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Copycat Wingers Sticky Fingers Recipe

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 4 Comments

If you've ever been to Wingers, you know their Sticky Fingers are amazing! This copycat wingers sticky fingers recipe is sweet and spicy makes amazing chicken strips that are perfect for throwing into salads, wraps, or just eating on their own! Wingers Sticky Fingers Recipe-- Chicken Strips on a plate

Wingers Sticky Fingers

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I was super sick. When the morning sickness (more like the morn, noon, and night sickness) set in, I was in the middle of finishing up my last term of cooking school and had to be in a steamy little kitchen just about all day, every day.

I had the kitchen mapped out- I knew the exact location of every trash can should I need to retreat and I'm pretty sure I scared every single one of my classmates with my mood swings at some point.

Despite how sick I was, I had some weird cravings. Not like fried chicken feet with Nutella weird, but I craved super strong flavors. Things like garlic stuffed green olives, cheesy pizza with sausage, and Winger's Sticky fingers were at the top of my list for consumption.

Most of the time eating these things made me sicker after the fact from heartburn, but it was so miraculous that I actually felt like eating something that I welcomed it.

Wingers Sticky Fingers Recipe--Chicken Strips dipped in ranch dressing

I really wish I would have found this Wingers Sticky Fingers recipe, er, eleven years ago when we were spending way too much on appeasing my cravings. If you've been to Winger's, you know how good these are! If you haven't tried them, it doesn't matter because now YOU can make them and they taste just as amazing as getting them from the restaurant (IMHO).

Tips for making this Wingers Sticky Fingers Recipe

  • The sauce is ridiculously easy to make, just make sure you use Frank's Red hot original sauce. Using this will make all the difference. I think it's fairly easy to find in most grocery stores and I've linked to it below.
  • For the chicken, I use frozen, breaded chicken fingers straight out of the freezer case at the grocery store and either bake or fry them depending on how naughty I'm feeling. Deep frying them definitely give them that little extra push to make them just like Wingers'.

With the Super Bowl right around the corner, these would be great- and easy- to serve with some celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing! For the record, this sauce is also great on burgers, wings, ribs, or by the spoonful. I won't judge.

Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like

Tools used for this Wingers Sticky Fingers Recipe

  • Franks Hot Sauce: I've tried a few different brands of hot sauce for the wingers sticky fingers sauce, and this one definitely takes the cake.
  • Nordicware ½ Sheet Pans: I LOVE these sheet pans! They last a long time, are commercial-grade and bake evenly!
  • OXO Stainless Steel Tongs: These tongs take a beating in my kitchen. They go from the grill for flipping meats to the salad bowl for tossing with very little complaint. They are built like a tank and have silicone grips that make them super easy to use, even with my very small hands.

**This Post was originally published on Heather Likes Food in January of 2012**

📖 Recipe

Wingers Sticky Finger Chicken Strips on a plate
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Winger’s Sticky Fingers Copy Cat Recipe

If you've ever been to Wingers you know their Sticky Fingers are amazing! This copycat wingers sticky fingers recipe is sweet and spicy makes amazing chicken strips that are perfect for throwing into salads, wraps, or just eating on their own! 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: copycat, franks hot sauce, sweet and spicy
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 331kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup Frank’s Red Hot Original Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Instructions

  • In a small sauce pan combine all ingredients and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bake or fry chicken and dip or pour sauce over the chicken strips until they are well coated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 138mg | Sugar: 84g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Greek Style Turkey Burgers

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 9 Comments

Up your burger game with these Greek Style Turkey Burgers! Topped with a fresh cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese, these pita pockets are bursting with flavor and are constantly being requested for dinner at my house!Greek Style Turkey Burgers with cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese spread

These greek style turkey burger patties are so moist and flavorful-- and are especially fantastic when paired with the cool cucumber and tomato relish and whipped feta cheese. 

Our favorite way to make these burgers is by making "mini" patties using a meatball-sized amount of meat. Making them this small gives each one nice crusty edges and makes it easy to stuff a couple inside a pita to make the sandwich. 

Greek Style Turkey Burgers with cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese spread

The turkey patties are absolutely delicious on their own, but the thing that really puts these burgers over the top is the condiments! We've got a cool cucumber and tomato relish and some whipped feta here that just tie the whole thing together so nicely.

And, for the record, if you have never tried whipped feta, today is the day to change that, my friend! If you like feta cheese, you are going to be blown away by how good it is whipped with a few other ingredients and slathered on pita bread.

Greek Style Turkey Burgers with cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese spread

Tips for making these Greek Style Turkey Burgers with Whipped Feta:

  • The turkey burger recipe calls for "2 pita bread halves, soaked in milk". Weird request? Not really. This is called a "panade" or a starch and liquid added to ground meat to keep it tender, moist, and flavor. It's the same concept as adding bread crumbs and milk to your meatloaf recipe, but a panade breaks down into the meat better, creating a juicier, more tender product.
  • Easy to find 80% turkey/20% fat ground turkey works best in this recipe. Ground turkey breast can be used but will create a drier hamburger patty.
  • Don't forget to toast your pita bread before assembling your burger. It adds such nice texture and helps the burger to be a little more sturdy against the juices from the burger and relish.

Other Sandwich Recipes You Might Like

Tools used for making Greek Style Turkey Burgers

  • Get it Right Silicone Spatulas: I have waaaaay too many of these spatulas floating around in my kitchen, but I just love them! They are heat-resistance and can be used for both baking and cooking, so they are my go-to kitchen tool. I love that they come in lots of vibrant colors and are easy to clean. Most of the spatulas I have are at least four years old and still look new!
  • Lodge Reversible Cast Iron Griddle: This rectangular pan fits over two of my burners and has a flat griddle side and a grill side. I love that I can use it to make pancakes and griddled burgers, like these turkey burgers, or flip it to make steaks or anything else that I want grill marks on. You can take it camping, too!

📖 Recipe

Greek Style Turkey Burgers with cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese spread
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4.89 from 9 votes

Greek Style Turkey Burgers with Whipped Feta

 Up your burger game with this flavorful turkey burger recipe! Topped with a fresh cucumber relish and whipped feta cheese, these pita pockets are bursting with flavor and are constantly being requested for dinner at my house!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: feta cheese spread, pan fried, panade
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 822kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

For the burger patties

  • 1 ¼ pounds ground turkey
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 /4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ cup sweet onion finely chopped
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
  • 1 egg
  • 2 pita bread halves soaked in milk

For the relish

  • 1 whole tomato diced
  • ½ whole seedless cucumber diced
  • 1 whole small bell pepper diced
  • 1 /2 cup sweet onion diced
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives diced
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the whipped feta cheese spread

  • 4 ounces greek yogurt
  • 6 ounces feta cheese crumbled
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 pita bread halves

Instructions

  • Combine tomatoes, cucumber, yellow bell pepper, sweet onion, dill, parsley, kalamata olives, lemon juice and olive oil. Stir and set aside.
  • Combine Greek yogurt, feta cheese, garlic, olive oil and dill in a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  • Combine ground turkey with smoked paprika, cardamom, dill, cumin, salt, pepper, and oregano. Soak 2 pita bread halves in milk until very soft and pliable. Using your hands, wring the extra milk out of the moist dough and add to the meat. Add an egg, finely chopped onion, and flat leaf parsley; stir well but don’t overwork the meat.
  • Scoop your meat into small balls using a cookie scoop and flatten into patties.
  • Cook the patties in a bit of olive oil on the stove-top until they are browned on both sides and cooked through- about 4-5 minutes. Brush pitas with a bit of olive oil and heat on the stove-top until warm and slightly toasted.
  • Stuff each pita with a few turkey patties, a big spoonful of veggie salsa and a dollop of whipped feta cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 822kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 2047mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1595IU | Vitamin C: 19.9mg | Calcium: 418mg | Iron: 5.2mg

 

No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 3 Comments

This no-bake key lime cheesecake is going to be your new favorite light and cool dessert! It takes just a few ingredients-- one of them actually being lemon jello! Read on to find out why!No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake on white plate

I can't resist posting this No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake today. While it may be cold, wet and/or snowy wherever you are on this winter's day, this cheesecake will bring some good vibes and maybe just a glimpse of what summer will look like in your kitchen.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not asking you to wait until summer to make this recipe, but I do know it will make a mighty fine addition to your summer BBQs and get-togethers.

The secret to the No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake is the addition of lemon flavored jello. You heard me right, LEMON jello. You might be tempted to use lime jello, but DON'T! Using lemon jello gives it just the right amount of citrus flavor when paired with the key lime juice and lime zest. Using lime flavored jello will turn the cheesecake that obnoxiously fake green color and overpower the key lime juice. Just trust me on this one. 🙂

No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake on white plate

Tips for making this No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake:

  • Fresh key limes can be hard to find if they aren't in season, so I use bottled key lime juice. It can be typically be found in the juice aisle on the top shelf in a pale yellow bottle. I've linked to the kind I use in in the "tools section" below.
  • Don't know the difference between key limes and regular limes? Key Limes have a tarter, more floral juice making them great for baking and desserts-- hence the famous key lime pie! You can substitute normal lime juice in this recipe, just know the flavor will be a bit sweeter and different, than typical key lime pie.
  • When making cheesecake (no bake or baked), it's imperative that all your batter ingredients be room temperature. Doing this will ensure the cream cheese can be mixed into a super smooth batter with no lumps.
  • Use a 10.5" deep dish pie plate or 9x13" pan for this recipe. If you try to use a standard 9" pie dish, you'll have more filling and crust than can fit.

No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake on white plate

Want more simple dessert recipes? 

Tools used in making this No Bake Key Lime Cheesecake:

  • Nellie and Joes Key Lime Juice: A bottle of this will last at least a year in your fridge and longer if you freeze it into juice ice cubes. I love having it in my fridge to add to drinks and recipes when needed.
  • 10.5" Deep Dish Pie Plate: I used a pie plate similar to this one when making larger pie/dessert recipes.
  • Flexible Pie Server: I received a flexible pie server as a wedding gift almost 14 years ago, and it's still going strong! It makes taking that first piece of pie out of the pan a breeze!

📖 Recipe

Key Lime No Bake Cheesecake on white plate
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4.44 from 16 votes

Key Lime No Bake Cheesecake

 This no-bake key lime cheesecake is going to be your new favorite light and cool dessert! It takes just a few ingredients-- one of them actually being lemon jello! Read on to find out why!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Cooling Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: graham cracker crust, lemon jello, whipped cream topping
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 430kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cups + 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 3.4 ounce box lemon jello
  • 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons key lime juice
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 12 ounces heavy cream

Instructions

  • Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar and butter in a bowl. Firmly press into the bottom and up the sides of a large 10.5" pie dish or into bottom of a rectagular 9x13" pan. Use the flat bottom of a glass to help even the surface and compact the crumbs.
  • Pour lemon jello into boiling water and stir until dissolved. Place into refrigerator until cooled to room temperature. 
  • In a large bowl beat cream cheese with sugar, lime juice, lime zest and vanilla with an electric mixer until very smooth. Pour cooled jello (must be room temperature!) into the cheese mixture and beat until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl beat heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into the jello/cheese mixture and mix until combined. 
  • Pour into prepared crust and refrigerate until set-- about 2 hours. Serve chilled with whipped cream and lime wedges.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 353mg | Potassium: 108mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1160IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Skillet Honey Dijon Chicken Thighs

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

These Honey Dijon chicken thighs are just about everything you could want from a piece of chicken. They are tender, juicy, sweet, tangy, sticky, and just finger-lickin' good. As a bonus, they are super easy to make!Honey Dijon Chicken in Cast Iron Skillet

Doesn't this picture of these honey dijon chicken thighs just make you want to lick your screen? It does for me. I'm such a sucker when it comes to sweet, sticky sauces on chicken.

