Stephie Cooks

Hot Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Stephie — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 19:37:09 +0000

Wrap sliced deli ham and cheddar cheese in puff pastry for a simple yet delicious appetizer. These hot ham and cheese pinwheels are super customizable and are sure to disappear in a snap!

We love a good appetizer around here. I mean, I’d be totally happy just snacking on appetizers and skipping the main entree altogether.

I know, I’ve done it before.

From cream cheese ranch roll ups to vegetable pizza to pineapple cheese balls and homemade crackers, I love it all.

So it really shouldn’t surprise anyone that I decided I needed to make yet another pinwheel recipe. Can you really have too many pinwheels?

Answer: No. No you cannot.

Unlike my previous roll ups and pimento cheese pinwheels, I decided to involve my oven this time for a baked version: hot ham and cheese pinwheels.

MY SAVORY HOT HAM AND CHEESE PINWHEELS

I’m used to making pinwheels with a cold filling wrapped in tortillas, and they’re always a huge hit. But I decided that this time, I wanted to go a hot route and use one of my favorite things in the world: puff pastry.

For these hot ham and cheese pinwheels, I layered a sheet of puff pastry with a savory honey mustard spread and slices of deli ham and cheddar cheese. Everything gets rolled up, sliced, and baked until perfectly golden.

The puff pastry gets crisp and buttery, the cheese gets melty, and it all ends up being the perfect elegant, elevated version of the hot ham and cheese sandwiches you loved as a kid.

HOW TO MAKE HAM AND CHEESE PINWHEELS

These ham and cheese pinwheels look so pretty and are bursting with flavor, but they’re really simple to prepare.

Ingredients you’ll need

The printable recipe below makes about 20 pinwheels from 1 sheet of puff pastry. Most packages of store-bought puff pastry include at least 2 sheets, so you can either double the recipe for a larger party or keep the second sheet in the freezer for another use.

(I like to use mine to make apple turnovers!)

In addition to the puff pastry, you will need thinly sliced deli ham and thinly sliced cheddar cheese.

To really take these ham and cheese pinwheels to the next level, I added a savory spread that I made using:

1 ½ tablespoons stone-ground or dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon black pepper

This takes only a few moments to mix together and it really adds a lot of flavor to the pinwheels. Don’t skip it!

Finally, you’ll need 1 large egg which we’ll combine with some water for an egg wash to seal our pinwheels closed.

Making this recipe

Make sure your puff pastry has thawed according to the package directions, then unfold it onto a lightly floured surface.

Use a rolling pin to roll the sheet of pastry out to an 11×11-inch square.

Stir together the mustard, honey, chives, and black pepper, then brush this evenly over the pastry, leaving a ½-inch border untouched along the side farthest from you.

Now layer on the ham, followed by the cheese. Make sure to leave that ½-inch border on the far edge uncovered.

Whisk together the egg with a tablespoon of water and brush this along the exposed edge of the pastry. This egg wash will act as our “glue” to hold the roll together.

Starting at the side closest to you (opposite the egg wash), tightly roll up the pastry. Gently press the egg-washed edge to the roll to seal it and place the seam down onto the counter, on the bottom of the roll.

Use a large, sharp knife or a dough blade to cut the roll into about 20 pieces. Don’t worry about the two ends not looking super neat and tidy – they will look much nicer after they bake.

Place the pieces onto a lined baking sheet. You can use your fingers to gently reshape each piece back into a perfect circle if they got slightly flattened during the cutting process.

Lightly brush the tops with the egg wash and, if you like, sprinkle very lightly with a bit of flaky sea salt.

Bake for about 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and let the ham and cheese pinwheels rest on the pan for a few minutes, just until the cheese stops bubbling. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool for a few more minutes before plating – you don’t want to serve your guests molten-hot cheese, after all!

RECIPE VARIATIONS

I went with a super classic ham and cheddar cheese combination for my ham and cheese pinwheels, but you don’t have to stick to that.

There are so many cheeses that pair well with ham! Gouda or baby swiss would be lovely, or use a gruyere or red leicester for a fancy-feeling version.

And heck, you don’t even have to use ham! Try turkey or even thinly sliced roast beef instead for guests who don’t eat pork.

FAQS

Can you make these ham and cheese pinwheels in advance?

If you’re planning to serve these for a party and want to make them ahead of time, you have a couple of options.

You could prepare them a few hours in advance, up through placing them onto the baking sheet. Place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

If you want to prep them the night before, follow the instructions through rolling up the pinwheels. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate the entire roll overnight.

When you’re ready to bake, unwrap the roll and slice and bake accordingly.

Can you freeze them?

If you’d like to freeze these ham and cheese pinwheels, make them through placing the slices on a lined baking sheet.

Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours, until the pinwheels are frozen solid.

Store the frozen pinwheels in a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container for up to a month.

When ready to bake, place the pinwheels on a lined baking sheet and let them thaw at room temperature while the oven preheats, then bake.

Can you use crescent roll dough instead of puff pastry?

I love making these ham and cheese pinwheels with puff pastry, but you could use a tube of crescent roll dough instead.

Simply unroll the crescent roll dough, making sure not to separate the triangles. Gently pinch the seams together and follow the instructions for rolling it out and filling it as written.

The crescent roll dough will bake up a bit differently than puff pastry (it won’t be quite as crisp and flaky), but it’ll be absolutely delicious!

Hot Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

Wrap sliced deli ham and cheddar cheese in puff pastry for a simple yet delicious appetizer. These hot ham and cheese pinwheels are super customizable and are sure to disappear in a snap!

Course Appetizer

Keyword cheese, easy recipe, ham, puff pastry, snacks

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings pinwheels

Calories 106kcal

Equipment

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet, 2-Pack,

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry thawed according to package directions
1 ½ tablespoons stone-ground or dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
3-4 ounces thinly sliced cheddar cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
Flaky sea salt optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
On a lightly floured surface, unfold the thawed puff pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a square about 11×11 inches.
In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, honey, chives, and black pepper. Brush evenly over the pastry, except for about ½ inch along the side farthest from you.
Layer the ham evenly over the mustard, followed by the cheese, making sure not to cover the ½-inch border on the furthest edge.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush along the exposed edge of the pastry.
Starting at the side opposite the egg wash, tightly roll the pastry. Gently press the egg-washed edge to the roll to seal and place the seam on the bottom of the roll.
Use a large, sharp knife to cut the roll into about 20 pieces. Place cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash. If desired, sprinkle very lightly with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, until the cheese stops bubbling. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool for a few more minutes.
Serve warm.

