I have had a go-to recipe for chicken fajitas I’ve made for years, but this one is even better! It is easier to make and the flavor in both the chicken and the vegetables is warm, smoky, and delicious.

Why This Recipe is New and Improved

Many of you have made and loved the older chicken fajita recipe that has been on my site for 15 years (which is why I’m not overwriting it or removing it).

But over the years, I’ve made made changes to that recipe to make it even better, and I wanted to share the new and improved recipe with you ⬇️, because it’s the best way to make restaurant-quality fajitas at home.

1. The seasonings permeate both the chicken and the veggies in this newer version, similar to this crazy popular quesadilla recipe.
2. In this recipe, there are multiple suggestions for how to cook the chicken, which makes it super versatile any time of the year and with whatever cooking implements you have on hand (grill, oven, skillet, or air fryer).
3. The chicken is marinated in whole pieces. I find cooking the chicken before cutting into strips ensures the chicken is more juicy and flavorful.

Ingredients Notes

• Seasonings: This recipe uses every day pantry spices for delicious flavor. Salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Use smoked paprika for a delicious depth of smoky flavor.
• Fresh lime juice: Use fresh lime juice rather than bottled lime juice for best flavor. This adds a delicious brightness to the chicken and veggies. Add more at the end to make the flavors pop even more.
• Chicken: This recipe can be made with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. I’ve given notes in the recipe for cooking times depending on the type of chicken and the cooking method.
• Veggies: Bell peppers and onions are sautéed with seasonings. Mushrooms can be sautéed in addition to the veggies. If using mushrooms, sauté them in the skillet before the onions and peppers. Remove to a plate and proceed with the onions and peppers. Add the cooked mushrooms into the skillet with the chicken and heat through.

Serve the chicken fajitas in corn or flour tortillas with as many toppings as you like: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, etc.

This is one of our favorite weeknight meals! It is so quick to put together, especially because the chicken can be marinated ahead of time. And once you are ready for dinner, the cooking process for the chicken and veggies is really fast.

It’s also delicious enough to serve for fancier occasions or for company. Let me just say that the chicken has no business tasting so good! Once it is loaded into a tortilla with the peppers and onions and piled high with toppings (lots of guac for me, please!), it is one of the best dinners ever.

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My Favorite Easy Chicken Fajitas

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Method Air Fryer, Grilled, Stovetop

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 226kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Deep Cast Iron Skillet
• 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
• Kitchen Tongs

Ingredients

Seasoning/Marinade:

• 1 ½ teaspoons table salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional, but tasty)

Chicken + Veggies:

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
• 3 medium bell pepper (any color) cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
• 1 large white or yellow onion, cut into half moon slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Serving:

• Corn or flour tortillas
• Shredded cheese
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Salsa

Instructions

• For the seasoning mixture and marinade, in a small bowl, whisk together the salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper until well-combined.
• Remove 1 1/2 teaspoons of the seasoning mixture and set aside for later.
• Mix the remaining seasoning mixture with the 2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 teaspoon liquid smoke.
• For the chicken, if the chicken pieces are thick, pound to an even thickness for better flavor (see note). Place the chicken in a dish or gallon-size bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to 12 hours.
• Cook the chicken.

  Grill: Set a grill to medium-high heat (I set my pellet grill to 375 degrees F) and cook chicken breasts for 4 to 6 minutes per side or chicken thighs for 7 to 8 minutes per side for chicken thighs.

  Air Fryer: Preheat an air fryer to 375/380 degrees F. Cook chicken breasts for 12 to 15 minutes or chicken thighs for 18 to 20 minutes.

  Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Cook chicken breasts for 4 to 6 minutes per side or chicken thighs for 7 to 8 minutes.

  Skillet: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in cast iron or nonstick skillet until hot and rippling. Cook chicken breasts for 4 to 6 minutes per side or chicken thighs for 7 to 8 minutes per side for chicken thighs.
• Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• For the veggies, in a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil until rippling and hot. Add the onions and peppers. Sprinkle with the 1 1/2 teaspoons reserved seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and peppers are tender and cooked to your liking.
• Slice the chicken into thin strips and add to the skillet with the veggies. Toss.
• Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
• Serve the chicken and veggies in tortillas with desired toppings.

Notes

Pound Chicken: My method for pounding chicken is to place chicken breasts one at a time in a freezer gallon size bag (since it is thicker than regular ziploc-style bags) and pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet. Pound the chicken to an even thickness is optional, but it does allow for better-flavored chicken and more consistent-sized chicken slices in the fajitas.

Veggies: Mushrooms can be sautéed in addition to the veggies. If using mushrooms, sauté them in the skillet before the onions and peppers. Remove to a plate and proceed with the onions and peppers. Add the cooked mushrooms into the skillet with the chicken and heat through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving (calculated without tortillas and toppings) | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 771mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post My Favorite Easy Chicken Fajitas appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

These bars. You guys, they are incredible. So much easier than apple pie…but just as delicious (maybe even more so, because, STREUSEL).

5 Reasons to Make These Bars Very Soon

1. It’s like apple pie without all the fuss. You get that buttery sweet crust, tender caramelly apples, and golden streusel without having to mess with making and rolling pie crust.
2. The buttery streusel is reason enough. It is easy to make, since we’re mixing in melted butter rather than cutting in cold butter with a pastry blender, and it is everything streusel should be: buttery, sweet, a little crisp, and perfect with the apple filling.
3. This recipe is perfect if you need to treat a crowd. The 9X13-inch pan yields anywhere from 20 to 24 bars (cut them bigger or smaller!), and the bars are super easy to cut, transport, and serve.
4. They bars are delicious lots of ways. Serve them chilled, at room temperature, or lightly warmed. They are irresistible every way (trust me – I took one for the team and tried them every way possible).
5. They can go from simple to spectacular. These bars can be served in squares on a tray…or you can elevate to a showstopper of a dessert by warming them up and serving with vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.

Ingredients Notes

• All-purpose flour: I use unbleached all-purpose flour. Don’t sub in pastry flour, cake flour or bread flour. All-purpose works best!
• Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar can be used. Pack the brown sugar lightly in the cup to measure.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon is used in both the crust and the apple filling.
• Butter: I use salted butter. The butter in the recipe is melted, making it super easy to mix the streusel together.
• Apples: Use a sweet-tart crisp apple for this recipe, like Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples. You’ll need 3 pounds of apples, for about 7 cups sliced.
• Lemon juice: Lemon juice is tossed with the apples to maintain their bright color and add a pop of fresh flavor.
• Caramel sauce: Store bought or homemade caramel sauce can be used.

These bars are super easy to make and assemble. The crust and streusel is made all together, and two cups of the mixture is reserved for the crumbly topping. The crust is baked for a few minutes before adding the apple mixture and the reserved, crumbled streusel. The bars bake for 45 minutes or so until the apples are tender.