This honey dijon chicken couldn't be easier to make, and if you're a honey mustard-loving fanatic like me, you're going to be licking your fingers good and clean after eating a piece. 🙂

Honey Dijon Chicken in Cast Iron Skillet

Tips for making these Honey Dijon Chicken Thighs:

  • I love making chicken in my cast iron skillet because it heats up evenly and retains that heat so I can get a good golden sear on my chicken. Doing this just adds lots of flavor to your finished chicken. If you don't have a cast iron skillet use the heaviest bottomed skillet that you have--, this will help with even cooking and heat retention.
  • Another note on the pan you use: make sure it's oven-proof! You'll be transferring the pan into the oven to bake after browning the chicken.
  • All honey isn't created equal! Even if it looks like honey, tastes like honey, and comes in a bear-shaped bottle, you can't be sure it's 100% honey. Many commercial honey manufacturers add high-fructose corn syrup to their watered-down honey, taking it far away from what it once was. Using honey out of a bear-shaped bottle won't ruin this recipe, but if you can, use the best honey you can! Local honey tastes better, is better for you and will make your chicken that much better! (*steps down from soapbox*)

Honey Dijon Chicken in Cast Iron Skillet

Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like

Tools used for making these Honey Dijon Chicken Thighs:

  • 10" Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: Cast Iron Skillets are your BEST friend and are a totally underrated kitchen tool. Cast iron retains heat well and allows you to get that irresistible sear on steaks and other meats you can usually only get at a restaurant. Pair this with the fact that they are CHEAP it's a no-brainer.
  • OXO Stainless Steel Tongs: These tongs take a beating in my kitchen. They go from the grill for flipping meats to the salad bowl for tossing with very little complaint. They are built like a tank and have silicone grips that make them super easy to use, even with my ridiculously small hands.

📖 Recipe

Honey Dijon Chicken in Cast Iron Skillet
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5 from 8 votes

Skillet Honey Dijon Chicken Thighs

These Honey Dijon chicken thighs are just about everything you could want from a piece of chicken. They are tender, juicy, sweet, tangy, sticky, and just finger-lickin' good. As a bonus, they are super easy to make!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken thigh recipe, honey mustard, one pan
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 417kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs skin removed
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Combine paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle over chicken.
  • Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy bottomed oven-proof skillet until it shimmers. Place chicken top side down into the pan and cook until browned. Flip, cook for 1 minute and turn off heat. 
  • Pour honey mustard sauce over the chicken, moving it around so all surfaces are covered. 
  • Put skillet into the oven and bake for 10 minutes and then spoon sauce from the pan over the chicken.
  • Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through at 165 degress and juices run clear. Sprinkle with fresh chopped chives if desired and serve. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1chicken thigh | Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 778mg | Potassium: 317mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1.2mg

 

Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Potatoes with Garlic Butter

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 2 Comments

This Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Potatoes recipe is one of my go-to slow cooker meals! The meatloaf comes out tender and juicy, and the garlic butter potatoes turn creamy and are full of flavor. Just mix, throw in the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner time! Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Garlic Butter Potatoes Recipe

This slow cooker meatloaf with garlic butter potatoes is something else. I love that I can have this typically baked meal without very much effort. Just put it in the slow cooker in the morning/early afternoon and forget about it until dinner time.

Meatloaf gets a bad wrap, wouldn't you say? I mean, the quote from A Christmas Story just about sums up a lot of people's feelings on it-- "Meatloaf smeatloaf double beet-loaf". I just love that movie.

But I'm here to tell you meatloaf can be an absolutely marvelous thing!

I've tried a few other recipes for slow cooker meatloaf and haven't been 100% happy with the results. But this recipe makes the best slow cooker meatloaf I've tried. It's tender thanks to the addition of saltine crackers and milk and stays juicy through the cooking period.

How do you make meatloaf in the slow cooker?

It's about the simplest thing in the world-- just mix up the ingredients for the meatloaf in a bowl and shape into a loaf on a piece of foil. The foil gets gathered together and formed into a little dish to keep the juices from running out into the slow cooker and keeps your meatloaf moist! It also makes room for some garlic butter potatoes!

Pin This Recipe To Your Slow Cooker Board

Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Garlic Butter Potatoes Recipe

Tips for cooking Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Potatoes:

  • This is a basic meatloaf recipe that you can add all sorts of flavors too! We love adding some bacon and cheese to our meatloaf mix to turn it into a bacon cheeseburger meatloaf topped with french fried onions. Or you can add caramelized onions and gruyere cheese to turn it into a french onion meatloaf.
  • You can flavor the potatoes as well. Bacon, cheese, more veggies, ranch dressing mix and more can be added to up the flavor profile.
  • In my experience, all slow cookers cook differently-- some are hot and cook quickly while others run cooler and take longer to cook recipes. My slow cooker meatloaf and potatoes are almost always ready at the 6-hour mark when cooking on low.

Pin This Recipe To Your Slow Cooker Board

Best Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Garlic Butter Potatoes Recipe

Want more easy slow cooker recipes?

Tools used in making this Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Potatoes:

  • Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System: I've owned this slow cooker for about 6 years (when they were first introduced) and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (less dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.
  • Get It Right Silicone Spatulas: I have waaaaay too many of these spatulas floating around in my kitchen but I just love them! They are heat-resistance and can be used for both baking and cooking so they are basically my go-to kitchen tool. I love that they come in lots of vibrant colors and are easy to clean. Most of the spatulas I have are at least 4 years old and still look new!

Pin This Recipe To Your Slow Cooker Board

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Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Potatoes Recipe
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4.45 from 47 votes

Slow Cooker Meatloaf and Garlic Butter Potatoes

This Slow Cooker Meatloaf and potatoes recipe is one of my go-to slow cooker meals! The meatloaf comes out tender and juicy, and the garlic butter potatoes turn creamy and are full of flavor. Just mix, throw in the slow cooker and forget about it until dinner time!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: crock pot, saltine meatloaf, Slow Cooker
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 662kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup crushed saltine crackers
  • ⅓ cup onions finely chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon rubbed sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill weed

For the Potatoes

  • 1 ½ pounds baby potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For The Sauce

  • ⅔ cup ketchup
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Spray a large piece of foil with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Combine all the ingredients for the meatloaf in a medium-sized bowl. Mix until just combined (don't overwork the meat) and form into a rustic loaf on the prepared foil. Bring the sides of the foil up and around the loaf, making a "dish" for it to cook in. Make sure the walls are high enough to keep the cooking juices in.
  • Place the meatloaf in it's foil dish in one side of the slow cooker.
  • Place potatoes next to the meatloaf in the empty side of the slow cooker. Drizzle potatoes with the melted butter, and lightly stir the garlic and salt into the potatoes. 
  • Set slow cooker to cook for 6-8 hours on low. Cooking time will depend on your particular slow cooker as they all cook differently. The meatloaf is done when it's internal temperature reaches 170 degrees and the potatoes are fork tender. 
  • 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, combine the ketchup brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.  Spoon sauce over the meatloaf, cover and continue cooking in the slow cooker until sauce is hot-- about 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 662kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1170mg | Potassium: 1273mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 36.4mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 4.6mg

Crock pot Ranchers Roast Beef and Gravy

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 6 Comments

This Ranchers Roast Beef recipe might be the perfect way to make roast beef in the crock pot. Ranch dressing mix, pepperoncini, and butter make the beef fall-apart tender and full of flavor. Ranchers on plate with gravy and mashed potatoes

Ranchers Roast Beef

*This recipe was first published October 2012*

Last week during the Ninja Cooking System giveaway I asked what your favorite meal to make in the crock pot was, and of all the 700+ comments, roast beef won hands down! It looks like ya'll dig yourself some slow-cooked beef goodness! So yes, I thought I'd come to you today with another roast beef recipe to try out.

This roast is a little different from your typical meat-and-potatoes-and-carrots-Sunday-supper. It's a pot roast flavored with ranch dressing mix, zingy pepperoncini and then topped with a sour cream-spiked gravy. Intrigued yet? You should be.

How to Make Ranchers Roast Beef in Crock Pot

You'll start with a 2-3 lb beef chuck roast by seasoning it with salt and pepper and then searing until nice and golden brown in a little bit of canola oil.

roast beef in crock pot

Sprinkle the roast with either one packet of ranch dressing mix, or 1 tablespoon of my homemade version-recipe here. Either one makes a tasty ranchers roast beef, but I truly do prefer the homemade to the store-bought, just sayin'. Sprinkle with ½ cup of sliced pepperoncini, followed by a ¼ cup of the pepperoncini juice and two tablespoons of butter cut into small pieces.

Ranch Pot roast before cooking

Set your crock pot to cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3 ½ -4 or until the ranch pot roast is fork-tender. Remove meat from pot and drain off cooking juices into a saucepan, skimming the top for excess fat.

How to Make Sour Cream Gravy for Ranchers Roast Beef

Add 2 cups of beef broth to the juices and bring to a boil. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with ¼ cup of COLD water and slowly pour into the boiling broth mixture. Stir continuously until thickened and remove from heat. Stir ½ cup of sour cream into the thickened broth and serve over the cooked meat.

Cooked ranchers roast beef on plate with pepperoncini on top

This recipe is easy, delicious, and perfect for a brisk fall night with mashed potatoes or rice!

Want more Easy Beef Recipes?

Tools Used in Making Ranchers Roast Beef

  • Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System: I've owned this slow cooker for about six years (when they were first introduced), and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (fewer dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.
  • OXO Mini Whisk: Sometimes you just need more than a fork to mix up small amounts! I love this whisk because it's the perfect size to mix in small bowls, cups or even saucepans. It's perfect for making gravy!

📖 Recipe

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4.50 from 6 votes

Crock-Pot Rancher’s Roast Beef

This Ranchers Roast Beef recipe might be the most perfect way to make roast beef in the crock pot. Ranch dressing mix, pepperoncini, and butter make the beef fall-apart tender and full of flavor. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pepperoncini, ranch dressing mix, Slow Cooker
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 535kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1, 2-3 pound beef chuck roast
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • .4 ounce ounce packet ranch dressing mix 
  • ½ cup sliced pepperoncini
  • ¼ cup pepperoncini juice
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • ½ cup sour cream

Instructions

  • Heat canola oil over med-high heat. Season roast with salt and sear in hot oil until golden brown.
  • Place roast in crock pot and sprinkle with dressing mix, pepperoncinis, pepperoncini juice, and dot with butter.
  • Cook in crock pot on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3 ½ -4 or until the roast is fork-tender. Remove meat from pot and drain off cooking juices into a sauce pan, skimming the top for excess fat. Add 2 cups of beef broth to the juices and bring to a boil.
  • Mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with ¼ C of COLD water and slowly pour into the boiling broth mixture. Stir continuously until thickened and remove from heat. Stir in ½ cup of sour cream into the thickened broth and serve over the cooked meat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 176mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 823mg | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 4.9mg

Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

This Shortcut Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup has all the flavors of traditional chicken noodle soup with an added richness and texture that takes this comforting soup to a whole new level. Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This Creamy Chicken Noodle soup is one of my favorites! I've always loved traditional chicken noodle soup, but the thickened creamy broth in this soup makes it special and hearty.