Nutrition

The post Hot Ham and Cheese Pinwheels appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Pimento Cheese Pinwheels

Stephie — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 15:55:31 +0000

Made with homemade pimento cheese, these pimento cheese pinwheels are an easy and delicious appetizer to serve at your next party or get-together.

Anyone who knows me in real life (and some of my online friends, too) knows how much I love good pimento cheese.

With my momma having been raised by her southern momma and grandmother, there’s a lot of southern food that we both grew up eating, including my great-grandmother’s pimento cheese.

I will happily eat pimento cheese and crackers all day long, but I also love it in a grilled pimento cheese sandwich, on fried chicken sandwiches or burgers, and – my newest obsession – in these pimento cheese pinwheels.

These simple pinwheels were inspired by my favorite cream cheese ranch roll ups and the way they disappear like *snaps* that at every party. This version uses just a handful of ingredients and can be made ahead, so they’re pretty much begging to be made for your next get-together.

WHAT ARE PIMENTO CHEESE PINWHEELS?

There are a few different types of pinwheel appetizers that you’ll see floating around online. Some of them are made with crescent roll dough or puff pastry and are served warm, while others are made with flour tortillas and are served cold.

These fall into the latter category. I wanted to create a simple, cold appetizer that could be made the night before and cut and plated right before serving, no oven required.

I also wanted the flavor of the pimento cheese to really shine, so I kept the filling ingredients pretty simple.

If you love pimento cheese, these pinwheels are absolutely the appetizer for you.

HOW TO MAKE PIMENTO CHEESE PINWHEELS

So let’s chat about how to make these pimento cheese pinwheels. They’re so simple, you’ll be shocked you didn’t think to do this sooner!

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll need 4 ingredients to make this recipe:

Softened cream cheese: I don’t normally approve of cream cheese in my pimento cheese, but these pinwheels are the exception. Just like with vegetable pizza, a bit of cream cheese added to the pimento cheese gives it just the right texture to create the filling for these pinwheels.
Pimento cheese: I like to use my homemade pimento cheese for this recipe. If you don’t have time to make your own, you can use some from your grocery store’s deli. You’ll need 1 ⅓ cups for this recipe.
Sliced green onions: I like adding some sliced green onions into this pinwheel filling for a bit of extra flavor and texture.
Burrito-size flour tortillas: The filling gets rolled up in large flour tortillas. These are usually labeled as “burrito size” and are around 10-12 inches in diameter. You will need 3 of them for this recipe.

Making these pinwheels

Grab a large mixing bowl and combine the softened cream cheese, pimento cheese, and green onions until well combined.

Depending on how much effort you want to use, you can do this with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer. It’s entirely up to you.

Once the filling is well mixed, divide the mixture evenly between the flour tortillas. Spread it over each tortilla, leaving about ¼ to ½-inch around the edge of each.

Roll up each tortilla tightly and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Chill them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, unwrap the tortillas and cut into slices. You can cut the slices as thick or as thin as you like; I usually get around 60 pieces out of this recipe.

MAKING AHEAD

Since pimento cheese pinwheels need to chill for a minimum of 4 hours, they are perfect for making ahead of time and plating up right before your party starts.

You can easily make these the day before. You could even make them up to 2 days ahead of time if needed. I wouldn’t go much longer than that, though, because you risk the outside of the tortilla getting a bit soggy.

If you want, you can slice all of the pinwheels and plate them up before the party gets started. However, you can also just slice one tortilla at a time and refill the platter as the pinwheels get eaten. This is what I recommend if it’s warm outside.

If you’re really feeding a crowd, feel free to double this pimento cheese pinwheel recipe – it doubles really well!

Pimento Cheese Pinwheels

Made with homemade pimento cheese, these pimento cheese pinwheels are an easy and delicious appetizer to serve at your next party or get-together.

Course Appetizer

Keyword entertaining, parties, pimento cheese

Prep Time 10

Chilling Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings pinwheels

Calories 34kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese softened
1 ⅓ cups homemade pimento cheese
¼ cup finely sliced green onions
3 burrito-size flour tortillas 10 or 12 inches

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pimento cheese, and green onions until well combined.
Divide the mixture between the tortillas. Spread evenly over the tortillas, leaving about a ¼ to ½-inch border. Tightly roll up the tortillas. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap or foil and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
Cut into slices before serving.

Nutrition

The post Pimento Cheese Pinwheels appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Homemade Pimento Cheese

Stephie — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 20:51:13 +0000

With so many ways to enjoy this southern classic, you’ll want to whip up a batch of homemade pimento cheese on a regular basis! This delicious spread is quick and easy to make and uses just a handful of ingredients.

Pimento cheese is one of the most important foods in my family. In fact, it may as well be its own food group.

This homemade pimento cheese recipe, like my angel food cake and blueberry crumb cake recipes, was my great-grandmother’s. It was one of my grandmother’s and mother’s favorite foods.

While we all prefer this recipe, we aren’t overly picky and will eat just about any pimento cheese – except for the stuff that comes out of the jar. That does not count as true pimento cheese.

But put this one in front of us and it’ll disappear in record time. It’s quick and easy to make, uses just a few simple ingredients, and can be served in so many different ways.

WHAT IS PIMENTO CHEESE?

Pimento cheese is extremely popular in the southern United States, although you will find it elsewhere around the country, especially in the Midwest.

Pimento cheese is a spread made primarily of cheese, mayonnaise, and pimentos. There are definitely some regional variations to recipes – and even some variations between families.

For example, in some places you will find pimento cheese made with cream cheese as the base, either instead of or in addition to mayo. But in my family, we are strictly mayo only. I’ll eat the cream cheese stuff, but I won’t make it – I don’t want my great-grandmother haunting me, after all.

Pimento cheese is usually served as a dip with crackers or vegetables or on sandwiches. Skip down to “serving suggestions” for more on this.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE PIMENTO CHEESE

My great-grandmother’s homemade pimento cheese is so simple to throw together. In fact, it’s tempting to keep a batch of it in the refrigerator at all times!

Recipe Ingredients

My recipe for pimento cheese uses just 4 simple ingredients. But as with all recipes that rely on just a small handful of ingredients, each of the ingredients is important.

You’ll need:

Freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese: I prefer a sharp cheddar for my pimento cheese, although you could get away with using a medium or mild cheddar. The most important thing though is to make sure that you shred it yourself. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese for this recipe!

