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Meatloaf Slider Sandwiches

December 2, 2021 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

Meatloaf Slider Sandwiches are the perfect combination of a small handheld sandwich and meatloaf, one of your favorite comfort food dinners! Tasty meatloaf cups, topped with caramelized ketchup are placed on slider buns and topped with melty cheese.

The best part is you don’t have to wait for leftover meatloaf, the recipe includes a quick and easy way to make meatloaf!

twelve meatloaf sliders on a baking sheet

If you love slider sandwiches, also check out these BBQ Chicken Sliders!

This Slider Recipe will also work with slices of Italian Meatloaf, Classic Meatloaf or Meatloaf Muffin Cups, or Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

Why These Are So Good!!

With this recipe you don’t have to wait for leftover meatloaf to make Meatloaf Sandwiches!
Making the meatloaf in a muffin tin makes them the right size for the slider buns.
The Meatloaf recipe is DELICIOUS!
It is made with really simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store.
Makes a great dinner or appetizer.
Can be made ahead for easy dinner prep.

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Meatloaf Slider Sandwiches, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Ground Beef or Turkey- You can absolutely use ground beef or turkey in this recipe. If using ground beef use a 85/15 or 90/10 to make sure your meatloaf is not too greasy. If using ground turkey purchase a 93/7 for the most flavor and moisture, avoid the 99% lean ground turkey.

Panko Bread Crumbs- Use a panko bread crumb, not traditional bread crumbs. The panko is perfect to create a panade with the milk. It keeps your meatloaf cups tender and juicy (we use this technique in a lot of ground meat recipes, like Italian Meatballs and Baked Chicken Meatballs).

Provolone- We like to use provolone. However, cheddar or other cheeses will work too. Use what you have!

Slider Buns

Slider buns are basically a smaller version of a hamburger bun. Sliders have become so popular that they started making “slider buns”, Pepperidge Farm makes a great one.

However, we do love using the King’s Hawaiian Savory Butter Buns. They come attached in one pan, which makes them very easy to work with!

We recommend slicing the top buns from the bottom buns in one piece. See the photo below for reference:

King's Hawaiian savory butter buns on a baking sheet

Meatloaf Topping

Ketchup is a traditional and easy topping for Meatloaf. The sugars in the ketchup caramelize in the oven and become sweet and tangy.

If there is a different meatloaf topping that you like, by all means use what you like.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Start by making the meatloaf cups, bake, then assemble the sliders, bake again and serve!

Combine the panko crumbs and milk (panade), set aside to thicken.
In a skillet soften the onions in oil, then add the tomato paste, garlic, and Worcestershire.
Now in a bowl combine the egg, panko mixture, onion mixture, seasonings and beef.

ground beef, onion mixture, egg, panade and spices in a bowl

Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with non stick spray.
Portion the beef mixture into the muffin cup, about ¼ each. Then press down lightly on each cup.
Top with ketchup and then bake for 25 minutes at 400.

topping meatloaf muffin cups with ketchup

Place the baked meatloaf on the slider buns, top with cheese, then brush the top buns with melted butter.
Pop back in the oven for 5 minutes.
Time to serve!

Make Ahead

You can definitely make these Meatloaf Slider ahead of time, which makes them a great weeknight dinner recipe.

Simply prepare the meatloaf cups and bake completely. Cool them and then pop them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When it is time to eat preheat the oven to 350.

Warm the meatloaf cups in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to take the chill off.

Place them on the slider buns, top with cheese, then brush the top bun with melted butter. Pop in the oven for 8-10 minutes and dinner is ready!

Meatloaf Sliders Appetizer

These sliders make a great addition to an appetizer party, perfect for game day! Here are some other appetizers you could pair with these sandwiches:

Meatloaf Slider Sandwiches for Dinner

Meatloaf Sandwiches also make a great dinner. Plan to serve 1-2 per kid and 2-3 per adult.

pulling a meatloaf slider from the tray and cheese is stringing between sandwiches

Since this is a pretty casual dinner recipe you can serve it with chips or fries and raw veggies with dip.

Recipe Tips

Use 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef. An 80/20 ground beef may make your meatloaf cups too greasy.
Sub ground turkey for a healthier option. Just make sure you use 93/7 ground turkey, not 99% lean!
Lightly press down on your meatloaf cups before baking, it makes them a little more dense, perfect for meatloaf sandwich sliders!
Don’t forget to spray your muffin tin with non stick spray so they remove from the tin easily.

