Blog - Page 36 of 40 - Ahead of Thyme

Butter Chicken Pizza

Quick, easy and delicious butter chicken pizza is the best way to use up any leftover butter chicken. This is by far my favourite pizza that I have made to date. It has an ultra crispy pizza crust and is topped with saucy butter chicken, red onions, tomatoes, fresh gooey mozzarella cheese, and a sprinkle of parsley. Make it in entirely in a cast-iron or oven-safe skillet in about 10 minutes. No pizza stone required.

Ingredients

pizza dough - you can use storebought pizza dough or homemade pizza dough. For a delicious, airy and chewy homemade crust, try my sourdough pizza dough using discard sourdough starter.
butter chicken - this recipe is such a great way to use leftover butter chicken.
red onion
tomato
mozzarella cheese - I prefer mozzarella for this pizza, but you can also use ricotta or burrata.
parsley

You will also need a cast-iron skillet and some heavy duty oven/BBQ mitts.

How to Make the Best Leftover Butter Chicken Pizza

Prep the ingredients. On a floured surface, gently press the pizza dough with your fingers and shape it into an 8-inch circle. Transfer pizza dough onto a floured surface. Gently press the pizza dough with your fingers into an 8-inch circle. Prep the rest of your toppings and have them close by before you start.

Cook pizza on the skillet. Heat a cast-iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Once hot, place the flattened dough onto the skillet and spread it over the entire skillet. Quickly add the butter chicken and spread evenly over the pizza crust. Place sliced red onions, tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese, and chopped parsley on top. Cook for 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust starts to brown.

Transfer pizza to oven. Transfer the skillet into a preheated broiler on high and cook for 3 minutes, until the crust is blistered and slightly charred. Keep a close eye on the broiler because the crust can burn quite quickly.

Serve. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pizza onto a plate or cutting board. Slice into 4-6 pieces and serve.

How to Serve Butter Chicken Pizza

I always like to complete a pizza meal with a side salad. Some of my favourites to serve are:

More Pizza Recipes

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Small Batch Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Soft and super moist, small batch chocolate chip pumpkin bread is the perfect fall treat. It is packed with pumpkin, chocolate chips, and the classic fall flavours of warm pumpkin spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger). The best part? This fall favourite is ridiculously easy to make with just 10 minutes of prep.

If you browse through the vast number of pumpkin bread recipes online, you will notice that they tend to use up a whole can of pumpkin puree, hence why they typically yield 2 large loaves. This small batch uses just a portion of puree to yield a small loaf to feed a smaller crowd. Plus, that means you can make some more treats with the extra puree that you have on hand.

How to Use Leftover Pumpkin Puree

If you are using canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, then you will certainly have extra puree on your hands. So, what can you make with those extras? You have so many options. For starters, you could make another pumpkin loaf, OR you can make some of the following:

Ingredients in Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

pumpkin puree - make sure you are using pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling as this contains extra ingredients.
all-purpose flour
baking soda + baking powder
brown sugar
pumpkin spice blend - you can make your own using cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, cloves and ground ginger.
condensed milk
olive oil - you can also use melted butter.
eggs
chocolate chips

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and a small 1 lb. loaf pan.

How to Make the Best Small Batch Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Prep the loaf pan. Lightly grease a small 1 lb. loaf pan (8x4-inch) with butter and cut out a piece of parchment paper (8x8-inch) to line the bottom of the pan and create a little handle on the sides. This helps remove the baked pumpkin bread from the loaf pan.

Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar and pumpkin spice and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Combine wet ingredients. In another mixing bowl, add pumpkin puree, condensed milk, olive oil (or melted butter), and eggs. Whisk together until even and smooth, about one minute .

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well with a silicone spatula to combine. Mix until all the flour is wet, and there are no dry flour particles visible. Make sure to scrape off any dry pieces from the side of the bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Bake. Transfer the mixture into the parchment-lined loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes in a 350 F preheated pan until the top of the pumpkin bread turns golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool down. Remove from the oven and let cool in the loaf pan at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Note that the loaf will continue to bake slightly after being removed from the oven due to the residual heat in the loaf. Gently remove the pumpkin bread from the loaf pan.

How to Store Pumpkin Bread

How to store: Store pumpkin in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
How to freeze: Let the pumpkin bread cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag or air tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter.

More Pumpkin Recipes

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Ground Beef Meat Pie

This ground beef meat pie with a flaky puff pastry double crust pie is filled with delicious hearty ground beef (minced beef) cooked with vegetables and seasonings. It is the ultimate comfort food to make this season. Plus, this easy to prepare meal can be made ahead and is freezer friendly.

What is a Meat Pie?

A meat pie is just what it sounds like -- a flaky pie stuffed with minced meat. It is typically also filled other savoury ingredients including vegetables such as potatoes and carrots and flavoured with delicious seasonings. It is also known as a tourtiere here in Canada and is a popular French-Canadian dish during the holidays, particularly for Christmas.

For a minced meat pie without a pie crust, try easy Skillet Shepherd's Pie made with a mashed potato topping.

Ingredients

To make this delicious ground beef meat pie, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

pie dough - you will need a 9-inch double crust pie dough for this recipe. You can make your own (see my easy double crust puff pastry pie dough) or use store-bought.
ground beef - 1 lb. of ground beef (also known as minced beef).
butter
onions
garlic
parsley
potatoes
carrots
Worcestershire sauce
dark soy sauce - adds a darker colour.
salt and pepper
Panko breadcrumbs
egg - for egg wash.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a skillet, a rolling pin for rolling out the pie dough, and a 9-inch pie dish.

How to Make the Best Ground Beef Meat Pie

First, prepare the meat filling. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter starts to sizzle and shimmer. Add in onions, garlic, parsley and ground beef. Stir well with a spatula and cook for 5-6 minutes until meat browns and is no longer pink.

Add in potatoes, carrots, Worcestershire sauce, dark soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well to cook evenly for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in breadcrumbs until fully combined. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the meat filling cool down completely for about an hour, up to overnight.

Next, assemble the pie. Transfer the first dough disc onto a 9-inch pie pan and gently press down to form into the bottom pie crust. Slowly transfer the meat filling from the skillet into the dough-lined pie pan and use a spatula to spread them evenly across.

Carefully place the second dough disc over the filling as the top pie crust. Make sure it covers the pie pan entirely. Gently press the edges of the top crust and the edges of bottom crust together, and crimp with your fingers to seal. Make 5-6 slits on top of the top pie crust for ventilation.

Gently brush the egg wash over the top crust and edges. If your oven is not ready at this point, store the assembled meat pie in the fridge to prevent the pie crust from disintegrating (the butter in the dough melts quickly at room temperature).

Lastly, bake the pie in a preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes, until the edges of the pie crust turn golden brown. Then, reduce heat to 350F, and bake for another 40 minutes until the rest of the top crust is golden brown. Remove the pie pan from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Serve warm.

Tips for Storing Pie

How to store: This meat pie will last for 3-5 days in the refrigerator, covered with foil or plastic cling wrap.
How to freeze unbaked meat pie: You can freeze the entire unbaked pie to make things easier when you actually want to bake and serve this pie. I would recommend to initially prepare the pie in a disposable pie tin, for easier storage. Then, tightly wrap the unbaked pie in 3 layers of plastic wrap and then place inside a sealed freezer bag and store for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen but add an extra 5 minutes in the first baking step (so bake for 25 minutes at 400 F).
How to freeze baked meat pie: You can freeze baked pie for up to 3 months. To freeze, simply wrap the pie (or each slice) tightly with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap. You can also place inside a heavy-duty freezer bag for storing. To reheat, thaw and then reheat at 350 F for 20 minutes.

More Beef Recipes

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Mini Glazed Pumpkin Scones

Starbucks-inspired, mini glazed pumpkin scones are soft, crumbly and absolutely irresistible with two different glazes to give the perfect balance of sweetness. They are the perfect little pumpkin spice treat for the fall season, or as I like to call it, pumpkin spice and everything nice season. The best part? They just take 20 minutes of actual prep work, and you don't even need a fancy mixer.

And since they are small, you can indulge in a few completely guilt-free. In fact, each scone contains less than 100 calories, and that includes the glaze. So now you no longer have to head out to Starbucks to grab for this guilty pleasure, try your hands at it in the kitchen, have some fun, and make these this fall season.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to gather to make these pumpkin scones:

pumpkin puree
all-purpose flour
brown sugar
pumpkin spice blend
baking soda
salt
unsalted butter
half-and-half cream
egg
vanilla extract
for the glaze - confectioners' sugar, half-and-half cream, and pumpkin spice blend.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, rolling pin, and a baking sheet.

How to Make the Best Mini Glazed Pumpkin Scones

Make the Pumpkin Scones

First, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, brown sugar, pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, and salt) in a medium mixing bowl. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter (or your hands) just until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of small peas.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, half-and-half, egg, and vanilla) until well combined. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Knead dough in the bowl until smooth for about 1 minute. If the dough sticks, add a little flour to your hands.

Flour a work surface generously, then roll the dough into an 8 x 10-inch rectangle, about ¾-inch thick, using a rolling pin. Cut the dough into 16 even squares. To do this, cut the rectangle in half horizontally, then cut each half again horizontally, creating 4 equal rectangles. Do the same in the other direction, vertically. You should have 16 roughly two-inch squares. Cut each square in half diagonally to create mini triangle-shaped scones.

Place the scones onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes in a 400 F preheated oven, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Make the Glaze

For the first glaze layer, combine confectioners' sugar and half-and-half in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over slightly cooled scones. Allow to set at least 10 minutes, until icing hardens.

For the second glaze layer, combine confectioners' sugar, pumpkin spice blend, and half-and-half and whisk until smooth. Drizzle spiced glaze in a zig-zag pattern on top over the plain glaze. Allow to set at least 5 minutes before serving.

How to Store Scones

How to store: Store leftover scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
How to freeze: Let the scones cool completely, then freeze in single layers between sheets of parchment paper for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter.

More Pumpkin Treats

Small Batch Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Mini Pumpkin Pies (coming soon)
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (coming soon)
Butternut Squash "Pumpkin" Bread
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie Granola

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Roasted Butternut Squash

Soft and tender, roasted butternut squash is the easiest side dish to make this fall. This gluten-free and vegan recipe packs on a ton of flavour with just a few simple pantry staples. Plus, roasting adds a much more intense depth of flavour that you would not get if cooking squash using other methods. This dish is a must on your dinner table this season.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to gather to make this recipe:

butternut squash - one medium head butternut squash peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces (about 5-6 cups). You can also make it even easier and use pre-cubed butternut squash which you can pick up at most grocery stores this time of year.
olive oil
rosemary - I used dried rosemary buy you can also substitute with fresh if you prefer.
salt and pepper

You will also need a potato peeler and baking sheet pan.

How to Make Easy Roasted Butternut Squash

Roasted butternut squash is a delicious side dish that is so easy to make. It is a life saver when entertaining and you are looking for some more dishes to add to your dinner menu. It literally just takes a couple easy steps to prep this dish.

First, peel the squash with a potato peeler and cut it lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Then, chop it into 1-inch cubes. Transfer the cubed squash directly into a sheet pan. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine.

Transfer the pan to the 425 preheated oven and roast for 25-30 minutes under tender. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top. So so easy.

How to Serve Roasted Butternut Squash

Serve it as a side dish with your favourite fall meals. Some of my favourites to pair this with are easy juicy roasted turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and crispy brussels sprouts.
Add it to your holiday dinner menu. It's one less item to stress about.
Use it to make soup. My favourites are roasted butternut squash soup, butternut squash and apple soup and roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup.
Serve it salad like this fall harvest salad or warm lentil salad.
Add it to pasta. Try my favourite winter squash carbonara pasta.

More Roasted Vegetables to Try

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Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

If you have never made granola bars before, start with this one. These chewy chocolate chip peanut butter granola bars basically taste like a cookie but are healthy, vegan, and gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. The best part? They take just 10 minutes to prep, and you will be all set for up to 2 weeks of snacking.

Ingredients in Peanut Butter Granola Bars

rolled oats - using rolled oats is important vs using quick oats because they hold their shape when baked.
peanut butter
tahini sesame paste - I originally needed a full cup of peanut butter but when I only had ½ cup, I looked to my pantry to see what I could use. Tahini is the perfect touch. It helps hold the granola bars together and adds an incredible underlying flavour.
maple syrup - to naturally sweeten the bars.
coconut oil - using coconut oil keeps these bars vegan. You could also use melted butter.
vanilla extract - adds some flavour.
raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds) - you could also use other small nuts. Chopped almonds or pecans are really delicious in this as well.
pumpkin spice blend - or just add some cinnamon for flavour.
salt
mini chocolate chips - You can choose to leave them out or add less, to taste. If using, I recommend mini chocolate chips for these bars since they are small, they get distributed to cover more surface area. Plus, they just look better.

You will also need: measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, small saucepan, and an 8-inch square baking pan.

How to Make the Best Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

First, combine peanut butter, tahini, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until smooth and creamy. This mixture is going to hold the granola bars together.

Then, in a medium mixing bowl, combine oats, pepitas, pumpkin spice, and salt, and mix together. Pour the liquid mixture on top and stir to combine until fully incorporated and the oats are all coated with the liquid mixture. Allow mixture to cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, and then stir in ½ cup chocolate chips. If you are like me and cannot wait, you can stir in the chocolate chips right away, but be prepared for them to melt. The granola bars will taste the same.

Transfer mixture to a parchment-lined 8-inch square baking pan or casserole dish and firmly press mixture into the pan using a spatula or the back of a glass. Make sure it is packed very tightly and evenly. Top with remaining chocolate chips.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated 325 F oven. The granola bars are done once the edges have browned and pulled away from the sides.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove parchment paper from pan and transfer to refrigerator. Cool for 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator and slice into 12 rectangular bars.

How to Store

How to store homemade granola bars: You can store homemade granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If it is a hot day, I'd recommend storing in the refrigerator since the chocolate chips may start to melt at room temperature. The granola bars stored in the refrigerator will be just slightly harder, but still chewy.
How to freeze granola bars: To freeze, slice into bars and place on a parchment-lined baking tray and freeze for an hour. Then, transfer the bars into a freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to eat.

More Granola Recipes

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Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

Easy Dutch oven whole roast chicken with the crispiest golden skin is super juicy, tender and succulent. It's packed with incredible flavour from garlic, lemon, and apples. Throw in some potato and carrots for a complete one pot meal that is sure to impress. The best part? This fancy meal takes just 15 minutes to prep. You're welcome.

Ingredients

whole chicken
olive oil
Italian seasoning - to season the chicken.
salt and pepper - to season the chicken.
apple - to stuff the cavity.
yellow onion - to stuff the cavity.
garlic - to stuff the cavity.
lemon juice
melted butter - helps get the skin extra crispy.
carrots
potato
parsley

You will also need a 4 qt. Dutch oven (or you can make it in a roasting pan), kitchen string, and a digital meat thermometer.

How to Make the Best Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken

First, pat dry the whole chicken completely with a paper towel before adding seasoning. This helps achieve an extra crispy skin when roasting.

Then, prepare the seasoning mixture by combining olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Generously smear the seasoning mixture over the whole chicken inside and out, including the inside cavity of the chicken.

Stuff the cavity of the chicken with half the apples, half of the onion, and half of the garlic. Next, truss the chicken by tying the chicken snugly with kitchen string so that the wings and legs stay close to the body. This helps cook the whole chicken evenly.

Then prepare the vegetables by tossing together lemon juice, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and remaining vegetables (carrots, apples, onions, garlic and potatoes) in a large mixing bowl.

Spread the vegetables evenly on the bottom of the Dutch oven and place the whole chicken on top. Make sure the breasts of the chicken face upward. Brush the outside of the chicken evenly with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Cover the lid and roast the chicken for 30 minutes in a preheated 400 F oven.

Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 20-25 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165F. You can check the internal temperature by sticking a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast.

Pro tip: To make chicken skins extra crispy and browned, turn the broiler on to high and broil for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let it sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving because the chicken is still cooking gradually due to the residual heat.

How to Serve Whole Roasted Chicken

Serve roasted chicken with the vegetables from the pan, a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of extra juices from the pan on top. This recipe is perfect to serve for a small, intimate Thanksgiving meal when there aren't enough mouths to eat a whole roast turkey.

I also like to pair it with creamy mashed potatoes or savoury mashed sweet potatoes sand a roasted butternut squash soup on the side.

How to Use Leftover Roast Chicken

Throw it into pasta. Try it with creamy alfredo with spinach and mushrooms or baked pasta with chicken.
Top it on salad. Try it on a Mediterranean chickpea wedge salad with hummus dressing or check out my other favourite salad recipes.
Add it on pizza. My favourite is 30-minute BBQ chicken pizza.
Stuff it in a baked potato. Try BBQ chicken stuffed baked potatoes.
Use it in soup or stew. Try it in lemon chicken orzo soup or Indian butter chicken.

Tips for Making Whole Roast Chicken

How to get extra crispy skin: Pat dry the chicken first for extra crispy skin. For even crispier skin, store the dry chicken uncovered on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.
How to get crispy charred skin: You can take it a step further and broil the chicken on high for 3-5 minutes after it is done roasting. But be sure to check it often when broiling because things happen fast and just one minute can make the difference between perfectly charred and burnt.
How to cook whole chicken in a roast pan: Place vegetables in a roasting pan and spread evenly. Place the chicken on top. Roast at 400 F for 1 hour until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165F.

More Chicken Recipes

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Easy No Knead Tomato Focaccia

Easy no knead tomato focaccia needs to be on your to bake list. It is so flavourful and delicious, packed with olive oil, tomatoes and fresh herbs. It has a fluffy and pillowy texture on the inside, yet golden and crispy on the outside. Make it with just 5-10 minutes of actual prep work, and with no kneading.

What is Focaccia Bread?

Focaccia bread is a dense Italian bread that is baked in lots of olive oil. You can make it plain or top it with garlic, herbs, tomatoes, vegetables, or anything else that your heart desires (see our rosemary garlic focaccia bread for another flavour). It is laid out flat in a pan, whether square or round, and then cut into slices. It's also super easy to make which makes it the perfect bread for beginners. In fact, our version requires no kneading, making it even easier for the novice baker.

Ingredients

To make this easy tomato focaccia bread, you will need to gather the following ingredients:

yeast and water - active dry yeast and water to rise the dough.
flour - I used all-purpose flour.
salt - just a pinch for flavour.
extra virgin olive oil - lots of olive oil to give the focaccia its iconic crispy outer texture and flavour.
toppings - fresh thyme, cherry tomatoes, jalapeño (optiona for a spicy kick), white sesame seeds, and salt flakes.

You will also need mixing bowls and an 8-inch springform pan (or an 8-inch square pan). I also highly recommend a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.

How to Make the Best No Knead Tomato Focaccia Bread

First, grab a large mixing bowl and dissolve yeast and sugar in water and stir to mix together. Add flour and salt, and whisk to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl. The mixture is very sticky and wet, with a 75% hydration (flour to water ratio). Drizzle and spread one tablespoon olive oil over the dough, and cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours, until doubled in size.

Spread a tablespoon olive oil into an 8-inch springform pan. Transfer the dough into the pan and spread it so that it covers the entire pan. Press the dough with your fingers to make dimples (The dough is quite sticky, so you can use some water or oil to help with handling the dough).

Add thyme, tomatoes and jalapeño (if using) on top. Combine the remaining oil with one tablespoon water, and drizzle on top. Sprinkle salt flakes and sesame seeds on top.

Now we are ready for final proofing. You can either proof overnight in the refrigerator or for about one hour at room temperature:

Option 1: Cover the pan with plastic cling film or cloth and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will continue to rise slowly and become bubbly. The slow overnight fermentation makes the focaccia taste even better.
Option 2: If you want to eat the focaccia bread on the same day, simply let the dough rise for another 1 hour at room temperature until almost doubled in size.

Once ready, preheat oven to 425 F and transfer the pan straight from the refrigerator to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does focaccia bread keep? Focaccia bread lasts for up to 2 days at room temperature. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag.
Can you freeze focaccia bread? Yes. Wrap it tightly in plastic cling wrap and place into an airtight container or freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, I recommend slicing up the bread first to make it easy to reheat a slice or 2 at a time.
How do you reheat focaccia bread? If frozen, allow it to thaw first to room temperature. Then, reheat in the air fryer at 350 F for 5-7 minutes, or in a 350 F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

How to Serve Tomato Focaccia Bread

Tomato focaccia bread tastes kind of like a herby pizza which makes it super delicious on its own. It also pairs very well with a creamy and dreamy soup like 30-minute butternut squash soup or creamy cauliflower and garlic soup.

More Bread Recipes

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Easy No Crust Burnt Basque Cheesecake

This no crust burnt Basque cheesecake is the easiest cheesecake ever. It is perfectly caramelized on the top and edges, creamy yet firm on the inside, and so delicious with every bite. This one bowl recipe takes just a handful of ingredients and few minutes of prep. So so easy.

What is a Burnt Basque Cheesecake?

A burnt basque cheesecake is a cheesecake originating in Spain. It is made without a traditional cheesecake crust, and instead has a burnt or caramelized top and edges, which acts as its natural crust.

Ingredients

cream cheese
heavy cream
granulated sugar - you can also substitute with brown sugar.
all purpose flour
vanilla extract
lemon juice - just a touch.
eggs

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a mixing bowl, a hand mixer (or stand mixer), parchment paper, and a round 8-inch springform pan.

How to Make the Best Easy Burnt Basque Cheesecake

First, preheat your oven to 425 F, and line a round 8-inch springform pan with 2 pieces of overlapping parchment paper,. Make sure the parchment paper covers the entire pan including the sides and bottom.

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer (or stand mixer) to beat cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, flour, vanilla extract and lemon juice together until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until just blended. Do not overmix to avoid cracking during baking.

Pour filling into the prepared pan. Knock the side of the pan a few times to release trapped air bubbles. Bake for 55 minutes until the top turns burnt brown. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour, allowing it to reduce the temperature slowly. This helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking due to shrinkage.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator overnight (or for at least 8 hours) to cool down and solidify. Cheesecake tastes better the next day after been refrigerated. To serve, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and parchment paper. Transfer to a serving dish and slice.

More Cheesecake Recipes

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40+ Cozy Fall Soup Recipes

My favourite part of fall are the warm and cozy, comforting and hearty fall soups. I could literally eat soup all day every day this time of year. Today I am sharing my top 40 warm and cozy fall soup recipes, ranging from smooth and creamy soup, hearty and meaty soup, noodle soup and ramen and so much more. There are lots of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options to choose from as well.

Over 40 warm and cozy fall soup recipes from smooth and creamy to hearty and meaty to noodle soup and more, with lots of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. | aheadofthyme.com

Best Cozy Fall Soups

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

It's no surprise that this delicious and easy roasted butternut squash soup is the most pinned soup recipe on Pinterest. This soup captures the taste of the holidays in one spoon. Rosemary, sage and thyme, need I say more? Serve with with a side of homemade ciabatta bread or crusty no knead bread for dipping.

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.

Roasted Butternut and Cauliflower Soup

Creamy roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup has all the fall soup feels and is vegan and gluten-free. Plus, it's super easy to make in a sheet pan and then puree. Serve it with some quick and easy green onion dinner rolls or skillet dinner rolls.

Creamy roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup has all the fall feels and is vegan and gluten-free. Plus, it's super easy to make in a sheet pan. | aheadofthyme.com

Creamy Tortellini Soup with Sausage

Hearty and creamy tortellini soup with sausage, spinach and kale is total comfort food in a bowl. Make this flavourful one pot meal in under 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Soup

This Pumpkin Soup is perfectly smooth and creamy with aromatic vegetables and warm spices. Make it this fall from start to finish in about 30 minutes!

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.

Sweet Potato Soup

One pot sweet potato soup is super silky, creamy and vegan, and packed with fall flavours. Make this quick and easy fall and winter soup in 30 minutes. Serve with some rosemary cornbread or pumpkin dinner rolls on the side.

Healthy Miso Ramen with Chicken

It doesn't get any more cozier than a healthy miso ramen soup with chicken from the comfort of your own home. The vegan miso broth is what this ramen is all about. Seriously, weeknight dinners have never been tastier!

Acorn Squash Soup

Roasted Acorn Squash Soup is smooth and velvety, packed with veggies, and loaded with fall flavor. Serve for a cozy lunch, dinner, or on Thanksgiving.

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.

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.

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

Creamy ham and potato soup is hearty, filling, and so flavourful. This warm and cozy one pot meal is the easiest weeknight meal to make in just 25 minutes.

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.

White Bean Soup with Kale

White Bean Soup with Kale is a hearty and nourishing one-pot meal that is flavorful and easy. Make this healthy soup in 30 minutes using simple ingredients.

French Onion Soup

Cozy up with a warm, cheesy bowl of classic French onion soup, made with caramelized onions in a rich broth and topped with French bread and melty cheese.

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup is rich, creamy, flavorful, and delicious. This vegan soup is ready just over 35 minutes with minimal prep and 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.

Pot Roast Soup

This easy Pot Roast Soup is made in 30 minutes with leftover beef and veggies simmered in broth. It's hearty, flavorful, and nourishing comfort food.

Creamy Turkey Gnocchi Soup

Creamy turkey gnocchi soup is the ultimate comfort food - creamy, rich, and delicious, made with good carbs, clean protein, and veggies in 25 minutes. You can also substitute the turkey for rotisserie chicken.

Chicken Potato Soup

Chicken Potato Soup is cozy, hearty, and delicious - loaded with chicken, potatoes, veggies, and greens simmered in a creamy broth. Ready in 40 minutes.

Alphabet Soup

Homemade Alphabet Soup will quickly become a family favorite with its hearty vegetables and fun alphabet noodles. It's quick and easy to make in 30 minutes.

30-Minute Butternut Squash Soup

Quick and easy 30-minute butternut squash soup is simple yet packed with flavour, is naturally vegan and gluten-free, and can be made ahead of time. Serve it alongside some easy rosemary garlic focaccia bread or cornbread muffins for dipping.

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!

Lasagna Soup

Lasagna soup is a twist on a classic Italian recipe with all the same delicious comforting flavors in the form of a hearty one pot soup.

Potato Corn Chowder

Potato Corn Chowder is rich, creamy, hearty, and delicious. Made with simple ingredients in 35 minutes, this vegetarian soup is perfect for a quick meal.

Light Cream of Broccoli Soup

Delicious and flavourful, light cream of broccoli soup is a silky smooth, creamy, and thick soup made healthier with no cream. Make it in under 25 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.

Persian Lentil Soup

This Persian Lentil Soup is a quick and easy vegan soup that is flavorful, delicious, and healthy. Make this thick and hearty meal in just 45 minutes!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of mushroom soup is thick, creamy, and comforting. This delicious one pot soup is easy to make in 45 minutes, freezer-friendly, and reheats well.

Ground Turkey Soup

Ground Turkey Soup is hearty, nourishing, and healthy. Loaded with protein and veggies, this Italian soup is packed with flavor and is super filling.

Creamy Garlic Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Garlic Cauliflower Soup is creamy and healthy. This vegetarian soup is ready in 45 minutes with a handful of wholesome ingredients and a few steps. Serve it with an easy tomato bruschetta on the side.

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.

Turkey Potato Chowder

Leftover turkey potato chowder is a creamy, savory, and delicious soup that is loaded with holiday leftovers. Quick and easy, ready in under 30 minutes.

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 Ramen

This Coconut Curry Ramen is creamy, rich, comforting, and delicious, with a perfect blend of mouthwatering textures and flavors and ready in 25 minutes.

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup is a hearty, vegan soup that is delicious, flavorful, and easy to make. It's loaded with all kinds of veggies in a savory broth.

Tomato Basil Soup

Homemade tomato basil soup is comforting, rich, and smooth. This cozy soup is easy, flavourful, and nourishing, making it so much better than canned.

Split Pea Soup

Classic split pea soup is a wholesome, filling, and delicious one pot meal that will warm you up. It's hearty, flavorful, and is loaded with nutrients.

Artichoke Soup

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

Hamburger Soup with Macaroni

Hamburger soup with macaroni is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that's wholesome, filling, comforting and nutritious. Prep, cook and serve under an hour.

White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili is an easy and delicious one pot meal made with shredded chicken, hearty veggies, and a creamy broth that's loaded with flavor.

Pinto Bean Soup (Sopa Tarasca)

Spice up your weeknight dinners with Mexican Pinto Bean Soup (Sopa Tarasca) made with creamy pinto beans, spicy chipotle, and a tomato broth in 30 minutes.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Instant pot butternut squash soup is the perfect fall dish to cook in your pressure cooker - warm, cozy, comforting, and creamy. Make in 15 minutes.

Creamy Mexican Corn Soup

This vegetarian, hearty and filling, creamy Mexican corn soup is dense, bright, and full of flavour! It has all the warm and cozy vibes written all over it. Serve it with some butternut squash quesadillas.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli cheese soup is creamy, cozy, and delicious simmered in a buttery cheesy broth for the perfect blend of textures and flavors - comfort food goals.

White Chicken Lasagna Soup

White chicken lasagna soup is a thick and creamy soup version of this classic Italian dish. It's quick and easy to make in just 30 minutes.

Borscht (Beet Soup)

Ukrainian borscht soup is a vegan beet soup made with red beets and vegetables. It's nutritious, flavorful, delicious, easy to make, and freezer-friendly.

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.

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Wholesome hearty one pot leftover turkey wild rice soup is the most comforting way to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving turkey dinner. So easy to make.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings is a classic chicken soup that is hearty, comforting, and nourishing. Plus, it is quick and easy to make in one pot in 40 minutes.

Cheesy Potato Soup

Cheesy Potato Soup is creamy, delicious, and comforting. This recipe takes everyday ingredients and transforms them in 30 minutes to a rich, luscious soup.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Butternut Squash Apple Soup is healthy and simple yet packed with so much flavour. Top this easy vegan soup with a layer of homemade toasted croutons.

Beef Cabbage Barley Soup

Hearty beef cabbage barley soup is wholesome, filling and flavourful. This one pot meal can be made ahead and is freezer-friendly. Prep it in 10 minutes.

Creamy Tomato Potato Soup

Make this silky smooth and creamy tomato potato soup in under 25 minutes. This gluten-free vegan soup is healthy and filling and the easiest weeknight meal.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup has all the classic flavors of chicken pot pie, but in a hearty soup form with tender chicken, veggies, and a rich creamy broth.

Mashed Potato Soup

Mashed potato soup is one of the best ways to use up leftover mashed potatoes. It's creamy, cheesy, delicious, and ready in under 30 minutes.

Slow Cooker Asian Beef Noodle Soup

An easy weeknight dinner option, this hearty and oily slow cooker Asian beef noodle soup is packed with beef chunks, vegetables, noodles, and Asian spices and flavours.

Creamy Turkey Orzo Soup

Warm and cozy, creamy turkey orzo soup is wholesome, hearty, filling, and flavourful. Make this delicious one pot meal with leftover turkey in 30 minutes.

Vegetarian Peanut Miso Ramen

Vegetarian peanut miso ramen with a creamy vegan soup base, is topped with noodles, vegetables, and a perfect soft-boiled egg. Make it in just 20 minutes.

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.