Mayonnaise: Look, you can use any mayo you like, but I really hope you’ll use a good quality one. I really like Duke’s or even using homemade mayonnaise. I don’t recommend using an off-brand mayo; they often don’t have much flavor to them.

Jarred diced pimentos: It depends on the grocery store, but you can usually find these over by the jarred olives and jarred roasted red peppers.

Worcestershire sauce: This is the key to a really delicious homemade pimento cheese. Don’t skip this!

Making this recipe

This is so simple I actually feel silly giving you directions on how to make this. Are you ready?

Stir all of the ingredients together. Give it a taste and see if you want to add more Worcestershire sauce – start with 1 teaspoon and add more to taste.

Now it can be served right away, but I think it’s best if you let it chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.

And that’s it. Really! To quote Ina: How easy is that?

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Ok here’s where it gets fun. Yes, you can simply eat your homemade pimento cheese as a dip with your favorite crackers or veggies, but there are so many other ways to enjoy it:

Make a simple pimento cheese sandwich with white bread, pimento cheese, and big slices of summer-ripe tomatoes. This is my uncle’s favorite!
Make a grilled pimento cheese sandwich.
Use it as a spread on burgers or fried chicken sandwiches.
Mix it into macaroni and cheese for the best macaroni and pimento cheese.
Turn it into pimento cheese pinwheels.
Use it in pimento cheese jalapeño poppers.
Bake it into mini phyllo shells for a quick and easy appetizer.

And so much more! Although I’ll warn you, you’ll want to make a double batch so you have enough to snack on while you’re cooking.

STORAGE

Store homemade pimento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you need to make it ahead of time for a party, feel free! It will hold really well in the fridge and tastes better after it has chilled for a couple of hours anyway.

You should not freeze this pimento cheese. Because it is mayo-based, freezing will cause it to split.

I hope you will love this recipe as much as my family does and that it will become a family favorite for you as well!

Homemade Pimento Cheese

Homemade pimento cheese is a southern staple. This savory spread is so quick and easy to make and is sure to become a family favorite!

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 5

Servings

Calories 490kcal

Ingredients

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup jarred diced pimentos drained
1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Can be served right away, but is best if you cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

The post Homemade Pimento Cheese appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich

Stephie — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 01:53:00 +0000

What happens when you combine a grilled cheese and a pimento cheese sandwich? Maybe one of the best lunches around! This grilled pimento cheese sandwich is savory, melty, crispy, and so perfect.

I grew up eating loads and loads of pimento cheese sandwiches.

They were pretty simple: my great-grandmother’s homemade pimento cheese on white bread, often with big slices of summer-fresh tomatoes.

Don’t get me wrong, that’s pretty much a perfect sandwich, especially in the height of summer when tomatoes are at their very best.

But it wasn’t until one of my friends shared about a grilled pimento cheese sandwich that she had on her honeymoon that it occurred to us to use pimento cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich.

LET ME TELL YOU, friends. I am sure glad my family saw the light on that one.

Get ready for one of the simplest yet most comforting sandwiches you could eat.

MAKING A PERFECTLY CRISPY GRILLED CHEESE

Before we talk specifically about this grilled pimento cheese sandwich, let’s talk about my top tip for making an amazing grilled cheese sandwich:

Use mayonnaise on the outside of the bread instead of butter.

I grew up with my mom spreading butter on the outside of the sandwich before toasting our grilled cheese sandwiches and was an adult before I ever heard of using mayo for this purpose.

It sounds weird, I’ll admit. But don’t knock it until you try it: it WORKS!

One reason I prefer to use mayo is because it spreads better on soft breads without tearing into the bread.

The other reason I like using mayo is because it gives you a perfect crispy sandwich without any greasiness. And if you use a good mayo (we love using Duke’s or a homemade mayonnaise at our house), it’ll add extra flavor to the sandwich, too.

Oh, and one last tip for you:

Keep the heat to medium-low.

I know it’s tempting to crank up the heat on your griddle, but if you do, you risk burning the bread before the cheese is melted. Keep the heat lower so you get melty cheese and a golden crust.

HOW TO MAKE A GRILLED PIMENTO CHEESE SANDWICH

If you work from home like I do, you’ll be tempted to whip up one of these sandwiches for lunch at least weekly. And really, no one could blame you!

Ingredients you’ll need

To make this grilled pimento cheese sandwich, you’ll need:

2 slices of soft white or sourdough bread: I personally like a softer bread for this sandwich. You could use any bread you like, but I think a sandwich sourdough loaf is perfect.
⅓ to ½ cup of my homemade pimento cheese: You could use any pimento cheese you like (as long as it’s not from a jar), but I’ll stick with my great-grandmother’s recipe.
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise: Like I said above, I recommend using a good mayo so that you get some nice flavor added to your sandwich.

And that’s it! You can add slices of tomato if you like, but that’s totally optional.

Making grilled pimento cheese

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-low heat while you prep your sandwich.

Spread the pimento cheese evenly over 1 slice of the bread and top with the second slice.

Spread the mayo evenly on the top and bottom of the sandwich, then place the sandwich on the heated skillet or griddle.

Cook for about 3 minutes per side, until the bread is golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melty.

Move the grilled pimento cheese sandwich to a cutting board and let it rest for 1-2 minutes before cutting and serving.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

I certainly don’t mind gobbling up this grilled pimento cheese sandwich alongside my favorite potato chips or a big bowl of fresh fruit.

But you could easily serve it up with a salad, such as my massaged kale salad, or with a bowl of soup, such as tortellini soup or corn chowder, if you’re looking for a bigger meal.

Oh, and don’t forget the pickles! My husband and daughter would say you have to have a pickle spear or some pickled cucumbers, too.

Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich

What happens when you combine a grilled cheese and a pimento cheese sandwich? Maybe one of the best lunches around! This grilled pimento cheese sandwich is savory, melty, crispy, and so perfect.

Course Sandwiches

Keyword cheese, lunch

Prep Time 10

Servings

Calories 492kcal

Equipment

1 Cast Iron Griddle

Ingredients

2 slices soft white or sourdough bread
⅓ to ½ cup homemade pimento cheese
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Instructions

Heat a skillet or cast iron griddle over medium-low heat.
Spread the pimento cheese evenly over 1 slice of the bread. Top with the second slice.
Thinly spread the top and bottom of the sandwich with mayonnaise.
Place the sandwich on the heated skillet or griddle. Cook for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown on both sides and the pimento cheese is melty.

Nutrition

The post Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

Stephie — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 18:03:37 +0000

Made with just four simple ingredients, these peanut butter rice krispie bars are a sweet and chewy treat that the whole family will love!

