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French Toast

This Classic French Toast is light and fluffy, perfectly crisp and browned on the edges, and absolutely delicious. Ready in under 15 minutes, this sweet and savory breakfast is the best way to start your morning. It's quick and easy to whip up on busy mornings but fancy enough for a weekend brunch spread.

Thick slices of bread are dunked and coated in a egg mixture with cinnamon and milk, then fried to perfection on the stove before serving with butter and maple syrup. Is there anything better?

This Classic French Toast is light and fluffy, crisp and browned on the edges, and so delicious. The best part? Breakfast is ready in under 15 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love French Toast

It's a quick and easy breakfast. Fresh toast is a great breakfast meal since it's ready in under 15 minutes. It's so easy to prep and make that you can even do it half asleep - or with kids in tow.
It's savory and sweet. Enjoy a sweet and savory breakfast with this eggy bread, but make it even sweeter with a generous serving of maple syrup poured over top. Trust me, you won't regret it.
A great way to use leftover bread. Did you know that stale bread is actually preferred for French toast? So, when you have a loaf of bread that's about to get tossed, use it to make this recipe instead.
You can use any kind of bread. No matter what kind of bread you prefer, you can use it to make French toast. Thickly sliced bread works best, but any bread will work! For the fluffiest outcome, I recommend a loaf of Brioche or Challah.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious French Toast, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

bread - although French toast is a great recipe for using up leftover bread, using the right bread can alter the outcome of your French toast immensely. For the best French toast, go for a freshly baked loaf of Brioche or Challah.
milk
eggs
cinnamon
salt
butter

Ingredients in French toast. | aheadofthyme.com

French Toast Toppings

We topped our toast with the classics - butter and maple syrup. We also added some blueberries. Some other toppings that you can add to French toast are:

strawberries or raspberries
banana slices
chocolate chips
whipped cream
confectioner's sugar
peanut butter
nutella
honey
extra cinnamon

How to Make the Best French Toast

Dunk the bread. In a shallow plate or mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, cinnamon, and salt. Dunk the bread, one slice at a time, in the egg mixture and then flip it over to soak both sides.

Eggs, milk, cinnamon, and salt mixed together in a shallow bowl. | aheadofthyme.com

Slice of bread dipping into egg mixture for French toast. | aheadofthyme.com

Make the French toast. Lightly butter a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Transfer the bread slices to the hot skillet (you will likely be able to fit only 2-3 at a time in a large skillet so you will have to cook in batches) or a griddle. Cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip over and cook until browned on the other side, another 3 to 4 minutes.

Melted butter on a skillet. | aheadofthyme.com

Frying two slices of French toast on a skillet. | aheadofthyme.com

Serve. Serve hot with a pat of butter, maple syrup, and/or fresh berries.

How to Serve

French Toast is the perfect meal to serve on a weekend brunch spread. Some other items I like to serve it with at brunch are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Allow any leftover French toast to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
How to reheat: For the best results, reheat leftover French toast in a preheated 375F oven for 10 minutes. To prevent it from drying out, you can wrap it loosely in aluminum foil. However, if it seems soggy, allowing it to dry out in the oven might be a good idea! You can also reheat French toast in the air fryer at 350F for about 5 minutes.

More Breakfast Recipes

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Coconut Curry Salmon

Coconut curry salmon is a delicious, flavorful, and healthy weeknight dinner. It's 30-minute dinner that is a game changer on busy weeknights. Loaded with protein, veggies, and spice, this Thai salmon curry has everything you need for a nourishing meal.

Tender and flaky salmon is seared and tossed in a creamy homemade Thai red curry sauce made with classic flavors. Plus, it stores well - in fact leftovers might taste even better the next days!

Coconut curry salmon is a delicious, flavorful, and healthy weeknight dinner. It’s 30-minute dinner that is a game changer on busy weeknights. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Coconut Curry Salmon

A quick 30-minute dinner. A good 30-minute dinner is always a winner in my book - and this coconut curry salmon is one of my favorites. It's healthy, flavorful, and filling!
It's packed with nutrition. This recipe serves up a nutritious plate. Salmon provides heart-healthy protein and fats, bell peppers bring fiber to the table, and everything on your plate adds essential vitamins and nutrients that you need to thrive.
The homemade creamy spicy Thai red curry sauce. Although the seared salmon is delicious on its own, the homemade coconut curry sauce brings more moisture and savory flavor into the mix. Coconut milk, red curry, lime juice, and basil all come together for a flavorful sauce that pairs perfectly with salmon fillets.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make quick and easy Coconut Curry Salmon, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

salmon
salt and pepper
olive oil
garlic + ginger
onion
red curry paste
tomato paste
coconut milk
soy sauce - you can also replace with fish sauce for an umami flavor.
lime - you will need both the juice and zest from the lime.
bell pepper - I used red bell peppers, but any color works.
fresh herbs - top the salmon curry with chopped cilantro or Thai basil.

This Thai salmon curry is also completely customizable. Feel free to add in other veggies such as snap peas, bean sprouts, or zucchini.

How to Make the Best Coconut Curry Salmon

Season the salmon. Use a paper towel to pat dry the salmon fillets. Season with salt and pepper and set aside at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. It's ideal to bring the salmon fillets from the fridge to room temperature to achieve even cooking.
Sear the salmon. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Sear the salmon fillets (skin side facing up first) for 5-6 minutes on each side until golden browned and fully cooked. When salmon is cooked, the flesh will turn opaque, and it will flake easily when inserting a fork. Transfer the cooked salmon to a plate and set aside.
Sauté aromatics. In the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, and onion. Sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes.
Make coconut red curry sauce. Stir in red curry paste and tomato paste and cook until evenly combined, about 1 minute. Add coconut milk, soy sauce (or fish sauce), lime zest, and lime juice. Mix well and bring the sauce to a boil.
Add veggies and salmon. Add bell pepper and cook on medium heat until tender, about 2 minutes. Return cooked salmon to the skillet and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes
Serve. Top with cilantro or basil and serve warm with steamed rice.

Storing Instructions

How to store: Let the salmon cool completely to room temperature. Then, place it in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to freeze: You can freeze this coconut curry salmon in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that if you freeze this recipe, it is possible that the coconut curry sauce may split or separate when you reheat it.
How to reheat: When reheating fish, it's important that you don't overcook it. For the best results, heat the fish with the sauce inside an oven-safe dish covered tightly in tin foil for 10-15 minutes in a 350F oven. You can also reheat it in a skilley over the stove on medium-low heat until warmed through.

How to Serve

Serve this Coconut Curry Salmon over Steamed Rice. You can also serve it with some other sides such as:

More Salmon Recipes

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Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole

This Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole is an easy breakfast bake loaded with potatoes, veggies, and cheese. Plus, it is completely customizable with your favorite ingredients and can be prepared ahead of time.

This Vegetarian Breakfast Casserole is the perfect dish to serve at brunch for special occasions like Christmas Morning or Easter Brunch, or for any day of the week because it's easy to make ahead. Whether you are feeding a small family or entertaining a large number of guests, this egg casserole is a total crowd pleaser!

Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole is an easy vegetarian breakfast bake loaded with veggies. It is completely customizable and can be made ahead of time. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Breakfast Casserole

Easy to make. Casseroles are one of my favourite dishes to prepare because I don't have to worry too much over them. I simply combine all the ingredients into the casserole dish, pop it in the oven and let it do it's thing. This breakfast casserole is no different. Once it's baked, just remove it from the oven and place it right onto your table (with a trivet underneath, of course).
Feeds a crowd. This breakfast egg bake is perfect to feed a whole family with 6 large servings. You can also easily double the recipe to and bake in a 9x13-inch casserole pan to feed even more people when entertaining.
It's customizable. Want to switch up the veggies? Go for it. Want to add in some bacon or sausage? Go for it. Want to add extra cheese? You know the answer. Just like our Egg Muffins, this breakfast casserole is 100% customizable, so you can add in your favorite ingredients and enjoy it the way that you want.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

olive oil
onion
green pepper
russet potatoes - you can also substitute for sweet potatoes for a different flavor.
salt and pepper
eggs - for a softer and creamier texture, feel free to beat in ¼ to ½ cup of milk to the eggs.
cheddar cheese - you can also add in a little cheese for a cheesier version, or leave it out.

How to Customize a Breakfast Casserole

This breakfast egg casserole is completely customizable with your favorite vegetables. Feel free to substitute or add in other vegetables when you are sautéing. No matter what you add, keep the portion of veggies to 1 cup. Some of my favorites to add are:

mushrooms
tomatoes
asparagus
zucchini
chopped spinach
broccoli

You can also add 1 cup of cooked meat, such as sausage, bacon, or ground meat.

Note that if you are adding a lot of extra ingredients, you will need to add more eggs to ensure that the egg mixture covers all your ingredients. If you like to keep it potato heavy but you have added too many other ingredients, you might also want to consider adding another potato. This will also mean that you will need a bigger 9x13-inch casserole pan.

How to Make the Best Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole

Sauté the vegetables. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 1 minute, then add green peppers, potatoes, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper and continue to sauté for another 4 minutes until the onions are soft and tender.

Sautéed onions in a skillet. | aheadofthyme.com

Sautéed vegetables in a skillet. | aheadofthyme.com

Prepare eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and remaining salt and pepper.

Beating eggs together in a mixing bowl. | aheadofthyme.com

Assemble casserole. Lightly grease a 9-inch square casserole dish and set aside. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread out evenly. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the vegetables in the casserole dish. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top (optional).

Sautéed vegetables on bottom of casserole dish. | aheadofthyme.com

Pouring beaten eggs over sautéed vegetables in casserole dish. | aheadofthyme.com

Bake. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until eggs are cooked firmly.

Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole

One of my favorite things about this egg bake is that you can prepare it ahead of time. There is nothing better than waking up in the morning and just popping an egg casserole into the oven. There are 2 ways to prep it in advance:

Prep and bake later: Combine all your ingredients (leaving out the potatoes) into your casserole dish the night before, cover it with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap and store in the fridge until you are ready to bake. You can chop the potatoes but store them in a container with water so that they are submerged (to prevent browning). In the morning, drain and add the potatoes to the casserole pan and give it a quick stir. Sprinkle on some cheddar cheese (optional) and allow it to come to room temperature. Then, pop it into the oven.
Bake and reheat: Make the breakfast casserole recipe and actually bake it the night before. Allow it to cool to room temperature and then store it covered in the fridge. Remember that this is the kind of dish that you want to eat warm so simply pop it into a preheated 350F oven in the morning for about 10 minutes to reheat.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to double the recipe: You can easily double the recipe and bake in a 9x13-inch casserole pan instead.
How to store: Store any leftover breakfast egg bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
How to reheat: Reheat in a 350F preheated oven for 10 minutes until warm, or reheat slices in a 350F air fryer for 5-10 minutes or in the microwave until warmed through.
How to freeze: To freeze this breakfast casserole, prepare the recipe as directed and assemble into the casserole dish but don't bake it. Cover it tightly with plastic cling wrap and wrap it again with aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then allow it to come to room temperature before popping into the oven and baking as per the recipe instructions.

More Brunch Recipes

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60 Best Mother's Day Recipes

One of my favourite ways to pamper mom on Mother's day is cooking or baking all her favourite recipes. If you are wondering how to treat your mom on Mother's Day, then you have come to the right place. Today, I am sharing over 60 of the best and most popular Mother's Day recipes including all the brunch and breakfast recipes for a Mother's Day brunch spread at home, fresh spring soups and salads, warm-out-of-the-oven freshly baked bread, lots of dessert ideas whether you are baking a cake, cookies, or scones, and easy yet fancy savoury snacks to munch on throughout the day including crostini, dips, and more.

Best Mother's Day Recipes

Spring Vegetable Frittata

Spring vegetable frittata is a delicious breakfast or served at any time of the day. It's a one-pan meal that starts on the stove and moves to the oven. The perfect recipe for a Mother's Day brunch.

Mother's Day Vanilla Cupcakes with Rose Petal Buttercream Icing

Light, airy and fluffy vanilla cupcakes with rose petal buttercream icing is the cutest treat for Easter. They are super quick and easy to make. One of my favorite Mother's Day recipes.

Quick and Easy Butter Croissants

Quick and easy butter croissants are flaky, buttery, airy, and authentic, and are made in the fraction of the time using a special simplified technique.

Asparagus Tart

Asparagus tart with Gruyère cheese, a balsamic glaze, and flaky puff pastry, is a flavourful and delicious addition to brunch this spring season when looking for Mother's Day recipes to make.

Glazed Lemon Blueberry Scones

Glazed lemon blueberry scones are total breakfast goals. Blueberries and lemon partner together in a light, tender and flakey scone, drizzled with a sweet lemon glaze that is nothing short of impressive.

Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole

Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole is an easy vegetarian breakfast bake loaded with veggies. It is completely customizable and can be made ahead of time.

Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Showstopping carrot bundt cake with cream cheese glaze is light, fluffy, and moist. It's loaded with sugar, spice, and everything nice -- including grated carrots.

The Best Old Fashioned Pancakes

No Mother's Day brunch spread is complete without a stack of the best, soft and fluffiest old fashioned pancakes. Easy to make in less than 15 minutes!

How to Make a Charcuterie Board

Take your party to another level with this easy to follow guide on how to make a charcuterie board, with a variety of cheese, cured meats, crackers, olives and dips. Add some sourdough crackers with sesame seeds to the board.

Lemon Sweet Rolls

Soft and fluffy lemon sweet rolls are filled with a lemon vanilla sugar and topped with homemade lemon cream cheese icing. They're sweet, citrusy, and tart.

Chopped Asparagus Salad

Chopped asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette is the easiest and best spring salad ever - colourful, vibrant, flavourful, light, and crunchy.

Lemon Asparagus Soup with Parmesan

Lemon asparagus soup with parmesan is the perfect spring soup -- smooth, light, fresh, and flavourful. It's customizable and can be served hot or cold. It's an easy recipe to treat mom to on Mother's Day.

Persian Love Cake

Persian Love Cake is a rich, moist, and nutty almond cake loaded with floral and citrus flavors, topped with a lemon glaze, pistachios, and rose petals.

Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze

Tomato bruschetta with balsamic glaze is an easy Italian appetizer topped with tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil and olive oil. Delicious, fresh and simple. It's one of my favourite Mother's Day appetizers at brunch.

Skillet Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and fluffy skillet cinnamon rolls are filled with classic cinnamon sugar and topped with homemade cream cheese icing. Sweet, buttery, and delicious.

Easy Salted Soft Pretzels

The best quick and easy salted soft pretzels are buttery, salty, and so delicious. They are golden brown and chewy on the outside, yet warm and soft inside.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Cute raspberry and white chocolate heart-shaped shortbread cookies literally melt in your mouth. They are the perfect Mother's Day treat.

Lemon Kale Salad

Lemon kale salad is a simple, flavorful, and healthy meal that’s thrown together in just minutes with fresh ingredients. The perfect quick lunch or dinner. If you are looking for healthy Mother's Day recipes, this is a great choice.

French Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling

Easy French macarons with vanilla buttercream filling are sweet, light, airy, and delicate cookies that melt in your mouth. Beginners can make them too!

French Toast

This Classic French Toast is light and fluffy, crisp and browned on the edges, and so delicious. The best part? Breakfast is ready in under 15 minutes.

Potato Galette with Arugula and Crème Fraîche

Potato galette with arugula and crème fraîche is a rich, light, and delicious savoury tart to serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A total crowd-pleaser.

Whipped Ricotta Dip

Light and airy, whipped ricotta dip is so easy to make in just 5 minutes with a few fresh ingredients including fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, and honey.

Fig Crostini with Goat Cheese and Pistachios

Fig crostini topped sweet, juicy figs, tangy goat cheese and crunchy pistachios is flavourful, delicious, and perfect for snacking on or entertaining.

Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate macarons with chocolate buttercream are light and delicate, rich and sweet, and crisp and chewy. They are easier to make than you think!

Deviled Eggs

Classic deviled eggs are a simple, easy, and healthy appetizer to make when you need something quick for brunch, picnics, barbecues, potlucks, or Easter.

Spring Pesto Pasta with Asparagus

Spring pesto pasta with asparagus and chives is light and made with simple ingredients in under 20 minutes. Serve it hot for dinner or cold as pasta salad.

Antipasto Skewers

Antipasto skewers with tortellini are a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer that can be served for any occasion.

Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

Creamless cream of asparagus soup is healthy, delicious, smooth, creamy, quick and easy to make. A perfect spring soup for a last minute lunch or dinner.

Veggie Tray

This homemade veggie tray is a quick easy healthy snack or appetizer to make for your next party, with a variety of colorful vegetables and delicious dips.

Easy Nutella Crepes with Berries

Nutella crepes with berries are sweet and indulgent. These French pancakes are an easy to make blender recipe that will have you craving breakfast all day.

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs

Roasted asparagus with poached eggs and fresh herbs is a classy, elevated Mother's Day spring meal that will leave you feeling light, but completely satisfied.

Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze (Starbucks Copycat)

Inspired by Starbucks lemon loaf, this moist, homemade lemon loaf with lemon glaze has the perfect balance between sweet and tangy, and so so flavourful.

Mediterranean Chickpea Wedge Salad

Mediterranean chickpea wedge salad combines chickpeas, crunchy vegetable toppings, and hummus dressing for a delicious deconstructed falafel flavour.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate covered strawberries are fancy, decadent, bite-sized treats that are loved by all. They are so simple and easy to make at home.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus and Melon

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus and melon are salty, sweet, and juicy. They are easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients, then cooked on the grill.

Carrot Cake Muffins

Carrot cake muffins are moist, light, chewy and full of carrots which means breakfast this week is healthy! Carrot muffins are great for meal prep too.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola

Layer fresh fruits, creamy Greek yogurt and crunchy granola to make this fruit and yogurt parfait for a delicious and healthy breakfast or a simple snack.

Cinnamon Raisin Challah Bread with Almonds

Sweet cinnamon raisin challah bread is airy, soft and fluffy with a beautiful golden crust coated with almonds. It is braided and baked in a loaf pan.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Quick and easy Mediterranean orzo pasta salad packed with fresh vegetables and herbs is tossed in a Greek lemon vinaigrette. Healthy, light and delicious.

15-Minute Caprese Frittata

This 15-minute caprese frittata is the recipe you’ve been waiting for -- tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella wrapped between fluffy, light eggs. A go-to breakfast for easy entertaining.

Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies

Carrot cake shortbread cookies are sweet and buttery, packed with carrots and walnuts, and spiced like your favourite carrot cake. A total treat.

Triple Berry French Toast

Triple berry french toast with warm slices of bread, creamy egg mixture, an overload of berries, and drizzled maple syrup on top... should I even continue?

Pesto Hummus

Smooth and creamy pesto hummus is a healthy, delicious and flavourful dip that is easy to make in just 5 minutes. It's vegan and gluten-free.

Crostini with Ricotta, Peas and Mint

Get ready for spring with this impressive and delicious spring appetizer -- crostini with creamy ricotta, fresh English peas and fragrant mint.

Baked Jelly Donuts with Strawberry Jam

These melt-in-your-mouth, homemade baked jelly donuts, coated in sugar and filled with sweet strawberry jam, are so soft, fluffy, spongy and airy.

Arugula and Roasted Carrot Salad

Arugula and roasted carrot salad is one of the best spring salads, packed with a delicious combination of sweet and sour flavours, plus easy to make.

Brioche Bread

Brioche bread is a buttery, soft and pillowy pastry-like bread rich in flavour with a beautiful golden brown crust. Made with 20 minutes of prep work. It's one of my favourite Mother's Day recipes.

Spinach and Feta Quiche with Cauliflower Crust

Spinach and feta quiche is healthy and gluten-free with a keto cauliflower crust and savoury vegetarian filling. Serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Glazed Brown Sugar Bundt Cake

No one will be able to resist this perfectly sweet and moist, glazed brown sugar bundt cake. Made with Greek yogurt for major decadence and richness.

Easy Homemade Everything Bagels

Easy homemade everything bagels with a signature everything bagel seasoning blend on top are just like bakery-style bagels and so easy to make at home.

Whipped Ricotta Crostini

Whipped ricotta crostini is a fancy easy appetizer to make in just minutes or prepare in advance and assemble before serving. A total crowd pleaser.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Blueberry yogurt muffins are buttery, moist, soft, and cakey and bursting with blueberries in every single bite. They are super quick and easy to make.

The Best Egg Salad Sandwich

The best egg salad sandwich is a quick and easy picnic classic loaded with perfect hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, a touch of dijon mustard and green onions.

Easy Small Batch Almond Biscotti

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

This Summer Fruit Salad is colorful, delicious, and naturally sweet (no processed sugar!). It's easy to make with fresh fruit tossed in a homemade dressing.

Easy Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Bread

No knead, easy rosemary garlic focaccia bread is thick with a perfect golden and crispy texture on the outside, but soft, fluffy and tender inside.

Double Chocolate Loaf Cake

Double chocolate loaf cake is rich, intensely flavoured, and a total show stopper for any holiday. It is dense and chewy, and it tastes like fudge.

Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

Roasted carrot and ginger soup is rich, velvety, creamy, flavorful, and delicious. This healthy vegetarian soup is quick and easy to make in 30 minutes.

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Banana chocolate chip oatmeal muffins are a quick and easy breakfast or snack that you can meal prep and enjoy all week or longer (if you freeze them).

Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Spinach, Tomato and Feta

Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with spinach, tomato, and feta is loaded with flavor and a quick and easy breakfast to make in under 10 minutes (with prep!). One of the easiest Mother's Day breakfast ideas.

Easy Homemade Biscuits

Flaky, fluffy, buttery, and soft, these easy homemade biscuits come together with only a handful of ingredients you already have at home.

Pita Grilled Cheese

Quick easy pita grilled cheese is loaded with Mediterranean flavors of spinach, olive, and sun-dried tomato stuffed inside pita bread with cheddar cheese.

Healthy Banana Bread

Healthy banana bread is delicious and moist and contains no refined sugar or butter. Quick and easy to make with 10 minutes prep and few pantry staples.

Whipped Feta

Whipped feta is light, airy, and fluffy. It's an easy yet impressive recipe that takes only 5 minutes to make in a blender with 3 simple ingredients.

Mother's Day Brunch Tips

Plan your menu ahead of time. You can prepare a lot of these recipes in advance (especially all the baked goods), and store them in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator. Some of the brunch or breakfast items can also be made much further in advance and frozen, according to recipe directions.
Prep your ingredients. If you aren't able to make something completely in advance (I hear you, muffins and cookies just taste different fresh out of the oven) then prepare as much as you can ahead of time, whether that is chopping ingredients, making a dough, or prepping the dish and storing in the refrigerator until ready for the oven. Any little bit that you can prepare in advance will make things go much more smoothly and stress-free.
Set the table the night before. Take out the fancy plates, mugs, flatware, placemats, and napkins and set the table the night before. It's one less thing to worry about on Mother's Day.

Did You Make Any of These Mother's Day Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of Mothers' Day recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram and Pinterest for more recipe updates.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are a quick, easy, and lazy version of classic Chocolate Chip Cookies that take half the prep time (no scooping cookie dough here!). They are soft and chewy, have perfect crisp edges and a gooey center, and are loaded with chocolate chips.

