Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

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Last updated July 19, 2024

These Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars check a lot of boxes.

  • Delicious. These bars somehow bridge the gap between “coconut lovers” and “chocolate peanut butter lovers”, even for those who don’t normally love coconut, and those who don’t normally love peanut butter and chocolate together. I know, weird, but those people do exist and they’re some of my taste testers.

  • Healthier than most desserts. I would (and did) unabashedly eat these for breakfast. They’re full of nuts and coconut, and only use coconut oil, depending on which camp you fall in as far as viewing coconut oil as a good medium-chain fatty acid or simply another saturated fat.

  • No bake. Great for summer, if you don’t have an oven available to you, or simply don’t want to turn it on.

  • Easy. These can be ready in less than 30 minutes, quick and satisfying to whip up, with most of the work done in a food processor.

  • Satisfying. With the protein and fat content, these will keep you satisfied for longer. When you’re satisfied, you’re less likely to keep reaching for other unhealthy foods or overeating.

  • Gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, and almost refined sugar-free (there’s sugar in chocolate chips, which are in the chocolate topping.)

If those aren’t enough reasons to love these bars, I have one more. You don’t have to grease your baking dish! I know, that’s a little thing, but it’s a small kitchen task I don’t overly enjoy, and the fact that these bars slide ride out of an ungreased pan is a small yippee from me!

Another reason I like these, is because they don’t call for dates. Don’t get me wrong, I love dates, but it’s nice to have a healthy dessert recipe that doesn’t call for dates since so many do. I don’t always have dates on hand, and this way I can still whip up a healthier dessert/snack without waiting for my next grocery run. That makes this recipe’s ingredient list pretty close to being all pantry staples.

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Recipe inspired by Dani’s Healthy Eats

Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Serves about 16

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Coconut Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups / 120g shredded unsweetened coconut

  • 6 Tbsp / 120g maple syrup

  • 6 Tbsp / 97g peanut butter

  • 6 Tbsp / 59g peanuts

  • 6 Tbsp / 38g cocoa powder

  • 5 Tbsp / 70g coconut oil

For the Peanut Butter Filling

  • 1/2 cup / 130g peanut butter

  • 1/4 cup / 81g maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup / 56g coconut oil

For the Chocolate Topping

  • 1 cup / 175g semi sweet or dark chocolate chips

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g coconut oil

Directions:

Ungreased 8x8 inch / 20x20 centimeter square baking dish

Make the Chocolate Coconut Crust

  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor; blend until smooth and mixture comes together in a soft dough-like ball.

  2. Press into pan and freeze while preparing filling.

Make the Peanut Butter Filling

  1. Add all filling ingredients to a medium bowl or food processor and mix until smooth. (It’s not necessary to clean food processor between mixing the crust and filling.)

  2. Remove crust from freezer and evenly spread filling over crust. Place back in freezer while preparing topping.

Make the Chocolate Topping

  1. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and coconut oil. Melt over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat when there are still a few tiny bits of chocolate; continue stirring until all is melted and smooth.

  2. Remove bars from freezer and spread topping evenly over filling. Cover and place in freezer or refrigerator to set, at least 30 minutes. Store covered in refrigerator.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Different nut butters and nuts can be swapped out for the peanut butter and peanuts. Almond butter and almonds can be used, or cashews and cashew butter, or mix them up as you wish!

Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Yield 16
Author
Prep time
25 Min
Inactive time
30 Min
Total time
55 Min

Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Decadent, no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars with a chocolate coconut crust, peanut butter filling, and simple chocolate topping are deceivingly simple to make and satisfying to eat. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and almost refined sugar-free.
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Coconut Crust
For the Peanut Butter Filling
For the Chocolate Topping

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Coconut Crust
  1. Ungreased 8x8 inch / 20x20 centimeter square baking dish
  2. Add all ingredients to a food processor; blend until smooth and mixture comes together in a soft dough-like ball.
  3. Press into pan and freeze while preparing filling.
Make the Peanut Butter Filling
  1. Add all filling ingredients to a medium bowl or food processor and mix until smooth. (It’s not necessary to clean food processor between mixing the crust and filling.)
  2. Remove crust from freezer and evenly spread filling over crust. Place back in freezer while preparing topping.
Make the Chocolate Topping
  1. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and coconut oil. Melt over low heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat when there are still a few tiny bits of chocolate; continue stirring until all is melted and smooth.
  2. Remove bars from freezer and spread topping evenly over filling. Cover and place in freezer or refrigerator to set, at least 30 minutes. Store covered in refrigerator.

Notes

  • Different nut butters and nuts can be swapped out for the peanut butter and peanuts. Almond butter and almonds can be used, or cashews and cashew butter, or mix them up as you wish!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

332.91

Fat

26.92 g

Sat. Fat

17.14 g

Carbs

21.81 g

Fiber

3.64 g

Net carbs

18.19 g

Sugar

13.5 g

Protein

6.06 g

Sodium

77.98 mg

Cholesterol

0.11 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 serving if cut into 16 pieces.

healthy coconut chocolate peanut butter bars, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free, no bake
dessert
American
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Simple Sesame Noodles

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Some of my favorite things include pasta, Asian flavors, and easy dinners. Enter, these Simple Sesame Noodles.

This dish is ready in as little time as it takes to cook pasta, because the sauce can be ready before the water even comes to a boil. You can add veggies as you wish, or not to keep it as quick as possible. Veggies can be baked, steamed, or stir-fried then added in when you add the sauce.

It’s hard to believe, but an even easier pasta dish quite similar to this exists on this blog. This one has a few more ingredients and depth of flavor, but for when you need the absolute easiest pasta dinner, try these 6 ingredient Simple Thai Noodles.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, and American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Simple Sesame Noodles

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb / 500g linguine or other long pasta

    For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup / 68g soy sauce or tamari

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g olive oil or other oil of choice

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g sesame oil

  • 2 Tbsp / 40g maple syrup, honey (42g), or sugar (25g)

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g rice vinegar

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g water

  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp hot chili oil or red pepper flakes, optional

    Garnishes, optional

  • green onions, sliced

  • cilantro

  • peanuts, roughly chopped

  • sesame seeds

  • crushed red pepper flakes

  • fresh mint

Directions:

  1. Place a large pot of water over high heat; bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk together all sauce ingredients.

  3. Add sauce to cooked pasta, toss to combine, adding pasta water as desired to thin out sauce.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Adding pasta water to a sauce that is already thin may seem unusual, but even thin sauces thicken as the pasta cools and continues to absorb liquid. So for extra saucy sauce, add a touch of pasta water. The starch in pasta also lends a certain creaminess to sauces. Pasta water is the secret ingredient to many a good pasta and sauce, helping to marry the pasta to the sauce. You probably won’t need the whole cup, but once the pasta water is drained you can’t get it back, so as a general rule of thumb I always reserve at least 1 cup.

Simple Sesame Noodles
Yield 3-4
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
15 Min
Total time
25 Min

Simple Sesame Noodles

Thai inspired flavors give this pasta a burst of flavor, you'd never guess it's one of the quickest and easiest pasta recipes!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Sauce
Garnishes, optional

Instructions

  1. Place a large pot of water over high heat; bring to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
  3. Add sauce to cooked pasta, toss to combine, adding pasta water as desired to thin out sauce.

Notes

  • Adding pasta water to a sauce that is already thin may seem unusual, but even thin sauces thicken as the pasta cools and continues to absorb liquid. So for extra saucy sauce, add a touch of pasta water. The starch in pasta also lends a certain creaminess to sauces.  Pasta water is the secret ingredient to many a good pasta and sauce, helping to marry the  pasta to the sauce. You probably won’t need the whole cup, but once the  pasta water is drained you can’t get it back, so as a general rule of thumb I always reserve at least 1 cup.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

884.69

Fat

31.96 g

Sat. Fat

4.59 g

Carbs

125.66 g

Fiber

5.84 g

Net carbs

119.79 g

Sugar

12.53 g

Protein

22.74 g

Sodium

1109.09 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 serving if this recipe serves 3, including all garnishes.

quick dinner recipe, easy thai noodles, asian pasta, lo mein, sesame noodles
dinner
Asian
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Shrimp Scampi

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Shrimp Scampi is an iconic Italian-American dish, featuring shrimp cooked in a rich, buttery sauce with garlic and lemon, sometimes a hint of white wine and parsley. Often, this is served as a sauce over pasta, and while Shrimp Scampi is often thought of as a pasta dish, it is not technically so.

There is a similar dish in Italy, known as Pasta agli Scampi, and various other preparations of scampi. Scampi are a type of shellfish not found in the States similar to very large shrimp or small lobsters. Garlic and white wine are often paired with seafood in Italy, so you can see where the pasta dish Americans know as Shrimp Scampi is not so dissimilar.

It’s hard to say exactly where Shrimp Scampi came from. I often like to learn further about dishes and do some digging and researching on origins, variations, techniques, etc. when writing up well-known recipes, ending with a neat little history to share with those of you who care about that part. This time I only came away with an even hazier idea of where Shrimp Scampi originates from, with many sources offering their take with no one able to say for certain. All we really need to know is that Shrimp Scampi is delicious and deceptively easy to make, winning hearts all over the world.

Recipe inspired by Ina Garten

Shrimp Scampi

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb / 500g linguine pasta

  • 1/4 cup / 56g butter

  • 3 Tbsp / 42g olive oil

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup / 119g dry white wine or broth

  • 1 - 1 1/2 lb / 454-680g cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

  • 1/3 cup / 79g freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • zest of 1 lemon

  • salt and pepper to taste

  • red pepper flakes, lemon slices, fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt generously, and cook pasta according to package directions.

  2. Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

  3. Add wine and simmer for 1-2 minutes; add shrimp. Cook until simmering and shrimp is heated through.

  4. Add parsley, lemon juice and zest; stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer while pasta finishes cooking.

  5. Drain pasta when it is finished cooking, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Add pasta to sauce and toss to combine. Add pasta water as desired to thin/smooth out sauce.

  6. Serve with red pepper flakes, lemon slices, and fresh parsley leaves.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • The size and kind of shrimp you choose to add is largely up to you. Large or small, tails on or off. You can also use raw and cooked shrimp interchangeably, you will simply need to increase the cook time if using raw shrimp, by about 5 minutes, once you add the shrimp to ensure it turns pink and is cooked through.

  • The quantity of shrimp is also per your tastes. I don’t love recipes that call for half a bag of this or half a can of this, leaving product that will potentially go to waste if you don’t find another use for it. I buy shrimp in 1 or 2 lb bags, and I’m happy using an even 1 lb bag of shrimp in this recipe. However, if the shrimp you buy comes in different quantities or you really love lots of shrimp, go for the 1.5lbs!

Shrimp Scampi
Yield 3-4
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Cook time
25 Min
Total time
35 Min

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi is a classic American-Italian sauce with butter, garlic, white wine, and lemon, tossed with pasta and plenty of shrimp.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt generously, and cook pasta according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add wine and simmer for 1-2 minutes; add shrimp. Cook until simmering and shrimp is heated through.
  4. Add parsley, lemon juice and zest; stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer while pasta finishes cooking.
  5. Drain pasta when it is finished cooking, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. Add pasta to sauce and toss to combine. Add pasta water as desired to thin/smooth out sauce.
  6. Serve with red pepper flakes, lemon slices, and fresh parsley leaves.

Notes

  • The size and kind of shrimp you choose to add is largely up to you. Large or small, tails on or off. You can also use raw and cooked shrimp interchangeably, you will simply need to increase the cook time if using raw shrimp, by about 5 minutes, once you add the shrimp to ensure it turns pink and is cooked through.
  • The quantity of shrimp is also per your tastes. I don’t love recipes that call for half a bag of this or half a can of this, leaving product that will potentially go to waste if you don’t find another use for it. I buy shrimp in 1 or 2 lb bags, and I’m happy using an even 1 lb bag of shrimp in this recipe. However, if the shrimp you buy comes in different quantities or you really love lots of shrimp, go for the 1.5lbs!


Nutrition Facts

Calories

749.8

Fat

24.43 g

Sat. Fat

9.2 g

Carbs

88.83 g

Fiber

4.19 g

Net carbs

84.66 g

Sugar

4 g

Protein

38.28 g

Sodium

288.39 mg

Cholesterol

213.07 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 4 servings.

Classic Shrimp Scampi, Traditional Shrimp Scampi, Butter Garlic White Wine Lemon Shrimp Pasta
dinner
American, Italian
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Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

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Last Updated September 7, 2024

Moist vanilla coffee cake with a thick layer of strawberry rhubarb filling and a buttery oat crumble. While this recipe may parade under the name of “coffee cake”, don’t be deceived. It has so much strawberry and rhubarb filling that it could adequately be called a dump cake, or almost a cobbler, especially when cut into while it’s still hot and wonderfully molten.

