This quick and easy recipe for oven-roasted asparagus is the perfect spring side dish. This basic recipe can be seasoned many different ways—add lemon juice, garlic, or shaved Parmesan for variations. Roasted Asparagus Roasted Asparagus is a super easy…
This quick and easy recipe for oven-roasted asparagus is the perfect spring side dish. This basic recipe can be seasoned many different ways—add lemon juice, garlic, or shaved Parmesan for variations. Roasted Asparagus Roasted Asparagus is a super easy side dish that goes well with almost anything, like chicken, steak, salmon, baked ham, and pork. It’s great for […]
This Asparagus Salad recipe is easy, zesty, and bright! Made with fresh spring asparagus, pearl couscous, kalamata olives, pine nuts, feta, lemon zest, and mint all tossed in a lemony dressing.
This Asparagus Salad recipe is easy, zesty, and bright! Made with fresh spring asparagus, pearl couscous, kalamata olives, pine nuts, feta, lemon zest, and mint all tossed in a lemony dressing.
These hot and cold spring days have me feeling all kinds of confused about what to make for dinner. One day it’s warm and sunny, and the next it feels like winter all over again. But no matter the mood, I feel like soup is always the right answer, and this Ham and Potato Soup is a crowd pleaser. Creamy but not too heavy, and loaded with fresh veggies and salty ham, this soup is perfect for this transitional season!
What is Ham and Potato Soup?
This rich and creamy soup is made from a base of vegetable broth enriched with milk and butter and stuffed to the brim with fresh veggies, chunky potatoes, and salty ham. It’s real belly-warming food, perfect for taking the chill off!
Ingredients for Ham and Potato Soup
Here’s what you’ll need to make ham and potato soup:
Oil: I used olive oil, but a neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil will also work well.
Mirepoix: A base of celery, carrots, and onion builds the flavor of this soup.
Potatoes: I used 2 medium potatoes, which came out to be 3 1/2 cups once diced. I prefer to peel my potatoes for this recipe, but you can leave the skins on if you like them!
Cooked Ham: You can buy a ham steak or use your leftover ham from our Baked Ham recipe! Vegetarian? No problem. You can leave out the ham and this becomes more of a vegetable chowder and it is delicious!
Vegetable Broth: You’ll need 6 cups, or you can dissolve 2 Tbsp of vegetable bouillon in 6 cups of water. You can also use Chicken Broth if that’s what you have on hand!
Salted Butter: Adds richness and helps form the roux that thickens the soup.
All-Purpose Flour: Combines with the butter to form a roux that thickens the soup.
Milk: Adds creaminess to the soup.
Salt and Pepper: Enhance the overall flavor of the soup.
Parsley: A bit of minced fresh parsley adds some color and freshness to the soup.
What Potatoes Are Best For Soup?
The best potato for any given soup really depends on the texture you’re after.
With this soup, I wanted to keep distinct chunks of intact potato, so I went for red potatoes. Other varieties that hold their shape well include new potatoes, baby potatoes, and fingerlings.
If you’re looking for your potatoes to soften up a bit more but still mostly hold their shape, Yukon Golds are a great choice for this soup.
Starchier potatoes, like Russets, will melt into the soup, making it super thick, but you won’t get the whole potato texture in every bite.
A Note on Salt
You may not need any salt depending on the ham you’re using, so taste often and adjust as you see fit. Between the salted butter, bouillon, and the ham from our Baked Ham recipe, I didn’t have a need for more than a pinch of additional salt.
How Do You Thicken Ham and Potato SOup?
I chose to thicken this soup with what’s known as a “blonde roux.” It’s a mixture of butter and flour that is cooked over medium-low heat until it juuust starts to change color from white to blonde. This deepens the flavor of the soup without overpowering the natural flavor of the other ingredients.
In the stock pot, add 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook down until slightly softened and the onions are nice and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, vegetable broth, and ham in the stockpot. Bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium and let the potatoes simmer for about 15 minutes, or until they are tender. Stir in the pepper.