A Few Last Things…

• The exact baking time for these caramel apple crumble bars will be dependent on several factors. Bake the bars until the apples can be sliced easily. If the topping is browning before the apples are tender, place foil loosely on top of the bars and continue baking.
• The baked bars can be covered, refrigerated, and served up to two days later. If doing so, wait to drizzle additional caramel sauce over the bars until serving.
• The bars hold their shape better while being cut if they are fully set and/or chilled first. They can be cut into bite-size squares or in larger serving sizes, depending on how you are serving them.

I don’t want to be too bossy, but I would like to insist you save at least one small portion of these bars to be enjoyed warm with ice cream and a special little extra drizzle of caramel sauce. Utterly phenomenal.

I’m pretty sure my version of heaven will include a meadow of these caramel apple crumble bars wherein I can face plant and stay there for eternity.

They are sweet and just a bit salty from the caramel sauce, which makes an incredible pairing with the tender, sweet-tart apples. They kind of scream “FALL DESSERT” but would be incredible any time of the year. I hope you love them!

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Caramel Apple Crumble Bars

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 20 to 24 bars

Calories 252kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• 9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan
• Mixing Bowl
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

Crust/Crumble:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups salted butter (3 sticks), melted

Apples:

• 3 pounds crisp apples, like Granny Smith apples or Honey Crisp apples (about 7 medium apples for about 8 cups sliced apples)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling, if desired

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven (to ensure the crust doesn't get too hard or burn).
• Line a 9X13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving 1-inch overhang on two long sides. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the crust, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted butter until evenly combined and the mixture forms small clumps.
• Remove 2 cups of the mixture and set aside. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is lightly set (it will cook more in a later step).
• For the apple layer, peel, core and seed the apples. Cut the apples into 1/8-inch slices.
• Add the apples and lemon juice to a large bowl and toss together.
• Stir in the flour, cinnamon and salt, and mix until evenly combined. Stir in the caramel sauce.
• Spread the sliced apples evenly over the crust.
• Break apart the reserved streusel into small pieces and sprinkle over the apples.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the apples are tender and the streusel is golden. Tent the top of the pan loosely with foil partway through baking if the streusel is browning too quickly before the apples are tender.
• Remove the bars from the oven and let cool. The apple filling will thicken as it cools.
• Slice into squares and drizzle with additional caramel sauce. Serve chilled, at room temperature or lightly warmed with ice cream.

Notes

Apples: Granny Smith apples and Honey Crisp apples have fairly different flavor profiles since Granny Smith apples are less sweet and more tart. I have made these bars with both types of apples (separate batches), and slightly prefer using Granny Smith apples. I don’t change the amount of caramel sauce between the two apple varieties, but if you like apple desserts a bit more sweet and are using Granny Smith apples, you can consider adding another 1/4 cup caramel sauce. 

Caramel Sauce: This homemade caramel sauce works great in this recipe. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Caramel Apple Crumble Bars appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

You won’t believe how delicious this smoky, savory chicken is! We are eating it on repeat (and hoarding the leftovers for easy lunches). It’s so good!

Why You’re Going to Love This Easy Chicken

Aside from the fact that we literally cannot stop making this chicken and my kids fight over the last of it, here are several other reasons you’ll want to add it to your meal plan ASAP:

• This recipe is quick and easy to put together. The marinade adds tons of flavor without a lot of prep time. You can marinate the chicken for two hours or up to 12 hours (and psssst: no one will fire you if you cook it right away).
• The chicken gets a double boost of flavor from the marinade and also the sticky, irresistible honey garlic sauce. Oh gosh, my. mouth is watering just thinking about it.
• It is a versatile recipe! Use chicken thighs or chicken breasts and cook them on the grill or in the air fryer.
• The tasty, familiar flavors make this a slam dunk dinner everyone will enjoy.

Notes About Ingredients

• Olive oil: This is a key ingredient in the marinade for flavor and also to help the chicken not stick while cooking.
• Soy sauce: This versatile ingredient brings a lot of flavor with just a small amount. I always use low-sodium soy sauce, but full-sodium soy sauce can also be used. It is used in both the marinade and the sauce.
• Vinegar: This is also used in both the marinade and the sauce and the acidity helps balance the sweet, smoky flavors. I recommend using apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
• Garlic: In the recipe below, there are amounts given for fresh garlic and for garlic powder. I recommend using fresh garlic in the honey-garlic sauce, if possible.
• Smoked paprika: This spice adds amazing flavor. You can use sweet paprika in a pinch, but I highly recommend smoked paprika if you have it.
• Chicken: This recipe works great with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts. If using thicker chicken breasts, I think it helps to pound them to an even thickness or cut them in half lengthwise for thinner cutlets.
• Honey: This is a key ingredient for the sauce that is brushed on the chicken while cooking. If the honey is too thick to combine well with the other ingredients, lightly warm it for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave and then whisk again.

Pro Tip: Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat before using.

How to Serve This Honey Garlic Chicken

Assuming you have more control than I do and don’t just snag pieces of chicken straight off of the cutting board, there are a million ways to serve this chicken:

• Bowl-Style Meal: Serve the chicken as a bowl-style meal with garlic butter rice, rice pilaf, coconut rice or quinoa. Add grilled veggies or fresh vegetables, pineapple, pickled onions, avocados, and whatever other add-ins you like.
• Dinner Salad: Slice the chicken and serve atop greens for a delicious dinner salad. Add fresh veggies, avocados, cherry tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, sliced almonds or other nuts, and a light balsamic drizzle.
• Main Spread: Pair the grilled or air-fried chicken with toppings of choice, like smashed potatoes, drop biscuits, veggies and ranch, skillet green beans, fruit salad, pasta salad, etc.
• Wrapped Up: Use freshly cooked chicken or leftover chicken for these wraps or these wraps or any other type of wrap or burrito that calls for cooked chicken.

This chicken has become a huge family favorite for us. So much so, that some of us are consistently hiding and hoarding the leftovers (even after making a double batch!).

It might be one of the best chicken recipes on my entire site. I hope you love it as much as we do!

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Honey Garlic Chicken

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Method Air Fryer, Grilled

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Marinating Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 203kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Air Fryer
• Pastry Brush
• Two Sided Measuring Spoons
• Wire Whisk

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (use half for table salt)
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch black pepper
• 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (trimmed) or chicken breasts

Sauce:

• ⅓ cup honey
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

Instructions

• For the chicken, in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic or garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, onion powder, and pepper.
• Place the chicken in a shallow dish or ziploc bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken, scraping out every last bit, and toss the chicken until evenly coated. It's not a large amount of marinade, but it should easily coat the chicken in a thin layer.
• Cover the dish/seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
• Preheat a grill or air fryer to medium heat (about 375 degrees F).
• For the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until smooth. If the honey is too thick, lightly warm in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds and then whisk to combine. Measure out about 3 tablespoons of the sauce and set aside for later to serve with the cooked chicken.
• Cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side for chicken thighs and 3 to 4 minutes per side for chicken breasts (exact time will depend on thickness of the chicken).
• During the last minute of cooking, brush the sauce liberally on both sides of the chicken.
• Let the chicken rest for 4 to 5 minutes before slicing or serving. Drizzle the chicken with the reserved sauce. Serve warm.