This one bowl cookie bar recipe comes together in just 10 minutes with a handful of baking pantry staples before ready to bake. It's the easiest way to bake cookies ever. Plus, it's easy to make ahead and freezer-friendly too!

Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are a quick, easy, and lazy version of classic chocolate chip cookies that take half the prep time. | aheadofthyme.com

A twist on classic chocolate chip cookies. These chocolate chip cookie bars have everything you would want in a chocolate chip cookie - soft and chewy centers with the perfect crispy edges. Plus, these cookie bars are thicker than your average cookie making the centers extra gooey and delicious. So so good.
It's a quick one bowl recipe. All you need to make easy chocolate chip cookie bars is 10 minutes of prep, one bowl, and a few basic baking ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Then pop them into the oven for 30 minutes before they're ready to eat. Try them once and these may very well become your go to when you need to satisfy a late night sugar craving.
Cookie bars are easier to make than cookies. Baking cookies is always fun, especially when you get the kids involved. But, it does take a little more prep work to scoop out each cookie or to roll our cookies and cut them. With lazy cookie bars, there is no need to shape them or bring out extra cookie trays to bake in batches. All you need is to transfer the cookie dough to a 8-inch square baking pan, then and slice.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make these easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

butter - make sure to use softened butter, otherwise it won't cream properly with the sugar and the cookie bars won't have that classic chocolate chip cookie texture.
sugar - both light brown sugar and granulated sugar are required in these cookie bars.
egg
all-purpose flour
baking soda
salt
chocolate chips - I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use your favorite kind. You can also use mini chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.

Equipment

You will also need:

measuring cups and spoons
mixing bowl
hand mixer or stand mixer
8-inch square baking pan

How to Make the Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Make the cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer cream together butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat on low until incorporated. Add flour, baking soda, and salt and beat until just combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips (for the top). Fold in the rest.

Transfer to baking pan. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray oil and line it with a piece of parchment paper, allowing the overhang to come off the 2 sides. Spread the cookie dough onto the lined pan. Press in the remaining chocolate chips on top.
Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cookie dough may not look completely done in the middle, but they will continue to cook as they are cooling.
Serve. Allow it to cool completely in the pan. Then, use the parchment paper overhang to pull them out. Slice into 16 pieces and serve.

How to Serve

Enjoy these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars warm right out of the oven with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, and dig in with a spoon. Or allow them to cool down a bit and slice up and enjoy over the next few days or weeks to come (depending on how you store them). Plus, you can quickly reheat them in the microwave and enjoy warm any time you want.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to store: Store easy chocolate chip cookie bars in an airtight container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Eat within 4 days if stored at room temperature, and within 7 days if stored in the fridge.
How to freeze: You can also freeze chocolate cookie bars for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely first, then slice and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. To thaw, leave them in the fridge overnight.
Make ahead instructions: You can make the chocolate chip cookie dough up to 2-3 days in advance. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap when storing. When ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temperature (about 20 minutes) before spreading onto the prepared baking pan.
How to freeze cookie dough: You can also freeze the cookie dough by rolling it into a ball and wrapping tightly in plastic cling wrap and placing inside a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, allow the cookie dough to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and allow it to come to room temperature before baking, according to recipe instructions.

Recipe FAQ and Tips

How can I make thinner cookie bars?

Spread the cookie batter into a lined quarter sheet baking pan or 9x13-inch pan to make thinner mini egg cookie bars. You will need to shorten the cook time though, so keep an eye on the cookies at the 15-20 minute mark.

Can I add nuts or other substitutions?

Absolutely! If you are feeling creative, you can add in nuts, substitute the chocolate chip for white chocolate chips or M&M's.

Can I make a bigger batch?

Yes, you can simply double the recipe and spread the cookie dough into a 9x13-inch baking pan, and instead of baking for 30-35 minutes, bake for 35-45 minutes.

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Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rosé Sauce

Farfalle pasta with mushroom rosé sauce is creamy yet light, delicious and flavorful, and quick and easy to make in 20 minutes. It's one of my favorite weeknight dinner recipes that the whole family with love, even the kids!

This fresh take on a classic dinner recipe features sautéed onions and mushrooms that provide a depth of flavor that you just can't get from a canned pasta sauce - and they add so much to this dish's nutritional profile. Plus, the homemade rose sauce takes less than 15 minutes to make before you can toss in the pasta for a delicious pasta dinner. The best comfort food ever!

Farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce is creamy yet light, delicious and flavorful, and quick and easy to make in 20 minutes. Best comfort food dinner! | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Mushroom Rosé Pasta

You only need 20 minutes to make this recipe. Farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce is the perfect Italian dinner whether you're preparing for date night, feeding hungry kids, or squeezing dinner into a tight schedule. It's ready in just 20 short minutes - but you'd never know from how amazing this comfort food tastes. The key is to make your sauce while your pasta is cooking so that the sauce and the pasta will be ready at the same time.
The depth of flavor. Pasta dinners come in many forms, and rest assured, this mushroom rose pasta is nothing like plain old, buttered noodles. Sautéed onions and mushrooms bring earthy, savory flavor. Italian seasoning and fresh black pepper add aromatic flavors. And the creamy red homemade rose sauce adds richness and decadence.
The homemade rosé sauce. I love pasta. I especially love creamy pastas. And of course my cream of choice is rosé sauce. There is just something about the combination of tomatoes with cream that just creates fireworks when they come together. To make this homemade sauce, all you'll need is tomato puree, half and half, and parmesan cheese. Add some boiled pasta, and voila! You've got a farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce ready in just 20 minutes.
Loaded with mushrooms. I love mushrooms, so any recipe with mushrooms as a main ingredient easily works its way into my heart. But if you're not a mushroom fanatic like me, you can still appreciate the fact that mushrooms are a low-calorie source of fiber, protein, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients that boost your health. For more delicious mushroom recipes try Garlic Sautéed Mushrooms, Creamy Garlic Mushrooms, or Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms.
Pasta can be healthy. Sure, pasta is high in carbs, but your body needs carbs. They are our bodies' main source of energy. Pasta is low in sodium, fat-free, cholesterol-free and has a low glycemic index (meaning it does not cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly). You can even purchase boxes of "enriched" pastas which are fortified with folic acid and other nutrients. If you keep your portions under control there is no need to sacrifice on comfort foods like pasta. Too much of anything is typically not great.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this easy and delicious creamy farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

farfalle pasta - I used farfalle pasta in this recipe (the adorable bow-tie pasta that grasps tons of sauce in between its little ridges). But the thing about pasta dishes is that you can substitute the farfalle with any type of pasta that you like. Feel free to use any shaped pasta that you like. Some other great alternatives are shells, rotini, penne, and fusili.
olive oil - you can substitute with any vegetable oil that you have on hand such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
onion
mushrooms - I like this recipe best with crimini mushrooms (or brown mushrooms) but you can use white mushrooms as well as an easy substitute.
garlic - for the best flavor use fresh garlic. You can substitute with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, but the flavor will not be as potent.
Italian seasoning - or substitute with dried oregano.
salt and pepper
tomato puree
half and half cream - I used half and half to keep the recipe a little lighter. For a creamier option, use heavy cream or a combination of the two.
Parmesan cheese

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large stockpot to cook the pasta, and a large skillet for the sauce. I like using a cast-iron skillet.

How to Customize

This farfalle pasta with light creamy mushroom rose sauce is delicious on its own, but you may want to add some extra ingredients. And you totally can! Try adding:

grilled chicken, shredded chicken, or leftover rotisserie chicken
sautéed or fresh spinach
fresh basil
mozzarella cheese (fresh or shredded)
cooked broccoli, asparagus, or brussels sprouts

How to Make the Best Farfalle Pasta with Mushroom Rosé Sauce

Cook pasta. Bring a large stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente or according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
Sauté mushrooms. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Then, add mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add garlic, Italian seasoning blend, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and continue to sauté until the mushrooms start to caramelize, about 2-3 minutes.
Make rose sauce. Add the tomato puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and add the cream. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Toss with pasta. Pour the sauce into the pot of drained pasta. Add Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste (if needed). You can also plate the pasta and pour the sauce on top.

Serve. Serve with extra grated Parmesan on top and chopped parsley, if desired.

How to Serve

I like to serve this light creamy mushroom pasta with a healthy side like a salad to balance it out, and some bread to soak up any extra sauce. Some of my favorites to pair with this are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Keep leftover creamy farfalle pasta with mushroom rose sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-7 days.
How to reheat: This pasta reheats well in the microwave on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally, every 30-90 seconds. Be sure to heat in a covered microwave-safe dish and avoid overheating, which can make the pasta tough. You can also reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. If the sauce has thickened up too much when stored in the fridge, just add a splash of water to thin it out.

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Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

Making tapioca pearls (boba) at home is so much easier than you think. These brown sugar boba pearls are tender, sweet, and delicious. It's fun to make at home, it will save you so much money (bubble tea is expensive!), and you can customize how sweet it is.

Homemade tapioca pearls are made with just 3 simple ingredients - water, sugar, and uncooked tapioca pearls. It's an essential recipe for all bubble tea lovers to enjoy all summer (or any time of the year).

Making tapioca pearls (boba) at home is easier than you think with just 3 ingredients. Add tender and sweet brown sugar boba pearls to your bubble tea. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

It's so easy to make. The bubble tea shops might not want you to know this, but it's so easy to make boba! All it takes is boiling your boba, waiting for it to cook, and stirring them around. Once you've finished, mix them with the homemade brown sugar syrup to prevent sticking and to add sweetness. Add it to homemade Bubble Tea and you are all set.
They are bubble tea shop quality. These tapioca pearls taste just like (if not better!) than the ones that you get when you buy bubble tea at your local tea shop. I personally think they taste better because you are making them yourself and you can control how sweet you want to make them.
Tapioca pearls can be a pantry staple. When stored unopened, tapioca pearls can last for 6-12 months in your pantry. Once opened (but still uncooked), it's best to keep them in an airtight container (like a mason jar) to keep them fresh. Air and moisture can make the dry pearls fall apart.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make the best Tapioca Pearls (Boba), you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

tapioca pearls - I used black bobas, but you can use this recipe with clear tapioca pearls or mini tapioca pearls.
brown sugar - you can customize the sweetness in this recipe by adding less brown sugar. I added in ¼ cup, but feel free to reduce it to 2-3 tablespoons if desired. Note that if you taste the tapioca pearl mixture, it will seem overly sweet but once you make your bubble tea it dilutes as it blends into the drink and adds sweetness to the drink.
water

You will also need measuring cups, saucepan, and mesh sieve or strainer.

How to Make the Best Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

Cook tapioca pearls. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tapioca pearls and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Let rest. Turn off the heat and let the tapioca pearls sit in the hot water for another 20-25 minutes.
Drain. Drain the pearls through a fine mesh sieve and return to the saucepan.
Add brown sugar. Add in brown sugar and ¼ cup water. Stir well and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to thicken a bit, about 4-5 minutes. When the pearls are fully cooked through, they should be soft and chewy. Serve immediately in bubble tea.

How to Serve Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

You can enjoy your favorite bubble teas with boba such like taro, strawberry, coconut, and more.

Three ways to make bubble tea at home is a lot easier than you think! Made with real ingredients, this recipe is delicious, refreshing, and healthy. | aheadofthyme.com

Storing Instructions

Tapioca pearls are best if used within a few hours of cooking (within 4 hours). They will get mushy. Make a smaller batch if you are worried about having extras.
If you do have extra, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and fully coat them in the honey syrup so that they don't stick to each other. But again, you need to consume them within 4 hours before they start to get mushy. Do not store in the refrigerator as they will harden.

Troubleshooting

Why are my tapioca pearls too soft?

This will happen if the boba are overcooked, or if they have been sitting out for over 4 hours.

Why are my tapioca pearls too hard?

This will happen if the boba are undercooked or stored in the refrigerator.

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How to Make Bubble Tea

Wondering how to make bubble tea at home? We are sharing three ways to make bubble tea at home and it's a lot easier to make than you think! Whether you want to make plain bubble tea, milk bubble tea, or fruity bubble tea, this simple bubble tea recipe is all you need. It's delicious, refreshing, and simple.

Plus, homemade bubble tea is so much better, healthier, and cheaper than store-bought. It's made with real ingredients (no syrups here!) and you can completely customize the amount of honey or sugar that you add to suit your needs.

It's officially summer which for me means bubble tea season. Who am I kidding? It's bubble tea season for me all year round. However, my consumption of milk tea probably triples during the summer. It is truly a way of life. Long story short, I am super excited to share this easy boba tea recipe with you today.

What is Bubble Tea?

Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, tapioca milk tea, or boba tea) is a Taiwanese drink that first originated in the 1980s and has since become widely popular all over Asia, and now all over the world. It is commonly made of tea, milk and chewy tapioca balls or pearls. It can also be made with other toppings in addition to the boba or instead of it, including coconut jelly, lychee, grass jelly, mango, and popping boba.

When it comes to bubble tea, there are so many different flavors that you can enjoy. From simple tea and pearls, to fruit flavors, there are endless of choices to choose from. Today, we are sharing three different ways to make bubble tea:

Plain Bubble Tea - with tea and tapioca pearls
Milk Bubble Tea - with tea, milk, tapioca pearls
Fruity Bubble Tea - with fruit, milk, and tapioca pearls

Why You'll Love Homemade Bubble Tea

It's so easy to make bubble tea at home. Making bubble tea at home is a lot easier than you think. The most time-consuming part is cooking the boba, but really that takes just a few minutes of your actual time, while the rest of the time you are just waiting for it to cook.
It's healthier than store-bought. Making homemade bubble tea is so much healthier than store-bought, especially when we are talking about the fruity milk teas. With this homemade recipe, we are using real fruit, unlike the store-bought drinks which use fruit syrup to achieve that flavor.
It is not overpoweringly sweet. Most times, the bubble tea that you can get from a bubble tea shop is quite sweet. Again, this is because of the syrups that are added to the drink and the vast amount of sugar. With this recipe, we use a little honey (you can use brown sugar for a more traditional flavor), and you can customize the amount you add to the boba depending on your preference.
It's cheaper than store-bought. Bubble tea these days are expensive! It is much cheaper to make your own than to pay someone to mix a couple ingredients together.
It's convenient. I mean the comfort of whipping up a batch of this from your own home means that you can relax at home and soak in the sun on your balcony without stepping a foot out of your house or into your car (provided that you already have the ingredients at home!)

Ingredient Notes

To make bubble tea, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

tapioca pearls - you will need tapioca pearls (also called boba) for this recipe because obviously you can't make bubble tea without the "bubbles". Tapioca pearls can be purchased online or at any local Asian grocery store.
honey - honey is stirred into the cooked pearls to add that sweet syrupy flavour. You can also substitute the honey with brown sugar syrup by adding in ¼ cup brown sugar and a ¼ cup water and stirring it in until dissolved.
tea - for the plain boba tea and the milk boba tea, you will need tea. I recommend use black or jasmine tea for the best flavor.
milk - we use dairy milk, but feel free to use any kind of milk alternative such as almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk.
fresh fruit - only required if making the fruit milk tea. We used strawberries, but you can use any fruit that you like such as mango, peach, blackberries, etc.
ice cubes
lemon slices - optional for garnishing the plain bubble tea.

Note that the amount of pearls we make for this recipe is enough for each of the 3 different flavors of tapioca milk tea. If you would like to just make one flavor, make sure to triple the measurements otherwise you will have too much tapioca pearls leftover, and they are hard to store.

Equipment

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a large cooking pot, and potentially a blender (if making the fruit milk tea).

For serving, you will need glasses and wide straws to be able to accommodate the pearls. These also can also be purchased online or at your local Asian grocery store.

How to Make Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

Cook the boba. In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add the tapioca pearls and stir gently until they begin to float to the top. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Let it sit. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for another 20 minutes.
Add sweetener. Drain pearls and transfer to a small bowl. Mix in the honey and fully coat. Set aside for 5 minutes.

How to Make the Best Homemade Bubble Tea (Three Ways)

Divide the cooked pearls into three tall glasses.
Create any of the following bubble teas:
1. Plain Bubble Tea: Add tea (or iced tea), ice, and lemon slice.
2. Milk Bubble Tea: Add tea, milk, and ice.
3. Fruity Bubble Tea: Blend fruit, milk, honey, and ice in a blender until smooth. Pour into glass.
Add a wide straw, and enjoy.

Bubble Tea Recipe Video

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use tapioca pearls within a few hours. Tapioca pearls are best if used within a few hours of cooking (within 4 hours). They will get mushy. Make a smaller batch if you are worried about having extras.
How to store cooked tapioca pearls. If you do have extra, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and fully coat them in the honey syrup so that they don't stick to each other. But again, you need to consume them within 4 hours before they start to get mushy. Do not store in the refrigerator as they will harden.
Why are my pearls too soft? This will happen if they are overcooked, or if they have been sitting out for over 4 hours.
Why are my pearls too hard? This will happen if they are undercooked or if stored in the refrigerator.

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Mexican Chicken Breast

Mexican chicken breast is juicy, tender, and flavorful. This well-seasoned chicken is easy to prep with a quick marinade before it's ready to cook on the stove, air fryer, or in the oven. It's a quick and easy family favorite, perfect for busy weeknights.

Serve Mexican chicken breast over a bowl of Cilantro Lime Rice with a vegetable side dish, as a filling in Chicken Tacos, or over a Mexican Caesar Salad.

Mexican chicken breast is juicy, tender, and flavorful. It's easy to prep with a quick marinade before cooking on the stove, air fryer, or oven. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Mexican Chicken Breast

A quick chicken recipe ready in just 35 minutes. Quick dinners are a family favorite in our house, and that includes this Mexican chicken breast recipe. You'll love this recipe on nights when time and energy are running out because it's ready to eat in about half an hour. Plus, you can use leftovers the next day in Chicken Tacos or Chicken Fajitas.
Juicy, tender, flavorful chicken. Thanks to the delicious marinade made of the perfect combination of seasoning including garlic, cumin, and lime juice, the chicken is juicy and full of flavor.
You can cook it in one of three ways. Even if you don't have a lot of experience in the kitchen, you'll find this chicken recipe easy, especially because you can pick how you want to cook it. Try it on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer. Either way, this Mexican chicken breast is juicy and delicious.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious Mexican Chicken Breast, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

chicken breasts - you will need boneless and skinless chicken breast for this recipe. You can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs but you may need to adjust the cook time slightly.
olive oil
garlic
chili powder
ground cumin
paprika
dried oregano
salt and pepper
lime juice

You will also need measuring spoons, mixing bowl or large Ziploc bag, and depending on the cooking method - a large skillet, air fryer, or quarter sheet baking pan.

How to Make the Best Mexican Chicken Breast

Marinate chicken. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and all seasoning including chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Toss well to coat. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge. You can also combine everything into a large Ziploc bag and press the seasoning around the chicken to coat.

Cook the chicken. When ready to cook, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes per side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer. Turn off the heat and cover the lid. Let the chicken rest for 2-3 minutes.

Air Fryer Mexican Chicken Breast (or in the Oven)

You can also cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 350F for 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.

For oven-baked Mexican chicken breast, bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.

How to Serve

Serve Mexican Chicken Breast with your favorite Mexican sides such as:

You can also transfer the chicken breasts onto a cutting board and slice or dice them into smaller pieces to use in Chicken Tacos, Chicken Nachos, and salad such as Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad.

Chicken tacos are juicy and tender, loaded with flavor, delicious, and so easy to make. They are perfect for Taco Tuesday or a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta. | aheadofthyme.com

Storing Instructions

How to store: After the chicken has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Eat within 3-4 days.
How to reheat: The best way to reheat chicken without drying it out is in the oven with a bit of water. Start by placing the chicken in an oven-safe pan. Then, add 1-3 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan tightly in aluminum foil and bake in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes. You can also reheat in a 350F preheated air fryer for 10 minutes until warmed through.

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Tortilla Strips

Homemade tortilla strips are crispy, crunchy, and delicious. They are quick and easy to make in just minutes using 3 simple ingredients. Serve baked tortilla strips as a snack on their own with a side of guacamole or salsa for dipping or as a topping on soups and salads.

They are better and fresher than store-bought chips, can be completely customized with any seasoning that you like, and can be cut into different shapes like triangles so that you can have homemade tortilla chips when you have tortillas on hand but no chips.

Homemade tortilla strips are crispy, crunchy, delicious, and easy to make using 3 simple ingredients. Serve as a snack or a topping on soups and salad. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Tortilla Strips

Tortilla strips are so easy to make. These baked tortilla strips are so easy to make. In fact, you could probably memorize this recipe after making them just once! Just cut your tortillas into strips, toss in oil, bake, and enjoy! It's that easy.
They are the perfect topping. Store-bought tortilla chips are great to have on hand especially when you want to crush some up to op on soups and salads, but sometimes you eat them all. But, if you have tortillas on hand, it's easy to make homemade tortilla strips in just a moments notice.
You can make them any size. For this tortilla strip recipe, I recommend cutting the tortillas into ½ inch strips. But, you can really cut them into any size or shape you want. For unique tortilla chips, you could even use a cookie cutter to cut out fun shapes!

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make Homemade Tortilla Strips, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

tortillas - I used 6-inch corn tortillas. You can also use flour tortillas if you prefer.
vegetable oil - use any vegetable oil that you have on hand including olive oil.
salt

I seasoned these tortilla chips with just salt. If you want to season them with more than just salt, you totally can. Try seasoning with red chili powder, garlic powder, fajita seasoning, or nutritional yeast.

How to Make the Best Homemade Tortilla Strips

Prepare tortillas. Cut the tortillas into ½ inch strips and cut in half. Place the tortilla strips in a medium mixing bowl and toss with vegetable oil.

Tortillas on a cutting board with half of them cut into ½-inch strips. | aheadofthyme.com — Cut tortillas into ½ inch strips.

Homemade tortilla strips in a mixing bowl. | aheadofthyme.com — Cut tortillas into ½ inch strips.

Bake. Spread the tortilla strips evenly on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned and crispy.
Serve. Transfer tortilla chips to serving bowl and toss with salt, to taste.

Uncooked tortilla strips spaced evenly apart on a large baking sheet. | aheadofthyme.com — Place tortilla strips on a lined baking sheet.

Baked tortilla strips on a large sheet pan. | aheadofthyme.com — Place tortilla strips on a lined baking sheet.

How to Store

Store cooked tortilla strips at room temperature for 8-10 days in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Make sure your tortilla strips are completely cooled before you store them. If not, condensation could make your chips soggy, and you don't want that!

How to Serve

Serve homemade tortilla chips on its own as a snack with your favorite dips such as:

You can also serve tortilla strips a topping on your favorite Mexican style soups and salads. I like to serve it on:

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25 Mexican Side Dishes

Preparing a Mexican fiesta for dinner tonight and need the perfect Mexican sides to pair with it? Whether you are making tacos, fajitas, or enchiladas, and you are wondering "what to serve with Mexican food", you are in the right place. We are sharing over 25 of the best Mexican side dishes including everything from rice, veggies, dips, soup, salad, and more. These recipes are perfect for Taco Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, or anytime you are craving a little fiesta.

Best Mexican Side Dishes

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro lime rice is a fresh, bright and vibrant side dish that will add extra flavour to any meal you serve it with. It's a quick, easy, one pot recipe.