Rhubarb season is teasingly short. It hardly feels or looks like spring before the rhubarb is shooting up in my mom’s garden. By the time June rolls around, it’s the last call for rhubarb!

With each season being so short, I usually get in just a couple classic rhubarb custard pies and maybe one or two other favorite rhubarb desserts. There’s hardly time to try new recipes by the time you make a few pies!

A few years ago I added these buttery Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Bars to the favorite rhubarb recipe collection, and this year I managed to sneak in yet another one: this Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake. I wondered when I first made this if I should halve the recipe to make an 8x8inch, knowing I would be making the recipe a couple of times to make sure it was ready. I didn’t and made the full 9x13inch, and it disappeared so quickly I was glad I didn’t cut the recipe in half! I made it again, and again it disappeared quickly, even with other rhubarb desserts around!

I managed to snap a few photos of the last rhubarb dessert for this season, along with some of the last peonies. I love seasonal things, don’t you? It’s sad to see them go, but makes them so, so special.

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Makes 1 - 9x13inch pan, about 20 servings

Ingredients:

For the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

  • 5 cups / about 800g rhubarb cut into 1” pieces

  • 3 cups / about 350g strawberries, halved

  • 1 cup / 200g sugar

  • 1/3 cup / 40g cornstarch

  • 2 Tbsp / 28g lemon juice

For the Coffee Cake

  • 3 cups / 360g all-purpose or pastry flour

  • 3/4 cup / 150g sugar

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 3/4 cup / 169g oil

  • 1 1/2 cups / 355g buttermilk

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Crumble Topping

  • 1/2 cup / 113g butter, melted

  • 1 cup / 120g all-purpose or pastry flour

  • 1 cup / 200g sugar

  • 1 cup / 90g oats

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Lightly grease a 9x13inch / 23x33centimeter rectangle pan.

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:

  1. In a medium pot, combine all filling ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently, until rhubarb and strawberries are tender and start to break down and mixture is thickened.

  2. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the Coffee Cake

  1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

  2. Stir in oil until mixture looks like wet sand with some small chunks.

  3. Mix in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla; stir until mostly smooth. A few lumps are ok.

  4. Set aside while crumble is prepared.

Make the Crumble Topping

  1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter.

  2. Remove from heat and mix in flour, sugar, and oats until mixture resembles wet sand with some chunks.

Assemble and Bake

  1. Pour and spread half of cake mixture into prepared pan. Dollop strawberry rhubarb filling over cake batter, gently spreading to edges, then pour remaining half of cake batter over filling, gently spreading to edges. Top with crumble.

  2. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake starts to turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

  3. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Waiting until the coffee cake cools completely will result in easier to slice bars. If you cut into it early, the rhubarb filling will still be molten, but you can embrace the mess and serve it warm, in a bowl with a spoon, and call it a dump cake. :)

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Yield 20 servings
Author
Prep time
30 Min
Cook time
1 H & 10 M
Total time
1 H & 40 M

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Moist vanilla coffee cake with a thick layer of strawberry rhubarb filling and a buttery oat crumble.
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling
For the Coffee Cake
For the Crumble Topping

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
  1. In a medium pot, combine all filling ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently, until rhubarb and strawberries are tender and start to break down and mixture is thickened.
  2. Remove from heat and set aside.
Make the Coffee Cake
  1. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Stir in oil until mixture looks like wet sand with some small chunks.
  3. Mix in buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla; stir until mostly smooth. A few lumps are ok.
  4. Set aside while crumble is prepared.
Make the Crumble Topping
  1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter.
  2. Remove from heat and mix in flour, sugar, and oats until mixture resembles wet sand with some chunks.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Pour and spread half of cake mixture into prepared pan. Dollop strawberry rhubarb filling over cake batter, gently spreading to edges, then pour remaining half of cake batter over filling, gently spreading to edges. Top with crumble.
  2. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake starts to turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  3. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Waiting until the coffee cake cools completely will result in easier to slice bars. If you cut into it early, the rhubarb filling will still be molten, but you can embrace the mess and serve it warm, in a bowl with a spoon, and call it a dump cake. :)


Nutrition Facts

Calories

358.75

Fat

15.01 g

Sat. Fat

4.2 g

Carbs

43.31 g

Fiber

3.98 g

Net carbs

39.36 g

Sugar

2.52 g

Protein

5.3 g

Cholesterol

30.55 mg

Sodium

209.49 mg

Nutritional info is approximate, based on 1 serving

strawberry rhubarb coffee cake, crumble cake, dump cake, rhubarb dessert
dessert
American
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Why You Should Use a Baking Scale

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Last Updated July 21, 2024

I am a full and happy convert to baking with a kitchen scale.

The Art of French Pastry: A Cookbook
By Pfeiffer, Jacquy, Shulman, Martha Rose

I grew up with measuring cups and spoons, and it wasn’t until I started going back and forth between Italy and Michigan that I started to get interested in weighing, rather than measuring by volume. Or perhaps it was when my mom, my brother and I started to get serious about our pour over coffee method, which requires a scale. Or maybe, when I started my first sourdough starter back in 2017. Or even, when I baked my way through Jacquey Pfieffer’s “The Art of French Pastry”. It’s been such a blissful blur of weighing ingredients, I can’t even remember which was the first reason I got a kitchen scale!

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with measuring cups and spoons, it is an inexact science. You cannot measure exactly with a measuring cup. If you measure 1 cup of flour, then measure another, and another, each cup measured in the measuring cup would have a different weight. One might weigh 138g. The next 118g. The next 127g. But you wouldn’t know that unless you were using a scale in the first place. You would only know that, say, your cookie dough turns out a bit differently each time.

The more comfortable you are in the kitchen and know how a recipe should look and feel, the easier it will be to use measuring cups and spoons and make adjustments accordingly. This lends better when you’ve spent time making the same recipes over and over again, or are luckily enough to have a mom or mentor in the kitchen with you, to guide you. It’s a bit harder when you’re learning on your own how to bake and cook. Knowing how recipes should turn out is an invaluable skill to have no matter how you measure, but using a scale will help you get those correct, consistent results that will be harder to achieve when using cups. In short, using a scale helps to take the guesswork out.

At least for an American, where measuring cups and spoons reign supreme in the land of baking, it may seem more approachable to use measuring cups and spoons rather than a scale. That’s probably what you grew up with, or what most bloggers use. The irony is that the scale is more precise, which will give you more consistent results and end in less frustration. It may feel like a leap of numbers and math, but investing in learning to use a kitchen scale is very rewarding and worth it. I have yet to meet someone who switched over and regretted it. On the contrary, they usually sing their scale’s praises and wonder how they ever baked without it.

Not convinced yet? Here are some of my top arguments to get you to try a scale. :)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, and American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Less dishes

Yes, you heard me. Less dishes! Since everything is weighed right in the bowl or baking vessel, you don’t have to wash measuring cups and other utensils needed.

Faster

When you use less dishes and everything can go straight into the bowl or pan it needs to, it’s more efficient and thus quicker.

More Precise

This point has already been pretty well covered above, but it’s the top point chefs and bakers usually give for using a kitchen scale. More precision, more consistent results, happier bakers.

Opens up the world of baking beyond America

If you know how to use a kitchen scale and how to bake with cups and measuring spoons, much more of the baking world opens up to you. Not only will European (including French and Italian!) recipes come within reach, but also things like sourdough. French cuisine, especially if you want to get into the precise and technical world of french pastry, will be much easier if you use a kitchen scale. Sourdough is very impractical when you don’t use a scale. There are already so many variables in sourdough you wouldn’t want to throw yet another variable in by trying to measure by volume.

If you think of measuring by weight as a different language, then any recipe from Europe or beyond would have to be “translated” into measuring with cups and spoons. You would only have access to the recipes that someone took the time to “translate”. Instead, learn the language, and you can make any recipe you want, no having to wait for someone to translate it for you or simply not make it because you don’t have a scale or don’t know how to measure by weight.

Easier to scale recipes up and down and customize

While most recipes are easily scaled up or down by halving, doubling, quadrupling, etc., what happens when you want to customize the recipe more?

If a muffin recipe makes 8, and you want an even 12 muffins instead, you need to multiply the recipe by 150% or 1.5. That’s much trickier when working with cups, teaspoons, and their fractions. If this muffin recipe calls for 1/3 cup oil, do you want to multiply that by 1 1/2? It’s much nicer to multiply 75g oil x 1.5 = 113g. Multiplying numbers is easier than multiplying fractions. I heart kitchen scales!

Easier to Bake with Children

Honestly, I initially had this as a con, but even as I was writing it out I realized it largely depends on personal preference and age of children.

Using a scale allows a child to happily scoop away, while the scale is still telling you precisely how much has been put in. Older children can watch for the number they’re aiming for. A 2 year old might not comprehend the idea of scooping in 240g of flour, but an 8 year old could! In fact, some kids might find aiming for a number on a scale easier than trying to figure out cups and fractions. With younger children, you might decide that pre-measuring (in a separate bowl on the scale) is easier, before letting them add that ingredient to the main bowl, to avoid adding too much of an ingredient that then becomes difficult to remove the excess. This does negate the “no extra dishes” pro of using a scale, but hey, isn’t having kids just all about cleaning up extra messes anyway?? Haha.

Measuring with cups requires being careful not to pack the flour in and measuring to precise lines, among other things. With all the scooping, spilling, playing that is potentially going on with the budding cooks, it’s easy to lose track of what has been put in the bowl, or just how much flour was packed into that measuring cup. For younger children, I like to measure out ingredients for them, and just let them dump and help with mixing.

Either way, baking requires basic math skills and is good for practice! In the end, you’re spending quality time with the kids in your life, they’re learning important skills, and even if what you’re making doesn’t turn out perfectly, they’re generally proud as a peach of their lumpy, misshapen cookies. :)

Ok, but what are the cons?

We’ve covered some pretty big pros to using a kitchen scale, what about the cons? Honestly, I’ve come across very few, but it’s fair to talk about the potential drawbacks.

Having to convert recipes to grams

The single biggest drawback to switching to using a scale, is that you may have to convert all or most recipes you use from cups to grams.

The exception to this would be if you use a lot of online recipes on blogs, often the recipes are written on printable “recipe cards” which can be converted from cups to grams with the click of a button. Despite these wonderful internet things I’ve found too many errors for comfort so I still convert all my recipes manually. Often the errors come into play with unsual ingredients or measurements, or those subtleties in a recipe measurement that an auto translate just doesn’t pick up on. I have many ingredient weights memorized (is my geek showing?) so I often catch these errors by simply scanning converted recipes on these recipe cards.

Converting your own recipes can be a daunting task, but if you give yourself just an extra 5-10 minutes before making each recipe to convert the measurements, it’s really quite manageable. That way you’re doing just a recipe at a time, one a day or however often you bake or cook, and it’s not overwhelming at all.

In fact, I’ve done half of the work for you by creating this master list of ingredient weight conversions. All weight measurements on that list have been duly researched and checked for accuracy. All the recipes on Jennyblogs have been converted using this list. While some ingredients may inevitably vary (1 cup of raisins may differ in weight from another cup of raisins, for example), usually the ones that do vary are the ones least likely to mess up a recipe. (Having a few extra raisins in a raisin bread recipe will not ruin your bread).

Scale turns off mid-measure

If you have a kitchen scale that turns off automatically, beware. This is a big con, but also an avoidable one. Simply don’t let it stay on too long before adding something new.

Despite best intentions, it probably will happen to you at some point, if not frequently. (This has happened to me more times than I should admit. I should know to tap the scale first or turn it off and on again before continuing! Alas.)

What do you do if/when your scale turns off on you?

  • If you only have one thing in your bowl, it’s no big deal: simply take it out and start over.

  • If you have other ingredients in the bowl, that’s where it gets tricky and you’ll have to guess how much was in there, or do some math. To figure out exactly how much you have in there, place a new clean bowl on the scale, tare so it reads 0, then transfer your bowl of ingredients to the new bowl. Add up the weight of the ingredients you have in the bowl, then subtract that number from the number on the scale. What’s left is the mystery weight of the ingredient you half measured before your scale turned off. Clear as mud? Here’s an example:

    Let’s say you’re making muffins, and you measure into the bowl 150g of sugar, 150g brown sugar, and now you’re adding 56g of oil into the bowl. The scale turns off mid measure and you didn’t see how much oil you had measured. Take the bowl off the scale. Place a new bowl on the scale, and tare so the scale reads 0. Now pour the bowl of ingredients into the new bowl and note the number. Let’s say it says 338g. You know you have 150g + 150g = 300g of other ingredients in the bowl, so you must have 338g - 300g = 38g of oil in the bowl. You need to add 56g - 38g = 18g more oil to your bowl!

