Cooking During Stolen Moments

Mac and Cheese Soup

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Warm and comforting Mac and Cheese Soup is a cheesy way to put a dinner on the table that the whole family will love. Leftovers are great for lunch, too!

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A serving of mac and cheese soup in a blue-handled bowl.

Have you been looking for a way to mix up your mac and cheese? Or maybe you’ve been looking for another soup to add to your regular repoitoire?

This is the soup for you!

Why you’ll love this recipe

This Mac and Cheese Soup recipe is a guaranteed winner! It’s overflowing with cheese and noodles, but it also has a healthy heaping of veggies thrown in to the mix for good measure.

It’s an easy dinner to throw together. You can get dinner on the table in just about 30 minutes, from start to finish.

Every mac and cheese fan will fall in love with their first bite. The soup tastes just like the classic dish, except you eat it with a spoon.

It makes plenty – enough for at least 8 servings – and the leftovers taste just as good as the original serving.

Ingredients you need

This soup requires a surprisingly few amount of ingredients. Here’s all you’ll need:

  • Stock (chicken or vegetable)
  • Onion, celery and carrots
  • Pasta
  • Shredded cheese
  • Milk
  • Butter
  • Cornstarch
  • Seasonings

That’s it! You likely even have everything you’ll need on hand already.

Tips to make the best Mac & Cheese Soup

This soup is so easy to put together that you really don’t have to worry too much about messing it up. But, there are a few things to keep in mind to make it the best that it can be!

Tip #1 – Use freshly shredded cheese instead of bagged shredded cheese. The freshly shredded cheese melts much more smoothly and helps to give the soup a silky consistency.

Tip #2 – Although I usually love one-pot soups where the noodles boil right in the broth, I don’t recommend that for this soup. It’s worth dirtying an extra pot to get the best consistency for both the soup and the noodles.

Tip #3 – Make sure you dissolve the cornstarch completely in the milk before you stir it into the soup. And when you do stir it in, pour it into the pot slowly and stir continuously. Both of these steps will prevent any clumps from forming.

Variations

There are all kinds of ways you can mix up the recipe for Mac and Cheese Soup! Have fun with and make it your own.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Top with cooked, crumbled bacon
  • Stir in lobster, cubed, cooked chicken or ham pieces
  • Add broccoli or cauliflower
  • Replace the pasta with potatoes
  • Use any shape of pasta that you’d like
  • Puree the veggies in the soup (with an immersion blender) before adding the pasta for a thick, chowder-y consistency
  • Use your favorite combination of cheeses

If you try any of these variations, or come up with one of your own, I would love to hear about it!

Other soup recipes to try

Close up of mac and cheese soup on a spoon

Mac and Cheese Soup

Warm and comforting Mac and Cheese Soup is a cheesy way to put a dinner on the table that the whole family will love. Leftovers are great for lunch, too!
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 medium Yellow onion (diced)
  • 4 stalks Celery (thinly sliced)
  • 3 Carrots (peeled and thinly sliced)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 8 cups Chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 cups Cooked pasta (shape of choice)
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cup Milk
  • 4 cups Freshly shredded cheese (Sharp cheddar, Colby Jack, Mild cheddar, or any other combination that you'd like)
  • Additional salt, pepper and paprika (to taste)

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter in a large pot. Add onions, celery and carrots. Season with salt, paprika and pepper and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour in stock and bring to a slow boil.
  • Simmer soup for about 10 minutes, until carrots are tender, maintaining a low boil.
  • Completely dissolve cornstarch in milk and slowly pour and stir into soup.
  • Add cheese a little bit at a time, stirring after each addition, until completely melted.
  • Stir in cooked noodles. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and paprika. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use freshly shredded cheese for the best consistency.
  • Save any leftovers and enjoy for a delicious lunch the next day.
  • Make it the soup your own with add-ins such as crumbled bacon, lobster, cooked chicken or ham pieces.
Keyword Mac and Cheese Soup

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting

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Apple Spice Cupcakes are packed with fall flavors, including chunks of apples, and covered in a sweet, maple-infused frosting. The perfect Autumn dessert!