Mexican Street Corn (Elote)

Mexican street corn (elote) is a delicious corn on the cob loaded with a cheesy sauce elevated with cilantro and lime. Creamy, cheesy, spicy, and flavorful.

Easy Guacamole

Incredibly tasty, this easy and basic guacamole takes less than 5 minutes to make. It is the perfect dip for a Mexican-inspired fiesta party.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hearty chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, wholesome and filling soup that you can make in about 30 minutes, packed with classic Mexican flavours.

Beef Taco Salad

Beef taco salad is a simple, filling, and delicious meal loaded with your favorite taco fillings, and a creamy lime dressing. Make it in 20 minutes.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Homemade flour tortillas are delicious, soft, and so easy to make! They are easy to make with just 5 pantry staple ingredients and ready in under an hour.

Refried Beans

Homemade Refried Beans are simple, easy to make, and taste better than store-bought refried beans by a mile. They are creamy, chunky, and delicious!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican street corn salad adds a twist to a classic street food, loaded with freshly grilled corn, a creamy cheesy dressing, and authentic flavor.

Sheet Pan Nachos

Oven-baked loaded sheet pan nachos are a crowd pleaser for an easy weeknight dinner or a crave-worthy appetizer to serve on Cinco de Mayo.

Pico de Gallo Chunky Salsa

Easy 5-minute pico de gallo chunky salsa is packed with fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice (and optional jalapeños for a spicy kick).

Beef Taco Soup

Beef taco soup is a delicious take on tacos, transforming it into a hearty, wholesome, filling soup topped with all the taco fixings. Ready in 30 minutes.

Queso Mexican Cheese Dip

Homemade queso Mexican cheese dip is smooth, creamy, delicious, flavorful, and so easy to make. It's so much better than store-bought in every way.

Mexican Stuffed Peppers

Mexican stuffed peppers are a delicious, wholesome, healthy meal loaded with fun Mexican flavors. It freezes well and is perfect for meal prep.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Nothing beats homemade creamy cilantro lime dressing. It's fresh, vibrant, easy to make in 5 minutes, and tastes better than store-bought salad dressing. Serve it over salads, tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, grilled vegetables and meat.

One Pot Spanish Chicken and Rice

Although not a traditional Mexican recipe, this rice pairs well. Packed with flavour, real ingredients and vibrant colours, one pot Spanish chicken and rice is the perfect no fuss, no clean up weeknight meal.

Shrimp Taco Salad

Shrimp taco salad with cilantro lime dressing is flavourful, delicious, and easy to make. It has all the fixings and of shrimp tacos, but without the mess.

Mango Salsa

Fresh mango salsa is sweet, tangy, and delicious. It's a quick and easy recipe that you can whip up with just 6 ingredients and in under 10 minutes.

Creamy Mexican Corn Soup

This vegetarian, hearty and filling, creamy Mexican corn soup is dense, bright, and full of flavour! It is the perfect Cinco de Mayo recipe.

Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad is a delicious, flavorful twist on a classic Caesar salad with Mexican flavors and ingredients tossed in Caesar dressing.

Vegetarian Chili

Easy one pot vegetarian chili is the perfect warm and cozy comfort meal — it’s hearty, filling, wholesome, flavorful, delicious, and loaded with protein.

7 Layer Dip

This easy and delicious 7 layer dip is the perfect Tex Mex dip to serve at your next party, made with layers of beans, guacamole, salsa, cheese, and more.

Classic Coleslaw

Fresh, crisp, classic coleslaw salad is a must-have recipe for a summer barbecue or picnic, or as an easy make-ahead lunch. Make it in less than 10 minutes.

Tortilla Strips

Homemade tortilla strips are crispy, crunchy, delicious, and easy to make using 3 simple ingredients. Serve as a snack or a topping on soups and salad.

Black Bean Salsa

This quick and easy Black Bean Salsa is a delicious Mexican dip loaded with black beans, veggies, cilantro, and lime juice for the best summer flavor.

How to Make Ahead and Store

You can make many of these Mexican side dish recipes ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer for up to 3 months. Otherwise, you can prepare the ingredients and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble and/or cook. Check the individual recipes for full make ahead and storing instructions.

Depending on the recipe, reheat leftovers on the stove over medium-low heat, in place the air fryer or the oven at 300F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through, or in the microwave. If heating from frozen, let it thaw first and then reheat.

More Mexican Recipes

More Side Dish Recipes

Did You Make Any of These Mexican Side Dishes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of Mexican side dish recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Artichoke Soup

Creamy artichoke soup is rich and velvety, healthy and delicious, and so easy to make. Loaded with artichokes, leeks, and potatoes, this flavorful vegetarian soup is nourishing comfort food. It's the perfect soup to make when artichokes are in season in the spring or fall, or can be made any time of the year with frozen or canned artichokes.

Artichoke soup is perfect for a lazy cooking day when you don't feel like spending a lot of time cooking. Plus, it stores well and is freezer-friendly so you can make a big batch of this healthy veggie soup and save it for another day.

Creamy artichoke soup is rich, healthy, delicious, easy to make, and freezer-friendly. This vegetarian soup is loaded with artichokes, leeks, and potatoes. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love this Artichoke Soup

It's made creamy with potatoes. This super silky and creamy soup only has ¼ cup of cream in the entire pot of 4-6 servings! It gets most of its creaminess from potatoes. The potatoes bulk up and thicken the soup and gives the soup its smooth consistency. Which makes it healthier then traditional cream of artichoke soup.
Loaded with flavor. You would be amazed how just a few vegetables and simple seasoning can result in a delicious and flavorful soup. This creamy soup is loaded with the unique flavour and aroma of sautéed leeks, which go so good with artichokes.
It's quick and easy. This creamy artichoke soup takes under an hour to make, and most of that time is allowing the soup to simmer on the stove. It's perfect lunch or dinner to whip up on lazy weekends.
Serve it anytime of the year. You can make this with fresh artichokes in the spring or fall, or serve it up any time of the year using frozen or canned artichoke hearts. Plus, this soup freezes well so you can make a big batch and enjoy it months down the road.

Artichokes Make this Soup so Healthy

If you like artichokes, you are going to love this soup. If you don't like artichokes, I highly recommend giving them another chance. There are so many health benefits of artichokes including:

improves digestion (it has lots of fibre)
boosts metabolism
regulates blood pressure
high in antioxidants
boosts heart and liver health
improves brain function
prevents cancer
prevents birth defects (it has lots of folic acid)

Ingredient Notes

To make Creamy Artichoke Soup, you will also need the following ingredients (full measurements in the recipe card below):

olive oil
unsalted butter
leeks
garlic
potatoes - I recommend a creamy potato like Yukon gold potatoes. Russet potatoes work well here too. You can choose to peel the potatoes or leave them unpeeled for a more rustic soup.
artichokes - you can use fresh, frozen, or canned artichoke hearts. If using frozen, make sure they are thawed completely before adding them to the hot pot or they will cook unevenly. If using canned, make sure to rinse them to remove any extra seasoning.
stock - I used chicken stock but feel free to use vegetable stock to keep the recipe vegetarian.
salt and pepper
heavy cream - or substitute with cream fraiche
scallions or chives - optional, for garnish.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, large stockpot, and an immersion blender or stand up blender.

How to Make the Best Creamy Artichoke Soup

Sauté aromatics. Heat oil and butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add remaining ingredients. Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add artichokes, pour in stock, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to medium-low.
Simmer. Simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Puree. Use a handheld immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot. If you don't own one, let the soup cool for about 5 minutes and then puree in a standup blender in batches. If you used a blender, return the soup to the pot.
Add cream. Stir in heavy cream. If you find the soup is too thick for your liking, stir in another ½ cup of stock or water.
Serve. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream (or a dollop of creme fraiche) and a sprinkle of thinly sliced scallions or chives.

How to Serve Artichoke Soup

This healthy creamy artichoke soup is the type of soup that would be absolutely perfect served in a small bread bowl (can you imagine?). But if that's not an option, make sure to have a crusty baguette on standby! To serve, garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream (or a spoonful of creme fraiche) and top with chives or scallions for freshness and a little bite at the end.

You can serve this delicious artichoke soup as a main dish for lunch along with and a side salad. You can also serve it as a first course to dinner and serve alongside your favorite mains. Some of my favorites to pair creamy artichoke soup with are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to change the consistency: To thin out the consistency of the soup, add more stock. To thicken it, continue to simmer until you reduce the soup to your desired consistency, or add about 1 cup less stock.
How to store: Artichoke soup keeps for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store covered in the pot or in an airtight container.
How to freeze: Made too much? No worries, this soup freezes very well. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature on the kitchen counter for a few hours.
How to reheat: Reheat creamy artichoke soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water to thin out the soup if it has thickened up too much when stored.

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Caesar Salad Dressing

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing is rich, creamy, and flavorful. It's a quick and simple dressing made in just minutes with ingredients like mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon, garlic, and anchovies that pack on the flavor and give Caesar salads their classic salty, earthy, and umami taste.

Plus, homemade salad dressings are so much better, tastier, and healthier than store-bought. You'll never go back to store-bought after making it at home and realizing how easy it is.

Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing is rich, creamy, and flavorful. It's a quick simple dressing made in minutes with a classic salty, earthy, and umami taste. | aheadofthyme.com

Why You'll Love Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

It's quick, easy, and simple. If you are tempted to reach for a bottle of store-bought dressing out of convenience, you may rethink that decision once you realize just how quick and easy it is to make homemade Caesar salad dressing. It takes just 5 short minutes to make and consists of one step - mixing the ingredients together.
Loaded with classic flavor. This Caesar dressing is loaded with that classic caesar salad flavor - salty, earthy, and umami. Plus, since homemade salad dressing has no preservatives, you'll be able to taste how fresh it is in every bite.
It's better than store-bought. Making homemade caesar salad dressing is also cheaper and healthier than using bottled store-bought dressing. Again, no preservatives, fillers, or artificial flavors like a lot of the dressings you can find at the store. Just real ingredients.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Caesar Salad Dressing, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

mayonnaise
Parmesan cheese
lemon juice
olive oil
garlic
anchovy paste - if you want to keep this salad dressing vegetarian, then omit this. You can substitute anchovy paste with ½ tablespoon of capers.
Dijon mustard
Worcestershire sauce - Worcestershire sauce also contains anchovies, so to keep the dressing vegetarian, just leave this out.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a mixing bowl.

How to Make the Best Caesar Salad Dressing

In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Use a whisk to mix together and stir well to combine.

Note that caesar dressing is typically thicker than other dressings. If this recipe is too thick for you, whisk in 1 tablespoon of water to thin it out.

How to Serve

Serve Caesar Salad Dressing with Caesar Salad of course! But there are so many other ways that you can serve it. For more creative ideas, try:

Drizzle it over any salad you like such as Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad, Coleslaw, Garden Salad, Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad, or Mediterranean Chickpea Wedge Salad.
Use it a spread in sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Try it with a Classic Hamburger or Turkey Burgers.
Use it as a dipping sauce in a Veggie Tray.
Use it as a marinade on grilled meat. Marinate Chicken Breast or Chicken Wings overnight.
Add it to Roasted Vegetables such as Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes.
Drizzle it over Grilled Corn on the Cob or Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob.

How to Store

Homemade salad dressing doesn't keep for nearly as long as a store-bought dressing because it doesn't have any added preservatives. Keep leftover caesar dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

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Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad is a delicious and flavorful twist on a classic Caesar salad. With tender and juicy, well-seasoned chicken, an assortment of Mexican flavors and ingredients including crunchy homemade tortilla strips, all tossed in a Mexican-style Caesar salad, this salad is one you won't regret making!

Sometimes we just get sick of the same old classic recipes. So why not make things more interesting by combining different flavors and cuisines together to create something completely new? We love serving this Chicken Caesar Salad on taco night, Cinco de Mayo, or anytime we are craving salad and Mexican food.

Why You'll Love Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

A twist on a classic Caesar salad. A Caesar salad is one of the simplest salads to make with one of the most distinct dressings. But sometimes in life, you need a little fiesta! So, we decided to take it to another level by adding in some traditional Mexican ingredients including black beans, corn, and avocado. And why use croutons when we have tortilla strips? This added the much-needed crunch. A salad so tasty and refreshing, you won't even miss the Parmesan!
The most flavorful chicken. This might be most flavorful chicken ever. It's well-seasoned and marinated in Mexican flavors including cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Plus, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the air fryer - whatever method works best for you!
The Mexican-style Caesar dressing. We also added Mexican flavours of lime and cilantro to our homemade classic Caesar salad dressing. But you can totally use store-bought dressing too. And if you want to add in some heat to this salad, throw in a pinch a of chili flakes (entirely optional!).

Move over Caesar, there is a new salad in town! O'le!

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

chicken breasts - I like to use boneless and skinless chicken breast in salads. You could also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs if you prefer.
chicken marinade - made in just minutes with a combination of olive oil, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, ground black pepper. You could also opt for a simple seasoning of ground cumin, salt, and pepper (see tips in recipe card).
romaine lettuce
corn - I cooked frozen corn. You could also use freshly cooked kernels from Grilled Corn on the Cob or Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob.
black beans - you can use black beans cooked from dried beans, or use canned beans.
avocado
tortilla strips - I like having a batch of tortilla strips for recipes like this. They are super easy to make at home with just a couple of minutes of prep time. You can of course also use store-bought or crumble up some tortilla chips.
lime wedges - optional, for serving.
Mexican caesar dressing - made with Caesar salad dressing, lime juice, cilantro, and cumin. You can also add some dried chilli flakes for extra spice. You can also just use plain Caesar salad dressing if that is easier.

This recipe is also completely customizable. Feel free to add in your favorite veggies such as tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cabbage, and/or red onions.

How to Make the Best Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad

Cook the chicken

Marinate the chicken. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts with ½ tablespoon oil, lime juice, garlic, and all seasoning including chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge. You can also combine everything into a large Ziploc bag and press the seasoning around the chicken to coat.
Cook the chicken. When ready to cook, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes per side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Air fryer instructions: You can also cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 350F for 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Oven instructions: You can bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
Slice. Remove from heat and transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board. Slice each breast into small strips of cubes.

Assemble the salad

In a large serving bowl, add romaine lettuce, corn, black beans, avocado, tortilla strips, and sliced chicken.

In a small mixing bowl, combine Caesar salad dressing, lime juice, cilantro, cumin, and dried chili flakes (if using). Stir well until combined. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

How to Serve

Serve Mexican Chicken Caesar Salad with your favorite Mexican dishes. Some of my favorites to serve this with are:

Storing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: To make ahead, store the salad, chicken, and dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The chicken will last up to 3 days, and the salad and dressing will last up to 1 week. Then, toss and combine just before serving or packing for lunch. This will keep your salad looking and tasting fresh.
How to store: If you have any leftovers, store this Mexican chicken salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store it in an airtight container or in a bowl wrapped tightly with plastic cling wrap.

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Chicken Tacos

Chicken tacos are juicy and tender, loaded with flavor, and so easy to make. This Mexican dish is packed with seasoned chicken, wrapped in soft tortillas, and topped with crunchy onions and fresh cilantro for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. It's savory and delicious.

I mean, you really can't go wrong with tacos. Plus, they are ready in 45 minutes so they are perfect for Taco Tuesday, a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta, or any day of the week. Everyone loves them!

Why You'll Love Chicken Tacos

What's not to love about tacos? Tacos are popular for a reason. These handheld wraps are so delicious. Whether you prefer store-bought or homemade tortillas, corn or flour tortillas, you'll love these chicken tacos without a doubt.
The most flavorful chicken. Seasoned with garlic, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, and pepper, the chicken filling is savory, flavorful, slightly spicy, and delicious.
Add your own toppings. These chicken street tacos are topped with onions and cilantro, which are the traditional toppings for street tacos. Salsa can also be added if keeping things traditional. But you can customize it however you'd like with your own toppings. Try avocado, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheese, or hot sauce.
Taco night is ready in just 45 minutes. These chicken tacos take about 45 minutes to make from start to finish, and it's well worth it once you take that first bite. Try serving it in a taco-bar style where everyone can build their own taco. This will also make storing leftovers easy. For more taco night ideas, try Fish Tacos with Lime Crema, Mexican Ground Beef Tacos, Pulled Pork Tacos (Carnitas), or Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema Slaw.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious Chicken Tacos, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

chicken breasts - we like using boneless and skinless chicken breasts for these tacos. You can also use boneless and skinless chicken thighs for meat that is a little more tender.
chicken marinade - made in just minutes with a combination of olive oil, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, dried oregano, salt, ground black pepper.
flour tortillas - our homemade flour tortillas were perfect for this recipe. You can also use store-bought flour tortillas or corn tortillas. We opted for larger 8-inch tacos and ended up with 8 tacos. If you are using 6-inch tacos, you will likely end up with about 10 tacos.
onions
cilantro

Taco Toppings

We topped our chicken tacos with onions and cilantro, inspired by the tacos at our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

You can enjoy them without any toppings, or switch up the toppings. Try them with:

Pico de Gallo or Mango Salsa
diced lettuce
diced tomatoes
shredded cheese

For a saucier topping, feel free to add sour cream, Lime Crema, Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, or Guacamole.

How to Make the Best Chicken Tacos

First, cook the chicken

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, and all seasoning including chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Toss well to coat. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge. You can also combine everything into a large Ziploc bag and press the seasoning around the chicken to coat.
When ready to cook, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes per side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Air fryer instructions: You can also cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer at 350F for 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Oven instructions: You can bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30-35 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer.

Transfer the chicken breasts onto a cutting board and dice into small ½-inch pieces. Return the diced chicken to the skillet and toss in the pan juices to coat. Set aside.

How to Assemble Chicken Tacos

Heat the tortillas according to the package instructions, or heat in an ungreased cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds per side. You can also heat it directly on a gas burner for a few seconds to get char marks on the edges. Repeat with all tortillas.
Divide the chopped chicken into each tortilla and top with chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. You can also top chicken tacos with Pico de Gallo, Lime Crema, Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing, Guacamole, or Mango Salsa.

How to Serve

Serve Chicken Tacos with your favorite Mexican dishes. I like to serve it with:

Storing Instructions

How to store: If planning to make this ahead or planning to have leftovers, assemble only what you are going to eat and store the chicken and tortillas separately. Then, only assemble when you're ready to eat. The chicken will last for 3-4 days in the fridge inside an airtight container.
How to reheat: Reheat tortillas as directed in recipe. To heat chicken taco meat, preheat a pan with a lid with a few tablespoons of water in it. Add the chicken and cover. Cook for 5-10 minutes until warm. The water and lid will prevent the chicken from becoming dry.

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Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

Roasted carrot and ginger soup is rich and velvety, smooth and creamy, and so delicious. Loaded with roasted carrots and ginger, this flavorful vegetarian soup is healthy and nourishing. It's a quick and easy soup that is made even faster when using leftover carrots.

Plus, this roasted carrot soup stores well and is freezer-friendly so you can make a big batch and save it for a quick meal another day.

Why You'll Love Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

It's quick and easy to make. If you have a batch of leftover roasted carrots, this roasted carrot soup takes just 35 minutes to cook. It's the perfect lunch or dinner to whip up when you don't feel like having the same leftovers over and over again.
It's healthy. This vegetarian soup is loaded with carrots, ginger, and onion - all of which have great health benefits. It's a nourishing soup that will give your body a boost and help fight off any colds.
Roasted veggies make everything better. Carrot soups can get a little boring but when you roast the carrots first and add a kick of ginger, you will experience a transformation right before your eyes. A transformation into a smooth, rich and velvety roasted carrot and ginger soup. It is full of flavour, healthy, and super easy to make. In other words, perfect.
Serve it anytime of the year. You can find carrots all year round which means this roasted carrot and ginger soup is the perfect soup to serve any time of year. It one of our favourites during the fall and winter, and it still finds its way onto our dinner table in the spring. You know, those days in between the sunshine, when it is cold out and the skies are grey.

Ingredient Notes

The obvious ingredients are carrot and ginger, but you will also need a few other pantry and refrigerator staples. To make this delicious roasted carrot soup, you will need (full measurements in the recipe card below):

roasted carrots - this recipe is a great way to use up and roasted carrots that you have. I used leftover Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots, but you could use any similar leftover roasted carrots.
ginger
butter
onion
vegetable broth - feel free to substitute with chicken broth instead.
half and half cream - feel free to substitute with heavy cream for a creamier soup.
salt and pepper
soup toppings - top the soup with your favorite soup toppings including cream, pumpkin seeds, chopped parsley, and/or ground black pepper.

How to Cook Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

The best part about this soup is that it is so easy to whip up. You literally throw your ingredients into a large pot, cook, puree and serve. Yes, it is that easy.

Prepare roasted carrots. Make a batch of Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots or use any leftovers that you have. Chop the carrots up into 1-2 inch pieces and set aside.

Sauté aromatics. Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and tender. Stir in ginger and cook for another minute.
Simmer. Add roasted carrots and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. You can also puree in the pot using an immersion blender.
Season. Pour soup back into pot and stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings including cream, pumpkin seeds, chopped parsley, and freshly ground black pepper.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Make it vegan: To make this soup vegan, dairy-free or paleo, substitute the butter for 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and substitute the half and half cream for coconut milk or cream.
How to change the consistency: To thin out the consistency of the soup, add some water. To thicken it, continue to simmer until you reduce the soup to your desired consistency.
How to store: Roasted carrot and ginger soup keeps for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store covered in the pot or in an airtight container.
How to freeze: Made too much? No worries, this soup freezes very well. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature on the kitchen counter for a few hours.
How to reheat: Reheat roasted carrot soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water to thin out the soup if it has thickened up too much when stored.

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Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Buttercream

Chocolate macarons with chocolate buttercream are light and delicate, rich and sweet, and crispy and chewy. With a creamy and smooth chocolate buttercream center sandwiched in between slightly crunchy chocolate macaron shells - these are the perfect treat.

If you are a fan of macarons and chocolate, then you will love these sweet cookies. Plus, homemade macarons are a lot easier to make than you think, and they are ready in under an hour! Follow all my tips, tricks, and troubleshooting advice for the best results.

Why You'll Love Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Buttercream

They're easier to make than you think. Macarons are a delicate sandwich cookie which might look impossible to make, and they can be difficult to get just right. But if you measure out your ingredients accurately, and follow the simple steps in this recipe, they are actually quite easy to master again and again.
They're ready in under an hour. Making chocolate macarons with chocolate buttercream takes just less than an hour to make, and half of that time is spent waiting for the macaron shells to set and be ready to bake.
It's a chocolate macaron! Who doesn't love the light and fluffy, slightly crunchy, airy texture of a macaron cookie? Now, add a hint of chocolate to the mix and fill it with homemade chocolate buttercream. To put it simply, you'll love this recipe because you will end up with a batch of chocolate macarons with chocolate buttercream.

Ingredient Notes

To make Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Buttercream, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

almond flour - you will need almond flour (not almond meal) and you cannot substitute with regular all-purpose flour. You can also make your own by grinding skinless, unsalted, raw almonds to a super fine powder using a heavy duty blender.
confectioners' sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder
egg whites - the egg whites need to be at room temperature, so make sure to set them out on the kitchen counter for a while.
granulated sugar
chocolate buttercream - make it in minutes using melted dark chocolate (can use semi-sweet chocolate if you want), butter, confectioners' sugar, heavy whipping cream (or whole milk), and a pinch of salt.