More Delicious Comfort Food Dinner Recipes

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Christmas Punch (with or without alcohol)

December 2, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

This Christmas Punch is an easy recipe to mix together and serve to a crowd. It is perfect for the season, great for a holiday party or a Christmas dinner. It is a perfect blend of cranberry, pomegranate, and orange, all topped off with ginger ale. Garnish it with orange slices, fresh cranberries and pomegranate seeds for a festive Christmas Drink!

pitcher of Christmas Punch garnished with oranges and cranberries

I love to have this cranberry punch on the menu when entertaining at the holiday, guests can drink it as is or the adults can add a little vodka! I also love this Cranberry Punch that has pineapple juice instead of orange juice.

For a hot drink this Tequila Hot Toddy or Homemade Hot Chocolate is SO good! Just add some appetizers like Potato Skins with Roasted Garlic Sour Cream and this Spinach Artichoke Dip and you have a party in the making!

Why It’s SO Good

The best part is that it’s a super simple Christmas Punch, as easy as pour-and-stir!
The recipe makes a large pitcher, or double the recipe for a large punch bowl, which is great for a Christmas Party.
It’s a non-alcoholic Christmas Punch so it is adult AND kid-friendly.
It has all the flavors of the Holiday Season.
It calls for simple ingredients that can all be found at your local grocery store.

Ingredients

You only need 4 ingredients to make this Holiday Punch: Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice, Pomegranate Juice, and Ginger Ale.

Cranberry Juice- If you can, purchase 100% JUICE Cranberry Juice, skip the ultra sweet cranberry cocktail. A cranberry blend would work too: cranberry-pomegranate or cranberry-raspberry juice. However you will want to avoid 100% PURE Cranberry Juice, it will be too tart for your punch.

Pomegranate Juice – I like to purchase POM Wonderful pomegranate juice for this recipe.

OJ- I LOVE super pulpy orange juice, but for this recipe I recommend purchasing a pulp free orange juice.

Ginger Ale – I like the flavor of Ginger Ale added to this blend of juices, however you can sub a lemon-lime soda.

How To Make Christmas Punch

Start with nice cold ingredients.

MIX: In a large pitcher stir together the cranberry juice, orange juice and pomegranate juice. At this point you can pop it in the fridge for a few hours.

BUBBLES: Right before serving pour in the ginger ale. Give it a couple light stirs to mix.

GARNISH: Garnish the pitcher with fresh cranberries, orange slices and pomegranate seeds.

SERVE: Serve in glasses with a little ice.

A glass of Christmas Punch garnished with cranberries and oranges

Additional Garnish Ideas For Christmas Punch

I like using the whole cranberries, pomegranate arils (seeds), and orange slices because it reflects the flavors in the punch. You could also add any of these on the side for an extra fun garnish:

Sprigs of fresh mint.
Fresh rosemary stems.
Lime slices (keeping things red and green!)
Fun Christmas straws for the kids.
maraschino cherries for the kids!
Cinnamon sticks for a warm flavor.

Doubling The Recipe

For a larger crowd you can double or triple the recipe. Use a large punch bowl with cups for a beautiful presentation. Also check and see if you happen to have a cake stand that doubles as a punch bowl, like this one.

Pro Tip: Punch bowls and glasses are plentiful at thrift/vintage stores and estate sales!!

Doubling Tip

It is super easy to double recipes on Mom’s Dinner! Simply hover over the serving size in the recipe card below. Use the +/- slider to change the serving size. This will change the ingredient amounts too!

Adding Alcohol For The Adults

This is a great non-alcoholic Christmas Punch Recipe. But, if you are serving adults that would enjoy some spirits you can add alcohol to the pitcher.

Any of these spirits will work: white rum, silver tequila, vodka OR prosecco. Start by stirring in 1 cup, taste, and add more as desired.

If the crowd is mixed, kids and adults, I recommend letting each guest add alcohol to their own glass, keeping the pitcher kid friendly.

Recipe Tips To Remember

Start with cold ingredients so you don’t need to add ice cubes, risking dilution.
Use a pulp free orange juice to suit a larger crowd
To keep the pitcher kid friendly, let each guest add alcohol to their own glass.
Buy 100% juice Cranberry Juice.
Don’t buy 100% pure cranberry juice it will be too tart.

More Festive Drinks Recipes

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Christmas Punch Recipe

A delicious holiday punch recipe that has 4 simple ingredients and is as easy as pour-and-stir. Flavors of Cranberry, Orange, and Pomegranate reflect the Christmas Season perfectly!