One Pot Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

This gluten-free, one pot Thai red curry noodle soup is so flavourful and packed with shrimp, vermicelli rice noodles, fresh herbs, lime juice + fish sauce.

Slow Cooked Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of slow cooker loaded baked potato soup topped with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions. Literally throw your ingredients into the slow cooker and come back to a fully cooked soup a few hours later.

Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of slow cooker loaded baked potato soup topped with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions. | aheadofthyme.com

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

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Ramen

Put down that cup of instant noodles and make fresh, quick and easy vegetarian ramen in 15 minutes with fresh vegetables, noodles and authentic flavours. You might never go back to packaged ramen again.

Creamy Pumpkin and Corn Chowder

If you haven't had this combo of flavours together, then you are in for a real treat. Creamy pumpkin and corn chowder is ready in under 30 minutes. It's the perfect fall vegetarian and gluten-free weeknight dinner. Serve it with a winter kale salad on the side.

Make Ahead Soup

Most of these fall soup recipes are really easy to make ahead and easily store in the fridge or freezer. Depending on the recipe, you can make the soup a day or so ahead of time or you can choose to just prep the ingredients in advance. This will be a life-saver if you are entertaining a crowd. So whether that means chopping up vegetables or mixing ingredients together, it's makes things go a lot more smoothly and quicker when you are cooking. You can store all your prepared ingredients in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Did You Make Any of These Fall Soup Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of 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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One Pot Coconut Curry Beef Stew

Warm and cozy, one pot coconut curry beef stew is my new favourite meal. It is hearty yet creamy, and packed with tender beef chunks, potatoes and carrots, curry seasoning, and creamy coconut milk. This is a super easy recipe that can be made in one pot with minimal prep. In fact, make this one in advance because leftovers taste even better.

That's right, the longer the stew sits, the more flavourful it gets. Just like our coconut lamb curry, I will usually just store the leftovers in the pot with the lid on, making it super easy to reheat the next day in the same pot.

Ingredients in Coconut Curry Beef Stew

vegetable oil
beef chunks - stewing beef cut into 1.5-inch cubes.
onion
garlic
ginger
seasoning - yellow curry powder, cumin powder, soy sauce, brown sugar, ground black pepper, and bay leaves.
coconut milk - I used a can of full fat coconut milk, but you can use lite coconut milk to cut down the calories.
potatoes
carrots
garnish - top with fresh red chilli, cilantro, and white sesame seeds.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a Dutch oven (or large cooking pot).

How to Make the Best One Pot Coconut Curry Beef Stew

Heat oil in Dutch oven (or large cooking pot) for 2 minutes over medium high heat until the oil starts to sizzle and shimmer. Add in cubed beef chunks and stir well to cook evenly for 6-8 minutes until the beef browns.

Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Mix well by stirring with a spatula for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Add all the seasoning including curry powder, cumin, soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, and bay leaves. Continue stirring to combine for about 3 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk to combine. Turn the heat down to medium low and cover the lid. Simmer for 25 minutes until the beef is tender, stirring occasionally to cook the beef evenly. To check the tenderness of the beef, use a fork. If you are able to insert a fork in the center of beef with little resistance, it's cooked fork tender.

Add potatoes and carrots and bring to a simmer uncovered. Stir occasionally and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes and carrots start to soften. Add ¼ cup water if needed to thin out the sauce. Remove the pot from heat and let rest for 20 minutes to slightly cool down.

Serve over rice and sprinkle red chilli, cilantro and white sesame seeds on top to garnish.

Tips for Making Curry

Customize the vegetables. Potatoes and carrots go really well in a curry stew, but you can easily throw in other vegetables that you have on hand. Some vegetables that work really well are cauliflower and broccoli, as they soak in all the delicious curry juice. Any starchy vegetables work well too such as sweet potatoes and yam.
Let the stew rest. Let the stew rest for at least 20 minutes to cool down and also to let the flavours infuse into the stew. This is really important. In fact, the longer you let it rest, the more flavourful the beef curry gets.
How to serve curry. Serve coconut curry beef stew over coconut rice or plain white jasmine or basmati rice. You can also serve it with some garlic naan bread for dipping and soaking up all that curry.
How to store / meal prep. Store curry in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze for up to 2 months. It's a great recipe to use to meal prep throughout the week.

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30-Minute Butternut Squash Soup

This quick and easy 30-minute butternut squash soup is my newest favourite fall soup. After all, this simple, vegan and gluten-free soup is loaded with butternut squash soup and is ultra creamy with coconut milk. I mean, who doesn't want a cozy and warm bowl of soup in just half an hour? After all, the best part of fall is butternut squash. Hands down.

When fall rolls around, my butternut squash obsession does too. I probably make a batch of butternut squash soup a week, so I have gotten pretty good at experimenting with different flavour combinations as there are many ways to flavour it. You can load them with fall herbs, like in my very popular roasted butternut squash soup recipe, or you can add in other vegetables or fruit, like in roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup or butternut squash and apple soup.

Ingredients in Butternut Squash Soup

We are keeping it real simple in this recipe to really showcase butternut squash with some creamy coconut milk to get an ultra silky and smooth consistency while keeping the soup 100% vegan. Here is what you will need for this super quick and easy soup:

olive oil
onion
garlic
butternut squash - You need 1 small butternut squash, cut into ½-inch or 1-inch pieces, or 6-7 cups of chopped squash. To cut the prep time significantly, you can pick up pre-chopped squash at the grocery store.
salt and pepper
vegetable broth - I used vegetable broth to keep the recipe vegan. You can also use chicken broth.
coconut milk - I used full-fat coconut milk for ultimate creaminess.
maple syrup - just a little maple syrup goes a long way to really balance out the flavours of the butternut squash. I highly recommend it in this recipe.
toppings - I used chopped pecans and fresh thyme leaves. Toasted pepitas would be really delicious with any fresh herbs you have on hand.

You will also need a large cooking pot and an immersion blender (or heavy duty blender).

How to Make the Best 30-Minute Butternut Squash Soup

This 30-minute butternut squash soup is super easy to make in one pot. First, grab a large cooking pot and heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Then, add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add butternut squash, salt and pepper. Sauté for 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently for even cooking. Then, add vegetable broth, coconut milk and maple syrup, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender, or transfer the soup to a heavy duty blender and puree in batches. Add salt and pepper, to taste and serve topped with chopped pecans and fresh thyme.

How to Serve Fall Soups

My favourite way to serve this butternut squash soup is with a side homemade bread for dipping. I love pairing this soup with easy homemade biscuits or garlic rosemary focaccia bread or with something a little more crustier like no knead artisan bread or sourdough bread. For more options, browse through all our bread recipes.

Tips for Making Squash Soup

How to change the consistency of the soup: If the soup is too watery, place the pot of pureed soup back on the stove and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally. If the soup is too thick, add in some water to thin it out.
How to store: You can easily store this soup by placing the pot with the lid in the refrigerator, or transferring the soup to an airtight container. It will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
How to freeze: To freeze, transfer soup to an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, place on the counter and let it thaw at room temperature. Then reheat on the stove.

More Fall Soup Recipes

This easy 30-minute butternut squash soup forms a part of my 25 warm and cozy fall soup recipes. Follow the link to check out all of my 25 fall favourite soups.

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Pumpkin Pie Granola

Craving pumpkin pie in the morning but don't want to actually eat a slice of pie for breakfast? Pumpkin pie granola is the answer to your problems. And unlike actual pumpkin pie, this granola is gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free. It is packed with rolled oats, real pumpkin, pumpkin spice, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and pecans, and is sweetened with maple syrup. Brace yourselves because this stuff is super crave-worthy.

What is in Pumpkin Pie Granola?

To make pumpkin pie granola, you need to gather the following ingredients:

rolled oats - you want to use rolled oats vs. quick oats.
pumpkin puree - either canned or homemade puree works.
pumpkin spice seasoning - if you don't have pumpkin spice, use 2 teaspoons of cinnamon instead.
pepitas - raw pepitas, also known as pumpkin seeds.
pecan halves - I like them loosely chopped, but you can also leave them whole. You could also use walnuts instead.
maple syrup
coconut oil - you can substitute this with olive oil or melted butter.
vanilla extract
salt

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and a ½ pan baking sheet.

How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pie Granola

Once you discover just how easy and how delicious homemade pumpkin granola is, you won't look at store-bought granola the same.

To make homemade granola, first Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl (oats, pepitas, pecans, and salt). Then, combine the wet ingredients in another bowl (pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract). The mixture may be slightly lumpy. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine until fully incorporated.

Spread the granola mixture onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, turn the pan once halfway. Remove from oven and let it cool down (about 15 minutes). Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.

Tips and Tricks

How to store homemade granola: You can store homemade granola in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (if you don't finish it way before then like we do). I like to store it in a glass canning jar like the one shown in the pictures.
How to freeze homemade granola: You can freeze granola by wrapping it tightly in plastic cling wrap and place inside a freezer bag, for up to 3 months.
How to serve granola: You can serve granola in so many different ways. The easiest is just on its own as a snack by the handfuls. You can also add it on top of milk or yogurt, or layer it in a fruit and yogurt parfait, or top it on banana toast with honey. It is also pretty amazing on top of a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. So so delicious.

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. | aheadofthyme.com

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One Pot Coconut Curry Chicken and Rice

Creamy, delicious and flavourful, this Thai-inspired one pot coconut curry chicken and rice made with red curry and coconut milk and packed with incredible flavour, will become your new favourite 30-minute weeknight meal.

If you are like me and are very much into Thai food like 15-minute chicken Pad Thai or one pot Thai red curry noodle soup, then this dish is for you my friend. It has all the classic Thai flavours with the red curry paste, and the creamy coconut milk, with a splash of lime juice, if desired, and all the fresh cilantro on top.

Ingredients in Thai Curry Chicken and Rice

chicken breasts - 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts.
chicken marinade - plain yogurt, vegetable oil, ground paprika, salt and pepper.
vegetable oil
onions
garlic
ginger
jalapeno pepper - optional, for a spicy kick.
bay leaves
long grain white rice - other types of rice may work, so long as it is white rice. I would not recommend using brown rice as it takes a lot longer to cook and the recipe will need to be adjusted for it.
coconut milk - I used 1 can of regular coconut milk, but feel free to substitute with lite coconut milk.
soy sauce
red curry paste
garnish - fresh cilantro or parsley and lime wedges.

You will also need a large skillet. I prefer cooking with a cast iron skillet, but a regular skillet works great too.

How to Make the Best One Pot Coconut Curry Chicken and Rice

First, marinate the chicken. Combine chicken breasts with marinade ingredients (yogurt, oil, paprika, salt and pepper) in a mixing bowl. Stir well with a spatula to coat the chicken well. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet for 2 minutes over medium high heat until the hot oil starts to sizzle and shimmer. Place the marinated chicken on the skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side until brown. Transfer the chicken onto a plate (the chicken does not need thoroughly cooked at this point).

In the same skillet, add onions, garlic, ginger, jalapeno and bay leaves. Stir to cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add rice and stir well to combine. Add coconut milk and water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in soy sauce and red curry paste. Mix well with a spatula to coat the rice evenly.

Spread the rice evenly into a uniform layer and place the chicken back into the skillet. Cover the lid and turn the heat down to medium low. Simmer for 10 minutes until all water has evaporated.

Sprinkle finely chopped cilantro or parsley on top and a drizzle of lime juice, if desired. Serve immediately.

More One Pot/Pan Recipes

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup

My favourite part of fall are the warm and cozy, comforting fall soups. Creamy roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup has all the fall feels and is vegan and gluten-free. It's packed with butternut squash and cauliflower, mixed with onions and garlic and fresh herbs, and a little coconut milk for that extra creaminess. So so delicious. Plus, it's super easy to make. Think of a one sheet pan meal that is blended into a soup.

If you are like me and are a fan of roasted butternut squash soup or butternut squash and apple soup, then you will love this. It makes the perfect starter or side to add to your Thanksgiving holiday menu or for any meal this fall.

Side note - that is my very obedient one year old stepping in as my hand model, since Danny (the usual model) was at his day job.

What is in this Roasted Vegetable Soup?

butternut squash
cauliflower - cauliflower really adds a silky creaminess to this soup.
onion
garlic
fresh sage - you could also substitute with rosemary or thyme, or use a combination of the three.
olive oil
salt and pepper
vegetable stock
coconut milk - this also adds a little extra creaminess. I used coconut milk to keep the recipe vegan, but you can substitute with regular cow's milk if you prefer.

You will also need a large ½ pan baking tray, a food processor or blender, and a larg e pot.

How to Make the Best Roasted Butternut Squash and Cauliflower Soup

In a large ½ pan baking tray, combine butternut squash, cauliflower, onion, garlic, sage and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Bake in a preheated 425 F oven for 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are soft and tender.

Transfer vegetables into a food processor or blende r (in 2 batches if needed). Add 2 cups of stock and puree until smooth.

Transfer soup to a large pot, add remaining stock, and stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer, and stir in coconut milk. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with a drizzle of coconut milk and fresh herbs or toasted pepitas on top.

Tips and Tricks

Do I have to roast the vegetables? Roasting the vegetables adds an extra depth of flavour to the soup and really intensifies the flavour. But you can absolutely skip this step and just cook the soup in a pot. The soup will still be delicious. Simply, saute the oninos and garlic, then add everything else and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Puree, add coconut milk and serve.
How thick should this soup be? As thick as you would like! I like my soup right in the middle. If you find that it is too thick, add some water until desired consistency is reached. If you find the soup is too thin, continue to simmer, uncovered, to thicken it up until you reach your desired consistency.
How to serve: Serve this butternut squash soup with a side of homemade ciabatta bread or crusty no knead bread for dipping. Small batch sourdough bread is also one of my favourites to pair with this.

More Soup Recipes

This easy roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup forms a part of my 25 warm and cozy fall soup recipes. Follow the link to check out all of my 25 fall favourite soups.

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Braided Lattice Apple Pie

Is it even autumn without a slice of classic apple pie? This braided lattice apple pie is packed with fresh cinnamon apples tossed in a caramel-type sauce sealed in a buttery, flaky pie crust and topped with a beautiful braided lattice and decorative leaves. This is the only pie you need this fall season. You might want to make extra because this stuff does not last long.

Ingredients in Apple Pie

pie dough - you will 3 pieces of pie dough for a 9-inch pie crust (or 160 grams each). I used my easy puff pastry pie dough. That recipe yields 2 pie crusts so I just increased the measurements to 1.5 to yield 3 pie crusts.
melted butter
brown sugar
water
all-purpose flour
apples - 7 heaping cups of cored, peeled and thinly sliced apples (approximately 6 to 7 apples).
ground cinnamon
egg + milk - for the egg wash on top of the pie.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, a rolling pin for preparing the pie dough, a mandol i ne slicer, and a 9-inch pie dish for baking.

How to Make the Best Braided Lattice Apple Pie

First, prepare the pie dough by rolling out roll out 3 pieces of easy puff pastry pie dough to approximately 12-inches. The extra third pie dough is used for braiding the lattice (which requires a lot of pie dough) and for the decorative leaf cutouts.

Next, prepare the apple pie filling by whisking together butter, sugar, water and flour in a mixing bowl. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir continuously for 2 minutes until it forms a smooth mixture. Remove from heat and set it aside. The sauce will be thick and more like a paste.

Place the peeled, cored and sliced apples into a large mixing bowl. (You can use a mandoline slicer to slice the apples or a knife). Add cinnamon and stir with a silicone spatula to coat the apple slices evenly. Pour the prepared sauce mixture in and stir to coat the apple slices well. Set the bowl aside.

Now, start to assemble the pie. Transfer one prepared dough disc into a 9-inch pie dish and gently press down to form into the bottom pie crust. Slowly pour the apple filling from the bowl into the dough-lined pie pan and use a spatula to spread them evenly across.