This post contains affiliate links.

When we adopted our daughter, we entered into what I like to call a “radically open” adoption with her birth family, including her extended family.

Not only did our family become hers, but her family became ours.

As she grows, she will have a say in what she wants this relationship to look like, but for now we are incredibly open and celebrate as many holidays together as we can. We truly love our not-so-little-anymore, non-traditional family.

One of the things that was important for us was to learn about some of her birth family’s holiday traditions so we could bring them into our home as well. Since we are so food focused around here, it just made sense to pick up on some of their family’s favorite recipes.

One of those special recipes is for these peanut butter rice krispie bars. The family calls them “bricks” (which honestly makes sense once you see them!), which I think is adorable.

These are a MUST at every Christmas celebration but are also perfect for shipping as a special care-package treat any time of year. It’s been an honor to add them to our list of family recipes.

Give this simple recipe a try and it may just become a part of your family’s holiday traditions as well!

WHAT ARE PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE BARS?

These peanut butter rice krispie bars don’t have any marshmallows in them, so they aren’t a rice krispie treat.

They don’t have any chocolate on top, so they aren’t quite a scotcharoo.

Instead, they fall somewhere kind of in the middle of the two things.

These peanut butter rice krispie bars are dense and chewy, with tons of peanut butter flavor and crispy texture.

If you’re a big fan of peanut butter cake and rice krispie cookies, you’ll adore these bars!

Are these bars gluten free?

Did you know that the name-brand Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not gluten free?

They contain malt, so they do contain gluten.

That said, because the other ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free, you can make a gluten-free version by using a different brand of crispy rice cereal. There are many other options that are gluten free; just be sure to read the label carefully!

HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIE BARS

These bars are a no-bake recipe, so you won’t need to turn on the oven. Which is just fine with me; this time of year, my oven is already packed with maple walnut blondies, gingerbread cake, and fruitcake cookies.

This is also a good recipe to have the kids help with since there’s a lot of stirring to do! Just make sure you are supervising them, since there is some hot sugar involved.

Ingredients you’ll need

You’ll only need 4 simple ingredients to make peanut butter rice krispie bars:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 (16 ounce) bottle light corn syrup
1 (16.3 ounce) jar creamy peanut butter
1 (13 ounce) box Rice Krispies cereal

I like to use a 13-ounce box of Rice Krispies, but the recipe can actually take up to 18 ounces (or a “family size” box). How much cereal you add will determine how dry and dense the final bars are.

I prefer mine to be a little softer and chewier, so that’s why I usually opt for the slightly smaller box of Rice Krispies.

What kind of peanut butter should you use?

I usually make these peanut butter rice krispie bars with good ol’ fashioned creamy peanut butter. You know, the type we all ate as kids in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

But I have also successfully used no-stir natural peanut butter. Use whichever one you have and prefer!

I do NOT recommend using the type of all-natural peanut butter that is basically only ground peanuts and nothing else. The texture tends to be pretty grainy and it’s just not as smooth as you need for this recipe.

Making peanut butter rice krispie bars

Prep a 13×9-inch baking pan by spraying it with nonstick spray and then lining it with parchment paper.

In a large Dutch oven, add the sugar and corn syrup. Bring this to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring it constantly.

Once this comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir until the mixture is nice and smooth and the peanut butter is well combined.

Gradually stir in the cereal until well incorporated. The more cereal you add, the harder it will be to stir, so you’ll get a good arm workout doing this.

Carefully pour the mixture into your prepared pan and press it down with a greased spatula.

Let the bars cool completely before cutting and serving. Cooling will take at least an hour.

STORAGE TIPS

When slicing the bars, I like to spray a large, sharp knife with cooking spray before cutting. This will help the bars cut more cleanly.

Store the bars in airtight containers for up to a week. I do not recommend freezing these.

Because these peanut butter rice krispie bars last so long and hold up well, they are perfect for shipping in a care package! Package them up in some cute holiday cookie tins for some special happy mail for your loved ones.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars

Made with just four simple ingredients, these peanut butter rice krispie bars are a sweet and chewy treat that the whole family will love!

Course Bar Desserts

Keyword christmas, desserts, holidays, no bake, peanut butter, rice krispies

Prep Time 10

Cooling Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings bars

Calories 194kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
1 bottle bottle light corn syrup 16 ounces
1 jar jar creamy peanut butter 16.3 ounces
1 box box Rice Krispies cereal 13 ounces

Instructions

Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and add the peanut butter, stirring until smooth and well combined.
Gradually fold in the Rice Krispies until well coated. Carefully pour into the prepared pan and press down with a greased spatula.
Let cool completely (about 1 hour) before cutting and serving.

Notes

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

The amount of Rice Krispies you use will determine how dry and dense the bars are. This recipe can take up to 18 ounces of Rice Krispies (a “family size” box) if you prefer lots of cereal in your bars, but note that the mixture will become very hard to stir.

Nutrition

The post Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Bars appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Homemade Red Lobster Biscuits

Stephie — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:15:00 +0000

Craving those famous Cheddar Bay biscuits? These copycat Red Lobster biscuits are easy to make at home using just a few ingredients!

This post contains affiliate links.

Confession: Sometimes I choose to go to a restaurant because of the bread that they serve with the soup or salad.

Carbs are my truest love.

I can’t be alone in this. I mean, who hasn’t gone to Olive Garden at least once just because they were craving the breadsticks? Or what about those Texas Roadhouse rolls?

I could easily eat a dozen of those babies.

And don’t even get me started on those glorious cheesy, garlicky Red Lobster biscuits…they’re the best part of the meal.

Truth be told, I haven’t been to a Red Lobster in years and years, but who needs to go there when you can make the biscuits (also known as Cheddar Bay biscuits) at home?

WHAT ARE CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS?

If you have never been to Red Lobster, then you might not know about the magic that is a Cheddar Bay biscuit.

The biscuits at Red Lobster are packed with cheddar cheese and have a garlicky, buttery top. They are served warm, and the cheesy, garlicky, buttery goodness in a fluffy biscuit is impossible to stop eating.

Unlike sweet potato biscuits, Red Lobster biscuits are a drop biscuit. That means that instead of rolling out and cutting the dough into perfect circles, the dough is dropped onto the baking sheet to make a free-form biscuit.

This is great for two reasons:

It means that the homemade version of these biscuits is faster and easier to make, and
It means that there are lots of craggy spots on the outside of the biscuits to catch the garlic butter.