Now, all of this is easily avoided completely by simply investing in a scale that has the option to STAY ON until you turn it off. I’ve dealt with the auto-off for years and just recently upgraded to this larger capacity scale. The auto-off can be turned off and it is WONDERFUL. Of course, now I have to remember to turn it off when I’m done! It takes up a bit more space than a flat scale, but it feels like the professional scales that I would often use in the commercial pasta kitchen in Italy.

Baking with others

This is a very, very minor thing. At this point. I’m just trying to find some negatives.

One of the small cons I’ve found is that it’s trickier to bake with others. If you and a friend are baking together and you have a newfound love of using a kitchen scale but they prefer cups and measuring spoons, well, what do you do?

You’d either have to teach them how to use a kitchen scale or go back to using measuring cups and spoons. Neither is a big deal, but if you don’t want to take extra time, using cups and spoons would probably be the way to go.

On the flip side, knowing how to use a kitchen scale would make baking with a European friend much easier, since you already know their baking “language.”

I guess that’s all I can come up with for now for cons…do you have any?

Hopefully this has given you plenty of food for thought, and will lure you to try baking with a kitchen scale, mwahaha!

Alright, I want to use a kitchen scale! Now what?

If you decide you want to start using a kitchen scale and would like help converting some recipes from cups to grams, you can use this master list of Baking Measurement Conversions I’ve compiled over the last years as I’ve been converting and creating new recipes. All the recipes on Jennyblogs uses this list for absolute consistency!

Baking Measurement Conversions

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Last Updated July 11, 2024

Here is a master list for converting recipes from volume (cups) to weight (grams) and vice versa.

Whether you’re looking to convert just one recipe or would like to convert multiple, this handy list is my go-to, tried and true list for common baking ingredients conversions.

Each ingredient has been cross-checked from multiple conversion sites for accuracy, and then tested in my own kitchen multiple times for accuracy. All recipes that have been developed or converted on Jenny Blogs use this master list. As recipes continue to be added, more ingredients will be added to this list.

This list goes beyond ingredients, it can be a quick reference for pan sizes from inches to centimeters, and temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius, and vice versa.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, and American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Pan Sizes

9x13 inch rectangle = 23x33 centimeter

8x8 inch square = 20x20 centimeter

9x5 inch bread pan = 23x13 centimeter

8 inch round = 20 centimeter

9 inch round = 23 centimeter

10 inch round = 25 centimeter

Temperature

110°F = 43°C

165°F = 74°C

185°F = 85°C

190°F = 88°C

205°F = 96°C

210°F = 99°C

250°F = 121°C

300°F = 149°C

325°F = 163°C

350°F = 177°C

375°F = 190°C

400°F = 205°C

425°F = 218°C

450°F = 232°C

500°F = 260°C

Ingredients

In alphabetical order

*some ingredients may have slight variability in their weight. An example of this would be nuts, where 1 cup of nuts can vary slightly when weighed. When there is variability, this list does its best to find the median weight.

Almonds, whole, 1 cup = 140g

Almonds, sliced, 1 cup = 84g

Applesauce, 1 cup = 250g

Banana, 1 cup mashed = 300g (about 3 bananas)

Baking powder, 1 tsp = 5g (4.6g)

Baking powder, 1 Tbsp = 14g

Baking soda, 1 tsp = 5g (4.6g)

Baking soda, 1 Tbsp = 14g

Blackberries, 1 cup = 145g

Breadcrumbs, 1 cup = 100g

Butter, 1 stick = 4oz = 113g

Butter, 1 Tbsp = 14g

Buttermilk, 1 cup = 240g

Caramel Sauce, 1 cup = 300g

Cashews, whole, 1 cup = 150g

Cheese, crumbly soft (feta, Gorgonzola, etc), 1 cup = 6 oz = 170g

Cheese, semi-soft (cheddar, colby jack, etc), shredded, 1 cup = 4oz = 113g

Cheese, hard (parmesan, asiago, romano etc) grated, 1 cup = 3-3.5oz = 85-100g

Cheese, ricotta, 1 cup = 250g

Cherries, dried, 1 cup = 120g

Chia seeds, 1 cup = 160g

Chia seeds, 1 Tbsp = 12g

Chocolate, 1 oz = 30g

Chocolate, 6 oz/1 cup = 175g

Chocolate Chips, regular and mini, 1 cup = 170g

Cinnamon, 1 tsp = 2.3g

Cocoa, 1 Tbsp = 6-7g

Cocoa, 1 cup = 100g

Coconut, flaked, 1 cup = 80g (varies, roughly the same for unsweetened and sweetened)

Cornmeal, 1 cup = 120g

Cornstarch, 1 tsp = 2.5g

Cornstarch, 1 Tbsp = 7.5g

Cornstarch, 1 cup = 120g

Corn syrup, 1 cup = 328g

Corn syrup, 1 Tbsp = 20g

Cranberries, dried, 1 cup = 140g

Cranberries, fresh, 1 cup = 110g

Cream Cheese, 1 cup = 8oz = 225g

Cream Cheese, 3oz = 85g

Cream, heavy whipping, 1 Tbsp = 15g

Cream, heavy whipping, 1 cup = 237g

Dates, pitted, 1 cup = 160g

Date, deglet, 1 = about 10g

Date, Medjool, 1 = 24g

Dried fruit, 1 cup = 190g

Evaporated Milk, 1 cup = 262g

Flaxmeal, 1 cup = 180g

Flour, all-purpose, 1 cup = 120g

Flour, all-purpose, 1 Tbsp = 8g

Flour, bread, 1 cup = 120g

Flour, oat, 1 cup = 100g

Flour, whole wheat, 1 cup = 128g

Flour, cake, 1 cup = 110g

Graham Crackers, crumbs, 1 cup = 85g

Graham Cracker, 1 sheet = 15g

Honey, 1 Tbsp = 21g

Honey, 1/4 cup = 85g

Hummus, 1 cup = 245g

Ketchup, 1 Tbsp = 15g

Lemon Juice, 1 Tbsp = 14g

Lemon Juice, 1 cup = 237g

Lemon/lime zest, 1 Tbsp = 6g

Lentils, dry, 1 cup = 210g

Maple Syrup, 1 Tbsp = 20g

Maple Syrup, 1 cup = 322g

Marshmallow Fluff, 1 cup = 85g

Marshmallows, mini, 1 cup = 2 oz, 57g

Mascarpone, 1 cup/8oz = 225g

Mayonnaise, 1 cup = 230g

Milk, 1 cup = 237g

Milk, Coconut, 1 cup = 237g

Molasses, 1 Tbsp = 21g

Nutella, 1 Tbsp = 19g

Nutella, 1 cup = 296g

Nutter Butter, 1 cookie = 14g

Oat Bran, 1 cup = 80g

Oats, quick, 1 cup = 90g

Oats, rolled, 1 cup = 80g

Oil, 1 Tbsp = 14g

Oil, 1 cup = 224g

Oil, coconut, 1 cup = 220g

Olives, kalamata, 1 cup = 180g

Peanut Butter, 1 Tbsp = 16g

Peanut Butter, 1 cup = approx 260g

Peanuts, 1 cup = 155g

Pecans, chopped, 1 cup = 125g

Pickle Relish, Sweet, 1 Tbsp = 15g

Pistachios, shelled, 1 cup = 125g

Pumpkin Puree, canned, 1 cup = 240g

Pumpkin Puree, 1 15oz can = 425g

Quinoa, 1 cup cooked = 185g

Raisins, 1 cup = 150g

Red Pepper Flakes, 1 Tbsp = 5-6g

Rice, uncooked, 1 cup = 185g

Rice Krispies, Cereal, 1 cup = 28g

Salt, 1 tsp = 5g

Sour cream, 1 cup = 245g

Sourdough discard, 1 cup = 250g

Sourdough starter, active, 1 cup = 227g

Soy Sauce, 1 Tbsp = 17g

Soy Sauce, 1 cup = 265g

Spinach, 1 cup raw = 30g

Spinach, 1 cup raw, chopped, = 45g

Sugar, brown, 1 cup = 200g

Sugar, powdered/confectioner’s, 1 cup = 125g

Sugar, white, 1 cup = 200g

Sugar, white, 1 Tbsp = 12.5g

Toffee Bits (Heath), 1 cup = 170g

Tomatoes, cherry, 1 cup = 150g

Tomato Paste, 1 Tbsp = 16g

Vanilla, 1 tsp = 5g

Vinegar, 1 cup = 238g

Walnuts, chopped, 1 cup = 125g

Water, 1 cup = 237g

Wheat Germ, 1 cup = 100g

Xylitol, 1 Tbsp = 15g

Yeast, 1 tsp = 3g

Yeast, 2 1/4 tsp = 7g

Yogurt, 1 cup = 245g

Zucchini, 1 cup grated = 100g 

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookie BAKE OFF

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Last Updated: July 9, 2024

Welcome to my sourdough chocolate chip cookie throw down.

What did I do with scads of sourdough discard piling up in my fridge? Why, bake up multiple batches of sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies to see which ones are the best, of course.

The first step was to pick the recipes. I wanted ones that seemed to be popular, but most importantly, recipes with varied approaches. The first time I ever made sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies was a recipe by the Boy Who Bakes. That recipe involved browning butter and using only egg yolks, which may seem fussy for chocolate chip cookies, but there are valid reasons behind it.

Can’t you just throw some sourdough discard in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and call it a day?

Well, yes. And no.

When it comes to sourdough discard, it works very well in quick breads, pancakes, muffins, etc. It starts to change things up noticeably, though, when added to things like cookies. This is because cookies have a very low moisture content compared to cakes or muffins. If you add water or liquids to a cookie, they’ll turn cake-y. Sourdough discard is often half water. This poses a problem for cookies. This can be offset by eliminating water elsewhere in the recipe to make up for it. Egg whites contain water, so the first step is to use just egg yolks. Secondly, by browning the butter, you evaporate the water content in butter.

When I learned this, it all started to make so much sense why you can’t just toss some discard in your cookie dough if you want the same beloved, chewy texture. There is a science-y reason for it! Yet…why are there so many recipes for sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies that call for only one or neither of these things? Does that mean it’s not necessary to do the extra work? Is the science not science-ing?

Well, I was here to find out!

I decided to make 3 new sourdough discard recipes, combined with 2 more I tried at different times, for a total of 5 contenders.

Each recipe has different elements so you can see how they affect the final product. I found it fascinating and hopefully the results will help you decide which sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe will be your new go-to!

About this Bake Off

  • The 3 principal recipes in this bake off were all made on the same day with the same ingredients and baked in the same oven. Recipe 4 was made in Italy with Italian ingredients, so that would be the most different. However, being so similar in nature to recipe 2, I felt it was still worthwhile to include it. Recipe 5 was made shortly after but not on the same day as the 3 principal recipes.

  • All 5 recipes were followed as precisely as possible, without making any adjustments, even based on best judgement. For example, 2 recipes I would have normally added more flour, but I resisted to keep this bake off as true as possible.

  • All recipes requiring refrigeration were chilled overnight, even if one recipe’s minimum chill time was 2 hours, it still got an overnight chill.

  • All ingredients in these recipes were weighed for maximum consistency.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, and American companies and products made in the USA for American readers. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookie Bake Off

Cookie #1 Little Spoon Farm

This recipe was the closest to a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe, calling for regular butter and a whole egg.

Raw dough: Gooey, had a “pull” to it, rather like a stiffer bread dough, where you can see and feel the gluten build up in the dough. This dough had the most pronounced “sourdough” taste to it.

Baked: Had a pockmarked appearance, and a texture again that made one think of bread. But it was not “bready” per se, nor was it cake-y. It still had a nice chew to it, it just wasn’t as dense as a classic chocolate chip cookie. Overall a very tasty cookie, and the sourdough taste was lessened with baking.

Cookie #2 Sugar Spun Run

This recipe was the most tedious to make, because it not only required browning and cooling the butter, but also called for just egg yolks.

Raw dough: almost identical to classic chocolate chip cookie dough in texture, with a lovely nuttiness from the browned butter. The browned butter also did a good job of balancing out the sourdough taste.

Baked cookie: nice bake, not too flat, not to tall. Chewy, delicious, and still very similar to a classic chocolate chip cookie. Minimal sourdough taste.

Cookie #3 King Arthur

This recipe was a hybrid of the two recipes above, using browned butter yet a whole egg.

Raw dough: very soft; too soft. I knew it would need more flour but decided to make the recipe exactly as written for testing purposes. Delicious, again with browned butter the nuttiness really mellowed out the sourdough taste. Had it been a bit firmer it probably would’ve been similar to cookie #1 in texture with that slight glutinous “pull.”

Baked cookie: too much spread, too flat and soft. Definitely the most chocolatey. Tricky to get off the tray (should have used a silicone baking mat or parchment paper).

Cookie #4 The Boy Who Bakes

This is the first sourdough discard chocolate chip cookie recipe I ever made. I could really get behind his method, and how he thoroughly and clearly explained how he arrived at the recipe. Science. It made sense to me. I didn’t include this recipe in with my 3 cookie bake-off since I had 1) already made these 2) was looking to try all new ones, and 3) Sugar Spun Run’s was already similar.

