of each treat. Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t over-microwave or the chocolate will burn. Spoon melted chocolate over the top of the treat and then repeatedly tap the treat on the edge of the bowl to get the chocolate into an even and smooth layer. Transfer the chocolate-coated Krispies treat to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Press two edible eyes into the treat. Place a heart sprinkle to create a nose directly below the edible eyes. Use white jimmies to create whiskers around the nose. Inspired by Hungry Happenings Mummy Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 1 and 1/4 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 10 black sugar pearl sprinkles How to Prepare the Krispie Treats (either make them or un-package). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a stick to the base of the treat. Add the white chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t over-microwave or the chocolate will burn. Spoon melted chocolate over the top of the treat and then repeatedly tap the treat on the edge of the bowl to get the white chocolate into an even and smooth layer. Transfer the chocolate-coated Krispies treat to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Repeat with the other treats until they’re all coated in white chocolate. Transfer the remaining white chocolate (you may need to re-melt it for another 10-15 seconds in the microwave) to a small plastic bag. Cut the tip off the bag and pipe mummy “bandages” on the treat. Place 2 black sugar pearl sprinkles for eyes into each treat. Bat Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 5 Miniature Reese’s Cups® 1/4 cup milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips 10 Edible Candy Eyes 1 package Oreos® or chocolate sandwich cookies How to Prepare the Krispies treats (either make them or un-package). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a popsicle stick into the base of the treat. Unwrap the miniature Reese’s cups. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips. Melt in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t over-microwave or the chocolate will burn. Transfer the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag. Cut the tip off the bag. Separate Oreos and scrape the frosting off with a knife. Break the individual Oreo cookies in half to form a bat wing (there are a lot of casualties here, so be patient!) Once you’ve got bat wings, pipe chocolate on the back of the wings and press into the Krispies treat. Pipe chocolate onto the back of the edible eyes. Press the edible eyes into the unwrapped Reese’s candies. Pipe the back of the Reese’s cup with melted chocolate and press on top of the Oreos. Let harden. Halloween Rice Krispies Treats Recipes, Continued Spider Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 5 Miniature Reese’s Cups 1/3 cup milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips 10 edible candy eyes How to Prepare the Krispie treats (either make them or un-package them). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a popsicle stick into the base of the treat. Unwrap the miniature Reese’s cups. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips. Melt in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t over-microwave or the chocolate will burn. Transfer the melted chocolate into a small plastic bag. Cut the tip off the bag. Pipe chocolate onto the back of the edible eyes. Press the edible eyes into the unwrapped Reese’s candies. Pipe the back of the Reese’s cup with melted chocolate and press on top of the Krispies treat. Repeat with the other Krispie treats. Use the remaining melted chocolate to pipe legs surrounding the Reese’s cup. Let harden. SpiderWeb Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 1 cup milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 20 miniature marshmallows How to Prepare the Krispie Treats (either make them or un-package). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a stick to the base of the treat. Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t over-microwave or the chocolate will burn. Spoon melted chocolate over the top of the treat and then repeatedly tap the treat on the edge of the bowl to get the chocolate into an even and smooth layer. Transfer the chocolate-coated treat to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Repeat with all the treats and then set aside to harden (pop in the fridge to speed this up). Place a handful (about 20) of marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds or until the marshmallows poof up. Immediately remove and quickly stir with a spoon. Let the marshmallows cool until easily handled and then grab a bit of the melted marshmallows and stretch with both hands. Have someone help you here! Have another person hold the treat while you stretch the marshmallow around the treat and tuck it into the ends and sides of the treat. Witch Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 10 edible candy eyes Chocolate jimmies 15 Green pearl sprinkles Oreo or chocolate sandwich cookies 5 chocolate kisses How to Prepare the Krispie Treats (either make them or un-package). