Author: kimcrossin

Ultimate BBQ Chicken Salad
April 24, 2024

Ultimate BBQ Chicken Salad

Ultimate BBQ Chicken Salad I am not a salad person unless it is loaded and in this case it is. This ultimate chicken BBQ salad has tender honey BBQ chicken bites, charred corn, avocado, caramelized onions and roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Then it gets …

Healthy-ish, Mains, Soups & Salads, Spring/Summer Feature, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Pasta Dough
March 20, 2024

Pasta Dough

Silky & Tender HOMEMADE PASTA ​ This homemade pasta dough is super silky and tender making it have a very light mouthfeel. It’s perfect for pappardelle, lasagna noodles, tagliatelle, fettuccine or spaghetti. It does not have a bite to it which is how I prefer …

How To
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by kimcrossin
Peanut Sauce
March 11, 2024

Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce is one of my favorites. It’s got a little bit of everything going on with the nutty creaminess, hints of garlic and ginger, umami from the soy sauce and a little bit sweet and spicy.  It’s great as a dip for vegetables, spring rolls or dumplings or even as a sauce over rice noodles or spaghetti squash. It comes together quickly and I usually already have everything on hand. All you need is peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sweet thai chili sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and a little sriracha if you want some more heat. The other great thing about it is that it’s really easy to gear it towards your own taste preferences. Most of the time I don’t measure and therefore make it a little differently each time, all equally delicious. 

What you'll need

  • Peanut Butter: I’d recommend creamy peanut butter. I always use peanut butter with only the ingredients peanuts & salt. 
  • Soy Sauce: I usually use less sodium soy sauce but use which ever you have or prefer. 
  • Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: I love to have this on hand in the refrigerator. It’s a little sweet and spicy. It can be found in the asian food section of your grocery store. 
  • Sesame Oil: I like to get the toasted sesame oil because it has a better overall flavor but you can definitely use regular sesame oil as well. 
  • Rice Vinegar: Gives the sauce a touch of a tang.
  • Garlic: Grate it using a microplane rasp which is the same thing you zest citrus with. It makes it not only easy but turns it almost into a paste so it really disperses throughout the sauce.
  • Ginger: Use the microplane rasp to grate the ginger as well. 

Mix it up

Peanut Sauce :  makes 1 1/2 cups

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together.
    • 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
    • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
    • 1/4 cup Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
    • 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil 
    • 2 tsp Ginger, grated
    • 1 1/2 tsp Garlic, grated
    • 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
  • Add 5-6 tablespoons of room temperature water and mix thoroughly. Add a tiny bit more at a time to reach your desired consistency.

How to Use Peanut Sauce

  • Spaghetti Squash with a Pad Thai Peanut Sauce: Coming soon to the website. Roast a spaghetti squash. Meanwhile sauté up some veggies like red peppers, snap peas, onions and carrots. Then mix in the peanut sauce and toss the pulled spaghetti squash with it. 
  • Other ideas for using peanut sauce: 
    • Use as a dip for vegetables, dumplings or spring rolls
    • Toss with rice noodles and sautéed veggies for another quick dinner 

Peanut Sauce

This peanut sauce is nutty, creamy, a little sweet and spicy with a lot of umami. It is so good as a dip, to use with vegetables or as a sauce with rice noodles or spaghetti squash.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Indonesian
Keyword: Peanut Sauce
Servings: 0

Equipment

  • 1 Medium mixing bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Microplane rasp

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
  • 1/4 cup Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp Garlic grated
  • 2 tsp Ginger grated
  • 5-6 Tbsp Water + more to reach desired consistency

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except water into a medium bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Add 1 Tbsp of water at a time to reach desired consistency.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sauce
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by kimcrossin
Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce
March 3, 2024

Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

Roasted Broccoli with Peanut Sauce Need a fun twist on broccoli? I got you. The broccoli gets roasted in the oven until it’s a little bit charred then topped with a delicious peanut sauce, fresh cilantro and peanuts for a nice crunch. I first saw …

Healthy-ish, Sides
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by kimcrossin
Pesto
January 18, 2024

Pesto

Pesto Pesto is a sauce that can really do it all. You can use it as is to make a quick pasta dish with in, liven up an alfredo sauce or use it on pizza. Change your mornings up and fry and egg in it. …

