Author: kimcrossin

Cardamom Apple Pie
November 11, 2024

Cardamom Apple Pie

Cardamom Apple Pie This apple pie recipe comes from Erin McDowell who is the pie QUEEN. You can find the original recipe here.  The filling is incredible because you draw out the natural juices and create the most luscious caramelly sauce surrounding them. No more …

Dessert, Fall
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by kimcrossin
Chicken Pot Pie
November 11, 2024

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie Chicken Pot Pie is one of my favorite meals to eat. It is always so comforting and it’s a meal that you know a lot of love went into, at least that’s how I make mine. From simmering the chicken along with …

Fall, Fall/Winter Feature, Mains, Winter
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by kimcrossin
Candied Bacon
November 11, 2024

Candied Bacon

Candied Bacon

This may be a bold statement but in my honest opinion candied bacon is one of the best appetizers you can throw down at any party. Bacon is always a crowd pleaser but when you caramelize it in brown sugar and maple syrup it is so addicting. This candied bacon was inspired by a club that we go to. It’s not entirely crispy and has a great chew to it. And it’s always served on top of rosemary that gives it a subtle earthy note. I needed to learn how to make it at home so one day I tested all different oven temperatures, methods and times with one piece of bacon at a time. It took hours, but here we are and it is delicious! 

What You'll Need

  • Thick Sliced Bacon – You want thick sliced bacon here. It’s keeps the bacon from getting overdone during the long bake time and gives it an amazing texture after the baking process.
  • Brown Sugar – I use light brown sugar however you can also use dark. Whatever you have on hand works!
  • Maple Syrup – I love the combination of both the brown sugar and maple syrup here to help candy the bacon. 
  • Cracked Black Pepper – Adds a subtle heat to the bacon.
  • Fresh Rosemary – Adds a subtle earthy note. 

To Make the Candied Bacon

  • Preheat your oven to 325° 
  • Prep a sheet pan with an oven rack over top and spray with cooking spray. 
  • Place 5 – 6 slices of bacon on at a time so the heat can circulate appropriately
  • To each slice of bacon on BOTH sides:
    • Sprinkle cracked black pepper
    • Sprinkle brown sugar
    • Drizzle maple syrup  
  • Bake for 40 minutes total
  • Remove the bacon from the oven every 10 minute
  • Flip the Bacon and add more brown sugar and maple syrup to the side facing up.
    • After the 4th time flipping the bacon and adding more brown sugar and maple syrup I leave it in for 5-10 minutes depending on the doneness. 
  • Remove the bacon from the oven rack and arrange on top of rosemary sprigs to cool completely. 
  • Serve

Candied Bacon

This candied bacon is perfectly candied and gets an earthy note from rosemary. This is hands down the best appetizer for any party!
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bacon, Brown Sugar, Candied Bacon, Maple Syrup
Servings: 0

Equipment

  • 1 Baking sheet
  • 1 Oven Rack

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Thick Sliced Bacon
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 cup Maple Syrup
  • Cracked Black Pepper
  • 1 bunch Rosemary Sprigs

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°
  • Place a baking rack on top of a sheet pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Arrange 5-6 slices of bacon on the baking rack spacing about 1/2 inch apart.
  • Sprinkle the bacon with cracked black pepper, brown sugar and drizzle with maple syrup. Rub it in before turning to do the second side.
  • Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes, remove the bacon from the oven, flip them over and add more brown sugar and maple syrup to the side facing up. 20 minutes in, add a few rosemary sprigs on the baking sheet to perfume the bacon.
  • Once the bacon is dark brown and glassy from the sugar remove from the oven and arrange on top of rosemary sprigs to cool completely.
  • Serve!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Appetizer, Breakfast & Brunch, Christmas, Featured
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by kimcrossin
Blackened Salmon Bowls
November 11, 2024

Blackened Salmon Bowls

Blackened Salmon Bowls This bowl is nourishing and absolutely delicious. The salmon get’s blackened in a sweet and spicy mix and cooks to perfection in the air fryer. It sits on top of some grains and gets a fresh, crunchy side of red cabbage and …

Featured, Healthy-ish, Mains, Seafood, Spring, Spring/Summer Feature, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Butternut Squash & Spinach Pin Wheel Lasagna
November 11, 2024

Butternut Squash & Spinach Pin Wheel Lasagna

Butternut Squash & Spinach Pinwheel Lasagna These Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups are heavenly and one of my favorite things I have ever made. The pinwheels are packed with veggies and autumn flavors, and smothered with a dreamy cheese sauce. These are decadent and …