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These cupcakes are an awesome fall-time dessert and kids love them as an after school snack.

They are so packed with flavor that you’ll fall in love with your first bite. The sweet, creamy frosting adds some extra sweetness and serves as a nice counterbalance to the subtle spiciness of the cupcake itself.

One of my favorite aspects of this recipe for Apple Spice Cupcakes is that they smell absolutely AMAZING while they bake. If you are entertaining during the fall, I definitely recommend that you plan to make these as a dessert option, and plan to have them baking when the guests arrive. They love the inviting, tasty aroma as they walk in the door!

What spices are included in these cupcakes?

One of my kids used to always confuse “spice” with “spicy,” which made her hesitant to eat an apple spice cupcake initially. After all, who wants a spicy cupcake??

Rest assured, these are not that!

Instead, this recipe gets its spice from the traditional fall family of spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. You’ll find these same flavors in Pumpkin Spice Lattes, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and so many other Autumn dishes.

Can I freeze Apple Spice Cupcakes or prep them ahead of time?

The short answer is – Yes, you can freeze apple spice cupcakes after you bake them.

The long answer is – You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I find that most cupcakes lose both some flavor and texture when they are frozen and then defrosted. These cupcakes are no different. If you are okay with that, go ahead and freeze them after they are cooled. You can frost them before freezing or after they’ve been thawed.

If you’d like to make them ahead of time, they’ll stay fresh and moist up to 3 days after baking.

You can also prepare both the batter and frosting up to 3 days in advance and then just bake and frost when you need them.

A quick note on baking

These cupcakes are a bit stickier than traditional cupcakes, so make sure that you grease AND flour your muffin tins, or use muffin liners, so that the bottoms to not stick to the pan.

A line of apple spice cupcakes with maple-brown sugar frosting on a polka-dot placemat.

Apple Spice Cupcakes with Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting

Apple Spice Cupcakes are packed with fall flavors, including chunks of apples, and covered in a sweet, maple-infused frosting. The perfect Autumn dessert!
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients
  

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 3 cups Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon Allspice
  • 2 Apples (peeled and diced)

For the Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting

  • 4 ounces Cream cheese (softened)
  • 2 cups Powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup Brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon Maple extract (optional)

Instructions
 

For the Cupcakes:

  • Prep your muffin tin by greasing and flouring each cup, or inserting muffin liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla on high speed for 2 minutes, or by hand for 5 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger and allspice until combined. Slowly add to mixing bowl and stir just until combined. Fold in apples. 
  • Pour into prepared muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until they pass the toothpick test. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Maple-Brown Sugar Frosting

  • Combine all ingredients and beat until desired frosting consistency.

Notes

  • You can freeze these after baking, but I do not recommend it as they lose something in both taste and texture.
  • Make sure you grease and flour your muffin tins well, or use a muffin liner. These cupcakes tend to be stickier than normal cupcakes.
  • Feel free to experiment with the spice amount. Use less for a more subtle spice flavor; use more for a more robust flavor.
Keyword Apple Spice Cupcakes

Apple Spice Bars

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Packed with the flavors of Fall, Apple Spice Bars make a perfect treat as a snack, dessert or even breakfast! Plus, they’re the perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte accompaniment.

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If you want to make your house smell like fall, just throw a batch of these Apple Spice Bars in the oven. And then, when you’re ready for a taste of fall, take a bite and you’ll instantly be transported.

How do I make Apple Spice Bars?

This recipe does require a little effort in the form of peeling and cutting a few apples, but it is so worth it!

The base of this recipe is similar to many other baked goods – you begin by combining butter and sugar until creamy. Then you add eggs, vanilla, flour and oats to create a hearty batter. Added spices – cinnamon, cocoa powder, nutmeg and allspice – provide that unique “spicy” fallish flavor to the batter.

Then, you stir in chopped apples and walnuts and really create the full fall flavor. Additionally, the apples and walnuts give the bars an awesome crunch and texture that really set them apart from other baked goods.

You can’t go wrong with this recipe!

Can I freeze the bars?

