Whether you’re firing up the grill, heading to a potluck, or just soaking up the sun in your own backyard, this roundup of tried-and-true summer recipes has everything you need for the months ahead.

From fresh salads and juicy burgers (those jalapeño cheddar turkey burgers are SOMETHING ELSE) to refreshing desserts and icy drinks (make sure to scroll all the way to see the sweets and drinks!), these are the recipes that make summer holidays and BBQs extra delicious. Plus, it’s so much fun to share really good food with others!

1

Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken

This has been my go-to grilled chicken for over 15 years! Easy, DELICIOUS, and so versatile (goes with just about anything!).

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2

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

This is absolutely tremendous served with cilantro lime rice and fresh pineapple. YUM!

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3

Jalapeno Cheddar Turkey Burgers

One of my most favorite recipes on my site! We make these all the time and pile on guac, tomatoes, and lettuce.

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4

Grilled Honey and Ginger Marinated Flank Steak

This is such a great marinade for flank steak – but it also works well for any other type of steak, too!

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5

Tender Grilled Pork Chops

The comment section of this recipe is FILLED with people exclaiming they've never had pork chops as delicious as these. They really are amazing!

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6

Grilled Lime Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice

The flavors in this grilled chicken are so, so good! It's another one we love to serve with cilantro lime rice (or garlic butter rice or coconut rice!).

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7

BBQ Chicken Pineapple Skewers

These skewers are stunning and so flavorful. The grilled pineapple is next level good.

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8

Grilled Greek Chicken Kebabs with Simple Tzatziki Sauce

A Greek-style chicken skewer recipe, which is also next level if you serve it with tzatziki sauce. WOW!

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9

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

I have a thing for grilled pineapple if you can't tell, and it is other-worldly delish on these teriyaki burgers.

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10

Monterey Chicken with Pico de Gallo {Chili’s Copycat}

Many in my family have been requesting this chicken for their birthday dinner, it's that good! Use thin-cut chicken breasts – they work the best.

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11

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken

So simple and so easy, this is some of the best grilled chicken ever. The flavors are so good! You can skip the rice and pineapple and throw this chicken into a BBQ lineup with lots of different sides.

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12

Rosemary Ranch Chicken

People go crazy for this grilled chicken! The ranch and rosemary flavors are incredible, and it can be marinated a day ahead of time.

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13

Classic Grilled Burgers

Can't go wrong with just a good old-fashioned grilled hamburger! This recipe isn't rocket science, but it does make the best grilled burgers ever.

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14

Grilled Lemon Chicken Wraps with Spicy Garlic Sauce

I know I wax poetic about this recipe all the time, but these lemon wraps (and that sauce!!) are just too good. One of my favorite meals ever.

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15

Balsamic Beef Kebabs

The meat on these kebabs is so tender, so juicy, and packed with so much flavor! I often add slices of red onion in between the beef pieces.

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16

The Best Saucy Baked Beans

Seriously the very best baked beans in the whole world! And so, so easy to make.

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17

Italian Pasta Salad

Classic and delicious, this Italian pasta salad is always a hit! The homemade Italian dressing is incredibly good.

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18

Greek Pasta Salad

Love, love, love this colorful salad packed with so many amazing ingredients! One of my favorite things to bring to summer potlucks.

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19

Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas and Parmesan

Pesto is one of the tastiest flavors of summer, and this pasta salad is loaded with pesto and Parmesan. So yummy! Add halved cherry tomatoes for a delicious pop of color and juiciness.

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20

Tri-Color Pasta Salad

One of the longest standing pasta salad recipes on my site and probably the one I make the most! I love the colorful presentation, but it is the flavors that really shine in this one.

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21

Mexican Street Corn Salad

This is such an easy summer salad to make, and people always go crazy for it! Serve it warm, room temp, or chilled. Really delicious!

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22

Summer Corn Salad

This unassuming salad makes the best use of fresh summer corn. I love the light, fresh flavors in this one!

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23

Easy Cowboy Caviar

Not to play favorites, but if there is an iconic salad/appetizer to serve during the warm summer months, I think it would be this cowboy caviar. It's literally so easy (dump everything in a bowl), and absolutely tasty with tortilla chips.

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24

Best Veggie Dip on the Planet

Everyone needs a go-to ranch-y, zesty veggie dip, and this is mine! It's so good on fresh vegetables…and tasty on those thick, ridged potato chips, too.

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25

Loaded Fresh Basil and Sweet Corn Couscous Green Salad

You have to make this salad. Promise me, okay? It is absolutely incredible. Definitely one of the tastiest salads I've ever had and an absolute must-make with summer's fresh corn.

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26

Avocado Chicken Salad

I love this easy salad to throw together for a simple summer dinner or lunch. And it makes a great addition to a get-together outdoor cookout. It is fantastic served with tortilla chips or baguette slices.

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27

Amazing Romaine Salad with Light Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

This is the green salad I turn to most when I need an easy salad offering that is a showstopper in deliciousness!

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28

The Best Broccoli Salad

Moment of silence for this best-ever broccoli salad. It is INCREDIBLE. I love making it in the summer, but it also appears at a lot of holiday meals, too!

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29

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

This recipe has a very strong, avid following for a reason. A few simple ingredients transform fruit salad into something really special.

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30

Easy 7-Layer Greek Hummus Dip

This layered hummus dip is so fun to make, serve, and eat! We love serving it with thick, crispy (or soft) pita chips.

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31

Easy Creamy Watermelon Dip

Creamy and zesty, this dip is so good with watermelon…but it makes a fantastic dip for other fruits too, like strawberries, grapes and melons.

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32

Hot Bean Dip

This bean dip is so, so yummy, and a delicious addition to any summer menu lineup.

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33

Bacon Jalapeño Popper Dip

Ok, playing favorites again. This creamy, cheesy dip is so good I could cry. It's one of my sons absolute favorite recipes from my whole site! Delicious served with bread, chips or veggies.

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34

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

This fresh fruit salsa is so pretty and so tasty! I love serving it with cinnamon-baked tortilla pieces. Such a fun dish to serve in the summer!

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35

Divine One-Minute Salsa

Whip up this easy salsa in no time! It has restaurant-salsa vibes and has such great flavor.

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36

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip

Creamy sweet peanut buttery dip? I'm totally down for that! This PB cookie dough dip is really good with pretzels, graham crackers or other little cookie, crackery type dippables.

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37

Easy Oreo Ice Cream Dessert

This brilliant dessert is crazy delicious and can be changed up a million ways with different types of ice cream and cookies!

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38

Perfect Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

I love a good no-bake dessert in the summer and these Oreo rice krispie treats are so easy to make and so, so yummy!

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39

Browned Butter Vanilla Rice Krispie Treats

This is my go-to for classic rice krispie treats. The brown butter is such an easy addition and makes all the difference. SO GOOD!

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40

Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats

If you haven't made these butterscotch rice krispie treats, you are missing out. They are next-level delicious!

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41

Swig Sugar Cookies {Copycat Recipe}

These cookies are iconic for the summer and can be changed up with different colors of frosting and sprinkles depending on your mood or the holiday!

