Tag: recipe

Better than Olive Garden Alfredo!

Alfredo is one of life’s great comfort foods. Surprisingly, it is super simple to make and you can create a fettuccine alfredo meal in just 20 minutes that tastes even better than the alfredo you get at the Olive Garden.

Ingredients:

½ stick of butter (8 tbsp)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup grated Romano cheese

1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Pinch salt

1 pound fettuccine noodles

Directions:

  1. Fill large pot with water and preheat it to boil the fettuccine noodles.  When the pot of water starts boiling add the pasta to the water and cook it according to directions.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.  Add the minced garlic to the melted butter and cook for one minute.
  3. Whisk in the flout to the melted butter and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
  4. Add the heavy cream and continue to stir while the mixture comes up to a light boil.  Reduce the heat and stir as it thickens. 
  5. Stir in the Parmesan and Romano cheeses into the butter and heavy cream.
  6. Add the white pepper and salt.
  7. Drain the pasta and mix it into the alfredo sauce.
  8. Plate the pasta with alfredo sauce and garnish with parsley and/or add chicken if desired.
  9. Enjoy!
Better than Olive Garden Alfredo!

The Best Homemade Refrigerator Dill Pickles

When ever you have fresh cucumbers from your garden or the farmers market there is no better way to have them than to make homemade refrigerator pickles. This easy recipe is simple and doesn’t go through the canning process, instead we quickly make the pickles and they are ready to eat in 48 hours.

Ingredients:

3 pickling cucumbers, approximately 4 inches in length

3-5 sprigs of dill weed

½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup water

2 cloves garlic

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

¼ teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

Directions:

  1. In a small pot mix the vinegar, water, garlic, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and mustard seeds and bring to a simmer until the salt and sugar dissolve, then remove from heat to cool.
  2. Slice the cucumbers lengthwise into quarters and pack a pint-sized jar with the cucumbers, dill sprigs and bay leaf.
  3. After the brine has cooled down fill the jar to the top, completely covering the cucumbers.
  4. Close lid and place in the refrigerator. 
  5. You can eat them after 48 hours.  Enjoy.
The Best Refrigerator Dill Pickles

How to make the Best Silky Smooth Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup is the simplest Chinese recipe and it is the perfect side dish when you make Chinese food at home. This easy recipe shows you how to make the best silky smooth soup and long strings of egg. This is the perfect soup to add to your next homemade Chinese dinner and your family and friends will think you purchased it from a Chinese restaurant.

Ingredients:

4 cups of chicken broth

1/2 tsp. salt

pinch of white pepper

2 tbsp. corn starch

2 tbsp. water

2 large eggs

1 tsp. sesame oil

chives for garnishment

Directions:

  1. Pour chicken broth into a small pot and heat on medium heat until starting to bubble.
  2. Mix corn starch and water in a small bowl and then pour into the chicken broth, stirring occasionally to prevent the corn starch from clumping.
  3. When the broth starts to boil turn off the heat and let cool until it stops boiling.
  4. Mix eggs in a bowl and pour into the warm chicken broth very slowly while stirring the eggs in. Make sure the broth has been removed from heat. If you pour the eggs in when the broth is boiling the eggs will break up into small balls instead of forming long silky strands.
  5. Add salt, pinch of pepper, and sesame oil and mix together.
  6. Serve and garnish with small cuttings of chopped chives.
  7. Enjoy!
The Best Silky Smooth Egg Drop Soup

How to make Taco Bell Chili Cheese Burrito (Copycat Recipe)

This must be said.  Taco Bell did not put beans in the chili cheese burrito!  There are so many copycat recipes out there that have beans and vinegar in the chili cheese burrito and those should not be in there.  I have no idea why anyone ever thought they should add vinegar, but that taste should not be in the chili cheese burrito.  I imagine that beans were added because someone was trying to figure out how to thicken the chili and every copycat recipe always has a comment from former Taco Bell employees telling everyone that beans do not go in the chili cheese burrito.  There is a secret ingredient that is used to thicken the chili and that is corn meal.  Believe me, this is 100 times better than the recipes with beans and vinegar and it is just like eating the chili cheese burrito from Taco Bell. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds ground beef

6 cups cold water

¼ cup cornstarch

½ cup all-purpose flour

6 ounce can tomato paste

2 tbsp mild chili powder

½ tsp jalapeno powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp dried onion flakes

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp ground black pepper

2 ½ tsp salt

2 tbsp corn meal

1 1/2 cups Shredded cheese

6 Large burrito tortillas

Directions:

