Tag Archives: Butter

Thanksgiving Side Dish: Green Beans w/ Caramelized Onions & Toasted Almonds

Green Bean Casserole is the coveted Thanksgiving side dish. It’s everyone’s favorite, a true American classic. Would it really be Turkey Day without these haricot verts making an appearance? Probably not.

However, there are certain situations that are not supporting of Green Bean Casserole. Think I’m crazy? Think again! Although my sanity is questionable at times, I am completely in the right mind when I tell you this: Green Bean Casserole ain’t always the way to go.

First of all, it is possible to get sick of the stuff. Make it too many times, and you’ll be searching for a switch up. It’s also very possible to have a mushroom-hater at your dinner table. A lot of people actually don’t like mushrooms, which means they aren’t going to be crazy about a dish made with cream of mushroom soup. Also, if you’re already serving a lot of cream-based sides like mac and cheese, gratins, and cheesy or creamy potato bakes, then you might want to lighten up in other places. Rich, creamy dishes are delicious in moderation, but if you go too crazy, you’ll feel sick and riddled with guilt.

Lastly is a reason I can really relate to: lack of oven space. If you’ve got a bird in the oven then finding room for all your sides and breads can be quite a challenge. Stove-top sides can really come in handy. But what kind of delicious stove-top dishes are ideal for the Thanksgiving table?

Alas, my little cookies, there is a solution to all of these predicaments: Green Beans w/ Caramelized Onions & Toasted Almonds. It’s not too far from that classic casserole you know and love. You’ve got those tender green beans and the must-have onion topping. But instead of using processed onion-chips from a can, you use fresh, sweet, and buttery caramelized onions. Are you drooling yet?

Continue reading →

Linguine with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Pasta is a multifaceted food. It’s essentially a shape-shifter, resembling everything from curvy Cavatappi to pin-straight Spaghetti. And the pastabilites are endless. You can make classic mac & cheese, rich baked pastas, layered lasagnas, stove top skillets, or simply smother the pasta in an array of delicious sauces. Marinara, alfredo, bechamel, oh my! Is there anything pasta can’t do?

I must admit that all of the different options can be overwhelming. How does one choose between making, say, pasta primevera or pasta carbonara? Sometimes, the solution is simpler than it seems. A pasta dish with a multi-step sauce and all kinds of add-ins can be delicious no doubt, but there are occasions when less is more.

Take for example this Linguine with Brown Butter Sage Sauce. It’s one of the easiest pasta dishes out there, requiring minimal ingredients and effort, but yielding a sauce that’s overflowing with flavor and complexity.

The magic here is in the browned butter. Nothing adds flavor quite like this stuff. Plus, sage is such a delicious and warm herb. Pair it with fresh garlic, and you can’t lose.Brown Butter Sage Sauce sounds so fancy, and it tastes it too. But really, anybody can make this. It’s one of the “essential sauces,” a recipe you should know, master, and always have on hand when you need a quick pasta fix.

Continue reading →

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese: My Favorite

Every Fall, I patiently await the arrival of two things: pumpkin & butternut squash. I’ve been going pretty pumpkin-happy lately, but good ol’ butternut squash has been getting the cold shoulder. I knew it was time to turn my attention toward this slightly sweet squash. And what better way to do that than with one of my all-time favorite recipes?

Continue reading →

Sweet & Simple: Basil Garlic Bread

Garlic is a beautiful thing. It’s flavor is so fantastic and so powerful. And yet, garlic is also universally complimentary of a plethora of foods. That’s one brilliant bulb. But garlic is in danger, my little cookies. It’s being exploited, overworked, and depreciated. We use garlic all the time, but hardly give it its place in the spotlight that is deserves. Basically, we’ve been putting garlic in things just for the sake of putting it in. Don’t get me wrong, most dishes are bettered by the addition of garlic. But sometimes, we need to step back and remember why garlic is such a wonderful herb/vegetable/spice in the first place.

