all things food
If someone asks us if we want chocolate, the answer is always YES, where do we sign up?! Enter chocolate overnight oats (a.k.a. the perfect excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast).
Not only are these overnight oats creamy, nutty, perfectly sweet, …
If someone asks us if we want chocolate, the answer is always YES, where do we sign up?! Enter chocolate overnight oats (a.k.a. the perfect excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast).
Not only are these overnight oats creamy, nutty, perfectly sweet, and undeniably delicious, but they’re SO easy to make! They come together with just 8 ingredients you probably already have around. It’s chocolate o’clock, so let us show you how it’s done!
This easy homemade pancake recipe makes the most delicious and fluffy stack of pancakes around! Perfect for a cozy weekend breakfast.
The post Fluffy Homemade Pancakes appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Is there really anything better than a big stack of fluffy homemade pancakes?? I have a few pancake recipe variations on Budget Bytes already, but it was high time I added an easy, go-to homemade pancake recipe to the collection. Making pancakes is pretty easy, but I’ve got a few tips and tricks for you to make sure your pancakes are the fluffiest and tastiest stack around!
Pancake batter is really simple. You only need a few basic pantry staples: milk, butter, egg, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Plus I add a little vanilla extract for a little more depth of flavor. The batter only takes minutes to mix together, then you’re on your way to a cozy homemade pancake breakfast.
Baking powder is responsible for leavening the pancake, but other ingredients and techniques will affect how well the baking powder works. Here are a few tips to make sure your pancakes are extra soft and fluffy:
My favorite part about making homemade pancakes is having fun with the toppings. There are so many more options for pancakes than just butter and maple syrup! Here are some ideas:
What is your favorite thing to put on pancakes?
Whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together ¾ cup warm milk, 2 Tbsp melted butter, 1 large egg, 2 Tbsp sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.
Stir just until there is no dry flour left on the bottom of the bowl. It’s okay if there are a few lumps left in the batter, just make sure to not over stir. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
The pancake batter should be thick, but still pourable. If the batter is thin, the pancakes will be thin. Thicker batter will make thicker pancakes. But if the batter is too thick the pancakes can be a bit dry. So add a touch more milk, if needed, to make the batter thick but pourable.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, brush some cooking oil over the surface.
Scoop ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet and use the measuring cup to spread it out into a circle (about 4-inches in diameter). Cook the pancakes until the surface are covered in bubbles and some of them have burst open. You can cook multiple pancakes at once. I just did one at a time for demonstration purposes.
Flip the pancake and cook until golden brown on the second side. You may need to adjust the heat up or down as you cook the pancakes to maintain even cooking.
Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil to the skillet in batches, until all of the pancakes are cooked. Place the pancakes on a plate and cover with a clean dish towel to keep warm as you cook the rest of the batch.
Enjoy the pancakes with your favorite toppings!
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Vanilla bean scones are simple to make but packed with flavor. Whip up these scones for a special brunch or afternoon treat any time! This post contains affiliate links. I have been smitten with scones from the first time I ate one. They’re one of my favorite treats to pick up at the coffee shop …
The post Vanilla Bean Scones appeared first on My Baking Addiction.
Vanilla bean scones are simple to make but packed with flavor. Whip up these scones for a special brunch or afternoon treat any time!
This post contains affiliate links.
I have been smitten with scones from the first time I ate one. They’re one of my favorite treats to pick up at the coffee shop and have become one of my favorite breakfasts or afternoon snacks to make.
I like that you can make scones with so many different ingredients – sour cream, buttermilk, heavy cream, and even yogurt.
Take these Vanilla Bean Scones. I used vanilla yogurt to give them even more flavor, and I am so glad I did.
We could not stop eating them – fresh out of the oven they smelled divine. Once cooled, I topped them with a smooth vanilla glaze – vanilla overdrive, friends. And it is SO good.
(more…)The post Vanilla Bean Scones appeared first on My Baking Addiction.
These super fudgy homemade brownies are thick, rich, extra-chocolatey, and super moist. They’re the ultimate homemade fudge brownie!
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These are some seriously fudgy brownies, guys. Like, if you’re not really into chocolate, you might want to just skip this one because these homemade brownies are about as close as you can get to fudge while still being a brownie. Consider the lines blurred. But if you like ’em thick, rich, fudgy, and moist, these are the brownies for you!
P.S. Did I mention that you can make these incredible brownies in just one bowl? Yeah, they’re easy AND delicious!
There are two main camps when it comes to brownies: fudge brownies and cake brownies. Fudge brownies are dense, chewy, and rich. Cakey brownies are lighter and fluffier, and just more cake-like in texture. I’m definitely all about those fudge brownies, so that’s what we have here. But not just any fudge brownies, SUPER fudgy brownies.
The secret to making moist, fudgy brownies is all in the type of fat you use and how you use it. Butter offers the best flavor for brownies, but because it’s solid at room temperature, adding a little cooking oil in addition to the butter helps keep the brownies extra soft and moist as they cool.