In truth, if you whip up a batch of creamy pesto pasta with shrimp and a batch of these biscuits, there’s no need to ever set foot in the restaurant itself!

HOW TO MAKE RED LOBSTER BISCUITS

Decades ago, my mom found a recipe for a copycat version of the Red Lobster biscuits in some women’s magazine, possibly Ladies’ Home Journal. Over the years we tweaked the recipe slightly, but these were a staple in our house growing up.

And once you try them, you’ll understand why. Not only are they delicious, but they only take a handful of ingredients and minutes to make!

Ingredients you’ll need

To make this recipe, you will only need 6 simple ingredients, most of which you may already have in your pantry and fridge.

You’ll need:

Bisquick mix: The base of these simple biscuits is Bisquick mix. If you don’t want to use the store-bought stuff, you can use homemade Bisquick mix instead.
Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds a nice tang to these biscuits. You can use whole milk if you don’t have buttermilk, but the added flavor is worth it here.
Sharp cheddar cheese: I like to use a nice sharp cheddar in these biscuits. Any cheddar will work, but sharp cheddar adds so much flavor.
Butter: Salted butter is best here, but use what you have!
Garlic powder: Garlic powder is what adds that garlicky flavor to these biscuits. It’ll be mixed with the melted butter and brushed over the baked biscuits.
Fresh parsley: This is the last touch to make these just like the Cheddar Bay biscuits served at the restaurant. A little minced parsley over the top adds a bit of flavor and lots of color. If you don’t have any on hand, you can always skip this step!

Making this recipe

Grab a mixing bowl and add the Bisquick, buttermilk, and shredded cheese. Mix with a spoon until just combined, then stir vigorously for about 30 seconds.

Use a spoon to drop spoonfuls of the dough onto an ungreased sheet pan. If you want to make smaller biscuits, you will get about 12. If you make them larger, you’ll get 9-10.

Bake the biscuits for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

While the biscuits bake, whisk together the melted butter and garlic powder. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, use a basting brush to brush the garlic butter over the biscuits.

Finish the biscuits by sprinkling them with the minced parsley and serve them warm!

STORAGE AND REHEATING

Store any leftover biscuits in a zip-top bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to a day.

The biscuits are best eaten when they are warm, so I recommend reheating them before digging into the leftovers.

The quickest and easiest way to reheat your Cheddar Bay biscuits is in a toaster oven.

If you don’t have a toaster oven, wrap the biscuits in foil and pop them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until they are warmed through.

I can guarantee that these copycat Red Lobster biscuits will be a new staple at your house!

Homemade Red Lobster Biscuits

Craving those famous Cheddar Bay biscuits? These copycat Red Lobster biscuits are easy to make at home using just a few ingredients!

Course Breads

Keyword biscuit, bisquick, bread, copycat recipe, dinner, easy recipe, side dish

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings large biscuits

Calories 177kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups Bisquick mix store-bought or homemade
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
In a bowl, combine baking mix, buttermilk, and cheese with a spoon just until combined, then beat vigorously for 30 seconds.
Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, until golden brown.
While biscuits are baking, combine melted butter and garlic powder.
Brush the mixture over the warm biscuits immediately upon removing from the oven, and sprinkle with the minced parsley. Serve warm.

Nutrition

The post Homemade Red Lobster Biscuits appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Maple Walnut Blondies

Stephie — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 14:48:00 +0000

These maple blondies are perfectly chewy and studded with walnuts for the ultimate fall treat.

This post contains affiliate links.

My husband is “not a dessert person.”

Almost 10 years into our relationship, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this concept.

I mean, more for me. But also…more for me. I bake a lot, and I genuinely can’t eat everything I make all by myself.

As a result, our friends and neighbors often end up with treats on their porch.

When we lived in Chicago, one such friend was my personal trainer, Cindy. One fall, she asked me to come up with a copycat version of the Trader Joe’s Maple Walnut Blondies.

Since she always so willingly tried everything I brought her, I was happy to oblige. I mean, what are friends for, right?

It took me a few tries to get this recipe just right, but it’s been a personal favorite ever since.

WHAT IS A BLONDIE?

If you’ve never had a blondie bar, you might be wondering what the heck a blondie even is.

A blondie is a non-chocolate brownie – sort of the opposite of a brownie, if you will. They’re a super chewy bar cookie that has a non-chocolate base.

There are lots of different types of blondies, from butterscotch blondies to raspberry blondies to maple blondies and more.

COPYCAT TRADER JOE’S MAPLE WALNUT BLONDIES

I was 22 before I lived in a town with a Trader Joe’s, so it took me a bit to come to learn about the store’s beloved seasonal items.

One such seasonal treat is the Maple Walnut Blondies. They’re nearly impossible to get your hands on – it feels like they are only around for a few minutes each year, and go out of stock almost immediately.

So it’s no wonder that my friend Cindy wanted a copycat version that she could whip up any time of year.

This maple blondie recipe is perfectly chewy, full of maple flavor, and studded with walnuts. It’s a combination of some of the best fall flavors in one perfect bar cookie.

HOW TO MAKE THIS BLONDIE RECIPE

One of the best things about blondies is that they are usually super easy to make. This maple blondie recipe is no different – a few bowls, and handful of minutes, and you’ve got a sweet treat to snack on.

Ingredients you’ll need

Some of the key ingredients in this recipe include:

Rolled oats: This is maybe the most unexpected ingredient on the list. The oats add a nutty flavor and great texture to these bars, and are the ingredient that really makes them taste like the Trader Joe’s version!

Brown sugar: In my opinion, you can’t have a good brownie without brown sugar. It adds depth of flavor and helps make the bars nice and chewy.

Maple syrup: We’ve gotta get that maple in there! I like to use real maple syrup in this recipe. It adds just enough maple without overpowering the subtle flavor of the walnuts.

Walnuts: The crunchy walnuts are such a great contrast to the chewy texture of the bars. You can, of course, leave the walnuts out if you are allergic and still have a lovely maple blondie bar.

Other ingredients you will need are:

6 tablespoons (87 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 generous pinch of salt
1 cup (124 grams) flour

Make sure that you also have a set of mixing bowls, a spatula, and an 8×8-inch baking pan.

Making maple blondies

To get started, we will pulse the oats in a food processor until coarsely ground. I like to use my mini food processor to do this.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and the brown sugar until the mixture has slightly lightened in color. Add the syrup, egg, and vanilla and whisk well.

Fold in the oats, flour, and salt until just combined, followed by the walnuts.