Melt the butter in a separate medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour until smooth. Cook for about 1 minute. (Note: this is a “blonde roux” so you don’t want the flour to toast too much!) Whisk in milk and cook for about 4 minutes until thick and warm.
Pour milk/roux mixture into the stockpot with ham soup and whisk to combine. Cook until all vegetables reach desired tenderness and soup thickens to your liking, another 10 minutes should do it. Add the parsley, additional salt and pepper if needed and enjoy!
how to make Ham and Potato Soup – step by step photos
In your stock pot, add 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add 2 peeled and diced carrots, 3 diced stalks celery, and 1 diced small white onion and cook down until slightly softened and the onions are nice and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Add 2 peeled and diced potatoes, 6 cups vegetable broth, and 2 cups diced cooked ham in the stockpot. Bring to a boil; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in your 1 tsp black pepper.
Melt 2 Tbsp salted butter in a separate medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour until smooth. Cook for about 1 minute. (Note: this is a “blonde roux” so you don’t want the flour to toast too much!) Whisk in 2 cups milk and cook for about 4 minutes until thick and warm.
Pour milk/roux mixture into the stockpot with ham soup and whisk to combine. Cook until all vegetables reach desired tenderness and soup thickens to your liking, another 10 minutes should do it. Add parsley, additional salt, and pepper if needed and enjoy!
This creamy ham and potato soup is perfect for the changing seasons!
Carrot cake is one of those recipes where some people love it and others strongly dislike it. Well today, these Carrot Cake Muffins deserve to be in a class of their own. They’re soft, fluffy, and perfectly moist with all the wonderful flavors of carrot cake, but in a convenient, easy to share muffin size. And spoiler alert, I’m a carrot cake lover, so I’ll be enjoying these muffins all season long! Have fun adding your favorite carrot cake mix-ins like sweet raisins and walnuts, or you can keep things simple and save a little bit on your budget. Either way you’re guaranteed to love these delicious carrot cake muffins.
Ingredients For Carrot Cake Muffins
I used my zucchini muffins recipe, that I absolutely love, as inspiration for these muffins. I adjusted the measurements and added a few extra spices to fit the flavor profile of carrot cake. The results were absolutely ahhmazing! Here’s everything you need:
Carrots: Carrots are of course the star of the show, so you’ll need about 3-4 large whole carrots, finely grated for this recipe.
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour gives the muffins structure. You can safely substitute up to half of the flour for whole wheat flour without affecting the flavor or texture too much.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are both leavening agents to help the muffins rise. I use both due to the extra acidity from the applesauce.
Eggs: Eggs to help bind all of the muffin ingredients together.
White Granulated Sugar & Dark Brown Sugar: The combination of both sugars help balance the sweetness, moisture and texture of the muffins.
Applesauce & Oil: The combination of both cooking oil and applesauce keeps the muffins moist, but not too oily, and you gain more flavor and moisture by incorporating the applesauce.
Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Ginger: These are classic spices that are often found in carrot cake. We use the right amount of each one to give these carrot cake muffins a wonderful flavor!
Vanilla: A touch of vanilla extract adds more rich flavor to the carrot muffins.
Golden Raisins: The added raisins were honestly my favorite part of the muffins. They added a subtle sweetness and more texture to the muffins. Feel free to use regular raisins instead of golden raisins if that’s what you have on hand.
Turbinado Sugar (optional): Adding a sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top of each muffin is totally optional, but such a special treat. It gives each muffin a sweet and light crunch on the top. If you don’t have turbinado sugar, no worries, these muffins are still delicious without it.
How To Grate Your Carrots
As I mentioned above, you definitely want to grate fresh whole carrots for this recipe. Although its tempting to buy pre-shredded matchstick carrots at the grocery store, they simply are not moist enough for these muffins. They also aren’t grated fine enough and won’t mix well with the batter. Grating fresh carrots yourself is the way to go!
Also, most box graters come with a coarse, medium, and fine grating side. I tested these muffins using both medium and finely grated carrots. The finely grated carrots were the winner! They blended better in the batter and provided a bit more moisture compared to the medium-size grated carrots.