These bars freeze beautifully and I highly recommend you double or even triple the recipe when you have an abundance of apples.

To freeze, I like to bake and then fully cool the bars. Then I cut them into individual-sized helpings and place on a cookie sheet. I toss the cookie sheet into the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes to flash freeze.

Next, I wrap the flash-frozen bars individually in waxed paper and place in gallon sized freezer bags. They’ll stay good in the freezer without losing any quality or taste for about 6 months.

To defrost, I just pull out the number of bars we want, put them on a plate, and let them sit on the counter for about an hour before digging in.

Apple Spice Bars

Packed with the flavors of Fall, Apple Spice Bars make a perfect treat as a snack, dessert or even breakfast! Plus, they're the perfect Pumpkin Spice Latte accompaniment.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 bars

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup Butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup Brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1 cup Oats (old-fashioned or quick-cooking, depending on which texture you prefer)
  • 1 Tablespoon Cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon Allspice
  • 2 cups Peeled apple cubes
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
  • Powdered sugar for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except the apples and walnuts. Stir well and add to the mixing bowl. Beat just until combined.
  • Combine the apples and walnuts and toss with the lemon juice.
  • Fold the apple-walnut mixture into the mixing bowl. Spread into a greased 13×9 casserole dish.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely and cut into bars. Dust bars with powdered sugar, if desired.

Notes

  • I prefer to use green apples in this recipe, but have successfully used many different varieties of both red and green apples over the years. Feel free to use your favorites or whatever you have on hand.
  • For an awesome dessert option, warm an apple spice bar for a few seconds in the microwave and top with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Lightly drizzle on some caramel and enjoy!
Keyword Apple Spice Bars

Ground Beef Stroganoff Soup

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Ground Beef Stroganoff Soup combines all of the stroganoff flavors you love into a thick and hearty soup the whole family will enjoy.

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This thick and comforting soup will warm you up on the chilliest of days. But don’t stop there – you can absolutely enjoy this soup any time of year!

How to Make Ground Beef Stroganoff Soup

A rich beef broth combined with the creamy, silkiness of sour cream gives this soup the familiar texture and flavor of beef stroganoff, yet it doesn’t involve any labor intensive work or extra time in the kitchen. In fact, this soup comes together in just under 45 minutes.

The soup is packed with ground beef, mushrooms, carrots and noodles. It makes a complete meal on its own, or with a side salad or freshly baked bread or rolls.

Although the soup start off with a thinner beef stock base, the addition of sour cream combined with some cornstarch really thickens it up and adds a great depth of flavor.

Egg noodles are the ideal add-in noodle for this soup, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. As you can see in the picture, I substituted bow ties because that was what I had available.

A white bowl filled with a serving of ground beef stroganoff soup

Ground Beef Stroganoff Soup

Ground Beef Stroganoff Soup combines all of the stroganoff flavors you love into a thick and hearty soup the whole family will enjoy.
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound Ground Beef
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Onion (diced)
  • 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1/2 pound Mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
  • 1/2 pound Baby carrots
  • 8 cups Beef stock
  • 3 Tablespoons Corn starch
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 cup Sour cream
  • 1/2 pound Cooked noodles (Egg noodles are best, but any kind will do)

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, brown ground beef with butter, onions and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook until beef is browned completely. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until browned.
  • Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Stir in baby carrots and beef stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots are tender, at least 20 minutes. (You can let the soup slowly simmer for several hours at this point, if you want.)
  • Bring the soup back to a slow boil. Combine corn starch and water until smooth; slowly stir into soup. Let soup boil until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in sour cream and cooked noodles. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

  • The longer you let the soup simmer, the richer the flavors will become. However, if you’re in a big hurry, you can cut the simmer stage down to just 10 minutes by slicing the carrots before adding them to the soup.
  • If you want to make this a one-pot soup, you can cook the noodles along with the soup during step 2. To do this, you will need to add 2 additional cups of beef stock or water.
Keyword Ground Beef Stroganoff Soup

Melon Salad with Mint

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Melon Salad with Mint elevates traditional fruit salad with a gourmet spin. Perfect for entertaining or when you just want something different!

