Author name: The Food Charlatan

Meatballs and Rice Recipe (One Skillet)

Say hello to your new favorite 30-minute meal! This easy one-pot dish meatballs and rice recipe is great for nights when you forget about dinner until everyone is starving. The meatballs make it nice and hearty. Use store-bought meatballs to speed things up even more! Originally published October 11, 2016. Today after Charlotte’s dance class,…

Why You Should Travel to the Baltics

On my recent No Bake Cheesecake post, I shared 10 Things I Learned on our June 2024 vacation to the Baltic countries (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia). I had so much fun reliving our trip that I decided to write a post about to our 2-week dream vacation! I’ve never done a “travelogue” type post before (I…

Easy Broccoli Bacon Salad Recipe

Everyone needs a recipe for the best Broccoli Salad! This one is stuffed with bacon, cranberry, cheese, sunflower seeds, and tangy homemade dressing. It is easy to make and is a huge crowd pleaser. The perfect side dish to bring to your summer barbecue, or even to serve at Thanksgiving! Originally published September 5, 2020. I…

Easy Quiche Recipe with Bacon and Spinach

Quiche is not a breakfast casserole baked in a pie shell, oh no. It is a creamy concoction that is more custard like, with plenty of cheese and add-ins. This is my favorite basic spinach quiche recipe because it is easy, incredibly flavorful, and hello, bacon. I will show you step-by-step how to make quiche…

Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

This warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie pie tastes like a soft-baked chocolate chip cookie, except that it’s encased in a buttery, flakey pie crust. It is completely irresistible, and so rich that a scoop of vanilla ice cream is necessary. Originally published October 8, 2018. We are going to the beach tomorrow! The kids are…

Best Apple Pie

I used to be a total Apple Pie hater. It’s always too mushy and bland. But no longer! I’ve found the perfect method to make the Best Homemade Apple Pie of your life! This classic recipe has a double crust (you won’t miss that crumble), a cooked filling for the best texture and flavor, and…

Tzatziki Sauce (with Toasted Za’atar Pita: Easy Appetizer!)

Have you ever tried making a Greek Tzatziki sauce recipe? Creamy Greek yogurt is combined with cool cucumbers and spiced with garlic, dill, and lemon. It is simple, fresh, and healthy. I paired it with toasted pita bread to make a fabulous New Year’s Eve appetizer! Originally published December 28, 2018. Last week I had just…

Homemade Smash Burgers (Cast Iron Burgers)

This smash burger recipe is your favorite, even if you don’t know it yet. This method for a cast iron skillet burger is the secret to crispy, craggy hamburger edges and a seriously juicy center. It’s so simple. You will never go back! Make it for 4th of July! Originally published June 28, 2017. Eric…

Bacon Egg and Cheese Casserole

This egg casserole recipe is breakfast at its finest. I mean how do you beat bacon and eggs, really? You don’t. Oh wait, you add cheese and make it the night before. That’s how. BOOM. Originally posted January 5, 2016. Start your morning with this Egg and Cheese Casserole Have you seen my keys anywhere? They…

Easy Carmelitas Recipe

These Carmelitas have soft gooey caramel smashed between two layers of chocolate chip cookie dough, then baked to perfection. They are so easy and totally irresistible! Originally published August 11, 2016. Raise your hand if you’ve done a kitchen renovation. Was it fun for you? Did you browse Pinterest for months? Did you love every minute of…

Crispy Swedish Cardamom Cookies

I love Swedish cardamom cookies that are ultra buttery and crispy-crunchy, yet still light and airy. There is cinnamon in the recipe but cardamom is the star flavor. These cardamom cookies are a family classic that we make every year. Perfect with milk, hot chocolate, or coffee! Originally published May 9, 2014.  I have a…

Roasted Carrots with Dill

These Roasted Carrots with Dill are the life of the party when it comes to side dishes! They pair perfectly with grilled or roasted meats and fish or shake things up by tossing them with a vibrant green salad for a veggie-packed punch. Even better, they require minimal ingredients and come together in about 30…