Using melted butter instead of cold butter also helps keep the brownies extra rich and fudgy. When solid butter is creamed together with sugar, it aerates the batter creating a light cake-like texture in the brownie. Melted butter can’t trap air in the same way, resulting in a dense, rich brownie.
This recipe calls for chocolate in two forms: unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips. I used a generic cocoa powder because I wanted to make sure these brownies would still be excellent even on a budget (they are), but if you have room in your budget for a higher quality cocoa powder, your brownies will only get better.
As for the chocolate chips, you can choose just about anything. Semi-sweet, dark, mint, peanut butter, large, small, whatever. Anything goes when it comes to the chips! This is a great way to use up leftover chips that you might have in your pantry. ;)
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Melt ¾ cup (12 Tbsp, or 1.5 sticks) butter in a large bowl. I use a microwave, but you can also do this in a saucepot and then transfer it to a bowl.
Whisk ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 Tbsp cooking oil into the melted butter until smooth.
Whisk 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar into the butter and cocoa mixture.
Whisk two large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp salt into the batter.
Stir ¾ cup of all-purpose flour into the brownie batter until evenly combined.
Fold ½ cup chocolate chips into the brownie batter.
Coat an 8×8-inch baking dish in butter or non-stick spray, then lay parchment paper in the dish (it doesn’t need to cover all sides, it just makes it easy to lift the brownies out of the dish). Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it smooth.
Bake the brownies in the preheated 350ºF oven for 40 minutes. The brownies will be very soft and moist when hot, so let them cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the dish.
Once the brownies are slightly cooled, you can use the parchment to lift them out of the baking dish. You can cut them while still warm (they will still be quite soft) or let them cool even further for cleaner cuts.
Enjoy all that fudgy brownie goodness! 🤤
The post Super Fudgy Homemade Brownies appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Who doesn’t want cake for breakfast?! This Carrot Cake Oatmeal has all the flavors of carrot cake, but in breakfast form! It’s undeniably creamy, hearty, and spice-infused perfection!
Enjoy as a quick, comforting breakfast, or make ahead to enjoy…
Who doesn’t want cake for breakfast?! This Carrot Cake Oatmeal has all the flavors of carrot cake, but in breakfast form! It’s undeniably creamy, hearty, and spice-infused perfection!
Enjoy as a quick, comforting breakfast, or make ahead to enjoy throughout the week (it reheats beautifully!). These oats can be made in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop and require just 30 minutes and 9 ingredients!
Carrot Cake Oatmeal (Instant Pot Friendly!) from Minimalist Baker →
It’s a good sign when the first word out of your mouth after a bite is WOW. This salted caramel chocolate ganache tart is almost too good to be true…but you better believe it! It’s decadent, chocolaty, salty-sweet perfection, and it requires just 7 ing…
It’s a good sign when the first word out of your mouth after a bite is WOW. This salted caramel chocolate ganache tart is almost too good to be true…but you better believe it! It’s decadent, chocolaty, salty-sweet perfection, and it requires just 7 ingredients!
Not only is it insanely delicious, but it’s gluten-free, vegan, and doesn’t require baking!
Salted Caramel Chocolate Ganache Tart (Vegan + GF) from Minimalist Baker →
Creamy rice pudding is a simple, delicious, and inexpensive dessert full of warm flavors like vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
The post Creamy Rice Pudding appeared first on Budget Bytes.
What happens when you’re craving something sweet while watching Anthony Bourdain travel around India? You start Googling saffron rice pudding recipes. And while my pantry wasn’t stocked with the delicious ingredients needed to make an authentic kheer, I was able to make this super simple and delish creamy rice pudding, full of cinnamon, vanilla, and almonds. And I’m telling you, if you need a cheap and delicious dessert, this rice pudding is IT.
Originally posted 9/22/2010, updated 3/23/2022.
Rice pudding is a thick and sweet mixture of rice cooked in milk until it becomes soft and creamy. It’s flavored with a variety of warm spices like vanilla and cinnamon, and sometimes has other add-ins like raisins or nuts. It’s a simple, warm, and comforting dish that is always satisfying. While this dish is said to have originated in China, several cultures across the globe have some form of rice pudding, each with its own unique combination of rice varieties, spices, and add-ins.
Another reason that I love rice pudding is because it tastes great both hot and cold! When the rice pudding is warm it’s super comforting and it feels like a big cozy cinnamon-vanilla hug. When you eat it cold the next day, it’s actually rather refreshing, similar in a way to horchata.
You can make rice pudding with virtually any type of rice and the “best” type to use is just a matter of personal preference. I chose to use jasmine rice for my rice pudding because I had it on hand and I just love the extra fragrant flavor that it provides. If you do not have jasmine rice, basmati rice is great, or you can simply use plain long-grain white rice.
The recipe below uses uncooked rice, but rice pudding is actually a great way to use up leftover rice from the night before. To use leftover rice in this recipe, use 2 cups cooked rice and 2 cups milk (instead of the ½ cup rice and 4 cups milk in the recipe below), and add the rice after toasting the nuts and spices in butter.