This recipe is very similar to Sugar Spun Run in that it calls for browned butter and only egg yolks.

Raw Dough: Sticky, I should’ve known it would need more flour despite the chilling, but other than that pretty similar to standard chocolate chip cookie dough, with that wonderful nutty flavor from the browned butter pairing with the subtle tang from the discard.

Baked Cookie: Yes, they were delicious. Similar to King Arthur’s recipe, for test results in my kitchen, I would have adjusted the recipe to include more flour the next time, as the cookies came out very thin and flat.

Cookie #5 My mom’s chocolate chip cookies

My mom always uses oil in her cookies. Oil (certain kinds, anyway) is often seen as a healthier alternative to butter, especially for those who avoid dairy or cholesterol.

None of the other 4 cookies I tried included oil in the recipe, so I decided to try my mom’s recipe with sourdough discard, and used whole eggs.

Raw Dough: Stickier and with more of, again, that glutinous “pull” than is usual for cookie dough. Tasted wonderful, faint tang from the discard.

Baked Cookie: These turned out closest to Little Spoon Farm, which used regular butter and whole eggs; a delicious chocolate chip cookie with a just a bit more volume, hint of chew, hint of breadiness.

These were by far the easiest and least fussy. No need to separate of eggs, no need to brown then cool butter, no need to cream the butter, no need to chill the dough. Easy.

Conclusion:

All of these recipes are valid and yielded delicious cookies. Boy Who Bakes and King Arthur both would need more flour, based on my results, but this could also be dependent on my preference of cookies as well as the state of discard starter and various other possible factors.

At the end of the day, there are two recipes I would be most likely to return to.

For absolute best taste and texture, #2 Sugar Spun Run was the stand out, followed closely by the #4 Boy Who Bakes.

For quickest cookies to whip up in a pinch, #5 my mom’s recipe wins for easiest and fastest.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars

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Last updated: June 9, 2024

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars are similar to Rice Krispie Treats, but coated in peanut butter and butterscotch. Ohhhh yummmm.

The recipe calls for only 5 ingredients and takes all of 15 minutes to make! These Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars and other butterscotch bars are often made around Christmastime, but I love making these in the summer, too, because this is a no-bake recipe and very quick for when you’d rather spend your time outside than inside baking.

I love butterscotch, but I didn’t often choose to bake or eat butterscotch desserts until recently because they often contain artificial coloring. While some still do, I was happy to find Aldi brand butterscotch chips use natural coloring!

Recipe by Jenny, inspired by the many other butterscotch no-bake desserts out there :)

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars

Makes 1 8x8inch pan, about 9-12 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag (about 10oz / 283g ) butterscotch chips

  • 3/4 cup / 195g peanut butter

  • 6 Tbsp / 85g butter

  • 2 cups / 114g mini marshmallows

  • 2 cups / 56g Rice Krispies

Directions:

8x8inch / 20x20cm pan lightly greased or lined with wax paper.

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter together. Stir until smooth.

  2. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

  3. Stir in marshmallows and Krispies.

  4. Spread into prepared pan and let set before slicing. Placing in the fridge can speed this process up.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars
Yield 9
Author
Prep time
5 Min
Cook time
5 Min
Inactive time
30 Min
Total time
40 Min

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Bars

Easy no-bake butterscotch peanut butter bars with rice krispies and marshmallows.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 8x8inch / 20x20cm pan lightly greased or lined with wax paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt butterscotch chips, peanut butter, and butter together. Stir until smooth.
  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  4. Stir in marshmallows and Krispies.
  5. Spread into prepared pan and let set before slicing. Placing in the fridge can speed this process up.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

255.7

Fat

18.82 g

Sat. Fat

7.08 g

Carbs

19.22 g

Fiber

1.06 g

Net carbs

18.15 g

Sugar

9.37 g

Protein

5.54 g

Sodium

195.21 mg

Cholesterol

20.36 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 piece if cut into 9 squares.

peanut butter rice krispie bars, butterscotch marshmallow bars, no-bake, summer dessert
dessert
American
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Ingredient Substitutions

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In light of the recent Ingredient Substitutions in Italy post, I realized I could easily write another master list for common and easy ingredient substitutions, more geared for cooking and baking in the USA.

I know that I am often making one or a couple modifications or substitutions in a recipe each time I’m in the kitchen. It’s part of the beauty of baking and cooking. Sometimes it comes out of necessity, other times it’s simply a desire to. Maybe I don’t have buttermilk, but I know I can use sour milk. A cookie recipe might call for butter, but maybe I’ll use oil instead if I forgot to soften butter or don’t feel like creaming it. A lot of these I do without thinking, others I’m always having to look up to remember the quantity or ratio.

Here is an ingredient substitution list I’ve been working on, although far from comprehensive, these are some of the ones I find myself needing to do most often, or a few that saved me just once or twice in a pinch that I have never forgotten and am forever grateful for!

New York Times has an interesting list of ingredients substitutes, cuts of meat, herbs and their classes by taste and how to properly substitute them. Different kinds of substitutions, equally interesting!

I will continue to add to this list as I think of and learn new ones!

Use discretion when making substitutions. The kitchen is a wonderful place for experiments, but not all recipes can handle substitutions.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses, American companies, and products made in the USA. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

  1. Baking Soda - you can use baking powder.

    Baking powder isn’t as powerful as baking soda, so it’s recommended to use 3x the amount. For example, for 1 tsp of baking soda, add instead 3 tsp of baking powder. In higher amounts this can lead to an unusual, bitter taste from the baking powder, just so you know.

  2. Broth - use bouillon cubes, powdered broth, or even just water, if the recipe calls for small amounts like 1/4 or 1/2 cup of broth. Reference the package or container for appropriate amount of bouillon or powdered broth to use.

    Using powdered broth comes in handy so you don’t have to open a container of liquid broth and have the rest go to waste. Bouillon cubes you generally need to make at least 1 cup of broth per cube. I love powdered broth as a sub for small amounts of broth, as it is customizable. Just be wary, many powdered broths and bouillon cubes contain sketchy ingredients, including monosodium glutamate. Similar to real broth, both of these substitutes can be very high in sodium, so I usually suggest not adding in any extra salt to the recipe until you’ve tasted it with all broth or broth substitutes added in.

    A new one I’ve found, is this Better Than Bouillon. They have many different flavors, some are organic. You can find better prices at Costco but here is an idea on Amazon:

  3. Brown sugar - for every 1 cup of brown sugar, take 1 cup white granulated sugar and blend with 1 Tbsp of molasses. A food processor works well, if not mix well by hand.

  4. Butter - use oil, coconut oil, margarine, shortening, or lard.

    Oil: for every 1 cup of butter, add 3/4 cup of oil. Some say to use 7/8 cup of oil, but I will tell you that I grew up replacing 1 cup of butter with 3/4 cup of oil. It’s an easier amount to work with and works well!

    Coconut oil: use an equal amount (1:1 ratio)

    Margarine: use an equal amount (1:1 ratio)

    Shortening: use an equal amount (1:1 ratio)

    Lard: use 7/8 cup lard for every 1 cup of butter

    You can sub applesauce for butter in baked goods, see “oil” below.

  5. Buttermilk - for every 1 cup of buttermilk, add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or any kind of baking vinegar (apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, etc.) to a measuring cup and fill to the 1 cup measure line with regular milk.

  6. Cake flour - Take 1 cup of flour, remove 2 Tbsp of flour and add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch.

  7. Canned Green Chilies - use a fresh pepper instead.

    I like to sub 1-2 jalapeño or other spicy peppers for 1 can. Fresh tastes better, too! Canned chilies aren’t usually too spicy, so you‘ll want to remove the seeds from fresh hot peppers to reduce the spiciness.

  8. Cream cheese - mascarpone can be a good sub for cream cheese in equal amounts.

  9. Corn syrup - depending on the recipe, you can use honey or water and sugar.

    Use an equal amount of honey for corn syrup. For sugar/water substitute, use 4 parts sugar and 1 part sugar. Meaning, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of corn syrup, use 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water.

  10. Eggs - you can use a flax egg or chia egg.

    Mix together 1 Tbsp flaxmeal or chia seeds with 3 Tbsp water. Mix well, and let sit in fridge until thickened and gloopy, about 15 minutes. This will replace 1 large egg.

  11. Flour, self-rising - for every 1 cup of self-rising flour use 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp baking soda.

  12. Garlic - garlic granules or powder can be substituted for fresh garlic, or vice versa. 1/8 tsp of garlic POWDER or 1/4 tsp of garlic GRANULES is supposed to be equivalent to 1 clove of garlic.

  13. Ginger - Fresh ginger and ground ginger can be swapped out for one another.

    There is no hard and fast rule for the amount, unfortunately. You can use as little as 1/4 tsp ground ginger for every 1 Tbsp of fresh grated ginger, or as much as 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger for every 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger called for.

  14. Herbs - You can swap out fresh herbs for dried herbs, or vice versa. The general rule of thumb is to use 3x the amount of fresh as dried, as dried is usually stronger. i.e. if a recipe calls for 1/2 tsp dried thyme, you could use 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme. Or if a recipe calls for 1 Tbsp (3 tsp) fresh oregano, you could swap out for 1 tsp dried oregano. I personally don’t think all herbs are equal when fresh or dried, one of the biggest being basil. I don’t think that dried basil should be substituted for fresh. If a recipe calls for dried basil, that’s fine, but I think the taste between fresh and dried are very distinct.

  15. Honey - use equal amounts of maple syrup, agave nectar, or even sugar, brown sugar, etc.

  16. Maple Syrup - use equal amounts of honey, agave nectar, sugar, brown sugar, etc.

  17. Mayonnaise - use equal amounts of plain yogurt or sour cream.

  18. Oil - use butter or any of the fats above under butter, or applesauce.

    • Butter: When subbing oil for butter it’s a bit more straightforward, oil is oil and doesn’t need to be whipped. When subbing butter for oil, if you’re making cookies, cake, quick breads, in most cases you’ll want to cream the butter until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Not to say you can’t make a delicious chocolate chip cookie with melted butter, you absolutely can, but it will be different than a cookie made with creamed butter.

      or

    • Applesauce: This can be a cheaper and healthier alternative to oil. Since even unsweetened applesauce is naturally sweet, you can also reduce sugar in recipes when using this substitution. This substitution does take a bit of experimenting, especially if swapping out for larger quantities of oil, and doesn’t suit all recipes.

  19. Onion - shallots, green onions, and leeks can all be interchanged for one another.

    You can also use about 1 Tbsp onion powder for every 1 cup diced onion, this can be adjusted according to taste.

  20. Peanut Butter - yes, you CAN use natural peanut butter!

    Many desserts that call for peanut butter specify to use creamy, not natural, peanut butter, since natural peanut butter has a tendency to separate. But you know what? I have yet to find a pie, cookie, or other peanut butter dessert where I couldn’t use natural peanut butter. Do be mindful of over-stirring/beating, as this is what can often get you into trouble with the peanut butter separating.

  21. Salt - No, there’s no substitute for salt really, but have you ever wondered why some recipes specify what kind of salt? For example, if a recipe calls for kosher salt? Why? Can’t you just use table salt?

    Yes, of course you can. But it’s also handy to know that 1 tsp of different kinds of salt will lend different levels of salt to your dish. 1 tsp of Kosher salt is not quite as salty as 1 tsp of table salt, but it’s saltier than 1 tsp coarse sea salt. Why? Different kinds of salt pack into measuring spoons differently. More tiny grains of table salt fit into a teaspoon than coarser kosher or sea salt. So if you’re using table salt instead of kosher salt, you will want to use less, especially in larger quantities.

    If all of that sounded like mumbo jumbo to you, that’s ok. Here’s a cheat sheet for swapping out salts, but you’ll probably only notice in larger quantities. Salt is personal, anyway. When in doubt, start with less. You can always taste and add more as needed, but you can’t un-salt a dish.

    1 tsp of table salt = 1 tsp fine sea salt = 1 1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt = 2 tsp of fine kosher salt

  22. Sour cream - use an equal amount of plain yogurt!

    It’s also a healthier alternative.

  23. Tomatoes - Fresh tomatoes and canned tomatoes can often be interchanged in cooking. For example, if a soup calls for a 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes, you could use instead 3 ripe medium tomatoes. You will probably need to adjust the cooking time to allow more time for the fresh tomatoes to break down. Similarly, you can use a can of tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes, where appropriate.

  24. Tomatoes (canned varieties) - Have you ever felt confused by the seemingly myriad varieties of canned tomatoes, and wondered what the difference is? I certainly have. There is diced, crushed, whole, plum, San Marzano, tomato paste, passata, fire roasted, tomato sauce, prepared sauces, etc. etc. But can you use them interchangeably? Easy answer is yes, but it helps to be familiar with their forms and what your actual preferences are for eating tomatoes in a recipe.