Notes

Chicken: If using chicken breasts, I recommend pounding to an even thickness or cutting thick chicken breasts in half lengthwise to form two thinner cutlets. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving (about 4 ounces chicken) | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 856mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 12g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Honey Garlic Chicken appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Yes, these brownies are over-the-top. Yes, they involve brownie batter AND frosting AND a whole lot of Oreos. And yes…they are completely worth it.

Why You Should Make These Brownies

Listen, I know these brownies are likely going to offend someone (lots of someones?) with their unapologetic extravagance. But if you love brownies and Oreos, these brownies are for youuuu. But also: find people to share with. Trust me on that one, because these babies are dangerous.

Here are a few other reasons why you should make these Oreo brownies:

• So much Oreo goodness: Chopped Oreos show up in the brownie batter, the creamy buttercream, and they are sprinkled generously on top, so there is cookies-and-cream flavor in every bite.
• Homemade brownie base: The rich, fudgy brownie layer is an easy, made-from-scratch recipe and is sturdy enough to hold all that delicious Oreo frosting.
• Perfect chilled or at room temperature: These brownies are incredible chilled (both the brownie and frosting are slightly more firm that way). But you can also let them soften at room temperature before serving. They’re fantastic both ways!
• Easy to make ahead: These brownies can be assembled in advance and refrigerated, making them a great low-stress dessert for pretty much any occasion.
• They are a showstopper: They are going to make you look like a total rock star. Hello, gorgeous brownies!

Notes About Ingredients

• Granulated sugar: Heating the butter and sugar until hot allows the sugar to dissolve before mixing the rest of the brownie batter and leads to better, fudgier texture in the brownies (and a crackly top).
• Butter: This recipe calls for salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt by 1/2 teaspoon.
• Cocoa powder: This brownie recipe uses 100% cocoa powder (rather than including melted chocolate in the batter). If your cocoa powder is pretty lumpy, sift it into the bowl. I prefer using natural, unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe.
• Large eggs: If possible, use room temperature eggs for easier mixing and better texture (but it’s not a deal breaker if you use cold eggs from the fridge).
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the brownie recipe. If you aren’t using a scale to weigh the flour, measure by fluffing the flour up really well, scooping in a measuring cup and leveling off.
• Oreos: The Oreos are used in the brownie batter, in the frosting, and on top of the brownies. Yes. Embrace it.
• Heavy cream: This ingredient is used in the frosting to ensure a super light and creamy frosting.

Pro Tip: You’ll need most of one 36-count package of Oreos (or if you buy them at Costco, you’ll need 2 1/2 to 3 sleeves of Oreos).

Make-Ahead and Other Notes

• Make-Ahead: To make the brownies ahead of time, follow the recipe all the way through assembly. Cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Before cutting into squares, let the pan of brownies sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to make cutting a bit easier. The brownies and frosting should freeze quite well, also. If doing so, I’d wait to top with chopped Oreos until after the brownies have thawed (then lightly press the chopped Oreos into the frosting).
• Skip the Frosting: If you want just a really good, unadorned Oreo brownie recipe, you can skip the frosting and make the brownies per the recipe (folding in the chopped Oreos). I will say that these brownies produced the best, crackliest top of any brownies I’ve ever made!
• Cut Them Small: Because these brownies are richer than rich, you can get away with cutting them into fairly small squares. A bite-size dessert!

I can’t wait for you to find just the right occasion to make these incredible cookies and cream brownies. (You know, like maybe today, just because 😏.)

They really are phenomenal. And it’s seriously so fun to make next-level desserts like this every once in a while. Prepare to be the most popular person anywhere you take these things.

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Cookies and Cream Brownies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 24 to 20 servings

Calories 327kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• 9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan
• Small Offset Spatula
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

Brownies:

• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
• 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 13 to 14 Oreo cookies, quartered

Frosting:

• ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped or crushed Oreos (about 10 to 12 cookies)

Topping:

• ½ to 1 cup coarsely chopped Oreos (about 6 to 12 cookies)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9X13-inch metal pan with parchment paper with a 1-inch overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the bottom and sides with cooking spray. Set aside.
• For the brownies, in a medium microwave-safe bowl (or this step can be done in a saucepan on the stove), combine the sugar and butter. Heat in the microwave for one minute. Stir. Heat for another 45 seconds. Stir. Heat for one more 45 second cycle. Stir. The mixture should be hot and bubbling.
• Stir in the cocoa powder while the butter mixture is still hot. (If your cocoa powder is extra lumpy, sift it in to the mixture.)
• Let the mixture cool until room temperature or lightly warm but no longer hot.
• Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until very well combined.
• Add the flour and salt and stir until no dry streaks remain.
• Fold in the quartered Oreos.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 23 to 25 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. If there is still wet batter in the middle, add additional time, as needed, but don't over bake.
• Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
• For the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer, add the butter and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar. Mix until evenly combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, continue to add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until all the powdered sugar is mixed in.
• Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix for 1 to 2 minutes until light and creamy.
• Add the Oreos and fold in with a spatula. The more you mix, the more the Oreos will break down and turn the frosting a darker shade of gray. For lighter colored frosting, lightly fold and mix. If you don't care about the color, mix as much as you want.
• Dollop the frosting in large spoonfuls over the cooled brownies. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
• Garnish the top with the additional coarsely chopped Oreos. Chill the brownies until ready to serve. Remove the brownies using the parchment overhang, cut into squares and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Oreos: You’ll need most of one 36-count package of Oreos (or if you buy them at Costco, you’ll need 2 1/2 to 3 sleeves of Oreos).

For the brownies, I use a knife and cutting board to quarter the Oreos for the batter. For the frosting and topping, you can chop or crush the Oreos more coarsely in a food processor or on a cutting board or in a bag (smashing with a rolling pin). 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 brownie | Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 242mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Cookies and Cream Brownies appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

You’ll find plenty of sweet and savory favorites, including easy dinners, simple side dishes, breads, muffins, and desserts. There’s a little something for every one (and every zucchini!).

Every year, I tell myself I don’t need to plant more than one zucchini plant, and every year, I forget my own advice. This year: four plants. 🫣 I know, I know. Will Mel ever learn? Probably not! I’m off to make some of those zucchini bites.

1

Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna

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2

Quick and Easy Parmesan Zucchini Rounds

These quick and easy baked Parmesan zucchini rounds make the best summer side dish. That crispy Parmesan topping is crazy good with the tender zucchini!