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a stick to the base of the treat. Unwrap the kisses. Add the candy melts and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt according to package directions. Spoon melted chocolate over the top of the treat and then repeatedly tap the treat on the edge of the bowl to get the chocolate into an even and smooth layer. Transfer the chocolate-coated treat to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Working quickly (the chocolate solidifies fast!), press 2 edible eyes into the top half of the treat. Add a chocolate jimmie to create an off-centered and crooked mouth. Sprinkle other chocolate jimmies around the edges of the treat to form hair. Add green pearl sprinkles to create “warts.” For the hats: Separate Oreos and scrape the frosting off with a knife. Transfer the remaining candy melts (you may need to re-melt them for another 10-15 seconds in the microwave) to a plastic bag. Cut off the corner and pipe about 1/4 teaspoon into the center of the top of the Oreo. Press the unwrapped Hershey’s kiss into the center pressing the chocolate out as you push down. Let set. Attach the hat to the treat, by piping the candy melts on top of the Krispie treat and pressing the hat onto the top. Let harden. Inspired by Party, Plan, Play Ghost Ingredients 5 Rice Krispies Treats 1 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 10 miniature chocolate chips How to Prepare the Krispie Treats (either make them or un-package). If you’re using homemade treats, be sure to wait until they’ve fully set up. If desired, add a stick to the base of the treat. Add the white chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and melt in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don’t over-microwave or the chocolate will burn. Spoon melted chocolate over the top of the treat and then repeatedly tap the treat on the edge of the bowl to get the white chocolate into an even and smooth layer. Transfer the chocolate-coated treat to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Repeat with the other treats until they’re all coated in white chocolate. Place 2 miniature chocolate chips for eyes into each treat. More fun Halloween treats Easy Halloween Cupcakes Printable Halloween Treat Bag Toppers Halloween Oreo Pops Halloween Oreo Truffles Four simple Halloween Appetizers FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Halloween Rice Krispie Treats 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe Eight adorable and simple Halloween Rice Krispies Treats featuring a mummy, ghost, black cat, spider, bat, zombie, witch, and a spiderweb-decorated treat. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Halloween Rice Krispie Treats 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Eight adorable and simple Halloween Rice Krispies Treats featuring a mummy, ghost, black cat, spider, bat, zombie, witch, and a spiderweb-decorated treat. Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword Halloween Rice Krispie Treats Prep Time 30 minutes minutes Time to Set 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes Servings 16 bars Chelsea Lords Calories 162kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.72 Ingredients▢ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter▢ 1 bag (16 oz.) miniature marshmallows divided▢ 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal▢ ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extractUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper (or foil) with an overhang and lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.MELT BUTTER AND MARSHMALLOWS: In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. As soon as the butter is melted, reduce the heat to low. Add in 8 cups (339g) of the miniature marshmallows. Stir constantly until the marshmallows are JUST melted.FLAVOR ADDITIONS: Remove from the heat and stir in the salt (reduce if sensitive to salt), vanilla extract, and Rice Krispies cereal. Stir to coat the cereal with melted marshmallows. Once well coated, pour in the rest of the marshmallows (2½ cups). Stir to coat until ingredients are well incorporated.ADD TO PAN: Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Lightly spritz your hands with cooking spray and then press the mixture gently into the prepared pan. Don't press too hard or you'll get a dense/hard treat. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes.ENJOY: Use the parchment overhang to pull the bars out from the pan. Use a sharp knife to make cuts (run knife under hot water, then dry with a towel for easier cutting). Enjoy! These bars are best enjoyed the same day. Video Recipe NotesSee the post for customizing these treats with a Halloween theme. Nutrition FactsServing: 1bar | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Turkey Bolognese by Chelsea Lords Veggie-packed, nutritious, and flavor-loaded, Turkey Bolognese is savory, filling, and easy to make – the perfect meal for weeknights. Pair this turkey Bolognese with a quick garden salad like this Olive Garden Salad or tasty Corn Salad. The Best Turkey Bolognese Ground turkey can get a bad rap, but I’ve found that if it’s seasoned and prepared well, it can taste amazing. With a few “secret” ingredients, this Turkey Bolognese is every bit as tempting and addictive as beef or pork bolognese. (Not that a vegetarian Lentil Bolognese doesn’t hit the spot when you’re looking for a meatless option.) And those few secret ingredients? Beef bouillon powder: I’ve been adding beef bouillon to ground turkey for a couple of years now and I swear by it — it boosts and enhances the meaty flavor. My husband is always convinced we’re actually eating ground beef with this one addition. Worcestershire sauce: This sauce gives the Bolognese a great umami, salty flavor and also gives it a bolder meat flavor. Ingredients Olive Oil: Used to cook the veggies. Onion, Carrot, Celery: Add flavor to the sauce. Garlic: Gives a strong, flavorful taste to your turkey bolognese. Dried Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Salt, Pepper: Seasons and makes the sauce taste better. Ground Turkey: The main meat of the dish. Grape Juice/Beef Broth/Red Wine: Helps mix the flavors and makes the sauce richer. Crushed Tomatoes: The main part of the sauce. Tomato Paste: Makes the tomato flavor stronger. Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a unique taste to the turkey bolognese. Bay Leaves: Give a mild, herby flavor. Beef Bouillon Powder: Makes the turkey taste more like beef. Spaghetti: The pasta for the sauce. QUICK TIP Emulsify the pasta: Toss the turkey Bolognese with reserved pasta water and hot pasta for a luxurious sauce that coats every strand. This Italian technique, called emulsifying, enhances the dish. While adding sauce directly to noodles works, emulsifying offers a richer result. How To Make Turkey Bolognese Cook Veggies: Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil. Add garlic when they’re soft. Brown Turkey: Cook the ground turkey in the same pan until brown. Add Flavors: Stir in thyme, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and grape juice (or broth/wine). Scrape the pan. Simmer Sauce: Lower heat. Add tomato paste, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, and crushed tomatoes. Add bay leaves. Simmer until thick. Cook Pasta: Boil spaghetti to al dente. Keep some pasta water. Combine: Mix half of the sauce with spaghetti, adding pasta water to blend. Serve: Top with Parmesan and optional herbs. STORAGE Storage Make Turkey Bolognese up to 5 days ahead, reheat on low. It tastes better the next day! Use any leftover sauce over these Stuffed Shells. For freezing: Cool sauce, store in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving. More Ground Turkey Recipes Turkey Taco Skillet Turkey Sloppy Joes Turkey Meatloaves Ground Turkey Recipe Turkey Taco Salad FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Turkey Bolognese 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe Veggie-packed, nutritious, and flavor-loaded, Turkey Bolognese is savory, filling, and easy to make – the perfect meal for weeknights. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Turkey Bolognese 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Veggie-packed, nutritious, and flavor-loaded, Turkey Bolognese is savory, filling, and easy to make – the perfect meal for weeknights. Course Dinner, Main Course Cuisine American, Italian Keyword turkey bolognese Prep Time 25 minutes minutes Cook Time 20 minutes minutes Total Time 45 minutes minutes Servings 4 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 546kcal Author Chelsea Lords Ingredients▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil▢ 1/2 cup EACH: finely diced yellow onion, finely diced carrot, finely diced celery▢ 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (~3-4 cloves)▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper▢ 1 pound lean (93/7) ground turkey (See Note 1)▢ 1/2 cup 100% grape juice or beef broth or red wine (See Note 2)▢ 1 can (28 ounces) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (I highly recommend Muir Glen or Cento)▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste▢ 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce▢ 2 bay leaves▢ 2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder▢ 12 ounces spaghetti▢ Freshly grated Parmesan cheese▢ Optional: freshly chopped parsley or basilUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsVEGGIES: Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large deep skillet/pot (one big enough to hold all the pasta later!) Heat to medium low, and add in the finely diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to cook and stir for an additional 3-5 minutes until vegetables are softened and straw colored (you don't want to brown the veggies; reduce the heat if they start browning). Move veggies to the sides of the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high.GROUND TURKEY: Add the ground turkey to the center of the pan. Brown the turkey, crumbling and breaking it up as you stir. Cook 5-7 minutes or until mostly browned through. Drain any accumulated liquid from the ground turkey if needed. Add in the seasonings: the 1/2 teaspoon each of dried thyme, dried basil and dried oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper, I add 1/2 teaspoon of each. Stir. Immediately pour in the beef broth (See Note 2) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring until juice is reduced in half, about 1-2 minutes.SIMMER: Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the tomato paste, bouillon powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in the crushed tomatoes and stir. Add in the bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until thickened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust to personal preference adding more salt and pepper as needed. Also taste for sourness -- if you use high-quality tomatoes, it shouldn't be sour. On occasion, however, you might need to add a teaspoon or so of white sugar to balance out the acid.SPAGHETTI: Meanwhile, follow package directions to cook the spaghetti to al dente. (Don't forget to salt the water generously! I add 1 teaspoon salt to every 4 cups of water.) Remove about 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the spaghetti -- you may needed it for emulsifying.TWO WAYS TO SERVE: Either emulsify the pasta: (authentic way; see step #7) or just spoon the sauce over the cooked pasta.GARNISH: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese as desired.To EMULSIFY: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Follow package directions to cook the pasta but DON'T DRAIN (yet!) Scoop out a cup of pasta cooking water and set aside. Now, you can drain the pasta. Add half of the Bolognese sauce to the pot used to cook the pasta. Add hot drained pasta right on top. Toss the pasta and sauce gently for a couple of minutes, slowly adding the reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce thickens and generously coats the