Equipment

To make french macarons, you will need:

measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
mixing bowl
piping bag and large ½ inch round tip
silicone baking mat, macaron baking mat, or parchment paper
large half sheet baking pan
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Chocolate Macarons with Chocolate Buttercream

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the almond flour, confectioners' sugar, and cocoa powder together. Pressing down on any clumps, and set aside.
Beat the egg whites. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed to beat the egg whites until they become foamy and soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Turn the mixer up to high speed and gradually add in the granulated sugar. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 more minutes.
Fold in dry ingredients. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold half of the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture. Fold in the remaining half of the dry ingredients. Keep folding gently until it reaches a flowing lava-like consistency. Do not overmix.

Pipe the macaron shells. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (a macaron baking mat will make it really easy to measure out the macaron shells). Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch round tip. Pipe 1-inch rounds on the lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart.
Form a skin. Tap the baking sheet firmly against the counter 3-4 times to release any air bubbles from the macarons. Any remaining bubbles can be popped with a toothpick. Allow the macarons to sit at room temperature for 25-30 minutes to rest and form a skin.
Bake. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300F degrees. Place the baking tray in the center rack of the oven and bake for 14-15 minutes. Let the macarons cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Cooled macaron shells should be easy to peel off the parchment paper.

How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Filling for Macarons

First, melt the chocolate (2 ways!)

Melt the chocolate either on the stove or in the microwave:

On the stove: Bring 2 inches of water to a low simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Then turn the heat to low and place a large heatproof bowl of chocolate chips with vegetable oil on the mouth of the pot. Make sure that there is a gap of a few inches in between the bottom of the bowl and the water (You can also place a bowl on a steamer attachment on top of your pot). Stir the chocolate constantly as it melts. Stir until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted. This should take a few minutes.
In the microwave: The second way to melt chocolate (and an easier way) is in the microwave. Place the chocolate and vegetable oil into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals. Remove the bowl at each interval and stir well. Repeat until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir until completely smooth.

Once melted, allow the chocolate to cool down to room temperature, about 5 minutes.

Then, combine all the ingredients.

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in the cooled dark chocolate and beat together until combined. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and beat until fully combined. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and add a pinch of salt. Continue to beat for an additional 10-15 seconds.

You can fill the chocolate macaron shells with other fillings such as Salted Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Ganache, Nutella, Vanilla Buttercream, or Strawberry Jam.

How to Assemble Chocolate Macarons

Transfer the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (or any other tip you may have). Pipe the butter cream into the flat side of half of the macaron shells. Start from the center and move to the edges, leaving a little space on the edges. Top each piped macaron with on of the remaining macaron shells.

Place macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight to mature (which allows the filling to soften the shells and flavor them). Bring them back to room temperature when ready to serve.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a kitchen scale: When it comes to making macarons, accuracy is key. Any small or minor adjustments to the quantities of the ingredients can dramatically affect the outcome. The best way to ensure the macarons are perfect is to use a kitchen scale to accurately weigh and measure all of your ingredients.
Use a macaron mat: Consider getting a macaron baking mat if you plan to make macarons multiple times. Although you don't need one, a macaron mat makes the process easier since it helps you pipe out equally sized circles to end up with the same sized macaron shells.
How to store macarons: Store chocolate macarons with chocolate buttercream in an airtight container. They will last for up to 24 hours at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
How to freeze macarons: You can freeze french macarons for up to 3 months. Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Troubleshooting

Why didn't my macarons have feet? This normally happens if you don't let the macarons develop a skin for a full 30 minutes at room temperature before being placed into the oven. This can also be caused by overfolding the batter, resulting in the macarons not having "feet" or raw edges.
Why do my macarons have a pointy top? This happens if the batter is underfolded. It can also happen if you do not tap the tray with the piped macarons on the counter to release the air bubbles, which will help smooth out the macarons.
Why are my macarons lumpy and bumpy? This can happen if you do not sift the almond flour through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps. It can also happen if the batter is not mixed properly.
Why did my macarons crack? This can happen if there is too many air bubbles in the batter. To keep them from cracking, you need to tap the tray with the piped macarons on the counter to release the air bubbles, to help smooth out the macarons.
Why are my macaron shells flat or hollow? This can happen if the egg whites are not whipped to stiff peaks. Overmixing can also cause hollow shells because it causes the air bubbles to deflate during the baking process. Hollow macarons can also result if you take them out of the oven too early.

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25 Cast Iron Skillet Recipes

One of my favorite items in my kitchen is my cast iron skillet. It's a useful tool that allows you to sauté delicious meals on it over the stove, and then pop into the oven to continue to bake if needed - whether it's to melt cheese on top, create golden brown crust, or bake bread. So if you just purchased a new cast-iron pan and can't wait to use it, you have had it for a while are look for more recipes to cook in it, then you are in the right place. We are sharing over 25 of the best cast iron skillet recipes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner including pasta, pizza, chicken, ground beef, bread, eggs, and more.

Best Cast Iron Skillet Recipes

Cheesy Tortellini and Sausage Bake

Quick and easy, cheesy tortellini and sausage bake is a delicious 30-minute dinner packed with flavour. A family-favourite comfort food for busy weeknights.

Skillet Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and fluffy skillet cinnamon rolls are filled with classic cinnamon sugar and topped with homemade cream cheese icing. Sweet, buttery, and delicious.

Easy Skillet Neapolitan Margherita Pizza

Quick and easy skillet Neapolitan margherita pizza has an iconic thin and soft crust with a perfectly crisp exterior, and simple and fresh toppings.

Easy Chicken Parmesan (Parmigiana)

Easy chicken parmesan (parmigiana) with crispy breaded chicken, tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese. The best comfort chicken dinner.

Skillet Shepherd's Pie

Skillet shepherd's pie is a savoury and hearty traditional comfort food. With flavourful beef and fluffy potatoes, this cozy meal it will warm you up.

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Bake

Delicious, garlicky, cheesy and creamy brussels sprouts bake is the ultimate comfort food side dish. So flavourful and the best way to eat brussels sprouts.

Baked Queso Chicken

Baked queso chicken with tomatoes is an easy, cheesy, delicious chicken dinner that takes just 30 minutes to cook. The best weeknight dinner.

Apple Dijon Braised Chicken Thighs

Tender and juicy apple dijon braised chicken thighs with potatoes is juicy, tender and so succulent that it falls off the bone, yet so crispy outside. Serve with some bread to soak up all that juice. Try homemade ciabatta rolls or green onion dinner rolls.

Spring Vegetable Frittata

Spring vegetable frittata is a delicious breakfast or served at any time of the day. It's a one-pan meal that starts on the stove and moves to the oven. This is one of my favorite breakfast ideas!

Seared Scallops

Garlicky, buttery, and perfectly seared scallops take less than 10 minutes to prep and cook. It's the easiest fancy, restaurant-grade meal to make at home.

Skillet Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

Tender, juicy, and crispy one pan skillet chicken thighs and potatoes and carrots is an easy weeknight dinner on your dinner table in less than 45 minutes. Serve with a warm brussels sprouts salad on the side.

Quick and Easy Skillet Dinner Rolls

These fluffy, quick and easy dinner rolls will melt in your mouth, making them the only bread recipe you’ll need to complement any meal.

Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta Bake

Creamy shrimp fettuccine alfredo pasta bake is garlicky, buttery, cheesy, loaded with shrimp + parsley and topped with mozzarella. Easy comfort food goals.

Mediterranean Baked Shrimp Orzo

Mediterranean baked shrimp orzo is a complete wholesome one pot meal with delicious sautéed vegetables, juicy shrimp, and orzo pasta. Make it in 30 minutes.

Apple Cider Chicken with Butternut Squash

One of my favourite chicken recipes is quick, easy, one pan apple cider chicken with butternut squash, apples, and thyme, cooked in an apple cider sauce. Serve this fall meal in just 40 minutes. Don't forget some crusty bread to soak up all that juice.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a quick and easy, one-pan Middle Eastern classic with a savory saucy tomato-vegetable base and perfectly poached eggs on top.

Cheesy Garlic Dinner Rolls

Quick and easy, 90-minute cheesy garlic dinner rolls are soft and fluffy, buttery and garlicky, and full of cheese inside. The perfect side for dinner.

Turkey Parmesan

Baked turkey parmesan with a delicious, crispy, breaded coating covered in a rich homemade tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan.

The Best Ribeye Steak

Better than the steakhouse, the best tender and juicy ribeye steak with a perfect seared crust is garlicky, buttery and packed with so much flavour. Serve with a side of Air Fryer Asparagus or Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes.

Skillet Chicken with Lemon Garlic Sauce

Delicious creamy skillet chicken with lemon garlic sauce is a one-skillet meal that is ready in 30 minutes. It's garlicky, saucy, creamy, and so flavourful. Bread is a must to dip into this delicious sauce. Try pull apart garlic bread or easy no yeast biscuits.

15-Minute Caprese Frittata

This 15-minute caprese frittata is the recipe you’ve been waiting for -- tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella wrapped between fluffy, light eggs. A go-to breakfast for easy entertaining.

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb

This delicious garlic and herb-crusted rack of lamb is tender, juicy, and flavourful. It is surprisingly quick and easy to make at home in about 30 minutes.

Brie Mac and Cheese

Brie mac and cheese takes traditional macaroni and cheese to the next level. It's creamy, comforting, delicious, and easy to make in about 30 minutes.

Chicken Madeira

Chicken Madeira with sautéed mushrooms and tender crisp asparagus is topped with melty mozzarella cheese. Cheaper and better than the Cheesecake Factory!

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Skillet chicken fajitas are a light, fresh, and sizzling dish bursting with flavour, packed with colorful vegetables, and wrapped in warm tortillas.

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Did You Make Any of These Cast Iron Skillet Recipes?

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Coconut Turkey Curry

Coconut turkey curry is creamy, rich, and flavorful. This delicious curry is the perfect recipe to make when you have turkey leftovers from a holiday party. Using cooked turkey is a lifesaver when you are short on time, and this quick and easy dinner is ready in just 30 minutes!

This is a super simple recipe that can be made in one skillet or pot with minimal prep. In fact, make a big batch because leftovers taste even better! Serve it with Steamed Rice or Garlic Naan.

Why You'll Love Coconut Turkey Curry

It's a quick and easy 30-minute dinner. Quick dinners are always a family favorite around here, especially after a busy day. You will love how easy a delicious meal like this can come together without a whole lot of effort.
It's packed with flavor. It is amazing how just a handful of spices like curry powder, garlic, and ginger can add so much flavor to this creamy coconut curry turkey.
It's customizable. We used green peppers in our leftover turkey curry, but you can customize it with whatever veggies that you have on hand. Try it with broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots.
A great way to use leftover turkey. I love coming up with new ways to use leftover turkey from a big holiday meal like Thanksgiving or Easter. This turkey curry is definitely a winner around here. You can also use the recipe with shredded chicken or leftover roast chicken.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Coconut Turkey Curry, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

cooked turkey - this easy leftover turkey recipe calls for 2 cups of cooked turkey cut into 1-inch cubes. Some of my favourite turkey recipes to make and use in this curry are Instant Pot Whole Turkey, Instant Pot Turkey Breast, Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Juicy Roasted Turkey Breast, or Whole Roast Turkey.
vegetable oil - I used avocado oil, but any vegetable oil works.
onion
garlic + ginger
curry powder
coconut milk - I recommend regular coconut milk for the creamiest option. You can use lite but note that it will not be as rich and creamy. A pro tip when cooking with canned coconut milk is to shake your canned coconut milk before adding it to your curry. Coconut milk has a tendency to separate, and this will help ensure your curry is smooth with no chunks of coconut fat.
turkey stock - you can also substitute with chicken stock.
sugar
lime juice - or substitute with lemon juice.
green bell pepper - feel free to use any colored bell peppers that you have on hand.
fresh cilantro - optional for flavor and garnish.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet.

You can also customize this turkey curry with other veggies that you have on hand. Consider adding: broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, spinach, and snap peas.

How to Make the Best Coconut Turkey Curry

Sauté aromatics. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add curry powder and stir well until evenly combined. Continue to cook for 1 minute.
Make curry sauce and simmer. Add coconut milk, turkey stock, sugar, and lime juice. Stir well to combine and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and let the sauce simmer for 10-12 minutes until thickened a bit.
Add turkey. Add cooked turkey and bell pepper. Mix well and cook until heated through, about 3-4 minutes.
Serve. Top with fresh cilantro and serve warm with Coconut Rice or Steamed Rice.

How to Serve

Serve Coconut Turkey Curry with your favorite sides. I like to serve it with:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Allow leftover turkey coconut curry to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container. Cooked turkey lasts for about 3-4 days in the fridge, so you'll need to do some math to figure out how long your coconut turkey curry will keep. If you made the turkey two days ago, you can expect your turkey curry to last about 2 more days.
How to freeze: This curry also freezes well. To freeze, transfer the curry to an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
How to reheat: You can reheat this turkey curry in the microwave covered on high for 30-60 seconds, or on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until warmed through, stirring frequently.

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Homemade Flour Tortillas

Homemade flour tortillas are delicious, perfectly soft, and so easy to make! This is a staple ingredient to have in your back pocket because you can use them to make everything from wraps, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas, burritos, and so much more.

These homemade flour tortillas are soft and tender yet durable enough to hold an over-stuffed burrito together. Plus, they are easy to make with just 5 pantry staple ingredients (which you probably have right now) and can be ready in under an hour - or quicker if you follow some of my easy tips below.

Why You'll Love Homemade Flour Tortillas

It has just 5 ingredients. Did you know that you only need five ingredients to make flour tortillas at home? And one of those ingredients is water. For these homemade flour tortillas, you only need flour, salt, baking powder, oil, and water.
They're easy to make. This homemade flour tortillas recipe is so simple that you can memorize it and make it over and over again. Just blend all the ingredients, knead the dough, roll and shape into tortillas, and cook in a hot pan. That's it!
You'll always have tortillas. You can say goodbye to last-minute runs to the store because you can make homemade flour tortillas yourself in less than on hour. With this homemade flour tortilla recipe, you can make tortillas anytime and enjoy any recipe that calls for tortillas - even if the store is closed.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make these delicious Homemade Flour Tortillas, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
salt
baking powder
oil
water

You will also need a kitchen scale (or measuring cups and spoons), mixing bowl, and cast-iron skillet.

How to Make the Best Homemade Flour Tortillas

Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder until evenly combined. Stir in oil and water. Mix well with a spatula until no dry flour is visible. Make sure to scrape off any remaining flour from the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough. Transfer the dough mixture onto a clean and dry surface. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it turns into a smooth dough ball. You can also knead the dough on medium speed in a stand mixer for 6-8 minutes until smooth.

Tips for Kneading Dough

How to knead dough: Knead the dough by pushing it down and outward using the palms of your hands. Fold the dough in half toward you and press down. Repeat this motion by pushing the dough down and outward, and then folding over towards you. This helps build up gluten strength in dough that is responsible for making the bread fluffy.
How to test if dough is well-kneaded: A well-kneaded dough is smooth and can hold its shape. You can test the dough by giving it a firm poke with your finger. The indentation should bounce right back. If it doesn't bounce back and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few more minutes.

Let rest. Cover the dough with plastic cling wrap and let it rest for 10- 15 minutes. This will help dough develop gluten strength.

Shaping Tortillas

On a clean surface, roll the dough into a 16-inch long log and use a bench scraper or knife to divide it evenly into 12-14 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a 6-inch disc.

How to Cook Homemade Tortillas

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot, about 1-2 minutes. Place one tortilla on the skillet at a time and cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side until lightly browned. You should see the tortillas rise and form bubbles on top.

Repeat with all tortillas and cover with a clean tea towel to keep them soft.

How to Serve

Serve Homemade Flour Tortillas with your favorite Mexican dishes. They are great to use in any taco, fajita, or quesadilla recipe. I like to use them in:

Vegetarian quesadillas are quick and easy, completely customizable, loaded with veggies and beans. Serve this kid-friendly Mexican meal for lunch or dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Ground beef tacos are delicious, authentic, and so easy to make. They're savory, spicy, creamy, and fresh. The perfect recipe for a Mexican fiesta. | aheadofthyme.com

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Cut your cooking time in half: To speed up the cooking process, put two or more pans on the stove to heat your tortillas at the same time!
Make ahead tip: If you know you'll want to reheat your tortillas in a pan later, consider undercooking them slightly. That way, they won't overcook or burn the next time you put them on the pan.
How to store: Homemade flour tortillas can be left at room temperature, covered in a tea towel, for 12 hours. After that, you'll want to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
How to reheat tortillas: For a crispy tortilla, reheat on the pan the same way you cooked them. For soft tortillas, wrap in aluminum foil and then bake in a preheated 350F oven for 5 minutes until warm.

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Air Fryer Vegetables

Air fryer vegetables are healthy, flavorful, and delicious. This vegan side dish is quick and easy to make in the air fryer in under 15 minutes. Simply prep and chop your veggies, season them, and pop into the air fryer and let it do its thing. Plus, you can completely customize it with any vegetables that you have on hand. It's a go-to side dish for busy weeknights, but tastes good enough to serve on a fancy occasion.

Why You'll Love Air Fryer Vegetables

Quick and easy to make. One of my favorite things about our air fryer is that it makes cooking so much easier. And these air fryer vegetables are no exception. You literally mix together your ingredients and throw it in, then let the air fryer do the work.
Loaded with flavor with a few ingredients. You won't believe that just a few simple ingredients can result in vegetables that are flavorful and delicious. The combination of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper is all it takes! You might never roast your veggies in any way...
It's so much faster than roasting. These air fryer vegetables take just 15 minutes to cook in the air fryer (even less if you are making a small batch). Roasted veggies in the oven (like these Roasted Spring Vegetables) can take up to twice as long.
Air fryer = minimal clean up. This is an air fryer recipe, which means that clean up is minimal. Since everything cooks in the air fryer, you only have to clean the mixing bowl and wipe down the air fryer after it has cooled.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious Air Fryer Vegetables, you will need an air fryer and the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

spring vegetables - I used cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, and shiitake mushrooms. You can also substitute with any other vegetables that you have on hand.
fresh garlic
olive oil
seasoning - Italian seasoning, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

The best part is that air fryer veggies are completely customizable. Don't have these vegetables on hand? Or want to add in something else? You totally can. Try this recipe with carrots, broccoli, and brussels sprouts. Just make sure that the veggies are all cut into similar pieces to ensure even cooking.

How to Make the Best Air Fryer Vegetables

Combine ingredients. Add vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Toss to combine until well coated.
Air Fry. Arrange the vegetables in the air fryer basket. Bake at for 30 to 35 minutes until tender and golden brown. Gently shake the sheet pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- For very crispy vegetables, arrange them in a single layer and cook in batches.

How to Serve

Serve Air Fryer Vegetables as a side dish with your favorite entrees such as:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Store air fryer vegetables in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
How to reheat: Reheat roasted veggies in the air fryer or oven at 300F for 3-5 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat on the stove over medium heat until warmed through.

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Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Vegetarian stuffed mushrooms are a delicious, healthy, and nutritious appetizer. They are quick and easy to make in under 30 minutes (including prep!) but you wouldn't know it from how amazing they look and how good they taste.

They are dry and crisp on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside and oh so flavorful. Seriously, if you are serving these impressive and sophisticated bites at your next party, your guests might think a caterer dropped them off. These stuffed mushroom caps might just be the best vegetarian appetizer you've ever have tried.

Serve these for any occasion including Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or whenever you feel like having something fancy.

Why You'll Love Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

They're quick and easy. These vegetarian stuffed mushrooms are ready in just 30 minutes with ust 10 minutes of prep. And with the help of a food processor, the stuffed mushroom filling can be ready even faster (since you can skip chopping up some of the ingredients). These are the perfect appetizer to make when you're short on time but need lots of flavor.
Loaded with flavor. Speaking of flavor, these stuffed mushroom caps have a perfect balance! The cremini mushrooms lend a delightful earthy profile to the mix, while the onion powder and garlic add fragrant notes. Finally, parsley and Italian season add herbal tones - and you can't forget salt and pepper. All of these ingredients work together to create flavorful little mushroom bites.
Mushrooms are a superfood. Mushrooms contain three essential antioxidants that give them superpowers (glutathione, ergothioneine, and selenium), not to mention a range of other vitamins and minerals you need to keep healthy. They support bone, heart, and skin health, and they may even prevent cancer. How's that for a healthy snack?

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

cremini mushrooms - also called brown mushrooms, baby bella mushrooms, baby portobello mushrooms, or Roman mushrooms. You want to picks ones that are on the larger side which will be easier to stuff.
olive oil
breadcrumbs
Parmigiano Reggiano - use freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
garlic
seasoning - onion powder, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
parsley - you also need extra parsley to sprinkle on top when serving (optional).

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl or food processor, and large half sheet baking pan.

How to Make the Best Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Prep the mushrooms. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a paper towel and remove the stems. Reserve half of the mushroom stems and finely chop them. Set aside. Transfer the mushroom caps, cavity side up, onto a lined half sheet baking pan and set aside.
Make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients (breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, olive oil, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper). Add in the chopped stems. Stir to combine.
- You could also combine the ingredients in a food processor and pulse mix to combine. In this case, you wouldn't have to chop up the stems or parsley as finely because the food processor will do it for you.

Bake. Carefully scoop the mixture into mushroom caps. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top of the mixture starts to turn golden brown.
Serve. Serve warm with a sprinkle of chopped parsley on top. For added flavor, drizzle some olive oil on top, if desired.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Easy scooping: To make the process cleaner and easier, consider scooping all your mixture into a zip-top bag. Cut a large hole in the corner and pipe the filling into your stuffed mushrooms.
Make ahead instructions: If you want to bake these stuffed mushroom caps in bulk for a party, consider prepping a day ahead. Assemble the mushrooms and store the uncooked stuffed mushrooms in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to one day. When you are ready to cook them, simply pop them into the preheated oven and bake as directed.
How to store: Allow the vegetarian stuffed mushrooms to cool to room temperature first, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
How to reheat: Reheat cold stuffed mushrooms in a 375F oven for 10-15 minutes. To prevent mushrooms from drying out, cover or wrap them in aluminum foil.

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This post was first published in 2015. It has been completely updated with new content and images.

Instant Pot Whole Turkey

Instant pot whole turkey is tender, juicy, and delicious, making it the perfect main dish to serve for the holidays. Made with a simple seasoning rub and minimal prep time before it's ready to pressure cook, this may be the easiest way you will ever cook a whole turkey!

I have partnered with Think Turkey to bring you this delicious Instant Pot Whole Turkey recipe. All images and opinions expressed are my own.