  1. Cook ground beef in a pot, Dutch oven, or cast-iron pan until browned then drain off excess grease
  2. In a 2 quart mixing bowl add water, cornstarch, flour, and corn meal. Whisk together until fully blended.
  3. Whisk in the tomato paste until fully blended into the liquid mixture.
  4. Stir into the liquid mixture the cayenne pepper, chili powder, jalapeno powder, paprika, onion flakes, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.  Mix will. 
  5. Add liquid mixture to the meat and bring to a boil.  Once the mixture hits a boil reduce to a simmer.
  6. Simmer for 45 minutes and stir from the bottom of the pot every 5 minutes to prevent the chili from sticking. 
  7. Once the chili is done simmering remove from heat.
  8. Place one large burrito tortilla on a microwave safe plate and spread 1/4 cup shredded cheese onto the tortilla keeping the cheese away from the edges of the tortilla.  (try to keep an edge of 2 inches without cheese).  Microwave for 30 seconds.
  9. Remove tortilla and melted cheese from microwave and scoop 1/3 cup chili onto the tortilla.  To roll up the burrito, fold in two opposite sides of the tortilla, then rolling from one of the other sides into a burrito.
  10. Enjoy!
Taco Bell Chili Cheese Burrito – Copycat Recipe (NO BEANS!)

Make the smoothest Pina Colada of all time

The Pina Colada is one of those drinks that by itself can make you feel like it’s summer time when it’s not, or like your on a beach in Caribbean. We owe thanks for this simple drink Puerto Rico. Specifically, most people believe that it was invented in 1954 at the Caribe Hilton. The debate on who created it usually comes down to bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero or Ricardo Gracia.

While there is not much of a story to the drink being invented by Ramon Marrero there is a unique story around Ricardo Gracia. According to an interview that Gracia gave to Coastal Living magazine in 2005 the he created the drink due to a strike by coconut cutters in Puerto Rico. According to his story the bar served a mixed drink of rum, cream of coconut, and crushed ice in a cut coconut. Due to the shortage in coconuts he started to pour the drink into a cut pineapple. Bar goers liked the drink in a pineapple so he decided to add strained pineapple juice to the rum and cream of coconut and thus the birth of the Pina Colada.

I have a recipe I like for smooth and creamy Pina Coladas that I will share with you now. Most people will put 2 cups of ice into their Pina Colada but I like to use 1 cup of ice and 1 cup of frozen pineapple instead. The reason is that as the ice melts it usually dilutes the drink, however, by substituting one of the cups of ice with frozen pineapple you create a smooth and creamy drink that doesn’t get diluted as the ice melts.

Ingredients:

3 oz. rum
4 oz. cream of coconut (coco Lopez)
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup ice

Directions:

  1. Pour all ingredients into a blender.
  2. Mix on high until the ice is all blended and the drink is the consistency of a smoothie.
  3. Pour into a tulip shaped cup (also called a hurricane cup), garnish with a slice of pineapple and cherry.
  4. Enjoy!

Instead of using Coco Lopez you can make your own cream of coconut by clicking on this link. https://mylowcountryliving.net/home-made-coconut-cream-diy-version-of-coco-lopez/

The smoothest and best Pina Colada

Home made coconut cream DIY version of Coco Lopez

One of my favorite drinks is a Pina Colada and everyone knows that you need Coco Lopez to make a Pina Colada. Wrong! You can make your own DIY version of Coco Lopez coconut cream at home in less than 5 minutes because Coco Lopez and all other Coconut Creams are just coconut simple syrups. Join me in making this quick coconut cream for a fraction of the price of buying Coco Lopez. You can use your savings to buy a better quality of rum for your Pina Coladas.

Ingredients:

14 ounce can of coconut cream

1 and 3/4 cup of white sugar

Directions:

  1. Mix coconut cream and white sugar in a small pot.
  2. Bring to simmer and stir until all sugar is dissolved. About 3-4 minutes.
  3. remove from heat and place into a storage container until you are ready to use.

Since this is a simple syrup it can last in our refrigerator for up to one month.

Home made coconut cream DYI version of Coco Lopz

Better than Baileys Home Made Irish Cream

One of the best ways to enjoy coffee is with Irish Cream. Instead of buying Irish Cream you can make your own “Better than Baileys Irish Cream”. After making this you will never buy Irish Cream from the store again. This Irish Cream goes fantastic with your coffee, as an after dinner drink, or even poured over ice cream for a decadent dessert.