The recipe can be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd!

LISTEN TO THE QUICK AUDIO RECIPE WITH THE PLAYER BELOW.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 3

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 3

Servings: cups

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
Large Pitcher

Ingredients

▢ 4 cups cranberry juice cocktail - (I recommend 100% JUICE Cranberry Juice, do not buy 100% PURE Cranberry Juice it will be too tart)
▢ 3 cups orange juice - (I recommend pulp free)
▢ 2 cups pomegranate juice
▢ 3 cups ginger ale - (can sub lemon-lime soda here)

Garnish

▢ fresh cranberries, orange slices, and/or pomegranate seeds
▢ optional fun garnishes for kids – - Christmas Straws & maraschino cherries

Optional Alcohol

▢ 1 cup white rum, vodka, silver tequila, OR prosecco - (see notes)

Instructions

In a large pitcher stir together the cranberry juice, orange juice and pomegranate juice.
Pro Tip: start with cold ingredients so you don't have to dilute the punch with ice.
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail, 3 cups orange juice, 2 cups pomegranate juice
At this point, if you are making this punch ahead, you can pop it in the fridge for a few hours.
Pour in the ginger ale and give it one or two stirs to combine.
3 cups ginger ale
Garnish the pitcher with orange slices, whole cranberries, and pomegranate arils (seeds).

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Adding Alcohol: You can absolutely add alcohol to this Christmas Punch. If you have a mixed crowd of kids and adults I recommend letting the adults add alcohol to their own glasses, keeping the pitcher kid friendly.

But if you are only serving to adults, you can add 1 cup of white rum, vodka, silver tequila, OR prosecco to the pitcher. Give it a taste and add more for your desired strength.

Punch for a Larger Crowd: This recipe can absolutely be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd. However you will want to serve it in a large punch bowl.

A great tip any time you want to double or increase a recipe on momsdinner.net, simply hover over the servings in the recipe card and a +/- slider will appear that you can move up for more servings! It changes all the ingredient amounts for you.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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Instant Pot Chili Mac (no beans)

November 29, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 1 Comment

This Instant Pot Chili Mac Recipe is a great dinner for busy weeknights. It cooks up really quick in one pot and is a family favorite. Macaroni noodles are cooked with ground beef, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spices and finish with melty shredded cheddar cheese. It is sure to become one of your favorite comfort food recipes.

instant pot chili mac in a bowl topped with shredded cheese

Some other excellent Instant Pot Pasta Dishes are Instant Pot Spaghetti, Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo, and Instant Pot Sausage Rigatoni.

Why It’s So Good

The pot is only set for 1 minute! That is a short cook time.
Super easy clean up, only one pot!
It’s a very easy recipe with simple ingredients.
It’s not totally a pasta dish, it’s not totally a chili dish. It’s the perfect combination of the two.
The cheese stirred in at the end adds the perfect amount of creaminess.
Make it for dinner tonight!

Instant Pot

An Instant Pot, also called an Electric Pressure Cooker, is a great way to make easy weeknight dinners! I use the 6qt 9-in1 Duo Plus (affiliate link), which means that it is 6 quart in size, a great size for a family of 4-5, and has 9 functions in one pot.

Ingredients

Pictured are the items that you need to make this easy weeknight meal, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Ground Beef- For this recipe you will want to use a 85/15 or 90/10 lean ground beef. It is lean enough so your chili mac doesn’t turn out greasy, but has enough fat to be flavorful.

Cheese- I always recommend that you use fresh shredded cheese (and believe me, nobody hates shredding cheese more than me!!). The pre-shredded cheese is coated anti-clumping powders that prevent it from melting creamy.

Beans

This recipe for Instant Pot Chili Mac does not use beans. However, if you really want to use beans you can add a can of drained black beans or kidney beans when you add the diced tomatoes.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Start by browning and crumbling the ground beef in oil.
If there is excess grease, drain that as best you can.
Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 2 mins.

Instant Pot with ground beef, onions and bell peppers.

Now add the seasonings, vinegar, pour in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water.
Add the macaroni noodles to the top, making sure they all touch the liquid.

Instant Pot with ground beef, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes

macaroni noodles added to the instant pot

Set the pot to cook for 1 minute.
Do a 5 minute natural release, then quick release.
Add the cheese and stir it in.

cheese on top of chili mac in the instant Pot

Serving

Serve your Instant Pot Chili Mac topped with extra cheese. You can also add some green onions, jalapenos, or sour cream on top. Add some garlic bread and a green salad on the side and you have a really hearty meal the whole family will love.

