all things food
There’s nothing quite like the sweet and spicy smell of homemade spiced apple cider filling your home in the fall. And it tastes just as good as it smells. This version is quick & easy, made with accessible ingredients, and has no added sugar, allo…
There’s nothing quite like the sweet and spicy smell of homemade spiced apple cider filling your home in the fall. And it tastes just as good as it smells. This version is quick & easy, made with accessible ingredients, and has no added sugar, allowing the natural sweetness of the apples to shine. OH yes!
It’s a crowd-pleasing drink perfect for holiday entertaining, chilly days, and celebrating apple season.
Hot Spiced Apple Cider (No Added Sugar) from Minimalist Baker →
Perfect Fall Breakfast We love making pancakes, waffles, and French toast for breakfast every weekend. It is one of our favorite family traditions. During the fall months, I like to switch things up and make our favorite Pumpkin Pancakes. The pancakes …
Perfect Fall Breakfast We love making pancakes, waffles, and French toast for breakfast every weekend. It is one of our favorite family traditions. During the fall months, I like to switch things up and make our favorite Pumpkin Pancakes. The pancakes are light, fluffy, and full of fall flavor. Top a stack with butter, pure… These Apple Pie Overnight Oats are an easy and delicious make-ahead breakfast with no added sugar that you can enjoy either hot or cold.
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The weather is starting to warm up outside, so that means it’s officially overnight oats season in my house! When the weather gets hot, I switch from big bowls of warm oatmeal to chilled jars of overnight oats in the morning. Overnight oats are fast and easy to make and the flavor possibilities are endless. This week I made these Apple Pie Overnight Oats that have no added sugar, yet somehow, magically taste just like an apple pie. Yes, please!
Originally posted 6-8-2016, updated 4-13-2022.
If you’re looking for a super simple breakfast meal prep to make mornings fast and easy, overnight oats are it. They’re basically just oats that have been softened by soaking in a liquid for hours, rather than being briefly boiled in the liquid. And when you add all sorts of fun extra ingredients, they will absorb all those flavors as they soak, too! Great, right? Well, it’s even better when they’re apple pie flavored and don’t need any extra sugar to be scrumptious. #winning
You can eat overnight oats hot or cold. In the summer I love overnight oats cold, but if you prefer a hot breakfast, simply microwave the oats for 60-90 seconds until heated through. They’re great either way!
Old-fashioned rolled oats are my favorite for overnight oats because they soften overnight, but maintain a good deal of texture. Quick or instant oats will soften quickly as well, but they have a lot less texture and will give a more mushy result. While you can do a variation of overnight oats with steel-cut oats, they require a more liquid and a longer soaking time, so they can not simply be swapped into the recipe below.
You can use any type of resealable container for overnight oats. the blue-top Ziploc containers are great if you’re on a tight budget, but mason jars or glass meal prep containers also work great. For the recipe below you’ll want a container that holds 1-1.5 cups. I used 8oz. jars.
You have a few options here, which will allow you to use the ingredient that is most affordable or accessible to you. I used dried cranberries today because that’s what I had on hand, but you can also use raisins, dried currants, or chopped dried dates.
Shown garnished with fresh apples and walnuts.
Add ⅓ cup old-fashioned rolled oats to each container. Also, add ⅛ tsp cinnamon and a pinch of ground ginger and ground cloves to each jar.
Next, add 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and 1 Tbsp dried cranberries to each jar.
Finally, add ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce and ⅓ cup milk to each jar.
You can either stir each jar before soaking, or just add the lid and soak as-is, then stir just before eating. Either way, let your oats soak overnight (8 hours) or up to four days. Give them a good stir just before eating, and enjoy.
You can add more toppings to your overnight oats, like fresh apples, after soaking, if desired.
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Today we’re bringing you our new favorite holiday drink! This tart cherry mulled “wine” was inspired by traditional, oh-so-delicious mulled wine that usually brings red wine and spices together in a warm, comforting drink. We swapped the wine for tart …
Today we’re bringing you our new favorite holiday drink! This tart cherry mulled “wine” was inspired by traditional, oh-so-delicious mulled wine that usually brings red wine and spices together in a warm, comforting drink. We swapped the wine for tart cherry juice and were blown away by the result (and the health perks)!
It’s a delicious, non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine, but you can also add whiskey or rum if you’re after a boozy twist.
Glazed ham steaks are a quick and easy dinner idea that only takes a few ingredients and about 15 minutes to prepare.
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I don’t know about you, but it feels like Thanksgiving was just yesterday and I’m not ready to make another big dinner yet. So for Christmas, I’m making these super simple ham steaks instead of a full glazed ham. They’re so incredibly quick, I get my ham fix, and I can spend Christmas day relaxing. 😎 These glazed ham steaks are so good and so easy that they’ll probably be making their way into my normal dinner rotation, too.