Spread the batter into a parchment-lined 8×8-inch pan and bake the maple blondies for 30-35 minutes.

You want the edges to be golden and the center to just be set. Be careful not to overbake these bars – they’re better if they’re a bit under-baked than over-baked!

Let the blondies cool in the pan before removing to a cutting board and cutting into squares.

STORAGE TIPS

These maple blondies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Want to store them for longer? Turn to the freezer!

Place the sliced blondies in an airtight container or in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

When you’d like to enjoy a blondie, you can let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or microwave it for 30-60 seconds for a warm, gooey treat.

Give these maple blondies a try. I can bet they’ll join applesauce bread and fresh apple cake in your arsenal of favorite fall recipes.

Maple Walnut Blondies

These maple blondies are perfectly chewy and studded with walnuts for the ultimate fall treat.

Course Bar Desserts

Keyword autumn, baking, bar desserts, blondies, desserts, fall, maple, walnuts

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings blondies

Calories 260kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 generous pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and brown sugar until slightly lightened in color. Add in the syrup, egg, and vanilla, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Using a spatula, stir in the ground oats, flour, and salt until just combined. Fold in the walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center is set. Do not overbake.
Allow to cool in the pan, then use the parchment paper to lift the blondies out the pan. Cut into pieces and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

The post Maple Walnut Blondies appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Applesauce Bread

Stephie — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Applesauce Bread is moist and slightly sweet with a nut and brown sugar topping to put it over the edge. This is the perfect afternoon snack or early morning treat.

This post contains affiliate links.

With schools back in session here in Illinois and fall around the corner, it’s the start of apple season.

Longtime readers may recall that I’m only so-so on pumpkin, but I adore apple recipes.

Fresh apple cake, Danish apple cake, apple pie cookies, and deep-dish apple pie are all recipes I turn to once the weather starts to cool off and the leaves start to turn.

Let’s add this applesauce bread to that list, shall we?

In place of chopped apples it uses applesauce, so it’s perfect for that funny period of time between when I start craving fall treats and when the apple orchards open up.

And with that brown sugar and nut topping? You really can’t go wrong.

WHAT IS APPLESAUCE BREAD?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you made banana bread with applesauce instead of bananas?

Well, that’s pretty much what this bread is.

Applesauce bread is a quick bread – i.e., a bread leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda, not yeast – that is flavored using applesauce.

Most of the time when applesauce is used in a quick bread, it’s just to replace some or all of the fat in the recipe. In this case, it does replace some of the fat, but it also adds a subtle flavor and wonderful moistness to the bread.

This is a recipe that originally came from my aunt. I did make a couple of tweaks to it:

I added ½ cup of oats and swapped coconut oil for vegetable oil. Don’t mistake me and think I did this to make the bread “healthy” – I did it because I think it genuinely makes the bread better!
I increased the amount of sugar-and-nut topping on the bread. The reason should be self-explanatory.

HOW TO MAKE APPLESAUCE BREAD

Like sourdough banana bread, Bisquick banana bread, and apple cider bread, you don’t need any special equipment to make this quick bread.

This applesauce bread recipe is a great one for beginner bakers, kids, or anyone looking to have a sweet treat in the oven within a few short minutes.

Ingredients you’ll need

Let’s talk through a few of the key ingredients in this bread recipe:

Applesauce: We’ll use an entire 1 ¼ cups of unsweetened applesauce in this bread. Make sure you are using unsweetened applesauce – you don’t want to throw off the balance of the recipe. You can use homemade applesauce as long as it is, again, unsweetened.

Coconut oil: While the original version of this recipe calls for vegetable oil, I swapped it for coconut oil. I love the way it boosts the subtle flavor of the bread. If you don’t have or can’t use coconut oil, you can absolutely use vegetable oil instead.

Rolled oats: Rolled oats add a bit of texture to the final loaf. If you find you’re out of oats, you can omit them from the recipe and it will turn out just fine.

Pecans or walnuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts give this applesauce bread so much texture and flavor. If you can, definitely add them! They really make this bread so perfect.

Spices: This recipe uses a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice – all flavors that go wonderfully with apples.

Other ingredients you’ll need include:

Milk
Large eggs
Granulated sugar
Flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Brown sugar

Making this recipe

Like many quick bread recipes, we’ll start by whisking together the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls.

For the wet ingredients, combine the oil, applesauce, milk, eggs, and granulated sugar.

For the dry, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients along with the chopped nuts and stir just until everything is combined. Pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan.

In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle this over the bread batter. It’ll feel like a lot, but I promise you want lots of this brown sugar topping!

This bread will bake for about an hour. It’s done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

I let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

I know how tempting it will be to slice into the bread while it’s still hot, but the topping will stay on the bread better after it has cooled. So try to wait!

STORAGE TIPS

Wrap any leftover applesauce bread in foil. It will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Like many quick breads, you can also freeze this bread! Wrap it in foil and place it in a zip-top freezer bag.

Store in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Let the bread thaw at room temperature before slicing and enjoying.

You could also wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Then you can grab as many slices as you like, thawing and warming them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

Applesauce Bread

Applesauce Bread is moist and slightly sweet with a nut and brown sugar topping to put it over the edge. This is the perfect afternoon snack or early morning treat.

Course Breads

Keyword apples, applesauce, autumn, baking, bread, breakfast, brunch, fall, quick bread

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 1 40

Servings

Calories 413kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
1¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup milk
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
½ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ cup chopped pecans or chopped walnuts

For the topping:

6 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons chopped pecans or chopped walnuts
¾ teaspoon cinnamon

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the oil, applesauce, milk, eggs and granulated sugar.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Add the wet ingredients and the chopped nuts and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients until well combined. Sprinkle evenly over the bread batter.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan before removing and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.
Wrap tightly in foil and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Makes 1 9×5-inch loaf.

Nutrition

The post Applesauce Bread appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Peach Hand Pies

Stephie — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 21:21:31 +0000

Peach hand pies are the ultimate late summer dessert. With a buttery pie crust, filling made with summer-ripe fresh peaches, and crunchy sugar on top, these are hand-held gems of peach pie goodness.

This post contains affiliate links.

If your grocery stores and farmer’s markets are anything like ours are right now, then they’re positively full to bursting with the most gorgeous fresh peaches ever.

I could eat them every day on my cereal (Crispix forever, please and thank you), over classic shortcakes, in peach ice cream, in peach cobbler, and about 100 other ways and never get tired of them.

The other week, while I was fiddling around with some fall hand pie recipes for my full-time job, my friend Bethany suggested I made peach hand pies.