How to Make a Braided Lattice Top

First, make the braided lattice strips:

Slice the one rolled out pie dough into 15 strips, measuring ½-inch wide. Save the leftover dough scraps to the side.
Take 3 strips of equal length and squeeze the 3 ends together. Braid them together by moving the left strip across the middle strip. Then, move the right strip across the middle strip. Repeat the left and right to the middle until you reach the end of the braid. Squeeze to bind the 3 ends together.
Repeat the braiding will the remaining strips, until you have 5 braided strips.

Next, make the flat lattice strips by slicing the last rolled out pie dough into 5 strips, measuring 1-inch wide. Save the dough scraps to the side.

Now, assemble the lattice top:

Place 5 flat lattice strips of dough on top of the apple filling, evenly placed 1-inch apart (make sure to use the longer strips in the centre and shorter strips for the edges).
Fold back the 2nd and 4th strip halfway and place the longest braided strip in the centre, perpendicular to the first 5 strips. Place the 2nd and 4th strip back over that long strip.
Fold back the 1st and 3rd and 5th strip halfway and place a slightly shorter braided strip 1-inch away. Place the 1st and 3rd and 5th strip back over the shorter strip.
Continue adding and alternating braided strips to complete the lattice top crust.

Take the dough scraps and cut out decorative leaves and place them on top of the lattice pie. Press edges together and crimp with your fingers to seal. You can place more scraps along the edge and pinch them into the edges to seal.

Bake the Pie

Combine beaten egg and milk in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the lattice crust and edges. If your oven is not ready at this point, store the assembled pie in the fridge to prevent the pie crust from disintegrating (the butter in the dough melts quickly at room temperature).

Transfer the apple pie into a 400 F preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the edges of the pie start turning golden brown. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and bake for additional 40 minutes until the pie crust is golden brown. You might see the pie filling start to ooze out.

Leave the apple pie in the pan at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Serve a slice of apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips for Storing Pie

How long will homemade pie keep? This apple pie will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, loosely covered with foil or plastic cling wrap.
How to freeze unbaked apple pie: You can freeze the entire unbaked pie to make things easier when you actually want to bake and serve this pie. I would recommend to initially prepare the pie in a disposable pie tin, for easier storage. Then, tightly wrap the unbaked pie in 3 layers of plastic wrap and then place inside a sealed freezer bag and store for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen but add an extra 5 minutes in the first baking step (so bake for 25 minutes at 400 F).
How to freeze baked apple pie: You can freeze baked pie for up to 3 months. To freeze, simply wrap the pie (or each slice) tightly with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap. Then place inside a freezer bag for storing.

More Pie Recipes

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Baked Apple Chips

One-ingredient homemade baked apple chips are healthy, light, crispy and so crave-worthy. Plus, unlike most store-bought chips, these contain nothing other than apples, meaning no added sugar. The best part? They are so easy to make, you will be wondering why you haven't been making these all along.

Apple season is one of my favourite seasons. I use it up in everything this time of year. My favourite ways are to throw it into an apple walnut salad, into butternut squash and apple soup, and of course, into a ton of baked goodies such as apple muffins, apple hand pies, and apple crisp. My new favourite way? Baked apple chips.

What are Apple Chips?

Apple chips are apples that have been thinly sliced and dried out until super crispy and crunchy, basically until the water content has been removed. Most commercially produced apple chips use a dehydrator or other fancy equipment to make, but you can make a small batch at home in the oven in just a few simple steps.

How to Make the Best Baked Apple Chips

It is so easy to make apple chips. You will need to set aside just 5-10 minutes to prep, and allow the apples so slow-bake over 2.5 hours.

First, preheat the oven to 200 F, and line a large ½ pan baking sheet with a slipat mat or parchment paper.

Then, prepare your apples. From the bottom of the apples, slice them into very thin slices, about ⅛ thick. Use a mandoline or a knife to slice. Place them down in a single even layer on the lined baking pan. You don't need to leave any space between them as they will shrink. For extra flavour, you can sprinkle some cinnamon on top.

Bake for 1 hour, then flip the apple slices over and bake for another 1.5 hours. If the apples aren't crispy enough, continue to bake, checking on them every 10-15 minutes.

How to Make Apple Chips in the Air Fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 200 F, about 3 minutes. Place apple slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry for 20 minutes until crispy.

Tips and Tricks

Slice your apples super thin. I use a mandoline slicer on the thinest setting to slice the apples super thin and evenly. You can also use a knife. You want to slice the apples about ⅛-inch thick.
Add some cinnamon. You can switch things up and add a little cinnamon on top for a different flavour. You can sprinkle about a teaspoon on cinnamon on top before popping the apples into the oven.
How to store. Store homemade apple chips in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.

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Easy Puff Pastry Pie Dough

Flaky, buttery, and delicate, this easy puff pastry pie dough is the only recipe you will need for all your pies this season. This laminated dough creates the best puffy pie crust with multiple flaky layers. Plus, you can make it homemade with only a few simple ingredients and in just 15 minutes. Seriously, who needs store-bought when homemade is so much better, flakier and delicious? There really is no comparison.

What is Puff Pastry?

Puff pastry is a type of dough where butter is layered or laminated in the dough, creating multiple layers of alternating dough and butter = flakey puffy pastry dough. To make it at home, you will need these few simple pantry staples:

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
salt
unsalted butter - cold and cubed into ½-inch pieces.
ice cold water - ice water is key here.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale, a food processor and rolling pin.

How to Make the Best Homemade Puff Pastry Pie Dough

In a food processor, add flour, sugar, salt and cubed butter. Pulse mix on and off for 1 minute, until the flour mixture turns into a small breadcrumb-like consistency.

Drizzle ice water into the mixture (ice water is the key here). Close the lid and continue to pulse mix on and off for another 1 minute. If you squeeze the crumbs together and they stick together, that means the crumbs are good to go.

Transfer the crumb-like dough into a large ziploc bag. Squeeze with your hands to bring all the loose crumbs together until it turns into a nice and smooth dough ball. Using disposable gloves when handling the dough will help prevent the butter from melting too quickly.

Divide the dough ball in half. Place one in the refrigerator, and take the other and place it in between two pieces of large parchment paper or cling wrap. Flatten it with a rolling pin. Transfer to the refrigerator and repeat with the second ball of dough. You will have 2 equal discs.

Take one dough disc at a time, and fold it in half. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold it again to roughly form a square. Roll each dough out with a rolling pin into a 12-inch circle. Repeat this step one more time (folding and rolling). This creates the laminated puff pastry dough which is made up of many layers of alternating dough and butter.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in between parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using to make a pie.

Tips and Tricks

How much pie crust does this recipe make? This recipe is sufficient for one double crust pie dough, or two single crust pie doughs. It also makes a little bit extra dough in case you need to patch the edges (which I find I have to do every time).
Use disposable gloves: Using disposable gloves when handling pie dough will help prevent the butter in the dough from melting too quickly, as handling the pie dough directly with bare hands will cause it to melt much more quickly, making the dough sticky.
Always store in the refrigerator: Whenever you are not working with one of the dough pieces, always place it in the refrigerator to keep the butter from melting.
How to store: Store puff pastry dough wrapped tightly in cling wrap or between 2 pieces of parchment paper in the refrigerator for up to one week.
How to freeze: Freeze puff pastry dough wrapped tightly in cling wrap and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow it to thaw before use. Do not let it thaw at room temperature as the butter can start to melt.

Summery classic blueberry pie is made with the perfect flaky pie crust, a jammy blueberry filling with a hint of lemon, and sealed with a lattice top. | aheadofthyme.com

What to Make with Puff Pastry

Use this easy puff pastry pie dough to make any pie you are craving. Here are some of my favourites:

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Smooth, hearty and light, one pot lemon chicken orzo soup is pure comfort in a bowl. It's packed with orzo pasta, chicken breast, vegetables fresh herbs, and a dash lemon juice. It's basically chicken noodle soup but with a major upgrade.

What is Orzo?

Orzo is a tiny, quick-cooking rice-shaped pasta that can be thrown into so many recipes. You can throw it into a Mediterranean orzo salad, into rice pilaf, or into soup.

What is in Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup?

chicken breasts - 2 large boneless and skinless breasts. You can also use two-thirds pound of boneless and skinless chicken thighs.
butter - can easily substitute with olive oil for a healthier option.
vegetables - onion, garlic, celery, and carrots.
chicken stock
orzo pasta
lemon juice
herbs - Italian seasoning blend, fresh parsley, and fresh dill.
salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a medium cooking pot.

How to Make the Best Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

First, melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add in celery and carrots and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring often. Then, add stock, chicken, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Next, remove chicken from pot and add orzo. Cook uncovered on medium high until the orzo is cooked through (about 10 more minutes), stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, shred the chicken with a fork and then place back into the pot while the orzo is still cooking.

Once orzo is cooked, stir in lemon juice, parsley, and dill. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with some extra lemon wedges and fresh herbs.

Tips for Making Orzo Soup

How to serve: Serve lemon chicken orzo soup with some Greek salad and a loaf of crusty bread. My favourites are small batch ciabatta rolls, easy no knead french baguettes, small batch no-knead bread, or small batch sourdough.
How to make with pre-cooked chicken: You can make this soup with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Add it in when you are adding in the orzo.
How to store: Lemon chicken orzo soup is best served immediately. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the orzo will continue to soak up water and expand. To reheat, you will likely need to add a little water to thin out the soup again.

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Pan-Fried Pork and Shrimp Wontons

Better than takeout pan-fried pork and shrimp wontons are super crispy and golden on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside with a savoury pork, shrimp and vegetable filling inside. Serve this popular and authentic Chinese dim sum snack at home with spicy chili oil or homemade vinegar dipping sauce.

What are Wontons?

Wontons are a type of Chinese dumplings that are wrapped in a special square wonton wrapper. They are a popular Chinese snack food (dim sum) that can be prepared in many ways including steamed, boiled, pan-fried, deep-fried or in wonton soup. They are filled with a juicy filling inside consisting of protein and vegetables seasoned with Asian spices and seasonings. Here we filled them with pork, shrimp and vegetables. Another favourite of mine are chicken and cilantro wontons. The options for the filling are truly endless.

Ingredients in Pork and Shrimp Wontons

Here is what you will need to make these pork and shrimp wontons:

shrimp - peeled, deveined and shells removed.
ground pork
corn
green peas
carrots
garlic
fresh ginger
green onions
seasonings - Shaoxing cooking wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper.
wonton wrappers
vegetable oil + water - for pan-frying.

You will also need a mixing bowl, spatula, and large non-stick skillet with lid.

How to Make the Best Pork and Shrimp Wontons

First, you have to finely chop the shrimp into small pieces, almost paste-like. You can also add the shrimp into a food processor and pulse mix for 30 seconds until a shrimp paste is formed. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.

Add in ground pork and stir well with a spatula to mix evenly with the shrimp. Add in corn, peas, carrots, garlic, ginger, green onions, Shaoxing cooking wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Mix well to fully combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the filling to soak in all the flavours.

How to Fold Wontons

Prepare a small bowl of water for dipping your fingers into.
Take a square wonton wrapper at a time and place it on your palm. Place one tablespoon of filling into the centre of the wrapper.
Dip your finger in water and smear along the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wonton half (into a rectangle) and gently press the edges together to seal the filling inside.
Bring two bottom folded corners together and wrap them under to overlap and seal. You can dab a little bit of water first on the edges to help make them stick together better.
Repeat with all the wontons and place them all on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover with a tea towel to prevent the wrappers from drying out.

How to Pan-fry Wontons

In a non-stick frying pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat for 2 -3 minutes. Place a batch of 12- 15 pork and shrimp wontons on the pan, spacing them approximately 1-inch apart to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 3 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown.

Add ½ cup of cold water into the pan. The water should start sizzling and boiling immediately. Make sure the water covers half of the wontons' height. (½-inch deep). Cover with the lid and continue to cook for 7-8 minutes until almost all the water has evaporated.

Take out the lid and reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 2 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. The bottom of the wontons should be cooked crispy.

Repeat steps with another batch of 12 -15 wontons.

How to Serve Wontons

Crispy pan-fried pork and shrimp wontons are great with a side of vinegar dipping sauce. To make your own, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons black vinegar, 1 teaspoon chopped green onions, and 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce (optional for a spicy kick) in a small bowl. Stir to combine. You can customize the quantities for your own preference.

You can also boil these wontons in a soup instead of pan-frying them. Two of my favourite soups to make are easy 10-minute wonton soup or 10-minute Shanghai-style wonton soup. Or just boil and serve them as is with a chili oil sauce on top to make spicy chili oil wontons.

Tips for Making Wontons

How to store: Place wontons on a parchment-lined baking tray and freeze for an hour. Then transfer them into freezer bags or an airtight container and store in the freezer. Use as desired.
Double or triple the recipe: It may a little time consuming to fold all these wontons, but the more you fold, the more you can freeze for later which will make your life so easy on a busy weeknight when you don't know what to make. Plus, homemade is always better than store-bought.

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Easy Roasted Cauliflower

Easy roasted cauliflower is a side dish that needs to be on your dinner table all season long. It's super easy to throw together into a sheet pan and pop into the oven. Roasting cauliflower in the oven adds such an incredible depth of flavour with a little caramelization on the top. So so delicious. Plus, this dish is vegan and gluten-free, so whatcha waiting for?

What is in Roasted Cauliflower?

All you need to make this delicious side dish is cauliflower and a few basic pantry staples:

cauliflower - one medium head of cauliflower broken into florets (about 5-6 cups)
olive oil
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
salt and pepper

You will also need a mixing bowl and baking sheet pan.

How to Make the Best Easy Roasted Cauliflower in 2 Steps

Roasted cauliflower is ridiculously easy to make and so delicious. All you do is throw all your ingredients into a large mixing bowl or directly into a sheet pan, and toss to combine. Pop the pan into the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes.

How to Serve

Serve roasted cauliflower as a side dish with your favourite fall meals. I like to pair it with easy juicy roasted turkey breast, some easy roasted brussels sprouts and an apple walnut salad.
Add it to your easy Thanksgiving menu. A side dish this easy will be a life-saver on the big day when you have a million other things to stress over.
Use it to make soup. Some of my favourites are roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup and creamy cauliflower and garlic soup. The cauliflower in this recipe is caramelized in a pot, but you can easily adapt it and use roasted cauliflower instead.
Try it in garlic mashed cauliflower. The cauliflower in that recipe is boiled, but again you can adapt the recipe and use roasted cauliflower instead. It will add an amazing layer of flavour.

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Classic Roman Herbed Potato Pizza

This easy and simple yet packed with flavour, classic Roman herbed potato pizza should be on your menu tonight. It has a super crispy thin crust, layers of tender potato slices tossed in olive oil and herbs, and baked to perfection. Plus, you don't need a pizza stone for this one. Make it in an oven-safe skillet or baking pan in just 20 minutes, including prep.

What is a Roman Style Pizza?

A Roman-style pizza is a large pizza with a super thin crust. A Roman-style potato pizza (also called pizza con patate) is topped with slices of potato tossed in olive oil and herbs. It is traditionally made in a rectangular pan and baked in the oven. Today we are making it in a round oven-safe skillet.

Easy and simple yet flavourful classic Roman herbed potato pizza has a crispy thin crust with layers of tender potato tossed in olive oil and herbs. | aheadofthyme.com

Ingredients in Potato Pizza

pizza dough - you can use homemade pizza dough or storebought. If you have some discard sourdough starter, try my homemade sourdough pizza dough.
potatoes - peeled and thinly sliced. It is really easy to slice with a madeleine slicer, or you can use a good old fashioned knife.
olive oil
Italian seasoning
dried thyme - dried oregano or rosemary also works. You can also just add more Italian seasoning if you can't get your hands on any.
salt and pepper

You will also need a madeleine slicer for slicing the potatoes, measuring spoons, mixing bowl, oven-safe skillet (or baking pan) and heavy duty oven mitts.