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42

Easy Lemon Sugar Cookies

If you are looking for a fantastic lemon sugar cookie, this one is crazy popular and so, so delicious. They freeze great, too!

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43

S’Mores Blossom Cookies

Have you made these s'mores blossom cookies? So incredibly cute and WOW, they are so, so delicious.

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44

No-Bake Peaches and Cream Sensation

I know many of you wait for peach season just to make this dessert! It has a viral following (including myself!). One of the most incredible desserts you'll make this summer.

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45

Key Lime White Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

Ooooh, yum. Delicious lime flavors in a creamy cheesecake pie. This dessert is so light and fresh and yummy!

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46

Key Lime Bars

These little key lime bars are one of the oldest recipes on my site, and I still make them after all this time! They are bite-size and so, so delicious.

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47

Magnolia Lemon Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

This simple lemon pie will blow you away with how delicious it is! I love serving it with a bit of whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

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48

Lemon White Chocolate Cream Bars

A fun take on lemon bars, this version is ultra-creamy with the brightest pop of lemon flavor on top. Plus, you just can't go wrong with a buttery graham crust.

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49

Heavenly Blueberries and Cream Angel Dessert

This epic creamy summer dessert is one of the most popular dessert recipes on my website and has been for years. It is PERFECT for summer months and backyard BBQs.

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50

Heavenly Raspberry Cream Angel Food Cake Dessert

Yes! A raspberry version of the famous blueberry dessert. This one is so good with the addition of lemon curd dolloped in with the raspberry filling.

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51

Pink Tropical Raspberry Sorbet

How fun is this icy, creamy dessert? It is really easy to make and is delicious served in small bowls…and ultra-fun served in glasses topped off with fizzy ginger ale.

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52

Easy Homemade Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

You won't believe how easy this frozen yogurt is to make with so few ingredients. It's one of our favorite things to whip up during the summer!

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53

Chocolate-Mint Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

You just can't go wrong with ice cream sandwiches, and this mint chip version is so yummy!

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54

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Pie

Creamy, bright, and lemony, this frozen lemonade pie is so great for warm months and can be made days ahead of time!

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55

Homemade Lemonade

So simple and delicious! If serving this with fresh lemon slices, add them right before serving (if they are added too far in advance, it can make the lemonade bitter-tasting).

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56

The Best Party Punch

This lovely and delish party punch is so perfect to serve for summer get-togethers and backyard BBQs. Fresh fruit optional but really pretty!

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57

Frozen Mint Lemonade Slush

Ah, we love this gingery, fizzy, frozen slushie. So easy and fun to make in the summer!

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58

Lava Flow Hawaiian Tropical Drink {Non-Alcoholic}

I've been making this pretty, fun drink for my kids for almost 20 years! It's a favorite in the summer and such a hit with just my family or if we have friends over.

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59

Whipped Frosted Lemonade

You can have this whipped frosted lemonade ready to enjoy in just a few quick minutes. It's a fun one to make any time of the year, but especially in the summer!

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The post 50+ Best Recipes For Summer Holidays and BBQs appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

This is the best chocolate banana bread ever! The crumb is soft and tender, the flavor ultra-chocolatey, and the bread is so easy to make.

Why This Recipe Works

This unbelievably yummy chocolate banana bread has its roots in one of the most popular banana bread recipes on the internet: this sour cream banana bread.

Ingredients Notes

• Mashed bananas: You’ll need about 3 to 4 medium bananas for this recipe. Use bananas that are speckled for the sweetest, best banana flavor.
• Granulated sugar
• Oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil, like vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or avocado oil. You can experiment with melted coconut oil or butter.
• Eggs: Two large eggs are used in this recipe. Preferably, use room temperature eggs (although it isn’t a deal breaker).
• Sour cream: For best results, use full-fat sour cream.
• All-purpose flour: I always use unbleached all-purpose flour. This recipe is adaptable to using part whole wheat flour – I recommend using a white/soft wheat variety for best results.
• Cocoa powder: It’s best to use natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. If using Dutch-process cocoa powder, reduce the baking soda to 1/4 teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Chocolate chips: I prefer using semisweet chocolate chips. Part of the chocolate chips are stirred into the batter and the remaining chocolate chips are sprinkled over the top of the banana bread before baking.

A Few Additional Tips

1. This batter can easily be doubled for two loaves.
2. To bake in mini loaf pans, split the batter among three miniature loaf pans (5.75X3-inches). Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, adding additional time, if needed.
3. I normally don’t take the time to sift dry ingredients, but in this quick bread recipe, I find it’s important so that the flour and cocoa powder are incorporated into the batter without over mixing. I use a fine mesh strainer {aff. link}, place it over the bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and sift from there right into the batter.

I’ve been turning to this recipe every time I have bananas ripening for destruction on the counter recently. Of course, no one in my family is complaining! You’d probably be shocked to see how quickly we can devour this loaf.

If you’ve been wanting a great recipe for chocolate banana bread, I hope you’ll try this one! The sour cream in the batter – along with just the right amount of chocolate – makes this the most delicious chocolate banana bread I’ve ever had.

Print

Chocolate Sour Cream Banana Bread

Course Bread, Quick Bread

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10 slices (One 9X5-inch loaf)

Calories 381kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• 9X5-inch Loaf Pan
• Silicone Spatula
• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ to 1 ⅓ cups mashed bananas, about 3 to 4 medium bananas
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup neutral-flavored oil
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and lightly flour a 9X5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment and lightly grease.
• In a large bowl, add the mashed bananas, sugar, oil, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract. Whisk together until evenly and well combined.
• Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add 2/3 cup chocolate chips. Stir until no dry streaks remain. Don't over mix the batter.
• Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips on top of the batter.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the top of the bread springs back lightly to the touch and a toothpick or thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Add additional time, as needed.
• Let the bread cool in the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on a cooling rack. This bread is tasty sliced warm with those melty chocolate chips, but the flavor gets even better after it cools completely.

Notes

Mini Loaf Pans: The batter can be split among three miniature loaf pans (5.75X3-inches). Baking temperature is the same. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes; add additional time, if needed.

Sifting Ingredients: I normally don’t take the time to sift dry ingredients, but in this quick bread recipe, I find it’s important so that the flour and cocoa powder are incorporated into the batter without over mixing. I use a fine mesh strainer, place it over the bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, and sift from there right into the batter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 245mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from this super popular sour cream banana bread recipe)

The post Chocolate Sour Cream Banana Bread appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

I feel a bit selfish with this Friday Thoughts post. I have several questions I want/need YOU to answer! I’ve sprinkled a few little updates throughout, along with a list of book recommendations and a few things I’m loving right now

Let’s get started! (And thanks for being here!)

Question #1: Birthday Dinner Request

One of you emailed me recently saying they would love to know what everyone requests for their birthday meal, and I loved the idea. I want to know, too!

Whether you make your own birthday meal, have someone else make it for you, or decide to skip the home cooking and eat out, answer this:

➡️ What do you request or like to eat for your birthday dinner?

