Cooking Classy

I recently posted an Olive Garden soup recipe that I love (my Pasta e Fagioli copycat recipe) and realized I needed to post a breadstick recipe to go along with it. These breadsticks are deliciously soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of chew and they taste just as delectable as the real thing. According to this source I found online the Olive Garden uses margarine to coat their breadsticks. With that said, if you prefer butter over margarine (like me) then feel free to use that instead. Now you can enjoy bottomless breadsticks at home =)!   Olive Garden Breadsticks  {Copycat Recipe} Yields 1 dozen Ingredients: 1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water (110 - 115 degrees) 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided 3 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 3/4 tsp salt 3 Tbsp vegetable oil Topping: 2 Tbsp margarine or butter* 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp garlic powder Directions: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together warm water, yeast and 1/2 tsp granulated sugar u...

Spaghetti with meat sauce is one of my favorite Italian Classics. I grew up on it. I decided to post a second version in case you don't have 5 - 8 hours to tend my other recipe  as it simmers. I myself don't always have that much time to wait, so when I don't I often use a jar of marinara sauce and just doctor it up a bit. A jar of spaghetti sauce can definitely come in handy when needed, but to me they just lack flavor. All it takes is a few fresh ingredients along with some dried herbs and you've got a spaghetti sauce worthy of an Italian restaurant. I love a simple weeknight meal that pleases everyone and this simple sauce is sure to do just that. Enjoy! Simple Spaghetti Sauce Yields about 4 - 6 servings Ingredients: 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce* 3/4 lb lean ground beef 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (I love garlic so I use 2) 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish 1 tsp dried parsley 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, c...

Looking for an exciting and indulgent upgrade on the plain old chocolate chip cookie? Well here you have it! I saw these over at Ambitious Kitchen , a blog I love as well as it's name, and I couldn't wait long to make them. So, I made them the next morning =). I'm telling you, they are one of the best cookies you'll ever eat! I'm unequivocally in love with these purely divine cookies. Have you ever seen a cookie loaded with so much goodness? Browned butter, two kinds of chocolate chips, Nutella, vanilla beans and sea salt! You could even add in some finely chopped, toasted hazelnuts for one more upgrade and an added crunch.  This cookie = love. You don't know food love until you've tried it =). I want to hoard them all away for myself.  I know the prep work is a bit more work and definitely a longer wait than your average chocolate chip cookie but it is so worth it.  Warning! Don't eat the cookie dough...but it is the BEST cookie dough in the world. Betw...

One pin down 1,000 to go. I love when I finally get around to trying that pin I've been wanting to make. I found this over at The Pea Kitchen  a few months ago and have thought about making it many times since. I figured Thanksgiving season would be the perfect time. It's pie season! This dip is quick and easy and it tastes just like a delicious apple pie filling. So you get all the flavors of apple pie without the wait and without all that tedious prep work. I think this recipe has also inspired me to sprinkle my apple pie crust with cinnamon and sugar this year, yum! There are many different ways you could serve this and I've listed in the recipe a few ideas. I left them out of the picture just so you could get a good glimpse of the actual apple pie dip, but If you were to serve it with the ice cream or whipped cream it would be even more like the real thing, and the caramel sauce would just take it over the top. Also, the cinnamon sugar chips are such a simple and delici...

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...

You are looking at a must try comfort food meal. I was never a fan of chicken pot pie until a friend so kindly brought me this dish after I had my baby a few years ago. I'm fully in love with it! Rather then getting a surrounding of heavy pie crust you get a fluffy biscuit topping that will quickly have you loading your plate with a second round. In my opinion the topping is what makes this dish. It sets it apart from it's competitors, being loaded with Parmesan cheese, plenty of heavy cream, some black pepper and cayenne pepper for a slight kick, and I also added a little garlic powder (because how can I resist?). Then to finish, it's browned in the oven to beautifully golden perfection.  And the wonder doesn't just end at the topping. That is just the beginning. It's loaded with fresh, sauteed veggies, fall apart tender chicken which is all tossed in a creamy white sauce. This hearty dish would also be incredible made with leftover turkey from your upcoming Thanks...

All the deliciousness of a cannoli without the frying mess!? Yes indeed. These cupcakes are complete and utter bliss! I have a total weakness for cannolis so I was so excited to see they come in cupcake form. I love all things pastry and all things cupcake and these are the best of both worlds combined into one decadent, out of this world dessert. These are deliciously indulgent and perfectly dainty. They are fancy enough that I felt it was an occasion worth getting out my Grandmother's fine china set, sipping milk out of a tea cup and gently using a fork as if I were a Queen. That is until after one bite, I quickly forgot that fancy mannered moment and rather wanted to drop my fork and shove the entire cupcake in mouth and devour all of it in it's entirety without leaving a smidgen of a crumb behind. And then steal everyone else's. Yes just that good. These are one of the best cupcakes I've ever had and they will definitely be going on my list of favorite cupcakes t...