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3

Skillet Lemon Parmesan Chicken and Zucchini

This quick and light skillet lemon parmesan chicken and zucchini is fantastic! So delicious, the bright lemon and deeper savory flavors are perfect!

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4

The Best Zucchini Bread

This is the best zucchini bread recipe ever! It is soft, moist, and so easy to make. It can also be baked as muffins or in mini loaf pans.

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5

Easy One-Pot Saucy Zucchini Pasta

This easy one-pot zucchini pasta combines pasta, lots of sauce, zucchini, and Parmesan for a simple, delicious, family-friendly dinner.

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6

One Pan Orzo with Tuna and Zucchini

This one pan orzo with tuna and zucchini is flavorful and delicious and comes together so fast as everything cooks in one skillet or pan.

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7

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

A one bowl wonder, these whole grain double chocolate zucchini muffins are incredibly soft, incredibly easy and incredibly delicious.

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8

Cheesy Italian Chicken Zucchini Skillet

This easy cheesy Italian chicken zucchini skillet meal is loaded with flavor and so delicious! That cheesy panko crust is everything.

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9

Coconut Lime Chicken and Zucchini

Creamy, saucy, and SO flavorful, this coconut lime chicken and zucchini is fast and easy! It’s perfect served over rice or quinoa. Yum!

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10

Fluffy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake

This one-bowl zucchini chocolate chip cake recipe is so fluffy and moist. You can leave out the chocolate chips for a simple, tasty cake!

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11

Cheesy Tex-Mex Zucchini Skillet

This cheesy tex-mex zucchini skillet is a fantastic way to use zucchini! Quick and easy, it’s packed with flavor and hearty ingredients. So yummy!

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12

Cheesy Zucchini Spaghetti Recipe

This delicious cheesy zucchini spaghetti casserole comes together fast and is the perfect way to use up that garden fresh zucchini!

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13

Zucchini Banana Bread

The best of all quick bread worlds, this one-bowl zucchini banana bread is fantastic! Lightly sweet and perfectly fluffy and moist, this recipe makes one amazing loaf (and muffins, too!).

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14

Lemon Poppy Seed Zucchini Muffins

These lemon poppy seed zucchini muffins are delightfully soft and fluffy (even with whole wheat flour!)…and so easy to make! They make a perfect snack or breakfast!

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15

Fresh Zucchini and Tomato Linguine {20-Minute Meal}

This garden fresh zucchini tomato linguine is bursting with flavor…AND it will only take 30-minutes or less to get it on the table. Fast, fresh, delicious! My kind of meal.

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16

Double Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Decadent and delicious, these velvety and rich one-bowl chocolate zucchini brownies are one of the BEST ways to use up all that zucchini!

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17

The Best Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins

Get ready for the best zucchini muffins ever! So light and fluffy, these whole grain muffins are quick, easy, and delicious (especially with those chocolate chips!).

Get the Recipe

18

Piled High Zucchini and Cheese Topped Pizza

Foolproof pizza dough piled high with a zucchini and tangy cheese mixture and baked to golden perfection? It should be a summer staple!

Get the Recipe

19

The Best Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This is literally the best chocolate zucchini cake in the history of ever. So fluffy, so moist, so perfectly chocolatey. It’s amazing!

Get the Recipe

20

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Wholesome, delicious and easy, these chocolate chip zucchini muffins, are light and fluffy and completely irresistible!

Get the Recipe

21

Fluffy Zucchini Cornbread

Fluffy, moist zucchini cornbread is easy and delicious. The perfect way to use up that delightful green veggie!

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22

Simple Skillet Zucchini and Yellow Squash

This skillet zucchini and yellow squash recipe is so easy, delicious, and healthy, it is bound to become a summer side dish staple.

Get the Recipe

23

Triple Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

Everything a chocolate cookie should be, these triple chocolate zucchini cookies are soft and rich and wonderfully not cakey at all. Hallelujah!

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24

Zucchini Pizza Crust

This zucchini pizza crust is low-carb, unbelievably simple and absolutely amazing. Move over traditional pizza! Zucchini crust might take over the world.

Get the Recipe

25

Zucchini Hummus

A fabulous and unique take on classic hummus, this zucchini version will knock your socks off! It’s fast, simple, healthy and amazing!

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26

Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites

Simple and delicious, these baked cheesy zucchini bites are so easy to make and are a healthier alternative to a classic fried zucchini fritter!

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27

Stuffed Enchilada Zucchini Boats

A great way to change up enchiladas AND stuffed zucchini, this recipe for stuffed zucchini enchilada boats is healthy, filling and delicious!

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28

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Brown Sugar Streusel

This chocolate zucchini cake with brown sugar streusel is moist and tasty. Perfect for dessert, also light enough for a snack-type cake.

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29

Zucchini Lasagna

This meatless zucchini lasagna is so good it is worth turning on the oven and cranking up the A/C to make!

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30

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

In this cheesy zucchini rice, fine shreds of zucchini are stirred into cheesy, creamy rice. It is a delicious way to use up zucchini!

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31

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Spaghetti

Looking for a delicious and inventive way to use up your garden zucchini and squash? Look no further than this easy zucchini & yellow squash spaghetti recipe!

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32

Glazed Orange Zucchini Bread

Of all the zucchini bread recipes you probably have, you have to try this bread to see why zucchini and orange belong together!

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The post 30 Must-Make Recipes for All That Zucchini appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Get ready for the easiest weeknight meal! This one-pot pasta is so flavorful, so tasty, and SO quick and easy. Serve it as a meatless meal (delish!) or with meatballs for a heartier dinner.

Why You Should Make This One-Pot Pasta

I’ve been making this pasta ever since last summer when my garden zucchini went crazy, and I am excited to finally get the recipe in front of you. This recipe proves that simple recipes really are the best!

Important Ingredients Notes

• Small pasta: Use small-shaped pasta, like small shells, elbow macaroni, ditalini, etc. Twelve ounces pasta will measure out to be right around three cups.
• Pasta sauce: My favorite pasta sauce is Rao’s brand. I grab it from Costco (where it comes in 28-ounce jars, which is perfect for this recipe). If you only have a 24-ounce jar of pasta sauce, add another 1/2 cup water (or 1/2 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes).
• Milk: The milk in this recipe adds creaminess to the pasta so that it isn’t strictly marinara-based. I recommend using 1%, 2% or whole milk. I suspect that non-dairy milk (unsweetened!) will work fine as a sub.
• Dried basil + dried oregano: You can garnish the pasta with fresh basil or stir in fresh basil at the end for a fresh pop of flavor.
• Shredded zucchini: No need to peel the zucchini before using, just trim the ends. The zucchini can be shredded on the small or large holes of the box grater. You’ll need about one 10 to 11 ounce zucchini for this recipe.
• Parmesan cheese: Use freshly grated Parm for creamiest/best-melting results. I like to serve additional Parmesan on the side, for serving. Because you can never have too much Parm, am I right?