Recipe Tips & Add-Ins
Don’t over mix the batter! Over-mixing will cause the muffins to become dense instead of light and fluffy. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until they are just barely combined and there are no traces of dry flour left in the bowl.
Oil your muffin pan really well. Even if you are using a nonstick muffin pan, make sure to oil it well or use cupcake liners to prevent your muffins from sticking to the pan.
You can easily stretch this batter and get 12 regular size muffins. I wanted larger, bakery style muffins, so I divided the batter into ten muffin wells.
If you want even more of a carrot cake taste, try adding some chopped walnuts, pecans, or shredded coconut to the batter. And if you really want to take these carrot muffins over the top, add some cream cheese frosting on top! ;)
How To STore Carrot Cake Muffins
Allow the muffins to cool completely at room temperature before storing. You can store leftover carrot cake muffins in an airtight container or a food storage bag in the fridge for 4-5 days. For longer storage, store in a freezer-safe storage bag for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature or microwave for about 30 seconds until warm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash, peel and grate the carrots using the small/fine holes on a box grater. Set the grated carrots to the side.
In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (eggs, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, applesauce, oil and vanilla extract) until well combined.
Add the grated carrots to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger) until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the same bowl as the wet ingredients. Stir together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this point.
Add the raisins to the bowl and fold them into the batter until just combined.
Divide the batter between ten greased or lined muffin wells. Sprinkle a little turbinado sugar on top of each muffin, optional.
Bake the muffins for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and puffed in the center. Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes, then carefully loosen the edges with a knife and transfer the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
How to Make Carrot Cake Muffins – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash, peel and grate 2 cups of finely grated carrots using the small/fine holes on a box grater. Set the grated carrots to the side.
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 eggs, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup cooking oil and 1 tsp vanilla extract until well combined.
Add the grated carrots to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the same bowl as the wet ingredients. Stir together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this point.
Add 3/4 cup golden raisins to the bowl and fold them into the batter until just combined.
Divide the batter between ten well-greased or lined muffin wells.
Optional: Divide 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar and sprinkle a little on top of each muffin.
Bake the muffins for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and puffed in the center. Allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes, then carefully loosen the edges with a knife and transfer the muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Making an impressive main dish is hard work, so we’re partial to simple sides that pack a punch with little effort. This sauteed asparagus is crunchy, flavorful, and delightfully easy to make. All you need is a bunch of asparagus, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. It’s almost too easy!
Ingredients for Sauteed Asparagus
Here’s what you’ll need to make sauteed asparagus (psst: there are only 6 ingredients!):
Asparagus: Choose stalks that are firm to the touch and do not appear limp or wilted. The tips should be closed tightly.
Oil: Coats the asparagus to help it brown in the pan without burning. We like olive oil for the rich taste it imparts, but canola or vegetable will also work well.
Garlic: Adds a subtle earthy and savory flavor.
Salt and Pepper: Enhance the natural flavor of the asparagus.
Lemon: Adds a pop of brightness and freshness to the cooked asparagus.
What Else Can I Add?
This is a great recipe for playing with different seasoning blends. Try: nmn nbgy
Asparagus does not need to be cooked for long. Once it turns bright green from end to end, it’s done! In fact, it’s even better a little underdone. It should not be mushy or floppy in texture and appearance, it should hold its “spear” shape when cooked correctly.
Add oil to a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add asparagus and gently shake to cover each spear with oil. Add the salt and pepper and cook, shaking every so often, until asparagus turns bright green, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic to pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Remove the asparagus and spritz with a squeeze of lemon juice. Adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
how to make Sautéed Asparagus – step by step photos
Cut off the woody ends of 1 bunch asparagus.
Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large frying pan on medium-high heat, then add the asparagus and gently shake to cover each spear with oil. Shake every so often, until asparagus turns bright green, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and add 1 clove minced garlic to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Remove asparagus and spritz with a squeeze of lemon juice from 1 whole lemon. Adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
This sautéed asparagus is so simple and delicious!