    For example, if you’re making a tomato sauce for pasta, and the recipe calls for crushed tomatoes, you can absolutely sub in diced tomatoes instead. If, however, you don’t want chunks of tomatoes in your sauce, and you know that diced tomatoes are bigger chunks than crushed, then you can choose to blend your sauce in a blender or use an immersion blender to get your smooth, not chunky, pasta sauce.

    That said, here is a quick cheat sheet for canned tomatoes and their consistencies, from smoothest to chunkiest:

    • Passata di pomodoro - a tomato purée, the smoothest of canned tomatoes. I have a harder time finding this in the States, but it is one of the more plentiful tomato products you can find in an Italian grocery store, as it is so often used in their cooking. I also enjoy paying .70cents for it in Italy vs $4 in the States. :)

    • Tomato sauce - another smooth purée, but often with a few added ingredients, such as basil, salt, garlic. Depending on your recipe, these may already be ingredients called for (since they so often go with tomatoes) and may not matter. Just pay attention to the salt, since tomato sauce often does have some salt and the recipe could end up saltier than anticipated.

    • Tomato paste - smooth, thick, tomato concentrate. Water can be added to reconstitute it, other times recipes call for tomato paste as is to be added. This adds richness to the tomato flavor of the recipe, even if fresh or canned tomatoes are already called for.

    • Crushed tomatoes - a little chunkier, maybe “lumpier” than passata, but still quite smooth. Once in a recipe I don’t usually notice any tomato “chunks.”

    • Diced tomatoes - Still saucy, but now with chunks of tomatoes. Maybe one of the most common types of canned tomatoes I see called for in US recipes.

    • Whole tomatoes - well, they’re whole! Usually peeled. You can slice or dice them for sauces, soups, etc., or add them to a blender or blend with an immersion blender for a smooth sauce.

    • Whole plum tomatoes - this is a kind of tomato. They’re medium, oblong, with a rich, juicy flavor great for making sauces. Some well-known varieties include Roma and San Marzano.

    • San Marzano tomatoes - these are a prized, production protected, type of Italian plum tomato. They can be found in the various forms, passata, crushed, whole, etc. You can often find them imported in cans straight from the Campania region of Italy, from where they originally hail. This makes them pricey, but you can also find them in American plant nurseries or in seed form to grow yourself.

    • Fire roasted tomatoes - tomatoes with a distinct smoky flavor, usually in diced form. Really delicious in soups, especially Mexican inspired ones such as enchilada or tortilla soup.

    • Tomatoes with green chilies - diced tomatoes with diced green chilies, for when you want both in a recipe. I rarely buy this since I like to have cans of green chilies on hand, or I just use a fresh pepper, such as jalapeño, instead.

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry

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This Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry is one of the easiest in our repertoire. A good green curry paste and coconut milk carry the flavor in the sauce, while a quick sauté on some green vegetables of choice and baked tofu bring this quick and tasty meal together in no time.

You can use just about any vegetable you choose in this dish, but I love keeping it all green. Goes with the green curry paste, and keeps it feeling fresh and spring-like, you know?

Tofu: to bake or to pan-fry?

You have the option of pan-frying or baking the tofu. Baking overall takes longer, but it’s less hands on, so may save you time in the end. It’s also a healthier alternative to pan-frying. Pan-frying, though, will always give you the edge on perfectly crispy, golden tofu. Baking can also get you crispy tofu, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just a little different. Baking is my preferred method!

If you choose to bake, there are actually two different ways you can go about this. Normally, after the water has been pressed out of the tofu, it would be lightly breaded in cornstarch and oil before being baked. This way is delicious and I highly recommend it.

Another way, as in the recipe below, is simply baking the tofu, no coating no fuss. This results in a crisp, almost chewy tofu that is another great option. I choose this method when crunched for time or cooking for people who prefer to eat lighter.

I paired the bake method with this particular curry recipe to keep it as simple and straightforward as possible. However, feel free to bake/fry tofu in your favorite way before tossing in the sauce with the veggies!

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Recipe adapted from New York Times

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

  • 1 14oz / 400g block of firm or extra-firm tofu

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g cooking oil

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 cup snow peas

  • 1 14oz / 400g can of coconut milk

  • 2-4 Tbsp / 36-72g green curry paste

  • Juice of 1 lime

  • Rice, lime wedges, cilantro, sesame seeds, etc. as desired, for serving

Directions:

Prepare the Tofu

Oven preheated to 400°F / 205°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.

  1. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.

  2. Slice tofu into 1-inch cubes. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto prepared baking sheet.

  3. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until light golden.

Cook Vegetables and Sauce

  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, asparagus, and snow peas; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to get some color, about 2-3 minutes.

  2. Add coconut milk and green curry paste to pan and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken.

  3. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and tofu.

  4. Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Use whichever vegetables you like best, the recipe as written above is the winning combo of veggies that we liked, while keeping it a fun green theme. Some ideas include using corn kernels, carrots, broccoli, kale, bell peppers, fennel, etc. Just keep in mind the approximate cooking length of the veggies you’re adding. Hardy root vegetables like carrots will take a bit longer, while veggies like broccoli, especially if you like them with a bit of a crunch like I do, will take just a few minutes until al dente perfection.

  • Certain veggies like broccoli and kale tend to “absorb” the sauce more than others, so if using these you might find your dish overall less saucy.

  • To avoid soggy vegetables, make sure not to cook them all the way through before you add the sauce, as they will still cook once you add the sauce.

  • Green curry pastes can vary in spiciness, so I would advise starting with just 2 Tbsp of curry and tasting for spice level before adding more.

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry
Yield 2-3
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
30 Min
Total time
45 Min

Green Tofu and Vegetable Curry

Creamy, spicy, springy curry with tofy and green veggies served over rice. A quick and simple curry!

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the Tofu
  1. Oven preheated to 400°F / 205°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.
  2. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.
  3. Slice tofu into 1-inch cubes. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto prepared baking sheet.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until light golden.
Cook Vegetables and Sauce
  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, asparagus, and snow peas; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to get some color, about 2-3 minutes.
  2. Add coconut milk and green curry paste to pan and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce starts to thicken.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and tofu.
  4. Serve over rice with desired garnishes.

Notes

  • Use whichever vegetables you like best, the recipe as written above is the winning combo of veggies that we liked, while keeping it a fun green theme. Some ideas include using corn kernels, carrots, broccoli, kale, bell peppers, fennel, etc. Just keep in mind the approximate cooking length of the veggies you’re adding. Hardy root vegetables like carrots will take a bit longer, while veggies like broccoli, especially if you like them with a bit of a crunch like I do, will take just a few minutes until al dente perfection.
  • Certain veggies like broccoli and kale tend to “absorb” the sauce more than others, so if using these you might find your dish overall less saucy.
  • To avoid soggy vegetables, make sure not to cook them all the way through before you add the sauce, as they will still cook once you add the sauce.
  • Green curry pastes can vary in spiciness, so I would advise starting with just 2 Tbsp of curry and tasting for spice level before adding more.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

736.72

Fat

60.15 g

Sat. Fat

39.85 g

Carbs

30.97 g

Fiber

9.42 g

Net carbs

21.55 g

Sugar

10.97 g

Protein

29.01 g

Sodium

43.1 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 2 servings, not including rice or garnishes.

Green curry, spring curry, coconut milk curry
dinner
Asian
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Morris House Rolls (Parker House Rolls)

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Soft and fluffy, these rolls have become a staple for holiday dinners and everyday dinners. There are hardly ever any leftovers, no matter how many batches we make! It’s hard to resist delicious, buttery, homemade bread.

Originally called Parker House Rolls, we’ve since changed the name of these to Morris House Rolls since, well, we make them so pretty and slightly changed the method of Parker House Rolls. Their origin has something to do with some rolls made at a hotel, where any angry baker threw some unfinished rolls into the oven. Apparently these were the rather delicious result that stuck and became famous. The method nowadays involves rolls that are dipped in butter and folded in half before they’re baked. This all seems rather fussy and messy, so we’ve adapted these into a more classic dinner roll shape. Just as delicious without all the fuss.

These are wonderful as is, or sliced and used for sliders or other small sandwiches. These freeze beautifully, so you can always pull some out for an impromptu dinner side!

Sourdough Discard Friendly

This is a great recipe to use up some sourdough discard. Add up to 100g of discard and a bit more flour as needed.

Why Heat the Milk First?

Heating milk, often known as “scalding”, is a technique often found in older recipes. It involves heating the milk to at least 181°F / 83°C. It has a few different purposes, depending on what you’re making.

  • Kill Bacteria: Before milk was widely pasteurized, scalding milk helped to kill bacteria.

  • Enhance Flavor: Milk takes on flavors really well when heated, so scalding works well with recipes that use vanilla, spices, herbs, etc., such as ice creams and custards.

  • Help Bread Rise: Milk contains whey protein, which can weaken gluten. If gluten isn’t strong, bread won’t rise properly. Scalding milk deactivates the whey protein, for an optimal rise.

The final reason is the reason why milk is scalded in this recipe.

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Recipe adapted from Food Network

Morris House Rolls

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups / 356g milk

  • 1/2 cup / 113g butter, plus more for brushing

  • 1/2 cup / 100g sugar

  • 2 1/4 tsp / 7g instant yeast

  • 1/2 cup / 119g warm water

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

  • 6 cups / 720g all-purpose flour

Directions:

Oven 350°F / 177°C. 1 baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.

  1. In a small pan, bring milk to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in butter and sugar until melted. Allow to cool.

  2. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine yeast, water, eggs, salt, half of the flour, and cooled milk mixture until smooth. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft, smooth dough forms. Knead for a few minutes with the dough hook.

  3. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead about 5 more minutes by hand.

  4. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, flip once to coat in oil, cover, and let rest for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until doubled in size.

  5. Punch dough down and divide dough into about 30 pieces. This will work out to be about 55g per piece if you have a scale to weigh them. Roll each piece into a tight ball and place on prepared baking sheet.

  6. Cover and let rest at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes, or until dough balls are puffed and almost doubled in size.

  7. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter, if desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • If using instant dry yeast, you will want to active it before adding it in with the other dough ingredients. Add active dry yeast and the warm water to a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and active, before proceeding by adding them in with the rest of the dough ingredients.

  • This is a great recipe to use up some sourdough discard. Add up to 100g of discard and a bit more flour as needed.

  • These are so good, we don’t usually brush them with the extra butter!

Morris (Parker) House Rolls
Yield 30 rolls
Author
Prep time
45 Min
Cook time
20 Min
Inactive time
1 H & 45 M
Total time
2 H & 50 M

Morris (Parker) House Rolls

Parker House Rolls, renamed Morris House Rolls, are fluffy, buttery dinner rolls that never fail to disappear.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Oven 350°F / 177°C. 1 baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.
  2. In a small pan, bring milk to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in butter and sugar until melted. Allow to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine yeast, water, eggs, salt, half of the flour, and cooled milk mixture until smooth. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft, smooth dough forms. Knead for a few minutes with the dough hook.
  4. Transfer dough to floured surface and knead about 5 more minutes by hand.
  5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, flip once to coat in oil, cover, and let rest for about 1 hour at room temperature, or until doubled in size.
  6. Punch dough down and divide dough into about 30 pieces. This will work out to be about 55g per piece if you have a scale to weigh them. Roll each piece into a tight ball and place on prepared baking sheet.
  7. Cover and let rest at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes, or until dough balls are puffed and almost doubled in size.
  8. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter, if desired.

Notes

  • If using instant dry yeast, you will want to active it before adding it in with the other dough ingredients. Add active dry yeast and the warm water to a small bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and active, before proceeding by adding them in with the rest of the dough ingredients.
  • This is a great recipe to use up some sourdough discard. Add up to 100g of discard and a bit more flour as needed.
  • These are so good, we don’t usually brush them with the extra butter!


Nutrition Facts

Calories

145.59

Fat

4.14 g

Sat. Fat

2.35 g

Carbs

21.88 g

Fiber

0.76 g

Net carbs

21.12 g

Sugar

4.01 g

Protein

3.68 g

Sodium

152.34 mg

Cholesterol

25.96 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 roll.

dinner roll, parker house rolls
bread, side
American
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Avalanche Bark - Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Copycat

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White chocolate peanut butter coated Rice Krispie treats with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.

These are so delicious and simple to make, needing only about 10 minutes and 5 ingredients. Pop it in the fridge and you’ve got yourself a tasty treat for yourself or for that party you forgot you were supposed to bring something to!