Garlic bread is a fabulous way to showcase that. I’m not talking about that crap you get in the frozen section of your grocery store; I’m talking about the stuff you make fresh at home that is practically just as easy as throwing some frozen slices onto a baking sheet and tossing it in the toaster. There are a few simple steps and an itty-bitty ingredient list. The results that this quick and easy recipe yields are unbelievably delicious and packing tons of garlic impact. You won’t believe how this simple homemade bread can be some of the best you’ve ever had. Olive garden breadsticks, step aside.

Continue reading →

The Hashy Sammy

As I once explained to you little cookies in my Roasted & Toasted Taters post, I have an obsession with all things potato. This infatuation has followed me since childhood, throughout adolescence, and continued into to my young-adulthood. You can probably guess then what my favorite breakfast food is: hashbrowns. Now, hashbrowns come in all shapes and sizes. There are shredded hashbrowns, not to be confused with homefries (which I also love), little tator tot-like hashbrowns, and the trusty hashbrown patty. I ate and loved them all.

On school mornings, my mom would fry up a hashbrown patty with melted cheddar cheese for me. On the weekends, I’d indulge in basically the same thing except with shredded hashbrowns. I was always looking for a new way to get my daily potato fix. The problem was that many people looked down upon making a meal out of potatoes alone, especially for breakfast. So I’d have bacon on the side or an egg, but it just didn’t do it for me. You have to eat a lot of hashbrowns to feel satisfied. Somewhere along the line, gears started to turn. An idea began to take shape in my head.

Breakfast sandwich.

Hashbrowns.

A HASHBROWN BREAKFAST SANDWICH.

Sounds crazy, right? That’s what everyone said. They said I could do it. But I did, my little cookies. I did. Continue reading →

Sweet & Simple: The Classic Egg in Bread

This dish has many names.

Egg in a basket. Egg in a hole. Egg in a window.

Or, as I was raised calling it, The Egg in Bread.

It’s really just as simple as it sounds: an egg cooked in the middle of a slice of bread. You use only four ingredients (all of which I guarantee you have on hand), it cooks up in about five minutes, and just about any level of cookpert (cook expert) can handle it.

Now, when it comes to breakfast foods, there’s some good stuff out there. Pancakes are awesome (waffles too), French toast is delicious, breakfast bakes and skillets aren’t bad either, and there are all kinds of tantalizing breakfast pastries. However, these can all be pretty complex, mulit-step dishes to make, even if you’re using some kind of boxed mix. The funny thing is, The Egg in Bread (or whatever you chose to call it) holds its own among all of these fancy breakfast veterans. Despite its absurdly simple preparation and its microscopic list of ingredients, The Egg in Bread is completely eggtastic.

There are three things that make such a simple dish so delightful: basic salt and pepper seasoning, bread, and a generous amount of butter. The bread allows for starchy comfort while the salt, pepper, and butter give this the most basic but delicious flavor. There are no complex workings going on here, just the good stuff that always works. That’s what I call sweet and simple.

My mother used to whip these up for me all the time when I was a kid. I’m sure you could say the same. I’ve found they never stop tasting good as you get older and they always hold that same comfort. They’re so quick and easy and satisfying that they make a perfect breakfast. Fry one up and remember the good ol’ days. Or, if you’ve never had one before, give it a go and be pleasantly surprised.

Things to Note:

  • I strongly recommend spreading some extra butter on the top while the Egg in Bread’s still nice and hot. The butter will melt and make it extra decadent!
  • One of the things you’ll really love about this breakfast is that, when you cut the egg, you’ll get all kinds of gooey goodness to dip the bread in! However, if you’re NOT a fan of runny eggs (I’m not either), just be sure to break the yolk and cook it until it’s completely done. Then, there’s no runny yolk to worry about.

All You Need Is:

  • 1 slice of bread, any kind you have on hand (I use the soft, thin slices you buy in a loaf at the grocery store by the bagels & English muffins)
  • 1 egg
  • kosher salt
  • pepper

To Serve It Up:

  1. Bring a frying pan to medium heat on the stove. Melt a generous slab of butter in it.
  2. Punch a hole in the middle of the bread with your hands. Throw out the piece you punched out. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, use a small cookie cutter to cut out the hole.
  3. Once the butter is completely melted, place the bread in the skillet. Immediately crack egg into the hole in the bread.
  4. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Cook until bottom is golden brown. Flip bread and sprinkle with more salt & pepper. Cook other side until equally browned and egg is cooked to your liking.
  5. Remove from heat, slice it up and enjoy!