Sauce, Spring, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Toaster Strudels
October 25, 2023

Toaster Strudels

Homemade Strawberry Toaster Strudels

We’ve all seen the ever popular homemade pop tarts which are oh so cute and yummy. They are actually what I was trying to make when I first made these. However, with my favorite extra flaky pie dough that I use of for everything, I realized that it was not a pop tart, it was in fact a toaster strudel. And in my opinion are so much better than a pop tart. The flaky crispy but tender layers of pie crust are filled with a humble jam and topped with sweet icing. These are the best type of treat on a weekend. If you’ve been wanting to make them, please do yourself a favor and just do it. 

Start by making your pie dough

I’d recommend making the pie dough the day before to help with time management since that can take a bit of time. It tends to take a little while to prepare only due to the hands off time the pie dough has to spend resting in the refrigerator.  Sitting in the fridge between steps helps it to stay cold and allow the gluten to relax before rolling out to perform the fold. It is also is more beneficial making it the day before to allow the dough to fully rest and the gluten to relax. Win win. 

I have a whole blog post on pie dough if you would like more in depth information. In it you can find all the tips and tricks to get the flakiest pie dough!  You can find it here: Pie Dough 

Make the Toaster Strudels

  • Roll out the Dough
    • Work with one disk at a time. Leave the dough you are not working with in the refrigerator and covered to keep cold.
    • Roll each disk into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick
    • Trim the edges
    • Equally cut into 8 smaller rectangles
  • Fill 
    • Spread 1-2 tablespoons of jam onto a rectangle leaving a 1/2 inch boarder. 
  • Egg Wash
    • Whisk an egg with a tablespoon of heavy cream, half and half or milk. Brush the egg wash around the edge.
  • Top & Crimp
    • Place another rectangle of dough on top and gently press the sides down with your fingers.
    • Crimp with a fork. 
  • Re-Cut
    • Using a knife remove a small amount from each side to have a clean cut. 
  • Bake
    • Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350° for about 25 minutes or until they have started to brown. 
  • Make the Frosting
    • Whisk together powdered sugar with some milk until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
    • Add in strawberry extract along with some pink food coloring for more fun and whisk again.
  • Cool & Decorate
    • Allow the toaster strudels to cool before icing.
    • Spread the frosting over the toaster strudels and decorate with sprinkles. 

Strawberry Toaster Strudels

A homemade extra flaky pie dough helps to make these toaster strudels, however feel free to use the same recipe and substitute store bought puff pastry! These are the perfect weekend breakfast treat to win your kids over.
Print Recipe
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Extra Flaky Pie Dough, Jam, Pop Tart, Strawberry, Toaster Strudel
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Pie Dough for top and bottom crust or store-bought puff pastry
  • 1/2 Cup Strawberry Jam or Preserves I love using raspberry too
  • 1 Tbsp Cream Heavy Cream, Half and Half, Milk
  • 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Milk
  • 1/2 Tsp Strawberry Emulsion or Extract
  • Pink Food Coloring a few drops

Instructions

Make the Toaster Strudels

  • Roll out each pie dough disk into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 smaller rectangles. Keep the dough that you are not working with in the refrigerator and covered.
  • Spoon and spread 1 - 2 tablespoons of your favorite jam leaving 1/2 inch boarder.
  • Pre-Heat the oven to 350°
  • Brush an egg wash around the edges and gently press down with your fingers. Crimp the edges with a fork. Re-cut the rectangles by cutting a small amount off each side for a clean edge. Place in the refrigerator or freezer for 20 minutes before baking.
  • Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
  • Allow the toaster strudels to cool completely before frosting and decorating.

Make the Frosting

  • Whisk the powdered sugar with the milk adding more until it forms a thick but spreadable consistency. Add the strawberry emulsion or extract and food coloring if desired and mix again.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Breakfast & Brunch, Dessert, Spring, Summer
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by kimcrossin
SAVORY CROISSANT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
April 23, 2021

SAVORY CROISSANT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

CROISSANT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE  with ham, leeks and gruyere     This is THE perfect savory breakfast casserole to add to your Easter or Mother’s Day Brunch. I am telling you it will become a staple year after year. The ingredients make it a little extra …

Breakfast & Brunch
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by kimcrossin