I always have people asking for this recipe when I take it places, and it’s an easy one to give because it’s so simple. Even once when I had made this in Italy, and only had some older overly-chewy marshmallows, (marshmallows aren’t a big thing there and different than US ones to begin with) it was still a hit. In fact, a friend, after asking for the recipe, asked what the chewy bits were, and when I embarrassingly told him about the stale marshmallows, he laughed and said, “they’re my favorite part!” These are so good, they’ll even make chewy marshmallows shine.

The shameless blogger backstory

I once worked at a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and honestly it was one of the most fun jobs I ever had. I enjoyed working with chocolate, making the caramel apples, fudge, barks, etc., I liked my colleagues, had a good boss, and yes, also enjoyed eating some chocolate. It was very low-stress and not overly physical, at least compared to having spent 6+ hours at the ballet studio during the day before going to RMCF.

This recipe is a copycat of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory’s Avalanche Bark. While legally I can’t give you the exact recipe, I would like to note that it would be completely impractical for me to even try. Everything there is made in much larger batches than a home baker would need to make, and by the time the recipe would be reduced down to a manageable quantity, you would have awful measurements like 0.1625 lbs of this or 2/3 tsp of that.

What I can tell you, is that this recipe is probably the closest you can get. But all of that could actually be irrelevant, as some of the other copycat recipes probably adjusted the recipe according to their tastes, and you can too! It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to look at a slice of authentic Rocky Mountain Avalanche Bark and compare it to some of the other copycat recipes to realize that hey, Rocky Mountain’s has more Krispies. Because really, if you like a lighter, crunchier version, add more Krispies (it would also be crumblier, by the way). If you want more of a true “bark”, add less Krispies. Or, add more marshmallows and less Krispies, for a chewier version. Maybe you want more chocolate chips on top. Maybe you want to mix chocolate chips into these instead of just sprinkling on top. As you can see, for only having 5 ingredients, this recipe has quite a few possibilities for customization.

Avalanche Bark

Makes about 9 generous squares

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz white chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup / 130g peanut butter

  • 1 1/2 cups / 86g mini marshmallows

  • 3 1/2 cups / 98g rice krispies

  • 1/4 cup / 43g mini chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Line bottom of an 8x8in / 20x20cm square pan with wax paper.

  2. In a medium large pot, melt white chocolate chips and peanut butter together over low heat, stirring often.

  3. When white chocolate has just melted, remove from heat and stir in mini marshmallows. Gently fold in Rice Krispies until evenly coated.

  4. Spoon and spread into prepared pan, being careful not to flatten too much.

  5. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press lightly.

  6. Allow to set at room temperature or in fridge before slicing.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • While this recipe is very similar to Rocky Mountain’s, feel free to customize as you wish. Add more or less Krispies, more or less Mini marshmallows, more chocolate chips or even mix them in, etc.

Avalanche Bark - Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Copycat
Yield 9
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Inactive time
20 Min
Total time
30 Min

Avalanche Bark - Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Copycat

White chocolate and peanut butter coated rice krispies with chewy mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips make up this simple, no-bake dessert that tastes just like Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Line bottom of an 8x8in / 20x20cm square pan with wax paper.
  2. In a medium large pot, melt white chocolate chips and peanut butter together over low heat, stirring often.
  3. When white chocolate has just melted, remove from heat and stir in mini marshmallows. Gently fold in Rice Krispies until evenly coated.
  4. Spoon and spread into prepared pan, being careful not to flatten too much.
  5. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press lightly.
  6. Allow to set at room temperature or in fridge before slicing.

Notes

  • While this recipe is very similar to Rocky Mountain’s, feel free to customize as you wish. Add more or less Krispies, more or less Mini marshmallows, more chocolate chips or even mix them in, etc.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

382.4

Fat

20.86 g

Sat. Fat

9.55 g

Carbs

45.03 g

Fiber

0.96 g

Net carbs

44.08 g

Sugar

32.81 g

Protein

6.56 g

Sodium

162.96 mg

Cholesterol

8.69 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 square if cut into 9 slices.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Avalanche Bark, no bake dessert
dessert
American
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Almond Joy Cookies

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Almond Joy candy bars in an easy to make, homemade cookie form.

These cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, coconut, and sliced almonds, bursting with that coconut and almond flavor. They’re sweet, chewy, and pure joy to eat. (Heh heh.)

Make these with toasted coconut!

While I’ve written the recipe as a quick and easy to whip up recipe with regular, unsweetened coconut, these are DELICIOUS if you have a few extra minutes to toast your coconut.

To toast coconut:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C.

  2. Spread 2 cups coconut into an even layer onto an ungreased baking sheet or dish.

  3. Bake in oven for 8-10* minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Check every 2 minutes or so to ensure it doesn’t burn. Stir as necessary.

* Baking time will vary depending on oven and type of baking dish used.

I used to always use a baking sheet or cookie sheet to toast coconut, until I tried using a Le Creuset baking dish, and I’ve never used anything else since. The coconut toasts so evenly I rarely have to stir it anymore, and burning it is a distant memory.

Le Creuset is made of enameled stoneware which creates even baking, and easy clean up! One more amazing use for Le Creuset. They’re an investment and can be very expensive, but certain pieces are more affordable, or even if you can find them on occasion at Home Goods or Le Creuset’s outlet stores, you can get some pretty good deals.

Almond Joy Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup / 168g neutral-flavored cooking oil

  • 3/4 cup / 150g sugar

  • 3/4 cup / 150g brown sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp coconut extract

  • 1 tsp almond extract

  • 2 cups / 160g unsweetened shredded coconut

  • 2 1/4 cups / 270g all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 cups (12 oz bag) / 350g semi-sweet or milk chocolate chocolate chips

  • 1/2 cup / 42g sliced almonds

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together oil, and sugars.

  2. Beat in eggs and extracts. Stir in coconut.

  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

  4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

  5. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds by hand, just until evenly distributed.

  6. Drop by generous tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies look puffed, slightly golden, and center no longer looks gooey.

  7. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes on cookies sheets before removing to cool completely.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Try these cookies using toasted coconut! (Toast coconut by spreading into an even layer on a baking sheet or dish, and bake at 350°F / 177°C for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown, check every 2 minutes or so to ensure it doesn’t burn, stirring if necessary.)

  • I like to use a mix of both semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips in these!

  • For nut lovers, you can increase the amount of sliced almonds in this recipe!

Almond Joy Cookies
Yield 24 cookies
Author
Prep time
20 Min
Cook time
10 Min
Total time
30 Min

Almond Joy Cookies

Chewy cookies loaded with coconut, chocolate, and almonds, just like the Almond Joy candy bar.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together oil, and sugars.
  2. Beat in eggs and extracts. Stir in coconut.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds by hand, just until evenly distributed.
  6. Drop by generous tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until cookies look puffed, slightly golden, and center no longer looks gooey.
  7. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes on cookies sheets before removing to cool completely.

Notes

  • Try these cookies using toasted coconut! (Toast coconut by spreading into an even layer on a baking sheet or dish, and bake at 350°F / 177°C for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown, check every 2 minutes or so to ensure it doesn’t burn, stirring if necessary.)
  • I like to use a mix of both semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips in these!
  • For nut lovers, you can increase the amount of sliced almonds in this recipe!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

298.91

Fat

17.71 g

Sat. Fat

7.83 g

Carbs

31.57 g

Fiber

1.82 g

Net carbs

29.76 g

Sugar

16 g

Protein

2.62 g

Sodium

159.65 mg

Cholesterol

13.64 mg

Nutritional information is approximate and based on 1 cookie.

no chill cookie dough, chocolate chip cookies, Almond Joy
dessert
American
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Smooth Potato and Vegetable Soup

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This soup couldn’t be simpler to make, simply chop up vegetables, boil them, and purée them. Tada! Dinner. It’s high on my list for easy meals that require little hands on prep, think 10 minutes or less. Feasible even with a newborn and other little kids demanding all your time!

It’s all vegetables, which makes it hearty and very nutritious. Once it’s puréed you can’t tell what’s in it which makes it easy to sneak in maybe some of those vegetables that your family isn’t so fond of. If I’m going to be really honest, veggie soups aren’t overly exciting, but I really enjoy this one. It’s difficult to ruin, even if you swap out different kinds of veggies. Make as written at first if you feel more comfortable, rather than branching out on your own right away. After the first time or two making this, you’ll quickly learn what you want more of or less of in the veggie department to suit you and your family’s tastes.

And, being all vegetables, this soup is vegetarian and vegan, gluten and dairy free. Friendly for many diets and dietary needs!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Smooth Potato and Vegetable Soup

Serves about 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 quart / 1 liter chicken or vegetable broth

  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled

  • 3 medium potatoes

  • 2 medium carrots

  • 2 stalks of celery

  • 1 small-medium broccoli crown

  • 1/2 medium onion

  • 2 fresh artichoke hearts, or 1 14 oz can, drained

  • salt and pepper, to taste

  • extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling, and crusty bread, optional

Directions:

  1. Rinse vegetables and chop all into chunks.

  2. Add all ingredients to a large pot over medium-high heat and brig to a boil.

  3. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender when checked with a sharp knife. Check periodically to ensure it doesn’t boil dry, adding more water if necessary. Total time will depend on how large or small your vegetable chunks are.

  4. Once the vegetables are tender, transfer to a blender with enough broth to cover or almost cover them in the blender, or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. If you desire a thinner soup, add more broth or water.

  5. Serve immediately with bread and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

Jenny’s Notes:

  1. You’ll notice the recipe is a bit vague, and I did that on purpose. If I wrote all the options or different ways I’ve made this soup, it would be quite confusing to read. So, you can find some variations down here.

  2. What kind of broth? Completely up to you. I prefer vegetable as this is a vegetable soup, but you could just as easily use chicken, beef, a combo, or your own homemade broth.

  3. Try using sweet potatoes for part or all of the potatoes.

  4. I don’t even bother to remove the skin from any of the potatoes or carrots. It all gets blended anyway, and it saves a lot of time while adding nutrition!

  5. The first time I made this with artichokes I hadn’t ever worked with a fresh artichoke before. I thought the center was bigger than it was, and thus ended up with some strands of fiber throughout the soup from the leaves. Not a deal breaker, but beware of those fibrous artichoke outer leaves. If you aren’t sure what exactly is the “center”, simply try biting the leaves. If it’s too fibrous and hard to chew, don’t blend it. The center will be small, as in, I-bought-that-whole-artichoke-just-for-that-tiny-thing? and yellow and almost melt in your mouth tender.

  6. Feel free to play with some spices to change things up! I like to add a Tbsp of turmeric, and sometimes some thyme or sage.

  7. Finally, add or subtract any vegetables you want! Basically as long as you have the same volume of vegetables to liquid, ish, you’ll end up with a vegetable soup. Ha. I love how simple it is. It’s just playing with flavors and textures!

Smooth Potato and Veggie Soup
Yield 4-6
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
30 Min
Total time
45 Min

Smooth Potato and Veggie Soup

Simple and nutritious purèed potato and vegetable soup

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Rinse vegetables and chop all into chunks.
  2. Add all ingredients to a large pot over medium-high heat and brig to a boil.
  3. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender when checked with a sharp knife. Check periodically to ensure it doesn’t boil dry, adding more water if necessary. Total time will depend on how large or small your vegetable chunks are.
  4. Once the vegetables are tender, transfer to a blender with enough broth to cover or almost cover them in the blender, or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. If you desire a thinner soup, add more broth or water.
  5. Serve immediately with bread and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Store in the refrigerator or freeze.

Notes

  1. You’ll notice the recipe is a bit vague, and I did that on purpose. If I wrote all the options or different ways I’ve made this soup, it would be quite confusing to read. So, you can find some variations down here.
  2. What kind of broth? Completely up to you. I prefer vegetable as this is a vegetable soup, but you could just as easily use chicken, beef, a combo, or your own homemade broth.
  3. Try using sweet potatoes for part or all of the potatoes.
  4. I don’t even bother to remove the skin from any of the potatoes or carrots. It all gets blended anyway, and it saves a lot of time while adding nutrition!
  5. The first time I made this with artichokes I hadn’t ever worked with a fresh artichoke before. I thought the center was bigger than it was, and thus ended up with some strands of fiber throughout the soup from the leaves. Not a deal breaker, but beware of those fibrous artichoke outer leaves. If you aren’t sure what exactly is the “center”, simply try biting the leaves. If it’s too fibrous and hard to chew, don’t blend it. The center will be small, as in, I-bought-that-whole-artichoke-just-for-that-tiny-thing? and yellow and almost melt in your mouth tender.
  6. Feel free to play with some spices to change things up! I like to add a Tbsp of turmeric, and sometimes some thyme or sage.
  7. Finally, add or subtract any vegetables you want! Basically as long as you have the same volume of vegetables to liquid, ish, you’ll end up with a vegetable soup. Ha. I love how simple it is. It’s just playing with flavors and textures!