Lasagna Soup to end them all

Lasagna Soup has all those Lasagna-flavors you love, but way less work! This easy “cheater” lasagna recipe is served in a perfect steaming bowl with TONS of flavor. I adapted my favorite Bolognese Sauce recipe to be a soup, then we add curly lasagna noodles and mounds of herby ricotta swirls into your bowl. It’s…

How to Cut an Onion

Who wants to spend all day weeping over their cutting board?? Cutting an onion doesn’t have to be torture. I’m going to show you how a real deal (charlatan) chef does it, with all the best tricks to keep the tears away. The next time you make Pico de Gallo, French Onion Dip, or Spaghetti,…

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut butter and chocolate is the best combo out there…fight me on this!! Have you tried Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars?? They are insanely good, and come in clutch with the pb/chocolate. We start out with a thick and chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookie base, (just like these PB Oatmeal Cookies recipe, but in bar…

Grandma Prudy’s Spritz Cookie Recipe

These are the BEST Spritz Cookies! This is our family’s number one favorite Christmas cookie. It’s a traditional Swedish recipe from great-grandma Prudy. They are sweet and buttery and use only 6 ingredients, including almond extract, which gives them their unique flavor. They are made into adorable little shapes using a cookie press. It is…

Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole with Ham

This Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole is everything you need on Christmas morning! (Or anytime you have guests for breakfast!) Hashbrowns are baked til crispy, then topped with eggs, cheese, and black forest ham. It’s an overnight recipe, so you have more time for stockings in the morning! Make ahead breakfasts are always a win at…

Honey Garlic Chicken (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot)

If you are looking for the next dinner every member of your family will be obsessed with, you are in luck! This is it! Honey Garlic Chicken is amazingly tender chicken thighs in an Asian inspired honey garlic sauce. It’s one of those “magic” recipes that checks a ridiculous number of boxes: Super delicious? Check.…

Roti – The Best Buttery Indian Flatbread

I can’t get enough of this Roti recipe! Roti is a super easy and delicious Indian flatbread. It is amazing when served with curry, totally perfect for sopping up extra sauce! I have all the tips you need to make sure this Indian bread turns out super soft. I will show you just how to…

Liege Waffle Recipe

Liege waffles are made with a brioche yeast dough and are studded with pearl sugar. Pearl sugar is basically a small chunk of sugar that holds its shape as the waffles cooks, leaving you with gloriously crunchy bites of sugar. You can buy these on the street in Belgium and Norway. They make regular waffles…

Homemade Vanilla Pudding Recipe

Once you try this homemade vanilla pudding recipe, you will never go back to the box mix. Vanilla pudding from scratch is made with pantry ingredients that you probably have in the fridge right now (milk, eggs, sugar! easy stuff guys.) This recipe makes a smooth, creamy, and incredibly flavorful pudding that is perfect with…

Honey Sriracha Salmon Bowls

I am recently OBSESSED with these Honey Sriracha Salmon Bowls! It is my new favorite last minute weeknight dinner. Salmon rice bowls look fancy but everything comes together so fast! A quick marinade and then a hot sear for the salmon, plus cucumbers, edamame, avocado, and sushi rice. You will feel like a super human…

Grandma Prudy’s Swedish Meatballs

We have been making Swedish Meatballs in our family for decades! This is a slightly-changed recipe from great-grandma Prudy that I’m SO excited to share with you. The sauce is homemade with real cream and is the best. It actually comes together really fast and easy. I can’t believe we were cheating on the gravy…

How to make Taco Seasoning

I have been trying for YEARS to come up with a homemade version of my favorite store bought taco seasoning, but could never get it quite right. I have finally nailed it! Hallelujah! Behold: the easiest, most delicious blend of seasonings for your taco meat, that makes juicy, flavorful tacos. There is a secret ingredient…

Easy Sesame Noodles with Spring Veggies

This Sesame Noodles recipe is my new favorite summer dinner! And guys it’s SO EASY. The sesame peanut sauce is blended up in no time and absolutely to-die-for. Swirl it in with some fresh cold spaghetti noodles and dinner is done! I added a thousand vegetables to make it a whole meal. I could put…

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