Cooking Classy

Is there anything like a delicious, made from scratch Thanksgiving meal? Many people settle for the stuff that comes out of a can or a box, and that's just it, it's settling. If you find yourself to be one of those people that is settling, I would highly recommend this year you give the homemade alternative to the pre-packaged and processed Thanksgiving foods a try. The two are a night and day difference. Like this for instance, one comes in the shape of a can while it's homemade opponent has a spoonable texture and begins with fresh fruit. Not to mention this is unbelievable easy to prepare.  Cranberry sauce and turkey were made to be together. It's another Thanksgiving must. Here's a few random ideas if you happen to have any left over cranberry sauce after the holiday: spread over toast or pancakes serve warm over chocolate or vanilla ice cream spread in a turkey sandwich  make into a dressing or  vinaigrette spread over a cream cheese layered bagel add to a ...

I'm not a huge casserole fan but this is the best sweet potato thing I've ever eaten! It's time for dinner and I would rather just skip the dinner meal and have a heaping plate of this in its place. I would be happy if this were the only thing I had to eat for the thanksgiving feast =).  Growing up I never cared for sweet potato anything but that has definitely changed. Now I say it's a Thanksgiving must! It's basically a dessert that passes for a side, so how could you not love it?  This recipe is a pretty basic recipe. I chose not to add in any spices, cream, citrus or even vanilla because I didn't want to drown out any of that incredible browned butter flavor. Some of you may be thinking this girl puts browned butter in everything. And I say, well why not? My motto: if it's going to have butter it may as well be browned. There are some exceptions to that but not many. Browned butter enhances everything that's lucky enough to contain it's goodness....

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away I'm so excited to start the month off right and be a part of such a fun virtual progressive dinner! So I want to say thank you to Mother Huddle for asking me to be part of such a great event! Now regarding this recipe, I need to begin by saying, Mom, you were right. Didn't want to admit it but you are. Cooking the potatoes in the smallest amount of water possible yields better results then covering them entirely with water when cooking them. I know we've had our separate opinions on this but I'd have to say I think the "Food Network" may not always be right :).  I made potatoes on Sunday, covering them entirely with water to cook, as I usually do because that's what I've always seen them do on Food Network and read in the directions of countless recipes, so I just assume that's the right method. If you ask me, there is no right and wrong way of cooking. They are all just opinions, but yes some methods yield b...

If you ask me, made from scratch Mexican food is just about as good as it gets. I've mentioned before that Mexican and Italian food are my two favorite kinds of food. One thing I love about each of them (other than the number one reason - the incredibly delicious flavors) is their use of so many fresh ingredients and how a lot of it is made from scratch. I've been to Mexico just a few times and one of my favorite things there was always the fresh tortillas. I loved stopping by the market to get a bag filled with a large stack of fresh flour tortillas from the bakery (I loved the fresh churros they have too, mmmm). I could probably eat that whole stack in one sitting. These may seem like one of those things that's not worth the time and effort but I'm telling you, it is! I just don't like the flour tortillas from the store that are pre-made and loaded with preservatives, they just taste weird to me. Once you've had fresh tortillas, you know what I mean when I say...

Is there anything like a fresh, hot out of the oven, homemade dinner roll? Dinner rolls are a classic that will never fade. These dinner rolls are dangerously good! How could something with so few simple ingredients be so delicious? I will tell you how: lots of butter, whole milk and a little patience. While creating this recipe, I was looking to achieve a tender, pillow-y soft texture, along with a light sweetness that wasn't overpowering (if I wanted a roll that was super sweet I'd just have cake), with just the right amount of moisture and fats - hence the use of whole milk along with the butter. I prefer a larger ratio of milk than water because water has zero flavor so why let it waste good space in the roll?  I love making fresh breads and rolls, because I let my KitchenAid mixer do all the work =). The hardest part is that "little patience" I mentioned before, the rising time. I wish they'd just go POOF! in a number of seconds and be beautifully risen. If o...

If you've been following my blog you've probably noticed by now breakfast is kind of my thang. I love a delicious breakfast meal served up any time of day. I mentioned before how I've posted all these main entrees for breakfast but I've never posted the sides I serve with them.  I've been making these potatoes for many years, so I'd hope I can say I've perfected the recipe. I've tried different cooking methods, different oils, played with seasonings and now here are the exact results I was looking for. Perfectly tender interior, with a gorgeously browned exterior, slightly moist, with just the right amount of flavor and seasoning. You can use plain old salt and pepper (if you want to be boring =) or you can add some pizzazz with the delicious seasoning blend listed. Below are a few things I wanted to list, that in my opinion, make the perfect breakfast potatoes: 1. Pre-bake the potatoes. If they are cooked halfway before you fry them then they don't ...

After posting banana bread pancakes the other day I realized I haven't even posted the sides I always serve with my breakfast entrees. Well it's about time I do. Most often I serve the the entree with a side of these scrambled eggs and breakfast potatoes, then on special occasions with bacon.  This is one of those recipes I had to actually had to sit down and measure out what I put in it because it's always been a little of this and a dash of that. I believe one of the most important factors to perfect, fluffy scrambled eggs it stirring/folding them constantly. Every cook has their opinion on what temperature they should be cooked at, some say low and slow and other say high and quick. In my opinion medium - high is perfect.  The seasoning used for these is one I've been using a lot lately, most often in breakfast dishes. I think I would say it's slightly Italian. It compliments eggs perfectly. You can use the remaining seasoning for burgers or chicken. It's a q...

Mac and cheese - comfort food at it's finest and with this recipe at it's fastest! I love how simple this recipe is. How could something so easy yield such rich, flavorful results? Who could ever make a box mix again after making it homemade?  When creating this recipe I added a few unusual ingredients because I love adding just a bit more excitement to food. The liquid smoke flavor, Dijon mustard, onion powder and garlic powder blend in so well you hardly know they are there. They just enhance the dish, not overpower it. I love the combination of Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, they are my two favorite cheeses so of course they had to be the two cheeses I used to make this recipe. They both melt so smoothly to create a perfectly silky, decadent macaroni and cheese. Enjoy! 15 Minute Stove Top Mac and Cheese Yields about 4 servings Ingredients: 8 oz. elbow macaroni noodles 3/4 cup milk (I'd recommend 1% or 2%, whole was too rich) 1 Tbsp butter 1/4 tsp onion po...

In my opinion there are two Mexican sides that are a must with nearly every Mexican entree, beans and Mexican rice. This recipe is my go to Mexican Rice recipe that I've been making for years. I make it at least once a week, some weeks as many as three times a week. It only takes a few minutes to prepare and it tastes just as good as any authentic Mexican restaurants Mexican rice. I have tried several different recipes for Mexican rice and this one is definitely my favorite. I've tried using tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes but I think the key to great authentic Mexican rice is the Caldo de Tomate. You can find it in the Latin section of the grocery store. My sister gave me the recipe and I added my own additions to it, you will see them where I listed optional ingredients. This rice can be made with or without those but I love the extra boost of flavor they give the rice. Also, I used to always use vegetable oil but I've tried to be a bit healthier =) so I've switched o...