Since she’s one of my favorite taste testers and, as a mom of a newborn, definitely deserves some peach hand pies, I was happy to take her suggestion.

WHAT ARE HAND PIES?

Hand pies are exactly what they sound like: miniature pies that you can hold in your hand!

Lots of different cultures have their own version of hand pies, whether they be sweet or savory. Spain and Latin America have empanadas, the U.K. has pasties, India has samosas, Russia has piroshki…and that’s just a very small handful of examples.

Hand pies versus turnovers

Hand pies and turnovers (such as apple turnovers) are very similar, but do have some slight differences.

Turnovers are usually made with puff pastry, while hand pies can be made with a variety of different types of pastry. In the case of these peach hand pies, they are made with pie crust.

Turnovers are also always formed by folding a piece of dough in half with the filling in the middle. Usually a square piece of puff pastry is folded in half to make triangle-shaped pastries.

Hand pies can be a variety of shapes, whether the dough is folded in half like this recipe or cut into rounds, squares, rectangles, etc.

HOW TO MAKE PEACH HAND PIES

These peach hand pies are adorable and are sure to impress anyone you serve them to. But I promise you, they aren’t as hard as they seem to make!

What pie crust should I use?

I know that the pie crust thing is where I lose most people in my love for making pie.

And yes, I really do love (LOVE!) making homemade pie crust, whether it’s for a full-size sweet potato pie or rhubarb pie or for these little beauties.. It just takes a bit of practice to get the hang of.

But if you aren’t sure about making your own crust, that’s ok. You can absolutely make these hand pies with your favorite refrigerated pie crust.

Just make sure that any pie crust you buy or make is enough for a 9-inch double-crust pie. This should give you around a dozen 5-inch hand pies.

Filling ingredients

The filling is the real star of this show. After all, we want to show off those perfect summer-ripe peaches!

This filling comes together with:

Fresh peaches: We’ll use 2 large fresh peaches for this recipe. If your peaches aren’t very big, use 3 smaller peaches instead.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar: The sugar adds sweetness to the filling. I like the richness the brown sugar adds, but didn’t want it to overpower the peaches. Balancing it with granulated sugar allows the flavor of the peaches to shine through.
Flour: We can’t have a runny hand pie filling! Just a bit of flour thickens up the filling just the right amount.
Spices: Cinnamon is always the go-to for peaches, and I agree that it’s a must! But my real must-have with peaches is ground ginger. I love what it adds to anything with peaches! A smidge of ground nutmeg is also welcome here.
A squeeze of lemon juice: Don’t sleep on the lemon juice! It brightens the filling just a bit and really brings it all together.

Making this recipe

Start by mixing together your filling.

Peel, pit, and dice the peaches. Remember that the hand pies are going to be pretty small, so cut the peaches accordingly.

Mix the diced peaches together with the sugars, flour, spices, and lemon juice. Set the filling aside while you prep the pie crust.

If you’re using a homemade pie crust recipe, roll out the pie dough into a 15×18-inch rectangle onto a well-floured surface.

If you’re using a refrigerated crust, unroll both crusts onto a well-floured surface and give them a roll with your rolling pin. You want to make sure they are nice and thin.

Use a 5-inch cookie cutter to cut out as many 5-inch circles as you can from the pie dough. You can re-roll the scraps as needed, but keep in mind that the crust will get tougher the more you work it.

You should be able to get about 12 circles from the full batch of pie dough.

Place a heaping spoonful of the peach filling in the center of each dough circle, leaving behind as much of the juice as possible. Don’t overfill the pies – you don’t want them to burst!

(If you have any leftover filling, toss it into an oven-safe ramekin and top it with leftover pie crust scraps for a tiny pie just for you.)

Brush egg wash around half of each dough circle, fold the pies in half, and crimp the edges shut with a fork.

Place the pies on a lined baking sheet, cut 2 slits in the top of each pie, brush the tops with egg wash, and sprinkle some sparkling sugar on top.

Let the pies bake for 25-30 minutes. They’re done when the crust is golden brown on the top and bottom of the pies and the filling is bubbly.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

If you’re anything like me, good luck not eating all of your peach hand pies the moment they come out of the oven.

If you do have better self control than I do, store cooled hand pies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

The crust will be flakiest on the day they’re made, but they’ll still be delicious a couple of days later. You could also reheat leftover hand pies in a toaster oven to bring back some of that fresh-baked feel!

Can you freeze hand pies?

Ok, so here’s the real magic of making hand pies: You can freeze them and bake as many as you like at a time later on.

That’s right! You can have a freshly baked peach hand pie in the middle of winter if you want. Here’s how to do it:

Place the assembled hand pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cut 2 slits into the top of each pie but do not brush them with the egg wash.
Place the baking sheet with the pies into the freezer and freeze until solid. Store the frozen hand pies in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 6 months.
When ready to bake, place as many of the frozen pies as you like on a lined baking sheet; optionally brush each pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar before baking. Bake the pies at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.

And that’s it! Homemade, fresh-from-the-oven peach hand pies in 30 minutes. Trust me, your future self will thank you for freezing some of these for later.

Peach Hand Pies

Course Desserts

Keyword baking, dessert, peaches, pie, summer

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

Servings hand pies

Calories 99kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

2 large peaches
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 batch of homemade pie crust or pie crust for a 9-inch double-crust pie
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Sparkling sugar for topping optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Peel, pit, and dice the peaches. Add to a medium bowl with the sugars, flour, spices, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine; set aside.
On a floured surface, roll the pie crust into a rectangle about 15×18 inches. Cut out 5-inch circles, re-rolling the pie crust scraps as needed, keeping in mind that the crust will get tougher the more you work it. You should be able to get about 12 circles from the dough.
Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each dough circle. You may not use all of the filling (see notes).
Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash halfway around the edge of each dough circle. Fold each dough circle in half over the filling, using a fork to crimp and seal the edges.
Place the filled and crimped hand pies on the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut 2 slits into the top of each hand pie.
Brush each hand pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sparkling sugar if desired.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pies are golden and the filling is bubbly. Let cool for 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To freeze:

To freeze the pies, place the assembled hand pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut 2 slits into the top of each pie but do not brush with the egg wash.
Place the baking sheet with the pies into the freezer and freeze until solid. Store frozen hand pies in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 6 months.
When ready to bake, place the frozen pies on a lined baking sheet; optionally brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar before baking. Bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.