How to Make the Best Classic Roman Herbed Potato Pizza

First, prepare the potatoes. Slice them up with a madeleine slicer or knife. Transfer them into a large mixing bowl and add olive oil, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to combine until potatoes are evenly coated with seasoning. Set the bowl aside.

Next, transfer pizza dough onto a floured surface. Gently press the pizza dough with your fingers into an 8-inch circle. Sprinkle some flour if needed to prevent stickiness. Place the flattened dough onto an oven-safe skillet or baking pan. Stretch out the dough a bit more to spread it over the entire skillet.

Arrange the potato slices on top of the pizza dough by overlapping the slices slightly until completely covered.

Transfer the skillet into a preheated 450 F oven and bake for 10 minutes until the crust turns golden brown. Optionally, you can turn the oven broiler to high and bake for another 2-3 minutes or until the potato slices turn brown and blistered. But keep your eye closely on the broil, because the intense heat can make pizza crust burn quite quickly.

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Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies

Calling all peanut butter cookie lovers! These perfectly soft, chewy and a little crumby chocolate chunk peanut butter cookies literally melts in your mouth. Make these no chill cookies in under 20 minutes (including prep) with just a few ingredients and a few simple steps.

Ingredients in Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

creamy peanut butter - or can substitute for chunky peanut butter but note that it will give a different texture.
butter
sugar - both granulated sugar and brown sugar.
egg
vanilla extract
all-purpose flour
baking soda
salt
chocolate chunks - I like the size of the chocolate chunks for these cookies, but feel free to use chocolate chips instead.

You will also need: measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, hand mixer (or stand mixer), baking sheet, and wire cooling rack.

How to Make the Best Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter granulated sugar, and brown sugar using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), until soft and creamy. Add in egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until fully combined.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add these dry ingredients to your large bowl slowly, continuously mixing using your mixer until combined. Then, fold in the chocolate chunks.

Roll the dough into 1 to 2-inch balls and place on an ungreased, parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a fork, press down on each ball of dough to slightly flatten and create a criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 8-10 minutes in a 350 F preheated oven, or as soon as tops begin to slightly crack. To keep them soft and chewy, be careful to not overbake. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Tips for Making Peanut Butter Cookies

What is the texture like? These cookies and soft, chewy and a little crumby and literally melt in your mouth. You need to be careful not to overcook as even baking for an extra 5 minutes will cause the cookies to get dry. They will look a little undercooked at the 8-10 minute mark, but that is okay. The residual heat from the pan and the cookies themselves will continue to bake them.
How long do these cookies last? Store homemade peanut butter cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. To keep the cookies really soft, place a slice of bread in the container. Yes, it actually works.
Can I freeze peanut butter cookies? Yes, these cookies are freezer-friendly. Just freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Leave out in the refrigerator or at room temperature to thaw.

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Chinese Garlic Cucumber Salad

Light, refreshing and crisp Chinese garlic cucumber salad is a simple salad tossed in an Asian dressing with sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar, and packed with a whole lot of flavour. It is a quick and easy side dish that can be served with almost any Chinese entree.

What is Chinese Cucumber Salad?

Chinese cucumber salad (known as pai huang gua) is a traditional Chinese salad packed with cucumbers. This is a dish that Danny has been enjoying pretty much his whole life. To make this salad, you will need:

cucumbers - I peeled them but feel free to leave the peel on if you prefer. To make with the peel, I recommend Persian cucumbers or small English cucumbers as their skin is a lot softer.
garlic
soy sauce
rice vinegar
sesame oil
chili oil - optional for a spicy kick.
salt + sugar
white sesame seeds - for garnish.
cilantro - for garnish.

How to Make the Best Chinese Garlic Cucumber Salad

This simple salad takes about 5 minutes to make. First, prepare your ingredients. Peel cucumbers (or leave skin on if you prefer) and chop into 1-inch pieces. Then place into a large bowl. Add in garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil (if using), sugar, and salt. Toss to combine. Sprinkle sesame seeds and cilantro on top, and serve. So easy!

PRO TIP: Similar to a Persian Shirazi salad with cucumber and tomato, you can let this Chinese cucumber salad sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to really allow the flavours to infuse into each other.

How to Serve

Chinese garlic cucumber salad can be served with pretty much any Chinese dish. My favourites are with spicy dan dan noodles but they go with pretty much any noodle dish. I also like to serve this with a quick 10-minute vegetarian fried rice and crispy fried spring rolls. The options are really endless.

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Stir-Fried Rice Noodle Rolls with Peanut Butter Sauce

Better than takeout, quick and easy one pan stir-fried rice noodle rolls with peanut butter sauce are packed with rice rolls, bean sprouts, Asian seasonings, and topped with green onions, crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. This super flavourful under 10 minute vegan meal makes weeknight dinner planning a breeze. It seriously takes less time to make than the time spent ordering takeout.

What are Rice Noodle Rolls?

Rice noodle rolls (or cheung fun) are little bite sized, slippery and soft, flat rice noodle sheets that are rolled into a cylinder shape. This Chinese ingredient is normally served steamed as a dim sum snack. They are served unseasoned, and rolled with beef, pork, vegetables, or plain, with a side of soy sauce and peanut butter dipping sauce.

We decided to give these noodle rolls a twist and instead stir-frying them with all the delicious Asian seasonings and then tossing them in peanut butter sauce. The outcome? Ridiculously good.

Ingredients in Stir-Fried Rice Noodle Rolls

rice rolls - I used a store-bought package of rice noodle rolls, but it's also really easy to make your own. I will be sharing a recipe for it soon (hopefully!).
vegetable oil - for the stir-fry.
soy sauce
sesame oil - optional but adds a really nice flavour.
white pepper
sugar
bean sprouts
toppings - green onions, roasted peanuts, and white sesame seeds.
peanut butter sauce - smooth peanut butter, bean paste or hoisin sauce, hot water, and sugar.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a skillet (or wok).

How to Make the Best Stir-Fried Rice Noodle Rolls

To make this super quick and easy stir fry, heat oil in a cooking pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until the oil starts to sizzle and shimmer. Then, add rice rolls (that you have cut into 2-inch pieces) and stir fry for 2 minutes until the rice rolls soften and browns. Add a spoonful of cold water at a time and stir fry the noodles if they are still a bit dry and hard.

Next, add the seasonings (soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and sugar). Stir well for 1 minute with a spatula to combine. Add bean sprouts and chopped green onions at the end. Mix well for another minute and remove from heat.

Transfer the rice rolls onto a place and top with half the peanut butter sauce and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve the other half of the sauce on the side for extra dipping.

How to Make Peanut Butter Sauce

Mix the peanut butter and hot water together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Add in the bean paste (or hoisin sauce) and sugar. Stir well with a spoon to dissolve the sugar in the sauce. The peanut butter sauce should have a smooth and creamy consistency.

Tips for Making Rice Noodle Rolls

Prep the ingredients before you start. Have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin. Stir-frying in general is a very fast process and by having your ingredients prepped and within hands reach, it will ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Can you prepare this stir-fry in advance? You can prepare your ingredients in advance, but stir-fried rice noodle rolls are best served fresh. In particular, you should always prepare noodles fresh because once they start going cold, they will stick together and get stiff.
How do you store rice noodle rolls? If you have leftovers, store rice noodle rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

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Meal Prep Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

Make your week easier and more delicious with this quick and easy Asian-style meal prep sheet pan balsamic chicken and vegetables. Super flavourful, juicy and tender chicken is marinated in a sesame balsamic marinade inspired by Asian sesame salad dressing. And the vegetables? They are tossed in a balsamic dressing. Combine everything all together on one sheet pan, and say good-bye to stressing over lunch all week. This meal comes together in about 45 minutes including prep (lots of chopping since it's packed with tons of vegetables).

Ingredients in Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

chicken breasts - 3 skinless and boneless chicken breasts.
sesame balsamic marinade - made with soy sauce, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
tofu - optional
bell peppers - green, yellow and red.
sweet potato
cauliflower
brussels sprouts
zucchini
vegetable seasoning - made with olive oil , balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

You will also need meal prep containers, mixing bowls, and a large ½ pan sheet pan.

How to Make the Best Meal Prep Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

The first step is to marinate the chicken breast in an incredibly simple and delicious Asian-style marinade made with soy sauce, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Add everything to a large bowl (or ziploc bag) and stir well to combine and fully coat the chicken. Cover with cling wrap (or seal the ziploc bag) and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.

Next, prep and cut all the vegetables and place inside another large mixing bowl. Add in all seasonings (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper). Mix well with a spatula to combine and coat evenly well. Transfer the vegetables to a large ½ pan sheet pan and spread them evenly into a single layer. You do not need to line the baking sheet.

How to Roast Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

There are two ways that you can make this easy sheet pan meal:

Option 1: Preheat the oven to 400F. Transfer the baking sheet with all the vegetables in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place the marinated chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the extra marinade over the vegetables and chicken. Transfer the baking sheet back in the oven and continue to bake at 400F for another 20 minutes until the internal temperature for the chicken breasts reaches 165F.
Option 2: Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the marinated chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the extra marinade over the vegetables and chicken. Bake the vegetables and chicken breasts together in the baking sheet for 30 to 35 minutes until the internal temperature for the chicken reaches 165F.

How to Assemble Meal Prep Containers

Assembling the meal prep containers is the easiest part. Simply take your meal prep containers and divide the veggies amongst them. For a full balanced meal, you can add in ½ cup to 1 cup of cooked rice on underneath.

Then, slice up the chicken breast and add ½ breast on top of each container. Seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Meal Prep Tips

How to customize: This is one of my favourite recipes to meal prep with because the Asian-style sesame balsamic marinade is the bomb. And those veggies? Even better. They are tossed in a balsamic sauce that goes well with any vegetable, which makes it super easy to customize. Literally throw in any vegetables that you have on hand.
How to store meal prep chicken and vegetables: Divide the chicken and veggies amongst 6 meal prep containers and seal. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To defrost, place in the refrigerator until thawed.

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Quarter Pound Burgers

We have been starting to recipe test our upcoming fall dishes so you better believe that we have a fridge full of all the herbs -- rosemary, thyme and sage. If you love these herbs in creamy comfort food, then you will love them in super juicy and flavourful rosemary thyme quarter pound burgers. The depth of flavour that these herbs add to these burgers is on another level. Why not spend just 10 minutes to prep these and make them for dinner tonight. Plus, you can just throw them on a cast-iron skillet or on the grill. So easy!

Ingredients in Rosemary Thyme Burgers

ground beef - I used lean ground beef.
Panko breadcrumbs
cheddar cheese - shredded cheddar.
pickle juice - or use cold water if you don't have any pickle juice to spare. I often use pickle juice in my burger patties because they make the burger juicier and adds so much flavour.
Worcestershire sauce
thyme - finely chopped fresh thyme.
rosemary - finely chopped fresh rosemary.
garlic powder
salt and pepper
vegetable oil or cooking spray oil - for grilling.
hamburger buns - I made my own easy homemade hamburger buns in under 3 hours with just 15 minutes of actual prep work. These soft, fluffy and airy buns are my favourite.
toppings - top the burger with your favourite toppings. I used the classics -- mayo, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and ketchup. I actually fried my onions alongside the burgers for that extra touch.
cooking oil - to grease the skillet.

You will also need a mixing bowl, cast-iron skillet and a turner spatula. I also highly recommend a digital meat thermometer if you cook a lot of meat and want to check for doneness. Simply insert halfway inside the meat to get a quick measurement.

How to Make the Best Rosemary Thyme Quarter Pound Burgers

First, prepare the hamburger patties. In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese, pickle juice (or water), Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well with a spatula to combine everything together (or use your hands to press the ingredients together to evenly combine). Shape the ground beef mixture into a firm ball, and cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Now it's time to shape the patties. Transfer the ground beef mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten the ground beef with your hands into a square that is ½-inch thick (approximately an 8x8-inch square). You can also roll it out with a rolling pin. Use a 4-inch wide circular mold (or the rim of a round bowl) to cut out 4 hamburger patties (¼ pound each). Add the scraps evenly amongst the 4 patties.

How to Cook Hamburgers in a Skillet

Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes until sizzling hot. Place patties on the skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes until nicely seared and starting to brown up the sides. Flip the patties over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the internal temperature for the patties reaches 160 F.

You can also cook some onion rings on one side of the skillet to add on top of the burger.

To assemble the burgers, toast the buns, if desired. Then top each burger with your favourite toppings. I spread mayonnaise onto the bottom half, topped with a piece of lettuce and a hamburger patty., then topped with sliced tomato, fried onions and pickles. I added ketchup on top and placed the top half of the bun on top.

Tips for Making Burgers

How to tell if a beef burger is cooked: The best way to check a burger for doneness is by using a digital meat thermometer. Simply insert halfway inside the meat to get a quick measurement.
How to serve hamburgers: Serve these rosemary and thyme burgers with a side of crispy french fries or sweet potato wedges. Add in potato salad or an orzo pasta salad for a complete meal.
How to freeze hamburger patties: You can freeze the uncooked burger patties for up to 3 months. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and place in the freezer for an hour. Then, stack them up and layer small squares of parchment paper in between them. Store in a freezer bag and place back in the freezer. To use them, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and follow the recipe.
Make your own artisan hamburger buns. Make your own easy homemade hamburger buns in under 3 hours with only 15 minutes of actual prep work. These buns are soft, fluffy, and so airy. Totally worth the extra effort.

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Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola

Today's breakfast consisted of creamy Greek yogurt, crunchy homemade granola, and fresh fruit all layered together with an optional drizzle of honey on top in this super simple fruit and yogurt parfait with granola. It is so quick and easy to make in less than 5 minutes. Perfect for a delicious and healthy breakfast, snack or even dessert.

How to Make the Best Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

A fruit and yogurt parfait is a layered dish consisting of layers of:

Greek yogurt - I used a non-fat Greek yogurt. I also prefer it plain because I find that plain yogurt allows the natural sweet taste of the fruits and granola to truly be recognized. You can also use regular yogurt, but the parfait might not hold its shape as nicely.
granola - I made my own granola for this. I prefer homemade granola because you know exactly what is in the granola and can eliminate any unnecessary sugars. Try my homemade almond pecan granola or coconut maple walnut granola. Both are amazing in this parfait and so easy to make (just 5 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to bake).
fruit - I used blueberries but feel free to use any fruit that you have on hand. Just chop up into bite sized pieces.

Are Parfaits Healthy?

When made right, parfaits make an excellent healthy choice for breakfast.

Yogurt provides calcium and protein in addition other nutrients.
Fruits add important nutrients, including vitamin c, amounts of which will vary on the type of fruit of fruit that you add.
Granola is loaded with fiber and can be low in fat and sugar.

But be wary of purchasing parfaits at your local cafe or franchise restaurants. They may appear to be healthy when in reality, you may be putting high amounts of fats and sugars into your body. Parfaits make a healthy breakfast choice only when created with non-fat yogurt and when it is low in sugar. That's why you are sooo much better off making your own parfait.

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Creamy Mango Cheesecake

This summery, creamy mango cheesecake has classic graham cracker crust, a light and tropical cheesecake filling packed with pureed mangos, and more mango swirled on the top. It's an ultra creamy and mousse-like cheesecake that is super easy to make in just a few simple steps and with a few ingredients. It's so easy that you don't have to wait for the weekend to bake it.