The last few years, we’ve gone out to eat as a family on a day that works for all of us even if it doesn’t fall right on my birthday. We don’t eat out much, so it’s fun to go get sushi or ramen (or something else I don’t make for myself). For an at-home birthday meal, I usually request these grilled lemon chicken wraps or fish tacos. And these molten lava cakes for dessert. Or this amazing chocolate olive oil cake. Or this vanilla bean white chocolate mousse cheesecake. Let’s be honest, I usually have a hard time choosing. 😬

Question #2: Summer Plans

I’d love to know what your summer plans are! Staying close to home? Balancing work and family? Lots of vacations?

If you have kids at home, how are you managing that? Do you have chore charts, summer jobs for the kids, free range 80’s summer living?

➡️ What are your summer plans?

What I’m Reading

• The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride: The narrator for the audiobook was fantastic, and the writing style was superb (the way the author weaved together the characters and elements of the story was fascinating). It’s not necessarily a lighthearted read, and there are some content warnings, but I really enjoyed it. It kept my attention, and I loved many of the characters, especially Chona.
• Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks: I checked out both this book and the one above on the Libby app. First of all, the narrator is Jennifer Ehle who plays Elizabeth Bennett in my favorite adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, so I adored that aspect. I found the subject matter and period of history (1600’s America) intensely interesting, and it gave me a lot to think about.
• Theo of Golden by Allen Levi: Maybe we’ve talked about this book? It’s a wonderful, tender-hearted, inspiring read. I actually started reading it with my eyeballs and then switched to the audiobook about 1/3 in, and I vastly enjoyed the audiobook more than I did reading it myself (that might just me being conditioned to loving audiobooks so I can multi-task). It’s a bit slower paced, but it is so heartwarming.
• Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman: This is such a thoroughly entertaining book. Humorous, insightful, and I loved the writing style and murder mystery aspect. I watched the movie on Netflix after reading it. The movie was good, but I liked the book better.
• The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali: I thought the storyline of this book was really interesting and it kept my attention. However, I was kind of disappointed after it finished? The ending felt kind of rushed and I found myself wishing it had dealt a bit more with the adult life and experiences of the friend in Tehran (rather than the friend in New York). But overall, still a story worth reading.

Please share any good book recommendations down in the comments! ⬇️⬇️

Also, I don’t watch a lot of shows, but if you have any good “what to watch” recommendations, leave those, too! I’m really enjoying the new Count of Monte Cristo series on PBS.

A Few Things I’m Loving

A few affiliate links for the products below; feel free to shop around! I’ve bought all these things myself and genuinely love them.

• Around the Town Pants: I LOVE these pants. They are lightweight and flowy, so they’re comfy even in warmer weather. I have them in blue and black. They’re super cute with a simple white t-shirt. I think they run big; I’d recommend sizing down one size.
• Cute Trinket Bowl: These little bowls are so, so cute. I got the “I love that you’re my daughter” for Camryn for her birthday last month and bought the friend one for a dear friend in Minnesota. They are reasonably priced and the sweetest gift. There is a version for: sister, grandma, granddaughter, teacher and a few more.
• Old Navy Linen Pants: These pants are so comfy and cute! Love them and wear them often.
• J Crew T-Shirt: I am picky about white t-shirts, and I love this one! It’s slightly boxy, but not overly so, and it just hits at the perfect spot on my waist – not too long, not too short. Oh, and it’s not see through at all.
• Best Watering Wand: I’ve had a lot of watering wands, and this is the best. It doesn’t leak, and it is proving to be super durable.
• Men’s Socks: I got these socks for my dad for Father’s Day and it’s so cute how excited he is about them. He sends me pictures when he wears them. They are a little quirky and fun.
• Eyeshadow Stick: I am new to waterproof eyeshadow sticks, but am absolutely loving this one (I have it in Putty Matte color – very neutral and Rose Shimmer). It goes on smooth and lasts all day.
• Summer Dress: Cam has this dress in the Sage Green color and I have it in the Blue Grey color, and it is incredibly flattering, lightweight for the warmer months, and just an all around fabulous dress.
• Swedish Candy: If you love Swedish-style candy AND appreciate a good sweet and sour mix, this candy is just so yummy.
• New Card Game: We are really enjoying this card game. It is very easy to learn and can be played with two to four players. So fun! It does take up a bit of space, so you need a large table (or you can play it on the floor if your old joints can handle it – mine cannot 😜).
• Perfect Containers for Overnight Oats: I’ve been making my go-to overnight oats in individual containers the last few weeks since I’ve been on-the-go a lot of days. These containers are perfect! I love them so much. They are wonderful for the oats, but I’ll be using them for so many other foods, too, I can tell.

My sister also has a pair of those Around the Town pants and a few weeks ago, we both showed up separately to our middle schooler’s tennis match in the exact same outfit. 😜

And I guess that sums it up for this Friday Thoughts post! I always feel like I have a lot more to say, but I don’t want to bore you.

I do try and share little life tidbits in my Monday emails (and sometimes the menu plan ones on Saturday, as well). You can sign up to get those emails here, if you are interested.

Thanks for being here, friends! 💗 It truly means so much to me.

The post Friday Thoughts: A Few Questions appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

This easy weeknight recipe is the most popular dinner I’ve made my family in months! My kids have requested that this meal make it on the menu plan every week. Each bowl is customizable, and the flavors are through-the-roof delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Meal

Well, first of all, why are bowl recipes so fun to make…and eat?? This might be one of my favorite bowl recipes to date.

• The bowl ingredients can be chopped ahead of time and refrigerated.
• Same with the special house sauce! Whisk it together days in advance. But be careful: the risk of doing so is that it will be used up for all sorts of dipping and drizzling long before these burger bowls happen – IT IS SO DELICIOUS.
• Even if you don’t have time to prep ingredients in advance, this meal comes together so fast. It is a perfect weeknight meal!
• This is a perfect meal to serve if you need a dinner where everyone can build their own bowl and customize it the way they want.
• The flavors are fantastic. It’s like a deconstructed hamburger (sans bun but maybe with fries) all chopped up and thrown together, and oh my heavens, it is so good.

FYI: These are the white bowls {aff. link} in the photos. I use them ALL the time (they’ve been going strong for eight years) for bowl-type dinners, like this one, and also for ingredient toppings for build-your-own style meals.

Key Ingredients

There are a few crossover seasonings used for both the beef and the sauce. Get all the details below. ⬇️

• Mayonnaise: This is used for the creamy foundation of the special house sauce. You can experiment subbing in Greek yogurt or sour cream for part of the mayo.
• Ketchup:
• Mustard: Use yellow or Dijon mustard, whatever you prefer.
• Pickle juice brine: Grab this straight from the pickle jar. If you don’t have it or prefer not to use it, sub in red wine or apple cider vinegar.
• Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder: This is used in both the sauce and the beef seasoning.
• Paprika: This is also used in both the sauce and the beef seasoning. You can use either sweet or smoked paprika.
• Onion powder: Used in the beef seasoning. Don’t use onion salt or it will be too salty.
• Ground beef: I prefer using lean ground beef. Just make sure to drain excess grease after cooking and to cook the beef, without stirring, for a few minutes on each side to develop the crispy browned bits that are so yummy.