Notes

Store leftover pies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

If you do not have sparkling sugar, you could sprinkle the pies with turbinado sugar or granulated sugar instead.

Depending on the size of your peaches, you may have some filling leftover. Don’t try to fit it all into the hand pies – you don’t want to overfill them. Instead, pour any leftover filling into an oven-safe ramekin and top it with any leftover scraps of pie crust. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar if desired. Bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes for a tiny bonus pie just for you.

Nutrition

The post Peach Hand Pies appeared first on Stephie Cooks.

Homemade Tzatziki

Stephie — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 18:04:41 +0000

Homemade tzatziki is fresh and bright. Made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, and lots of lemon juice, this simple sauce is excellent with everything from pita chips to grilled vegetables.

This post contains affiliate links.

Being a food blogger who is married to a chef is a funny thing.

These days, thanks to our schedules and life stage, Alex is most often the one cooking dinner while I am always the one handling any desserts, breads, or other baked goods.

That being said, there are a handful of things that Alex prefers for me to make.

It’s not that he can’t make them – remember, he works in a kitchen full time – it’s that he just likes them better when I make them.

(Is this similar to how grilled cheese sandwiches always taste better when your mom makes them?)

Homemade hamburger helper (aka “chili mac” at our house) is one of them. Cream cheese ranch roll ups and pickled cucumbers are two others. Tzatziki sauce is also on that list.

This homemade tzatziki is a household summer favorite. Once garden-fresh cucumbers start rolling in, there’s almost always a container of this tzatziki in the fridge, ready for serving with our dinners or simply digging into with pita chips.

WHAT IS TZATZIKI?

Tzatziki is a Mediterranean dip or sauce. Even though tzatziki sauce is most commonly associated with Greek food, there are variations on this sauce throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East.

Tzatziki is made from yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, fresh herbs, olive oil, and lemon juice or vinegar.

There are tons of regional variations on this recipe, so it’s hard to identify what is the most “authentic.” This tzatziki recipe is closest to what I’ve had at Greek restaurants, although in Greece it would be made with goat or sheep’s milk yogurt.

How to pronounce tzatziki

Not sure how to pronounce tzatziki? I’ve got you!

Tsah-zee-key

There you go! The more you know.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE TZATZIKI SAUCE

Even though Alex may always ask me to make our homemade tzatziki, it’s really easy to make. And it’s so versatile and refreshing, you’ll find yourself whipping it up every chance you get!

Tzatziki sauce ingredients

Remember, since there are many regional variations on this dish, there are some slight variances in the ingredients used.

For example, some recipes call for mint instead of fresh dill, or a combination of the two herbs.

This is what we use in our tzatziki sauce, but feel free to play around based on what you like and have on hand:

1 large or 2 small cucumbers
24 ounces whole milk Greek yogurt
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt & pepper to taste

I will often use American cucumbers for this, since they’re easiest to find at the farmer’s market around here, but you can use English or Persian cucumbers instead.

Remember that everything in this recipe can be adjusted based on your tastes.

Our family prefers dill to mint and we like a lot of lemon juice in almost everything (including this recipe). You can always use less lemon juice, up the amount of dill, use less or more garlic…it’s all up to you!

What if I can’t find Greek yogurt?

Greek yogurt is pretty easy to find in nearly all grocery stores these days. That said, you can use strained plain yogurt instead if your store is out of Greek yogurt!

Grab a container of full fat/whole milk plain yogurt. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheesecloth.

Add the yogurt to the strainer. Cover it with the edges of the cheesecloth and place it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

If you want to speed this process up, you can place a plate on top of yogurt with a weight (such as a bowl or a can of beans) to press down on the yogurt.

This process will remove a lot of the whey from the yogurt, giving it a much thicker consistency! Use this strained yogurt in place of Greek yogurt in nearly any recipe.

Helpful tools

You’ll want to have a box grater on hand to grate the cucumber.

You may also want to use a clean tea towel to help you squeeze the water out of the grated cucumber, although you can simply use your hands for this as well.

Other than that, everything else is pretty standard: A bowl, a spoon, and a knife!

Making homemade tzatziki

The only part of the recipe that requires any real work at all is preparing the cucumber.

Cucumber has a lot of water in it, which can seep out and make your tzatziki sauce really runny and watery.

To combat this, peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds – cucumber seeds don’t add any flavor and will just water down the sauce more.

Grate the cucumber and then use your hands (or a clean tea towel) to squeeze out as much of the water from the cucumber as you can. You’ll be surprised how much water you’ll get out of it!

Once the cucumber has been drained, add it to a bowl with the yogurt, juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, minced garlic, and chopped dill.

Give the mixture a stir and then taste it. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust the other ingredients as desired – add more lemon juice, more dill, some fresh mint, etc.

You can serve the tzatziki sauce right away, but it’s even better if you let it rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. You’ll be surprised at how much the flavors pop after just a couple of hours!

STORAGE

Keep your tzatziki sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I will often store it in the container the yogurt came in!

This sauce will keep for up to 3 days. After that, the herbs and cucumber can get a little funky, so I do recommend eating it within 3 days. Although that’s certainly never been a problem at our house!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Ok, so what do you do with this sauce?

Homemade tzatziki makes a great appetizer with pita chips or warm pita bread and fresh veggies. Put it out alongside white bean dip and watch it disappear!

Try it as a sauce on everything from grilled vegetables to Greek chicken to turkey burgers and more. You could even use it as a salad dressing if you want!

Or you can be like my two-year-old and dig right into it with a spoon. I promise I won’t tell anyone if you do.

If you’re looking for a way to use up some of those summer cucumbers, this bright and refreshing homemade tzatziki recipe has your name all over it.

Homemade Tzatziki

Homemade tzatziki is fresh and bright. Made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, and lots of lemon juice, this simple sauce is excellent with everything from pita chips to grilled vegetables.

Course Appetizers

Keyword appetizers, cucumber, dinner, dips, easy recipe, sauce, snacks, yogurt

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 99kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small cucumbers
24 ounces whole milk Greek yogurt
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic grated or finely minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Peel the cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Grate the cucumber.
Use your hands to squeeze out as much of the water from the grated cucumber as you can. You can also wrap the grated cucumber in a clean tea towel to aid in squeezing out the water if necessary.
In a large bowl, add the squeezed cucumber, yogurt, juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, garlic, and dill. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more lemon juice if desired.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

If using Persian or English cucumbers, you can opt to leave the skins on.

I definitely recommend using full fat Greek yogurt in this recipe.

Makes about 3 cups.

Nutrition

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