We love Caesar salad at our house, and it’s the one salad that our kids will always eat regularly. While this strays a bit from a traditional Caesar, it is so delicious and has some extra nutrition from the Greek yogurt, kale, and quinoa. Be sure to not skip out on massaging the kale, it makes it extra tender. Or, if kale isn’t your thing, you can always make this with romaine. One thing you won’t want to miss is the crispy quinoa and sourdough breadcrumbs. Along with a generous portion of snowy Parmesan, it makes for a dreamy salad.

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Popped Quinoa and Kale Caesar Salad

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• ½ cup greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper taste

For assembling:

• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 2-3 large sourdough slices processed into about 2 cups of coarse crumbs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces kale stems removed and cut into thin ribbons
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan plus more for topping if desired

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use (alternatively you could also blend together in a food processor).
• In a large skillet over medium to medium high heat, add quinoa, and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to hear the quinoa making a popping noise. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until popping stops. Remove from heat. Transfer quinoa to a bowl. Place skillet back on the burner and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add in sourdough bread crumbs, and cook, stirring frequently, until well toasted. Remove from heat.
• Add kale to a large serving bowl and massage kale for a few minutes until leaves look shinier and more vibrant in color. Add dressing, and toss to coat evenly. Add popped quinoa, toasted bread crumbs, and ½ cup freshly grated parmesan. Toss until distributed evenly.

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A perfect balance between sweet and tart, these raspberry sweet rolls are the ultimate Valentine's Day (or any day) treat. They are filled with a simple sugar, raspberry, and lemon zest filling that becomes jammy and so delicious as the rolls bake up. The frosting, made with freeze dried raspberries, has a deep and tart raspberry flavor and you will want to eat it by the spoonful.

This is a small batch recipe, and can be made in a heart pan for a extra fun treat or in a circle cake pan. Regardless of which pan you use, the key to sweet rolls is to make sure the inside is full cooked, in addition to the outside. I will often gently peak in between the swirls when I think it is done, just to make sure there is no gooey dough left.

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Raspberry Sweet Rolls

Prep Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For the dough:

• ⅓ cup milk warm but not hot
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 egg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 and ¼ cup all-purpose flour

For the filling:

• 3 tablespoons butter softened
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 lemon zested
• ½ cup raspberries

For the frosting:

• ½ cup freeze dried raspberries
• 4 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, until bubbly/foamy appearing. Add butter, egg, and salt and mix until combined. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Add remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a soft dough forms that is still quite tacky but not too sticky. Increase mixer speed to medium-high, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add dough to an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
• Punch down dough and transfer to a floured surface. Roll into a long rectangle, about 5-6 inches by 14-16 inches in length. Spread butter evenly over the top.
• In a small bowl, mix together ⅓ cup sugar and lemon zest, rubbing sugar and zest together until fragrant. Sprinkle over the top of the butter. Take raspberries and break up with your hands and add on top of the sugar, distributing evenly.
• If using a 6-7 inch heart pan:
• Spray pan with baking spray. Cut dough into 3 long and even strips. Roll one of the strips up lengthwise to form a roll. Place roll at the end of the second strip, and roll second strip around the first to form a very thick roll. Place in the center of the heart pan. Cut the final strip into 3 shorter strips. Carefully add these short strips to the outside of the thick roll in the pan to form more of a heart shape (don't worry too much about getting the exact shape, the dough will fill the pan as it rises).
• If a 6-7 inch circle pan:
• Spray pan with baking spray. Cut dough into 4 long and even strips. Roll each strip up lengthwise into a roll. Arrange four rolls in prepared pan.
• Let rolls rise, uncovered, in a warm spot for about 30-35 minutes until puffed up and mostly filling the pan.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place pan on a baking sheet lined with foil (to catch any dripping). Bake rolls on the bottom rack for about 18-30 minutes (the heart pan will be thicker so will take longer) until rolls are completely cooked through, being careful to make sure centers are also cooked. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a small blender or food process, pulse freeze dried raspberries into a fine powder. Sift and discard seeds. Add to a mixing bowl along with butter and powdered sugar. Beat using a hand mixer until well combined. Add milk, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined, then continue to beat for another 3-4 minutes until frosting is lightened and fluffy.
• Top cooled rolls with frosting. Serve.