See? How ridiculously fast and simple was that? You can have one of these babies any time. You know you’ll have the necessary ingredients and you know it certainly won’t take long. Plus, you only dirty one pan! You don’t always have to whip up pancakes from scratch to have an awesome breakfast. Sometimes, you can keep it sweet & simple.

Quadruple Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is the creme de la creme of all American comfort foods. Gooey melted cheese warms you from the inside out while golden-brown buttered bread is there to keep you company. The best part is how easy they are to make. You don’t have to be an expert chef to fry one up; anybody can do it! There really is no wonder why everyone loves a good grilled cheese. I mean, it’s bread and cheese together in one happy marriage. This sandwich is simple, classic, and comforting.

If you’re anything like me, your childhood is dotted with memories of mom or dad whipping up one of these cheesy babies at lunchtime. Chances are, your sandwich was as reliable as mine, consisting of that soft white bread your family used for everything, a slap of butter on each slice, and classic American cheese sandwiched in between. Sometimes, there would be a pickle or chips to round out the meal. And, on chillier days, you might receive a warm bowl of soup for dipping purposes. Such a simple sandwich it was, but so good!

I don’t know about you, but my love for grilled cheese sandwiches hasn’t dwindled in the slightest since I’ve grown up. I’m still guilty of ordering one every time I go to a Friendly’s or craving one when I’m having a bad day. The only difference now that I’m older is that I’ve been exposed to new things. All kinds of grilled cheese-related doors have opened. For example, I know there are more kinds of cheeses that you can stuff in a sandwich besides American. And I also know that if you use some good quality bread then you can really take this classic to a whole different level.

The Quadruple Grilled Cheese is a love child of mine. I wanted to pick a symphony of cheeses to work together harmoniously, as well as some soft, but sturdy bread to hold up to all that. This is the sandwich that resulted:

  • I selected Sharp Cheddar cheese for it’s, well, sharp flavor, Fontina for it’s softness and super awesome meltability (yeah, it’s a word), and Montery Jack for it’s mildness that would hold everyone together (and it’s not half bad as far as meltability goes either).
  • You’re wondering where the fourth cheese comes in to play. After all, this is a QUADRUPLE grilled cheese. Well keep your pants on; I’m getting there. You see, this last cheese is a bit of a secret. He’s got a quiet cameo role in this cheese-filled blockbuster. We’re going to take grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle it on the outside of the buttered bread slices so you get a beautiful golden brown crust and a little salty kick in every bite.
  • For the bread, I selected a Neo Tuscan loaf from my grocery store’s bakery. It’s sturdy and crusty on the outside but nice and soft on the inside with a very mild flavor. This is ideal. You don’t want a dried out crusty bread for this sandwich or you’ll be choking on it with every bite. You also don’t want something with an intense flavor that’s going to compete with the flavor of the cheese. This is a kicked-up version of the classic, so we don’t want to go too crazy here!

Cheese lovers, this is a sandwich for you. Your tummy will be so grateful to you when you eat this. It may be far from low-calorie, but it just makes you feel so darn good. And sometimes, that’s all that counts.

A few tips before you get cooking:

  1. Buy good quality bread. That stuff in the plastic wrapping by the bagels and english muffins in your supermarket just isn’t going to cut it. Good quality bread makes all the difference here. You can either purchase it at your local bakery or pick up a fresh loaf from your grocery store’s bakery.
  2. Try to buy the bread the day you’re going to make the sandwiches. That way, it’s as fresh as possible. If there’s no way you can do that, then make sure to wrap the bread tightly with cling wrap then seal in an air tight plastic bag until you’re ready to use it.
  3. Fontina cheese can be found in your grocery store’s specialty cheese section.
  4. Be generous with the cheese and butter.
  5. Assemble all the sandwiches before you start cooking one. That way, you can focus you’re attention on grilling them to perfection.
  6. As I instructed in the recipe below, you should have a warm oven ready so you can keep the finished sandwiches warm while you finish cooking the others.
  7. This sandwich is just BEGGING to be dipped in some tomato soup. Just sayin’…
  8. If you’re not one of those soup-in-the-summer people, than check back tomorrow for the perfect grilled summer vegetables to serve along side instead!