Optional: These burger bowls are super tasty served with French fries or tater tots. For a super easy option, just grab your favorite brand from the frozen foods aisle and throw them in the oven or air fryer to cook while prepping the rest of the meal. The Alexia brand of frozen fries are our fave (especially the sweet potato waffle fries).

Variation Ideas + How to Serve

This is a super adaptable recipe to many different variations.

• Use a different type of meat in place of the ground beef, like ground turkey, ground chicken, or a vegan ground beef.
• Crumble the meat in smaller pieces rather than leaving in larger chunks.
• Change up the bowl ingredients to what you have on hand or what you prefer. Add in other chopped ingredients and take out the ones you don’t want!
• Add in other sauces, like ranch dressing, cilantro lime dressing, etc.

We serve this meal as a build-your-own dinner. Each bowl looks a little bit different. I load mine up with everything under the sun, because the colorful chaos and crazy good flavors make me so happy.

A Huge Family Favorite

Can we have a moment of silence for that special house sauce? It’s the sauce of my dreams. Creamy, zesty, smoky. It is absolute perfection.

Unbelievably yummy drizzled on the burger bowl salads, it’s obviously also so good with fries or tater tots.

➡️ We have also realized that it is dangerously tasty served with Chik-fil-a-type chicken nuggets (like the Bare or Kirkland brand from Costco). Ermagersh. Yum.

I’m so happy to have this easy weeknight dinner in my meal plan arsenal. I really hope you love it, too!

Print

Loaded Burger Bowls with Special House Sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Method Stovetop

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 362kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• 12-Inch Nonstick Skillet
• Wooden Spoon
• Box Grater
• Air Fryer

Ingredients

Special House Sauce:

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup or BBQ sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow or Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon pickle juice brine from the pickle jar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• Cayenne pepper, to taste, optional for a spicy sauce

Bowl Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 cups chopped or shredded lettuce
• 1 to 2 cups sliced or diced pickles
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onions (or caramelized or pickled onions – see note)
• 1 cup diced avocados
• Optional: French fries or tater tots (grab from the frozen foods aisle and cook in air fryer or oven)

Beef:

• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 to 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef

Instructions

• For the sauce, mix all the sauce ingredients together until well-combined and creamy. The sauce can be made several days ahead of time and refrigerated.
• For the bowl ingredients, prep and chop all the bowl ingredients and set aside (or refrigerate if prepping ahead of time). If cooking fries, get those started in the oven or air fryer per package directions.
• For the beef, add the beef to a medium bowl. Sprinkle in the seasonings and mix until evenly combined. Pat the beef mixture into a thick patty, about 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick.
• Heat a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. If the ground beef is extra lean, add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan.
• Place the beef patty in the hot skillet and let cook, undisturbed, for 1 to 2 minutes until well-browned (we're wanting the beef to get yummy little crispy bits on the outside).
• Carefully flip and cook for another minute on the other side. Once both sides are browned, break the meat into 1-inch (more or less) pieces – a bit larger than when cooking and crumbling ground beef for recipes like tacos. Continue cooking until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
• Serve the beef in bowls (or on plates) with prepped, chopped bowl ingredients and drizzle special house sauce on top.

Notes

Onions: These burger bowls are really delicious with these easy pickled onions or caramelized onions. If you want to serve them with raw, sliced onions, you can soak the onion slices in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes to take some of the pungent bite out of the onions (drain and pat dry before using).

Pickles: Use dill pickles or sweet pickles – whatever you like. You can also use hamburger pickle chips or slice whole pickles. 

Fries: We love the Alexia brand of fries – the sweet potato waffle fries are our favorites. The fries or tater tots are completely optional. The burger bowls are delicious with or without them. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving (does not include fries) | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1356mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (inspired after a reader, Connie H., emailed me about perfecting a burger bowl recipe)

The post Loaded Burger Bowls with Special House Sauce appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

These cinnamon chips are so easy to make! With a few key tips described below, they work perfectly in all sorts of baking recipes and are a perfect solution if you are unable to find cinnamon chips in-store or online.

How (and Why) to Use Homemade Cinnamon Chips

After the wild success of this cinnamon burst bread, I’ve been inundated with requests for a homemade version of the cinnamon chips used in that recipe.

While there are several places to buy the cinnamon chips in the United States, many of you report that the shipping costs are exorbitant, you live in an area where the chips are not available, the chips melt during shipping, or you don’t like the artificial taste of some of the brands.

Enter this homemade version! This recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients, and the cinnamon chips are great-tasting, and so easy to make!

Ingredients Notes

• White bar chocolate: Look for white “baking” chocolate – real white chocolate, NOT almond bark or candy coating. The most commonly available brand where I live is Ghirardelli.
• White chocolate chips: White chocolate chips are notoriously bad at melting – and different brands melt better and worse than others. I tested this recipe with Nestle, Ghirardelli, and Guittard brands of white chocolate chips. Ghirardelli brand worked the very best, and it’s my preferred brand for this recipe. The other two brands can work; just be patient and continue to heat slowly if the white chocolate chips take longer to melt. 
• Vanilla extract: I use pure vanilla extract.
• Ground cinnamon: Add the ground cinnamon gradually to the melted white chocolate mixture. I usually add the full 6 teaspoons called for in the recipe, but you can add 5 teaspoons for a slightly less pronounced cinnamon flavor.

Including both white bar chocolate and white chocolate chips helps give the cinnamon chips the best flavor and texture. Using all (or more) white bar chocolate results in a cinnamon chip that is too soft and melts too quickly/easily. And using all (or more) white chocolate chips creates issues melting the mixture smoothly – and the flavor isn’t as creamy and good.

How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Chips

1. Combine the chopped white bar chocolate and white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals at 50 or 60% power, stirring in between, until the white bar chocolate is completely melted. Don’t over heat or the white chocolate can burn and clump up.
2. Stir in the vanilla and 1 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon.
3. Stir in the remaining cinnamon 1 teaspoon at a time.
4. Spread the mixture into an even layer about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Place in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to let fully set up and harden.
6. Use a knife or bench scraper/knife to chop into small bits. For smoother chopping, it helps to let the cinnamon sheet sit out at room temp for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.
7. Immediately place the cinnamon bits into a container or bag and store in the freezer.

Important note: Keep these homemade cinnamon bits in the freezer until ready to use – and add to the recipe directly from the freezer. They will melt a bit more quickly than store bought cinnamon chips, so handle quickly and don’t let them warm up too much.

Proof These Homemade Cinnamon Chips Work in Cinnamon Burst Bread

Of course I tested these homemade cinnamon chips in the cinnamon burst bread recipe! And they work great!

Keep in mind the follwoing important notes and caveats when using the homemade cinnamon chips versus store bought cinnamon chips:

• Add the homemade cinnamon bits at the very end of kneading time and add them straight from the freezer.
• The homemade cinnamon chips may absorb a bit more into the dough and/or give the dough a slightly oily/buttery texture. That’s ok! Just make sure to knead them in quickly and gently and handle them as little as possible with warm hands so they don’t melt.
• You can see from the baked bread slices in the photo below that the homemade cinnamon bits create delicious pockets of cinnamon goodness throughout the bread. The homemade chips give a slightly more swirled effect than the store bought cinnamon chips, but the end result is SO YUMMY.