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Cozy one pan meals are a must at our house. We've made several iterations of baked rice and chicken, but this lemon version is our favorite. The bone broth adds some extra nutrition and flavor to the rice, with the lemon brightening everything up. Serve with a simple salad on the side and you've got yourself a perfect meal.

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Baked Lemon Chicken & Rice

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 41 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 3-4 bone in, skin on chicken breasts
• 2 lemons
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup long-grain rice like Basmati
• 2 cups chicken bone broth
• Fresh parsley optional for serving, chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season chicken with oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper, being sure to season both sides.
• In a large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and sear until nicely golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Flip the chicken then cook for a few minutes until the other side is browned as well. Remove chicken from heat and place on a plate.
• In the same skillet, add the onion, cooking until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook another 1-2 minutes until onions are soft. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes to toast. Add broth and zest and juice of 1 lemon, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, add chicken and any accumulated juices back into the pan (to finish cooking). Turn heat off. Cover pan, then place in preheated oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.
• Increase oven heat to broil. Slice remaining lemon, and add slices to a small baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Broil for 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned in spots and fragrant.
• Top baked chicken and rice with caramelized lemon slices and parsley, if using. Serve.

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Pastina is one of the coziest, quickest meals around. It is the perfect cold weather or sick day meal, especially because it is so easy to make. As a nutritional boost, this version utilizes protein packed cottage cheese and bone broth. A little lemon juice and zest brightens everything up and makes this just such a satisfying dish. I like the pastina to be a little brothy, so this is the perfect amount of liquid for our taste. If you like less broth, feel free to reduce the broth by ½ cup or so.

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High Protein Lemon Pastina

Pastina is one of the coziest, quickest meals around. It is the perfect cold weather or sick day meal, especially because it is so easy to make.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 5 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 ½ cups pastina
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan plus more for topping if desired
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 lemon zested and juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a blender or food processor, add cottage cheese and about ½ cup of the bone broth. Process until completely smooth. Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add remaining 4 ½ cups of bone broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in pastina. Cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, then parmesan cheese, then lemon juice and zest, then the blended cottage cheese mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with additional parmesan if desired for serving.

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Spiced Candied Pecans

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2½ teaspoons sea salt
• Heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 24 ounces (around 7 cups) pecan halves

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together sugars, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add egg whites and vanilla. Whisk until mixture is lightened and frothy, about 1-2 minutes by hand. Pour in pecans, stirring until pecans are well coated. Dump sugar and spice mixture from above over the top, then stir to evenly coat pecans.
4. Pour coated pecans out onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, stirring 3 times during the cooking process. Nuts will be fragrant and coating will appear mostly dry when cooked. Remove from oven and let cool and dry completely. Nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 weeks.

Notes

Adapted from Gimme Oven (https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/candied-pecans-recipe/)

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Bacon, Date, and Manchego Cheese Ball

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 3 dates, pitted
• 5 strips applewood smoked bacon, cooked, cooled, and roughly chopped
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste)
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• ½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

Instructions

1. In a food processor, add bacon and dates and process briefly until finely chopped (dates will be sticky and paste-like, but you want bacon to be finely chopped).
2. In a mixing bowl, stir or beat together softened cream cheese, manchego, and smoked paprika. Add bacon and date mixture, mixing until well combined. Form mixture into a ball (if you don't want to get your hands messy, you can do this by adding mixture to cling wrap and wrapping cling wrap around it, forming and rolling into a ball, then chilling for about 15 minutes before unwrapping and moving on to the next step).
3. Add pecans to a plate, then roll formed cheeseball around and pressing gently to coat the outside evenly. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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The base of this cheesecake is my mother in law's recipe and a longstanding family favorite from before I was even married. I've boosted the vanilla with vanilla bean paste, but otherwise stayed with the batter recipe because it really just can't be beat.