Bonus Tip: In some of the photos, I’m using this fun pasta that resembles the shape of Spaghettios. This brand of pasta takes quite a bit longer to cook than American brands of pasta, so keep that in mind if you use it or another authentic Italian style of pasta. Add cooking time and liquid as needed.

Additional Notes

• For comparison, you can see in the photos above, I used the Spaghettio-shaped pasta and finely shredded zucchini. In the photo below, I used elbow macaroni and zucchini shredded on the larger holes of the box grater.
• Because of the milk and pasta sauce, this pasta may stick a bit while cooking if the heat is too high. This is easily managed by moderating the heat so it maintains a gentle simmer without burning, stirring often, and adding additional water, as needed.
• The pasta is super tasty served as a meatless meal. It is also delicious served with meatballs. When doing so, I cook the meatballs in the oven while making the pasta and then stir them into the pasta at the end before serving so the meatballs are smothered in the pasta and sauce.

This pasta has become one of my go-to weeknight meals right now, especially with garden zucchini proliferating at nuclear speed.

It’s hearty, so saucy, and just the perfect meal for summer when you want dinner fast and also don’t want to turn on the oven!

Print

Easy One-Pot Saucy Zucchini Pasta

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 290kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Deep Cast Iron Skillet
• Box Grater
• Liquid Measuring Cup

Ingredients

• 12 ounces small pasta, like small shells, elbow macaroni, ditalini, etc, about 3 cups
• 28-ounce jar pasta sauce (see note!), about 3 cups
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Pinch crushed red pepper, optional
• 2 to 3 cups shredded zucchini (no need to peel), about one medium 10 to 11 ounce zucchini
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving, if desired

Instructions

• In a deep skillet or wide saucepan, combine the pasta, pasta sauce, water, milk, salt, basil, oregano, and crushed pepper, if using.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Continue simmering for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring often (this pasta will stick if the heat is too high, so keep a close eye on the pan and just keep it at a gentle simmer).
• Stir in the zucchini and continue simmering for 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is tender.
• NOTES:

  Add cooking time as needed. Different pasta brands will vary in exact cooking time.

  Moderate heat as needed and stir often so the pasta doesn't stick.

  Add additional liquid (water is fine) a little at a time if pasta is sticking or too thick.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste, and add additional salt, if needed.
• Serve warm with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. The pasta will continue to thicken as it rests/cools.
• The pasta is super tasty served as a meatless meal. It is also delicious served with meatballs (when doing so, I cook the meatballs and stir them into the pasta at the end before serving).

Notes

Pasta Sauce: My favorite pasta sauce is Rao’s brand. I grab it from Costco (where it comes in 28-ounce jars, which is perfect for this recipe). If you only have a 24-ounce jar of pasta sauce, add another 1/2 cup water (or 1/2 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes).

Subbing Crushed Tomatoes: You can sub in 28 ounces crushed tomatoes for the pasta sauce. If doing so, double the dried basil and oregano. Also add 1 teaspoon brown sugar and a splash of soy sauce (optional) for flavor.

Zucchini: No need to peel the zucchini before using, just trim the ends. The zucchini can be shredded on the small or large holes of the box grater. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 1125mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Easy One-Pot Saucy Zucchini Pasta appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Take classic chicken salad up a notch with this dill pickle version. It’s zesty and crunchy and so, so delicious. It makes the best simple, fresh dinner and is perfect served as a dip, too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I literally cannot stop eating this amazing dill pickle chicken salad. I have always loved classic chicken salad but if I had to choose a favorite, honestly, I’d go with this pickle version. The flavors speak to my soul. The combination of tender chicken, crunchy pickles, and creamy dressing is irresistible.

Ingredients Notes

For the salad:

• Cooked chicken: You can just chopped or shredded cooked chicken. A rotisserie chicken makes this recipe super easy. And don’t come at me for this one, but I think canned chicken would work quite well, too.
• Dill pickles: Use the crunchiest dill pickles you can find. I like to use petite dill pickles because they tend to be cruncher than hamburger chip-style pickles or really large pickles.
• Celery: Finely diced celery gives a tasty, juice crunch to this salad.
• Onions: You can use red onions, green onions or chives. Whichever onion you choose, finely dice – no one wants to bite into large chunks of onions.

For the dressing:

• Sour cream or Greek yogurt: Either one works well in this salad (I tested the recipe with both). For a slightly richer dressing, use full-fat sour cream or 1% or 2% Greek yogurt.
• Mayonnaise: The mayo helps emulsify (blend) the dressing so it is smooth and ultra-creamy.
• Pickle juice: Scoop out a tablespoon of pickle juice from the jar and add to the dressing. It adds necessary tanginess to the dressing. You can also sub in red wine vinegar.
• Dill: This chicken salad is AMAZING with fresh dill, so if you can get your hands on some, it is worth it. Otherwise, dried dill will work.
• Dijon mustard: The mustard helps balance the flavors of the dressing. You can sub in yellow mustard or stone ground mustard for the Dijon (start with half the amount and add more to taste, if needed).

Additional Notes

• Make-Ahead: Chicken salad is a great make-ahead dish. If refrigerating longer than 12 to 18 hours, the chicken salad may get a bit liquidy. Usually a good stir and a dollop of mayo or sour cream can bring it back together. The flavors will get even better with time!
• To Serve: This dill pickle chicken salad is tasty eaten straight out of the bowl (trust me, I KNOW), served in wraps or stuffed in pita bread, piled in lettuce cups, or eaten with crackers.  

Rather than slide this recipe into an official dinnertime slot, I’ve been making a batch and eating it for lunches. Just me, myself, and I standing at the counter during my self-proclaimed lunchtime with my container of dill pickle chicken salad. Dream life.

This salad is high in protein and packed with flavor. I can’t get enough and hope you love it, too!

Print

Dill Pickle Chicken Salad

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Method No-Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 1-cup servings

Calories 221kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Bamboo Cutting Board
• 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
• Wire Whisk

Ingredients

Dressing:

• ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice from the jar (can sub red wine vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
• Pinch salt and pepper

Salad Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 1 cup chopped dill pickles
• ½ cup finely diced celery
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, green onions, or chives

Instructions

• For the dressing, mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl until well-combined.
• For the salad, combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss.
• Add the dressing and stir until evenly combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 12 hours (see note). The flavors will get better with at least an hour or two of chilling.
• Serve on lettuce leaves, on bread or stuffed in pita breads (with or without lettuce), or as a dip with crackers or baguette slices.

Notes

Make Ahead: If refrigerating longer than 12 to 18 hours, the chicken salad may get a bit liquidy. Usually a good stir and a dollop of mayo or sour cream can bring it back together. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving (1 cup) | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 370mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Dill Pickle Chicken Salad appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

I feel like one either approaches summer like “fave season! no schedule! bring it on!” or “send prayers! still have to work! need structure!” Ok, perhaps I’m over simplifying it…but I would love to know where you fit on that spectrum.