After having made the cinnamon burst bread many times using store bought cinnamon chips, I think I prefer the taste and texture of the homemade cinnamon chips just as much if not more than the store bought brands!

A Few Additional Notes

One batch of the homemade cinnamon chips yields about 1 3/4 to 2 cups of cinnamon bits.

The cinnamon burst bread recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of cinnamon bits, but because the homemade chips melt a tiny bit more than the store bought cinnamon chips, I use all of the homemade cinnamon chips in the bread.

The most important things to remember when making and using these cinnamon chips are to (say it with me now):

• Be patient and melt the white chocolate slowly and thoroughly
• Freeze the chopped cinnamon bits before using
• Add them at the end of mixing and don’t over-handle them

Yay for being able to make cinnamon burst bread and cinnamon chip scones at any time without having to rely on store bought cinnamon chips! Today is a good day indeed.

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Homemade Cinnamon Chips for Baking

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Method No-Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Silicone Spatula
• Small Offset Spatula
• Bench Knife/Scraper

Ingredients

• 8 ounces white bar chocolate (NOT almond bark or candy coating – see note), coarsely chopped
• ½ cup white chocolate chips (see note for best melting brands)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 to 6 teaspoons ground cinnamon

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Combine the chopped white bar chocolate and white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals at 50 or 60% power, stirring in between, until the white bar chocolate is completely melted. Don't over heat or the white chocolate can burn and clump up.
• White chocolate chips don't melt as easily as the bar chocolate. It helps to heat until the white bar chocolate is completely melted and then stir well and let the mixture rest so the white chocolate chips can melt in the residual heat of the melted white bar chocolate.
• Continue microwaving for 30 second intervals, if needed, to melt the white chocolate chips thoroughly. Be patient with this process! Most brands of white chocolate chips will end up melting almost all the way. It's ok if there are tiny bits of white chocolate chips that don't melt all the way.
• Stir in the vanilla and 1 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon. The mixture may initially look like it's seizing up a bit. Just continue to stir and it should come together. Stir in the remaining cinnamon 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring to combine fully after each addition.
• Spread the mixture into a rectangle on the prepared sheet pan, about 11X8-inches or so. Place in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to let fully set up and harden.
• Use a knife or bench scraper/knife to chop into small bits. For smoother chopping, it helps to let the cinnamon sheet sit out at room temp for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into pieces.
• Immediately place the cinnamon bits into a container or bag and store in the freezer. They work best added to any recipe (cookies, scones, bread) straight from the freezer. When adding to recipes, don't over-mix or over-handle the cinnamon bits as they will melt more easily than store bough cinnamon chips.

Notes

White Chocolate: Look for white “baking” chocolate. The most commonly available brand where I live is Ghirardelli. If at all possible, don’t use almond bar or candy coating. The flavor is quite a bit more artificial and can be slightly “waxy” in taste and texture. 

White Chocolate Chips: White chocolate chips are notoriously bad at melting – and different brands melt better and worse than others. I tested this recipe with Nestle, Ghirardelli, and Guittard brands of white chocolate chips. Ghirardelli brand worked the very best, and it’s my preferred brand for this recipe. The other two brands can work – just be patient if the white chocolate chips take longer to melt. 

The post Homemade Cinnamon Chips for Baking appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Whether you’re cooking for your mom (I hope my kids are reading this), dropping hints for your family (ahem, hi, that’s me), or just treating yourself (which you absolutely should), these recipes are perfect for everything from brunch to dinner to dessert.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you out there loving and supporting those around you! 💗

My Favorite Mother’s Day Recipe Picks

1

Overnight Creme Brûlée French Toast Bake

This is the Mother's Day brunch dream. You do all the work the night before, sleep in, and pull something utterly incredible out of the oven in the morning. With that golden, caramelized bottom and over 300 five-star reviews, it really is one of the best breakfast recipes ever.

Get the Recipe

2

Grilled Lemon Chicken Wraps with Spicy Garlic Sauce

These grilled lemon wraps are one of my favorite meals of all time. Super tasty, easy to make, and sure to please a Mother's Day crowd.

Get the Recipe

3

Heavenly Blueberries and Cream Angel Dessert

A light and refreshing dessert, this creamy angel food cake concoction is so yummy and can be customized to whatever fruit you (or your mom!) loves.

Get the Recipe

4

Hawaiian Chicken and Veggie Teriyaki Bowls

I don't know about any other moms out there, but I'd be thrilled to pieces if this was Mother's Day dinner. Colorful, gorgeous, and delicious!

Get the Recipe

5

Double Chocolate Mousse Torte

If you want to make Mom feel like an absolute queen, this is the dessert. It's decadent, stunning, and topped with sweetened cream and raspberries. And yet, it's surprisingly easy to pull off. Easily one of my all-time favorites.

Get the Recipe

6

Easy Shrimp Pesto Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

This elegant shrimp pasta is so quick and simple to make, and the flavor is through the roof!

Get the Recipe

7

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

Gorgeous and so delicious, this salad is perfect to celebrate Mother's Day! It would make a smashing addition to a brunch lineup (or a side dish to dinner!).

Get the Recipe

8

Amazing Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

This simple chocolate cake is one of my very favorites, because it is so intensely moist and the chocolate flavor is through the roof. Serve it with whipped cream and berries for a lovely presentation!

Get the Recipe

9

Beach Street Lemon Chicken Linguine

WOW, this pasta dish is incredible. One of my all time favorites! It comes together really fast, especially if you marinade the chicken ahead of time

Get the Recipe

10

Sour Cream Lime Tart {Or Pie!}

Full disclosure: I've personally requested this for my own Mother's Day, and I have zero regrets. It's cool, creamy, and fresh in the best possible way…and it looks absolutely stunning on a table.

Get the Recipe

11

Bruschetta Chicken and Bacon Pasta

Another stunner of a salad that would be perfect for Mother's Day lunch or dinner. The flavors in this are absolutely stellar – balsamic, basil, bacon! What's not to love?

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12

The Best Homemade Crème Brûlée

Mother's Day is your sign to make creme brulee (again OR for the first time!). It is wonderfully easy to make at home and not to shame any other desserts on this list, but I think it is The Ultimate Perfect Mother's Day Dessert. (I hope my family is reading this.)

Get the Recipe

13

Kale and Wild Rice Salad

Looking for a pretty main dish salad that is also yummy and perfectly filling? This recipe is a knockoff of a popular restaurant, and it is so easy to make at home and perfect for Mother's Day!

Get the Recipe

14

Amazing Lemon Blueberry Scones

These are some of the tastiest scones ever (just read the reviews!), and the lemon-blueberry flavors are perfect for this time of year (spring and Mother's Day!).

Get the Recipe

15

Easy Lemon Sugar Cookies

Someone recently told me these are their favorite recipe on my entire website! The recipe gets such rave reviews – they are a perfectly delicious cookie for Mother's Day.

Get the Recipe

The post 15+ Mother’s Day Recipes That Look Fancy but Are So Easy appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

We can’t get enough of this bread! It is quite possibly some of the most amazing bread to ever come out of my kitchen, and it is SO EASY to make. It is perfect for a side dish, dipping in oil and herbs, and it makes incredible sandwiches.