How do I make chicken noodle soup creamy?

If you already have a tried and true homemade chicken noodle soup recipe that you love, you can make it creamy! Just add a bit of flour to thicken the broth and add a bit of cream to richen the broth. These additions are what used in this recipe, and it creates a super velvety broth. Creamy chicken soups are kind of magical, so I also love this chicken queso soup that is even keto friendly.

If you don't have already have a chicken noodle soup recipe that you love, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this recipe at all!

This recipe is my shortcut version of chicken noodle soup, and I add canned chicken at the end instead of cooking fresh chicken. Doing this cuts down on prep and cooking time and means you can still make a delicious soup when you forgot to pull the chicken out of the freezer!

Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Tips for Making Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

  • Homestyle egg noodles are found in most grocery stores in the pasta aisle and add a little bit of "homemade" flair to your soups without being homemade noodles. Check the freezer section if you can't find it near the pasta as some varieties are frozen.
  • Slow Cooker Preparation: When cooking creamy chicken noodle soup in the slow cooker I typically use fresh chicken breast instead of canned. You'll season 2 chicken breasts with the poultry seasoning, salt, and dried onions and lay them in the slow cooker. You'll then add the celery, frozen veggies, and broth to the slow cooker and set to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4. When the chicken is cooked through, shred it and return to the broth. Combine flour with ½-3/4 cups of cold milk and stir until smooth. Slowly whisk flour/milk mixture into the broth until all the way combined. Add noodles to the pot, cover and continue to cook another 30 minutes or until thickened and noodles are tender. Stir remaining ingredients and seasonings into the soup and serve.
  • Season to taste! I LOVE the little bit of added acidity and oomph that just a small amount of Tobasco gives to chicken soup, but if it's not your thing, don't do it! Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Want More Easy Soup Recipes?

Tools used in making homemade creamy chicken noodle soup:

  • OXO Mini Wisk: Sometimes you just need more than a fork to mix up small amounts! I love this whisk because it's the perfect size to mix in small bowls, cups or even saucepans. It's perfect for making gravy and soups.
  • OXO Handheld Slicer: I love this little tool when making soup because it slices small amounts of veggies quickly and easily and I don’t have to dirty a cutting board– I just slice right over the pot and especially love it for carrots and celery.

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Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
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4.67 from 21 votes

Shortcut Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This Shortcut Homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup has all the flavors of traditional chicken noodle soup with a little added richness and texture that takes this comforting soup to a whole new level. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: canned chicken, creamy, One pot
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 447kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 stalks celery diced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons minced dried onions
  • ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 12 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
  • 8 ounce homestyle egg noodles
  • 12.5 ounce can chicken drained
  • ⅓ cup cream
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
  • few shakes tabasco

Instructions

  • Heat butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute celery in butter until it starts to soften and stir in flour, dried onion, poultry seasoning, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. 
  • Stir chicken broth into the both and stir until the flour is fully incorporated into the broth. Bring to a simmer. 
  • Add noodles and frozen vegetables to the pot and cook for 15-2o minutes or until the noodles are tender. Remove from the heat. 
  • Stir canned chicken, cream, lemon juice and parsely into the soup. Season with a few shakes of tobasco sauce if you wish and serve. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1428mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 830IU | Vitamin C: 26.6mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

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These Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese sandwiches are what I imagine heaven to be like: cheesy, buttery, and delicious! But, in all seriousness, this technique makes for the best-grilled cheese bread ever and takes .2% more effort than throwing something in the microwave. Let's make them!

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

I'm about to change your little microwave grilled cheese life with these garlic parmesan grilled cheese sandwiches.

What?

Yeah, I see you.

Trying to make a grilled cheese sandwich in the microwave-- WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?

You see, I did a little searching on my friend, GOOGLE, and it turns out that "Microwave Grilled Cheese" is one of the most-searched-for terms when it comes to grilled cheese. Are you as grossed out as I am?

So, I'm here to set the record straight with a super easy, crispy grilled cheese recipe that will blow the microwave-loving socks off the interwebs.

Mmmkay?

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese

You start by brushing two pieces of hearty white bread with melted butter. Alternately, you can spread softened butter on the bread if you don't want to melt it. You'll then sprinkle each buttered side with garlic powder and dried parsley.

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Follow the parsley with a couple of tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese (NOT the stuff that comes in a can) on the buttered side of each slice of bread. Gently press the cheese down into the bread as much as you can without squishing it.

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Now, just go along your business like you normally would when making a grilled cheese sandwich on the stove-top. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, slice your cheese of choice and place the bread parmesan butter side down into the hot pan.

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Cook each side of the sandwich until it's golden brown, crispy, and the cheese is good and melted. There are few things worse than biting into a grilled cheese that has partially melted cheese. Am I right?

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

The finished Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese is crispy, garlic-y, cheesy, and pretty hard to resist. If you ever get the notion to throw some cheese and bread into the microwave again after reading this, I'm not sure I can help you. 🙂

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Other Sandwich Recipes You Might Like

Tools used in making these Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

  • Anolon Nouvelle Copper Non-stick Pans: These non-stick pans are metal utensil safe and last a long time. I've been using Anolon's pans exclusively for the past five years and am still in love with them!

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Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Recipe
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5 from 7 votes

Crispy Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

These Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese sandwiches are what I imagine heaven to be like; cheesy, buttery, and delicious! But, in all seriousness, this technique makes for the best grilled cheese bread ever and takes .2% more effort than throwing something in the microwave. Let's make them!
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time7 minutes
Course: Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy, Garlic Butter, parmesan crust
Servings: 1
Calories: 431kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 pieces Sliced sandwich bread
  • 2 slices Cheese cheddar is my favorite
  • 2 tablespoons Butter softened or melted
  • Garlic powder
  • Dried parsley
  • Parmesan Cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Spread or brush 2 slices of bread with butter and sprinkle each buttered side with garlic and parsley.
  • Sprinkle a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese over each buttered side of bread, gently pressing the cheese into the bread.
  • Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and place one slice of bread, buttered side down into the skillet. Top with cheese and remaining slice of bread. Cook, flipping halfway through, until bread is golden brown, parmesan cheese is crispy, and inside cheese is melted.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 557mg | Potassium: 54mg | Vitamin A: 1260IU | Calcium: 404mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Zesty Instant Pot Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

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Get this homemade Vegetable Beef Soup into your belly pronto! It has so much stinkin' flavor that you're not going to believe it only took you 5 minutes to throw together!

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup-- a super flavorful Instant Pot Soup Recipe!
Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

This Zesty Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup is jam-packed with so much flavor with just a handful of ingredients. The secret lies in the use of Picante sauce in the recipe which adds a zesty, almost south-of-the-border flair to this flavorful soup. Almost.

But mostly, the Picante sauce just adds a boatload of flavor that you can't get without adding many, many ingredients. I love adding flavor-boosting short-cut ingredients like Picante sauce to recipes because it cuts down on the time and prep while adding excellent taste.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup-- a super flavorful Instant Pot Soup Recipe!

Cooking Tips For Making Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

  • As stated in the title and the recipe card, I make this Vegetable beef soup recipe in the Instant Pot, but it can easily be made in the slow cooker or on the stove-top.
  • To make in the Slow Cooker, just add all the ingredients into your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the beef is tender.
  • To make on the Stove-Top, follow the directions as written in the Instant Pot Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe below, but instead of cooking at high pressure for 25 minutes, allow your soup to simmer on the stove-top until the beef is tender-- about 60-80 minutes.

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup-- a super flavorful Instant Pot Soup Recipe!

What kind of beef should I use for homemade vegetable beef soup?

I like to use beef stew meat because it's inexpensive and already trimmed and cut for you. But really, you can use whatever kind of beef you have on-hand. Ground hamburger works well if you have some to use up. OR, if you don't have a lot of time to let tougher cuts tenderize (like stew meat), top sirloin, new york strip, or tri-tip can be cut into bite-sized pieces and used. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.

I love using my Instant Pot to make soups because I can use tougher cuts of meat, like stew meat, and not have to wait hours upon hours for it to cook and be tender.

Want More Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipes?

Tools used in the making of this Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup:

  • The Instant Pot😕 This is the model that I have and LOVE. My Instant Pot has been with me for over a year, and I’ve put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • Better Than Boullion: I use a lot of chicken/beef/vegetable broth in my recipes because it adds such nice flavor, but I don’t love keeping cans or cartons of it in my pantry. For this reason (and more) I use this broth base anytime I call for broth in my recipes. It only takes one teaspoon of the base to make 1 cup of flavorful broth and can be stored for quite a while in the refrigerator.

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Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
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4.89 from 17 votes

Zesty Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup

Get this homemade vegetable beef soup into your Instant Pot pronto! It has so much stinkin' flavor that you're not going to believe it only took you 5 minutes to throw together!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy, Instant Pot, picante sauce
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 353kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound beef stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 16 ounce package frozen vegetables corn, green beans, carrots, etc.
  • 16 ounce jar picante sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 15.5 ounce can great northern beans drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

  •  Set Instant Pot on "Saute" Mode and heat oil until it shimmers. Add the beef, salt and pepper to the pot and cook until the beef is well browned on all sides. Stir in garlic and continue to cook a minute longer. 
  • Add frozen vegetables, picante sauce, basil, broth and beans to the pot. Stir ingredients to combine and place lid on the Instant Pot. 
  • Use the "Manual" setting to cook the soup for 25 minutes. When time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then do a manual release for the rest. Stir in fresh parsley just before serving. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1357mg | Potassium: 962mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 11.5mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 4.4mg

Microwave Chocolate Chip Pizookie Recipe

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Today I'm sharing my shortcut microwave individual pizookie recipe for when you have a mad pizookie craving, but don't want to turn the oven on! Come on, I know I'm not the only one. How to Make a Pizookie for 2 people in the microwave

Chocolate Chip Individual Pizookie Recipe

 A few weeks back I went to BJ's with some friends and finally had my first pizookie.

What is a pizookie?

It's basically a cookie that's baked in a little mini pizza pan and served piping hot with ice cream and usually some sort of topping-- it's heavenly! I know pizookies are served at other places too, but if you are headed to BJ's soon, the new salted caramel one has been beckoning me back there ever since I tried it. So good!

The best chocolate chip pizookie recipe made in the microwave

To curb my cravings and since I don't have pizookie pans or will power, I decided to make up a quick batch of chocolate chip cookie dough in a very small quantity and quickly bake it in the microwave, just like my original coffee cake in a mug and pumpkin coffee cake.

This way I wouldn't have dozens of cookies staring me down every time I walked into the kitchen, and I could get it into my face much faster than I could if I had to wait for the oven to heat up, etc.

BUT, if you want a full-on Pizookie experience you have to try my chocolate chunk Pizookie! It's large and it's in charge!