I was debating whether or not to even do a Friday Thoughts post, but I recently ran into a few people I didn’t know (at a wedding!) who read my blog, and they both mentioned how much they enjoy reading these posts. Since I also like getting a real-life glimpse into other people’s lives, I decided to throw one together.

In this post, I’m pretty much just chatting about all.the.things and wishing, as always, we had a way to smoosh this corner of the internet into my kitchen so we could all be communing around my counter, eating cookies and solving all of life’s questions.

If you’re here just for the recipes, no worries! Monday I have a fabulous new light and delicious dinner recipe coming that I’ve been eating on repeat.

Homecoming + Cold Plunge

We welcomed my son, Walker, home from his 2-year church mission to the Philippines. I couldn’t stop exclaiming over him at the airport. I just couldn’t believe that after two years, he was right there! It was kind of surreal, and so, so fun. It was just our little family at the airport (totally his non-attention, lowkey style), but we did get to video in his older brother in Utah and his younger brother in New Zealand while waiting for his luggage.

We escaped for a few days up to the mountains right after he got home. Literally did nothing other than hang out, listen to my boys play lots of guitar around the fire, surf behind the boat (not me 😜), fish (again, not me), eat lots of good food, and paddleboard around the lake.

The airbnb we stayed at had a sauna, so I had this brilliant idea to do a sauna/cold plunge challenge one morning. My mom was there and caught it all on video (my 72-year old dad did it with me). I was so excited to watch the video because I couldn’t wait to see myself looking like an absolute formidable athlete running down the hill post-sauna to the freezing lake to dive in. Um, yeah, not so much. Instead I looked like a lumbering polar bear screeching it’s guts out and pinching it’s nose to ungracefully belly flop in the water. Ah, middle age humility. It’s my constant companion these days.

While my son loved the food in the Philippines, he can’t get enough of his favorite foods here since he’s been home. I’ve been eagerly asking him what he wants me to make, because a) food is my love language and b) he has announced he wants to bulk up. I have never taken a responsibility so seriously; I was born for this. 😜💪🏼

Here are a few of his favorite recipes I’ve made him so far:

• Cinnamon rolls
• Homemade pizza rolls
• Rollup pancakes
• Crispy baked shrimp tacos
• Bagel bread (this was top of his list!)
• Egg roll skillet meal
• Our go-to freezer bean burritos
• Breadsticks
• Homemade pizza
• Hawaiian haystacks

Games + Puzzles We Are Loving

We keep several games out at our kitchen table all summer long. They aren’t always the same – we rotate through them. But keeping them downstairs means we play them a lot more than if someone has to trek *all the way up* to the game closet.

• Brian and my daughter have been playing this one nonstop. She bought it for Brian for Father’s Day, and it has been a clever, fun 2-person game. They also love playing old school Mastermind together.
• This is another great 2-person (or more!) game that is out right now. We play it a lot because it is quick, easy-to-learn, and fun (also: frustrating!!).
• My parents have had one of these games sitting on their coffee table for decades. Someone is always tinkering with it when we’re sitting around chatting in their living room. I finally got our family one to keep around!
• I’ve bought this active game for two nephews’ birthdays the last month or so, and it has been an instant hit. My sister texted me the evening of my nephew’s birthday saying he had been outside playing with it for hours.
• I keep a puzzle up pretty much all summer. We’ve done several Spaghetti Tree puzzles and love them! This USA one was especially fun.

Any games you are loving to recommend? Comment below and let me know! I love getting new game recommendations.

AI and Blogging

Hmmm, this might be a longer discussion for a different time and audience (😅), but it’s worth bringing up simply because it effects my daily life as a food blogger…and will definitely impact for how long (and whether or not) I have a food blog in the future.

Basically, as we know, AI is everywhere. And it definitely isn’t all bad (I use it frequently in my own life!). But when it comes to a food blog, like mine, the impact has been profound.

Over the years, I have greatly benefitted from search traffic. My blog and recipes have ranked really well in Google and other search engines, which has been awesome and so beneficial to me and my business!

However, AI search mode/results, along with ChatGPT (and other chatbots), have had a significant and serious impact on search traffic for websites like mine, because they give answers and recipes (untested recipes, usually) in nanoseconds to people without sending them to actual websites.

When search traffic and clicks go down, so does revenue. And while I certainly don’t blog just for the money, this is a full-time business, and I have a lot of operating costs to maintain (as well as the fact that my business financially supports my family while my husband is growing his own business).

I’ve had endless discussions with fellow food blogging friends and my husband about what the future holds. The truth is: none of us really know.

While the pendulum feels like it is swinging far, far over the side of relying on AI completely, my hopes is that with time, people will come to realize they actually do value a real human voice and trusted, tested recipes and the pendulum will swing back toward the center a little bit.

But it may not. And if it takes too long, I sometimes wonder if I’ll have “aged out” of blogging completely?

Anyway, you don’t need a sob story (despite the fact that thinking of NOT connecting with you in this space actually does make me want to cry), but the impact of AI on food bloggers is real and very uncertain. If you’ve been on Pinterest lately and seen the AI slop that has taken over that platform, that will give you an indication of what AI is doing to the industry as a whole. It kind of makes me sick (especially when I realize people aren’t able to discern what is AI and what is real).

On the positive side, I am so appreciative of all of you who comment here. Who click on actual links and rely on the trusted recipes that I test over and over. Who take the time to leave reviews on recipes (doing so gives a decidedly *human* aspect to my website!). Who subscribe to my email list. And who reach out to let me know that you appreciate the recipes and content. I know life is busy, so thank you.

I’ve been food blogging for nearly 20 years. A lot has changed. And while I certainly haven’t seen anything quite like what AI is doing to the internet right now, I have weathered other internet/technical storms in the past as things have evolved and changed. Hopefully there is a way forward so I can continue to share my favorite recipes with all of you.

It means so, so much to me that you are here. I can’t say that enough. 💗

A Few Extra Things

And now, let’s end things on a better, more lighthearted note!