Why You'll Love Instant Pot Whole Turkey

A stress-free holiday dinner. Turkey is our-go to protein for Easter dinner. It's can be prepared using a wide variety of cooking methods and is so easy to make, especially in the Instant Pot. It's faster and easier than roasting in the oven since there is no basting required. In under 2 hours, you can serve a juicy, tender, whole turkey. It's the fastest way to cook turkey!
Turkey is a healthy protein. If you haven't already noticed, our family loves cooking with turkey (see all of our turkey recipes!). It's lean, healthy, and high in protein. Plus, the white turkey meat is low in fat, making it great for healthy meal planning - and not just during the holidays. We enjoy it year-round.
The crispy skin and turkey gravy. Juicy and tender meat might be the star of the show here, but this turkey is taken to the next level with two other things: crispy turkey skin and homemade turkey gravy. With this Instant Pot whole turkey, you get both.
The delicious leftover turkey recipes. My favourite part about cooking a whole turkey might just be all the delicious leftovers that I can make from it including soups, sandwiches, stir-fries, and pastas. Making leftovers is also an easy (and delicious!) way to cut down on food waste and grocery costs.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious and easy Instant Pot Whole Turkey, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

whole turkey - This recipe only works with a 7 or 8 pound whole turkey. If you have a larger turkey, it will not fit into the pressure cooker. You may need to preorder a smaller turkey from your butcher or grocery store, so keep that in mind when preparing to make this recipe.
seasoning - The simple seasoning rub for the turkey is made with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Just a few simple ingredients bring out the delicious natural flavor of turkey.
onions - You will need onions to stuff the turkey as well as to line the bottom of the instant if you are making gravy.
carrots - Carrots are also only required if you are making gravy. It adds flavor to the gravy and can be discarded after.
poultry stock or water - This is only required if you are making gravy.
melted butter - You only need melted butter if you choose to broil the turkey after it has been cooked. Broiling the turkey will help crisp up the skin.
homemade gravy - the gravy is optional and is really easy to make directly in the Instant Pot with the turkey drippings. You will also need cornstarch (or flour), poultry broth, butter, and Worcestershire sauce.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and an Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker) with wire roasting rack insert.

How to Make the Best Instant Pot Whole Turkey

Prep the turkey. Remove the turkey neck and giblets from inside the cavity and set it aside if making homemade gravy, otherwise discard. Wash the turkey and use a paper towel to pay it completely dry, inside and out.
Season the turkey. Place the turkey on a clean cutting board and generously season it salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Rub the seasoning all over the turkey, including inside the cavity. Wearing disposable gloves helps to make clean up easier.
Stuff the turkey. Slice one of the onions in half and insert it inside the turkey's cavity.

Cooking a Whole Turkey in the Instant Pot

Prepare the Instant Pot.

Roughly chop up the remaining onion and add it to the inner pot of the pressure cooker along with the chopped carrots, poultry stock (or water), turkey neck, and giblets. Place a wire rack that can be fitted into the instant pot on top. Place the turkey (breast side up) onto the rack, tucking in the wings. Truss the turkey by tying the legs together with kitchen string so that they stay close to the body.

Pressure cook.

Turn the pressure cooking mode on manual pressure and seal the lid (the steam release knob must be turned to the sealed position). Pressure cook the turkey for 50 minutes (or 6 minutes per pound of turkey).

Once the time is up, turn the pressure cooker off and leave the turkey sealed inside for 15 minutes (it will continue to cook). After 15 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position.

Check doneness using a digital meat thermometer inserted deep into the meat. The turkey is done with an end-point internal temperature of 170°F (74°C).

Broil the Turkey for Crispy Skin

For crispy skin with a golden brown color, you can broil the turkey (optional). First, let the turkey rest for 10 minutes, then transfer to a roasting tray. Baste the turkey with melted butter and broil for 5 minutes until the skin turns golden brown and crispy. Make sure to monitor closely during broiling because it can burn quickly.

Transfer the turkey onto a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove the kitchen string and carve.

How to Make Gravy in the Instant Pot

Use a mesh sieve to filter out the drippings at the bottom of the instant pot, and discard all the clumps. Transfer the filtered liquid back into the instant pot. In a small mixing bowl, combine cornstarch and poultry broth. Stir until dissolved.

On the Instant Pot, switch to Sauté function on to high. Add the cornstarch mixture to the drippings in the pot and stir until smooth. Add butter and Worcestershire sauce and mix until combined.

Bring the gravy to a simmer, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to Use Leftover Turkey

Instant pot whole turkey results in the juiciest and most tender turkey you will ever cook! It's so tender that it literally falls of the bone, which makes it so good in leftover turkey recipes too. Use the leftovers from this recipe and repurpose them into something delicious. Some of my favorites to try are:

Creamy turkey gnocchi soup is the ultimate comfort food - creamy, rich, and delicious, made with good carbs, clean protein, and veggies in 25 minutes. | aheadofthyme.com

Creamy leftover turkey tetrazzini with spinach is a simple, easy and delicious pasta recipe that is comforting, creamy and cheesy. It's a family favourite. | aheadofthyme.com

Storing Instructions

How to store: Keep leftover turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you are planning to use leftovers in soups or other recipes that call for shredded turkey, it's easier to shred it before storing. Then, you can easily use it in all your favorite leftover turkey recipes.
How to freeze: Slice or shred the meat and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and place inside a freezer bag, pressing out all the air before sealing. To use, allow it to thaw overnight and then reheat, or reheat directly from frozen (for example, if you are adding it into a soup).
How to reheat: Wrap the turkey loosely in aluminum foil and add a little gravy or water. Seal the foil and reheat in a 375°F preheated oven for 10-25 minutes (depending on how much turkey you are reheating), until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 165°F as read on a meat thermometer. You can also reheat it in the microwave.

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Peanut Butter Eggs

Chocolate-covered peanut butter eggs are rich, delicious, and so good. I mean, what is not to love when peanut butter and chocolate come together? With a hard chocolate shell on the outside and a soft peanut butter interior inside, these homemade Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs are crunchy, creamy, and sweet. Plus, they are an easy to make, no bake dessert, with just 6 ingredients. You need to try these Easter egg candies!

Why You'll Love Peanut Butter Eggs

They're easy to make. Sure it takes some time to shape the peanut butter mixture into eggs before coating in chocolate and letting it set, but the recipe is straight forward and easy to follow. But the best part is that it doesn't look like it was easy. It looks like something you picked up from a specialty candy store.
Perfect for Easter. Easter is all about the treats like mini chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies, but nothing beats homemade peanut butter eggs - not even Reese's cups! This homemade version is also bite-sized which makes them really easy to serve or package up and gift to family and friends, or include in your kid's Easter basket.
Everyone loves them. Whether you're serving adults, children, or even hard-to-please teenagers, these peanut butter eggs are the perfect dessert to make. I mean, chocolate and peanut butter is everyone's favorite combination, am I right? These chocolate eggs are a total crowd-pleaser.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Peanut Butter Eggs, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

butter
creamy peanut butter
confectioners' sugar
vanilla extract
chocolate - feel free to use milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Whichever you use, make sure that it is high-quality chocolate since it's one of the main ingredients in this recipe. I would also recommend using real chocolate versus chocolate chips because they melt more smoothly. You could use chocolate chips but expect the texture to not be as smooth and to set with streaks or lumps.
vegetable oil - I like using coconut oil because it adds a very subtle taste that complements the chocolate well, and is not as overpowering an oil like olive oil.
salt flakes - optional, to sprinkle on top.

You will also need measuring cups and spoon, mixing bowl, hand mixer or stand mixer, and a half sheet baking pan or large tray.

How to Make the Best Peanut Butter Eggs

First, make the peanut butter filling.

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the peanut butter and beat to incorporate, about 1 minute. Add in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract and beat on low until combined, about 1 minute. The dough will be crumbly.

How to Shape Peanut Butter Eggs

Shape into a ball. Take 1 tablespoon of dough and shape it into a ball. If you are finding the dough too dry and crumbly to do this, then beat in 1-2 tablespoons of water on low speed until combined. It should now be easier to work with but should still be soft and crumbly.
Flatten into an egg. Once shaped into a ball, use the palm of your hand to flatten it slightly into a disc. Then use your hands to shape into an egg, with the bottom being wider than the top.
Chill. Transfer the shaped eggs to large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Allow the eggs to set and harden in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Coating Peanut Butter Eggs with Chocolate

Melt the chocolate. Once set, you are ready to melt the chocolate. Melt the chocolate either on the stove or in the microwave:
- On the stove: Bring 2 inches of water to a low simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Then turn the heat to low and place a large heatproof bowl of chocolate chips with vegetable oil on the mouth of the pot. Make sure that there is a gap of a few inches in between the bottom of the bowl and the water (You can also place a bowl on a steamer attachment on top of your pot). Stir the chocolate constantly as it melts. Stir until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted. This should take a few minutes.
- In the microwave: The second way to melt chocolate (and an easier way) is in the microwave. Place the chocolate and vegetable oil into a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals. Remove the bowl at each interval and stir well. Repeat until the chocolate has completely melted. Stir until completely smooth.
Coat the peanut butter eggs. Use a fork to carefully dip each chilled egg into melted chocolate. Tap the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate and place the coated eggs back onto the lined baking sheet. You can also use a spoon to help coat the eggs with chocolate.
Chill again. Transfer the coated eggs back to the fridge to slightly set for 5 minutes. Then use any excess melted chocolate and drizzle over the eggs in a diagonal motion to add texture. Place back into the fridge to set completely, about 30 minutes.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Keep any leftover chocolate peanut butter candies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks. They will also keep at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, but if they get too warm, they will melt.
How to freeze: You can freeze these peanut butter eggs for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to eat.
Customize the design: Want to get more creative with your peanut butter eggs? Add a drizzle of white chocolate - or use food coloring to dye the white chocolate with pretty pastel colors and create fun easter egg designs! Don't be afraid to whip out the rainbow sprinkles, crushed pretzels, or Oreo cookie dust for added texture.
How to make tempered chocolate: If you want your eggs to be extra shiny, you'll need to make tempered chocolate. You'll want to use the stovetop method for this. Melt the chocolate and allow it to cool slightly, then melt it again. The result will be shiny eggs that glisten in the sunlight.

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Pesto Babka

Pesto babka is a showstopping loaf of bread that is delicious, flavorful, and gorgeous. For a bread that looks complicated to make, it is surprisingly easy! With a crunchy crust, a soft and fluffy interior, and a delicious savory garlic and pesto filling that is showcased in beautiful twists and turns, this babka bread is a total crowd favorite. It's a perfect bread to serve during the holidays.

Why You'll Love Pesto Babka

Soft, fluffy, and buttery. Pesto babka has all the elements you want in a good loaf of bread. The interior is soft and fluffy, encased in a crunchy crust. And the whole thing is buttery, savory, and indulgent. Plus, it's loaded with flavor from the delicious pesto and garlic filling. With this pesto babka, no one will even think twice about garlic bread.
It's a savory babka. Most babkas are sweetened with syrup or sugar and flavored with chocolate or cinnamon (like our Cinnamon Roll Twist Bread). Instead of taking a dessert bread route, this pesto babka is perfect as an appetizer or side dish enjoyed with dinner. The savory and fresh flavors of pesto, salt, and fresh garlic make this pesto babka truly special!
The perfect addition to a holiday dinner. When you place this pesto babka on your Easter dinner table, everyone will be in awe. Not only is it beautiful but once your guests taste it, they won't forget it! Pesto babka is a great holiday bread to serve to guests to give them a special experience.
It has a long history. Babka is a sweet bread that originated in the Jewish communities of Poland, Russia, and Ukraine over 200 years ago. While you're more likely to find a cinnamon or chocolate babka recipe if you want a classic take, this pesto babka is sure to be loved by whoever tastes it.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Pesto Babka, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
instant yeast
salt
sugar
milk
butter
egg
pesto - I love using my Basil Pesto in this recipe and any recipe that calls for pesto because it's so easy to make in just minutes. You can of course also use store-bought pesto sauce too - whichever is easier!
garlic
salt flakes - optional, to sprinkle on top.

Use room temperature ingredients

When it comes to baking, being precise will result in success. Be sure to use room temperature ingredients (milk and butter). Allow your ingredients to sit out on the counter for about an hour before you get to work.

How to Customize

One of the best things about savory babka bread is that you can customize it with different ingredients. Consider adding:

diced sun-dried tomatoes
grated parmesan
oven-roasted garlic
sliced green olives

Equipment

You will also need a kitchen scale (and/or measuring cups and spoons), mixing bowls, rolling pin, and 9x5-inch loaf pan (1.5 lb. loaf pan).

How to Make the Best Pesto Babka

First, prepare the dough.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, salt, and sugar until evenly combined. Add in milk, butter, and egg. Stir well with a spatula until no dry flour is visible. Make sure to scrape off any remaining flour off the sides of the bowl.

Then, knead the dough.

Transfer the dough mixture onto a clean and dry surface. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it turns into a soft and smooth dough ball. Because of the high fat content (butter and milk) in this recipe, the dough is much softer to knead by hand. You can also knead the dough on medium speed in a stand mixer for 10 minutes until smooth.

Tips for Kneading Dough

How to knead dough: Knead the dough by pushing it down and outward using the palms of your hands. Fold the dough in half toward you and press down. Repeat this motion by pushing the dough down and outward, and then folding over towards you. This helps build up gluten strength in dough that is responsible for making the bread fluffy.
How to test if dough is well-kneaded: A well-kneaded dough is smooth and can hold its shape. You can test the dough by giving it a firm poke with your finger. The indentation should bounce right back. If it doesn't bounce back and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few more minutes.

Finally, let it rise (first rise).

Transfer the dough back into the mixing bowl, lightly grease the dough ball with a little bit of oil and cover with a lid. Let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

How to Shape Babka

Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle about 18x12-inches in size.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together pesto and garlic. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough.

Roll up the dough tightly into a log and pinch the end edges to seal.

Slice the dough in half lengthwise.

Braid the two halves by twisting them together while keeping the cut sides with pesto filling facing upwards.

Pinch the ends together.

Second Rise

Place the babka in a parchment lined 9x5-inch loaf pan (1.5 lb. loaf pan) and cover with plastic cling wrap. Let it rise (second rise) for 30-45 minutes or until it rises almost to the rim of the loaf pan.

Optionally, you can let the rolls rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight and bake it straight away in the preheated oven the next day.

How to Bake Pesto Babka

Sprinkle salt flakes evenly over the babka and bake in a 350F preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. If the top gets too browned, cover with aluminum foil halfway during baking.

Let the babka cool for 15 minutes, then slice and serve.

How to Serve

Serve Pesto Babka as an appetizer or side dish along with dinner. I also like including it on a weekend brunch spread along with some other favorites such as:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to measure pesto for babka: When you measure pesto, try to drain as much of the oil out of it as possible. This will prevent the pesto babka from becoming too greasy.
How to store: Store babka inside an airtight container at room temperature and eat within three days. Babka is best enjoyed the day you make it. You can also store it longer in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Note that the texture will dry out a little. You can reheat it to bring back some moisture.
How to freeze: To freeze a loaf of babka, let it cool completely to room temperature and then wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap and then wrap in a layer of aluminum foil or place into a freezer bag or airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to one month.

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Shrimp Cakes

These quick and easy shrimp cakes are juicy, tender, and delicious. Made simple with a food processor and your choice of three cooking methods (on the stove, in the air fryer, or in the oven), they are perfect for a quick lunch or dinner on busy weeknights when you need to throw something together fast.

Enjoy them on their own, pair them with a simple side salad, or make a shrimp cake sandwich. No matter how you serve them, they taste amazing. This recipe makes 6 large shrimp patties but you can play around with the sizes to make more mini cakes or even make double batch because they are that good!

Why You'll Love Shrimp Cakes

They're ready in just 25 minutes. A quick meal is always great. With little prep work and easy clean-up, you'll love fast it is to make these shrimp cakes. Simply combine all the ingredients. Form patties. Then, throw your shrimp cakes onto a hot pan, air fryer, or oven, and you're done!
The best texture and flavor. These shrimp cakes are thick, juicy and tender on the inside with a fluffy and pillowy texture. Plus, they are well-seasoned and loaded with flavor in every bite.
Fish cakes made with shrimp. Shrimp is the perfect ingredient to put in these fish cakes because they cook quickly and deliver perfectly tender shrimp bits. If you're a big shrimp fan, you'll also love Baked Coconut Shrimp and Shrimp Egg Rolls.
The homemade lemon aioli. You can serve these shrimp fritters with your favorite dipping sauce, but if you are looking for something that compliments it so well, you must try the homemade lemon aoili. It adds just the right amount of citrus that pairs so well with seafood like shrimp.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Shrimp Cakes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in the recipe card below):

shrimp - to prepare the shrimp, cut through the shell along the back with kitchen scissors. Remove the shells and tails, and rinse to remove the veins. Pat dry each shrimp completely with a paper towel.
breadcrumbs
carrots
egg - helps to hold the shrimp cakes together and gives them their fluffiness texture.
seasoning - ginger, garlic powder, fresh parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.
for the lemon aioli - mayonnaise, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and garlic.

You will also need a mixing bowl, food processor (if using), and depending on your cooking method, either a large skillet, air fryer, or quarter sheet baking pan.

How to Make the Best Shrimp Cakes

First prepare by the shrimp patties by combining shrimp, breadcrumbs, carrot, parsley, ginger, egg, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper into a large mixing bowl. Stir well until evenly combined.

Transfer the mixture into a food processor. Pulse mix on and off for 1 minute until coarsely chopped. You can also chop the shrimp by hand into ¼-inch pieces instead and stir everything together.

Take 1 cup of the shrimp mixture at a time and firmly shape into a large patty. You should make about 6 large patties. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Three Ways to Cook Shrimp Cakes

To pan fry: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the shrimp cakes and cook until nicely browned, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and let rest for 5 minutes.
- You can reduce the amount of oil in the cakes by letting them rest on a clean paper towel. After they appear dry, transfer them to a clean plate.
To air fry: Place shrimp cakes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with cooking oil to coat evenly. Air fry at 350F for 13-15 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked through.
To bake in the oven: Preheat oven to 350F. Place shrimp cakes on a quarter sheet baking pan and bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown, flipping the patties halfway during cooking to brown evenly.

How to Serve

Serve these Shrimp Cakes with your favorite dipping sauce. I like to serve it with a simple lemon aioli. It's easy to make by simply whisking together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and minced garlic in a small mixing bowl. Some other dipping sauces that you can serve these with are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: To store shrimp cakes, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Make sure the shrimp cakes are cooled completely before you put them in a container - or else you'll be met with soggy cakes later.
How to freeze: These shrimp cakes are also freezer-friendly. Once cooked, allow them to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to reheat: These shrimp cakes taste best when reheated in an air fryer, in an oven, or on the stovetop. Microwaving is not recommended. Heat cakes in a 375 oven or air fryer for 5-10 minutes or until hot, flipping halfway.

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Pesto Asparagus

Pesto asparagus is a quick and easy side dish that takes regular sautéed asparagus to the next level. In just 15 minutes, you can make this simple but delicious side that is loaded with flavor.

Asparagus already has a wonderful natural flavor to it, and is complimented so well with pesto, balsamic vinegar, and pine nuts - and we can't forget the garlic, of course. This spring side dish is a true fan favorite. It's healthy, vegan, and gluten-free. Serve it alongside your favorite spring dinners, Easter dinner mains, or any dinner you are serving this week.

Why You'll Love Pesto Asparagus

Ready in 15 minutes. Pesto asparagus is a quick and easy recipe that is ready to eat in just 15 minutes! Plus, it's easy to make it alongside your other dinner sides and mains.
It's healthy and vegan. Even if it's just sautéed with a little bit of salt and pepper, asparagus is one of my favorite sides. Not only is it full of flavor, it's also packed with essential nutrients, including fiber, folate, and vitamins A, C, and K. On top of that, asparagus is a low-calorie food that can improve your blood pressure and heart health.
Asparagus is a delicious side dish. Even if it's just sautéed with a little bit of salt and pepper, asparagus is one of my favorite sides. And don't think for one second that this pesto asparagus doesn't taste good because it's healthy. The opposite is actually true!
Pesto provides flavor and antioxidants. The pesto in this sautéed asparagus dish does more than add flavor - it also adds essential antioxidants that can help cleanse your body!

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this quick and easy Pesto Asparagus, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

vegetable oil
asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
salt and pepper
garlic
pesto - I love using my Basil Pesto in this recipe and any recipe that calls for pesto because it's so easy to make in just minutes. You can of course also use store-bought pesto sauce too - whichever is easier!
balsamic vinegar
pine nuts or roasted peanuts

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet.

How to Customize Pesto Asparagus with Add-Ins

Want to customize this recipe? No problem! Consider omitting any ingredients you don't like and adding in:

sun-dried tomatoes (sauté with asparagus)
freshly shaved or grated parmesan cheese (as a garnish)
halved grape tomatoes (added towards the end of sautéing or as a garnish)

How to Make the Best Pesto Asparagus

Sauté asparagus. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add asparagus and sauté until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
Add seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add pesto. Reduce heat to low. Stir in Pesto and balsamic vinegar and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 1-2 minutes.
Serve. Sprinkle with pine nuts (or roasted peanuts) and serve immediately.

How to Serve

Serve Pesto Asparagus with your favorite main dishes. Asparagus is delicious served with chicken, beef, pork, salmon, and shrimp. Try it with:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Allow leftover pesto asparagus to cool to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
How to reheat: When you reheat your leftover pesto asparagus, be careful not to overcook it. Preheat a pan with a lid over medium heat with a small amount of oil. Then, add the leftover asparagus and cover the pan. Cook for 2-4 minutes until warm. You can flip the asparagus halfway or shake the pan gently to mix.

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Deviled Eggs

Classic deviled eggs are a simple, easy, and healthy appetizer to make when you need something quick for brunch, picnics, barbecues, potluck lunches, or Easter. They are fast to make with just a handful of simple ingredients, yet loaded with flavor. Plus, they store well and can be made ahead and assembled just before serving.

Why You'll Love Deviled Eggs

Quick and easy to make. Deviled eggs may seem like a complex dish, especially when they are piped so beautifully, but that myth will be dispelled once you make it for the first time. Deviled eggs are ready in just 20 minutes and taste delicious fresh or prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
A simple yet decadent filling. This deviled egg recipe is classic, simple, and oh so good. The filling is made with all the traditional ingredients you'd expect to find in a deviled egg filling, including egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. But you'll also find one optional secret ingredient to spice things up: red pepper powder. They are basically like a handheld egg salad sandwich without the bread
They're a well-loved appetizer. If you bring these deviled eggs to a potluck, party, or serve them at your own event, you can rest assured that they'll be a hit. Deviled eggs are one of the easiest and tastiest appetizers to serve to a crowd, whether it's for a holiday (hello Easter) or a casual get-together.

Fun Fact

Deviled eggs get their name from the slight acidity of vinegar and spice of paprika-back in the day, anything with a bite of spice used to be considered "deviled." With this recipe, you have the option to make your deviled eggs even more devilish with a dash of spicy red pepper powder.

Ingredient Notes

To make these classic Deviled Eggs, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

eggs
mayonnaise
mustard
white vinegar
salt and pepper
red pepper powder (optional to make it spicy)
smoked paprika
finely chopped herbs - such as chives, dill, or parsley (optional, to sprinkle on top).

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a cooking pot to boil the eggs, a mixing bowl, and a piping bag and star tip (if piping the filling in).