Fall, Fall/Winter Feature, Mains, Pasta, Vegetarian, Winter
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by kimcrossin
Creamy Browned Butter & Sage Chicken
November 11, 2024

Creamy Browned Butter & Sage Chicken

Creamy Brown Butter & Sage Chicken

We all know browned butter and sage are a match made in heaven which is how I started with this recipe. The chicken cutlets get dredged in flour, browned and set aside while you make a decadent sauce. Browned butter, shallots, sage and garlic go in to build tons of flavor. Then a little white wine for some acidity, chicken broth, cream, a touch of maple syrup for sweetness and some parmesan cheese for umami.  It is so delicious. Make this on a cold night when you want to indulge a little bit for a quick weeknight meal. This sauce will keep you coming back for more, it’s addicting! Perfect served with some creamy parmesan orzo, mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the sauce. 

What you're going to need

Main Ingredients

  • Sage – You’re going to want a nice big bunch of fresh sage, but if you must, dried sage will do. I haven’t made this recipe with dried sage but I’d start with substituting 1 tablespoon of dried sage and adding more if needed. 
  • Browned Butter – Using a 1/2 stick of butter you’re going to gently cook it over low – medium-low until it turns golden brown. 
  • White Wine – Sauvungion Blanc or Pino Grigio. Always something you would like to drink since it is flavoring the dish. 
  • Heavy Cream – Feel free to lighten it up with some light cream, half and half or even whole milk.
  • Maple Syrup – I swear this is what makes it for me. It rounds out the flavors and gives each bite a subtle sweetness. 
  • Parmigiana Reggiano – You can easily substitute parmesan cheese. Use which ever you have in your refrigerator already or that you can find in the store!

Prepare the Chicken

  • Thinly slice the chicken breast along the horizontal center – You can buy thinly sliced chicken that is already sliced thin for you in the store or do it yourself  which is always more cost effective. 
  • Pound each piece of chicken to a 1/4 inch thickness – Lay a piece of chicken between two layers of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy pan pound the chicken to a uniform thickness of about 1/4 inch. 
  • Dredge the chicken in flour – Coat each chicken cutlet in flour. You can use a shallow dish or even a gallon sized plastic bag and shake it until each piece of chicken is thoroughly coated. 

Brown the Chicken

  • Heat a large skillet over Medium-High 
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 tablespoon of butter (for each batch of chicken cooking)
  • Brown the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. 

Make the Sauce

  • Brown the Butter – Turn the heat down to low – medium low and add 1/2 stick of butter. Allow it to gently turn golden brown. 
  • Crisp up the sage – Add the sage to the browned butter and allow it to crisp up. 
  • Sauté the shallots and garlic  
  • Pour in the Wine, Chicken Stock, Heavy Cream & Maple Syrup.  Stir to combine and simmer for about 5 minutes. 
  • Add a Beurre Manié – Smoosh together 1 tablespoon of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of flour and add it to the pan. Stir it into the sauce to help thicken it up. 
  • Add the Chicken back to the pan and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. 

Creamy Browned Butter and Sage Chicken

This easy weeknight meal is rich, warming and addicting. The sauce is so good thanks to browned butter, sage, cream, parmesan cheese and a touch of maple syrup. It will keep you coming back for bite after bite.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Browned Butter, Chicken, Chicken Cutlet, Sage
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet

Ingredients

  • 4 Chicken Cutlets
  • 1/4 Cup Flour
  • 2 Garlic Cloves Chopped
  • 1 Shallot Diced
  • 1 Bunch Sage
  • 11 Tbsp Butter 1/2 Cup for Browned Butter, 2 Tbsp for Frying, 1 Tbsp for beurre manié
  • 1/4 Cup White Wine Sauvignon Blanc or Pino Grigio
  • 1 Cup Chicken Broth
  • 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 2 tsp Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 Cup Parmigiano Reggio grated
  • 1 + 1 Tbsp Softened Butter + Flour Combine 1:1 tbsp of softened butter and flour

Instructions

  • In a shallow dish or a gallon sized ziplock bag, dredge each chicken cutlet in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter and brown two chicken cutlets on each side for about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan. Add another tbsp oil and butter and brown the second two chicken cutlets. Set aside.
  • Turn the heat down to medium-low - medium and then add the butter. Once the butter starts to sizzle, add in the sage. Brown the butter and cook the sage for about 5 minutes. Then throw in the shallots and continue cooking for a few more minutes. The butter will become foamy and you will start to see little brown bits.
  • Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes longer.
  • Pour in the wine, broth, heavy cream and maple syrup. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  • Mix and smoosh together 1 tbsp of softened butter with 1 tbsp flour and add that to the sauce to thicken it.
  • Stir in the parmigiana reggiano cheese and add the chicken back to the pan. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the chicken is heated through.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Fall, Fall/Winter Feature, Mains, Winter
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by kimcrossin
Turkey Roulade
November 1, 2024