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Metal serving bowl filled with melon salad with mint

This recipe is awesome any time of year, but it’s especially great in the summertime when fresh melon is in season. It’s loved by adults and kids alike.

How to make Melon Salad with Mint

It doesn’t get much easier than this recipe! The most time-intensive aspect is the time it takes to ball the melons. But once that’s done, you can toss it all together in less than five minutes.

The mint dressing is what makes this salad stand out. It’s a simple mixture of fresh mint, sugar, lime juice and water. Fresh mint is crucial to the dressing – dried mint will alter the taste and the texture.

Since mint is usually one of the more expensive fresh herbs, you can make a few extra batches of this dressing and freeze for use in future salads. Or, freeze the mixture in ice cube trays and add to a glass of water or other drink for a special treat.

Tips for choosing perfect melons

This salad relies on ripe, delicious melon – specifically cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon.

Choosing a perfect melon from the grocery store isn’t always easy though. Follow these tips to help increase your chances of success.

  1. Make sure the melon doesn’t have any soft spots, cracks, bruises or other defects.
  2. The outside of ripe honeydews and melon will be dull. Avoid ones that are shiny as those are underripe. Cantaloupes should have a gold or orange color instead of a green or white color.
  3. Pick melons that are heavy for their size.
  4. When selecting a watermelon, give it a thump with your hand and choose one that sounds hollow.
  5. For cantaloupes and honeydews, sniff the spot where the melon was attached to the vine and select ones that smell fresh and somewhat sweet.

Do I have to make this salad in advance?

I definitely recommend that you make this salad ahead of time and let the flavors mature for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving. However, if you are really pressed for time, you can serve immediately after tossing it all together.

Metal serving bowl filled with melon salad with mint

Melon Salad with Mint

Melon Salad with Mint elevates traditional fruit salad with a gourmet spin. Perfect for entertaining or when you just want something different!
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Prep Time 20 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh mint chopped
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1 large Lime juiced and zested
  • 1/4 cup Water
  • 1 Cantaloupe
  • 1 Honeydew melon
  • 1/2 Watermelon

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the mint, sugar, lime zest, lime juice and water.
  • Cut melons into cubes or into balls with a melon baller. Add to the bowl and toss to combine well.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours to allow the flavors to combine.

Notes

  • Only use fresh mint. Dried mint will alter the taste and texture.
Keyword Melon Salad with Mint

Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies

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You’ll be wowed by these Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies that combine a simple sugar cookie recipe with your favorite cereal. Kids and adults alike will fall in love!

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What do you get when you combine your favorite cereal with a simple and delicious sugar cookie dough? These amazing Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies!

You can mix up a batch of these cookies in just minutes and be rewarded with 5 to 6 dozen tasty treats.

Mix up your cookies with different cereal options

If you’re not a fan of Apple Jacks, you’ve got plenty of other options to make these cookies your own!

Here are some of the other cereals I’ve used in place of Apple Jacks with equally delicious results:

  • Fruit Loops
  • Fruity Pebbles
  • Trix
  • Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries

Basically, any fruit flavored, sugary cereal will work.

I’ve found that chocolate flavored cereals do not make a good flavor combination with the dough flavor, but you can definitely try if you’d like! If you find one that you love, please let me know so that I can try it out too.

How to make Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies

This recipe makes the most of a very simple ingredient list. All you’ll need is butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and Apple Jacks (or your cereal of choice).

To make the cookies, you’ll start by blending together the butter and sugar before you mix in the eggs. Then you’ll stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. The last addition to the dough is the crushed cereal. I recommend you crush half of the cereal finely and the rest coarsely. That way you’ll get lots of cereal flavor throughout as well as bigger pieces that add a fun and sweet crunch.

After you have all of the dough mixed together, roll into balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie) and then roll in some granulated sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack, if you’re patient enough to wait that long!

A few cookie making tips

Here are a few tips to help insure you whip up a successful and delicious batch of Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies.