Yes, you can definitely make rice pudding with other types of milk. Just keep in mind, the type of milk you use will affect the creaminess of the rice pudding. Coconut milk would be especially delicious!
This simple dessert is a great blank slate for adding more ingredients. Here are some other ingredients that you can add to your rice pudding:
Add 1 Tbsp butter, ¼ cup sliced almonds, and ½ cup uncooked long-grain jasmine rice to a sauce pot. Stir and cook over medium heat for about two minutes, or until the almonds and rice begin to smell a bit toasty.
Add ¼ tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg to the rice and almonds, and continue to stir and cook for 30-60 seconds more. Finally, pour int 4 cups whole milk (or milk of your choice).
Also add ¼ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp salt. Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it begins simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for about 40 minutes (without a lid), stirring occasionally, or until the rice is very soft and the mixture has thickened considerably. Keep in mind that the rice pudding will continue to thicken further as it cools.
Serve the super creamy rice pudding warm, or refrigerate and serve cold the next day!
Looking for other ways to use up leftover rice? Check out our Leftover Rice recipes round up!
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Sometimes we have BOLD ideas that sound amazing but do not work out. And other times, they turn out better than we ever imagined (that’s this one!). Meet creamy, addictively delicious mint chocolate chip ice cream made without an ice cream maker!
It’s …
Sometimes we have BOLD ideas that sound amazing but do not work out. And other times, they turn out better than we ever imagined (that’s this one!). Meet creamy, addictively delicious mint chocolate chip ice cream made without an ice cream maker!
It’s everything you know and love about classic mint chip ice cream (sweet, minty perfection), but made vegan, maple-sweetened, and with just 8 simple ingredients!
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (Vegan, No Churn!) from Minimalist Baker →
Anyone else have fond memories of those irresistibly crispy chocolate wafer cookies? Well, these no-bake chocolate amaranth bars are kind of like those, but made vegan, gluten-free, whole grain, and…maybe even better! They’re crispy, chocolaty, delicio…
Anyone else have fond memories of those irresistibly crispy chocolate wafer cookies? Well, these no-bake chocolate amaranth bars are kind of like those, but made vegan, gluten-free, whole grain, and…maybe even better! They’re crispy, chocolaty, delicious, and require just 6 ingredients and 15 minutes of active prep time. Basically, they’re flawless!
Inspired by our Easy Vegan Protein Bars, this chocolaty version is rich enough to satisfy that post-meal sweet tooth but balanced enough to enjoy as a healthier snack.
Dark Chocolate Amaranth Bars (6 Ingredients!) from Minimalist Baker →
Double Chocolate Overnight Oats make your morning routine fast and easy. Just grab and go with a jar of these delicious chocolate oats!
The post Double Chocolate Overnight Oats appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Spring has sprung here in Nashville and I’m feeling motivated to get back into a routine. Making a meal prep breakfast, like these Double Chocolate Overnight Oats, definitely makes sticking to a routine a lot easier. Overnight oats are so great for making a morning routine because the whole batch only takes minutes to make and then you have a grab-n-go breakfast for the next few days. And I promise you, when you make double chocolate overnight oats, you’re going to look forward to eating them every day.
This is the question I get most frequently when I post an overnight oats recipe. And the answer is there are no rules! You can eat overnight oats cold, heat them up in the microwave, eat them plain, or make them fancy by piling on the toppings! It’s totally up to you. Soaking the oats overnight basically takes the “cooking” part out of the equation.
Old-fashioned rolled oats are the best type of oats to use for overnight oats, in my opinion. They soften quickly but still have a ton of texture so the mixture doesn’t get too gloopy. Instant oats have very little texture once soaked, so your overnight oats will turn out very mushy and gluey. Steel-cut oats require a longer soak time and may need more liquid.
When I’m having a super busy morning, I’ll just grab a jar of my overnight oats and dig in. But if I’ve got a little more time on my hands I like to look into my pantry to find something fun to add on top. Here are some fun topping ideas for your overnight oats:
Overnight oats will stay good in your fridge for about 4-5 days, so I always limit my batches to 4 servings just to give myself a little wiggle room.
I added some chia seeds to my overnight oats because I love the extra dose of fiber, but I know a lot of people aren’t a fan of the somewhat gooey texture that chia can create. If you don’t like chia you can simply leave them out. The overnight oats will not be quite as thick, but they’ll be every bit as delicious!
Add 1 ⅓ cup rolled oats to a bowl along with 2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional), 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, and ¼ tsp salt. Add 1 ⅓ cup milk (any type of milk you like) and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
Stir the ingredients together to combine, then let the mixture sit for five minutes. The mixture will thicken slightly in that time making it easier to get an equal ratio of solid and liquid when you divide the mixture into containers.
Divide the mixture between four containers (about ¾ cup each). Close the containers and refrigerate overnight.
After soaking overnight, the mixture will be much thicker.
Stir the oats just before eating to redistribute the cocoa powder throughout. Then enjoy that chocolatey goodness!
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