Yields: 4 Cups

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup Irish Whiskey
1 tsp instant expresso
2 tsp chocolate syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Directions:

  1. Mix all the ingredients into a blender.
  2. Blend on low speed for 30 seconds. Don’t over blend or the cream will clump. Blend on low for a maximum of 30 seconds. If you over blend don’t worry your Irish Cream is not ruined. You can strain the lumps through a nut bag, cheesecloth or sieve.
  3. Pour you Irish Cream into an airtight storage container or bottle. You can use a mason jar or bottles with a seal. I purchased my bottles from Amazon. The type I purchased were Giara Swing Top Bottles 33 ¾ Ounce/1 Liter (4 Pack) ROUND Clear Glass Grolsch Flip Top Bottle With Stopper, for Beverages, Smoothies, Kefir, Beer, Soda, Juicing, Kombucha, Water, Milk, Oil and Vinegar. You can click on this link to see the bottles. AmazonSmile: Giara Swing Top Bottles 33 ¾ Ounce/1 Liter (4 Pack) ROUND Clear Glass Grolsch Flip Top Bottle With Stopper, for Beverages, Smoothies, Kefir, Beer, Soda, Juicing, Kombucha, Water, Milk, Oil and Vinegar: Kitchen & Dining

After making this you will want to store it in the refrigerator. It can store up to two months, but mine usually gets drank much sooner than that!

Better Than Baileys Home Made Irish Cream

How to make Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Get ready for a rich and creamy, delicious baked potato soup with all the fixings. It’s fully loaded with bacon, sour cream, cheddar cheese and chives. You get the full loaded baked potato experience in a soup that you can’t stop eating.

Ingredients:
6 Yukon Gold Potato’s
1 yellow onion
3 minced garlic cloves
1/3 cup flower
4 tbsp. butter
8 slices bacon
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
4 green onions
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Directions:

  1. Dice bacon into pieces and place in a large soup pot on medium heat and cook until bacon is brown and slightly crispy.
  2. Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
  3. Add butter and chopped onion and cook over medium heat until onions are tender (3-5 minutes).
  4. Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the pot to create a rue and stir until smooth.
  5. Add garlic and cook in the rue cook for 30 seconds, just enough to release flavor and keep it sweet.  Overcooking the garlic will make it bitter.
  6. Combine chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and paprika to the pot. Stir well.
  7. Add potatoes and bring pot to a boil.   Let pot boil for about 15 minutes.
  8. Reduce heat to simmer and using an immersion blender puree half of the soup until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can remove half the soup and place in a blender. Blend that soup and return to the pot.
  9. Add sour cream, bacon pieces, and green onions, stir well.  Reserving ¼ of bacon and green onions for garnishment.
  10. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  11. Serve and garnish the top with additional sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives. Enjoy!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup

French Toast Monkey Bread

Sunday morning breakfast just got better! We have combined French toast and Monkey Bread. This will be a game changer when you get your family or friends together for breakfast or brunch. This is easy to make and the combination of French toast, maple syrup and monkey bread is to die for.

Ingredients:

2 cans of biscuits
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
powder sugar

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan
  3. In a large bowl combine the heavy cream, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and kosher salt. Whisk together until all is mixed and there are no cinnamon clumps.
  4. Cut all the biscuits into quarters and place cut biscuits into the bowl with the egg mixture, mix together to coat each piece.
  5. Place the egg coated biscuit pieces into the Bundt pan.
  6. In a sauce pan mix together the maple syrup and butter until it starts to simmer and all butter is melted.
  7. Pour the syrup mixture into the Bundt pan over all the monkey bread pieces.
  8. Place in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown. TIP – place a cookie sheet in the oven below the Bundt pan to capture any of the mixture that may bubble over.
  9. When cooked remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
  10. Remove Bundt cake from pan by placing a plate underneath and turning over.
  11. Pour over more syrup and sprinkle powdered sugar.
  12. Enjoy!
French Toast Monkey Bread

Click here to get the recipe to make homemade vanilla extract

Better than Starbucks! DIY Pumpkin Spice Latte

It’s Pumpkin Spice Season! That means it’s time for everyone’s favorite Starbucks treat…Pumpkin Spice Latte. A lot of us like to buy this daily at Starbucks but that can be expensive and the Starbuck’s drink is packed with sugar. You will love this recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe. It’s a lot cheaper than Starbuck’s and we have cut back on the sugar by using maple syrup as a natural sweetener instead.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coffee
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

  1. In a small pot or saucepan mix the almond milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice.
  2. Heat on low until the pan begins to simmer.
  3. Remove from heat and add the coffee.
  4. To create a froth either blend with an immersion blender or put into your regular blender. If you put this into a regular blender make sure you vent the top of the blender so that the steam doesn’t build up and “explode” on you.
  5. Pour into a coffee mug and top with optional nutmeg.
  6. Enjoy.
Better than Starbucks! DYI – Pumpkin Spice Latte

Click here for recipe for vanilla extract.

Click here for recipe for almond milk.

Click here for recipe for pumpkin puree.