But wait, can you microwave cookie dough?

Yes, yes you can. The result of this pizookie recipe is different and more cake-y than if you were to bake it in the oven and it doesn't get crispy but that's okay when it comes to pizookies.

The result here was a quick, hot, gooey microwave chocolate chip cookie pizookie perfection!

How to Make a Pizookie

This pizookie recipe makes two fairly big cookies and is just enough not to make me want another, especially when topped with ice cream and hot fudge. It starts by mixing up the cookie dough in a small bowl just like regular cookies but since it's such a small amount, mixing it by hand is pretty easy.

How to make a pizookie step by step

I used some small ceramic saucers I had laying around, and they worked perfectly for "baking" the cookies in. Use what you have! Ramekins, small bowls, deep plates or even a mug would work.

Chocolate chip cookie dough ready for the microwave

Use your fingers to press the dough out into an even layer in your vessel of choice. At this point, I try to touch it as little as possible so that I actually end up with some dough to bake. Is anyone else a chronic food picker when cooking?

My pizookie recipe recipe to go into the microwave

When "baking" in the microwave it's important to keep a close eye on things, or they can get bad pretty fast.

REALLY fast. Do you like the texture of erasers? No? Then watch carefully!

The key to a good pizookie is that it's just sightly under-baked. Each microwave will cook differently as will different cooking dishes and depth of the cookie, so there will likely be some trial and error. Mine was perfectly cooked at about the 50-second mark.
A baked pizookie just out of the microwave

This Pizookie recipe won't be golden brown like it would be if baked in the oven, but it will be cooked-- promise! No one will notice anyway when a big scoop of vanilla ice cream starts melting over the top and you're digging in.

Chocolate Chip Pizookie Recipe with ice cream and hot fudge

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Microwave Chocolate Chip Pizookie {For Two} | heatherlikesfood.com
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4.44 from 32 votes

Microwave Chocolate Chip Pizookie {For Two}

Today I'm sharing my shortcut microwave pizookie recipe for when you're having a mad pizookie craving, but don't want to turn the oven on! Come on, I know I'm not the only one. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Chicken Cacciatore, microwave dessert, quick
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 480kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter softened
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  • In a small bowl mix together butter and brown sugar, add egg yolk and vanilla and stir until well combined.
  • Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder, mixing until no dry spots remain. Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Divide the dough in half and press into 2 small dishes (saucers, ramekins, mugs, etc.).
  • Cook one at a time in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Microwaves vary so check after 30 seconds to see where you're at and cook in 10-second intervals from there. It goes pretty quickly.
  • Top with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Cranberry Fluff Salad

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 11 Comments

Cranberry Fluff Salad--Is it a salad, or is it a dessert? Whatever it is, this cranberry marshmallow salad will have you reaching for seconds time and time again! It's tart, creamy, and the perfect use of fresh cranberries!Cranberry Fluff Salad in glass cup with fresh cranberries at base of cup

Cranberry Fluff Salad

I don't know why I find such great joy in calling this cranberry fluff a salad, but I do. Its tart, loaded with marshmallows, bright pink, swirled with whipped cream and yet I can get away with the dirty little deed of calling it a salad. It's magic.

Its name doesn't fool me; I know what a rich, calorie-laden treat it really is. But somehow it makes going back for seconds just that much easier.Cranberry Marshmallow Salad in glass cup with fresh cranberries

How to Make Cranberry Fluff

One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is because of how easy it is to make! It's one of the things my girls always contribute to Thanksgiving dinner because they can make it themselves start to finish.

All that is required is a blender or food processor to blend the cranberries with the sugar. To whip the cream you'll need a hand or stand mixer, OR you can actually whip it right in the blender if you'd like. It won't be quite as fluffy, but once it's stirred into the salad, you don't notice.

Spoonful of cranberry fluff salad with marshmallows and fresh cranberries

Mix In Ideas for Cranberry Fluff Salad

This is great as just a cranberry and marshmallow salad, but you can definitely mix in some ingredients to make it your own. Here are some of my favorites:

  • Peeled and Diced apples
  • Chopped Pecans
  • Frozen Cranberries instead of fresh
  • Cream Cheese
  • Shredded Coconut
  • Mandarin Oranges
  • Sour Cream

Want More Easy Dessert Recipes?

Tools Used in Making this Cranberry Fluff Salad

  • Get It Right Silicone Spatulas: I have waaaaay too many of these spatulas floating around in my kitchen, but I just love them! They are heat-resistance and can be used for both baking and cooking, so they are basically my go-to kitchen tool. I love that they come in lots of vibrant colors and are easy to clean. Most of the spatulas I have are at least four years old and still look new!
  • Black and Decker Hand Mixer: I picked this little mixer up on clearance at Walmart, and it's treated me so well. 🙂 I love that it has a snap-on storage case that holds all the beaters and cord, making it fit nicely into my cupboard when not in use.
  • Ninja Professional Blender: We've owned this blender for just under five years, and it still runs as strong as it did day 1. I especially love the individual cups-- they are perfect for single serving smoothies or shakes!

Other Recipes For Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

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4.28 from 11 votes

Cranberry Fluff Salad

Cranberry Fluff--Is it a salad, or is it a dessert? Whatever it is, this cranberry marshmallow salad will have you reaching for seconds time and time again! It's tart, creamy, and the perfect use of fresh cranberries!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Chill Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dessert salad, fresh, thanksgiving side
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 440kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh cranberries
  • 20 ounces Crushed Pineapple drained
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 16 ounces miniature marshmallows
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  • Place cranberries in a blender with sugar. Puree until smooth and transfer into a large bowl.
  • Stir drained pineapple into the cranberries and fold in marshmallows.
  • Pour whipping cream into the blender bowl, cover and mix until the cream has thickened. You may have to stop and shake the blender a few times to get it moving once it starts to thicken.
  • Fold cream into the cranberry and pineapple mixture, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 755IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 9 Comments

Hawaiian Wedding Cake is sweet and tart and creamy-- everything you want from a cake! It's a sweet pineapple vanilla cake topped with crushed pineapple and dreamy cream cheese and whipped cream topping. 

Piece of Hawaiian Wedding Cake on plate

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Many, many moons ago when I was going to cooking school, I spent my last term interning as a cake decorator at a local bakery. And when I say interning, I mean I got 2 days of training and then was set free to be THE cake decorator for the entire shop. No pressure, right?

The first few weeks were a little bit sketchy, but for the most part, I was able to hold my own when orders came in. That is until we got an order for 26, 10” 6 layer dessert cakes that were all different flavors due the next day.

Dessert cakes are super easy to decorate but the most time-consuming part was making all of the mousses, fillings and whipped creams they needed. I usually kept a good supply of baked cakes in the freezer to pull out and decorate as needed, but this time my stash was completely depleted and I needed to bake the cakes too.

Oy.

If you’ve ever decorated a cake, you know that you typically end up with a nice little pile of cake scraps from leveling it off.

Having made so many cakes my pile wasn’t so little anymore and quickly grew into a mountain of fierce temptation. I hadn’t stopped for lunch and dinner time had passed and my mountain was magically disappearing. It turned out that little bits of chocolate cake topped with dabs of fresh raspberry mousse tasted pretty darn good and I was stressed out.

So, I ate it.

I ate lots of it.

Hawaiian Wedding cake in pan with pieces cut out

It really is incredible how much you can eat when you’re just taking in little bits at a time. Incredible and disgusting. Oh, and delicious.

So what does this have to do with my Hawaiian wedding cake recipe?

Here’s the deal- Once you make this it’s going to be sitting in your fridge and every so often you are going to grab a fork and take a little bite straight out of the pan. All will be fine and well until you go to thrust that fork into some creamy cake and there’s none left.

You ate it.

You ate it all. Basically the moral of the story is to not be like me. Can you handle that?

How to Make Hawaiian Cake

Now, onto the cake! I honestly don’t know the real reason why this is called Hawaiian Wedding Cake. I’m just going to go out on a limb and say that it’s because it’s eaten at Hawaiian weddings but don’t quote me on that. What I do know is that it’s a great summer dessert because it’s cold, creamy, and fruity.

You’ll start by draining 2, 20 oz cans of crushed pineapple. Make sure to save the juice as we’ll be using it in the cake batter.

Crushed Pineapple Draining for use in Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Prepare a yellow cake mix as directed on the box, substituting the water with the drained pineapple juice.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake Batter Being Mixed

Bake in a 9x13” pan and let cool completely- Make sure it’s not warm at all or it can become soggy. With a wooden skewer, poke holes all through the cake.

Hawaiian Wedding cake after being baked

Spread the drained pineapple evenly over the top of the cake.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake topped with crushed pineapple

Using an electric mixer, beat 2 cups of whipping cream with some sugar until medium-stiff peaks form and transfer into a large bowl.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake Whipped Cream and Cream Cheese Topping

Use the mixer again to beat some very soft cream cheese and then slowly add milk to the bowl a little at a time. Beat until smooth before each addition and scrape the sides of the bowl frequently. Adding slowly and scraping the bowl will assure that you don’t end up with a chunky cream cheese mess. Once all of the milk is incorporated, pour in one small packet of vanilla pudding mix and beat for 2 minutes. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream and spread evenly over the top of the pineapple on the cake.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake Cream Cheese and Whipped Cream Frosting

It will likely come all the way to the top and maybe even over the side of the pan but just pile it on there the best that you can. The thick layer of pudding is an awesome compliment to the cake and pineapple below.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake in 9x13" pan

Sprinkle some toasted coconut over the top and you’re all set to go!

Want More Easy Dessert Recipes?

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Hawaiian Wedding Cake | heatherlikesfood.com
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4.55 from 37 votes

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Hawaiian Wedding Cake is sweet and tart and creamy-- everything you want from a cake! It's a sweet pineapple vanilla cake topped with crushed pineapple and a dreamy cream cheese and whipped cream topping. 
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time30 minutes
Chill Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake mix brownies, canned pineapple, whipped cream
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 6025kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 18.25 ounce package yellow cake mix
  • 40 ounces crushed pineapple drained with juice reserved-- 2, 20 ounce cans
  • 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2 cups cold milk 2% fat or higher
  • 8 ounce package cream cheese
  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup flaked coconut toasted

Instructions

  • Drain pineapple, and reserve the juice. Set aside.
  • Prepare the cake according to the packaged directions, using pineapple juice instead of water. Bake in a 9x13” pan. Let cool completely.
  • Once cool, use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the entire cake.
  • Spread the drained pineapple over the top of the cake and set aside.
  • In an electric mixer, beat whipping cream and sugar until medium-stiff peaks form and transfer into a large bowl.
  • In an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Slowly add the milk a little at a time, beating until smooth between each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently.
  • When all the milk has been added, mix in the pudding mix and beat for 2 minutes. Gently fold the pudding mixture into the whipped cream, mixing until combined.
  • Spread mixture evenly over the top of the pineapple. Top the cake with toasted coconut, chill, and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 6025kcal | Carbohydrates: 706g | Protein: 66g | Fat: 339g | Saturated Fat: 219g | Cholesterol: 950mg | Sodium: 5534mg | Potassium: 2721mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 455g | Vitamin A: 11115IU | Vitamin C: 57.4mg | Calcium: 2288mg | Iron: 16mg

The Devil’s Brownies

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 3 Comments

These cake mix brownies are just about everything you could want in a rich, fudgy brownie. Layered with a sweet caramel sauce, they scream indulgence and once you try them, you'll know why I called them the Devil's Brownies. Keep reading and I'll show you how to make the best brownies from cake mix-- who knew? 
Cake Mix Brownies with Caramel Center on a white table

Cake Mix Brownies

I don't know about you, but a big, rich, gooey brownie just hits the spot on some days. Like on days when it's pouring rain and dark and gloomy, or when the kids don't have school, or you have a cold, or Tuesdays.