pasta. (I usually only use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water, but it varies depending on a lot of factors, so add just enough until you have a thick rich sauce coating the pasta). Video Recipe NotesNote 1: I recommend getting lean (93/7) ground turkey as opposed to 99% lean ground turkey which tends to dry out and have very little flavor. If you can get ground turkey thigh meat, that's even better! Additionally, I recommend ground turkey from a carton as opposed to a chub (cylindrical package) -- it tends to have better flavor and is less watery. Note 2: Traditional Bolognese uses wine instead of beef broth. If you'd like to go with wine instead, you can substitute a medium-body red wine such as pinot noir or merlot. You may need a pinch or two of sugar to counteract the acidity. Nutrition FactsCalories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 589mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Cinnamon Banana Bread by Chelsea Lords An easy and quick bread recipe for Cinnamon Banana Bread features a sugared streusel topping and a cinnamon-swirl center. Cinnamon Banana Bread While I love good chocolate-chip or nut-studded banana bread, nothing compares to adding a cinnamon swirl and crunchy streusel on top! This bread is moist, cinnamon-y, and has a sweet, fruity smell. Cinnamon is a great complementary flavor to bananas—you’ll love it! This particular recipe doesn’t have a high rise or a light texture; it’s very much a moist, dense hearty quick-bread loaf. QUICK TIP To quickly ripen bananas, bake them on a lined tray at 350°F for 6-12 minutes until the skins turn black. Ingredients Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the bread, and binds the streusel topping. Sugars: Sweetens the cinnamon banana bread and adds moisture. Eggs: Provide structure and help in creating a tender texture. Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor. Overripe Bananas: Contribute the key flavor, natural sweetness, and moisture. Greek Yogurt: Adds moisture and a slight tanginess, improving texture. Flour: Builds structure in the bread and streusel. Baking Soda and Salt: Baking soda helps the bread rise, and salt balances and enhances flavors. Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to the swirl and topping. How To Make Cinnamon Banana Bread Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F, grease a 9×5-inch pan. Cream: Beat butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Bananas & Yogurt: Mix in mashed bananas and yogurt. Dry Ingredients: Combine flour, baking soda, salt. Combine: Mix wet and dry. Swirl: Half batter in pan, add cinnamon-sugar, top with remaining batter. Streusel: Mix butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt; sprinkle on top. Bake: 60-70 minutes. Cool: 10-15 minutes in pan, then on rack. STORAGE Cool: Let your cinnamon banana bread cool completely. Room Temp: Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Freeze: Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. More Quick Bread Recipes Healthy Zucchini Bread Apple Fritter Bread Pumpkin Bread Cornbread Recipe Lemon Blueberry Bread FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Cinnamon Banana Bread 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe An easy and quick bread recipe for Cinnamon Banana Bread features a sugared streusel topping and a cinnamon-swirl center. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Cinnamon Banana Bread 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe An easy and quick bread recipe for Cinnamon Banana Bread features a sugared streusel topping and a cinnamon-swirl center. Course Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish Cuisine American Keyword cinnamon banana bread Prep Time 30 minutes minutes Cook Time 1 hour hour Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes Servings 12 slices Chelsea Lords Calories 372kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.12 Equipment9x5 inch loaf panCooking spray or parchment paper for preparing the pan Ingredients▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, NOT melted▢ 1 cup white granulated sugar▢ 2 large eggs▢ 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract▢ 1 cup (~2 medium) overripe bananas mashed with a fork▢ 1/2 cup full-fat vanilla Greek yogurt (plain sour cream also works)▢ 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT BAKING POWDER)▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea saltCinnamon Swirl▢ 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed▢ 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamonStreusel Topping▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature▢ 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons white, all-purpose flour▢ 1/3 cup light brown sugar lightly packed▢ 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea saltUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and lightly flour a 9x5-inch bread pan. Alternatively, line the pan with parchment paper.BUTTER AND SUGARS: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine.BANANAS: In a separate small bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork. Stir in the well-mashed bananas and Greek yogurt into the bread batter and mix until combined.DRY INGREDIENTS: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix.COMBINE WET AND DRY: Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over stir the batter.CINNAMON-SUGAR SWIRL: In a separate small bowl, stir together the white sugar and ground cinnamon. Pour half of the bread batter in the prepared pan and then evenly sprinkle the swirl ingredients on top. Pour the rest of the bread batter on top and smooth the top of the bread with a table knife.STREUSEL: Melt the butter in the