Turkey Roulade

Turkey Roulade Turkey roulade is turkey breast that is butterflied and pounded thin, then some type of stuffing gets layered on top and rolled into a log. Usually it’s baked as such and then sliced. I made turkey roulade in the past and have had …

Fall, Fall/Winter Feature, Mains, Winter
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by kimcrossin
Toddler Snacks & Lunch Ideas
October 31, 2024

Toddler Snacks & Lunch Ideas

Yogurt Drinks Yogurt drinks have become extremely popular in our house. My kids would go through entire boxes in the blink of an eye, so I decided to start making them for them instead of buying them because it’s more cost effective and you can …

Breakfast & Brunch, Healthy-ish, Kid Friendly
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by kimcrossin
Romesco Sauce
June 26, 2024

Romesco Sauce

Romesco Sauce

If you have never had romesco sauce you are in for a treat.  It is creamy, slightly smoky and sweet from the roasted red peppers and has some umami from parmigiano reggiano. This sauce is perfect to make during summer when red peppers are in season. However, it is also perfect to make year round because jarred roasted red peppers are excellent. You can use it as a pasta sauce, dip or a sauce with any protein or veggie. It is fairly healthy using only a little bit of olive oil and parmesan cheese otherwise it gets a nice punch of nutrition from the red peppers and walnuts.  

What You'll Need

  • Roasted Red Peppers
    • Make your own:
      • Char on all sides until blackened. You can do this directly over an open flame or with your boiler in the oven. Once completely charred place in a container and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to cool for 10-15 min.
      • Remove the skin, stem and seeds from the peppers and slice into strips. 
    • Buy jarred roasted red peppers from the grocery store.
      • They are usually found in the aisle near the other jarred and canned vegetables.
      • They sell them whole or sliced and you can opt for either!
  • Walnuts 
    • Toast them until just golden brown. You can do this in a saute pan over medium heat or on a sheet pan in the oven at 375° until fragrant about 5-10 minutes turning halfway through. 
  • Parmigiano Reggiano – Or parmesan cheese 
  • Garlic 
  • Sun Dried Tomatoes – adds a touch of tomato for a depth of flavor
  • Sherry Vinegar – This is necessary to waken things up. Substitute apple cider vinegar if needed. 
  • Oil – Use olive oil or avocado oil

Blend the Ingredients into a Romesco Sauce

You will need either a blender or food processor.

  • Combine all of the ingredients into the food processor or blender except the oil. Turn the food processor on or blend on a low speed. 

 

    • 1 roasted red pepper (about a 1/2 cup sliced peppers)
    • 1/2 cup walnuts
    • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
    • 1 tbsp Sun Dried Tomatoes, diced
    • 1 Garlic Clove, minced 
    • 1 tsp Sherry vinegar

 

  • Remove the insert on the lid and gradually stream in about 1/4 cup of olive or avocado oil.
    • Scrape down the sides.
    • If the mixture appears thick add a tablespoon or two more of oil and blend again until smooth.

Romesco Sauce

Romesco sauce is creamy, slightly smoky and sweet from the roasted red peppers and has some umami from parmigiano reggiano. It's so delicious and extremely versatile. You can toss it with pasta, use it as a dip with veggies or as a sauce with any protein. It is healthy-ish as we use only a little bit of olive oil and parmesan cheese otherwise it gets a nice punch of nutrition from the red peppers and walnuts.  This recipe makes about 1 cup of romesco sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Red Pepper, Roasted Red Pepper, Romesco Sauce, Sauce
Servings: 0

Equipment

  • Food Processor or Blender

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Sliced Roasted Red Peppers about 1 whole roasted red pepper
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts lightly toasted
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped
  • 1 Garlic Cloved minced
  • 1 tsp Sherry Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil or avocado oil, + more as needed

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor except the olive oil. Begin to blend until the ingredients start to become cohesive. Remove the insert on the top of the lid and slowly drizzle in about 1/4 cup of olive or avocado oil. Scrape down the sides and blend again until smooth. Add more oil as needed until the consistency is thick and spreadable.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sauce, Summer
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by kimcrossin
Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper & Peach Salsa
June 19, 2024

Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper & Peach Salsa

Skirt Steak with Roasted Pepper & Peach Salsa This perfectly cooked skirt steak with a fresh roasted red pepper and peach salsa is a perfect summer dinner for a weekend or special night. I love to pair this with melting potatoes served with a romesco …

Mains, Summer
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by kimcrossin