I hate Tuesday.

I'm not even a huge chocolate fan and these cake mix brownies have me completely convinced that I need to reevaluate my dessert standards-- they're devilish, I tell you.

How To Make Brownies From Cake Mix

You'll start by making the caramel layer by combining a bag of pre-made caramels with a bit of whipping cream and vanilla extract. You can definitely use the wrapped caramels, but if you can find them please use the caramel bits so you don't have to unwrap all 45,000 individual caramels.

Bag of Caramel Bits used in Cake Mix Brownies

Place on the stove-top over medium heat and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.

Caramel Sauce used in Cake Mix Brownies

Brownies From a Cake Mix (Devil's Food)

Pour a dry devil's food cake mix (appropriate, no?), a little whipping cream, and a melted stick of butter into a bowl and stir until well combined- the mixture will be thick.

Cake mix in bowl with eggs and butter

In a greased 8x8" pan press about ⅔ of the cake mix brownie batter into an even layer on the bottom and place into the oven to bake for about 6 minutes to set. You'll probably want to lick the spatula.

Girl Licking Cake Mix Brownie Batter Spatula

Remove from oven, top with a handful (or 2, 3!) of chocolate chips…

Chocolate Chips being put on Cake Mix Brownies

…pour the caramel over the top…

Caramel Sauce being poured over brownies from cake mix devil's food

…and crumble the remaining cake mix brownie batter over the caramel.

Pan of unbaked brownies from cake mix devils food

Return to the oven and lick remaining spatulas.

Girl Licking Spatula with caramel on it

Now put on your poodle costume and help sister do some of that licking.Girls eating cake mix brownie batter

Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Whoa! What?!

Now, not so fast, impatient one! Bad things happen to those who can't wait to cut these cake mix brownies.

Well really, the worst that can happen is that you'll end up with a molten mess of chocolate and caramel and in the big scheme of things, that's not so bad.

But if you want a finished product that actually resembles brownies you'll have to be patient and wait for them to cool completely. It will be hard, but you can do it! The gooey, melty caramel effect can be achieved by placing a single brownie in the microwave for a few seconds before eating (that's what I did for the final picture above).

Want More Brownie Recipes?

📖 Recipe

Cake Mix Brownies with Caramel Layer
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4.56 from 9 votes

The Devil’s Brownies

These cake mix brownies are just about everything you could want in a rich, fudgy brownie. Layered with a sweet caramel sauce, they scream indulgence and once you try them, you'll know why I called them the Devil's Brownies. Keep reading and I'll show you how to make the best brownies from cake mix-- who knew? 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake mix brownies, caramel, dark chocolate
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 419kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 18.5 ounce box Devil's Food Cake Mix
  • ½ Cup butter melted
  • ⅔ Cup whipping cream divided
  • ¼ Cup chocolate chips
  • 11 ounce bag caramel bits
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Combine caramel bits, ⅓ C whipping cream, and vanilla in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Set aside.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine dry cake mix with the remaining cream and melted butter. Press ⅔ for the brownie batter into the bottom of a greased 8x8" pan and bake for 6 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and top with chocolate chips followed by the caramel. Crumble remaining brownie batter over the caramel and return to the oven for 15-18 minutes.
  • Cool completely before cutting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 499mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 2.1mg

 

Easy Cheesy Meatless Lasagna

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

This Easy Cheesy Meatless Lasagna uses no-boil noodles (my favorite!) to make this as simple a recipe as possible!

Pan of cheese lasagna with a slice cut out

Hello, Lasagna-loving friends! Today I'm sharing with you my short-cut easy cheesy meatless lasagna. Typically when it comes to lasagna, I'm all about slow-cooked homemade meat sauces, bechamels, and lots of fresh mozzarellas. But, you might not guess that from the looks of this recipe. 🙂

Life is all about moderation, right? And sometimes, you just need a quick and dirty lasagna recipe in your arsenal for when you don't want to reach for the Stouffers but are craving lasagna.

This Cheesy Meatless Lasagna uses one of my favorite lasagna short-cuts-- no-boil noodles! I'll link to my favorite brand in the recipe, and I love that they are cut into super thin sheets and are reminiscent of homemade pasta.

Confession: Even when I do make my alllllll-day lasagna I still use these no-boil noodles. I love them!

A piece of meatless lasagna being pulled out of a the pan

Can I add meat to this cheesy meatless lasagna?

Yes, of course! Just layer it in between the cheese and sauce, and you'll be good to go.

What else can I add to this cheesy meatless lasagna?

Good Question! Here are some ideas:

  • Sauteed Mushrooms cooked in butter with a little garlic
  • Caramelized Onions
  • Thinly sliced zucchini or yellow squash-- just make sure to sprinkle a little salt over each layer.
  • Ground beef, turkey, Italian sausage, or chicken.
  • Fresh Mozzarella Slices or Provolone Cheese instead of grated mozzarella
Overhead view of a pan of meatless lasagna

Tips for Cooking your Cheesy Meatless Lasagna:

  • If you like your ricotta cheese layer to be a little firmer, add an egg to the cheese mixture when mixing.
  • You can freeze this recipe before baking, so you always have a lasagna ready to go in your freezer if you need it! Just take out of the freezer and allow to thaw for 24 hours in the fridge before baking.
  • Use your favorite pasta sauces! You can even substitute a jar of alfredo sauce for one of the jars of tomato sauce if you'd like. Just skip the step of mixing the two sauces and alternately layer them in the pan. Adding alfredo sauce makes for a super creamy, extra-cheesy lasagna.

Want More Easy Pasta Recipes?

Tools I used for this Cheesy Meatless Lasagna:

  • Anolon Vesta Rectangular Baking Dish: This line of stoneware from Anolon is one of my favorite things in my kitchen. They come in gorgeous colors, bake evenly, aren't ridiculously heavy like enameled cast iron and last. Love mine-- especially for lasagna!
  • Spring Chef Box Grater: Grating cheese is usually a task I pass off to my kids because I hate it, but this grater makes it as enjoyable as it can be. 🙂 I love the four sides and that they include a slicing blade.
  • Get It Right Silicone Spatulas: I have waaaaay too many of these spatulas floating around in my kitchen but I just love them! They are heat-resistance and can be used for both baking and cooking so they are basically my go-to kitchen tool. I love that they come in lots of vibrant colors and are easy to clean. Most of the spatulas I have are at least 4 years old and still look new!

📖 Recipe

Easy Cheesy No Meat Lasagna Recipe
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4.34 from 60 votes

Easy Cheesy Meatless Lasagna

This easy cheesy meatless lasagna uses no-boil noodles (my favorite!) to make this as simple a recipe as possible!


Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: easy, jarred pasta sauce, no boil noodles
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 530kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 24 ounce jar Marinara Sauce
  • 24 ounce jar Spaghetti Sauce I used 4 cheese flavor
  • 1 box Barilla Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
  • 32 ounces ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 24 ounces mozzarella cheese grated and divided
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley optional

Instructions

  • Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
  • Combine both pasta sauces in a medium-sized bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, combine ricotta cheese with the parmesan and 8 ounces of the mozzarella cheese. Use a spatula to divide the cheese mixture into four parts in the bowl by marking the top.
  • Spread ½-3/4 cup of the pasta sauce over the bottom of a 9x13" pan.
  • Lay three lasagna noodles on top of the sauce and spread ¼ of the cheese mixture over the noodles followed by another cup of sauce.
  • Continue this same process with three more layers and top with the remaining noodles. Spread sauce over the top noodles followed by the remaining mozzarella cheese and dried parsley.
  • Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake and additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown and the lasagna is bubbly.
  • Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

 Recipe adapted from Southern Kissed

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1621mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1865IU | Vitamin C: 12.2mg | Calcium: 763mg | Iron: 2.7mg

Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Cup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 2 Comments

Just like the original (coffee cake in a cup), this Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a cup is the perfect remedy for your sugar craving! If you’ve tried other coffee mug cakes and weren’t sold, you have to try this pumpkin version! It takes about a minute to bake in the microwave and about that much time to mix it together. It’s fluffy, light, and has an irresistible streusel topping!

Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Mug

Well, howdy! I don't know about you but I've been in a turkey/roll/butter/pie-for-breakfast coma for the past 2 days. I figured it was about time to check-in and make sure that you had a great Thanksgiving. And, what a better way to check in than to share with you a recipe for cake in a cup a day after you've likely vowed to watch what you eat from now until Christmas. You're welcome.

My concern for your well-being just exudes from me, doesn't it?  I love you, really I do.

See that streusel? It's calling for you.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Mug

Sharing streusel this good and easy only occurs when you really love someone.

My original coffee cake in a cup is one of the most viewed recipes on HLF. For this pumpkin version of a coffee mug cake, all you'll do is swap the applesauce for some pumpkin puree, throw in a pinch of ground cloves, and voila! You've got yourself a warm, autumn-spiced coffee cake in a cup for one that is ready to eat in just a few minutes. If you're more in the mood for something chocolately, check out this hot fudge cake in a cup recipe. Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Mug

Dangerous? Yes. Totally worth it? Absolutely. Get those coffee mugs ready!

📖 Recipe

Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Mug
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4.67 from 15 votes

{2 minute} Pumpkin Coffee Cake in a Cup

Just like my regular coffee cake in a mug, this pumpkin version is unlike anything you've ever made in the microwave before!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time6 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: microwave dessert, not rubbery, quick dessert
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 520kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon pumpkin puree
  • vanilla extract few drops
  • ¼ C All Purpose flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a mug soften 1 tablespoon of butter in microwave, about 5 seconds. You don’t want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 tablespoon of sugar and mix until well incorporated. Stir in pumpkin, vanilla (just a tiny bit, we’re talking drops), flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt and cloves; stirring until just combined. Use the back of your spoon to smooth it out in the bottom of the mug.
  • Want struesel? Of course you do! In a separate, small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoon of flour, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Use your fingers to to pinch the butter and mix it in with the other ingredients. When it starts to look like lumpy sand (appetizing, eh?) and all ingredients are combined, pour on top of cake batter in mug.
  • Cook in the microwave for 50-80 seconds depending on your microwave. At 1 minute, my microwave cooks it perfectly. It will look just barely set on top. You don’t want to overcook it and things tend to get ugly fast in the microwave. I suggest cooking it 50 seconds, and then in 10 second intervals checking after each interval until done. Eat white it’s still warm. Once it cools off, it tends to loose some of it’s magic!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 5370IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

One Pan Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , Leave a Comment

This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! It's a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving! This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! What a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving!