microwave and then let stand at room temperature until cooled (don't add hot butter to the streusel -- it will make it greasy). In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cooled melted butter and mix (knead with hands if needed) until the streusel is evenly combined and forms small clumps. If clumps aren't forming or the streusel is too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the banana bread batter. Do not press the streusel into the batter. Use all of the streusel (yes, it's a lot).BAKE: Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a couple of moist crumbs.COOL: Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before running a table knife along the edges of the loaf and then inverting the loaf onto a wire cooling rack. Video Recipe NotesSTORAGE: This bread stores 1-2 days at normal room temperature (wrapped tightly/stored in an airtight container). After 3-4 days, this bread is more prone to molding because of the ingredients used and the overall moistness of the bread. Nutrition FactsServing: 1slice | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 143mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 427IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
Winter Fruit Salad by Chelsea Lords Delicious Winter Fruit Salad with in-season fruits such as clementines, pomegranate arils, apples, kiwis and pear is tossed in a simple lemon-poppy seed dressing. Pair this salad with some cold-weather comfort foods such as this Crockpot Roast, Shepherd’s Pie, or this Chicken Tortilla Soup. Winter Fruit Salad This salad is a refreshing, easy-to-make dish perfect for cold weather. Packed with in-season winter fruits, it’s a delicious way to enjoy fruit despite the chilly temperatures. It’s become a favorite in my household, especially for my kids who love it and ask for it almost every night, along with this Easy Pan Pizza! Ingredients Fruits (Clementines, Pear, Apples, Kiwis): Create a sweet and tart base with varied textures. Pomegranate Arils: Add juicy sweetness and color. Dressing (Honey, Lemon Juice & Zest, Poppy Seeds): Balances flavors with natural sweetness, citrus zest, and a crunchy texture. Optional Mint: Adds a refreshing smell and taste to this Winter Fruit Salad. How To Make Winter Fruit Salad Fruit Base: Clementine oranges, Bartlett pear, apples, and kiwis form the main body of the salad, offering a mix of sweet and tart flavors and a variety of textures. Pomegranate Arils: Add a burst of juicy sweetness and a pop of color. Dressing Ingredients: Honey: Adds natural sweetness to balance the tartness of the fruits. Lemon Juice & Zest: Provide a fresh, citrusy flavor, enhancing the overall taste and helping to preserve the fruit’s color. Poppy Seeds: Give a slight crunch and visual appeal. Fresh Mint (Optional): Offers a refreshing, aromatic finish. STORAGE Storage Best Served Fresh: Enjoy this winter fruit salad within 1-3 hours of making. Refrigerate: Cover and store any leftovers in the fridge. Next-Day Use: Leftovers can be blended into a smoothie. More Cold-Weather Recipes Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Crockpot Cajun Chicken Butternut Squash Salad Vegetarian Chili Crockpot Cowboy Casserole FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Winter Fruit Salad 4.82 from 11 votes - Review this recipe A delicious Winter Fruit Salad with in-season fruits such as clementines, pomegranate arils, apples, kiwis, and pear is tossed in a simple lemon-poppy seed dressing. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Winter Fruit Salad 4.82 from 11 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe A delicious Winter Fruit Salad with in-season fruits such as clementines, pomegranate arils, apples, kiwis, and pear is tossed in a simple lemon-poppy seed dressing. Course Salad, Side Dish, Vegetarian Cuisine American Keyword winter fruit salad Prep Time 25 minutes minutes Chilling Time 15 minutes minutes Total Time 40 minutes minutes Servings 4 -6 servings Chelsea Lords Calories 258kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $8.92 Ingredients▢ 2 cups clementine oranges we like Cuties or Halos (~3-4)▢ 1 large Bartlett pear diced▢ 2 small apples Fuji or Honeycrisp, thinly sliced▢ 5 kiwis peeled, sliced, and halved▢ 3/4 cup pomegranate arils (See Noe 1)▢ 1 tablespoon honey▢ 2 and 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice▢ 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest▢ 1 teaspoon poppy seeds▢ Fresh chopped mint optionalUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsFRUITS: In a large bowl or salad platter, toss together the peeled and segmented clementines, the diced Bartlett pear, the thinly sliced apples (peel if desired, but we love the peel on), and the peeled, halved, and thinly sliced kiwis.DRESSING: In a Mason jar, add the honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Shake to combine. Pour over the salad and toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.ENJOY: Remove and top with the pomegranate arils and optional fresh (chopped) mint. Serve immediately. Salad is best enjoyed within 1-3 hours of making it; leftovers don't store very well.LEFTOVERS: Any leftovers are delicious blended up in a smoothie the next morning. Recipe NotesNote 1: Cut and deseed a pomegranate or use already seeded pomegranate arils! These arils are typically sold in small plastic cups in the refrigerated produce section or freshly cut fruit section of most grocery stores. They can sometimes be tricky to find and are usually only sold in the US from October to February. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 820mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 421IU | Vitamin C: 183mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