Ingredients in Mango Cheesecake

Graham cracker crumbs - for the cheesecake crust.
granulated sugar - for the crust and for the filling.
melted butter - for the crust.
cream cheese - it wouldn't be cheesecake without cream cheese.
plain Greek yogurt - helps lighten up the filling making it more mousse-like.
mango pulp - this is essentially pureed mangos. You can make your own by pureeing very ripe mangos in a blender, or you can buy store-bought canned mango pulp.
vanilla extract
eggs
toppings - serve with mango pulp, whipped cream and cubed mango chunks.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, hand mixer, round 8-inch springform pan, aluminum foil, and large deep baking pan (for the water bath).

How to Make the Best Creamy Mango Cheesecake

First, make the cheesecake crust. In a large bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Gradually pour in melted butter, continuing to stir until well mixed. Use your hands to press the mixture firmly into a round 8-inch springform pan.. Bake the crust for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 F oven. Then, allow it to cool for approximately one hour before filling with the cheesecake filling.

Next, make the cheesecake filling. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, yogurt, 1 cup mango pulp, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until well blended. Add one egg at a time and beat just until blended. Repeat until all the eggs are just blended in (Do not overmix to avoid cracking during baking).

Now, let's assemble the cheesecake. Pour the cheesecake filling into the cooled crust and smooth out the surface with a spatula. Add a few dollops of the remaining ¼ cup of mango pulp on top of the filling, randomly in different spots, and gently swirl with a toothpick.

How to Bake Mango Cheesecake

Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil (to prevent the filling from leaking) and place the pan in a large deep baking pan. Fill the dish with 1 inch (2 cm) of boiling water.

Move the baking pan to a preheated 350 F oven and bake for 1 hour in the boiling water bath (This helps prevent sudden temperature drop and cracking). After an hour, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake continue to sit in the oven for another hour, without opening the door.

Take the pan out of the oven and run a paring knife gently around the outside of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Cover the pan with cling wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight to cool and set.

Slice up and serve with your favourite toppings such as a drizzle of mango pulp, some cubed mango chunks and whipped cream.

How to Store Cheesecake

In the refrigerator: Creamy mango cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. I usually just store it in the springform pan and seal the top tightly with aluminum foil or cling wrap.
In the freezer: You can also store mango cheesecake in the freezer for up to three months. Tightly double-wrap the whole cheesecake or slices with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it inside an airtight container. When you are ready to serve and eat the cake, just take it out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

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25 School Snacks

One less thing you should stress about when the kiddos go back to school this year is their lunch box. Today I am sharing my top 25 school snack ideas, ranging from granola bars to muffins, energy balls to cracker bites, fruits and dips, baked school snacks and more. Whether you are sending the kids back to school in September or planning to homeschool this year (because let's face it, we have already being doing it for the last few months), there are tons of kid-friendly recipes for everyone, even the pickiest eaters.

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. Some other muffins to try are spiced carrot muffins or apple oatmeal muffins or banana chocolate chip muffins.

Smooth and Creamy Hummus

Whip up classic smooth and creamy hummus dip and serve it with veggies or crackers, or use it in a vegan hummus wrap. Hummus takes just 5 minutes to make in the blender by combining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Or add in some avocado and make avocado hummus.

Whip up smooth and creamy classic hummus dip at home in just 5 minutes, by combining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in the blender. | aheadofthyme.com

Almond Cranberry Granola Bars

The easiest thing to fill up those lunch-boxes with are chewy almond cranberry chocolate granola bars. They're are chewy and delicious, contain real dried fruit, and made healthier with less processed sugar. For a different flavour, try almond butter granola bars or pecan toffee bars.

These almond cranberry chocolate chip granola bars are chewy and delicious, contain real dried fruit, and made healthier with less processed sugar. | aheadofthyme.com

Pretzel Bites

These tender, chewy homemade Pretzel Bites taste professionally made but are a beginner-friendly recipe you can easily make in the comfort of your own home.

Homemade Yogurt

Thick and creamy homemade yogurt is so easy to make at home with just 2 ingredients, a heavy pot, and just a few minutes of actual hands on prep work.

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

Easy pepperoni pizza rolls are crispy on the bottom, tender and chewy inside, packed with pepperoni and cheese, and baked until bubbly.

Baked Apple Chips

One-ingredient homemade baked apple chips are healthy, light, crispy and crave-worthy. Plus, unlike most store-bought chips, these contain no added sugar.

Cinnamon Apple Granola

Make your mornings 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. Some of my other favourite granolas to make are coconut maple walnut granola and almond pecan granola.

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.

Veggies and Dip

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.

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.

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.

Four Quick and Easy Ritz Crackers

Four super fun, quick and easy RITZ cracker recipes with both sweet and savoury options including my favourite smoked salmon and cheese cracker bites.

Take the stress out of party planning and serve something sweet or savory with these four quick and easy RITZ Cracker recipes. | aheadofthyme.com

No Bake Protein-Packed Energy Bites

No bake protein-packed breakfast energy bites are chewy, easy to make, delicious, and loaded with healthy nutrients. Perfect for breakfast or as a snack.

Homemade Popcorn

Homemade popcorn from scratch is quick and easy to make, a delicious and healthy snack, and is completely customizable with your favorite seasonings.

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.

Homemade Applesauce

Homemade applesauce is a quick and easy fall treat with just 3 ingredients and very little time and effort. Serve it as a healthy snack or dessert.

Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal

Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal is a delicious, filling make-ahead breakfast or snack for fall - loaded with chewy oats, tender apples, crunchy walnuts, and cinnamon.

Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies Treats are a classic dessert loved by all. These chewy, crunchy, sticky-sweet treats are easy to make from scratch using just 3 ingredients!

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Chewy chocolate chip peanut butter granola bars are healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Prep them in just 10 minutes to snack on for weeks.

Garlic Breadsticks

Soft garlic breadsticks are fluffy, airy, buttery, and delicious. They're an easy recipe that is perfect for beginners at baking bread.

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. Some other loaves to try are lemon loaf with lemon glaze and festive yogurt fruitcake.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Flaky Garlic Cheddar Biscuits are a simple but delicious and flavorful no yeast bread that is ready for the oven with less than 15 minutes prep.

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.

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.

Roasted Chestnuts

Enjoy street vendor roasted chestnuts at home in three different ways - roast in the oven, cook over the stove, or in the air fryer. Remember to peel them before packing them in the lunch box.

Fruit Salad

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.

Avocado Hummus

Quick and easy avocado hummus is creamy, smooth, healthy, and delicious. Loaded with chickpeas and avocado, it's the perfect blend of hummus and guacamole.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Slow cooker applesauce is delicious, healthy, kid-friendly, packed with warm and cozy fall flavors, and easy to make with just 10 minutes prep. The kiddos love to eat this snack by the spoon.

Zucchini Muffins

Quick and easy zucchini muffins are loaded with fresh zucchini which makes them fluffy, moist, delicious, and full of nutrients. Freezer-friendly too!

Quick Dinner Bread Rolls with Green Onions

Soft and fluffy, quick dinner bread rolls are loaded with green onions and topped with flaked sea salt and sesame seeds. Ready in just 1.5 hours. You can also make them without green onions for any picky eaters. These rolls are perfect for making little sandwiches or just with butter. You can also try easy skillet dinner rolls or homemade biscuits.

Soft and fluffy, quick dinner bread rolls are loaded with green onions and topped with flaked sea salt and sesame seeds. Ready in just 1.5 hours. | aheadofthyme.com

Skinny Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

Let's finish off the list with a treat you can feel good about giving to your kids. It is time to say good-bye to the store-bought stuff and make skinny strawberries and cream popsicles at home using fresh fruit and Greek yogurt.

Homemade Kettle Corn

Say goodbye to store-bought popcorn and hello to homemade Kettle Corn - sweet and salty, loved by all, and quick and easy to make with just 4 ingredients.

Applesauce Bread

Homemade applesauce bread is fluffy, moist, and delicious. Loaded with fall flavors that transforms your favorite snack into a loaf cake.

School Lunches to Pair With

You can pair these school snacks with your kids favorite school lunches. Our popular school lunch recipes are:

Tips for Preparing Back to School Lunch and Snacks

Here are some tips and tricks to help make things easier when preparing back to school lunch and snacks.

Prep in advance. Depending on the recipe, try to prep as much as you can the night before to make the mornings go much more smoothly. Whether that is chopping up vegetables or mixing ingredients together, do as much as you can. You can store all your prepared ingredients in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Involve your kids in the kitchen. My son is only 17 months old, but I find that even at his age, when I involve him in the cooking process by getting him to "help" me in his learning tower (whether it's transferring chopped vegetables from a plate to a pot, or playing with tupperware), he eats his meal much more readily.
Pack the lunch and snacks in a cute lunch box and containers. There are so many options that you can choose from with a whole variety of designs. I've linked my favourite bento-style lunch box, insulated lunch bag, kids cutlery, and toddler cutlery.
Opt for foods that aren't super messy.

Did You Make Any of These Back to School Snack Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of school snack 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.

Creamy Vegetarian Peanut Miso Ramen

We are slowly transitioning into fall, which means bring on all the comfort foods. To me, comfort food usually means a big bowl of noodle soup. This creamy vegetarian peanut miso ramen has a super creamy and flavourful vegan soup base with tomato and shiitake mushrooms, and is topped with delicate and thin ramen noodles, assorted vegetables, and a perfect soft-boiled ramen egg. This is the kind of ramen that you will take that huge ramen bowl and drink it like a cup, making sure to get every last bit of soup. It's so so delicious.

And aside from the eggs, this is a one pot recipe. Which means that you make everything in one pot. First you prepare the soup base and then cook your ramen noodles directly inside the soup. No extra pot needed, no colander needed.

What is in Peanut Miso Ramen?

vegetable oil
onion
tomato
shiitake mushrooms
garlic
miso paste
smooth peanut butter
ramen noodles
corn
bean sprouts
scallions
eggs - perfectly soft-boiled.
white sesame seeds - for garnish.

You will also need a large pot, ramen bowls, and chopsticks.

How to Make the Best Creamy Vegetarian Peanut Miso Ramen

In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add in chopped onion, sliced tomato, shiitake mushrooms and minced garlic. (If you use dried shiitake mushroom, make sure to rehydrate them by pre-soaking them in water for at least 20 minutes before use). Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add in water and bring it to a boil. Stir in miso paste and peanut butter, and dissolve into the soup. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Add the ramen noodles in the soup and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Stir the noodles occasionally with chopsticks to prevent them from sticking together.

To assemble the ramen soup, divide and pour the ramen soup with noodles evenly into two large bowls. Add in corn, bean sprouts, chopped scallions, and soft-boiled egg on top. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve hot.

How to Make the Best Soft-boiled Ramen Eggs

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add eggs and cook for 6 minutes. In the first minute, continuously stir the eggs clockwise in the boiling water so that the egg yolk sits right in the centre.
Once done, remove the eggs and immediately place them in an ice water bath for a few minutes.
Peel the shells and slice the eggs in half.

Tips for Making Miso Ramen

How to make a stronger soup base: For a stronger flavoured soup base, add another tablespoon of peanut butter. This will also make the soup extra creamy.
How to make vegan miso ramen: The ramen soup base is completely vegan, which means that you can make this ramen vegan simply by omitting the eggs.
How to store miso ramen: You can store the peanut miso ramen soup base separately from the noodles. I would not recommend storing the noodles together with the soup as the ramen noodles will disintegrate and lose its shape when soaked in liquid for too long. You can store the soup base in a sealed container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

More Noodle Soups to Try

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Crispy Bottom Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns

Better than takeout, crispy bottom Shanghai pan-fried pork buns are crispy and golden on the outside, yet fluffy, airy and chewy on the inside with a savoury and juicy pork and spring onion filling inside. Serve this popular Chinese dim sum snack at home with a homemade vinegar dipping sauce or spicy chili oil.

What are Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns?

Crispy bottom Shanghai pan-fried pork buns, also known as shengjian bao or baozi 生煎包 , is a popular Chinese breakfast or snack food (dim sum). It is a specialty of the city of Shanghai. These buns are first fried to give them their iconic golden and crispy bottoms, and then steamed to cook the filling inside, giving them their soft and super fluffy texture inside. They are made with a yeast dough and are typically filled with pork and spring onions inside.

Ingredients in Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns

Here is what you will need to make these Shanghai pork buns:

bun dough - made with all-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, baking powder, and water.
ground pork
spring onions
fresh ginger
soy sauce
sesame oil
Shaoxing cooking wine
sugar
white pepper
black pepper - optional.
vegetable oil and water - for pan frying the buns.
garnish toppings - black sesame seeds and spring onions.
vinegar dipping sauce - made with black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and green onions.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl s, a small rolling pin, and a non-stick skillet with cover.

How to Make the Best Crispy Bottom Shanghai Pan-Fried Pork Buns

First, prepare the filling by combining all the filling ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Use a spatula to mix well and evenly, blending the ingredients together. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour until the dough is ready for assembling.

Then, prepare the bun dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, salt and water. Mix well to combine with a spatula, until the mixture forms into a dough. Make sure to scrape off any remaining dry flour on the sides of the bowl.

Knead the dough with your hands (or stand mixer) until the dough becomes smooth and soft, about 10 minutes. This is a 60% hydration dough (water to flour ratio) and it should be fairly easy to handle. Form the dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a chopping board or cling wrap. Let the dough sit at room temperature for one hour, or until it rises and doubles in size. Once risen, knead the dough for a few minutes to get rid of any air bubbles.

Transfer dough onto a floured surface and roll into a log. Divide the log into 15 even pieces and roll into balls by cupping them into your palm and making circular motions. Flatten and roll each dough ball out into a 3-inch circle with a small rolling pin. Note that the centre should be slightly thicker than the edges.

How to Fold Crispy Bottom Buns

Add a tablespoon filling into the centre of the rolled out dough. Bring the edges of the dough up, enclosing the filling inside. Seal the filling inside by pleating the edges together with your finger.

Turn the buns over with the pleated side down (the top side should be smooth) and place on a parchment-lined tray or plate. Cover with a tea towel and let them rest for another 20 minutes to allow the dough to rise a bit more (not double in size).

How to Pan Fry Crispy Bottom Buns

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Place buns with the pleated side facing down. Make sure to place buns approximately ½ inch apart to prevent them from sticking together. (You may have to cook in 2 batches if your skillet is not large enough). Cook for 2 minutes until the bottom turns golden brown and crispy. Make sure to place buns approximately ½ inch apart to prevent them from sticking together.
Add a cup of cold water into the pan. The water should start sizzling and bubbling immediately. Make sure the water is about ½-inch deep and covers about half of the buns' height. Cover with the lid and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes until almost all the water is evaporated.
Remove the lid and lower the heat to medium. Cook for another 2 minutes until all water has been absorbed and the bottom is crispy brown. Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions on top.

How to Serve Crispy Bottom Pork Buns

Serve these crispy bottom pan-fried Shanghai pork buns hot with a side of vinegar dipping sauce or spicy chili oil. To make the dipping sauce, combine black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions in a small bowl and stir to combine.

FAQ and Tips on Making Shanghai Pork Buns

Can you customize the filling? Absolutely. There are endless ways that you can customize the filling. You can use different protein such as ground beef or chicken, and other types of vegetables such as beans sprouts or chives.
Can I use dry active yeast instead of instant yeast? Yes, you will just need to adjust the first step slightly. Rather than mixing together all the dough ingredients, first combine the active yeast with the water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to activate it (it should get bubbly and frothy). Then, combine the rest of the dough ingredients in a large bowl and pour in the yeast mixture to combine. Continue on with the recipe as instructed.
How long do crispy bottom buns last? You can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat in the oven or in the air fryer.
Can you freeze crispy bottom buns? Yes, these Shanghai buns freeze beautifully. Place uncooked buns in a single later on a parchment-lined baking tray and place in the freezer for one hour. Once they are relatively frozen, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. This method prevents them from sticking together initially.