• I mentioned this on Instagram, but recently Jennifer Garner was on a podcast and when asked who her favorite food blogger is, she mentioned my name. Yes, I about fell over. Yes, I was super flattered. Yes, I thought she must surely be talking about another “Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.” And then Elin Hilderbrand (author and host of the podcast) sent me a DM saying she started following my blog. Of course, I used both as a flex to my family that night at dinner…except it turns out that none of them were really all that impressed (made clear when they asked, “who are those people?”) 😜 #keepingmehumble
• On a completely unrelated note, I used these best-ever ice cream scoops to help scoop hundreds of ice cream sundaes for a wedding reception this weekend. They’re inexpensive and really great (plus, hello, so many cute colors).
• This is the cutest shirt. I sized up because the underarm area is a little snug, but it’s super lightweight and adorable.
• I’m all about homemade granola when it works out, but this dark chocolate coconut LoveCrunch granola might need to be a forever-staple in my pantry (also loving their Dubai-flavored granola that I found at Ross of all places!).
• I’m slowly gathering items to send with my son when he heads off to college (for the first time) this fall. I’ll try to keep track of a list of what we get him and what ends up working well (and what doesn’t!). I’m printing off this packet to send with him (and hoping he’ll want to do a little cooking before he goes since he wasn’t super interested when he was in high school, but if you’ve parented young adult kids, you understand how well some of those suggestions go over 👀).
• I am still eating these overnight oats on repeat. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve had them every morning without fail for over four months. I’ve started making them in individual-size containers for days when I’ll be out and about and also because a few in my family have started eating them, too, and it makes it easier for them to grab in the early morning before work. I use these containers which are perfect for the oats + toppings. Here are the measurements I use for each individual portion: 45 grams rolled oats, 22 grams chia seeds/basil seeds/or a combo, one scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder, pinch of salt, a scant 1 cup almond milk.

I’ve been cooking and recipe testing up a storm on some free days this summer, and I am so very excited about the recipes that will be hitting the blog over the next few months!

I love this picture above ⬆️ My oldest son with his two grandmothers. I’m blessed to have those three in my life!

The post Friday Thoughts: Midsummer Survival appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

I’ve rounded up 23 of my favorite summer salads, including the fresh broccoli salad that is my husband’s all-time fave, the kale and wild rice salad that I can’t get enough of, and the chicken and pasta vineyard salad that my kids go crazy for.

Some of these salads make a great side dish and others are perfect for an easy dinner!

If you’re looking for fresh salad inspiration this summer, this list has a little bit of everything! I make all of these on repeat during the warmer months (and pretty much all year round, too).

1

The Best Broccoli Salad

Made with fresh broccoli and the most delicious homemade dressing, this is the best broccoli salad recipe. It is always popular at potlucks and BBQs!

Get the Recipe

2

Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas and Parmesan

Get excited about pasta salad again with this amazing pesto pasta salad with peas and Parmesan. So light, so simple, so delicious!

Get the Recipe

3

Pesto Balsamic Chicken Tortellini Toss

This delicious pesto balsamic chicken tortellini toss is loaded with so many yummy ingredients and flavors, like roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, artichokes and more!

Get the Recipe

4

Greek Pasta Salad

This delicious pesto balsamic chicken tortellini toss is loaded with so many yummy ingredients and flavors, like roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, artichokes and more!

Get the Recipe

5

Vineyard Chicken and Pasta Salad

A perfectly light, fresh dinner, this vineyard chicken and pasta salad is crazy delicious! So many tasty ingredients and that dressing…yum!

Get the Recipe

6

Kale and Wild Rice Salad

This gorgeous kale and wild rice salad is loaded with so many delicious ingredients: chicken, avocados, feta, almonds, apples, and more! It’s so good!

Get the Recipe

7

Loaded Fresh Basil and Sweet Corn Couscous Green Salad

This loaded couscous green salad is AMAZING! It comes together fast…and that fresh basil dressing will knock your socks off.

Get the Recipe

8

Avocado Chicken Salad

This avocado chicken salad is irresistible! Perfect for a light, healthy dinner, it’s also delicious for a quick lunch or great for party food. Bonus: it comes together FAST (15 minutes or less)!

Get the Recipe

9

Smashed Yukon Gold Potato Salad

Potato salad gets a little makeover with this smashed potato salad. Simple and delicious, the tender Yukon gold potatoes and classic dressing are perfect!

Get the Recipe

10

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

The best fruit salad ever! This honey lime fruit salad is so easy and delicious with just enough flair to make it feel extra-special.

Get the Recipe

11

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Best summer side dish ever! This creamy Mexican street corn salad (aka esquites) is incredibly easy and packed with the most amazing smoky, fresh flavors.

Get the Recipe

12

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Bursting with flavor…and vegetables, this grilled chicken orzo salad with a quick homemade honey lime dressing is out of this world delicious (not to mention super pretty to look at!).

Get the Recipe

13

Easy Cowboy Caviar

This cowboy caviar dip (a.k.a. shrapnel dip!) is literally thrown together making it one of the easiest…AND tastiest snacks/appetizers ever. It’s perfect for potlucks and BBQs!

Get the Recipe

14

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

Light and healthy, this grilled chicken Cobb salad is packed with yummy ingredients (bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese!) with a homemade dressing that is simple and tasty!

Get the Recipe

15

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Balsamic Dressing

This fresh green bean salad with balsamic dressing is so bright and fresh and flavorful. It is the perfect summer side dish!

Get the Recipe

16

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

Simple to prepare, this tri-color pasta salad is the best. The creamy dressing, with a hint of pesto, is so flavorful and delicious!

Get the Recipe

17

BBQ Chicken Salad Cilantro Lime Rice Bowls

If you love BBQ Chicken Salad, you’ll go crazy over these BBQ Chicken Salad Bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice. Quick and so delicious, they make the perfect lunch or dinner!

Get the Recipe

18

Summer Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Fresh Basil

Simple roasted vegetables are tossed with orzo, fresh basil and a light and delicious homemade dressing. This orzo summer salad is fantastic!

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19

German Potato Salad

German potato salad is simple and so delicious! An egg- and dairy-free dressing is tossed with tender potatoes, simple herbs and bacon.

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20

Chopped Thai Crunch Salad with Sweet and Spicy Dressing

A healthy chopped Thai salad full of fresh vegetables, tender chicken, and tossed with a Thai vinaigrette and a creamy spicy peanut dressing.

Get the Recipe

21

Greek Pita Bread Salad

Light and refreshing, this Greek pita bread salad is filled with toasted pita bread, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese and chickpeas. Yum!

Get the Recipe

22

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

This strawberry spinach salad is filled with yummy, fresh ingredients and tossed with a creamy, sweet, tangy poppy seed dressing. It is beautiful and delicious!

Get the Recipe

23

Orzo Salad with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta

This light and refreshing orzo salad with tomatoes, basil and feta is the perfect side dish and is delicious as a main dish, too. Simple and so tasty!

Get the Recipe

The post 23 Favorite Summer Salads appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Now you can get your sugar cookie fix without any fussy rolling out and cutting into shapes. These press-and-bake sugar cookies are some of the best sugar cookies you’ll ever have!