Dark Cherry Cheesecake

 

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Prep time

3 hours

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

3 hours 40 mins

 

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 12 ounces gingersnaps, processed into fine crumbs
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• For the cheesecake batter:
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• For the cherry compote:
• 2 cups whole dark cherries (frozen or fresh both work)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon corn starch
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• For the sour cream topping:
• 1 cup sour cream
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Instructions

1. For the crust:
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together gingersnap crumbs, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan, and press on bottom and up the sides of the pan to form the crust. Bake in preheated oven for 7 minutes then remove and let cool. Leave oven on to bake the cheesecake in the next steps.
3. For the cheesecake:
4. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until well combined. Add eggs and beat until combined and mixture is smooth and creamy. Add lemon juice and vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.
5. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Top will look cooked but center will still be quite jiggly and and set as it cools. Allow cheesecake to cool, then place in refrigerator to chill at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
6. For the cherry compote:
7. In a sauce pan over medium heat, add cherries, sugar, water, and lemon juice. Cook until cherries are softened a bit and juices are starting to simmer. Add corn starch and stir until well combined. Continue to cook until the juices are thickened and syrupy. Remove from heat and add vanilla and almond extracts stirring to combine. Remove from heat and cool completely.
8. For the sour cream topping:
9. In a small mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients until sugar is dissolved and mixture is well combined.
10. For assembly:
11. Spread sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake in an even layer. Spoon cherry mixture over the top. Slice and serve.

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Gingerbread Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Salted Caramel Swirl

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ tablespoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
• ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the frosting:
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• Generous pinch of kosher salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• For assembling:
• ⅓ cup salted caramel, room temperature (if you are making your own, I recommend you use my brown sugar and brown butter caramel for this)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8x8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper, and salt. Set aside.
3. Whisk together sour cream and buttermilk and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, then mix until fully combined, being sure to scrape down the sides. While continuing to mix, slowly add molasses until fully combined.
5. Add about ⅓ of the dry ingredients, and mix until mostly but not fully incorporated. Add ½ the buttermilk mixture, mixing briefly. Continue with this, adding another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, mixing again until mostly combined, then the remaining buttermilk mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients. After adding the last amount of dry ingredients, mix until fully combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
7. For the frosting:
8. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat together butter and cream cheese smooth and combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar, mixing until just combined and being careful not to over beat. Mix in vanilla and salt.
9. Once cake is completely cooled, top with cream cheese frosting. Spoon caramel sauce on top, swirling with frosting. Slice and then serve.

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Pear and Pecan Tarte Tatin

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
• ½-1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, to taste
• 4 firm but ripe pears, peeled and cut into thick slices
• ⅔ cup pecans, toasted
• 1 puff pastry sheet (about 8-9 ounces)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a 10 inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add sugar. Heat, and once sugar begins to melt, stir constantly. Sugar will clump but then melt and start to turn a yellow and then golden brown color. Once sugar is melted, smooth, and golden brown, turn heat off and add butter, stirring quickly to combine (mixture may bubble up, but just keep stirring until well combined). Drizzle in heavy creamy, stirring constantly for about 30-60 seconds. Stir in salt.
3. Remove about ¼ to ⅓ of the caramel sauce, and reserve for serving. To the remaining caramel in the skillet, add pears and pecans. Stir to coat and arrange in a nice even layer.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry slightly until a bit thinner and large enough to cover pear and caramel layer. Cut into a large circle that is a little wider than your skillet. Gently drape over the top, tucking pastry around the pears at the edge of the pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes, until pastry is cooked through fully and deeply browned on top. Let cool for 20 minutes, and carefully then invert onto a serving dish. Serve with reserved caramel.

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