  • The flavor of these cookies matures as they sit. So unlike most cookies, they actually taste better after a couple of days. They usually don’t last that long in our house, but if your household has more self control, you’ll definitely be rewarded!
  • You can freeze these cookies either before baking (after rolling into balls and into sugar) or after baking. If you freeze them after baking, pull them out of the freezer and let thaw on the counter for at least half and hour before you eat them.

Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies

You'll be wowed by these Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies that combine a simple sugar cookie recipe with your favorite cereal. Kids and adults alike will fall in love!
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 6 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Butter (or margarine)
  • 1 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 3/4 cup Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 cups Apple Jacks cereal (or other cereal of your choice)
  • 1/3 cup Sugar (for garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Cream butter or margarine with sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs.
  • Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat just until combined.
  • Divide the cereal into 2 plastic bags with 1 1/2 cups in each bag. Finely crush the cereal in one bag and coarsely crush the cereal in the other bag. Stir both bags into the dough.
  • Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball, roll in sugar and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  • Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool on a wire rack.

Notes

  • For maximum flavor, allow the cookies to sit for a day or two before enjoying. They’ll taste great if you can’t wait (I speak from experience!) but they definitely improve with age as well.
  • Feel free to substitute the Apple Jacks cereal for any of your favorite fruit-flavored, sugary cereal.
Keyword Apple Jacks Cereal Cookies

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

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This Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole combines the delicious, classic flavors of ham, Swiss cheese and chicken flavors without any of the hassle.

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If you love the rich and delicious flavors of the classic rolled and/or stuffed chicken cordon bleu, you will absolutely love this casserole recipe! Whereas the classic dish requires a lot of hands-on work and time, the casserole version comes together easily and quickly.

Components of Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

The classic chicken cordon bleu recipe features chicken breasts stuffed with thin slices of ham and cheese (usually Swiss) that are then coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried. 

However, this recipe deconstructs the classic recipe to create a casserole version. It consists of:

  • chicken breast pieces,
  • deli ham slices,
  • a rich and creamy Swiss cheese sauce,
  • and a crunchy breadcrumb layer

What to serve with your casserole

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole pairs best with simple side dishes that allow the ham, chicken and Swiss flavors to shine while also being able to soak up the cheesy sauce goodness.

Some good options include:

  • plain cooked pasta
  • white or brown rice
  • mashed potatoes

Can I freeze the prepared casserole?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole is very freezer friendly. Follow these simple steps to freeze your casserole:

  1. Use a disposable foil casserole dish.
  2. Prepare recipe as directed through step 3, but let the cheese sauce cool before you pour it over the chicken and ham.
  3. Cover casserole with a layer of waxed paper and then a double layer of aluminum foil.

To reheat your frozen casserole:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Do not thaw or uncover your casserole. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  3. While the casserole is cooking, prepare the butter and breadcrumb topping.
  4. Remove casserole from oven and uncover. Sprinkle buttered breadcrumbs on top and return, uncovered, to the oven.
  5. Bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on the size of your chicken. You want to make sure that the chicken reaches 165 degrees before you remove the casserole from the oven. If the breadcrumbs start to brown too much, you can loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This Deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole combines the delicious, classic flavors of ham, Swiss cheese and chicken flavors without any of the hassle.
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 – 2 pounds Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut each breast into 3 or 4 pieces)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 pound Deli ham slices
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup Flour
  • 2 cups Milk
  • 2 cups Shredded Swiss cheese (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1 cup Breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tablespoon Butter or margarine (melted)

Instructions
 

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste and place in a baking dish.
  • Layer ham on top of the chicken.
  • In a small sauce pan, melt 4 T. butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper. Bring to a slow boil and let slowly boil until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 c. Swiss cheese until melted.
  • Pour cheese sauce over the chicken and ham. Sprinkle remaining Swiss cheese on top.
  • Melt 1 T. butter or margarine and stir into the bread crumbs until moistened. Sprinkle over the cheese.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. (Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness on your chicken.)

Notes

  • Serve alongside or on top of plain pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.
  • You can prepare the full casserole up to a day in advance and then bake just before dinner time.
  • You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.
Keyword chicken cordon bleu casserole

Copycat Starbucks Molasses Cookies

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Rich, chewy and bursting with spicy-sweet deliciousness, this recipe makes cookies that taste just like Starbucks’ Molasses Cookie.