Why This is The Best Focaccia Bread Ever

I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve made this bread. It has become my go-to bread for pretty much every occasion!

Ingredients Overview

Don’t blink or you’ll miss it! This ingredients lineup is short and sweet, but the details are important, so read through the notes.

• Bread flour: This focaccia bread turns out fluffier and better with bread flour. In a pinch, you can sub in all-purpose flour, but bread flour produces a superior end result. 
• Instant yeast: I keep my yeast in a quart-size jar in the freezer and measure out, as needed, for recipes. If you are using packets of yeast, one packet (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) will work fine for this recipe. No need to open up a second packet for the additional 1/4 teaspoon yeast. Instant yeast is sometimes labeled as “rapid-rise” yeast.
• Salt: Use table salt in the dough.
• Water: If you have a kitchen scale, I recommend weighing the water (and flour, too). Use very warm water, about 105 to 100 degrees F.
• Olive oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil.
• Flaky sea salt: This ingredient adds delicious flavor and a little crunch to the top of the bread. I prefer using flaky sea salt (like Maldon). If you don’t have sea salt flakes, coarse salt can be used instead.

How to Make Focaccia Bread

While this focaccia bread recipe is exceptionally easy, there are a few important steps to follow to make sure the bread turns out perfectly.

1. Mix the dough ingredients together in a bowl until the dough looks shaggy and no dry spots remain.
2. Let the dough rest.
3. Stretch and fold the dough 12 to 15 times (more on why this is important below ⬇️).
4. Let the dough rest.
5. Line a 9X13-inch pan (preferably light-colored metal pan) with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Gently lift the dough out of the bowl and into the pan.
7. Cover and let rise until the dough has filled 90% of the pan and is very puffy.
8. Drizzle the top of the dough with olive oil.
9. Use your fingers and slowly press into the dough all the way to the bottom of the pan. Doing this slowly and gently gives the focaccia the signature dimples without deflating the dough. Repeat this process all across the dough.
10. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake until golden.

Parchment paper hack: Baking this bread in a parchment-lined baking pan ensures the bread won’t stick to the pan AND it makes it super easy to remove after baking. To get the parchment paper in the corners of the pan, take a piece of parchment paper about 12X16-inches and crumple it into a ball. Unfold it and lightly smooth it out. It will press into the corners of the pan much easier now!

Why the Stretching and Folding is Important

Focaccia dough relies on high hydration to achieve the classic fluffy/airy crumb. For my recipe, the hydration is right about 86%.

Because of that, when first mixed, the dough is going to look rough and shaggy. The stretching and folding is important to help develop structure in the soft, wet dough and also form the bubbly interior of the bread.

You can see from the pictures below how the dough evolves from a wet and shaggy mass to a more cohesive ball of dough after the stretches and folds (and after resting in the bowl).

➡️ I tested this recipe multiple times with and without the stretching and folding, and I can confirm that the focaccia bread turns out far better following the recipe through all of those steps.

A Few Last Notes

I can’t wait for you to make this recipe! It really is the easiest and yummiest focaccia bread I have ever made. It has become an absolute staple in my kitchen – I’ve been making it nonstop!

If you are interested in using sourdough discard in this recipe, it should work quite well with a bit of experimentation. As a starting place, decrease the flour and water in equal amounts based on how much sourdough discard you add (for instance, for 1 cup sourdough discard, decrease the flour by 1/2 cup and the water by 1/2 cup).

Serve this wonderful focaccia bread with everything from saucy pasta to simple sheet pan dinners. It’s also crazy good dipped in olive oil and herbs. But the way we enjoy it most is tearing off big hunks and eating it straight out of the pan.

The golden, crackly crust and super fluffy interior is the stuff dreams are made of.

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Easy Ultra-Fluffy Focaccia Bread

Course Bread

Cuisine American, Italian

Method Bake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Resting/Rising Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings (9X13-inch pan)

Calories 196kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• 9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan
• Serrated Bread Knife
• Silicone Spatula

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups bread flour (see note)
• 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast (see note)
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons very warm water, 105 to 110 degrees F (see note)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top of dough

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large bowl, add the flour, yeast and salt. Mix to combine.
• Add the water and 2 tablespoons olive oil (24 g). Mix until the dough is shaggy and no dry streaks remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl well. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
• Rub hands lightly with olive oil or run under cool water (so the dough doesn't stick). Grab one edge of the dough and lift and stretch it up and over to the other side. Turn the bowl slightly, and grab another edge, lifting and stretching up and over to the other side. Continue this process, moving around the edge of the dough, until you have stretched and folded the dough 12 to 15 times. This process helps develop structure and form the bubbly interior of the bread.
• Re-oil hands if needed and gently turn the bread over so the seams from stretching and folding are on the bottom. It's ok if it doesn't look perfect, just cup your hands and tuck the dough in towards the bottom forming as round of a shape as possible.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps relax the gluten in the dough – you can skip this step, if needed.
• Take a sheet of parchment paper about 12X16-inches and crumple into a ball. Unfold and smooth out the parchment and then press it into the corners and up the sides of a light-colored metal or glass 9X13-inch baking pan.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the bottom of the parchment paper.
• With oiled hands, gently lift the dough out of the bowl and place in the center of the prepared pan, gently and very lightly stretching it into a thick oval shape (it won't cover the entire bottom of the pan at this point).
• Cover the pan and let the dough rise until it has filled most of the pan and is super puffy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F for a light-colored metal pan and 450 degrees F for a glass pan. Place an oven rack in the center position.
• When the oven has fully preheated, drizzle the top of the dough with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Use your fingers and slowly press into the top of the dough all the way to the bottom of the pan. Lift your fingers up and out of the dough gently (if the dough is sticking to your fingers, drizzle a bit more olive oil across the dough). Dimpling the dough slowly and gently gives the focaccia the signature dimples without deflating the dough. Repeat this process all across the dough.
• Sprinkle the top of the dough with flaky sea salt.
• Bake for 16 to 17 minutes (for a metal pan at 475 degrees F) and 18 to 20 minutes (for a glass pan at 450 degrees F) until the bread is golden and baked through.
• Lift the bread out of the pan using the parchment corners and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cut into squares and serve. This bread is fantastic as a side dish and it also makes excellent sandwiches (slicing the bread in half lengthwise).

Notes

Bread Flour: This focaccia bread turns out fluffier with bread flour. In a pinch, you can sub in all-purpose flour, but bread flour produces a superior end result. 

Yeast: I keep my yeast in a quart-size jar in the freezer and measure out, as needed, for recipes. If you are using packets of yeast, one packet (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) will work fine for this recipe. 

Water: If possible, I recommend weighing the water (and flour, too). The water should be very warm – but not too hot or it will kill the yeast.

Flaky Sea Salt: This adds tremendous flavor and a little crunch to the top of the bread. I prefer using flaky sea salt (like Maldon). If you don’t have sea salt flakes, coarse salt can be used instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 square of bread | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 391mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g

The post Easy Ultra-Fluffy Focaccia Bread {No Knead, One Bowl} appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Calling all muffin lovers! And almond lovers! And, oh wait, coconut and chocolate fans, too! These muffins are for YOUUUU! They are a breeze to whip up and are stunningly tasty. Make them very, very soon.