Shown with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and a baked sweet potato.
I like a thick-cut (½-inch thick) sliced ham steak for this recipe because it gives it more of a main-dish type feel. There are many options for sliced ham or sliced ham quarters in the grocery store (near the refrigerated cured meats) and you can use just about any of them. If you end up with ham that is sliced more thinly, you’ll just cook for a shorter amount of time during the browning step below. And you may need to make more glaze if you’re trying to cover more pieces.
The glaze I used here is a sweet and slightly tangy mix that reduces to a nice sticky glaze. You can’t really taste the Dijon mustard in the end, but if you don’t like Dijon or simply don’t have any on hand, you can also use a sweet-spicy-smoky rub like I used in my Glazed Pork Chops recipe.
I love, love, loved eating the leftovers of this ham. So much so that I think I might meal prep this on a regular basis! Glazes like this don’t stay clear and glossy after refrigeration, but they still taste great!
I served my glazed ham with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and a baked sweet potato, but it would also go great with classics like Homemade Mac and Cheese, Potato Salad, Three Bean Salad, Roasted Broccoli, or a Broccoli Cheese Casserole.
For something like a mini Christmas Dinner, I’d probably pair it with Potatoes Au Gratin, Balsamic Glazed Carrots, Roasted Brussels, and Apple Walnut Stuffing.
Make the glaze first. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, and ⅛ tsp ground cloves.
These are the ham steaks I used. You can use any type of ham steak available, but if they are thinner than ½-inch, you’ll need to reduce the cooking time from the estimates I have given.
Each of the ham steaks were 8oz., so I cut them in half to create four 4oz. portions. Portion your ham as you see fit.
Add 1 Tbsp butter to a large skillet and heat over medium. When the butter is melted, give the skillet a swirl to coat the surface. Add the ham and cook for a few minutes on each side, or until browned.
Spoon half of the glaze mixture over the ham steaks, then flip them over and add the rest.
Cook the ham for a minute or two more on each side, or until the glaze has reduced.
Serve hot with your favorite sides!
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Growing up we called these cookies “chocolate gingersnaps” but they’re not like a crunchy gingersnap at all, they’re actually a classic soft and chewy molasses cookie full of warm spices and chunks of melty chocolate. These Chocolate Molasses Cookies are the perfect cozy cookie for cold winter days and they pair perfectly with a hot […]
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Growing up we called these cookies “chocolate gingersnaps” but they’re not like a crunchy gingersnap at all, they’re actually a classic soft and chewy molasses cookie full of warm spices and chunks of melty chocolate. These Chocolate Molasses Cookies are the perfect cozy cookie for cold winter days and they pair perfectly with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee (especially with my gingerbread creamer). And the best part? They freeze beautifully, so you can keep a batch in your freezer and just take one or two out at a time to enjoy with your afternoon cup of tea or coffee. :)
Originally posed 12/11/2011, updated 11/29/2021.
Molasses creates an incredible chewy texture when added to cookies, as well as a slight sweetness with a rich and earthy flavor. If regular cookies tend to be a bit too sweet for you, I bet you’ll be a fan of these chocolate molasses cookies. Not only is the sweetness not super over the top, but the warm spices and semi-sweet chocolate give the cookie a little kick that helps counteract the sweetness. The flavor combination is absolute heaven!
I used Grandma’s Original Molasses for these cookies. While you can use blackstrap molasses, keep in mind that it has a much more intense, slightly bitter flavor and the ingredients in these cookies were not formulated using that type of molasses. Will it still be good? Maybe! At the end of the day, that’s going to be a matter of personal preference.
Once the cookies have cooled completely to room temperature, store them in an air-tight container to keep them from going stale. The cookies will keep at room temperature for about a week, or you can freeze them for about three months. I absolutely love keeping these in the freezer so I can take just one or two out at a time. I like to microwave the frozen cookie for a few seconds to make it extra soft and gooey.
While I do think the fresh ginger is what makes these cookies extra special, you can substitute it for more ground dried ginger if needed. If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, use two teaspoons of dried ginger instead of the 1 ¼ tsp listed in the recipe below.
Add 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1.25 tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 Tbsp cocoa powder, and 1 tsp baking powder in a bowl and stir until well combined.
Add 8 Tbsp room temperature butter, 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup molasses to a separate bowl.
Use a mixer to beat the wet ingredients together until they are light and creamy.
Begin mixing in the flour mixture at low speed, adding about ½ cup at a time, until all of it is incorporated.