This pea risotto recipe is lemony and minty and sings of spring. It’s easy to make in about 30 minutes, delicious topped with seared fish or scallops—or on its own for a delicious vegetarian dinner!
This pea risotto recipe is lemony and minty and sings of spring. It's easy to make in about 30 minutes, delicious topped with seared fish or scallops—or on its own for a delicious vegetarian dinner!
When the holidays roll around (Hello, Easter!), there’s nothing my family craves more than a sweet and savory baked ham. I know what you’re thinking, ham is expensive. But this baked ham recipe is proof that a typically expensive meat can be budget-friendly. By using a boneless ham, we don’t waste a single dollar on bones, and it comfortably feeds 11 people. That’s a lot of ham! The texture of this ham is perfectly juicy with a great chew to it. The glaze makes the outside nice and crisp but still tender. There’s nothing quite like a beloved holiday tradition!
Why Make Baked Ham?
While Easter traditionally calls for lamb, ham has become the dominant centerpiece because it’s much less expensive and more readily available, both things we love here at Budget Bytes. This baked ham recipe is a true superstar. Salty, savory ham coated in a sweet and tangy glaze made from brown sugar and pineapple juice is just so good. The glaze is super sticky, extra sweet, and gives a beautiful color to your ham. Adding the pineapple juice to the glaze recipe really makes this glaze shine (literally and figuratively!)
Ingredients for Pineapple Ham
Here’s what you’ll need to make baked ham:
Smoked Ham: We tested a bone-in ham and a boneless ham. Because hams are priced by weight, we found the boneless hams to be cheapest and offered in smaller quantities. We ended up going with a 5.5lb. ham for this recipe.
Sliced Pineapple: The pineapple helps keep the ham moist during cooking. Did you know pineapple also contains natural acidic enzymes that help tenderize any meat you cook with it?
Water: Helps steam heat your ham and keep it moist. The amount varies based on the size of your roasting pan. You will want 1/2 inch of liquid in the bottom of the pan to ensure your ham is nice and juicy.
Spices: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and pumpkin pie spice create a beautiful blend of sweet and savory flavors.
Brown Sugar: Adds depth of flavor, a beautiful color and sweetness to the glaze.
Dijon Mustard: Adds balancing bitter notes, earthiness and tanginess to the glaze.
Do you bake a ham covered or uncovered?
We found that it’s best to bake this ham tented with foil to seal in moisture. Without the foil, the ham tends to dry out and turn tough. Remove the foil in the last 10 or so minutes of baking to reduce and brown the glaze.
Tips
Most hams sold in the U.S. are fully cooked but require several hours of heating in the oven. So, you can pop it in the oven and then focus on the rest of your side dishes!
If you do not need this much meat or your budget is stretched because of the cost of the ham, hunt for a smaller ham. Sometimes if you go to the deli counter, they can help you. Hams are sold by weight, so if you plan on 1/2 – 1/3 pound per person, that will help you choose which size ham your family needs!
I know the thought of “pumpkin spice ham” may sound strange, but pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper… all perfect flavors to compliment a juicy, sweet-but-savory ham!
I only filled the bottom of our roasting dish with 1/2 inch of water. A lot of recipes call for 1 inch, but the drippings are great for basting or using as a gravy and we found them to be too diluted if we did the 1 inch of water.
The pineapples slid off to the side after the glazing at the end, but they did their job keeping the ham moist and tender. The glazing at the end of cooking will make your ham nice and shiny on the outside, so don’t worry about taking your ham in and out of the oven to baste it (unless you want to, certainly won’t hurt it!) You can always opt to just keep it tented and baste at the end.
Gather all glaze ingredients and preheat oven to 350°F.
In a saucepan, whisk together pineapple juice (one 15oz can yields about 1 cup of juice), brown sugar, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and pumpkin pie spice.
Cook the glaze down over medium heat until it is reduced by half.
Place the ham cut side down in the roasting pan of your choosing.
Brush the ham with half the glaze mixture and cover it with slices of canned pineapple. Add 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
Make a tinfoil tent to cover the entire ham. Place the tinfoil over the ham and bake for 20 minutes per pound of meat, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Baste the ham periodically, using a baster or a large spoon.