Welcome to your new favorite dinner idea. 🙂 These garlic herb chicken thighs are seriously delicious using minimal ingredients and time. As a bonus, it's a great way to use any leftover fresh herbs from Thanksgiving! I feel like I always have fresh herbs after Thanksgiving that didn't make their way into the turkey or stuffing. And I'm always DETERMINED to use them because they are expensive, yo.

I love this recipe because the chicken packs a serious punch of flavor without much effort. You don't have to think ahead and put the chicken a marinade or make a complicated spice rub to get amazing flavor here! The herbs and garlic do all the work.

This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! What a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving!

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I don't have fresh, can I use dried herbs for this Garlic Herb Chicken?

Absolutely! As a general rule, you use ⅓ the measured amount when substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs because dried herbs are generally more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, you need only 1 teaspoon of dried, since 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon.

What KINDS of herbs should I use for Garlic Herb Chicken?

I love the combination of Rosemary and Thyme with garlic so that's what I typically use. That said, use what you have! Most herbs go well together, so experiment and see what combinations YOU like. You never know until you try!

Here are some other herb combinations I like:

  • Basil + Dill + Chives
  • Parsley + Bay + Thyme
  • Sage + Rosemary + Thyme
  • Basil + Marjoram + Oregano + Thyme

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This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! What a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving!

I only have boneless skinless chicken breast, can I use those to make this Garlic Herb Chicken?

Yes! While I'm a big fan of using bone-in chicken thighs for this because they stay so moist and have a richer flavor, you can absolutely substitute chicken breasts into this recipe. The only adjustment you'll need to make is the final cooking time once you've covered the pan as white meat cooks quicker than dark meat. I would check breasts at the 10-minute mark and go from there.

Pin This Recipe For Later

This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! What a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving!

Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like

Tools Used for this Garlic Herb Chicken:

  • Lodge 10" Cast Iron Skillet: Cast Iron Skillets are your BEST friend and are totally underrated. Cast iron retains heat really well and allows you to get that irresistable sear on steaks and other meats you can usually only get at a restaurant. Pair this with the fact that they are CHEAP it's a no-brainer.
  • OXO Stainless Steel Tongs: These tongs take a beating in my kitchen. They go from the grill for flipping meats to the salad bowl for tossing with very little complaint. They are built like a tank and have silicone grips that make them super easy to use, even with my very small hands.

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📖 Recipe

This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! What a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving!
Print Recipe
4.60 from 10 votes

One Pan Garlic Herb Chicken Thighs

This garlic herb chicken is made in ONE PAN and is a super simple dinner that is flavorful and moist! What a great way to use up your leftover herbs from Thanksgiving!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken thigh recipe, one pan, skillet
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 375kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs skin removed
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 cloves garlic cut into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 ½ teaspoon fresh herbs chopped. or ½ teaspoon dried herbs. I used 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary and ½ teaspoon fresh thyme.
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper
  • In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides until golden. Remove chicken from pan. 
  • Add the garlic cloves and wine (or broth) and simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan until most of the liquid is almost evaporated. 
  • Stir in chicken broth and herbs; return chicken to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover pan. Cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees. 
  • Spoon the juices over the chicken, sprinkle with chives and serve. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 380mg | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 6.4mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1.4mg

 

 

 

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 25 Comments

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken-- so flavorful you'll forget how easy it is to make! Filled with flavors of ginger, garlic, and just a touch of red pepper, it's a meal you'll want over and over again!

Hawaiian shoyu chicken over white rice

There is a little hole-in-the-wall cafe where we used to live in Corvallis, Oregon that serves the best Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken you can get short of flying to Hawaii. The ribs are probably their claim to fame, but I'm a sucker for their shoyu chicken and macaroni salad. It's been a while in the making, but I think the recipe I've come up with makes for a pretty stinkin' good substitute when I have a hankering for a big plate of sweet meat, rice, and mac-- which happens at least twice a week.

shoyu chicken on white rice and pineapple

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Hawaiian Shoyu chicken is one of the simplest things to make. Seriously. Yet somehow the few, simple ingredients turn into deep flavors, tender meat and an all-around unforgettable meal. Shoyu is just another name for soy sauce, so as you might guess, we're using a lot of soy sauce here. Other ingredients include Worcestershire sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, water, and a little red pepper.

What kind of chicken should I use for Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken?

You'll need about 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I know I'll have someone ask if they can use breasts, and the answer it yes, yes you CAN. But try it once with chicken thighs just for me, please? The thighs have so much flavor and really make this shoyu chicken what it's supposed to be.

Tips for Making Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken:

  • This recipe can be made on the stove-top or in a slow cooker. Directions for both will be in the recipe below.
  • My favorite way of eating it is with lots of steamed rice, macaroni salad, fresh-cut pineapple, and a little concoction our local cafe serves with all of its meats called "Da Sauce". It's basically more soy sauce and sugar and the recipe is included in the recipe card below.

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Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken on a blue plate with rice

Want More Easy Chicken Recipes?

Tools used for Making Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken:

  • Instant Pot : I use my Instant Pot as my slow cooker these days. This is the model that I have and LOVE. It’s been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • Ninja 3-in-One Cooking System: When my Instant Pot is already in use (It makes the BEST rice) I still use my favorite slow-cooker. I've owned this slow cooker for about 6 years (when they were first introduced) and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (less dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.

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📖 Recipe

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken-- so flavorful you'll forget how easy it is to make! Filled with flavors of ginger, garlic and just a touch of red pepper.
Print Recipe
4.65 from 434 votes

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken-- so flavorful you'll forget how easy it is to make! Filled with flavors of ginger, garlic and just a touch of red pepper.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Keyword: chicken thigh recipe, crock pot, Slow Cooker
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 510kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 ½ cups soy sauce
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 inch piece fresh ginger chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

For Da Sauce

  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  • Place chicken in a large pot on the stove top.
  • Combine remaining ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chicken and stir until all chicken is immersed in sauce.
  • Bring to a low boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for about 1 hour at a low simmer until the chicken is tender.

To Make in a Slow Cooker:

  • Cook on LOW for up to 8 hours or HIGH for 4.
  • Remove chicken from cooking liquid, shred and return to pan to soak up some more flavor. Serve over steamed rice with the sauce below.
  • To make "Da Sauce": Combine and stir all ingredients until the sugar is dissolved and serve with the chicken and rice.

To Make in an Instant Pot

  • Combine the soy sauce, water, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, ginger and garlic in the Instant Pot. Place the chicken in the sauce and spoon some sauce over the top of the chicken.
  • Lock Instant Pot lid in place, making sure the venting valve is sealed.
  • Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
  • While chicken is cooking, combine the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. 
  • When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick pressure release and when the pin drops remove the lid.
  • Serve the chicken and sauce over the top of steamed white rice alongside some macaroni salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 4029mg | Potassium: 742mg | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 3.7mg

Coffee Cake in a Cup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 32 Comments

This Coffee Cake In A Cup Recipe is the perfect remedy for a sugar craving! If you've tried other coffee mug cakes and weren't sold, you have to try this one! It takes about a minute to bake in the microwave and about that much time to mix it together. It's fluffy, light, and has an irresistible streusel topping!

A spoonful of Coffee Cake made in a mug with struesel topping

Coffee Mug Cake

I usually try to stay FAR, FAR away from the microwave when it comes to anything besides reheating food. In fact, Baking in the microwave pretty much goes against everything I believe in. Until now.

I'm guessing you've probably tried a coffee mug cake by now and have been underwhelmed by it, am I right? I know I have! I think we all want to believe that we can spend a few minutes mixing something up, throw it in the microwave and have a decadent creation presented to us by the microwave gods 1 minute later. Because, well, that would be cool.

Well, I'm here with some good news! I have a coffee cake in a cup recipe that doesn't suck! 🙂 And when I say it doesn't suck, I mean it's reeeeeaaaalllly dang good. Like, the microwave gods are really pleased with themselves and how this coffee mug cake turned out.

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Red mug and spoon with microwave coffee cake in it.

If you've been following the blog for a while, you know that I posted this coffee cake in a cup recipe a long time ago-- 5 ½ years ago to be exact! And, I figured it was time to take some updated pictures (aka- give myself an excuse to make some cake).

Does Coffee Cake In a Cup Have Coffee In It?

If you read through the comments at the end of the post you'll see a pretty common thread-- "Why doesn't this have coffee in it?!?" Well, here's the answer: Traditional coffee cake DOESN'T actually have coffee IN it. Instead, it's a cake that is commonly served WITH coffee.

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Up close of coffee cake in a mug and a spoon inside.

Tips for Making Coffee Cake In A Cup:

  • Make sure your mug is big enough to allow the cake to rise about 1 inch. Nobody likes cleaning out the microwave. 🙂
  • Microwave ovens all vary so your cooking time will vary, too! My microwave cook this cake in a cup perfectly at the 6o second mark. I suggest starting at 50 seconds and going up in 10-second intervals until the center is set. You can check this by inserting a toothpick into the middle and if it comes out with only a few moist crumbs, it's done!
  • The BEST way to eat this cake in a cup is straight out of the microwave when it's nice and hot! Of course, you can let it cool as to not burn your face off, but once it's cooled completely it loses some of its magic.

Want More Coffee Mug Cake Recipes?

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📖 Recipe

Coffee Cake In A Mug-- the perfect remedy for a sugar craving when you don't want to spend a lot of time or heat up the oven. #coffee #cake #microwave #mug
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4.70 from 107 votes

{2 minute} Coffee Cake in a Cup

Coffee Cake In A Cup-- the perfect remedy for a sugar craving when you don't want to spend a lot of time or heat up the oven. 
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time1 minute
Total Time4 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: microwave dessert, mug cake
Servings: 1 serving
Calories: 521kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons applesauce
  • vanilla extract few drops
  • ¼ cup All Purpose flour
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a mug soften 1 tablespoon of butter in microwave, about 5 seconds. You don’t want it melted, just soft. Stir in 2 tablespoon of sugar and mix until well incorporated. Stir in applesauce, vanilla (just a tiny bit, we’re talking drops), flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt; stirring until just combined. Use the back of your spoon to smooth it out in the bottom of the mug.
  • Want struesel? Of course you do! In a separate, small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoon of flour, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Use your fingers to to pinch the butter and mix it in with the other ingredients. When it starts to look like lumpy sand (appetizing, eh?) and all ingredients are combined, pour on top of cake batter in mug.
  • Cook in the microwave for 50-80 seconds depending on your microwave. At 1 minute, my microwave cooks it perfectly. It will look just barely set on top. You don’t want to overcook it and things tend to get ugly fast in the microwave. I suggest cooking it 50 seconds, and then in 10 second intervals checking after each interval until done. Eat white it’s still warm. Once it cools off, it tends to loose some of it’s magic!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 2.1mg

Somen Noodle Salad with Grilled Chicken

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Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.

Somen Noodle Salad is a simple pasta salad dressed up with marinated grilled chicken and crunchy veggies. It's light and fresh and is one pasta salad that all my kids actually like (woot!). They happily slurp the noodles and pick all the bell peppers out of the big bowl and onto their plates. My pickiest eater may be picky but she sure loves her bell peppers! 🙂

Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.