Roughly chop the semi-sweet chocolate. You definitely want it to be fairly chunky.
Stir the chopped chocolate into the cookie dough.
Wrap the cookie dough in plastic, then refrigerate for about an hour to help firm it up. You can refrigerate overnight if needed.
When you’re ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 325ºF. Place ¼ granulated sugar in a small bowl. Divide the cookie dough into four equal-sized pieces, then divide each quarter into six small pieces (24 total pieces). Roll each piece into a ball, then roll the ball in the granulated sugar to coat.
Place twelve of the shaped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the cookies in the preheated 325ºF oven for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly cracked on top. Repeat with the second 12 cookies.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool for a few minutes, or serve warm. Allow the cookies to cool completely to room temperature before storing in an air-tight container.
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This gingerbread coffee creamer will make your morning cup of joe a little extra cozy. It’s creamy, lightly sweet, and full of warm spices!
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‘Tis the season for all things cozy and this gingerbread coffee creamer will turn your morning cup of joe into one big warm hug! It’s creamy, lightly sweet, and full of rich warm spices. I’m not going to lie, this creamer is so delicious that I’m tempted to just warm it up in a mug by itself and sip on it as an alternative to hot cocoa! Why not, right??
Aside from its incredibly warm and cozy flavor, I love this gingerbread coffee creamer because it only takes a few minutes to make and it’s totally customizable. Want it sweeter? Just add some brown sugar. Want it creamier? Substitute cream for the half and half. Need a smaller (or larger) batch? No problem. The recipe scales up or down without issue.
I used “half and half” as the base for my creamer. For those outside the U.S., half and half is a 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream. It’s a common add-in for coffee and can be purchased in pretty much every grocery store in the U.S.
You can make this gingerbread coffee creamer using just cream, or make your own “half and half” by combining equal parts whole milk and cream. Sure, you could probably do it with just whole milk too, but it just wouldn’t be nearly as cozy and creamy. :)
There isn’t an exact expiration date for homemade creamers like this, so I’d just stick to five days in the refrigerator just to be on the safe side. Luckily, you can make this creamer in very small batches if needed and it only takes minutes to make more when you run out, so there’s no need to risk leftovers going to waste.
I set the serving size for this creamer at ¼ cup, but it’s totally up to you how much creamer you put in a cup of coffee. I can’t lie, while I was going through testing for this recipe I even drank it like a café au lait (half coffee, half milk) and it was incredible.
Serve your gingerbread coffee alongside a Cinnamon Nut Swirl Mug Cake or a Mini Chocolate Pecan Pie.
I also have plans to try using this gingerbread creamer in an ice cream maker. I’ll keep you posted.
Start by adding one cup of half and half to a small saucepot (or one cup of cream, or any mix of cream and milk that you prefer).
Add 1 Tbsp molasses, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp ground ginger, ⅛ tsp ground cloves, and ⅛ tsp cinnamon to the half and half.
Heat the creamer over medium, stirring often, until the creamer is hot and steaming, but not yet simmering. The spices will clump up while the half and half is still cold, but they’ll begin to mix in as it heats up. Heating the spices in the liquid also helps the flavors bloom and permeate throughout the creamer.
Serve your creamer hot, or refrigerate until ready to use (up to about five days). Enjoy!
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Make these easy scaled-down recipes for turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and more to make a classic Thanksgiving dinner for two.
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Huge Thanksgiving dinners with tons of family and loved ones are awesome, but not everyone has the option to travel or the family to get together with. If for one reason or another you find yourself alone or celebrating Thanksgiving with just one other person, you can still enjoy a classic Thanksgiving dinner on a smaller scale. I’ve crafted this smaller-sized meal that can be prepared in about two hours, so you can enjoy all those delicious thanksgiving recipes without a huge production. :)
This smaller Thanksgiving dinner menu includes the following scaled-down classic Thanksgiving recipes:
Each recipe makes about 2-4 servings, so you’ll still have a few leftovers, but not as much as if you had cooked regular-sized Thanksgiving dinner (we’re all about reducing food waste here at Budget Bytes).
Three recipes will be prepared in the oven (at the same time and same temperature) and three will be prepared on the stove top while the other recipes are doing their thing in the oven.
In addition to the recipes listed above, here are a couple optional extras you can add, either homemade or store-bought. You can make homemade cranberry sauce or mini pumpkin pies the day before. You might want to prepare a quick Thanksgiving grazing board to snack on earlier in the day, or maybe some cranberry cream cheese dip with crackers. And don’t forget to make a couple of Apple Cider Mimosas!