Flavour Variations for Deviled Eggs

You can never go wrong with a classic recipe. However, if you want to venture out a little, you definitely can. This recipe is 100% versatile. Use it as a base and change it up by switching up the seasonings or adding extra ingredients. Try adding any of these ingredients for a twist:

chopped dill, parsley, or scallions
bacon bits
shredded cheddar cheese
tuna and pickles
hummus

How to Make the Best Classic Deviled Eggs

Boil the eggs. Place eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with water so that there is 1-2 inches of water above the eggs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 14 minutes. Run eggs through cold water for 1 minute.

Separate the yolks. Carefully peel the eggs and slice them lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a medium mixing bowl. Set egg whites aside.
Make the filling. Using a fork, mash the yolks until crumbly. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add red pepper powder for a spicy kick (optional), and mix together until smooth and creamy.

Fill the egg whites. Spoon the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe the mixture into the egg whites in a circular motion starting at the edges and ending in the center until they are filled. You can also just use a spoon to scoop the mixture into the egg whites.

Serve. Sprinkle paprika and chopped herbs on top. Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

DIY piping bag: No piping bag? No problem. Just spoon the mixture into a zip-top bag instead. Cut off the corner of the bag to form the tip, and don't worry about any special piping tips. This is still easier than spooning the mixture into each egg!
Make ahead instructions: You cook the eggs and prepare the filling in advance. Store the filling into a piping bag or ziploc bag and seal tightly so that there is no air in the bag. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Then pipe the filling into the egg whites and serve.
How to store: Deviled eggs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-4 days. If you are not planning to serve them right away, they should also be stored in the refrigerator immediately after being assembled.
Travelling with deviled eggs: If you're making deviled eggs to serve somewhere else, use a zip-top bag for a piping bag, but don't cut the tip off. Transport the filling and the egg whites separately. Then, quickly fill and garnish the eggs at your destination.

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French Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling

Easy French macarons with vanilla buttercream filling are sweet, light, airy, and delicate cookies that literally melt in your mouth. Smooth macaron shells with the perfect feet are filled with a delicious buttercream filling and sandwiched together. I'm sharing all my tips and tricks that answers our most common ready FAQs with troubleshooting tips so that you can make the perfect macaron, even as a beginner!

Why You'll Love Homemade French Macarons

Classic and pretty cookie. Macarons are delicate, pretty, and delightful treats. What is not to love? These gluten-free cookies are great when you are craving something sweet. They also freeze well so you can make a big batch and save the rest to satisfy last-minute sugar cravings. They are also perfect packaged up and gifted to family and friends.
Perfect for any occasion. What better way to celebrate love than with a delicious French treat. The French just know how to do it best. Whether you are celebrating love on Valentine's Day, at a bridal or baby shower, or just because, you can't go wrong with classic French macarons with vanilla buttercream filling.
Cheaper to make at home. Macarons are one of my favorite cookies. But when they are sold at $5 dollars each, it kind of starts taking a toll on the wallet. After a little practice with this French macaron recipe, you can whip up a batch of homemade macarons that look and taste just like you picked them up from a fancy French bakery. They are the perfect macarons.

Ingredient Notes

To make delicious and delicate French Macarons, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

almond flour - you will need to use fine almond flour (NOT almond meal which has a coarser texture). You can also make your own almond flour by grinding skinless, unsalted, raw almonds to a super fine powder. You will need a heavy duty blender for this.
confectioners' sugar
egg whites - at room temperature.
granulated sugar
pure vanilla extract
vanilla buttercream filling - made with a combination of unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and pure vanilla extract.

Equipment

To make french macarons, you will need:

measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
mixing bowl
piping bag and large ½ inch round tip
silicone baking mat (or parchment paper)
large half sheet baking pan
wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best French Macarons with Vanilla Buttercream Filling

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine almond flour and confectioners' sugar in a bowl and whisk together. Pass mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on clumps.
Beat egg whites. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites using an electric mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer) on medium speed for 2 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the granulated sugar and beat on high for 2 more minutes until glossy stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and beat on high for another 30 seconds.

Fold in dry ingredients. Gently fold in dry ingredients and repeat until mixture is smooth and shiny (with no visible dry ingredients), and begins to run a little but not too runny. Think lava consistency. Do not overfold.

Pipe the macaron shells. Take a pastry bag fitted with a ½ inch round tip and fill with the macaron batter. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe batter into ¾-inch round circles, 1 inch apart. Tap the baking sheet firmly against the counter to release any air bubbles.
Allow macarons to form a skin. Let macarons stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until they form a skin.
Bake the macarons. Preheat oven to 325 F. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway, until cookies have risen and just set. The cookies should be able to just come off the baking sheet when you try to lift them. Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.

How to Make Vanilla Buttercream Filling for Macarons

Vanilla buttercream is so easy to make in minutes using a handful of pantry staples. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream butter until soft and smooth. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy.

Vanilla buttercream filling not your thing? Well, if you think that classic french macarons with vanilla buttercream filling are boring, well these macarons are versatile. You can make fill some of the macaron shells with salted caramel sauce, chocolate ganache, raspberry jam or strawberry jam. How cute would that be for Valentine's Day? Yes, please!

How to Assemble French Macarons

Transfer the buttercream filling into a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe a swirl of filling on half the cookies. Sandwich cookies together with the remaining halves to make a cookie sandwich.

How to Store Macarons

How long do French macarons last? You can store macarons in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions about Macarons

Can I double this recipe? If you want to double the recipe, I would recommend making 2 separate batches, rather than doubling the ingredients in one batch.
Can I substitute regular flour for almond flour? No, you cannot substitute regular flour for almond flour in macarons. It will completely change the taste and texture.
How can I customize the colors? You can easily customize the colors of your macaron shells by adding gel food coloring to the batter. I recommend gel food coloring because it doesn't change the consistency of the batter.

Troubleshooting

Why didn't my macarons have feet? This normally happens if you don't let the macarons develop a skin for a full 30 minutes at room temperature before being placed into the oven. This can also be caused by overfolding the batter, resulting in the macarons not having "feet" or raw edges.
Why do my macarons have a pointy top? This happens if the batter is underfolded. It can also happen if you do not tap the tray with the piped macarons on the counter to release the air bubbles, which will help smooth out the macarons.
Why are my macarons lumpy and bumpy? This can happen if you do not sift the almond flour through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps. It can also happen if the batter is not mixed properly.
Why did my macarons crack? This can happen if there is too many air bubbles in the batter. To keep them from cracking, you need to tap the tray with the piped macarons on the counter to release the air bubbles, to help smooth out the macarons.
Why are my macaron shells flat or hollow? This can happen if the egg whites are not whipped to stiff peaks. Overmixing can also cause hollow shells because it causes the air bubbles to deflate during the baking process. Hollow macarons can also result if you take them out of the oven too early.

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Skillet Cinnamon Rolls

Skillet cinnamon rolls are sweet, buttery, and delicious. The soft and fluffy dough is filled with a sweet cinnamon sugar filling and topped with a homemade cream cheese glaze that takes these rolls to the next level. These cinnamon buns are easy to prep, freezer-friendly, and a family favorite. We love making them in a skillet because we end up with larger rolls just like Cinnabon.

Why You'll Love Skillet Cinnamon Rolls

The soft and fluffy dough. When it comes to cinnamon rolls, it's all about that soft and fluffy dough - and these rolls do not disappoint. They are golden brown on outside with the fluffiest pillowy dough and a moist and tender centre.
The sweet cinnamon filling. It doesn't get more classic than a simple cinnamon sugar filling to give these skillet cinnamon rolls their iconic taste. When you tear apart these rolls, you'll be indulging even before you take that first bite.
The homemade cream cheese glaze. The homemade glaze is ready in just a couple of minutes with a few ingredients. It complements these cinnamon rolls so well and can be spread over top of them or served on the side.
Easy to make ahead. Give yourself a few hours to make these skillet cinnamon rolls in one day or prep everything in advance and pop them into the refrigerator overnight and bake them first thing in the morning. I mean, what is better than freshly baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast or brunch?

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make these delicious Skillet Cinnamon Rolls, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour
instant yeast
salt
granulated sugar
milk
butter
egg
cinnamon sugar filling - butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
cream cheese icing - made with cream cheese, milk, honey (or maple syrup), and confectioners' sugar. You can also make a simple glaze with just confectioners' sugar and water.

Use room temperature ingredients

When it comes to baking, being precise will result in success. Be sure to use room temperature ingredients (milk, butter, and cream cheese). Allow your ingredients to sit out on the counter for about an hour before you get to work.

Equipment

You will also need a kitchen scale (and/or measuring cups and spoons), mixing bowls, rolling pin, and a 10-inch skillet or other baking pan.

How to Make the Best Skillet Cinnamon Rolls

First, prepare the dough.

Then, knead the dough.

Tips for Kneading Dough

How to knead dough: Knead the dough by pushing it down and outward using the palms of your hands. Fold the dough in half toward you and press down. Repeat this motion by pushing the dough down and outward, and then folding over towards you. This helps build up gluten strength in dough that is responsible for making the bread fluffy.
How to test if dough is well-kneaded: A well-kneaded dough is smooth and can hold its shape. You can test the dough by giving it a firm poke with your finger. The indentation should bounce right back. If it doesn't bounce back and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few more minutes.

Finally, let it rise (first rise).

Transfer the dough back into the mixing bowl, lightly grease the dough ball with a little bit of oil and cover with a lid. Let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

How to Shape Cinnamon Rolls

Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle measuring about 18x12-inches.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.
Roll up the dough tightly into a log and pinch the end edges to seal.
Use a knife or bench scraper to cut the rolled log into 8-12 even pieces (depending on the size of your skillet or baking pan), about 2-inches thick. Arrange the rolls into a greased skillet.

Second Rise

Cover the skillet with plastic cling wrap and let it rise (second rise) for 30-45 minutes or until the rolls almost double in size.

Optionally, you can let the rolls rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight and bake it the next morning in a preheated oven.

How to Bake Cinnamon Buns

Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Let the cinnamon rolls cool down for 10 minutes before icing or serving.

How to Make Cream Cheese Icing for Cinnamon Rolls

The cream cheese icing is ridiculously easy to make. Simply combine softened cream cheese, milk, honey, and icing sugar in a bowl and use a whisk or spoon to mix until smooth. Then, spread the cream cheese icing over the cinnamon rolls and serve.

How to Serve

Serve these Skillet Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. I like including it on a weekend brunch spread along with some other favorites such as:

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Make ahead instructions: You can prepare these skillet cinnamon rolls up to a day in advance, following the recipe up until the second rise. Then, allow the rolls to rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight and bake it the next day in a preheated oven for fresh cinnamon rolls in the morning.
How to store: To keep cinnamon buns fresh and moist, store them in an airtight container or covered in plastic cling wrap at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Wait until the cake has cooled down to room temperature before storing to avoid it from getting soggy. You can also store them in the refrigerator for up to one week, but they will firm up.
How to freeze: Cinnamon rolls are also freezer-friendly! Wrap them tightly in plastic cling wrap and in an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to reheat: Enjoy cinnamon rolls at room temperature, or reheat them in a 300 F preheated oven or air fryer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

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Easter Brunch Menu

Easter morning it's all about gathering with family and friends and enjoying a delicious breakfast or brunch together, creating memories that will last a lifetime. So if you are wondering "what to make for Easter brunch", you are in the right place. We are sharing over 50 Easter breakfast and brunch recipes in this Easter Brunch Menu including everything from egg breakfasts, sweet baked goods, cinnamon rolls, homemade bread, breakfast casseroles, easy savory brunch items, and more Easter brunch recipes.

Best Easter Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

Lemon Sweet Rolls

Soft and fluffy lemon sweet rolls are filled with a lemon vanilla sugar and topped with homemade lemon cream cheese icing. They're sweet, citrusy, and tart. One of my favorite Easter breakfast and brunch recipes.

Spring Vegetable Frittata

Spring vegetable frittata is a delicious breakfast or served at any time of the day. It's a one-pan meal that starts on the stove and moves to the oven. A perfect Easter breakfast and brunch idea!

Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns is a timeless classic Easter bread made with raisins, cinnamon, and a honey glaze. They are perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snack alongside your Easter breakfast and brunch.

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes combine two of the best foods, are fluffy soft and moist, loaded with classic flavors, and are ready in 15 minutes from prep to table!

Quick and Easy Butter Croissants

Quick and easy butter croissants are flaky, buttery, airy, and authentic, and are made in the fraction of the time using a special simplified technique. One of my favorite Easter breakfast recipes.

Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole

Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole is an easy vegetarian breakfast bake loaded with veggies. It is completely customizable and can be made ahead of time. The perfect Easter brunch recipe.

Spinach Quiche

Spinach Quiche is a golden, savory classic with a tender flaky crust and a rich, creamy egg filling that's packed with flavor. Surprisingly easy to make!

Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Showstopping carrot bundt cake with cream cheese glaze is light, fluffy, and moist. It's loaded with sugar, spice, and everything nice -- including grated carrots. One of the sweetest Easter breakfast and brunch recipes.

Breakfast Potatoes

Breakfast Potatoes are crispy on the outside while soft and tender inside. These skillet potatoes are delicious, flavorful, and ready in 30 minutes.

Asparagus Tart

Asparagus tart with Gruyère cheese, a balsamic glaze, and flaky puff pastry, is a flavourful and delicious addition to brunch or an Easter appetizer this spring season.

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

Start your Easter off right with the coziest Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal, with all the flavors of the classic dessert - but for breakfast!

French Toast

This Classic French Toast is light and fluffy, crisp and browned on the edges, and so delicious. The best part? Breakfast is ready in under 15 minutes.

Deviled Eggs

Classic deviled eggs are a simple and easy to whip up, a delicious Easter brunch recipe, or a go-to appetizer for lunch. It's perfect for a party or picnic too.

Skillet Cinnamon Rolls

Soft and fluffy skillet cinnamon rolls are filled with classic cinnamon sugar and topped with homemade cream cheese icing. Sweet, buttery, and delicious.

Mini Pancakes (Silver Dollar Pancakes)

Mini Pancakes (Silver Dollar Pancakes) are the fluffy, fun-sized version of classic pancakes. They're easy to make using a handful of everyday ingredients.

Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs

Roasted asparagus with poached eggs and fresh herbs is a classy, elevated spring meal that will leave you feeling light, but completely satisfied. It's the perfect Easter breakfast recipe.

Duchess Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes (Pommes Duchesse) are rich, creamy whipped bites of potatoes with crispy edges and a soft fluffy mashed potato centre. A fancy side dish!

Avocado Egg Salad

Avocado Egg Salad is a creamy, nutritious twist on the classic egg salad by adding avocado. Quick and easy to make as a sandwich, wrap, or on its own.

Carrot Cake Muffins

Carrot cake muffins are moist, light, chewy and full of carrots which means breakfast this week is healthy! Carrot muffins are great for meal prep too. A classic Easter brunch recipe.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

Layer fresh fruits, creamy Greek yogurt and crunchy granola to make this fruit and yogurt parfait for a delicious and healthy breakfast or a simple snack.

Breakfast Strata

Breakfast Strata is a hearty baked casserole dish loaded with bread, eggs, ham, cheese, and veggies that will keep you full until lunchtime.

Easy Homemade Everything Bagels

Easy homemade everything bagels with a signature everything bagel seasoning blend on top are just like bakery-style bagels and so easy to make at home.

Glazed Lemon Blueberry Scones

Egg Muffins

Egg muffins are a quick and easy way to meal prep breakfast on-the-go, loaded with cheddar cheese, bacon or salami, and green onions. Make 12 in 30 minutes.

Best Old Fashioned Pancakes

The Best Old Fashioned Pancakes are soft, tender, fluffy, and so easy to make. Ready in 15 minutes and perfect for lazy Sunday mornings!

Hash Browns

These crispy Hash Browns have a crisp, golden exterior and are soft inside - the defining features of a good hash brown. Make in just 20 minutes!

Triple Berry French Toast

Triple berry french toast with warm slices of bread, creamy egg mixture, an overload of berries, and drizzled maple syrup on top... should I even continue?

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus and Melon

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus and melon are salty, sweet, and juicy. They are easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients, then cooked on the grill.

Brioche Bread

Brioche bread is a buttery, soft and pillowy pastry-like bread rich in flavour with a beautiful golden brown crust. Made with 20 minutes of prep work.

Potato Galette with Arugula and Creme Fraîche

Potato galette with arugula and crème fraîche is a rich, light, and delicious savoury tart to serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A total crowd-pleaser at your Easter brunch.

Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing

Add something refreshing to brunch with this go to, simple and colourful fruit salad. Just toss a handful of fruits together in a honey lemon dressing and dig in.

This Summer Fruit Salad is colorful, delicious, and naturally sweet (no processed sugar!). It's easy to make with fresh fruit tossed in a homemade dressing. | aheadofthyme.com

Avocado Toast with Poached Egg

Avocado Toast with Egg is the perfect recipe to make for breakfast when you are short on time but looking for something delicious, healthy, and nutritious.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a quick and easy, one-pan Middle Eastern classic with a savory saucy tomato-vegetable base and perfectly poached eggs on top.

Star Bread

This pull-apart star bread is a beautiful, buttery, sugary, and delicious holiday bread that tastes as good as it looks and is actually easy to make.

Nutty Banana Bread

When you combine walnuts, raisins and dried fruit in a nutty banana bread, the result is a tender and moist loaf that is truly irresistible.

Deviled Egg Salad

Deviled Egg Salad is the perfect spring side dish! It has the signature tang and smokiness of deviled eggs with the pillowy texture of egg salad.

Spinach and Feta Quiche with Cauliflower Crust

Spinach and feta quiche is healthy and gluten-free with a keto cauliflower crust and savoury vegetarian filling. The perfect breakfast to give you the energy to do all the things you want to do on Christmas morning.

Spinach and feta quiche is healthy and gluten-free with a keto cauliflower crust and savoury vegetarian filling. Serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner. | aheadofthyme.com

Blueberry Pancakes

There's nothing better in the morning than thick, soft, fluffy blueberry pancakes, loaded with fresh berries, topped with butter, and soaked in maple syrup.

Green Smoothie Bowl

This green smoothie bowl is healthy, delicious, and nutritious. It's quick and easy to make in just minutes, for a quick energy boost to start the day.

Easy Challah Bread

Beautiful three-strand braided loaves of easy challah bread are light, soft and fluffy, with a golden brown crust. Rich in flavour and slightly sweet. I love to include this in our Easter breakfast spread.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fluffy soft and moist, these are the best banana chocolate chip muffins ever. Prep this easy one bowl recipe in less than 10 minutes with a few ingredients.

Cinnamon Apple Granola

Make Easter brunch a little easier by prepping this delicious and easy cinnamon apple granola aka apple pie granola ahead of time and I promise you'll never buy store-bought again.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Easy lemon blueberry bread with lemon glaze is soft, moist, and delicious. This quick bread with fresh blueberries and lemon is the perfect summer dessert.

Carrot Cake Biscotti

Carrot cake biscotti is crunchy, crumbly, and satisfies all your carrot cake cravings. Enjoy these Italian cookies as is or with white chocolate.

Sourdough Cinnamon Roll Twist Bread

Soft and fluffy sourdough cinnamon roll twist bread is buttery and layered with cinnamon sugar. Prep it the night before and freshly bake it for breakfast.

Peanut Butter Banana Toast

Peanut Butter Banana Toast is an incredibly simple yet healthy breakfast that's ready in a just 5 minutes. It's quick, satisfying, and protein-packed.

Nutella Crepes

Nutella crepes with berries are sweet and indulgent. These French pancakes are an easy to make blender recipe that will have you craving breakfast all day.

Caprese Frittata

Caprese Frittata is light and fluffy, laced with fresh basil and topped with melted mozzarella cheese and blistered balsamic tomatoes. Ready in 10 minutes! A go-to Easter breakfast recipe for easy entertaining.

Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake

Chocolate and vanilla marble cake is delicious, moist, fluffy with the perfect golden brown crust. With two classic cake flavors, this loaf cake has it all.

Easter Brunch Tips

Plan your menu ahead of time. You can prepare a lot of these Easter brunch recipes in advance (including all the baked goods), and store them in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Some of these Easter breakfast recipes can also be made even further in advance and frozen. Check each recipe for full make ahead and storing instructions.
Prep your ingredients. If you aren't able to make something completely in advance then prepare as much as you can ahead of time - whether that's chopping ingredients, making dough, or prepping and storing in the refrigerator until ready to be baked in the oven.
Set the table the night before. If you are hosting a brunch for family and friends, set up the table the night before with fancy spring themed plates, mugs, flatware, placemats, and napkins. It's one less thing to worry about on Easter morning.

More Easter Recipes

Did You Make Any of These Easter Breakfast and Brunch Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of Easter breakfast and brunch recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Lemon Butter Pasta

Lemon butter pasta is quick and easy to make, light yet filling, and loaded with flavor. This spaghetti is a delicious twist on classic buttered noodles with added garlic and lemon which makes them taste so much better. You'll be surprised at just how few ingredients can come together to create something so good. The best part? It's ready in just 15 minutes including prep! Weeknight dinners have never been better.

Why You'll Love Lemon Butter Pasta

It's quick and easy. There is nothing more satisfying after a long day than coming home and spending just 15 minutes to prepare and cook dinner. That's right. This lemon butter pasta takes just 15 minutes and a handful of ingredients before you are ready to eat it. And if you substitute a fast-cooking pasta like angel hair, you can cut the time in half.
Loaded with flavor and delicious. This lemon butter pasta is a a twist on a classic buttered pasta. Added garlic, lemon juice, parsley, and chili flakes (if you want a little kick) completely transforms this dish and adds so much extra flavor.
The kids love it. I don't know any kid who doesn't like buttered pasta. This version is also kid-friendly, especially if you leave out the chili flakes (and maybe the parsley if your kid is averse to seeing anything green!).

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make these delicious Lemon Butter Pasta, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

spaghetti - I like using spaghetti noodles or any long pasta like linguini or fettuccine in this dish. But you can feel free to use any shaped pasta that you like. And, if you substitute a fast-cooking pasta like angel hair, you can cut the cook time in half!
butter - you can substitute with olive oil or use a combination of the two for a healthier option.
garlic
parsley
Parmesan cheese
lemon juice
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flakes - this is optional. It adds a slight kick and balances out the flavor of the lemon juice quite nicely.

Lemon butter pasta is so delicious and flavorful. But you can switch up the flavors by adding in some other seasonings of your choosing. Some suggestions are: dried oregano, onion powder, or cayenne pepper.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, large cooking pot, and 12-inch skillet.

How to Make the Best Lemon Butter Pasta

Cook pasta. Bring a large cooking pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the hot pasta water in a small bowl. Drain the noodles and set aside.
Make lemon butter sauce. Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling and bubbling, about 1. minute. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add parsley, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and ¼ cup reserved pasta water. Stir well until smooth and bring it to a simmer, about 1 minute.
Toss in pasta. Add drained spaghetti and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve. Serve immediately with extra parsley and Parmesan on top, if desired.

How to Serve Lemon Pasta

There are many dishes and sides that you can serve with this delicious lemon pasta. Some of my favorite to pair this pasta with are:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Keep leftover lemon butter pasta in the fridge for up to 4-5 days inside an airtight container. Allow the pasta to cool to room temperature before storing to prevent condensation from forming inside the container.
How to reheat: Lemon butter pasta reheats well in the microwave. Cover pasta in a vented container and heat on medium to low heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through, mixing occasionally. You can also reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.