*This is a sponsored post for HemisFares™ brand that is available exclusively at the Kroger family of stores.  All opinions are honest and 100% my own.*

Over the last few months, I've made a couple of recipes using the Hemis Fares line of foods from Kroger. My last two posts (Five Cheese Stuffed Lumaconi & Bacon Wrapped Pesto Chicken) were focused on their Italian selections and now I'm venturing into their Japanese offerings by using Hemis Fares Soy Sauce and Somen Noodles for this Somen Noodle Salad.

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Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.

If you're not familiar with Hemis Fares and haven't read my previous posts, it's a high-end imported food line owned by Kroger carried in the Kroger family stores. I've loved exploring ingredients from Italy, Japan, Spain and Jamaica as I've learned about and grown to love their products.

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Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.

Tips for Somen Noodle Salad:

  • Marinade chicken for at least 30 minutes before grilling for best flavor. Chicken can be marinated in this dressing for up to 3 hours prior to cooking but any longer and it might affect the texture of the chicken due to the amount of lime juice in the dressing.
  • Don't have a grill? No problem! You can broil the chicken on high, 4 inches from the heat for 5-7 minutes per side until a thermometer reads 165 degrees.
  • Sesame oil-- there are two kinds available at most stores in the Asian foods aisle. Light colored sesame oil is great for stir-frys while the darker toasted sesame oil adds a nuttier flavor and is better suited for this salad. Both will work but you'll get more flavor from the toasted sesame oil. To use up your bottle you can use it in marinades, salad dressings and even drizzle it over cooked meats for a little extra flavor.
  • Somen Noodles are a thin Japanese noodle made with wheat flour. They are typically served cold which makes them perfect for salads! You can find these in most stores in the Asian foods aisle. If you can't find somen, angel hair pasta is a good alternative.
  • Somen noodles can get mushy when dressed for too long, so pour the dressing over the salad just before serving for best results.

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Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.

Want More Easy Salad Recipes?

Tools Used For Somen Noodle Salad:

  • Lodge Reversible Cast Iron Grill Pan: When we moved a few months ago we didn't bring our grill with us so I had to find an alternative until we get a new one. This pan heats up evenly and gives me the grilled taste I love. Admittedly it makes my house a little smoky, but it's worth it.
  • OXO Stainless Steel Tongs: These tongs take a beating in my kitchen. They go from the grill for flipping meats to the salad bowl for tossing with very little complaint. They are built like a tank and have silicone grips that make them super easy to use, even with my very small hands.

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Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.
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4.91 from 20 votes

Somen Noodle Salad with Grilled Chicken

Somen Noodle Salad with grilled chicken is a light and crisp meal that is perfect for potlucks or a casual one-bowl weeknight dinner.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Grilled Chicken Recipe, pasta salad
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 427kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • ¾ cups FRESH lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons Hemis Fares Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 9 oz Hemis Fares Somen Noodles 1 package
  • 1 whole large yellow bell pepper chopped
  • 1 whole large red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 whole medium cucumber peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley minced
  • 2 whole green onions sliced

Instructions

  • Combine lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, gingerroot, garlic, sugar and red pepper flakes in a bowl and whisk to combine. 
  • Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour ¼ cup of the dressing over the chicken, close bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3o minutes before cooking, up to 3 hours. Reserve remaining dressing. 
  • Drain chicken, discard marinade, season with salt and pepper and grill chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side over medium heat, until a thermometer reads 165 degrees. 
  • Meanwhile, cook somen noodles according to package directions, drain and rinse in cold water. 
  • Combine bell peppers, cucumber, parsley and onions in a large bowl. Cut chicken into strips and add pasta and chicken to the vegetable mixture. Toss salad with the dressing just before serving. 
  •  

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 806mg | Potassium: 594mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 14.7mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Pumpkin Turnovers

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 1 Comment

Pumpkin Turnovers have all the flavor or traditional Pumpkin Pie but come wrapped in flaky puff pastry crust-- a perfectly portable treat for Thanksgiving!Pumpkin Turnovers, a perfectly portable Thanksgiving Treat
Oh, these Pumpkin Turnovers! I kind of feel like I'm betraying the Thanksgiving gods by not posting a recipe for pie before Thanksgiving. I love pie, like a lot. Like enough to move across the country to Michigan just so I can be close to my favorite pie ever. But, when it comes to Thanksgiving it rarely makes it into my dessert list and when it does I usually make a cream pie that doesn't involve the oven. I know it's basically Thanksgiving blasphemy but that's just how the cookie crumbles in my little world.

These pumpkin turnovers are simple and quick enough for even the most novice of bakers and leave you with a super impressive pastry that makes you look like you've studied pastry-making in France. Just make sure you bury the evidence deep in the trash can before your company arrives. Things could get awkward when they find the puff pastry box after you've talked all about the "extensive french pastry training" you did.

Pumpkin Turnovers-- a perfectly portable Thanksgiving Treat

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Tips For Working With Puff Pastry when Making Pumpkin Turnovers:

  • Puff Pastry Dough is prepared by taking a slab of butter, wrapping it in a prepared dough, and then through a series of folding, chilling and rolling sessions it's laminated into a dough with many, many thin layers. When baked, the fat between the layers melts, creating a gap, and those gaps are leavened by the water in the dough turning to steam. This is why it's so flakey!
  • With Much Flakiness Comes Great Responsibility!  Since puff pastry is made of so many layers it's relatively fragile. Store-bought dough is generally much less fragile because it's made with other fats that don't melt as quickly as butter, but it's still good to know a few tips when handling it.
  • Don't "Thaw" it in the Microwave. You might think you're speeding things along by throwing it in the microwave but don't do it! It's best to thaw it in the fridge but if you have to, the countertop will work too.
  • Handle it as little as possible. Your hands are warm, the more you handle the pastry the more your heating up those layers which may result in it not "puffing up" as well as you'd like.
  • How you cut it counts. Use a sharp knife to cut as cleanly through the layers as you can. If you don't want your pastry to puff up, pierce it all over with the tines of a fork. Or, crimp the edges to prevent the layers from flaking all of the way to the edges.

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Pumpkin Turnovers-- a perfectly portable Thanksgiving Treat!

Other Recipes For Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Tools Used For Making Pumpkin Turnovers:

  • Silpat Baking Mats-- I use these silicone baking mats to line my baking sheet anytime I bake. Practically nothing sticks to them and I feel like my baked goods bake more evenly on them as well.

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Pumpkin Turnovers-- a perfectly portable Thanksgiving Treat
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4.91 from 20 votes

Pumpkin Turnovers

Pumpkin Turnovers have all the flavor or traditional Pumpkin Pie but come wrapped in flaky puff pastry crust-- a perfectly portable treat for Thanksgiving!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy, homemade pumpkin filling, puff pastry
Servings: 8 turnovers
Calories: 277kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 package puff pastry-- 2 sheets

Filling

  • 1 Cup pumpkin puree NOT Pumpkin Pie Filling
  • ¼ Cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoons water

Icing

  • 1 tablespoon butter softened
  • 1 ounce cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ Cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Unwrap and place frozen pastry sheets on the counter to thaw.
  • Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth, set aside.
  • Unfold thawed pastry dough and cut into fourths. Transfer squares to a lined baking sheet.
  • Beat egg and water together to make an egg wash and brush the outside edges of each pastry square with egg.
  • Place 2-3 tablespoon of filling in the middle of each square and carefully fold over.
  • Using the tines of a fork, crimp the edges closed. Brush the remaining egg wash over the tops of each pastry pocket.
  • Bake at 400 degree for about 20 minutes. The tops should be golden and the pastry well puffed.
  • Remove from oven and cool completely.
  • Combine all of the ingredients for the icing and stir until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled turnovers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1turnover | Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 4915IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 13 Comments

Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade is a quick and easy marinade that is full of flavor and makes grilling, sautéing, or baking delicious chicken a snap.

grilled chicken on a cutting board

This garlic ranch quick chicken marinade is one of my go-to recipes. This recipe gets used all the time when I need some super flavorful chicken. It's most often used to make grilled chicken to eat throughout the week on salads for my lunch. I find that if I have a container of grilled and sliced chicken breast ready to eat in the fridge, I'm more likely to throw a salad together when I'm hungry than eating the kid's left-over peanut butter sandwiches.

I also like this chicken marinade recipe because while it is ranch-flavored, it's a subtle ranch flavor and works well when added to basically anything. Like tonight, I'm using the chicken on top of fettuccine alfredo and I've used it inside of casseroles and wrapped it up in burritos, too! It's super versatile!

Grilled ranch chicken being sliced on a cutting board

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Recipe tips for this quick chicken marinade

  • My favorite ranch dressing mix to use for this chicken marinade is the Original Hidden Valley Ranch. I once tried Hidden Valley's Buttermilk Ranch mix and didn't like the results. I've also tried store brand ranch dressing mixes and felt the flavor just wasn't the same.
  • Grilled-- This is my absolute favorite way to eat chicken, so it makes sense that this is how I typically cook my chicken after marinading it.
  • Baked-- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take the chicken out of the garlic ranch chicken marinade and place on a lined baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees.
  • Seared and Baked-- This is my second favorite way to make/eat chicken-- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a heavy-bottomed, oven-proof skillet (I love cast iron) over high heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides and transfer skillet to the hot oven. Cook about 10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees.

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Close up of garlic ranch grilled chicken

Tools Used For Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade:

  • Lodge Reversible Cast Iron Griddle-- When we moved a few months ago we didn't bring our grill with us so I had to find an alternative until we get a new one. This pan heats up evenly and gives me the grilled taste I love. I'll admit that it makes my house a little smoky, but it's worth it.
  • OXO Stainless Steel Tongs-- These tongs take a beating in my kitchen. They go from the grill for flipping meats to the salad bowl for tossing with very little complaint. They are built like a tank and have silicone grips that make them super easy to use, even with my very small hands.
  • Lodge 10" Cast Iron Skillet-- Cast Iron Skillets are your BEST friend and are totally underrated. Cast iron retains heat really well and allows you to get that irresistible sear on steaks and other meats you can usually only get at a restaurant. Pair this with the fact that they are CHEAP it's a no-brainer.

Other Chicken Recipes You Might Like

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Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade is a quick and easy marinade that is full of flavor and makes grilling, sautéing, or baking delicious chicken a snap.
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4.56 from 65 votes

Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade

Garlic Ranch Chicken Marinade is a quick and easy marinade that is full of flavor and makes grilling, sautéing, or baking delicious chicken a snap.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinade Time1 day
Total Time1 day 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: grilled, ranch dressing mix, versatile
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 280kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons or 1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and pour over 2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Let marinade in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours.
  • Cook as desired, seasoning lightly with salt before cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 2719mg | Potassium: 418mg | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Chili with Pineapple

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 52 Comments

My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick. My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick.

BBQ Chicken Chili- it's not exactly traditional chili but I'm here to tell you it's a people pleaser. I've taken this chili to multiple chili cook-offs over the years and it just about always wins in at least one of the categories. In fact, just this last weekend it took "Best Non-Traditional Chili" at our church's Halloween party.

I think the zinger in this BBQ Chicken Chili is the addition of pineapple. No one expects to bite down into a piece of juicy pineapple when eating chili, right? The combo of sweet, spicy, and smoky just works so well. Plus, everyone loves BBQ Chicken, so it is a crowd-pleaser all around.

My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick.

