Recipe

2 INGREDIENT BAGELS

These shortcut homemade bagels are just 2 ingredients and take less than an hour to make.  

  • PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
  • COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
  • TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES
  • SERVINGS: 4 BAGELS

Ingredients:

  •  1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  •  1 cup self-rising flour or mix 1 cup all purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp table salt

For the Toppings

  •  1 egg whisked (for egg wash finish)
  •  white sesame seeds
  •  everything bagel seasoning I bought mine from Trader Joe’s

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
  2. In a large bowl, add yogurt and flour. When measuring out the yogurt, make sure that you strain out any liquid. Any extra liquid sitting in your yogurt will cause the dough to be too wet.
  3. Using a large spoon or spatula, mix together flour and yogurt until it begins to form a crumbly dough. Use your hands to push the dough together into one ball. The dough will be very sticky.
  4. Add your dough to a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead the dough until it comes together in one ball and has pulled away from the sides of the mixing bowl. As soon as it reaches this stage, it is ready and you should stop the mixer immediately. (You can view my video above for reference). If you continue to let it knead, the dough will actually become sticky again. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand. You will need to cover your kneading surface with flour and knead the dough by hand until it is tacky and no longer sticky. I prefer using the stand mixer because it is faster and the dough comes together without the extra flour which results in a lighter bagel.
  5. Divide dough into four equal balls. Roll out a ball on a lightly floured surface until it becomes a rope about 3/4 inch thick. Try to make the rope as even and smooth as possible. Pinch ends shut to form a round circle. Repeat with remaining dough.
  6. Place bagels onto a baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash. Sprinkle tops with whichever seasonings you prefer.
  7. Bake bagels for about 23-25 minutes or until bagels are cooked all the way through. Remove bagels from the oven and turn heat up to 500°F. Place bagels back in oven and bake about 2-3 minutes until surface is browned. (If you are making plain bagels without toppings, you can also set your oven to low broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the bagels but I don’t recommend this if you have toppings as the toppings will start to burn before the bagels finish browning.) Let bagels cool a few minutes before eating.

Notes:

Some Tips for Making the Bagels

  • A few recipes I found boiled the bagels before baking them. Traditional NY bagels are boiled first but I didn’t feel that it was necessary for this recipe. While it did expand the bagels and make them bigger, they also took a lot longer to bake and they were not as smooth and round because of the boiling.
  • You can knead the dough by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. I prefer the stand mixer because it’s less labor and it doesn’t require as much flour coating so the bagel comes out lighter and airier. You do need to watch the mixer carefully. As soon as the dough comes together in one ball and is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl, it’s ready. If you over-knead it, it will actually start becoming too sticky to work with again.
  • Make sure you use a brand that makes a thick Greek strained yogurt. Not all brands offer the same consistency. I used Fage for these.

FRIED MAC AND CHEESE BALLS

A comfort classic that everyone will be fighting for! Crisp on the outside yet so soft, creamy and cheesy on the inside. YESSS!

  • yield: 12 SERVINGS
  • prep time: 15 MINUTES
  • cook time: 15 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 cups macaroni and cheese, homemade or store-bought
  • 2 cups vegetable oil, or more, as needed
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups Panko
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place macaroni and cheese into the refrigerator until firm, about 3-4 hours.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
  3. Using a small cookie scoop, roll macaroni and cheese into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch balls, forming about 12.
  4. Working one at a time, dip balls into eggs, then dredge in Panko, pressing to coat.
  5. Working in batches, add balls to the Dutch oven and cook until evenly golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
  6. Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.

Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken Legs

Delicious lemon garlic baked chicken legs that are full of flavor, easy to make & loved by the whole family. One of our favorite baked chicken legs recipes!

  • Prep Time: 5 min
  •  Cook Time: 1 hour
  •  Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  •  Yield: Serves 4-6 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2–2.5 pounds of chicken legs (about 8 legs)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • zest and juice from 2 large lemons (or 3 medium), separated
  • 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, optional
  • 2 tablespoons honey

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Pat your chicken legs dry with paper towel and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the salt, lemon zest (but not juice), minced garlic, pepper, and thyme. Use the back of a spoon to smash the mixture together and release any moisture the zest or garlic might have into the herbs (a mortar and pestle works well here but isn’t a must). The goal is to have a spice mix that is well blended using the garlic to bring it all together.
  4. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken and set the chicken legs inside a baking dish (9×13 or 8×11 both work).
  5. Bake the chicken for 40 minutes.
  6. While the chicken is baking, mix together 1/3 cup of the lemon juice and the honey. If the honey is too thick, warm it just a bit so that it’s mixed into the juice well.
  7. After the 40 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven. Turn the chicken legs over in the pan and then drizzle the lemon juice mixture over the chicken. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.
  8. Remove from the oven again. Flip the chicken over again and spoon the juice that has collected in the bottom of the pan over the chicken. Return to the oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 degree F. on an instant-read thermometer.
  9. Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon the pan juice over the top one more time. Enjoy hot.