Why I Think You’ll Love This Recipe

Sometimes it’s fun to think outside the box when it comes to classic baked goods like muffins. And these almond coconut chocolate chip muffins are the absolute best way to think outside the muffin box, TRUST ME.

Here is why you’ll love this recipe:

• The muffins are incredibly soft and fluffy. But they also have this delightfully sturdy crumb that melts in your mouth.
• The texture and flavors are so fun! Crunchy almonds on top and tasty shredded coconut throughout the muffin batter.
• The mini chocolate chips are the perfect subtle chocolate compliment to the other flavors.
• These muffins come together super fast. They’ll be out of the oven and ready to be devoured in under an hour!

Ingredients Notes

• Sour Cream: I recommend using full-fat sour cream; this ingredient makes for a more tender, more moist mufifn.
• Granulated Sugar: The granulated sugar is mixed with the sour cream, butter, eggs and extracts before the dry ingredients are added.
• Butter: I use salted, melted butter in these muffins.
• Eggs: Use large-size eggs. If you’re weighing ingredients, the eggs should weigh 100 grams out of shell.
• Almond Extract: A little bit of almond extract goes a long way. These muffins benefit from a little boost of almond extract – too much and the flavor will over power the muffins.
• Flour: All-purpose flour works best, but you can experiment with using 1/2 all-purpose flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour (preferably a white wheat variety). To measure, fluff the flour really well before filling a measuring cup and leveling off with a straight edge.
• Shredded Coconut: Sweetened or unsweetened coconut can be used.
• Mini Chocolate Chips: I think mini-size chocolate chips work best in this recipe for perfect little dots of chocolate without overpowering the muffin and other flavors.
• Sliced Almonds: The sliced almonds are sprinkled on the top of the muffins before baking. They lend the most delicious crunch to the muffins. However, you can leave them off, if you’d like.
• Coarse Sugar: I love sprinkling the tops with a bit of coarse sugar for crunch, sparkle and a bit of sweetness. Turbinado sugar or coarse, sanding sugar works great. It’s an optional ingredient, so leave it off if you’d like or if you don’t have it on hand.

A few other every day ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla extract are used as well.

Additional Notes and Adaptations

1. Can I leave out the coconut? Yes, you can omit the coconut from the batter. If doing so, I’d suggest increasing the mini chocolate chips to 1/2 cup. I love the taste and texture of the coconut pieces throughout the muffin, but I get that some people don’t enjoy it.
2. Can I use another type of almond for topping the muffins? In my tests, slivered almonds and chopped almonds didn’t work as well. The thicker pieces tend to sink into the muffins while baking, whereas the thin, sliced almonds stay on top. The almonds can be left completely off the top of the muffins, if desired.
3. Can I double the recipe? Absolutely! The recipe doubles great.
4. Can I brown the butter before using? Yum! That should work just fine. Keep in mind that browning the butter reduces the water/moisture in the butter, so the muffin batter/baked muffins might be a bit more dry. If you are wanting to use brown butter, consider possibly increasing the butter to 7 tablespoons (before browning).

This recipe has been in my decades-old recipe binder forever, and I love them so much!

The almond coconut chocolate chip muffins are unique, delicious, and perfect for when you are looking for that just-right, special muffin to change things up a bit. I hope you love them!

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Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Course Breakfast, Quick Bread

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 38 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 201kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Nonstick Muffin Tin {USA Brand}
• Wire Whisk
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut
• ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
• About ⅓ cup sliced almonds, for topping
• Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, add the sour cream, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. Whisk until well combined.
• Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until a few dry streaks remain.
• Add the coconut and chocolate chips and stir until just combined (don't over mix).
• Portion the batter into the muffin liners. Sprinkle the tops with sliced almonds (about 10 to 14 sliced almonds per muffin) and coarse sugar (if using).
• Bake for 17 to 18 minutes until the tops spring back lightly to the touch. Remove the muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 muffin | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 189mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from a recipe in my old recipe binders I put together decades ago – recipe originally given to me from my sister-in-law, Erin)

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Banana Chocolate Swirl Muffins

The post Almond Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Colorful, light, and fresh, this sheet pan meal is such a winner, and the ingredients can be changed up in so many ways based on what you have on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Sheet Pan Meal

Bring on simple weeknight dinners! This meal is one of the best for so many reasons.

1. It comes together quickly. A little chopping and then all you need is less than 20 minutes cooking time.
2. Everything cooks together on one sheet pan at the same time. Easy prep and easier cleanup!
3. The flavors are incredible! The honey-garlic sauce with a bit of salty, citrus-y pop, is so delicious on the chicken and veggies.
4. After cooking, there’s a delightful, light sauce on the pan with the chicken and veggies. Serve the chicken and veggies straight from the sheet pan.
5. The chicken and veggies are fantastic on their own and also delicious served over hot, cooked rice.

Key Ingredients

• Broccoli: Trim the tough stems from the broccoli and use floret pieces.
• Red onion: Other varieties of onions can be used, like shallots or sweet onions.
• Bell pepper: Any color or variety of bell pepper can be used. Core and seed the pepper before cutting into 1-inch pieces.
• Carrots: Because the carrots take the longest amount of time to cook, cut the carrot into small pieces.
• Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used, as well.
• Soy sauce: The recipe calls for low-sodium soy sauce. If using full-sodium soy sauce, cut the salt in the recipe in half.
• Honey: Increase the honey to two full tablespoons for a slightly sweeter sauce.
• Lemon juice: This ingredient cuts the richness of the sauce, so don’t leave it out! Red wine vinegar can be subbed for the lemon juice.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic will give the best flavor, but 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder can be subbed in a pinch. 

The vegetables are incredibly adaptable for this sheet pan meal. Change them up to your liking. Some vegetables, like potatoes, may not work as well, because they take quite a bit longer to cook, so choose vegetables that cook in about the same amount of time, and cut the veggies in similar-size pieces.

A Few Additional Notes

• If you want the veggies and chicken with more golden-y color, separate the ingredients between two sheet pans (or one larger 3/4-size sheet pan) and bake on convection bake or rotate the pans halfway during cooking.
• This recipe can easily be doubled. Cook on two or more sheet pans.
• For saucier chicken and veggies, double the sauce (or cook additional sauce on the stove and serve on the side).

I can’t wait for you to try this bright and healthy dinner! It’s one of our new, absolute faves!

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Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 17 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 228kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• Cookie Sheet {Half Sheet Pan}
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Wire Whisk

Ingredients

Chicken + Veggies:

• 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large bell peppers (any color), cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup diced carrots
• 1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Hot, cooked rice, for serving (optional)

Honey Garlic Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (see note)
• 1 ½ tablespoons honey (see note)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced (see note)
• ½ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Scatter the broccoli, red onion, bell peppers, and carrots across a half sheet pan (large, rimmed baking sheet).
• Pat the chicken pieces really dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken pieces over the top of the veggies.
• Whisk together all the sauce ingredients until well combined.
• Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and veggies. Toss lightly to combine.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and veggies are tender. Give a toss to separate chicken pieces and distribute veggies and sauce.
• Season to taste with an additional sprinkle of salt and pepper, if needed (important!).
• Serve the chicken and veggies warm (serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired).