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Tips for Cooking BBQ Chicken Chili:

  • I make this version in my Instant Pot because it's so quick, but if you don't have one, no problem! You can easily make this in the slow cooker, too.  Just brown your chicken on the stovetop and add ingredients to your slow cooker as listed in the recipe. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours until the chicken shreds easily and continue to follow the directions as written.
  • Smoked Paprika vs. Regular Paprika-- using smoked paprika in this recipe really adds that extra smokiness that makes it pop, so I definitely recommend using it if you can.  Smoked Paprika can be found in most spice aisles at the grocery store. I use it often in recipes where I want just a little bit of smokiness without using liquid smoke or a real-live smoker.
  • The "Ranch Dressing Mix Step"-- as you read through the recipe you'll see that after the chicken is cooked I toss it in ranch dressing mix before adding back to the chili. This step may seem odd but it adds just the right amount of flavor and seasons the chicken well.

Other Ingredient Options for BBQ Chicken Chili:

  • This chili is also fabulous when you substitute a pork roast for the chicken and turns it into BBQ Pulled Pork Chili.
  • Any kind of bean can be used-- Kidney and great northern beans work well, I'm just partial to Pinto and Black.

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My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick.

Want More Easy Chili Recipes?

Tools Used For This BBQ Chicken Chili:

  • The Instant Pot-- This is the model that I have and LOVE. It’s been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!

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My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick.
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4.58 from 21 votes

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Chili with Pineapple

 My BBQ Chicken Chili is not only easy to make, it's won a few chili cook-offs, too! It's saucy, sweet, and has a little bit of a kick. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time11 minutes
Pressure Release Time15 minutes
Total Time36 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: award winning, Instant Pot, ranch dressing mix
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 402kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless chicken chicken breast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 whole medium onion diced
  • 1 whole green bell pepper diced
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 20 ounce can pineapple tidbits drained with juice reserved
  • 10 ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 14 ounce can pinto beans rinsed and drained
  • 14 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tablespoons corn meal
  • 3 tablespoons or 1 packet ranch dressing mix
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode and heat until the display reads "HOT". Add olive oil to the pot.
  • Season chicken with ½ teaspoon of salt and the full amount of pepper and brown in the pot until golden brown on both sides. 
  • Add onions and bell pepper to the chicken and stir. Continue by adding the chili powder, cumin, ginger, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir and allow to cook for 1 minute longer. 
  • ¾ cup of the reserved pineapple juice to the pot followed by the Ro-Tel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beans and BBQ sauce. Stir to combine and place the lid on the Instant Pot.
  • Set the Instant Pot on "Manual' mode and set the timer for 11 minutes. When cooking time is up, allow the pot to release pressure naturally or allow about 10 minutes before doing a manual pressure release.
  • Remove chicken from the chili and set aside on a plate.
  • Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode once again and bring to a simmer. Sprinkle cornmeal over the chili and stir to combine. Simmer, stirring frequently until slightly thickened. Turn off the Instant Pot. 
  • Shred the chicken breasts and sprinkle ranch dressing mix over the chicken, tossing to coat. Return chicken to the chili, followed by the pineapple and cilantro. Stir to combine and serve. 
  •  

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1373mg | Potassium: 1134mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 1340IU | Vitamin C: 18.2mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 4.5mg

Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 27 Comments

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.

Tortellini in a creamy soup base in a white bowl

Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is just what your busy weeknights need! You can get it started in the slow cooker in the morning, and then just a few minutes before serving, throw the tortellini and spinach into the slow cooker to cook for a few minutes and you're done! It's quick, easy, and totally delicious!

I think the ingredient that really makes this slow cooker tortellini soup special is the cream cheese. It adds just a little tang to the soup that cream or bechamel doesn't. And, I LOVE that this soup only takes a total of 7 ingredients but tastes complex and hearty.

Spoon with a creamy tortellini on it

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Tips for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup:

  • This soup can be made on the stovetop, too! I like to use the slow cooker because I feel like it gives the soup that simmered-all-day-taste. But, if you'd rather just make it up quick and speedy on the stovetop you can totally do that! Just brown the sausage in your soup pot, add the sauce, mushrooms, broth and cream cheese as listed in the recipe and bring to a simmer. Add the tortellini and spinach and cook until the tortellini float to the top.
  • Types of Sausage-- I love the flavor that pork sausage gives but I don't love all the fat. For this reason I like to use a 50/50 mix of pork and turkey Italian sausages. I buy a pound of each, split each in half and then store the remainder in the freezer until I need it again.
  • Types of Cream Cheese- Some readers have had problems with using low-fat and fat-free cream cheeses as they curdle and don't blend well into the soup. I've personally used Neuftachel cheese without any problem, but to be on the safe side I recommend using regular, full-fat cream cheese.
Close up of creamy tortellini soup

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Other Soup Recipes You Might Like

Tools Used for Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup:

  • Ninja 3 in 1 Cooking System (My Slow Cooker): I've owned this slow cooker for about 6 years (when they were first introduced) and I still love it. The stovetop feature allows me to sear and cook meats before allowing them to slow cook (less dishes) and there's a bake feature as well.
  • The Chop Stir Tool: This strange little tool makes short work of browning ground meat with its odd shape that allows it to crumble the meat quickly as it cooks.

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Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.
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4.65 from 39 votes

Creamy Slow-Cooker Tortellini Soup

 Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup is a comforting soup that takes just a few minutes prep time, 7 ingredients, and basically makes itself.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cream cheese broth, italian sausage soup, quick
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 671kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage I like ½ pork ½ turkey
  • 24 ounce jar favorite spaghetti or marinara sauce
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 16 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
  • 2 ounces fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

  • Brown and crumble sausage until cooked through on the stovetop. Place cooked sausage in the slow cooker.
  • Add sauce, chicken broth, cream cheese and mushrooms to the slow cooker. Don't worry about stirring in the cream cheese, just put the whole brick in. 
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH or 2-3 hours.
  • 20 minutes before serving, turn heat to high if it isn't already and stir in frozen tortellini and spinach. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and hot.
  • Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 671kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 2179mg | Potassium: 917mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1885IU | Vitamin C: 23.8mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 4.9mg

Instant Pot Pot Roast (Tavern Style)

By LAST UPDATED · FIRST PUBLISHED , 6 Comments

Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients. Instant Pot Pot Roast is one of my favorite things to make in my Instant Pot. I am admittedly unorganized when it comes to meal planning and traditional pot roast is something that just NEEDS planning.

With the Instant Pot, I can make an amazing fall-apart tender roast in just over an hour. Sure, I have to remember to pull it out of the freezer with ample time to thaw but it's a huge improvement over the 8 hours it takes to cook in the slow cooker!

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.

I named this Instant Pot Pot Roast "Tavern Style" because this recipe calls for cooking the roast in beer. I personally don't drink, but I LOVE to cook with alcohol because of the amazing flavor it can give. In this case, the beer lends a deep, rich flavor to the beef that you just can't get with other ingredients.

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.

And the gravy? It get's made with the cooking liquids right in the Instant Pot after the roast is done, thanks to a short-cut ingredient and is rich and so, so flavorful.

Tips for Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  • About choosing a roast-- My two favorites for pot roast are the Chuck Roast (sometimes called Chuck Roll) and Bottom Round (sometimes called Rump Roast). Both have good marbling, making for a flavorful roast, and are reasonably priced.
  • If you're short on time you can cut the roast into small chunks, making the overall cooking time shorter. Refer to your Pressure Cooker manual for exact cooking times.
  • Alternative cooking liquids-- If you're on the fence about using beer I urge you to give it a try as it's just too good to pass up. But if you'd rather not or don't have any on hand, beef broth can be used in substitution as can red wine. Both broth and wine will give the finished recipe its own taste but will work well with the other ingredients.

More Tips For Making Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  • Adding Vegetables-- I like to serve this over mashed potatoes so I don't typically add potatoes to this roast but if you'd like to, potatoes, parsnips, and celery all work well in this recipe. Just cut them into pieces and add to the pot with the carrots.
  • Don't have an Instant Pot? No Problem! This recipe can easily be made in the slow cooker. Follow the recipe as written, except heat the oil in a large pan and brown the roast on the stovetop, adding the onions and flour to the pan as written. Transfer the browned roast and onions to the slow cooker, making sure to scrape the pan for all the flour and juices. Pour the beer, beef broth and carrots over the roast and cook on low until roast is tender. Continue to follow the recipe as written, using the slow cooker to make the gravy. If needed you can cover the slow cooker to bring it back up to a simmer before stirring in the cream and gravy mix.

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Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.

Want More Instant Pot Recipes?

Tools used for this Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  • Instant Pot: This is the model that I have and LOVE. It’s been with me for over a year and I’ve definitely put it through the ringer, but still works like new! It’s changed the dinnertime routine at our house and helps me make meals in under an hour that used to take HOURS!
  • Better Than Boullion: I use a lot of chicken/beef/vegetable broth in my recipes because it adds such nice flavor but I don’t love keeping cans or cartons of it in my pantry. For this reason (and more) I use this broth base anytime I call for broth in my recipes. It only takes 1 teaspoon of the base to make 1 cup of flavorful broth and can be stored for quite a while in the refrigerator.
  • Creamy Mash: I'm all about quick and easy, and these mashed potatoes are our favorite when I don't have the time to make them homemade.
  • OXO Mini Whisk: Sometimes you just need more than a fork to mix up small amounts! I love this whisk because it's the perfect size to mix in small bowls, cups or even saucepans. It's perfect for making gravy!

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📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Pot Roast-- A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.
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4.63 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Pot Roast (Tavern Style)

 A Sunday dinner-worthy meal made in about an hour thanks to the Instant Pot and just a handful of ingredients.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Pressure Release15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef chuck roast, Cooked in beer, Instant Pot
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 922kcal
Author: Heather Cheney

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons oil canola or vegetable
  • 3 pound beef roast chuck or rump are my favorites
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 whole large onion thinly sliced
  • 24 ounces beer your favorite
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 4 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
  • ¼ cup or 1 packet brown gravy mix I like McCormick brand
  • ¼ cup cream
  • french fried onions and parsley to serve

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode and allow to heat until the display reads "HOT".
  • Meanwhile, combine flour salt and pepper in a large bowl and place beef into the seasoned flour, coating the entire roast. Reserve remaining flour.
  • Add oil to the Instant Pot, heat until it shimmers, and add roast to the pan, cooking until it's browned on all sides. Add remaining flour to the pot, followed by the onions. Stir to combine and cook until onions start to become tender and flour starts to brown. 
  • Pour the beer and beef broth over the meat and onions, followed by the carrots. Stir to combine and place lid on the Instant Pot. 
  • Set the Instant Pot to cook for 65 minutes (for a 3 lb roast) more or less depending on how large your roast is. Follow the cooking time recommendations in your manual for best results. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally or wait at least 10 minutes before doing a manual release. 
  • Remove roast from the post and place on a cutting board. Set aside.
  • Combine gravy mix with cream and whisk until combined. Slowly whisk gravy mixture into the juices in the pot and bring to a simmer to thicken.
  • Cut meat into smaller portions and place back into the gravy. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice and top with french fried onions and chopped fresh parsley. 
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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 922kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 255mg | Sodium: 1508mg | Potassium: 1430mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 10455IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 8.1mg