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Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

Creamless cream of asparagus soup is healthy and delicious, smooth and creamy, and so quick and easy to make. Loaded with fresh vegetables and simple seasonings that pack on flavor, this soup is great for a last minute lunch or dinner when you just don't have enough time to spend in the kitchen. It's especially delicious in the spring when asparagus are fresh in season. Plus, it stores well and is freezer-friendly so you can make a big batch of healthy asparagus soup and save it for another day.

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the cherry blossoms are blooming. Spring has finally sprung! And with the new season comes a new harvest of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Asparagus has got to be the most iconic vegetable of the season. Take advantage of this in-season crop and savour its glorious flavour in a delicious, smooth and creamless cream of asparagus soup.

Why You'll Love Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

It's a creamy soup with no cream. So, the question you must all be wondering is how can this asparagus soup be so creamy, yet contain no cream? The answer is simple: potatoes! The potatoes bulk up the soup and gives the soup its creamy consistency. How amazing.
It is quick and easy to make. Another reason that this one pot soup is so appealing is that it can be whipped up in no time. All it takes is a little bit of sautéing, bulking up, simmering and pureeing. 20 minutes later and you have yourself a nice big pot of creamless cream of asparagus soup ready to serve, nice and hot. And to present your soup like a five-star chef, blanch cook some asparagus tips and garnish them on top of your bowls of soup.
It's healthy. I mean, it's a given that this soup is healthy since it contains no cream. It's loaded with fresh vegetables like asparagus, celery, onions, and potatoes that pack on healthy nutrients. Plus, you can make some easy substitutions to make this spring soup vegan, paleo, and dairy-free so you can serve it up to anyone with dietary restrictions.
Enjoy it all year round. I love to enjoy this no cream asparagus soup in the spring when asparagus is fresh in season. But we are lucky these days that you can typically find asparagus at big grocery stores all year round, so you can make this soup whenever you feel like it. Unlike some hearty soups that can only be appreciated in the winter, light vegetable soups can be savoured all year round. There is something about this cream of asparagus soup that I find myself craving even when it is scorching hot outside. I seriously can't get enough!

Ingredients

To make this easy and delicious creamless cream of asparagus soup, you need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

asparagus - you will need 3 cups of chopped asparagus, plus extra asparagus tips for garnish on top.
butter - you can substitute the butter with olive oil if you are making this soup vegan, dairy-free, or paleo.
onion
celery
garlic
russet potato - this is the secret ingredient that adds creaminess to the soup without adding any cream.
chicken stock - you can substitute with vegetable stock if keeping the soup vegetarian.
lemon juice - freshly squeezed lemon juice adds the best flavour into this soup. You could substitute with store-bought 100% natural lemon juice.
black pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large stockpot (I used my 4 qt. Dutch oven).

How to Make the Best Creamless Cream of Asparagus Soup

Sauté vegetables. In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, garlic and celery until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the potatoes and asparagus and stir well to combine.

Simmer. Add the chicken (or vegetable) stock, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, covered, until the vegetables have become soft.
Puree. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a standing blender and puree in batches, then pour it back into the pot. Add the lemon juice and black pepper and stir to mix. Continue to cook on low for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.

How to Serve

Garnish asparagus soup with blanched asparagus tips, coconut cream, microgreens, croutons. To make the blanched asparagus, cook the tips in boiling salted water for about 4 minutes they are slightly tender. Drain and serve on top of your bowl of soup.

Serve this quick and easy healthy asparagus soup with no cream on it's own or with a side salad and sandwich. Some of my favorites to serve with this are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Dietary customizations:
- To make this soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- To make this soup vegan, dairy-free or paleo, also substitute the butter for 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Use a blender: Use an immersion blender or standup blender to puree your soup rather than a food processor. The blender will get the soup ultra smooth, whereas the food processor won't blend the vegetables as well and may leave it slightly textured.
How to store: Creamless asparagus soup keeps for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Store covered in the pot or in an airtight container.
How to freeze: Made too much? No worries, this soup freezes very well. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature on the kitchen counter for a few hours.
How to reheat: Reheat this soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You may have to add a splash of water to thin out the soup if it has thickened up too much when stored.

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Sesame Chicken Meatballs

Sesame chicken meatballs are quick and easy to make, loaded with Asian flavor, and totally delicious. These chicken meatballs are made with an assortment of Chinese ingredients, then cooked in a delicious homemade stir fry sauce along with bell peppers (and customizable with your favorite veggies!). It's an easy weeknight dinner with all the flavors of takeout but in a fun meatball form. These Asian meatballs store well too and freezer-friendly - perfect for meal prep!

Why You'll Love Sesame Chicken Meatballs

A quick and easy weeknight dinner. These sesame chicken meatballs are an easy weeknight dinner ready in just 30 minutes (if you prepare the meatball mixture in advance to marinate). They are perfect compromise when you are craving takeout and meatballs at the same time.
Chicken meatballs that are packed with flavor. If you don't believe me, check out the ingredient list. To make these sesame chicken meatballs, you'll need an assortment of classic Asian seasonings like soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and green onions. Not to mention the delicious homemade stir fry sauce that they are tossed in which adds even more flavor.
No dry meatballs here. These sesame chicken meatballs are juicy and tender on their own but when you smother them in a sticky stir fry sauce, they're even better and juicier. It's easy to make homemade sesame stir fry sauce or substitute it with store-bought sesame chicken sauce for convenience.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make quick and easy Sesame Chicken Meatballs, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

ground chicken - you can easily substitute with other ground meats such as ground turkey, ground pork, or ground beef.
breadcrumbs
soy sauce
Shaoxing wine - or substitute with mirin.
sesame oil
ginger
garlic powder
green onions
ground black pepper
stir fry sauce - made in seconds using soy sauce (preferably dark soy sauce for a richer color and flavor), chicken broth (or water), sesame oil, brown sugar (or honey), vinegar, and cornstarch.
vegetable oil - to cook the meatballs on the stove. If you are air frying them or cooking in the oven, then you do not need this.
red bell pepper - feel free to substitute with any color bell pepper.
green onions
white sesame seeds - optional, for garnish.

What's so great about this meatball stir fry is that you can customize it with your favorite veggies. Try adding in thinly sliced carrots, sliced mushrooms, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, or bean sprouts.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a large skillet.

How to Make the Best Sesame Chicken Meatballs

Prepare the meatball mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken with breadcrumbs, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, ginger, garlic powder, green onions, and black pepper. Mix well until evenly combined and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Shape the meatballs. Take 2 spoonfuls of the ground chicken mixture at a time and roll into meatballs. Set aside on a plate.
Cook the meatballs. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Stir the meatballs occasionally to brown evenly.
- Alternatively, you can bake the meatballs in a 400F preheated oven for 15 minutes until fully cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165F as read on a meat thermometer. You can also deep fry the meatballs (5-7 minutes) or cook in an air fryer in batches at 350F for 12-14 minutes per batch.

Make the sauce. While cooking the meatballs, prepare the sauce in a small mixing bowl by combining soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, brown sugar, vinegar, and cornstarch. Mix well until smooth.
Add veggies. Stir in the sauce and bell peppers. Toss well and cook until the sauce simmers, about 1-2 minutes. Cover the lid and cook until the meatballs are fully cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
Serve. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve warm with a bowl of steamed rice.

How to Serve

Sesame Chicken Meatballs are delicious served over steamed rice or noodles. Some popular sides that you can serve these meatballs with are:

Storing Chicken Meatballs

How to store: Store leftover sesame chicken meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Storing the meatballs and sauce together will help prevent the meatballs from drying out.
How to freeze: Chicken meatballs freeze well either before or after cooking.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs: Place the shaped meatballs on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer the pan to the freezer and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer the meatballs into a frezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then cook as per recipe instructions on the stove.
- To freeze cooked meatballs: Once cooled, store the meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to cook.
How to reheat: You can reheat sesame chicken meatballs in the microwave or on the stove over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until warmed through. Adding a bit of water to the pan will help the meatballs steam out, and it will thin the sauce if it becomes too thick. You could also reheat in a 350 F preheated oven or air fryer for 5-10 minutes until warmed through, but then prepare a fresh batch of sauce as it will dry out when reheating this way.

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Carrot Cake Muffins

If you are a fan of carrot cake, you will love these carrot cake muffins. They're moist, light, chewy and obviously full of carrots which means your breakfast this week is kind of sort of healthy! Plus, I've lightened up the recipe by leaving off the heavy cream cheese frosting to bring you a warm, spice-filled muffin that will satisfy your strongest carrot cake cravings. Serve spiced carrot muffins as a snack or an easy breakfast on the go that you can meal prep days in advance.

Why You'll Love Spiced Carrot Cake Muffins

It's a great way to use up extra carrots. Bought a bag of carrots that you want to use up before they expire? These carrot cake muffins are your answer. You will need a whopping 1.5 cups of grated carrots in them.
Quick and easy breakfast on the go. Spiced carrot muffins are one of the easiest breakfast meal preps you can make. In just 30 minutes, you'll have over a dozen fresh muffins that will last all week. Serve them for breakfast on the go or include them as a snack in your kids' school lunch boxes.
They are flavorful and moist. Grated carrots add sweetness and ensures that your carrot muffins don't dry out. Plus, the combination of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice adds the perfect flavor to balance it out.

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Spiced Carrot Cake Muffins, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour - adds substance.
baking powder and baking soda - adds lift.
cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt - adds flavour and balances the sweetness.
eggs - adds flavour, lift and structure.
vegetable oil - keeps the muffins moist.
vanilla extract - adds flavour.
brown sugar - adds flavour and texture.
buttermilk - thins out the batter (you can substitute this with 1 cup heavy cream + juice of ¼ of a lemon).
grated carrots - adds flavour. Note that you can grate the carrots manually or in a food processor, or make your life even easier by buying a bag at the store. Use up any remaining carrots from the bag into a weeknight salad or soup, but honestly you might be better off DOUBLING this recipe because the muffins are that good!

You can also add raisins or chopped walnuts (¼ cup each) at the same time as carrots if desired.

You will also need a 12-tin muffin pan, cupcake liners, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a cookie scoop (or a spoon) for scooping out the batter, and a wire cooling rack.

How to Make the Best Spiced Carrot Cake Muffins

Carrot muffins are super easy and straightforward to make.

Sift the dry ingredients together, In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Whisk the wet ingredients together. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, vanilla, brown sugar, and buttermilk (or heavy cream with lemon juice).

Combine. Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until most of the flour is mixed in. Add grated carrots and fold in until just combined.

Scoop batter. Line a 12-tin muffin pan with muffin or cupcake liners or spray the inside with nonstick baking spray. Spoon enough batter into each mold so they are 90% full.
Bake. Bake in a preheated 375F oven on a rack in the top third of your oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. So so easy!

How to Serve Carrot Muffins

These carrot muffins are so satisfying and taste amazing fresh from the oven. But if I'm not eating them until the next day, I like to slice them in half, throw them on a griddle or skillet to heat them up, and serve with a little slab of butter. So incredibly delicious. A must make!

Storing Instructions

How to store muffins: Allow the spiced carrot muffins to cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container for up to 2-4 days at room temperature. You can extend their shelf life by storing in the fridge for up to 7-10 days.
How to freeze muffins: Wrap each carrot cake muffin individually in plastic cling wrap. Use two layers and ensure the wrap is tight. Store in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.

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40 Best Vegetable Sides

Looking for a healthy vegetable side dish to serve with your next meal? These side dishes are quick and easy to make, made with simple and real ingredients, and are downright delicious. If you are wondering "what vegetable sides to make for dinner", you are in luck! Whether you are trying to switch up your typical side dish routine on a busy weeknight, looking to add more vegetables into your diet, or just trying to sneak in some veggies on your kid's plate at family dinner, I've got you covered. We have rounded up over 40 of our best and most popular vegetable side dishes which are all vegetarian and gluten-free, with lots of vegan options (or adaptable to be vegan!).

Best Vegetable Side Dishes

Oven Roasted Vegetables

Oven Roasted Vegetables are a delicious flavorful side dish that goes well with almost any dinner main. Customize it with whatever veggies you have on hand.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These crispy smashed potatoes are the perfect side dish. They’re easy to make, crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy on the inside, and so flavorful.

Honey Roasted Carrots

Honey roasted carrots are a sweet, savoury, and salty side dish that pairs well with almost any entree. With these flavours, everyone will want seconds.

Pesto Asparagus

Pesto asparagus is a quick easy side dish that takes regular sautéed asparagus to the next level in just 15 minutes. It's healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Baby Potatoes

Quick and easy roasted garlic Parmesan baby potatoes are crispy on the edges and tender inside. They are delicious, flavourful and bakes in just 30 minutes.

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash

Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash are a quick, easy, flavorful, and delicious Thanksgiving side dish that you need this holiday season.

Sautéed Garlic Green Beans

Buttery sautéed garlic green beans is a simple side dish that is quick, easy and delicious. Make these vibrant, crispy and tender green beans in 10 minutes.

Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin

Rich and creamy potatoes au gratin is the ultimate comfort food made with sliced potatoes, cheese, and milk. It's the perfect side dish for the holidays.

Air Fryer Vegetables

Air fryer vegetables are healthy, flavorful, and delicious. This vegan side dish is quick and easy to make in the air fryer in under 15 minutes.

The Best and Creamiest Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, buttery, and delicious, this is the best and creamiest mashed potatoes recipe you will ever find. It's velvety, smooth, and melts in your mouth.

Creamed Spinach

Creamed spinach is a rich, creamy, and delicious side dish to make this fall. Easy to make ahead and reheats well — perfect for Thanksgiving holiday dinner.

Roasted Spring Vegetables

Roasted spring vegetables are an easy sheet pan side dish packed with all our favourite veggies of the season. Plus, it's so easy to prep and make.

Air Fryer Asparagus

Crisp on the outside and tender inside, air fryer asparagus cooks in just 6 minutes! It is tossed in very little olive oil with garlic and seasonings.

Herb-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a quick easy side dish that's healthy, delicious, and flavorful. A perfect side for your holiday table or weeknight dinner.

Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter

Hasselback Potatoes are infused with garlic butter and feature signature cuts that make these potatoes crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Roasted Beets

Roasted Beets are a healthy and nutritious side dish that is easy to make and bursting with flavor. Made with just 4 ingredients and few simple steps!

Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Tender and caramelized, easy roasted brussels sprouts tossed in balsamic vinegar and honey is a classic household favourite to serve on your holiday table.

Easy Roasted Cauliflower

Quick and easy roasted cauliflower is a delicious, flavourful side dish that you throw on a sheet pan and into the oven. Plus, it's vegan and gluten-free.

Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots are a healthy, delicious, and easy to make side dish with a slightly crispy interior and sweet and tender inside. Serve with any entree!

Roasted Asparagus and Mushrooms

Roasted garlic asparagus and mushrooms is a simple vegan sheet pan side dish that‘s easy to make, flavorful and delicious. Serve with your favorite protein.

Collard Greens with Bacon

Collard greens with bacon is a flavorful, delicious, and healthy side dish that is quick to make in 25 minutes. A stress-free holiday side for Christmas.

Balsamic Roasted Broccoli

Balsamic Roasted Broccoli is a quick easy side dish made with tender, crispy broccoli tossed in a flavorful 5-ingredient glaze and is ready in 25 minutes.

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash is savory and sweet, with its flavor intensified when tossed and roasted in a homemade maple glaze with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Green Beans Almondine

Green Beans Almondine is buttery, garlicky, and nutty. This classic French side dish is quick and easy to make, and loaded with flavor and texture.

Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed Cauliflower is a fluffy and buttery side dish and a low carb, keto-friendly alternative to mashed potatoes. Plus, it’s easier and quicker too!

Cheesy Roasted Asparagus

Cheesy roasted asparagus is a quick and easy side dish made with a handful of simple ingredients in 20 minutes. They’re garlicky, cheesy, and flavorful.

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Baked Sweet Potato Wedges are crispy, delicious, flavorful. Serve as an appetizer or side dish. They are salty, savory, and sweet, with a hint of spice.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts are a quick and easy side dish made with just 5 ingredients and ready to serve in only 15 minutes. They're vegan and keto too.

Creamed Corn

Homemade Creamed Corn is creamy, delicious, and simple. It’s quick and easy to make at home and so much better than store-bought canned creamed corn.

Nutty Green Beans

With only a few ingredients, it is incredible how much flavour are packed in these 10-minute nutty green beans. Earthy green beans balance perfectly with crunchy pecans.

Mashed Butternut Squash

Mashed butternut squash is the perfect side dish for fall — creamy, smooth, and delicious, with the perfect balance between sweet and savory fall flavors.

Air Fryer Broccoli

Quick and easy air fryer broccoli is a healthy side dish that takes just six minutes to cook in the air fryer. It's crispy, delicious, and flavorful.

One Pan Roasted Harvest Vegetables

One pan roasted harvest vegetables with butternut squash, brussels sprouts and baby potatoes is the best fall side dish. So easy to prep in just minutes.

Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots

Sweet and flavourful easy garlic and herb roasted carrots is the perfect side dish to your holiday dinner or your everyday weeknight dinner.

Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

Easy honey balsamic Brussels sprouts are a sweet savory side dish that's roasted until tender and caramelized, and coated in a delicious flavourful glaze.

Lemon Parmesan Asparagus

Lemon parmesan asparagus is a delicious way to serve a classic spring vegetable. This side dish is quick and easy to make in less than 20 minutes.

Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

Crispy and tender, easy air fryer baby potatoes are a healthier take on a classic side dish without compromising taste or texture. Cooks in just 20 minutes.

Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob with Garlic Butter

Oven-roasted corn on the cob with homemade garlic butter is buttery, juicy, crunchy, and perfectly charred on the outside — without a grill.

Roasted Garlic Green Beans (Air Fryer or Oven)

Quick easy roasted garlic green beans are tangy, sour, savoury, and sweet, with a tender and crunchy texture. Make them in the oven or air fryer in minutes.

Maple Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce

Maple Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce is a quick, easy, flavorful, and delicious side dish that is warmly spiced and caramelized with maple syrup.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

Craving a big serving of mashed potatoes but with a quarter of the calories? Now you can with creamy garlic mashed cauliflower. Ready in just 20 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon is a quick and easy side dish with the best flavor and texture. The best part? This holiday side is ready in under 15 minutes.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted butternut squash is the easiest vegan side dish you need this fall. It has a ton of flavour with just a few simple pantry staples.

Microwave Steamed Broccoli

Microwave Steamed Broccoli is tender, buttery, and delicious. With just 4 ingredients, this easy side dish takes minutes to prep and even less time to cook.

Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes

Mascarpone mashed potatoes are creamy, smooth, and comforting. Classic mashed potatoes are given a twist resulting in a super silky and rich mash.

Quick and Easy Sautéed Asparagus

Quick and easy Sautéed Asparagus is a simple, savory side dish that goes well with almost any main dish. It's healthy, flavourful, and seasoned simply.

Creamy Brussels Sprouts Bake

Delicious, garlicky, cheesy and creamy brussels sprouts bake is the ultimate comfort food side dish. So flavourful and the best way to eat brussels sprouts.

Greek Lemon Roasted Baby Potatoes

Quick and easy Greek lemon roasted baby potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender inside, packed with a Greek flavour blend of lemon, garlic and herbs.

Pesto Green Beans

Pesto green beans is a simple side dish that is quick and easy to make in under 10 minutes, tossed in buttery toasted walnuts and pesto. So delicious.

Roasted Eggplant

Whether you’re cooking this roasted eggplant in your oven or air fryer, you’ll fall in love with how fast, easy, and delicious this simple recipe is.

Green Beans with Bacon

Green Beans with Bacon is a delicious, flavorful side dish that comes together quickly in 20 minutes (including prep!) with a handful of simple ingredients.

Roasted Pumpkin Wedges with Parmesan Cheese

Soft and tender, easy roasted pumpkin wedges with Parmesan cheese is the easiest and most delicious side dishes to make this fall. Prep it in just minutes.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Buttery and salty grilled corn on the cob with beautiful char marks, delicious flavor, and the best texture is the easiest recipe to throw on the grill.

Crispy Leaf Potatoes

Crispy leaf potatoes are a delicious potato side dish made with layers of buttery, sliced potatoes that crisp up when baked. The perfect side dish.

Baked Potato Wedges

Baked Potato Wedges are crispy outside and soft inside — exactly what you want from a potato wedge but without frying! Cook in the oven or air fryer.

Spring Vegetable Stir Fry

Quick and easy spring vegetable stir fry is made with delicious seasonal vegetables, packed with savoury and salty flavour, and takes 10 minutes to cook.

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Cheddar Mashed Potatoes are fluffy, creamy, and buttery. Loaded with cheese and hints of garlic, every bite of this classic side dish is flavorful.

Lemon Parmesan Green Beans

Lemon Parmesan Green Beans are the perfect side to any entree dinner meal — buttery, lemony, and cheesy. This quick side dish is easy to make in 20 minutes.

How to Serve Vegetable Side Dishes

Serve these vegetable side dishes alongside a main course like chicken, beef, salmon, or tofu. Browse through my favorite mains for some inspiration:

Storing Instructions

You can make some of these vegetable side dish recipes ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for a few days or even in the freezer for up to 3 months. Otherwise, you can prepare the ingredients and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble and/or cook. Check the individual recipes for full make ahead and storing instructions.

To reheat, place any leftovers in the air fryer or the oven at 300F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through, or on the stovetop over medium-low heat (depending on the recipe). If heating from frozen, let it thaw first and then reheat.

More Side Dish Recipes

Did You Make Any of These Vegetable Side Dishes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of vegetable side dishes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Creamy lemon garlic chicken is a quick and easy dinner idea that brings a restaurant-quality meal to your dinner table at home. Tender and juicy chicken breast is seared and then tossed into a creamy homemade sauce loaded with garlic, lemon juice, and seasoning. It's a flavorful and delicious 30-minute recipe - the perfect meal to make any night of the week, whether you're impressing a date on date night, feeding a family, or preparing meals for the next week.

Why You'll Love Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

It's an easy chicken dinner. It's always better when a recipe is easy to follow, and this creamy chicken recipe is just that. The best part is that even though you will know how easy it was to make, no one else will. It's a restaurant-quality meal that you can fool anyone into thinking it took much more effort to make.
It's a quick weeknight meal. Chicken recipes are always my go-to's when it comes to a quick dinner on busy weeknights. This creamy lemon garlic chicken is ready to eat in just 30 minutes. A totally perfect and delicious last-minute meal to squeeze in after a long day.
Tender, juicy chicken. It's easy to make tender and juicy pan-seared chicken in this creamy lemon garlic chicken. But if you happen to overcook your chicken, it's no problem. The creamy lemon garlic sauce will save the day and add any lost juiciness right back in.
A perfect recipe for all. Whether you're a beginner and still learning a few things in the kitchen or you've been cooking for years, this creamy lemon garlic chicken recipe is perfect for everyone - easy and delicious.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy and delicious Creamy Garlic Lemon Chickn, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

chicken breast - I recommend using boneless skinless chicken breast to get the best results in this recipe. You could also use boneless chicken thighs and adjust the cook time when searing the chicken as needed.
olive oil
onion
garlic
butter + all-purpose flour - this creates a roux to thicken up the sauce.
chicken broth
heavy cream
lemon juice
seasoning - fresh parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large 12-inch cast-iron skillet.