More Dim Sum Recipes

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Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta Bake

Creamy and dreamy shrimp fettuccine alfredo pasta bake is garlicky, buttery, cheesy, and loaded with jumbo shrimp and fresh parsley smothered in the creamiest alfredo sauce. It's the ultimate comfort food topped with gooey and golden mozzarella cheese baked to perfection. The best part? It's ready in about 20 minutes, including prep. It's such a quick and easy weeknight dinner, not to mention delicious.

Serve this alfredo pasta bake with pull apart garlic bread to dip and soak up all that delicious sauce. You seriously don't want to miss out on a drop of it. Some other great breads that you can make to soak up the alfredo are small batch ciabatta rolls or green onion dinner rolls.

Ingredients in Shrimp Alfredo

fettuccine pasta - I used fresh fettuccine which cooked in about 3 minutes. You can also use dry boxed fettuccine but note that it will take closer to 10 minutes to cook to al dente. You can even use any type of pasta shape that you like. A great option is penne as it will scoop up lots of sauce.
salt - for boiling the pasta.
olive oil
onions
garlic - I used minced garlic because of it's stronger flavour, but you can easily substitute with garlic powder if it is easier for you.
parsley - lots and lots of parsley.
shrimp - 1 pound of shrimp. I used jumbo shrimp which was about 20-24 pieces, but any kind of shrimp will work. To prepare, cut through the shell along the back of the prawns and remove the shells and tails. Then, rinse to remove the veins and pat dry with paper towel.
alfredo sauce - made using melted butter, cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and Parmesan cheese. You can also use store-bought alfredo sauce instead, especially if you don't have all these ingredients or want to make this even faster.
ground black pepper
salt flakes - to taste.
fresh mozzarella cheese - for the pasta bake. The melted mozzarella cheese really enhances the flavour. You can choose to skip the mozzarella and the pasta bake step and just serve this as delicious shrimp fettuccine alfredo.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a colander, and a cast-iron skillet (for the pasta bake).

How to Make the Best Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo Pasta Bake

First, cook the fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water, according to package instructions until al dente (in other words, firm to the bite). Fresh fettuccine takes about 3 minutes to cook thoroughly, whereas dry pasta will take closer to 10 minutes. Drain the fettuccine in a colander and set aside to be added into the skillet directly without rinsing.

Next, make the creamy shrimp alfredo sauce. Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and cook until they turn orange, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, onions, and parsley and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and onions are soft and translucent.

Add melted butter, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream. Stir well and cook for about 2 minutes until the mixture forms into a uniform texture. Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Continue stirring well for another minute to combine all ingredients. You will notice the mixture start to thicken a bit.

Turn off the heat and add the cooked fettuccine. Toss well to combine. Sprinkle salt flakes on top to taste. You can serve the pasta immediately at this point, or continue on to the pasta bake.

For the pasta bake, add pieces of fresh mozzarella evenly on top of fettuccine. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil on high for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese melts and browns. Keep a close eye on the pasta because things can happen very quickly in the broiler.

Tips for Making Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo

Can I make this with chicken? Simply replace the shrimp with small pieces or strips of chicken and adjust the cook time. Depending on the size of the chicken, you should cook until chicken turns white, about 5-6 minutes, before proceeding to add the onions, garlic and parsley.
How to serve: Serve this alongside some pull apart garlic bread or a crusty bread for dipping, such as small batch ciabatta rolls or small batch no-knead bread.
How to store: Store shrimp fettuccine alfredo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply heat in the microwave or in a skillet. You may need to add a little water to thin out the sauce a bit.

More Pasta Recipes

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Grilled Cajun Shrimp Skewers

Juicy, tender, and flavourful grilled cajun shrimp skewers are my new favourite summer meal. These prawn skewers are garlicky, lemony, beautifully charred and packed with flavour from the cajun seasoning in the marinade and the olive oil parsley mixture that we brush on top. The best part of all? It takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and make, and this includes the time it takes to marinate.

Ingredients in Cajun Shrimp Marinade

Cajun shrimp skewers are all about the marinade. To make this, you will the following ingredients:

tiger prawns - or jumbo shrimp. You will need one pound, which is roughly 24 prawns. To prepare them, use scissors to cut through the shell along the back of the prawns, and remove the shells and tails. Rinse to remove the veins and pat dry with paper towel.
olive oil
lemon juice
garlic
cajun spice - or Old Bay spice.
Italian seasoning
paprika
parsley - fresh parsley to add on top when grilling.
lemon wedges - for serving.

You will also need skewers, tongs for grilling, and an indoor grill pan (if you are not using an outdoor grill).

How to Make the Best Grilled Cajun Shrimp Skewers

First marinate the prawns. Add the peeled and deveined prawns into a large bowl and add in a tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, cajun spice, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Toss to combine and fully coat the prawns with the marinade. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

Then, thread the marinated prawns onto skewers. Add 4 prawns on each skewer.

Lightly brush some olive oil over the grill pan. Preheat the grill over medium high heat for 3 minutes until the oil starts sizzling and shimmering. In a small bowl, combine remaining olive oil with finely chopped parsley. Set aside until ready to grill.

Place the skewers spaced evenly apart on the grill pan and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the prawns turn completely orange. Brush the olive oil parsley mixture over the prawns during grilling.

Transfer to a plate and serve warm with some lemon wedges on the side. Sprinkle extra chopped parsley on top.

How to Cook Cajun Shrimp in the Air Fryer

To cook cajun shrimp skewers in the air fryer, do not thread them and place about 10 prawns in the air fryer basket at a time. Cook at 350 F for 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

How to Serve Cajun Shrimp Skewers

Serve cajun shrimp on it's own as a snack or appetizer
Serve it with a side of coconut rice or plain white rice. It is also really nice served on top of creamy mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.
Serve it in a salad. Try it with a Mediterranean orzo pasta salad or a summer corn salad.
Serve it in shrimp tacos with lime crema slaw.

Tips for Making Shrimp Skewers

Marinate the prawns. I recommend marinating the prawns for just 15 minutes and up to a maximum of 30 minutes. This is because of the acidic lemon juice in the marinade, which will actually start to "cook" the prawns. The same idea that makes ceviche work.
Double up the recipe. This recipe that makes about 6 skewers. You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd (or if you just want to make sure you have leftovers for lunch the next day). Leftovers are amazing in a salad, and you don't even need to warm it up.
How to store. Unthread the prawns from the skewers and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

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Safari Animal Print Cake Pops

These safari animal print cake pops are homemade with a combination of delicious vanilla cake and vanilla buttercream rolled into a ball and dipped into white chocolate. The bold animal prints make it the perfect item to add to a wild one safari first birthday party dessert table or any jungle-themed party. The best part? They are surprisingly simple to make.

These cake pops are easy to make especially if you are using leftover cake. Plus, there is no need for a fancy cake pop tray. You simply create the cake balls by rolling the cake mixture into balls and freezing. Once set, dip away into melted chocolate and paint on your animal print patterns using homemade edible paint.

Cake pops are just so much more fun to decorate and eat when they have a theme. But, if it's not your thing, you can always opt for simple vanilla cake pops or chocolate cake pops decorated with sprinkles. Same amount of deliciousness. Plus, you can coordinate the colour of the sprinkles to still match the theme that you are going for.

What is in these Vanilla Safari Cake Pops?

all-purpose flour
baking powder and baking soda
salt
butter
granulated sugar
egg
vanilla extract
whole milk
frosting - made with butter, icing sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract.
chocolate coating - pure white chocolate and coconut oil.
gel food coloring
lemon extract

You will also need: a silicone spatula, round 6-inch cake pan, lollipop sticks, food paint brush, and a cake pop stand (or styrofoam block).

How to Make the Best Homemade Vanilla Cake Pops

First, you need vanilla cake. You can use leftover cake, or bake your own. It's quite simple to bake your own.

First, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a small bowl.
Next, cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl using an electric mixer, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and continue to beat until fully mixed together.
Slowly add one third of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beat until just combined. Then alternate with half of the milk. Continue adding and alternating flour mixture and milk to the batter, and ending with the flour mixture. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and to stir until just combined.
Pour batter into a lightly-greased round 6-inch cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 375 F preheated oven, until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Allow cake to cool in the cake pan for 30 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack until completely cooled.

Next, make the frosting. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat butter until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Add sugar, milk, and vanilla, and continue to beat until smooth.

Now we are ready to assemble and shape the cake balls. Crumble the cooled cake and place into the bowl of frosting. Using an electric mixer to beat together until combined and smooth, approximately 2 minutes. The cake mixture should have a play-doh like consistency.

Take a tablespoon of cake mixture and roll it into a ball. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. Place tray into the refrigerator for 1 hour.

How to Coat Safari Cake Pops

For the animal print, we will be making cake pops with 3 different base colours: white, pale yellow, deep yellow and orange. First, melt the white chocolate with coconut oil in a tall mug or measuring cup.

For the white base: Dip ¼-inch of a cake pop lollipop stick into the chocolate, and then insert it halfway into the cake ball. Completely dip the cake ball into the chocolate and lightly tap off any excess. Place upright into a cake pop stand (or styrofoam block). Repeat with a quarter of all the cake balls.
For the pale yellow base: Now dye the chocolate a light pale yellow using gel food coloring. Repeat the above step and coat a quarter of all the cake balls with the pale yellow chocolate. Place upright in the cake pop stand.
For the deep yellow base: Dye the chocolate a deeper pale yellow using more gel food coloring. Coat a quarter of all the cake balls with the deep yellow chocolate. Place upright in the cake pop stand.
For the orange base: Now dye the chocolate orange by adding some red gel food coloring. Coat the remaining cake balls in orange. Place upright in the cake pop stand.

Carefully place the cake pop stand with the cake pops in the refrigerator and allow coating to set completely, approximately one hour.

How to Decorate Safari Animal Print Cake Pops

Giraffe Print

In a small dish, add ¼ teaspoon of lemon extract to one drop of brown gel food coloring.
Using a food paint brush and ⅔ of the brown paint, paint a giraffe print pattern on the deep yellow cake pops.

Leopard Print

Use the remaining ⅓ of the brown paint to brush circles/dots onto the pale yellow cake pops. Then, place back into the cake pop stand.
In a small dish, add ½ teaspoon of lemon extract to two drops of black gel food coloring.
Use about ¼ of the black paint to brush crescents around the brown dots to complete the look.

Zebra Print

Use half of the remaining black paint to brush stripes on the white coated cake pops.

Tiger Print

Use the remaining black paint to brush stripes onto the orange coated cake pops.

Place decorated cake pops upright back into the cake pop stand or a styrofoam block. You can store cake pops at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator or up to 1 week.

Wild One Safari Jungle Birthday Party

These cake pops are the perfect addition to a "Wild One" safari jungle party, or any safari or jungle themed party.

How to Throw the Best Wild One Safari Birthday Party | aheadofthyme.com

Throw the best wild one safari birthday party with ideas on every detail for an epic jungle party from decor and party favors, to desserts and recipes. | aheadofthyme.com

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The Best Egg Salad Sandwich

The best egg salad sandwich is a quick and easy picnic classic loaded with perfectly hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, a touch of dijon mustard, a sprinkle of fresh green onions and seasonings. This creamy egg sandwich is packed with so much flavour from just a few simple ingredients. You may think I am biased but personally, this is the best egg salad I have ever had. It is just SO good. Double up or triple the batch to feed a crowd.

This post was originally published in January 2018. It was completely updated in August 2020.

What is in Egg Salad?

eggs - perfectly hard-boiled using a fool-proof method.
mayonnaise
dijon mustard
chives
paprika
salt and pepper
bread - I used regular sandwich toast bread, but feel free to use any bread you have. Some of my favourites to use are French baguettes, ciabatta rolls, or everything bagels. If you have a sourdough starter going, then sourdough bread would be perfect.

You can also add in any other ingredients that you want. Some popular ones to add are pickles or relish, celery, and diced chicken.

To make this recipe, you will also need a cooking pot, measuring cups and spoons, and a mixing bowl.

How to Make the Best Egg Salad Sandwich

Boil and cool the eggs. Then, peel and finely chop them or grate them with a grater.
Transfer chopped eggs a medium bowl and add mayonnaise, dijon mustard, chives, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir with a spoon to mix well. If salad seems dry, add more mayonnaise to reach desired consistency.
Spread the egg salad on half the sandwich slices and top with the other half. You should get 3-4 sandwiches depending on how full you spread the egg salad on them. You can also serve this with crackers or pita chips.

How to Boil the Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Place eggs into a medium saucepan and cover with water by an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and remove from heat. Cover the saucepan with the lid and set aside for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and fill with cold water to cool down the eggs. Peel the eggs once they have cooled.

Tips for Making Egg Salad

How to store egg salad: Store egg salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can leave it at room temperature for up to 2 hours only.
Make egg salad sandwiches in advance: You can make egg salad in advance and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the sandwiches. Egg salad sandwiches also keep really well in the refrigerator and can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

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Air Fryer Jumbo Shrimp

10-minute air fryer jumbo shrimp is perfectly juicy and tender on the inside, and crispy on the outside. It's garlicky, marinated in Asian seasonings, and packed with flavour. It takes less than 10 minutes to prep and just 10 minutes to cook. So so easy and so delicious. It's literally the best way to cook shrimp.

Air Fryer Shrimp Ingredients

To make this dish, you will need the following ingredients:

jumbo shrimp
olive oil
soy sauce
garlic
sugar
Italian seasoning
ground black pepper - optional.
white sesame seeds - for garnish.
cilantro - for garnish.
spicy mayo sauce - made with mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice.

You will also need an air fryer, measuring cups and spoons, and a ziploc bag or mixing bowl.

How to Make the Best Air Fryer Jumbo Shrimp

The best thing about the air fryer is that pretty much any recipe you make in it is easy. They are usually easy to prep, quick cooking, and so juicy and flavourful. This jumbo shrimp is no exception.

The first step is to prepare the shrimp. Cut through the shrimp shell along the back with kitchen scissors. Remove veins, rinse and pat dry with paper towel. I kept the shells on because I find that it keeps the shrimp inside juicier and more tender. You can of course choose to remove the shells. Either way, it is going to be delicious.

Then, marinate the shrimp by placing it in a large ziploc bag (or mixing bowl). Add in all the seasoning (olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, Italian seasoning, and black pepper). Seal the bag and gently press the marinade around the shrimp to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.

To air fryer the shrimp, transfer the marinated shrimp into the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd the basket. A batch of 10-15 shrimps is ideal. Air fry the shrimp at 350 F for 10 minutes, until the shells are crispy and orange. Shake the basket halfway through cooking.

Transfer the shrimps onto a plate, sprinkle white sesame seeds and cilantro on top, and serve with spicy mayo sauce. and serve with spicy mayo sauce. To make the spicy mayo sauce, combine mayonnaise, sriracha and lime juice in a small bowl and stir well with a spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions when Preparing Shrimp

Is it better to cook the shrimp with the shell on or off? I like to keep the shells on because I find that it keeps the shrimp inside juicier and more tender and adds a lot of flavour. If you don't want to keep the shells on, easily remove them at the same time that you are deveining the shrimp. Whether you choose to keep the shell on or remove it, it is going to be delicious.
Is it necessary to devein shrimp? It is really up to personal preference and aesthetics when deciding to devein shrimp or not.
How do you devein shrimp with the shell on? It's quite easy. Use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a slit through the shell, along the back of the shrimp. Remove the veins and rinse the shrimp clean. Doing this also makes it easier to peel the shrimp when cooked.

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Small Batch Garlic Naan Bread

There is nothing quite like piping hot freshly baked garlic naan bread. It's buttery, garlicky, soft and pillowy, and full of perfectly blistered air pockets. Leftovers are great, but it's never quite the same. So that's when a small batch recipe is perfect for one person or a small family. Plus it's super easy to make without a tandoor clay oven and takes less than 15 minutes of actual prep work.

What is Naan Bread?