Once the ham reaches 145°F, remove the tinfoil tent and baste. Then, brush the ham with all remaining glaze.
Gather all glaze ingredients and preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk together pineapple juice (one 15 oz. can yields about 1 cup of juice), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp onion powder, and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Cook the glaze down over medium heat until it is reduced by half.
Place 5.5 lb. boneless smoked ham cut side down in the roasting pan of your choosing. Pour 1/2 inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Brush the ham with half of the glaze mixture and cover it with slices of canned pineapple. Then, make a tinfoil tent to cover the entire ham. You want to cook the ham for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Baste the ham periodically, using a standard baster or a large spoon.
Once the ham reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, remove the tinfoil tent and baste the ham with pan drippings and brush the ham with all remaining glaze.
When your ham is done, it should have an internal temperature of 145°F.
This delicious baked ham will be the star of your holiday table!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes are a delightful dessert that combines the zesty, fresh flavor of lemon with the subtle, nutty taste of poppy seeds. Lemon Poppy Seed Cake This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcake recipe is perfect for Easter, spring and summer gath…
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes are a delightful dessert that combines the zesty, fresh flavor of lemon with the subtle, nutty taste of poppy seeds. Lemon Poppy Seed Cake This easy Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcake recipe is perfect for Easter, spring and summer gatherings, or any time you crave something light and citrusy. This dessert is […]
Lately I’ve been loving how easy it is to cook vegetables in the air fryer. Just prep, season, and air fry. It’s almost too easy. And carrots are a great inexpensive vegetable to cook any time of the year. Plus, they last a long time in the fridge…WIN! We have lots of roasted carrots recipes on our site, but these Air Fryer Carrots are my new favorite. They’re seasoned with a savory and herby seasoning mix and they’re the perfect compliment for any weeknight dinner meal.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Carrots
Here’s everything you need to make these easy Air Fryer Carrots:
Carrots: Look for whole carrots that are fairly even in length and girth so they’ll cook more evenly. You can either scrub or peel the carrots, however I prefer to peel them.
Olive Oil and Butter: I used both olive oil and butter for this recipe to keep the carrots moist and to combine with the seasoning mix. And I just love the flavor that you get from using both butter and olive oil.
Seasoning: A simple seasoning mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried dill is all you’ll need. And I decided to double down on the dill by adding a little fresh dill at the end to garnish. You can certainly omit the dill if you want, although it does add a nice herby and savory flavor to the carrots. In case you want to switch things up, I’ll share a few more seasoning options below.
Can You Air Fry Baby Carrots?
To make this recipe super easy, you can certainly use baby carrots instead of peeling and cutting whole carrots. Just use the same seasoning mix for a pound of baby carrots and adjust the cook time. Air fry baby carrots at 370°F for approximately 8-10 minutes or until tender to your liking.
Seasoning Ideas
I used a mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried dill for these carrots, but there are so many flavors and spices to choose from. Here are some other seasoning ideas for your air fryer carrots:
Wash, peel, and cut the carrots diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Add the carrots to a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, add the butter and melt in the microwave. Then add the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried dill to the same bowl. Stir everything together to combine.
Pour the butter mixture over the carrots. Toss or stir to coat all of the carrots.
Add seasoned carrots to the air fryer basket. Air fry at 370°F for 12-14 minutes until tender, shaking the basket halfway through. Once done garnish with fresh chopped dill (optional).
How to Make Air Fryer Carrots – Step by Step Photos
Wash, peel, and cut 1 lb. of carrots diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Add the carrots to a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, add 1 Tbsp of butter and melt in the microwave. Then add 1 Tbsp olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp dried dill to the same bowl. Stir everything together to combine.
Pour the butter mixture over the carrots. Toss or stir to coat all of the carrots.
Add seasoned carrots to the air fryer basket. Air fry at 370°F for 12-14 minutes until tender, shaking the basket halfway through.
Once done garnish with 1 tsp fresh chopped dill (optional) and enjoy!