Quadruple Grilled Cheese

Recipe by Colleen Bierstine

Makes 3 sandwiches

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 ½ cups Fontina cheese, shredded
  • 1 ½ cups Montery Jack cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 loaf soft, fresh bread (such as Neo Tuscan or Italian)
  • Butter spread (such as Country Crock)

Directions:

1)      Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2)      If using a Panini press, preheat the press. If using a stovetop griddle or frying pan, place pan on stove and bring to medium heat.

3)      Meanwhile, cut the bread into 6 slices about ¾ of an inch thick. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Sprinkle the buttered sides with Parmesan cheese.

4)      On a cutting board or baking sheet, lay 3 slices of bread buttered side down. Sprinkle a handful of each cheese (except for the parmesan) on all three bread slices. Top with remaining three bread slices, buttered side up.

5)      For Panini press: cook sandwiches one at a time on low heat until the cheese begins to melt. Then, turn the heat up to high and cook until bread is golden brown. When a sandwich is done, place it on the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while the other sandwiches are cooking. For griddle/stovetop: cook sandwiches one or two at a time (depending on the size of your pan/griddle) on medium heat. When the bottom of the bread begins to brown, carefully flip the sandwich. When both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted, transfer the sandwich to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while the other sandwiches cook.

6)      Slice ‘em up and serve ‘em up!

Melted to perfection.


Give these babies a try, and you’ll be in grilled cheese heaven. It’s melty, warm, crusty, cheesy and just plain good. This recipe might give Mom’s tried and true sandwich a run for it’s money.

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thick & chewy. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

This cookie recipe gets around. It has popped up in other food blogs like Poptarts out of a toaster. And that’s exactly why I felt compelled to whip up a batch. You see, in every one of these blogs, the cookies received rave reviews; some bloggers even called them the best cookies they ever had. I knew I had to give it a try.

I went into this recipe feeling apprehensive. Something in the directions had caught me off guard.

There was this complicated, perplexing process described for forming the dough. Anyone whose made cookies before could understand my confusion when I thought: “Don’t you just plop some dough on the tray? Why complicate it?”

Well, my friends, this little curve ball might just be the recipe’s secret weapon. Never have I seen a homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe yield such thick results. I’m talkin’ sink-your-teeth-into-a-good-inch-or-two-of-heaven thick. Plus, it was nice and chewy, not rock hard like many store-bought cookies are.

Look at that!

I admit it: these are the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had.

The dough-forming method, although obscure, is key. Don’t skip it. I promise you won’t regret it. Plus, I’ve added a step-by-step breakdown to make it easier for you (sure wish I’d had one of those…).

And did I mention, these cookies are super-sized? They’re behemoths.

I’m not talking so big that you can’t eat a whole cookie in one sitting (believe me, that won’t be a problem); I’m just talking satisfyingly-sized. This is a substantial cookie, the way things should be; they’re not puny like those break-and-bake imposters in the supermarket.

But wait. It gets better. You see, I believe a chocolate chip cookie should be sinfully chocolatey. And for all you fellow chocolate-admirers, I’m going to show you how to take this recipe to the next level. What’s the secret?

Chocolate chunks.

Milk chocolate chunks, a whole cup of ‘em lovingly tossed into the dough, plus a half cup of semi-sweet chips thrown in just because we can. Now we’re talking.  Chunks give you way more chocolate impact per bite than chips do (sorry chips; I still love you). Not a big fan of overly chocolately chocolate chip cookies? That’s totally fine. I’ve covered your needs too. There’s room for everyone in the Chocolate Chip Cookie World.

Continue reading →