Naan bread is an Indian flatbread that is traditionally made in a tandoor clay oven. It served alongside Indian curries, and used to scoop up a spoonful of curry. My favourites to serve with naan bread are creamy butter chicken or vegan chickpea coconut curry.

You can even use it as a flatbread in any recipe that requires flatbread. Try it with a greek salad hummus flatbread, mushroom and spinach flatbread or an apple and arugula flatbread.

What is in Garlic Naan Bread?

all purpose flour
instant yeast - can also be substituted with dry active yeast. To prepare the dry active yeast, first dissolve it in the water and let it sit for 5 minutes to activate. Then mix your dough ingredients together.
water
plain yogurt - this is the secret ingredient that makes Indian naan bread so soft and tender.
vegetable oil
sugar - helps the yeast rise faster.
salt - adds flavour.
garlic topping - butter, garlic, and parsley.

You will also need mixing bowls, baking tray, rolling pin (if rolling out the naan), and a skillet (if cooking on the stovetop vs the oven). I also highly recommend a kitchen scale to get the most accurate measurements when measuring out your ingredients.

How to Make the Best Small Batch Garlic Naan Bread (Two Ways)

The first step is to prepare the dough. In a large bowl, mix together flour, yeast, water, yogurt, oil, sugar, and salt. Stir well to combine with a spatula until the mixture forms into a shaggy dough. Make sure to scrape off any remaining dry flour from the sides of the bowl.

Apply some water on your hands and stretch and fold the dough by folding the edges over to the centre (it takes less than a minute to fold all 4 sides). The dough is quite sticky. Cover the bowl in cling wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Knead the dough using your hands. It should take you less than 5 minutes to form a smooth and soft dough ball. Transfer the smooth dough ball back in the bowl and let it rest covered for 1 hour until it is almost doubles in size.

Transfer dough onto a lightly oiled surface and roll into a log. Then, divide the log into 10 even balls by cupping them in your palm and making circular motions. Transfer the dough balls to a lined baked tray and cover. Allow the dough balls to rest for 20 minutes.

Now, let's shape the dough. Take a dough ball and gently press and stretch it with your fingers to form a circular shape (similar to shaping pizza dough). You can also roll the dough out with a rolling pin.

How to Make Naan Bread on a Skillet

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the rolled naan onto the hot skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. You should see the naan bread rise and form bubbles on top.

How to Make Naan Bread in the Oven

Preheat a large baking pan or pizza stone in the oven at 500 F. Place rolled naan on the pizza stone and bake for 2-3 minutes. You should see the naan bread rise and form bubbles on top To char the naan bread and make it extra crispy, turn the broiler on high and cook for an extra minute. Keep a close eye on it though, as the broiler gets very hot and can burn if left in too long.

How to Make the Garlic Butter

Combine melted butter, minced garlic and chopped parsley in a small bowl and mix them evenly. Apply the garlic butter on one side of each naan bread with a brush.

Tips for Making Naan Bread

How to serve garlic naan bread: My favourite way to serve naan bread is alongside Indian butter chicken or vegan chickpea coconut curry. You can also use it as a flatbread and top with all sorts of toppings. Try it with a greek salad hummus flatbread, mushroom and spinach flatbread or an apple and arugula flatbread.
How to store naan bread: Store cooled naan bread in a sealed ziploc bag at for up to 3 days at room temperature. You can also freeze them in a sealed ziploc bag for up to 3 months. When freezing multiple naan breads, layer them with a piece of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
How to reheat naan bread: If frozen, allow it to thaw first to room temperature. Then, reheat in the air fryer at 350 F for 5-7 minutes, or in a 350 F preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

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Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

This summer has been all about the Mediterranean vibes. There is just something about the bright and vibrant vegetables, the lemony and olive oil flavours and all the fresh herbs, that screams summer. This quick and easy Mediterranean orzo pasta salad does not disappoint. It's packed with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, and olives all tossed in a lemon vinaigrette and packed with herbs. It's super easy to make, healthy and light, and so delicious.

What is Orzo?

Orzo is a tiny rice-shaped pasta that is easily confused with rice since it looks a lot like it. It's a quick-cooking pasta that can be thrown into so many recipes. Plus, a little goes a long way so it's not as filling as a big plate of pasta. For example, you can throw it into a salad or soup, add it into rice pilaf, or use it a replacement in any pasta dish that you want to make.

What is in Mediterranean Orzo Salad?

To give you an idea of what Mediterranean orzo salad is like, it is very similar to a Greek salad as it has all the same ingredients and dressing, except with the addition of orzo. Here is exactly what you will need to make this salad (full quantities in recipe card below):

orzo pasta
grape tomatoes - You can substitute with cherry tomatoes, or even roma tomatoes diced into small pieces.
mini cucumbers - I like the small slices you get from mini cucumbers. You can substitute with other types of cucumbers. Just quarter them and then slice.
red onion
Kalamata olives - pitted and halved.
feta cheese - I cut my feta into small cubes but to save time, you can crumble as well.
fresh dill - fresh herbs adds a nice depth of flavour to this salad. Fresh parsley also is really nice in this salad, or even a combination of the two works well.
lemon vinaigrette dressing - made with olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt and pepper. This dressing is essentially the same as what I put into my Greek salad. So delicious.

You can also add in some extra protein to make it a full meal. Try some grilled souvlaki chicken or grilled salmon on top or toss in some chickpeas.

To make this salad, you will also need measuring cups and spoons, a cooking pot, a colander, and mixing bowls.

How to Make the Best Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

First, you want to cook the orzo pasta. Just like any other type of pasta, cook the orzo in a pot of boiling water until al dente, about 10 minutes, or according to package instructions. Then, drain in a colander and run it under cold water. Set it aside to cool down.

In a large bowl, combine cooled orzo, tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta, and dill. In a small bowl, mix together the dressing (add olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper). Pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss to combine.

How to Serve Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Serve this salad with some grilled souvlaki skewers such as chicken souvlaki skewers, lamb souvlaki skewers or souvlaki beef shish kebabs. Don't forget the homemade tzatziki sauce and Greek pita bread.

Tips for Making Orzo Salad

How to store orzo pasta salad. This recipe makes a big salad, so you may have some leftovers. You can store orzo salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 4 days. You can store it together with the dressing or separately.
Add orzo salad to your meal prep menu. The great thing about this orzo salad is that it makes for some awesome leftovers that you can store in your fridge and eat throughout the week. Which also means, it's the perfect item to meal prep.

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Crispy Bottom Pan-Fried Vegetable Buns (No Yeast)

Crispy bottom pan-fried fried vegetable buns made with no yeast, are perfectly crunchy and crispy on the outside, yet tender and chewy on the inside with a savoury vegetarian filling made with stir-fried mushrooms, carrots, and vermicelli noodles. Say goodbye to takeout and serve this popular Chinese snack at home with a homemade vinegar dipping sauce.

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

What are Crispy Bottom Vegetable Buns?

Crispy bottom vegetable buns are a popular Chinese street food, also known as shui jian bao (which translates to "water fried bun"). They are first fried to get that iconic golden crispy bottom, and then steamed to cook the inside and give the buns their soft and fluffy texture inside.

Here is what you will need to make these vegetable buns:

bun dough - made with all-purpose flour, salt, and boiling water. Adding hot boiling water in flour is a technique known as flour scalding, which breaks down starch in the flour and makes the dough softer and more stretchy. It also makes the dough much easier to knead.
rice vermicelli noodles
brown mushrooms
carrots
green onions
garlic
seasonings - soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, vegetable stock powder (optional), and salt.
cornstarch - if needed to thicken up the filling.
vegetable oil - for stir-frying the filling, and for pan-frying the buns.
black or white sesame seeds - to coat on the buns.
vinegar dipping sauce - made with black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions.

You will also need mixing bowl s, a small rolling pin, and a non-stick skillet with cover.

How to Make the Best Crispy Bottom Pan-Fried Vegetables Buns with No Yeast

First, make the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt to combine. Slowly add in boiling water and stir well to combine, until there are no dry flour particles visible in the bowl. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Cover and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.

Then, transfer the dough onto a clean and lightly greased surface, and knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and not sticky at all. Transfer the smooth dough back in the mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let rest for 20 minutes, while you are prepping the filling.

Next, prep the filling ingredients and stir fry them together. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes until the oil is hot and starts to sizzle. Add in all the filling ingredients and stir well with a wooden spatula to mix evenly, about 2 minutes. If you find the vegetable mixture is a bit watery, add a teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken it a bit. Transfer the mixture onto a plate and let it cool down to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes.

Now let's shape the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a log and divide it into 10 equal pieces using a bench scraper or knife. Take one piece of dough at a time and flatten it with a small dough roller or with your palm.

Shape the dough into a 4-inch circle. Note that the centre should be slightly thicker than the edges. This dough should be particularly softer and more pliable because of the hot water scalding flour technique.

How to Fold Crispy Bottom Buns

Place 1 tablespoon of filling into the middle of each rolled out dough. Bring the edges of the dough up, enclosing the filling, and pleat the edges together into a little bag to seal the mixture inside.

Add sesame seeds into a shallow dish. Dab the smooth side of the bun with a little bit of water and gently press it into the shallow dish of sesame seeds. The water will help the seeds stick to the bun. Place the bun on a baking tray and cover with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out.

How to Pan Fry Crispy Bottom Buns

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Place a batch of 5 buns with the sesame seeds side facing up and placed ½-inch apart to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 1 minute until the bottom turns golden brown.

Turn the buns over and add ½ cup of water into the pan. The water should start sizzling and boiling immediately. Make sure the water is about ½-inch deep and covers about one-third of the buns' height. Cover with a lid and cook covered for 5-6 minutes until almost all the water has evaporated.

Take off the lid and lower heat to medium. Cook for another 1 minute until all the water has been absorbed and the sesame seeds side has turned golden brown and crispy as well.

How to Serve Crispy Bottom Vegetable Buns

Serve these pan-fried buns hot with a side of vinegar dipping sauce. To make the dipping sauce, combine black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Tips for Making Pan-Fried Buns

Make sure the dough is well-kneaded. A well-kneaded dough should be smooth and bounces back quickly when poked with your finger. If the indentation doesn't bounce back right away and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few more minutes.
Customize the filling. There are endless ways that you can customize the filling. You can use different vegetables such as beans sprouts or chives, or add in your favourite protein such as minced pork or chicken. The key is to keep the filling thick and not too runny. If you find it too runny, drain the extra liquid or add cornstarch to thicken it up.

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Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers

Greek-style spinach and feta turkey burgers are loaded with fresh spinach, tangy feta cheese and fresh Mediterranean herbs including oregano, parsley and dill. These burgers are so flavourful, tender and juicy. Plus, using extra lean turkey makes them a healthier option to a classic beef burger. With less than 15 minutes of prep, fire up the grill or turn on your stove and make these turkey burgers today.

What is in Greek Turkey Burgers?

extra lean ground turkey
fresh spinach
feta cheese
breadcrumbs - I used panko breadcrumbs because I love the texture of them. Feel free to use any kind of breadcrumbs.
garlic - I love the taste of fresh garlic in these, but you can easily substitute with garlic powder for similar flavour.
oregano - I used dried but you can substitute with fresh.
parsley - I used fresh parsley, but you can substitute with dried parsley.
dill - I used fresh dill for it's stronger flavour, but you can substitute with dried dill, or you can leave it out and add extra parsley.
salt and pepper

To assemble these spinach and feta turkey burgers, you also need some hamburger buns and your favourite toppings. I highly recommend slathering some tzatziki sauce (cucumber and yogurt dip) on this one. So so good. I also added some lettuce, cucumber and red onions.

And don't forget an indoor grill pan (if you are not using an outdoor grill) and a turner spatula to flip the burgers over. You can also cook these on a cast-iron skillet.

How to Make the Best Greek-Style Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers

First, make the turkey patty mixture. In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey, spinach, feta cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic, oregano, parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Stir to combine with a spatula or use your hands to evenly combine everything together.

Then, shape the patties. Transfer the turkey mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. Flatten the mixture with your hands into a square that is ½-inch thick. Use a 4-inch circular mold to cut out 4 burger patties. (Alternatively, you can use your hands to shape the turkey mixture into 4 even-sized patties). Place on a parchment-lined baking tray or plate and cover with plastic cling wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.

Now, let's grill the spinach and feta turkey burgers. Brush oil over the grill pan and heat over medium high heat for 3 minutes, until the oil starts to shimmer and sizzle. Place patties on the grill, spacing them an inch apart. Cook for 5 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.

Toast the split hamburger buns on the grill, if desired, and assemble the burgers. Place a turkey patty on the bottom half of each bun and top with desired toppings, including a spoonful of tzatziki, lettuce, cucumber slices and red onions. Place the top have of the bun on top to assemble. Serve with a side of crispy french fries or sweet potato wedges.

Tips for Making Greek Turkey Burgers

How to tell if the turkey burger is cooked. A digital meat thermometer is very useful when grilling burgers for checking doneness. To get a quick measurement, just insert the thermometer halfway inside the meat to get a reading.
How to freeze turkey burger patties. You can freeze the uncooked spinach and feta turkey burger patties for up to 3 months. Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and place in the freezer for an hour. Then, stack them up and layer small squares of parchment paper in between them. Store in an airtight ziploc bag and place back in the freezer. To use them, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and follow the recipe.
How to serve turkey burgers. Serve warm with a side of crispy french fries or sweet potato wedges and a side salad. I love a big serving of Greek salad with this.
How to make your own artisan hamburger buns. You can make your own easy homemade hamburger buns in under 3 hours with only 15 minutes of actual prep work. These buns are soft, fluffy, and so airy. Totally worth the extra effort.

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Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Blueberry yogurt muffins are buttery, moist, soft, and cakey and bursting with blueberries in every single bite. These muffins are super quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients and a minimal amount of mess. If you've made my banana chocolate chip muffins or cranberry sauce muffins or spiced apple oatmeal muffins, then you know I love a good fruity muffin. This one is no exception and is by far my favourite to make in the summer during blueberry season. BUT you don't have to wait all year to make this because you an easily use frozen blueberries too. So whatcha waiting for?

What is in Super Moist Blueberry Muffins?

all-purpose flour
baking powder + baking soda - leavening agents to help the muffin rise.
salt - adds flavour.
butter - unsalted butter.
brown sugar - adds a little extra sweetness.
egg - adds flavour and structure.
yogurt - Yogurt is the secret ingredient that makes these muffins super moist and soft. I used whole fat plain yogurt but you can also use Greek yogurt or sour cream as a substitute.
vanilla extract - adds flavour.
blueberries - I used fresh blueberries as they are currently in season. You can also use frozen blueberries directly from the freezer, do not thaw them.

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

How to Make the Best Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

These blueberry yogurt muffins are super easy and simple to make, taking about 10 minutes to prep. First, sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) in a medium mixing bowl.

Next, use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg, then add yogurt and vanilla and beat until combined (the batter will be lumpy).

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until just combined, and no dry flour particles are visible. Fold in the blueberries (reserve ¼ cup of them for the top of the muffins).

Divide the batter evenly into a lined or greased 12-tin muffin pan using a large cookie scoop, filling them all the way to the top. Press remaining blueberries on top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes in a preheated 400 F oven, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire coolin g rack to continue cooling.

Tips for Making Blueberry Muffins

How long do blueberry muffins last? Freshly baked blueberry muffins, stored in an airtight container, last for up to 2 days at room temperature, or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
How to freeze blueberry muffins: You can freeze these muffins (baked and cooled) for up to 3 months. To freeze, place them into a freezer bag or airtight container and store in the freezer. To eat, first let them thaw and then enjoy. You can also warm them up, once thawed, in the microwave or in the oven.
How to make jumbo muffins: To make 6 jumbo muffins instead, bake for 22-25 minutes until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.