NOTES

  • I don’t feel like there’s a good sub for the fresh lemon here. The mix of the zest and the juice of the fresh lemon are so great. I don’t think dried lemon or bottled juice would have the same effect.
  • No thyme on hand? Skip it all together OR pick your own favorite herb. This would be great with fresh or dried rosemary, basil, or parsley.
  • Wondering if your chicken is done? Investing in a little thermometer is the best way to make sure your meat is not over or under cooked. I have a really basic thermometer and it’s such a cooking game changer.

Chili Cheese Dog Bake!

 Grab a knife and fork to dig into this comforting Chili Cheese Dog Bake! So quick and easy it will become a family favorite!

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 HOT DOGS
  • 4 STRING CHEESE (CHEDDAR)
  • 1 CAN PILLSBURY PIZZA DOUGH
  • 1 CAN CHILI (15 OZ.)
  • 1/4 CUP BUTTER, MELTED
  • 1 TEASPOON GARLIC POWDER
  • 1 TEASPOON FRESH PARSLEY

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. PREHEAT OVER TO 375F  
  2. POUR CHILI INTO A 6 X 10 OR 7 X 11 PAN (OR WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU, REALLY)  
  3. REMOVE THE CHEESE FROM THE WRAPPERS AND CUT IN HALF LENGTHWISE. SET ASIDE.  
  4. OPEN THE CAN OF PIZZA DOUGH AND ROLL OUT. CUT THE DOUGH INTO 4 EQUAL SECTIONS.  
  5. TAKE A WIENER AND SANDWICH IT WITH THE TWO SIDES OF CHEDDAR. BEGINNING AT ONE END OF THE STRIP OF DOUGH, BEGIN TO WRAP THE BUNDLE INTO THE DOUGH, COVERING THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE WIENER WITH THE  
  6. DOUGH.  
  7. PLACE IN THE PAN WITH THE CHILI, SEAM SIDE DOWN.  
  8. WHEN ALL FOUR ARE COMPLETE, BAKE IN THE OVEN FOR 20-25 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE DOUGH IS COOKED AND GOLDEN BROWN ON TOP.  
  9. MIX THE GARLIC AND PARSLEY WITH THE MELTED BUTTER AND BRUSH THE TOPS OF THE HOT DOGS WITH THE GARLIC BUTTER.
  10. ENJOY!

TO AVOID DOUGHY BOTTOM- JUST PLACE THE DOGS IN FIRST THEN POUR CHILI AROUND THEM.

Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Gnocchi

This creamy mushroom and spinach gnocchi is a restaurant-worthy dinner made in one pan and ready in less than 30 minutes! White wine and parmesan cheese make this sauce extra amazing.

  • Prep Time 10 minutes
  •  Cook Time 20 minutes
  •  Total Time 30 minutes
  • Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 12 ounces portobello mushrooms chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 dashes Italian seasoning
  • 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
  • 1 generous handful baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped, to taste

Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil to a skillet on medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s ok if it becomes lightly browned.
  2. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the Dijon mustard and white wine. Let it bubble for a minute or so.
  4. Add the cream and gnocchi. Wait until it starts to bubble again, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Stir in the spinach, cover the pan again, and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Stir in the parmesan and season with salt & pepper. Give it a taste; gnocchi should be soft. If not, continue to cook for another few minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese grated over top if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • This makes 4 reasonably sized portions. If you’re feeding extra hungry people, I recommend serving this with a salad, garlic bread, and/or something else.
  • The gnocchi will cook right in the sauce.