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Stack of 3 Starbucks Molasses Cookies on a metal rack.

As any Starbucks fan can tell you, you go for the drinks but stay for the cookies and baked goods. Right?

If you, like me, are a huge fan of the Starbucks Molasses Cookies, you will absolutely love this recipe. From the texture to the taste, you can absolutely duplicate those well-loved cookies at home!

Ingredients for Starbucks Molasses Cookies

This recipe is actually very easy and comes together very quickly. To make these cookies, you’ll need:

  • Butter or margarine
  • Brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • Blackstrap or regular molasses
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Seasonings: cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger
  • White sugar

That’s it!

Should I use blackstrap or regular molasses?

Both types of molasses work equally well in this recipe. Which one you use will not effect the texture in any way, but there will be a slight difference in taste.

If you decide to use blackstrap molasses, your cookies will have a richer and spicier taste. I think the flavor of the cookies is more like the Starbucks version with the blackstrap molasses.

If you prefer a cookie that’s a bit sweeter without so much spicy depthness, go with regular molasses. My kids tend to prefer the cookies made this way as they feel the ones made with blackstrap molasses taste a little too “grown-up.”

If you just can’t decide, try the recipe both ways and see what you and your family like best!

Line of several Starbucks Molasses Cookies in a glass serving dish.

Can I freeze these cookies?

If you want to free your Starbucks Molasses Cookies, I recommend freezing the dough instead of the baked cookies. While you can freeze the baked cookies, I think they lose a little in both taste and texture when thawed.

You have two options for freezing the dough:

  1. Shape the prepared dough into a ball or flat disc shape and place in a plastic freezer bag. Freeze. To use, thaw the dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and then shape and roll in sugar before baking.
  2. Shape the prepared dough into individual, teaspoonful-sized balls and roll in sugar. Place on a cookie sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes before transferring to a plastic freezer bag and placing back in the freezer. To use, place the frozen cookie balls on a cookie sheet (no need to thaw) before baking according to the instructions. Add 3 to 5 minutes to the original baking time.

The frozen dough will stay good for at least 3 months. You can probably freeze it for longer without any lose of quality but I can’t say for sure; the dough has never lasted that long in our house!

Line of several Starbucks Molasses Cookies in a glass serving dish.

Copycat Starbucks Molasses Cookies

Rich, chewy and bursting with spicy-sweet deliciousness, this recipe makes cookies that taste just like Starbucks' Molasses Cookie.
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Chilling time 2 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup Butter (or margarine)
  • 1 cup Brown sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/3 cup Blackstrap molasses (or 1/2 cup regular molsasses)
  • 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons Baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
  • 1/2 cup White sugar (for rolling the dough in)

Instructions
 

  • Cream the butter or margarine and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and molasses and beat for an additional minute.
  •  In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Sift or stir with a fork or whisk for 30 seconds.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Cover dough and refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours, until firm.
  • Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into a ball, then roll through white sugar. Place on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

  • This process will result in light, cake-like cookies. If you prefer crispier cookies, flatten the sugar-coated balls of dough slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass.
  • If you are in a hurry, you can skip the chilling stage. However, be aware that the cookies will spread a bit more than they would if you use chilled dough.
Keyword Starbucks Molasses Cookies

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

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The perfect grab-and-go breakfast! These Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are tasty and filling with a consistency somewhere between a granola bar and a baked oatmeal.

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I am not a fan of traditional oatmeal, but I love these bars! And I’m not alone; they are a huge favorite of everyone in our house. They’re healthy, packed full of flavor, completely customizable and perfect to make ahead as part of a weekend meal prep.

Can I freeze Oatmeal Breakfast Bars?

You can absolutely freeze Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. In fact, that’s part of why I love this recipe so much. I’ll double the recipe so that we can enjoy one throughout the week and then freeze the other.

However, I would not recommend freezing the recipe whole. Instead, the best way to freeze is to cut into individual bars, wrap individually in waxed paper and then place in a plastic freezer bag.