I was able to make this meal in about two hours. The turkey and stuffing takes approximately 1.5 hours to roast, and I was able to prepare the rest of the sides while they were in the oven. I’m probably a bit faster than the average home cook and very well accustomed to multi-tasking in the kitchen, but I also paused to take all of my photographs in that time, so I think 2-3 hours is reasonable for most people. Beginners may wan to allow for extra time.
NOTE: The most important part of being able to prepare this meal in a decent amount of time is to read through the plan thoroughly before beginning. You need to understand how to execute each recipe and in which order before you begin so you don’t get lost. Making a Thanksgiving dinner, any Thanksgiving dinner, takes coordination and multi-tasking skills.
For this entire meal you’ll need the following equipment:
In addition to the equipment listed above, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Okay, let’s get into it! I have the process divided into steps below. Each recipe is its own step so you can skip recipes you don’t like or even scale up recipes that you may want more of. You’ll be cooking most of these simultaneously, but they are listed in order of execution. Keep in mind that the cooking times will overlap. Make sure to read through the instructions thoroughly before beginning. Understanding the process for each recipe and the sequence is critical to executing a Thanksgiving dinner!
NOTE: Before beginning, adjust the racks in your oven so the top rack is slightly above the middle position and the lower rack is just below the middle position (not on the lowest position). The bottom rack only needs enough vertical room for a sheet pan, while the top rack needs enough height for the casserole dish and turkey breast.
This turkey turns out so incredibly juicy and so so much easier than roasting a whole bird. The stuffing absorbs the juices and fat from the turkey as it roasts, making it even more flavorful!
The turkey and stuffing take the longest to cook (about 1.5 hours), so you’ll want to begin this first. The rest of the sides can be prepared while the turkey and stuffing are in the oven.
Once the turkey and stuffing are in the oven, move on to recipe #2, Candied Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
While the turkey and stuffing are roasting, begin the candied sweet potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts. These will cook together on one sheet pan in the oven at the same time as the turkey and stuffing. The sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts take about 40 minutes to cook, so you can prepare them on the sheet pan and then wait to put them into the oven until the turkey has about 40 minutes to go.
These candied sweet potatoes were so delicious it was all I could do to keep from eating them ALL myself. :o
Once the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are on the sheet pan and prepared to go into the oven, you can move on to preparing the next recipe, mashed potatoes. When the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are in the oven you can prepare the last two recipes, green bean “casserole” and mushroom herb gravy.
You can prepare the mashed potatoes while you’re waiting to put the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts in the oven. They’re pretty quick to prepare, then they can sit on the stovetop with a lid on to stay warm while you finish the rest of the side dishes.
This recipe is also pretty flexible, so if there are other ingredients that you like to add to your mashed potatoes, like sour cream, cheese, or herbs, feel free to stir them in at the end!
Once your potatoes are mashed and are resting on the back of the stove, begin the green bean “casserole”. This is essentially a quick stovetop version of the classic baked casserole. Tender green beans coated in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with French fried onions. You can bake this in the oven after assembly if you prefer, but I was aiming for speed and simplicity with this recipe, so I skipped the baking step.
This mushroom herb gravy only takes a few minutes to make, so it’s best to make it last just before you serve your Thanksgiving dinner. Gravies tend to gel up even more as they cool, so if you find your gravy becoming too thick after it begins to cool, simply stir in a tablespoon or two of warm water to loosen it back up.
And there you have it! By the time you’re finished making the gravy, the rest of the dishes should be done and waiting to be served. This meal should provide two people with generous helpings, plus a little leftover for the next day. ;) If you make this meal make sure to take a photo and tag us on social media! I want to see your masterpiece!
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I am normally not a huge pumpkin pie person, unless it is our Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie. That one is the BEST! I always savor every bite. Well, there is a new pumpkin pie in town that has stole my heart…this Biscoff Pumpkin Pie. You HAVE to try …
I am normally not a huge pumpkin pie person, unless it is our Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie. That one is the BEST! I always savor every bite. Well, there is a new pumpkin pie in town that has stole my heart…this Biscoff Pumpkin Pie. You HAVE to try it. It is creamy, dreamy, and divine!…
The post Biscoff Pumpkin Pie appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.
Our boys love waffles so we make them every week, sometimes twice a week. They never miss a “Waffle Wednesday.” Our classic Belgian Waffles are our favorite, but during the fall months we love making Pumpkin Waffles. They are such a t…
Our boys love waffles so we make them every week, sometimes twice a week. They never miss a “Waffle Wednesday.” Our classic Belgian Waffles are our favorite, but during the fall months we love making Pumpkin Waffles. They are such a treat! This is the BEST pumpkin waffle recipe. The waffles are made with pumpkin…
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