Baked French Toast Sticks

French Toast Sticks are easy to make, no-fork-required, perfectly dunk-able sticks of soft, buttery, perfectly cinnamony bliss! Breakfast just got a whole lot more exciting with this baked French toast recipe! Prep Time15 minutes Cook Time30 minutes Total Time45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 8 slices Texas toast bread
  • 2 Tbsp butter , melted, plus more for serving if desired
  • Maple syrup , for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk together sugar and cinnamon, set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl vigorously whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla and salt until very well blended. Cut each slice of bread into even three strips (you can layer a few slices to cut several at a time). D
  3. ip each portion (I usually dip 2 sticks at a time) into egg mixture then lift and let excess run off and transfer to prepared baking sheet (they will have to fit closely together but leave just a little space between them). Using a basting brush, brush tops of french toast sticks lightly with 1 Tbsp of the melted butter. Sprinkle tops evenly with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes. Remove from oven, flip french toast sticks to opposite side and brush tops lightly with remaining 1 Tbsp melted butter and sprinkle evenly with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Return to oven and continue to bake until cooked through, about 13 – 18 minutes longer.
  5. Let cool for a few minutes. Brush lightly with a little more melted butter if desired and serve warm with maple syrup for dipping.

NO BAKE COOKIE DOUGH ICE CREAM CAKE

This Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake is an easy, no bake dessert for a summer cookout or birthday party! Made on a cookie dough crust and filled with chunks of cookie dough and swirls of hot fudge sauce.  

Prep Time25 minutes

Total Time25 minutes

Servings12 servings

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 300g
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 6 tablespoons milk
  • 3 cups flour heat-treated if desired, see link above
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 2 cups heavy 35% cream
  • 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup thick fudge sauce warmed slightly (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar until smooth.
  • Add salt, vanilla and milk and stir until combined.
  • Add flour and chocolate chips and stir until a dough forms (use a mixer or your hands if necessary!).
  • Line a 9″ Springform pan with parchment if desired. Press ⅔ of the cookie dough mixture into the bottom of the pan and 1.5″ up the sides. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Add condensed milk and beat until combined. Add fudge sauce and stir a few times until swirled (if desired).
  • Pour ice cream mixture into cookie dough crust, top with additional whipped cream and remaining cookie dough mixture as desired, and freeze until firm (5-6 hours, depending on your freezer). Slice and serve. Keep leftovers frozen.

Honey Sriracha Grilled Chicken Thighs

Sweet & Spicy HONEY SRIRACHA GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS – juicy smoky chicken thighs slathered in an easy Honey Sriracha glaze that will make you swoon! I guarantee these will be a hit!

  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 6

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs. Just BARE Chicken Thighs
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 Tablespoons honey
  • 6 Tablespoons Sriracha
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

  1. Heat grill to medium high heat, about 400 ºF.
  2. In a small saucepan, add butter. Once melted add in fresh ginger and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Next add in smoked paprika, ground cloves, honey, Sriracha and lime juice. Stir to combine and let simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  4. Pat chicken thighs dry. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  5. Spray grill grates with cooking spray or rub with olive oil soaked rag.
  6. Place chicken thighs on grill, skin side down first. Grill for 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and grill on the other side for 4-5 minutes.
  7. Continue to cook chicken, flipping every 3-4 minutes so it doesn’t burn until the internal temperature is 165ºF. (about 25-30 minutes)
  8. During the last 5 minutes of grilling brush the glaze on both sides of the chicken.
  9. Remove from grill.
  10. Serve

Healthy Cherry Vanilla Smoothie Recipe

This cherry vanilla smoothie is sweet, tart, and creamy.  The background vanilla flavor reminded us all of frozen yogurt.  In fact, we froze the last bit of it to eat as a treat later on and it turned out nicely.  We’ll definitely be making it again as a dessert, with the addition of a little more honey.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups full-fat plain yogurt (I used greek style)
  • 2 1/2 cups frozen cherries
  • 1/8 cup honey you can adjust the amount to your taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbs vanilla
  • pinch of salt 1/4 tsp or so

Instructions

  • Combine the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
  • Serve immediately.

THE BEST BURGER EVER RECIPE

Burgers just got better with the addition of tender sweet onions, melted cheese, and tangy lemon-Dijon mayonnaise.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed
  • 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • garlic powder
  • 1 Pound ground beef
  • 4 slices Gruyère cheese
  • 4 good-quality hamburger buns or rolls, split
  • fresh arugula leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a skillet over medium heat – add about 1 Tablespoon of oil – add onions – cook for about 12 minutes – you really want them brown and soft. Lightly salt and pepper
  2. In another skillet – cook the burgers – add rosemary to the meat season with a little garlic powder – it will take about 10 – 15 minutes to cook the burgers so plan accordingly
  3. Toast the buns
  4. In a bowl – combine the following well – mayo, Dijon, and lemon juice
  5. Once the burgers are cooked top with cheese
  6. Place the mayo mixture on the bottom of each bun then arugula, burger then top with the top bun
  7. Enjoy!