Notes

Honey: Increase the honey to two full tablespoons for a slightly sweeter sauce.

Garlic: Fresh garlic will give the best flavor, but 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder can be subbed in a pinch. 

Salt: If using table salt, cut salt in half (to 1/4 teaspoon). If using full-sodium soy sauce, cut the salt in half. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 638mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Chicken and Veggies appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

If you’ve had the cinnamon burst bread from Great Harvest, you’ll understand the excitement of having a homemade version that is just as delicious (and so easy to make at home!).

4 Reasons Why This Bread is Amazing

Just in case the words cinnamon burst bread don’t convince you, here are a few more reasons why you should make this bread as soon as possible.

1. Your house is going to smell amazing while this bread is baking…and for hours after.
2. This lightly sweet bread makes the most incredible buttered toast. In fact, I’m ruined on every day toast forever now because of this cinnamon bread.
3. In addition to regular toast, thick-cut slices of the cinnamon burst bread transform into the best French toast you’ll ever have. Whisk together two eggs + 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk + a bit of vanilla. Dip the bread slices into that mixture and cook on a hot, buttered skillet or griddle.
4. This recipe is incredibly straightforward. It is perfect for beginner or expert bread bakers alike!

Key Ingredients

The ingredients for this bread recipe are really straightforward, but I’ve included a few important notes for the ingredients that need a bit of clarification. ⬇️

• Flour: All-purpose flour or bread flour can be used in this recipe, or a combination. The bread will have a slightly tighter crumb and fluffier texture with bread flour.
• Yeast: Instant yeast or active dry yeast can be used – no modifications or changes needed.
• Water: Use warm water that registers 105 to 110 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, use water that feels “very warm” on your fingers but doesn’t cause you to yank out your hand because it’s too hot.
• Oil: A neutral-flavored oil works best in this bread recipe, like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil or canola oil.
• Egg: The egg creates a richer, softer crumb. If you are working around an egg allergy, the egg can be left out (the bread will be slightly airier and not quite as soft).
• Mini cinnamon chips: Mini cinnamon chips or cinnamon bites work best in this bread (vs the larger cinnamon chips, like Hershey’s brand). See below for more information about the cinnamon chips.

Making and Shaping Cinnamon Burst Bread

How to make and shape this cinnamon burst bread:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the dough ingredients.
2. Add the cinnamon chips at the end with the remaining flour.
3. Let the dough rise until doubled.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly greased counter and split into two equal pieces.
5. Pat each piece into a thick square, about 9-inches across. Roll up tightly without stretching the dough.
6. Turn the edges under and press all the seams to seal.
7. Place the dough in greased 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and let rise until the dough rises just above the edge of the pan.
8. Bake until golden.
9. Out of the oven, brush the tops with melted butter.

The recipe for this cinnamon burst bread makes two loaves. The recipe can easily be doubled for four loaves or halved for one loaf. For a half recipe, whisk one large egg in a small bowl, and use half of the egg in the recipe (about 25 grams).

A Few Additional Notes

➡️ This bread freezes great. Let it cool completely before wrapping well and freezing.

➡️ The cinnamon chips melt a bit while baking creating pockets of cinnamony-sweet yumminess throughout the bread. The cinnamon chips on the top of the crust tend to stay whole and not melt, which is why it helps to use melted butter for brushing rather than running a stick of cold butter over the top of the warm bread.

➡️ Don’t let the bread rise too high in the loaf pans. This dough has quite a bit of spring once it hits the hot oven, and if it rises too much before baking, it will be too tall and airy in texture.

Even though I waxed poetic about the merits of this cinnamon burst bread made into toast and French toast, rest assured that it is spectacular eaten straight from the loaf.

The little bursts of buttery, sweet, cinnamon throughout the fluffy, soft bread are pretty much the best thing to happen to my life lately. I’ve always loved the cinnamon burst bread from Great Harvest bakery, and now, with this recipe, I can have it any time I want (kind of dangerous, when I think about it more deeply). 😉

I am so excited for you to make this cinnamon burst bread! It is truly incredible.

Print

Cinnamon Burst Bread

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Method Bake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Resting/Rising Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 20 slices (2 loaves)

Calories 212kcal

Author Mel Gunnell

Equipment

• 8 1/2 X 4 1/2-Inch Loaf Pan
• Bosch Universal Stand Mixer
• Pastry Brush
• Serrated Bread Knife

Ingredients

• 5 ¼ to 5 ½ cups all-purpose or bread flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant or active dry yeast
• 1 ¾ cups warm water, 105 to 110 degrees F.
• ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil, like grapeseed, avocado, vegetable or canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1 ½ cups mini cinnamon chips (see note)
• Butter, for brushing tops of loaves

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add 3 cups of the flour, sugar and yeast. Mix. Add the warm water and mix until combined. Cover the bowl and let the mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the oil, egg, salt, 1 more cup of flour, and the cinnamon chips (READ UPDATE IN THE NOTES SECTION BELOW BEFORE ADDING THE CINNAMON CHIPS). Mix on medium speed, and continue to gradually add flour (up to another 1 1/2 cups, more or less) until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough by how it looks and feels, not necessarily by the total amount of flour added (humidity, elevation, how the flour is measured will all affect how much flour is needed).
• Knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, about an hour. Alternately, you can transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise.
• Lightly grease two 8 1/2-X-4 1/2-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased counter and divide into two pieces.
• Press each piece into a thick 9-inch square. Roll up into a tight log without stretching the dough. Turn the edges under and press all the seams to seal.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position.
• Place the loaves in the prepared pans. Cover and let rise until the dough rises about 1/2 inch above the top of the bread pans. Don't let the dough rise too high in this step. It springs up quite a bit in the hot oven.
• Bake the loaves for 32 to 35 minutes until golden on top and baked through. An instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the bread should register 195 degrees F.
• Out of the oven, carefully turn the loaves out onto a cooling rack and brush melted butter on the tops of the loaves. Let the bread cool completely, before cutting into slices and serving.

Notes

Cinnamon chips: Mini cinnamon chips are preferred in this bread recipe. You can find them online at Orson Gygi, Prepared Pantry, or Amazon. 

The Hershey’s brand of cinnamon chips are more widely available in well-stocked grocery stores. I recommend them with reservations: 1) they are bigger in size and will benefit from a rough chop before using in this recipe and 2) when I’ve tried them in the past, the flavor is a bit more artificial than the other brands mentioned above and they tend to bleed orange color when baked. 

UPDATE: Several readers have reported their cinnamon chips have melted into the dough instead of holding their shape. To avoid this, you can store the cinnamon chips in the freezer and add them to the dough straight from the freezer. Additionally, you can wait and add the cinnamon chips to the dough during the last minute (or less) of kneading so they don’t melt into the warm dough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice of bread | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 238mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

The post Cinnamon Burst Bread appeared first on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.