Nutrition Facts

Calories

240.61

Fat

4.33 g

Sat. Fat

0.72 g

Carbs

46.34 g

Fiber

8.9 g

Net carbs

37.42 g

Sugar

8.16 g

Protein

8.2 g

Sodium

1094.33 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 1 serving if recipe serves 4, including olive oil drizzle.

potato soup, Armenian vegetable soup, vegan, vegetarian
dinner
American
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Sticky Lemon Tofu

/

Last updated September 27, 2024

Crispy tofu with a zingy, sweet, and super flavorful sticky sauce over rice makes for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Serve with your favorite garnishes and you’ll feel like you’re eating takeout, but it’s actually much healthier!

Inspired by Chinese takeout “lemon chicken” but made with tofu instead. Meatless, nutritious, and you can choose to add veggies, as you wish.

The tofu can be baked or fried, depending on your preference, either way resulting in delicious, crispy bites of tofu that are just asking to be covered in a sticky lemon sauce. I prefer baking them, it’s healthier and the oven does the work while I work on the sauce. Either way is delicious and simple, though!

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Sticky Lemon Tofu

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

For the Crispy Tofu

  • 1 14oz / 400g block of firm or extra-firm tofu

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g oil

  • 1 Tbsp / 17g soy sauce

  • 1/4 cup / 40g cornstarch

For the Lemon Sauce

  • 1/2 cup / 119g chicken broth or water

  • 1/4 cup / 56g lemon juice

  • 2 Tbsp / 34g soy sauce

  • 3 Tbsp / 60g maple syrup

  • zest of 1 lemon

To sautè

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g cooking oil

  • 2-3 green onions, sliced

  • 1 Tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger

  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced

For Serving

  • Rice

  • Garnishes such as sliced green onions, sesame seeds, red chili flakes, and/or lemon slices

Directions:

Make the Crispy Tofu

  1. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels mostly dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.

  2. Slice tofu into squares and toss together with the oil, soy sauce, and corn starch until evenly coated.

    Pan fry:

  3. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat and add tofu. Fry for a few minutes until golden, then flip tofu over. Add more oil to pan as needed to get a nice golden crust on the tofu. Remove from heat when done.

    OR Bake:

  4. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto a parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F / 205°C for about 30 minutes, or until light golden and crispy. Ideally, flip tofu halfway through baking.

Make the sauce

  1. Whisk together all ingredients for the sauce; set aside.

Sauté

  1. Heat oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. (Can be the pan you used for the tofu if you pan-fried it).

  2. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.

  3. Add lemon sauce ingredients to pan and bring to a simmer.

  4. Add in tofu, carefully stir to evenly coat tofu in sauce. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.

  5. Serve with rice and garnishes, as desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Veggies can be added to this dish if desired. I like snow peas and broccoli, which can be added at the very end with the tofu into the sauce. Put a lid on and let the veggies steam for a few minutes, or until desired tenderness is achieved.

  • If pan frying the tofu, you can flip the tofu with tongs, or simply sauté/flip the tofu using the pan. The second way is faster, but requires a bit more skill and you have less control over which sides of the tofu land down.

  • Instead of maple syrup you can also use 1/4 cup / 50g of sugar or brown sugar. Or, 3 Tbsp / 63g of honey, which lends a slightly different flavor.

Sticky Lemon Tofu
Yield 2-3
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
40 Min
Total time
55 Min

Sticky Lemon Tofu

Crispy tofu nuggets tossed in a super flavorful sticky lemon sauce inspired by Chinese takeout Lemon Chicken, served over rice.

Ingredients

For the Crispy Tofu
For the Lemon Sauce
To sautè
For Serving

Instructions

Make the Crispy Tofu
  1. Place tofu block between some paper towels and press to absorb extra water. Repeat until tofu feels dry and no more water comes out. You can also do this ahead of time by placing something heavy over the tofu and paper towels, such as a bowl or pot, and leave it for several minutes.
  2. Slice tofu into squares and toss together with the oil, soy sauce, and corn starch until evenly coated.
  3. Pan fry:
  4. Heat a large fry pan and add tofu. Fry for a few minutes until golden, then flip tofu over. Add more oil to pan as needed to get a nice golden crust on the tofu. Remove from heat when done.
  5. OR Bake:
  6. Disperse tofu cubes evenly onto a parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 400°F / 205°C for about 30 minutes, or until light golden and crispy. Ideally, flip tofu halfway through baking.
Make the sauce
  1. Whisk together all ingredients for the sauce; set aside.
Sauté
  1. Heat oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. (Can be the pan you used for the tofu if you pan-fried it).
  2. Add green onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
  3. Add lemon sauce ingredients to pan and bring to a simmer.
  4. Add in tofu, carefully stir to evenly coat tofu in sauce. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
  5. Serve with rice and garnishes, as desired.

Notes

  • Veggies can be added to this dish if desired. I like snow peas and broccoli, which can be added at the very end with the tofu into the sauce. Put a lid on and let the veggies steam for a few minutes, or until desired tenderness is achieved.
  • If pan frying the tofu, you can flip the tofu with tongs, or simply sauté/flip the tofu using the pan. The second way is faster, but requires a bit more skill and you have less control over which sides of the tofu land down.
  • Use whichever kind of cooking oil you prefer. I simply write “oil” since specifying often gets people thinking they must use a specific oil, when really you can use any high-heat cooking oil (peanut oil, avocado oil, some use olive oil, etc.)
  • Instead of maple syrup you can also use 1/4 cup / 50g of sugar or brown sugar. Or, 3 Tbsp / 63g of honey, which lends a slightly different flavor.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

476.8

Fat

23.04 g

Sat. Fat

2.04 g

Carbs

47.45 g

Fiber

2.93 g

Net carbs

44.51 g

Sugar

20.62 g

Protein

21.78 g

Sodium

1742.63 mg

Cholesterol

1.18 mg

Nutritional information is approximate, based on 1 serving if recipe serves 2. Does not include rice or garnishes.

Sticky lemon tofu, chinese takeout lemon chicken
dinner
Asian
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Tart Cherry Pie

/

Last updated July 31, 2024

Nothing speaks summer in Traverse City like cherry pie.

Or January, because of the beauty of things like frozen fruit. This recipe actually originally called for frozen cherries, but it all turns out about the same whether you use fresh or frozen, so feel free to use whichever you have available.

How do you know when you find the best cherry pie? Or the best anything? I don’t know, and I don’t love recipes that boast to be the best, but this one is delicious. This is my go-to cherry pie recipe, until such a time as I should come across a better one!

The beauty of fruit pies is that they don’t need much. A good recipe lets the fruit shine. This recipe does exactly that. It’s perfectly cherry; tart, sweet, and one of my favorite flavor combinations: cherry / almond.

It features a crumble topping and this recipe has an extra: amaretto. It takes it up a notch, but if you don’t happen to have any on hand, this recipe is still divine.

Here’s to July, or summer in January!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to mall businesses and ethically and responsibly made items. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

Tart Cherry Pie

Serves about 8

Ingredients:

For the Crust

For the Filling

  • 6 cups / roughly 24oz fresh or frozen tart cherries, pitted

  • 1 cup / 200g sugar

  • 2 Tbsp / 15g cornstarch

  • 2 Tbsp / 16g flour

  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

  • 1 Tbsp / 14g butter

  • 1 Tbsp amaretto liqueur, optional

For the Crumble Topping

  • 1 cup / 120g flour

  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup / 20g rolled oats

  • 6 Tbsp / 84g butter, melted

Directions:

Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C.

Make the crust

  1. Prepare pie crust; refrigerate until filling is ready

Make the Filling

  1. In a medium large pot, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and almond extract over medium heat. Stir frequently until sugar has melted and cherries begin to break down.

  2. Add butter and amaretto. Continue to stir occasionally until mixture begins to bubble and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  3. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare topping

Make the Crumble Topping

  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and oats.

  2. Add melted butter and stir until mixture resembles clumpy wet sand.

Assemble and Bake

  1. Pour filling into prepared crust. Evenly sprinkle crumble topping over filling.

  2. Bake pie in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until edges are bubbling and crumble is golden brown. Place a cookie sheet lined with tinfoil under the pie plate to catch any filling that bubbles over.

  3. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • For crumble topping, I use rolled oats and quick oats interchangeably.

  • If not using the amaretto, I recommend increasing the almond extract to 1 tsp

  • Check the pie halfway through baking to ensure it’s not browning too quickly. If it is, place some tinfoil on top to prevent it browning too quickly.

  • Fruit pies like this are best made in the morning or the day before you need them, since they need to cool completely before being sliced into. If it’s not completely cool, it won’t be completely set, and the filling will ooze out.

Tart Cherry Pie
Yield 8
Author
Prep time
40 Min
Cook time
1 Hour
Inactive time
8 Hour
Total time
9 H & 40 M

Tart Cherry Pie

A classic summer pie bursting with juicy sour cherries, a touch of almond extract and amaretto liqueur, topped with a buttery oat crumble
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the Crust
For the Filling
For the Crumble Topping

Instructions

Make the crust
  1. Prepare pie crust; refrigerate until filling is ready
Make the Filling
  1. Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C.
  2. In a medium large pot, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, flour, and almond extract over medium heat. Stir frequently until sugar has melted and cherries begin to break down.
  3. Add butter and amaretto. Continue to stir occasionally until mixture begins to bubble and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Remove from heat and allow to cool while you prepare topping
Make the Crumble Topping
  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and oats.
  2. Add melted butter and stir until mixture resembles clumpy wet sand.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Pour filling into prepared crust. Evenly sprinkle crumble topping over filling.
  2. Bake pie in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until edges are bubbling and crumble is golden brown. Place a cookie sheet lined with tinfoil under the pie plate to catch any filling that bubbles over.
  3. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Notes

  • For crumble topping, I use rolled oats and quick oats interchangeably.
  • If not using the amaretto, I recommend increasing the almond extract to 1 tsp
  • Check the pie halfway through baking to ensure it’s not browning too quickly. If it is, place some tinfoil on top to prevent it browning too quickly.
  • Fruit pies like this are best made in the morning or the day before you need them, since they need to cool completely before being sliced into. If it’s not completely cool, it won’t be completely set, and the filling will ooze out.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

487.73

Fat

16.18 g

Sat. Fat

8.2 g

Carbs

73.55 g

Fiber

3.45 g

Net carbs

70.09 g

Sugar

27.3 g

Protein

4.67 g

Sodium

171.5 mg

Cholesterol

26.72 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 8 servings.

Cherry Pie, Best Tart Cherry Pie, Oat Crumble Topping, Sour Cherry Pie
dessert
American
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs
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Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

/

Last Updated August 14, 2024

Thousand Island Dressing - you know it as the pinkish, sweet and salty dressing for salads, hamburgers, and various other creative uses.

What you might not know is what this salad dressing is made of, and that it is super simple to whip up at home with only 7 ingredients you very possibly already have on hand!

Essentially, Thousand Island Dressing is a mayonnaise and ketchup based dressing. Beyond that, there are many variations, although my favorite below features sweet relish and onions.

Where did Thousand Island Dressing come from?

Its origin is disputed, but two main tales originate in the Thousand Islands region, between northern New York and Canada.

One tale starts at Boldt Castle when George Boldt (Waldorf-Astoria billionaire) and his wife Louise were out on their yacht. Their chef forgot to bring a dressing for some greens and had to scrounge something up, which turned into Thousand Island Dressing.

Another tale stems from a recipe found in a restaurant in the same Thousand Islands area. The recipe appears to be what we know now as Thousand Island Dressing, but is simply called “Sophia’s Sauce”. Sophia and George Lelonde used to own the restaurant.

Wherever it came from, it blossomed in popularity, although honestly I never understood why.

Why Make Thousand Island Dressing? One Reason: Taco Salad

Thousand Island has always been a bit mysterious to me, I never much cared for it and I never gave much thought to what it was actually made of. I usually saw it in a bottle, and per usual with store-bought salad dressings, many of the ingredients weren’t ones I cared overly to be eating.

my tiny photo stager :)

However, despite having no strong feelings for Thousand Island dressing, there is one dish that I and my family love that Thousand Island is crucial to: Taco Salad. Yep, that’s right. I don’t even know how Thousand Island came to be “the” dressing for Taco Salad, as I’ve never heard of anyone putting it on their tacos. I’m not sure where the Taco Salad recipe in my family came from originally, but whoever made it up decided, oh let’s make a salad with all the components of tacos in it…what kind of dressing should we use? I know, Thousand Island Dressing! Naturally.

Taco Salad

Due to our love for Taco Salad and also our desire to eat whole foods and make things homemade, we decided to look in to making our own Thousand Island Dressing, especially since we don’t use it for anything else. I came across this recipe and we haven’t bought a bottle of Thousand Island since.