How to Make the Best Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Season the chicken. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken breasts completely dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Sear chicken. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.
Make creamy sauce. In the same pan, melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook until smooth, about 1 minute. Add broth and heavy cream. Mix well and bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened to a desired consistency, about 4-5 minutes. Add paprika, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly combined.
Toss in chicken. Return the chicken to the skillet. Toss well to coat and cook until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

How to Serve

Serve this quick and easy Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken with a starchy side to soak up all of that delicious cream sauce. Some of my favorite side dishes to pair it with are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Tips for making a roux: A roux is a mixture of flour and butter (or oil). It's used to thicken up sauces such as gravy, and soups, but it can turn lumpy if you're not careful. To remove any lumps, slowly stir in the liquids after you've created a smooth roux.
How to store: Keep leftover creamy lemon garlic chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
How to reheat: To reheat, heat the saucy chicken on the stovetop over medium heat in a covered pan, stirring occasionally until warmed through. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in some extra broth or water (or a combination of the two) to thin it out. For faster reheating, cut the chicken into smaller pieces.

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Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

This garlic shrimp stir fry is one of the quickest and easiest dinner recipes you can make in just 15 minutes. It's saucy, sticky, flavorful, and delicious. Seared shrimp is sautéed with garlic and ginger before being stir fried with red bell peppers and a homemade stir-fry sauce. It's easy to make in a few simple steps, perfect for meal prep, and so much better than take out.

Why You'll Love Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

Quick and easy homemade dinner. The effort of making a homemade meal can be enough to deter even the most talented cooks from the kitchen - but this garlic shrimp stir fry changes the game. In about 15 minutes, you can enjoy a homecooked meal that tastes even better than takeout.
A healthy balanced meal. Thanks to the addition of vegetables like bell peppers (and whatever else you want to add!) and shrimp, this garlic shrimp stir fry is a healthy meal that promotes well-being from your head to your toes.
It makes a great meal prep. I love making this garlic shrimp stir fry as a complete meal prep. If you let your Instant Pot or rice cooker do all the hard work of cooking fresh white rice while you make the prawn stir fry, you can enjoy a balanced meal for up to 3 days.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious and quick garlic shrimp stir fry, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

vegetable oil
shrimp - I used white shrimp but you can feel free to use any type of shrimp that you like. I also like to keep the tails on, but for easier eating, you can remove them before cooking.
ginger
garlic
bell pepper - I threw in a red bell pepper, but you can use any color.
green onions - optional, for serving.
crushed peanuts - optional, for serving.
sauce - they easy stir fry sauce is made with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (optional), ketchup, chicken broth (or water), and cornstarch.

The best thing about stir fries is that they are completely customizable. You can add in your favorite vegetables. Try adding:

thinly sliced carrots
sliced mushrooms
chopped onions
broccoli florets
cauliflower florets
brussels sprouts
bean sprouts

How to Make the Best Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

Make the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until smooth (soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ketchup, chicken broth (or water), and cornstarch. Set aside.
Sauté shrimp. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and sauté until it turns pink on both sides, about 4-6 minutes.
Stir fry vegetables. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sauce and bell pepper. Toss well and cook until the sauce simmers and thickens to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes.
Serve. Stir in green onions and top with crushed peanuts (optional). Serve immediately with a bowl of steamed rice.

How to Serve

Serve this easy garlic shrimp stir fry with a side of steamed rice. You can also serve it along with some Asian-inspired side dishes such as:

Storing Instructions

How to store: Keep garlic shrimp stir fry in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For easy meal prep, I recommend storing individual portions alongside steamed rice, so you can easily reheat a complete meal for lunch the next day.
How to reheat: When reheating cooked shrimp, it's important that you're careful not to overcook it. You can heat this garlic shrimp stir fry in the microwave on medium heat in 20-second increments until warm, stirring occasionally. Or, you can heat on the stovetop in a covered pan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened up too much when storing.

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40 Best Carrot Recipes

Got a bag of carrots that you don't know what to cook with? Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables to use in cooking because they are so versatile, easy to prepare, and make anything taste delicious. You can cook them on their own as a side dish, use them in salads, soups, and stews, or turn them into dessert. So if you are wondering "how to cook carrots", then you are in the right place. We are sharing over 40 of our favorite and best carrot recipes including roasted carrots, salads with carrots, carrot soups and stews, dinner recipes with carrots, and all the carrot desserts (carrot cake, anyone?).

Best Carrot Side Dishes

Roasted Carrots

Roasted Carrots are a healthy, delicious, and easy to make side dish with a slightly crispy interior and sweet and tender inside. Serve with any entree!

Honey Roasted Carrots

Honey roasted carrots are a sweet, savoury, and salty side dish that pairs well with almost any entree. With these flavours, everyone will want seconds. It's one of my favorite carrot recipes.

Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots

Sweet and flavourful easy garlic and herb roasted carrots is the perfect side dish to your holiday dinner or your everyday weeknight dinner. This is one of our most popular carrot recipes loved by all!

Maple Roasted Carrots with Yogurt Sauce

These maple roasted carrots with yogurt sauce are not only stunning, but they get all caramelized and crispy around the sides from the maple syrup… pure perfection!

Veggie Tray

This homemade veggie tray is a quick easy healthy snack or appetizer to make for your next party, with a variety of colorful vegetables and delicious dips. The perfect side to include carrots in.

Roasted Spring Vegetables

Roasted spring vegetables are an easy sheet pan side dish packed with all our favourite veggies of the season. Plus, it's so easy to prep and make.

Spring Vegetable Stir Fry

Quick and easy spring vegetable stir fry is made with delicious seasonal vegetables, packed with savoury and salty flavour, and takes 10 minutes to cook.

Best Carrot Salads

Arugula and Roasted Carrot Salad

Arugula and roasted carrot salad is one of the best spring salads, packed with a delicious combination of sweet and sour flavours, plus easy to make. One of the healthiest carrot recipes.

Classic Coleslaw

Fresh, crisp, classic coleslaw salad is a must-have recipe for a summer barbecue or picnic, or as an easy make-ahead lunch. Make it in less than 10 minutes.

Garden Salad

Quick easy homemade garden salad is simple and delicious. Ready in minutes, it's loaded with crisp leafy greens, fresh garden veggies, and crunchy croutons.

Vegan Soba Noodle Salad

There's nothing better on a hot day than a cold and refreshing vegan soba noodle salad, tossed with fresh vegetables and a delicious saucy dressing.

Macaroni Salad

Classic macaroni salad is a creamy and delicious pasta salad that is easy to throw together. It's the perfect side to bring to a summer potluck or BBQ.

Asian Chopped Salad

This Asian chopped salad is a delicious and colorful salad, loaded with refreshing crisp vegetables, plant-based protein, and a homemade creamy sesame dressing.

Asian Cold Noodle Salad

Nothing screams summer more than a crispy, crunchy, Asian cold noodle salad infused with a refreshing peanut, cilantro and lime dressing.

Chicken Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing

Chicken garden salad with ranch dressing is fresh, healthy, hearty, and colorful. It's a filling and wholesome lunch or dinner that is versatile too.

Best Carrot Soups

Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

Roasted carrot and ginger soup is rich, velvety, creamy, flavorful, and delicious. This healthy vegetarian soup is quick and easy to make in 30 minutes. Serve it with some toasted bread. One of my favorite carrot recipes.

Carrot Pumpkin Soup

Carrot Pumpkin Soup is wholesome, nutritious, and delicious. It's quick and easy comfort food that's perfect to feed the family on lazy weeknights.

Creamy Chinese-Style Borscht Soup

Creamy and hearty Chinese-style borscht soup is loaded with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and ham AND is both gluten-free and dairy-free. Serve it with some green onion dinner rolls or salted soft pretzels.

Creamy and hearty Chinese-style borscht soup is loaded with carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and ham AND is both gluten-free and dairy-free. | aheadofthyme.com

Creamy Vegan Ramen

Creamy vegan ramen is delicious, flavorful, and healthy comfort food, packed with nutrients that will give you an immunity boost. Ready in just 30 minutes!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Hearty chicken tortilla soup is a delicious, wholesome and filling soup that you can make in about 30 minutes, packed with classic Mexican flavours.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup is classic, comforting, simple, quick, and easy to make at home. Plus, you can use leftover rotisserie chicken to save time.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This delicious and easy roasted butternut squash soup brings all the taste of the holidays in one spoon. Rosemary, sage and thyme, need I say more?

Vegetarian Mushroom Barley Soup

Wholesome hearty vegetarian mushroom barley soup is healthy, filling, and so delicious. This one pot meal is easy to make with just 10 minutes of prep.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup is delicious, warm, cozy, and comforting feel-good meal that can warm you up on a chilly day. Easy to make in one pot.

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is a hearty, healthy, nourishing, and delicious classic Italian soup, packed with vegetables and pasta simmered in a rich tomato broth.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Smooth, hearty and light, one pot lemon chicken orzo soup is pure comfort in a bowl. This family favourite is like chicken noodle soup with a major upgrade. Serve it with some crispy sourdough discard crackers with sesame seeds.

Beef Wild Rice Soup

Creamy beef wild rice soup is savory, flavorful, and delicious, packed with vegetables and beef flank steak (or leftover roast beef!), and freezes well.

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

Indian-inspired, vegan, creamy coconut curry lentil soup is an easy and simple 30-minute pantry meal that is packed with spices for maximum flavour. Serve it as a soup or as a curry over some coconut rice.

Dinner Recipes with Carrots

Instant Pot Beef Curry

Instant pot beef curry with potatoes and carrots is delicious, hearty, comforting, and flavorful. It's made quick and easy in the pressure cooker.

One Pot Rice Pilaf with Carrots

This quick and easy one pot rice pilaf with carrots is elevated with so much flavour with sautéed carrots, onion, garlic, and herbs, and cooked in stock.

Lentil Stew

Lentil Stew is a hearty and filling vegan meal loaded with vegetables like carrots and potatoes. This well seasoned vegetarian stew is ready in 45 minutes.

Vegetarian Chili

Easy one pot vegetarian chili is the perfect warm and cozy comfort meal - it's hearty, filling, wholesome, flavorful, delicious, and loaded with protein.

Skillet Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

Tender, juicy, and crispy one pan skillet chicken thighs and potatoes and carrots is an easy weeknight dinner on your dinner table in less than 45 minutes.

Vietnamese Noodle Bowl

Vietnamese noodle bowl with lemongrass chicken, fresh vegetables and herbs, tossed in a homemade Vietnamese sauce is healthy, delicious, light, and filling.

One Pot Coconut Curry Beef Stew

Warm and cozy, easy one pot coconut curry beef stew is hearty yet creamy, packed with tender beef chunks, potatoes and carrots, and creamy coconut milk.

Mexican Tuna Cakes (Tortitas de Atun)

Mexican tuna cakes, or tortitas de atun, are quick, easy, and delicious. Made with canned tuna, these tuna patties come together in about 20 minutes.

Greek Lemon Garlic Whole Roast Chicken

Easy Greek lemon garlic whole roast chicken is tender, juicy and succulent with the crispiest skin. Prep this flavourful one pan meal in just 15 minutes.

Crispy Bottom Pan-fried Vegetable Buns

Crispy bottom pan-fried fried vegetable buns (no yeast) are crunchy outside yet tender inside with a mushroom, carrot and vermicelli vegetarian filling.

Vietnamese Salad Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Fresh, light and healthy Vietnamese salad rolls are packed with vermicelli noodles, shrimp, fresh vegetables and herbs and dipped in homemade peanut sauce.

Best Carrot Desserts

Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Showstopping carrot bundt cake with cream cheese glaze is light, fluffy, and moist. It's loaded with sugar, spice, and everything nice -- including grated carrots.

Carrot Cake with Cheesecake Topping

Super moist and perfectly spiced carrot cake with a creamy cheesecake topping is flavourful, comforting, and the perfect homemade spring dessert.

Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies

Carrot cake shortbread cookies are sweet and buttery, packed with carrots and walnuts, and spiced like your favourite carrot cake. A total treat.

Carrot Cake Muffins

Carrot cake muffins are moist, light, chewy and full of carrots which means breakfast this week is healthy! Carrot muffins are great for meal prep too.

Carrot Cake Biscotti

Carrot cake biscotti is crunchy, crumbly, and satisfies all your carrot cake cravings. Enjoy these Italian cookies as is or with white chocolate.

Storing and Reheating Instructions

Carrots are typically best served fresh, especially if roasting. If you have any leftovers, store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Confirm storing instructions by checking each recipe.

To reheat any of these recipes, reheat in a 300F preheated oven or air fryer for 5-15 minutes until fully warmed through, or on the stovetop over medium low heat for 5-10 minutes, depending on the recipe.

Did You Make Any of These Carrot Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of the best carrot recipes. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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Italian Rainbow Cookies

Italian rainbow cookies are delicious, colorful, and gorgeous. These tricolor cookies are made with three cake layers sandwiched in between jam and covered in chocolate. They are soft and fluffy inside while crunchy on the outside. Inspired by the colors of the Italian flag, these layered cookies do take some time to make and assemble but you can do it all from the comfort of your own home.

Why You'll Love Italian Rainbow Cookies

The history. These Italian rainbow cookies are an American delicacy, not an Italian one - but they were created by American-Italians from "Little Italy" in New York city. The red, green, and white layers are meant to honor the Italian flag and when assembled right, they do an amazing job!
Every layer is delicious. Italian rainbow cookies are made with an almond-flavored cake layers sandwiched between sweet raspberry jam or preserves, and then coated in chocolate. And yes, they taste just as good as you're imagining.
They are worth the time. These cookies are impressive. Get ready to commit because you need to whip up the batter, bake 3 layers, assemble, and chill overnight before you are ready to cover in chocolate. They do take some time, energy, and creativity to make, but they are so worth it.

Ingredient Notes

To make colorful Italian Rainbow Cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

almond paste
granulated sugar
butter
eggs
almond extract
salt
all-purpose flour
food coloring - both red and green food coloring
raspberry preserves - or substitute with apricot jam.
semi-sweet chocolate - feel free to use coarsely chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and three quarter sheet baking pans(9x13 inch sheet pans) or just reuse one.

How to Make the Best Italian Rainbow Cookies

Prep. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray three rimmed quarter sheet baking pans (9×13 sheet pans) with cooking spray and then line with parchment paper.
Make the batter. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the almond paste with ¾ cup sugar on low speed until well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add butter and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in egg yolks, almond extract, and salt and continue to beat until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour. Mix until just combined.

Whip egg whites. In another mixing bowl, whip the egg whites at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Then add the remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat on high speed until they form stiff, glossy peaks, about 2-3 minutes. Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Divide the batter. Divide the batter evenly into 3 mixing bowls. You can use a kitchen scale to accurately divide the batter into thirds.
Color the batter. Stir in a few drops of red food coloring into one bowl and a few drops of green food coloring into another, leaving the last bowl plain. Note that the batter will bake up darker than it looks when raw.

Bake. Pour the batter from each of the bowls into a separate prepared pan. Use a small icing spatula to spread the batter into an even thin layer. Bake each layer for 8-10 minutes, until the edges just start to brown. Allow the cakes to cook in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

How to Assemble the Layers of Italian Rainbow Cookies

Green layer first. Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper. Carefully invert the green layer onto the lined baking sheet and peel off the parchment paper. Spread half of the preserves or jam over the cake.
Then white layer. Flip the white layer on top of the green layer and peel off the parchment paper. Spread with remaining preserves on top.
Top with red layer. Invert the red layer on top of white layer and peel off the parchment paper.
Chill. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and place a quarter sheet pan on top facing up, with heavy objects evenly distributed on top to weigh down the cake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Then, remove the weights and plastic wrap.

How to Coat Italian Rainbow Cookies with Chocolate

First, melt the chocolate. Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, until smooth.
Spread chocolate on one side. Use a small icing spatula to quickly spread half of the melted chocolate in a thin layer on top of the cake.
Chill. Place the cake back in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set, about 15 minutes.
Spread chocolate on other side. Once set, invert the cake to another parchment baking sheet. Quickly spread with the remaining melted chocolate (if the chocolate has set, just pop it back in the microwave to melt again before spreading).
Chill. Allow the chocolate to set in the fridge, for about 30 minutes. You can also place it into the freezer to set it quicker.
Slice. Once set, use a serrated knife to trim the edges to even them out. Then cut into 1.5-inch long rectangles (about 6 rows lengthwise and 8 rows crosswise) and serve.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

How to store: Italian rainbow cookies do best when stored at room temperature as a whole block before cutting. Then, cut pieces as you need them. Whether cut or uncut, keep them in an airtight container. Italian rainbow cookies will last for 2-3 days at room temperature. You can extend their life to 5-7 days by storing them in the fridge, but you will lose some moisture and flavor by doing this.
How to prevent cracked chocolate: If you are not careful, the chocolate may crack when slicing the cookies. To make it easier to cut your Italian rainbow cookies without cracking the chocolate, you can mix a small amount of coconut or vegetable oil directly into the melted chocolate before coating the cookies.

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Tuna Pasta

Tuna pasta is a quick and easy meal that is delicious, flavorful, and loaded with Mediterranean ingredients. Made in less than 15 minutes with canned tuna, lemon juice, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and garlic, this simple recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. It's light, healthy, and nutritious. Plus, it's a great way to clean out your pantry and relatively cheap to make.

Why You'll Love Tuna Pasta

It's so easy! To make tuna pasta, you'll start by sautéing garlic while the pasta is cooking. Then, add in canned tuna, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, parsley, and kalamata olives. Mix it all together with a few spoonfuls of pasta water, and you've made tuna pasta!
It's seriously quick. Tuna pasta is ready in a short 15 minutes or less. Yes. You read that right. Just fifteen minutes. Or less! It's the perfect last minute lunch or easy dinner idea on a busy weeknight.
Tuna pasta is so flavorful. If you're a fan of acidic flavors, you'll love this tuna pasta. Lemon juice adds a dash of acidic citrus to complement the natural flavor of the tuna, while parmesan cheese adds a savory, cheesy flavor. Then, kalamata olives give this dish a kick of salty flavor that complements all the other ingredients so well.

Ingredient Notes

To make quick and easy Tuna Pasta, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):

pasta - I like to use spaghetti or any other long noodle like linguine or fettuccine. But of course, you can use any shape pasta that you have on hand. You can even use pasta that cooks quickly, like angel hair, to get this dish on the table even faster.
olive oil
garlic
tuna - this is a great recipe to use any tuna that has been sitting in your pantry for a while. You will need 2 cans of tuna, or you can easily cut the recipe in half and use one can.
fresh lemon juice
Parmesan cheese
pasta water - we use pasta water to add a little moisture but keeping it light and healthy. You can easily substitute it with some heavy cream or milk for a creamier texture.
parsley
salt and pepper
olives - I like to use Kalamata olives to keep it very Mediterranean, but you can easily substitute with green olives or any other kind of olives that you prefer. You can even substitute with capers.

This recipe is also customizable. Feel free to load it up with any veggies that you like but choose veggies that cook quickly such as spinach and cherry tomatoes or throw in cooked veggies like garlic mushrooms, air fryer asparagus, bell peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, or canned artichokes.

How to Make the Best Tuna Pasta

Make pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente or according to package directions, about 10-12 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup hot pasta water in a bowl. Drain the noodles well and set aside.
Make sauce. While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add canned tuna and cook until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes. Add lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, reserved pasta water, and fresh parsley. Stir well until smooth, about 1 minute.
Toss in pasta. Add the cooked spaghetti and sliced olives and toss well until evenly mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve. Serve immediately. Feel free to top with extra Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice, if desired.

How to Serve Tuna Pasta

I like to serve most pasta dishes with a side salad or soup and bread. Some of my favorites to pair with this tuna pasta are:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

You can keep the heat lower: This pasta cooks quick and it's easy to overcook garlic, so if you're not familiar with heating garlic on your stovetop, it's better to go low than high. You also don't want to dry out the tuna too much, so be careful not to sear all your ingredients.
How to store: Keep leftover tuna pasta in the fridge inside an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
How to reheat: Heat cold tuna pasta on the stove over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave.

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Nutella Mousse Cups

Nutella mousse cups are rich, creamy, airy, and delicious. Whipped together in just minutes with a handful of ingredients before it's ready to set in the refrigerator, this no bake dessert is easier to make than you think! With nutella as the main ingredient, this treat has it all - chocolately, nutty, sweet, and so good. Plus, it stores well and is freezer-friendly so you can make a big batch ahead of time to satisfy any last minute sugar cravings that are bound to pop up. Perfect for Valentine's Day, Date Night, or any time you are want to serve something sweet.

Why You'll Love Nutella Mousse Cups

Quick and easy to make. For a dessert that seems really complicated to make, nutella mouse cups are so easy to make. If you haven't made homemade mousse before, then you are in for a treat. It comes together in literally minutes with a handful of ingredients before it's ready to be set in the refrigerator.
Nutella is the main ingredient. If you don't already know, I am obsessed with Nutella (like these Nutella Crepes or Nutella Buttercream Frosting). I have been enjoying it since I was a child in Spain. Nutella is everywhere there. My mom would always buy me buns spread with Nutella. Yes, they sell packaged bread already spread with Nutella over there! But when I moved to Canada, these Nutella buns were non-existent. It wasn't until my teen years that I discovered Nutella again.
No bake dessert. Eating Nutella in the form of mousse? Well, that is when you know life can't get any better. This mousse is so light, airy, creamy and rich that it's hard to put down.

Ingredient Notes

To make this easy and delicious Nutella Mousse Cups, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

cream cheese - you can substitute this with mascarpone cheese.
nutella
vanilla extract - since this is a no bake recipe, I recommend using non-alcoholic vanilla extract.
heavy cream - also called whipping cream.
granulated sugar
cocoa powder - use unsweetened cocoa powder as we are already getting a lot of sweetness from the nutella and sugar.

Toppings

Feel free to serve the nutella mousse in individual cups as is. You can also top them with your favorite toppings. Try:

whipped cream and shaved chocolate or mini chocolate chips
ferrero rocher chocolates and raspberries
whipped cream and sprinkles (customize the colors based on a holiday that you are serving this during)

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and hand mixer.

How to Make the Best Nutella Mousse Cups

Beat cheese and nutella. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer and beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add Nutella and vanilla extract and continue to beat until everything is smooth and fully blended together. Rinse the tongs on your mixer.

Beat remaining ingredients. In a separate smaller mixing bowl, whip the cream using your hand mixer set on low-medium speed until you form soft peaks. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and set the mixer to high and continue to whip until you reach stiff peaks.
Combine. Gently fold the whipping cream mixture into the Nutella/cream cheese mixture until fully combined with no streaks visible.

Refrigerate to set. Transfer the mousse into individual sized serving cups. You can pipe them to make the transfer easier. At this stage, the mousse will be very soft. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the mousse set. If you have time, leave it overnight.
Serve. Serve as it or top off the mouse with your favorite toppings such as whipped cream and shaved chocolate or Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

Storing Instructions

How to store: To store these nutella mousse cups, cover them tightly with plastic cling wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
How to freeze: You can also freeze mousse for up to one month in an airtight container. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge before eating.

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