Then, pull out the number you need the night before and thaw on the counter or pull a bar out of the freezer as needed and defrost in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Make them your own: how to customize this recipe

There are endless ways you can customize this recipe! What are some of your favorite oatmeal flavors? Duplicate them in these bars. I haven’t yet run across a stir-in that we haven’t liked.

Here are some options you can try:

  • Walnuts, almonds or pecans
  • Dried cranberries or cherries
  • Chopped apples, pears or peaches
  • Chocolate chips
  • Butterscotch chips
  • Peanut butter chips

You can also mix up the sweeteners and oil. For example, replace half or all of the oil with applesauce or change the ratio of brown sugar to white sugar.

Can I make these vegan?

You sure can! Just replace the eggs with flax or chia seed eggs. You’ll hardly notice any difference in taste or texture!

Two individual oatmeal breakfast bars stacked on a plate with strawberries on the side.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

The perfect grab-and-go breakfast! These Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are tasty and filling with a consistency somewhere between a granola bar and a baked oatmeal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Bars

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups Oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned)
  • 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup White sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Maple or vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 3/4 cup Oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup Raisins

Instructions
 

  • Dump all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
  • Stir, by hand, just until completely moistened and combined.
  • Press into a greased 13×9 casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into individual bars.

Notes

  • Replace some, or even all, of the oil with unsweetened applesauce 
  • Freeze the bars individually by wrapping each in waxed paper and then placing in a plastic freezer bag.
  • Customize to your heart’s content with the options listed in this post.
Keyword Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

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Bursting with fresh, summertime flavors, this Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad deserves to be in frequent rotation on your table all season long!

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A serving of turkey & pesto pasta salad on a cream colored dinner plate.

Pasta salad in the summertime is my equivalent to soup in the fall and winter. It’s one of those meals that I just can’t get enough of when the weather is hot outside. We tend to eat pasta salad of some kind at least twice a week for dinner and at least once for lunch. As you can probably guess, everyone else in the house enjoys it just as much as I do.

Taste aside, pasta salad is one of my favorites for many of the same reasons that any recipe makes it on my favorite list – it’s versatile, it’s completely stolen moments friendly and it’s easy to put together.

How to make Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

This recipe comes together very quickly, especially if you are using leftover meat! Leftover grilled turkey breast is my favorite to use here, but you can use any cooked turkey option that you’d like. I’ve even made it with thick-sliced turkey lunch meat from the deli.

You can prep this entire dish ahead of time, or do it in stages. I like to mix everything put the pasta together a day in advance and then refrigerate. When I’m ready to serve, I just boil up some pasta, rinse in cold water and toss everything together.

If you’re watching carbs, definitely feel free to skip the pasta all together. I mean look at that salad up there – isn’t that worthy of just digging in with a fork?

Can I use other proteins than turkey?

You can definitely swap out the proteins here if you’re not a fan of turkey. The key is that you want to make sure whatever you choose will pair well with the pesto.

Here are some options we’ve tried in the past that were all delicious.

  • Leftover pork tenderloin, cut into cubes
  • Cubed chicken breast
  • Canned tuna
  • White cannellini beans
A serving of turkey & pesto pasta salad on a cream colored dinner plate.

Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad

Bursting with fresh, summertime flavors, this Turkey & Pesto Pasta Salad deserves to be in frequent rotation on your table all season long!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup Olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons White wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Water
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
  • 1/3 cup Pesto (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 cup Grape tomatoes (quartered)
  • 1 Cucumber (cut in half lengthwise and sliced)
  • 1/2 Red pepper (diced)
  • 1/2 pound Turkey breast (cooked and cubed)
  • 1 pound Rotini pasta (cooked, drained and rinsed in cold water)

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, water, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir in pesto.
  • Add cut vegetables and turkey. Stir until fully combined.
  • Add pasta and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving.

Notes

  • Leftover turkey works great in this recipe! My favorite option is leftover grilled turkey breast.
  • Feel free to swap the turkey with another protein such as chicken, tuna, or beans.
Keyword turkey & pesto pasta salad