Why These Cookies Will Rock Your World

These coconut lime sugar cookies are some of the tastiest cookies I’ve ever made! Here are just a few reasons why you are going to love them:

1. The sugar cookie is soft, buttery, and perfect.
2. You don’t need cookie cutters or a rolling pin! The cookie dough is rolled into balls and pressed with a flat-bottomed glass.
3. The lime flavor shines through in the cookie dough and in the frosting!
4. And speaking of that frosting, it is luxuriously creamy and so tasty with the coconut-lime flavors.
5. These cookies are so cute! The garnish of toasted coconut and fresh lime on top take them over the top!

Note: The fresh lime wedge on top of the cookie adds a cute pop of color and a bit of fresh lime flavor where it nestles into the frosting, but it does involve cookie eaters removing it before eating the cookie. So if you want to avoid that, you can dust the top of each cookie lightly with a small bit of fresh lime zest instead.

Key Ingredients Notes

• Butter: I use salted butter, as noted below in the recipe. Soften the butter to cool room temperature before using.
• Oil: This recipe uses both butter and oil for a soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb texture. Use a neutral-flavored oil, like canola, vegetable or grapeseed.
• Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar is used in the cookie dough, and it is also used for pressing the cookies. Spray a flat-bottomed glass with cooking spray and dip in the sugar to press the first cookie. Continue pressing the cookies, dipping the glass back into the sugar between each one.
• Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar OR baking powder can be used in the cookie dough (don’t use both). The cream of tartar gives a slightly tart flavor to the dough (similar to the flavor in a snickerdoodle cookie that calls for cream of tartar). I prefer using baking powder for a more neutral flavor, but either works great, and the cream of tartar is a bit more of a classic flavor with these soda shop-style sugar cookies.
• Sour cream: This ingredient is used in both the cookie dough and the frosting. It might seem odd to add sour cream to frosting, but trust me on this one! It adds creaminess and depth of flavor, so don’t skip it!
• Fresh lime zest: You’ll need 3 to 4 limes for this recipe – the lime zest is added to the cookie dough and to the frosting. It adds essential lime flavor to the cookies.
• Fresh lime juice: To achieve the perfect consistency of frosting, the recipe calls for lime juice (rather than milk or cream, like usual). This makes the frosting pop with flavor, and it is still plenty creamy thanks to the butter and sour cream.
• Eggs: It’s totally fine to use cold eggs from the refrigerator rather than room temperature eggs.
• Fresh lime wedges: These are used to garnish the cookies. Cut the limes into rounds and then cut each round into tiny triangles. As mentioned above, this garnish element is optional (but cute!).
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is used in the cookie dough and a reduced amount is used in the frosting (to allow the coconut flavor to come through).
• Coconut extract: This extract is important for the frosting. It’s the main way the coconut flavor comes through in these cookies, so don’t leave it out!
• All-purpose flour: It’s important not to over flour the dough for these cookies. If you aren’t using a scale, make sure to weigh the flour by fluffing it really well, scooping with a cup, and leveling off with a straight edge.
• Toasted coconut: I love garnishing these cookies with a bit of toasted coconut, but you can leave it off, if desired.

How to Freeze Sugar Cookies

Did you know frosted sugar cookies can be frozen? I do this all the time with sugar cookies like these. Once they are thawed, they taste just as good as the day they were made.

A Few Additional Notes

If you are looking for the tastiest summer cookie, these coconut lime Swig sugar cookies are the answer. They are so fun to make at home, and the fresh, homemade flavors make them so much better than the soda shop-bought ones.

• Remember that these cookies are vastly better if under baked just slightly rather than being over baked at all…so keep a close eye on them in the oven. The sides should be set and the centers should looks lightly under done when pulling them out.
• If you are looking for other variations of these sugar cookies, check out this list!
• I like a thick layer of frosting on each cookie. If you prefer less frosting, you may not end up using all the frosting in the batch.

I hope you love this sugar cookie variation! It has definitely become one of my favorites. There’s just something about that coconut lime combo that is so yummy.

Print

Coconut Lime Swig Sugar Cookies {Copycat Recipe}

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 7 minutes minutes

Servings 30 cookies

Calories 374kcal

Author Mel

Equipment

• #20 Large Cookie Scoop
• Cookie Sheet {Half Sheet Pan}
• KitchenAid Stand Mixer
• Silicone Spatula
• Small Offset Spatula

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¾ cup neutral flavored oil, like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, etc
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar or baking powder (see note)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 heaping tablespoon fresh lime zest
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar for pressing the cookies

Frosting:

• ¾ cup salted butter softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest
• ½ teaspoon coconut extract (add another 1/2 teaspoon for a stronger coconut flavor)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, if needed

Garnish (optional):

• Small fresh lime wedges (see note)
• Toasted coconut

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 degrees F for convection bake) and line several half sheet pans with parchment paper.
• For the cookies, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer, add the butter, oil, granulated sugar and powdered sugar.
• Sprinkle the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt across the top of the sugars (don't add the baking soda and cream of tartar in one lump or it might clump while mixing). Mix until well-combined and super creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the lime zest and mix until combined.
• Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla, and mix until well-combined, 1 to 2 minutes, again scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the flour and mix until no dry streaks remain and the mixture is evenly combined. Don't over mix.
• Scoop the dough into about 3-tablespoon sized portions (I use a #20 cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Place several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar to a shallow dish or bowl. Lightly spray the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass with cooking spray and dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar.
• Press each cookie into an even thickness; the edges will ruffle out a bit, but take care not to press too thin. I press the cookies between 1/4 and 1/2-inch thick. Dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar between each press.
• Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes until the edges are set (it's ok and preferable if the center of the cookies looks slightly under baked).
• Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting, in a medium bowl (can use a handheld or stand mixer) combine the butter, sour cream, lime zest, coconut extract, and vanilla extract.
• Mix until thick and smooth and creamy.
• Add the powdered sugar and mix until mostly combined. Add the lime juice, and mix until well-combined and the frosting is smooth and creamy.
• If you want the frosting a bit thinner/easier to spread, add milk, a tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency.
• Frost the cooled cookies.
• For the garnish, if desired sprinkle the top of each cookie with a bit of toasted coconut and a fresh lime wedge. (Pat the lime wedges lightly with a paper towel before garnishing the cookies.)

Notes

Cream of Tartar or Baking Powder: Either can be used in the cookie dough (don’t use both). The cream of tartar gives a slightly tart flavor to the dough (similar to the flavor in a snickerdoodle cookie that calls for cream of tartar). I prefer using baking powder for a more neutral flavor, but either works great, and the cream of tartar is a bit more of a classic flavor with these soda shop-style sugar cookies.

Make-Ahead: These cookies do amazingly well baked, frosted, sprinkled and frozen. Wait until they are thawed to add the toasted coconut and fresh lime wedge. To freeze:  place the frosted cookies in a single layer on a baking tray. Freeze and then put them into a tupperware container or ziploc bag (and separate layers with pieces of parchment or wax paper). They thaw great and taste amazing. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Cookie | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Coconut Lime Swig Sugar Cookies {Copycat Recipe} appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.