Find the recipe for Taco Salad here!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses and ethically and responsibly made items. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe Adapted from Simply Recipes

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Makes about 1 1/2 cups of dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup / 230g mayonnaise

  • 1/4 of an onion or 1 small shallot, minced

  • 2 Tbsp / 30g ketchup

  • 2-3 Tbsp / 30g sweet pickle relish

  • 1 tsp / 5g lemon juice

  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, mix well.

  2. Place in a jar or sealed container and store in the fridge.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Letting the dressing sit for a few hours or ideally a day or two really lets the flavors meld. It also can help to tame the onion or shallot a bit.

  • Use more sweet relish if you like a sweeter and tangier Thousand Island, use less if you don’t want it as sweet.

  • Mason jars make great storage containers!

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
Yield 12 servings. about 1 1/2 cups
Author
Prep time
10 Min
Total time
10 Min

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Sweet and tangy homemade Thousand Island Dressing comes together in minutes with just 7 ingredients. It's tastier, healthier, and cheaper than its store-bought counterpart!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, mix well.
  2. Place in a jar or sealed container and store in the fridge.

Notes

  • Letting the dressing sit for a few hours or ideally a day or two really lets the flavors meld. It also can help to tame the onion or shallot a bit.
  • Use more sweet relish if you like a sweeter and tangier Thousand Island, use less if you don’t want it as sweet.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

134.56

Fat

13.99 g

Sat. Fat

2.18 g

Carbs

2.15 g

Fiber

0.09 g

Net carbs

2.06 g

Sugar

1.68 g

Protein

0.24 g

Sodium

218.14 mg

Cholesterol

7.84 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on a serving of 2Tbsp.

Thousand Island Dressing, homemade, Sofia's Sauce, Salad Dressing
Condiment,
American
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Whole Wheat Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

/

One bowl chocolate chip cookies featuring whole wheat flour and oats.

While the whole wheat flour and oats may trick you into thinking these cookies are trying to be healthy, that’s really not what they’re here for! Sure, an added bonus is that these cookies do have added nutrition, but the whole wheat flour and oats serve to add a more complex flavor profile.

Whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor while the oats add, ahem, “oatiness” and that beloved chew from an oatmeal cookie. You can use your favorite kind of chocolate chips in this recipe, but I really love the bitterness of dark chocolate chips in these. On the flip side, I also think using white, or even white and dark (!) would be a really beautiful combo.

Chocolate chip cookies are a timeless American staple, and I love all the endless variations! Here is yet another for you to try and add to your baking repertoire!!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Whole Wheat Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 14-18 medium cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup / 113g oil

  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup / 50g sugar

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 egg

  • 1 tsp / 5g vanilla extract

  • 3/4 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 1/2 cups / 135g rolled or quick oats

  • 3/4 cup / 96g whole wheat flour

  • 1/4 cup / 25g oat bran, wheat germ, or wheat bran

  • 1 cup / 175g semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C. 1 ungreased baking sheet

  1. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, both sugars, and salt. Beat in egg and vanilla.

  2. Mix in baking powder and baking soda until thoroughly combined.

  3. Stir in oats, flour, oat bran, and chips until combined.

  4. Drop by generous tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly golden and no longer look wet.

  5. Allow to cool for several minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • If you don’t have oat bran, wheat bran, or wheat germ on hand, you could add in extra flour or oats, instead. In fact, I’ve even used baby cereal with great success!

  • While you can really use any kind of chocolate chips you wish, I really enjoy dark chocolate chips or chunks in these cookies; it really compliments the nutty whole wheat flour!

Whole Wheat Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield 14-18 cookies
Author
Prep time
15 Min
Cook time
12 Min
Total time
27 Min

Whole Wheat Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies made with oats and whole wheat flour. The extra nutty flavor pairs beautifully with the chocolate chips for an indulgent yet nutritious treat.
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C. 1 ungreased baking sheet
  2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, both sugars, and salt. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
  3. Mix in baking powder and baking soda until thoroughly combined.
  4. Stir in oats, flour, oat bran, and chips until combined.
  5. Drop by generous tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until lightly golden and no longer look wet.
  6. Allow to cool for several minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely.

Notes

  • If you don’t have oat bran, wheat bran, or wheat germ on hand, you could add in extra flour or oats, instead. In fact, I’ve even used baby cereal with great success!
  • While you can really use any kind of chocolate chips you wish, I really enjoy dark chocolate chips or chunks in these cookies; it really compliments the nutty whole wheat flour!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

231.82

Fat

13.14 g

Sat. Fat

4.56 g

Carbs

28.53 g

Fiber

2.44 g

Net carbs

26.1 g

Sugar

12.2 g

Protein

3.66 g

Sodium

174.98 mg

Cholesterol

11.82 mg

Nutritional information is approximate and based on 14 servings.

cookies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, whole grain, whole wheat flour
dessert, cookies
American
Did you make this recipe?
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Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies

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These are buttery sugar cookies with hints of almond and vanilla, stuffed with Nutella. The almond really compliments the Nutella! I guess hazelnuts and almonds make good company.

I first made these cookies over 10 years ago and they’re still a cookie I love to make. Because they’re cutouts, I tend to save them for special occasions, but the extra time is so worth it!

These cookies melt in your mouth and keep you going back for more, despite being a generous size to begin with! They’re also pretty little things, which makes them suitable for nice occasions, especially with a little dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder on top. You can use different shapes for different occasions, which makes these not only delicious and beautiful, but also versatile! These are always a winner.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies

Makes about 12 large cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup / 225g butter

  • 1/2 cup / 100g sugar

  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 Tbsp / 15g vanilla

  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

  • 3 cups / 360g flour

  • 1 Tbsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • about 2/3 cup / 200g Nutella

  • powdered sugar and/or cocoa powder for dusting, optional

Directions:

Oven preheated to 375°F / 190°C. Ungreased cookie sheets.

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

  2. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in extracts.

  3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.

  4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix until thoroughly combined. If dough seems too wet, add a bit more flour until a thicker consistency is reached.

  5. Cover and place dough in refrigerator until chilled, at least 1 hour.

  6. Remove dough from fridge. Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4in / 1/2cm. Use a 3in / 7.5cm cookie cutter to cut the cookie dough. Re-roll and cut more.

  7. Place half of the cut out cookies onto a cookie sheet. Spoon or pipe about 2 tsp of Nutella onto the middle of the cookie. Place a second cookie on top, using fingers or a fork to seal edges together.

  8. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until edges just barely start to turn golden. Allow cookies to cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks or the counter.

  9. When cookies are completely cool, dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Jenny’s Notes:

  • Round or square cookie cutters work best for these pillow cookies, but any shape will do, as long as it has a large enough center area for the Nutella to be able to be sealed in. I like to do heart shapes for Valentine’s day, as pictured!

  • While these may have Nutella in the name, I’ve stuffed these with other things before that were also delicious! Small chocolates like Reese’s, Dove chocolates, etc. could be used. I once used these hazelnut chocolates that are common in Italy, Gianduja, and they were wondeful in these!

  • Don’t over bake! Not only can this lead to dry cookies, but it can affect the filling, as well.

Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies
Yield 12 Large Cookies
Author
Prep time
45 Min
Cook time
11 Min
Inactive time
1 Hour
Total time
1 H & 56 M

Nutella-Filled Pillow Cookies

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies with hint of vanilla and almond, stuffed with Nutella, and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Oven preheated to 375°F / 190°C. Ungreased cookie sheets.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in extracts.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.
  5. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix until thoroughly combined. If dough seems too wet, add a bit more flour until a thicker consistency is reached.
  6. Cover and place dough in refrigerator until chilled, at least 1 hour.
  7. Remove dough from fridge. Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4in / 1/2cm. Use a 3in / 7.5cm cookie cutter to cut the cookie dough. Re-roll and cut more.
  8. Place half of the cut out cookies onto a cookie sheet. Spoon or pipe about 2 tsp of Nutella onto the middle of the cookie. Place a second cookie on top, using fingers or a fork to seal edges together.
  9. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until edges just barely start to turn golden. Allow cookies to cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to cooling racks or the counter.
  10. When cookies are completely cool, dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Notes

  • Round or square cookie cutters work best for these pillow cookies, but any shape will do, as long as it has a large enough center area for the Nutella to be able to be sealed in. I like to do heart shapes for Valentine’s day, as pictured!
  • While these may have Nutella in the name, I’ve stuffed these with other things before that were also delicious! Small chocolates like Reese’s, Dove chocolates, etc. could be used. I once used these hazelnut chocolates that are common in Italy, Gianduja, and they were wondeful in these!
  • Don’t over bake! Not only can this lead to dry cookies, but it can affect the filling, as well.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

388.68

Fat

21.3 g

Sat. Fat

14.73 g

Carbs

48.95 g

Fiber

1.74 g

Net carbs

47.2 g

Sugar

18.17 g

Protein

5.22 g

Cholesterol

67.95 mg

Sodium

345.08 mg

Nutritional info is approximate, based on 1 cookie

Cookies, Nutella, Pillow Cookies, Cutout Cookies, Rolled Cookies, Sugar Cookies
dessert, cookies
American
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs
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Homemade Evaporated Milk

/

Last Updated October 27, 2024

Making evaporated milk at home is very simple to do. You only need one ingredient: milk!

The evaporated milk you buy from the store is simply milk that has had 60% of its water evaporated.You can make your own by simmering it on the stove until reduced by 60%, or a bit more than half. It takes a bit of time and diligence, half hour or so of simmering, and remembering it’s there so it doesn’t boil dry. And no. of course I’ve never done either of those things, nope. But really, it’s so simple to make you can hardly call this a “recipe”!

Now, knowing how to make evaporated milk is wonderful for various occasions, but it does have its cons. The most obvious being it takes time and is easy to forget simmering on the stove. Second, even when made correctly the milk can cook onto the bottom of the pan over the simmering period and is not the most fun to clean. Because of these drawbacks, I still do buy cans of evaporated milk at times!

On the flip side, the beauty of making your own evaporated milk is that you can personalize to your tastes or dietary needs. To make the closest to store-bought evaporated milk, use whole milk. Otherwise, you can use lower fat varieties or even any plant or nut milks you prefer!

The recipe as written below will give you the equivalent of 1 can of evaporated milk, or 1 1/2 cups. Adjust the recipe depending on how much you need!

Do you want to learn how to make homemade sweetened condensed milk, also? Click here for the recipe!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. Where possible, links are prioritized to small businesses and ethically and responsibly made items. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!Recipe by Jenny

Homemade Evaporated Milk

simmering milk

Makes 1 1/2 cups / 12 oz (355ml) of evaporated milk

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/4 cups / 770g milk

Directions:

  1. Place milk in wide pan over medium heat. When it starts to simmer, reduce heat to low.

  2. Simmer until reduced by just more than half, this can take anywhere from half an hour to an hour, all depending on the stove. Remove from heat and cool.

  3. Strain and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best if used within 5 days.

Jenny’s Notes:

Lightly golden, evaporated milk

  • Whole milk will get you the closest to store-bought evaporated milk, but the beauty of making your own is that you can use whatever kind of milk you please, whether a lower fat milk or a plant-based milk.

  • While eyeballing may be the easiest way to judge if it the milk has reduced by half, it’s not the most exact. Instead, try dipping a toothpick in the milk before simmering and making a mark on the toothpick where the milk comes up to. That way, as the milk simmers down, you can periodically dip the toothpick back in to see how close to half it is.

  • When milk is almost ready, it will take on a very light golden color as it reduces and caramelizes.

  • Mason jars make great storage containers!

Homemade Evaporated Milk
Yield 12 oz
Author
Prep time
2 Min
Cook time
45 Min
Total time
47 Min

Homemade Evaporated Milk

Making evaporated milk at home is as easy as simmering milk on the stove!
Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place milk in wide pan over medium heat. When it starts to simmer, reduce heat to low.
  2. Simmer until reduced by just more than half, this can take anywhere from half an hour to an hour, all depending on the stove. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. Strain and store in refrigerator.

Notes

  • Whole milk will get you the closest to store-bought evaporated milk, but the beauty of making your own is that you can use whatever kind of milk you please, whether a lower fat milk or a plant-based milk.
  • While eyeballing may be the easiest way to judge if it the milk has reduced by half, it’s not the most exact. Instead, try dipping a toothpick in the milk before simmering and making a mark on the toothpick where the milk comes up to. That way, as the milk simmers down, you can periodically dip the toothpick back in to see how close to half it is.
  • When milk is almost ready, it will take on a very light golden color as it reduces and caramelizes.


Nutrition Facts

Calories

39.65

Fat

2.11 g

Sat. Fat

1.23 g

Carbs

3.09 g

Fiber

0 g

Net carbs

3.09 g

Sugar

3.18 g

Protein

2.17 g

Sodium

25.11 mg

Cholesterol

7.93 mg

Nutritional info is approximate, based on 1 serving size of 2 Tbsp.

evaporated milk, dairy free evaporated milk, unsweetened condensed milk
beverage, baking
American
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @jennyblogsandbakes on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs
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