Storing

Just like chili, it is even better the next day. You may need to add a little water or beef broth to reconstitute it when reheating.

Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More Excellent Instant Pot Recipes

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Homemade Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

November 22, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 13 Comments

If there is one thing that we get right here at Mom's Dinner, it is comfort food! This is truly a "down home, we-don't-care-about-calories" recipe for Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. It has just the right amount of delicious creamy sauce that coats the potatoes and ham. All topped with shredded cheese that gets golden and caramelized in some spots. It is sure to become a comfort food favorite in your house, especially if you made a big ham and have leftover ham in the fridge!

scalloped potatoes and ham in a 9x13 casserole dish on a table

I will say scalloped potatoes and ham is not a quick weeknight dinner. It takes some love and patience, just like lasagna. You build all the layers of flavor and then bake it for about an hour and a half. Save this dinner for a weekend, especially great for a Sunday Supper with friends and family.

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Why You’ll Love Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

Let me tell you why this recipe is so great! I tested this scalloped potatoes and ham recipe OVER AND OVER…and over again until I nailed it. I had very strict criteria to make it perect.

Here’s why this recipe works:

There is the perfect ratio of cream sauce to potatoes.
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt adds the perfect salt flavor to the potatoes.
By adding a layer of cream sauce on the bottom you get caramelized bits on the bottom and top!
The cook time is just right to ensure the potatoes are tender and the cheese is caramelized in some spots.
It’s a excellent recipe to use up leftover holiday ham (so is this recipe for Instant Pot red beans and rice and Ham Balls!)
Layering the dish ensures you get sauce and ham with every bite of potato.

I went down a ridiculous rabbit hole when I was asked to create a Scalloped Potato and Ham entree. I went to every source on the internet from Martha to Ina, and so many more sites. After comparing a bunch of recipes, I found my way to your site. When I read the recipe, it felt soooo right, and I knew the one for me. This was confirmed last night as 4 of us devoured your creation. Gosh almighty, but this felt like a warm hug while eating, and all seemed right in the world. Thank you so so much.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- Jeff

What Does Scalloped Mean?

In cooking, scalloped generally means that the dish is cooked in some type of cream sauce. As in scalloped potatoes, scalloped corn or scalloped apples.

People often confuse “gratin” or au gratin” with scalloped. The difference is au gratin means it is cooked in a sauce that contains cheese, not just a cream sauce.

Ingredient details

To make this over-the-top Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe you will need the ingredients pictured:

ingredients for the best scalloped potatoes and ham — **Ingredients Clockwise: Russet potatoes, cream cheese, garlic, onion, cheddar cheese, butter, seasoned salt and pepper, heavy cream, flour, chicken broth and cooked ham**.

Russet Potatoes : you definitely want to use russet potatoes for this dish. They are starchy enough to hold up to the longer cooking time and won’t break down into mashed potatoes.

Cheddar Cheese : this is not the time to use pre-shredded cheese, which contains anti-clumping agents that don’t allow your cheese to melt super creamy. Instead, shred your own cheese from a block and you will have the creamiest Scalloped Potatoes! It’s worth the extra work!

Seasoned Salt: if you’ve ever made mashed potatoes then you know that potatoes require a good amount of salt to have “flavor”. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (or similar brand) is the perfect addition to add true flavor to your potatoes.

Heavy Cream : no substitutes for heavy cream. You need the fat content of the heavy cream to keep it stable in the oven and to thicken the sauce and ensure you have a super rich and creamy recipe.

Cream Cheese : Use full fat cream cheese from the block, not a tub. The tub cream cheese has a little extra liquid.

Through my MULTIPLE tests for this recipe I found that cream cheese is a key “secret” ingredient to making your Scalloped Potatoes & Ham sauce extra creamy with amazing flavor.

Cooked Ham

You will need 2 heaping cups of cooked cubed ham for your scalloped potatoes and ham. If you have leftover ham this is a great recipe to use that up.

However, unless it was just Easter and you cooked a spiral cut ham, it is not likely that you have leftover ham in your fridge! I recommend buying a bone-in ham steak and cut it into cubes. Buying one that is around 1.25 lbs. will be great.

This is not the time for thin deli ham slices. You want to be able to cut 1-1.5 inch cubes of ham. Of course if you don’t have ham and/or don’t like ham, pop over to this recipe for Scalloped Potatoes!

Sauce

As we talked about before, scalloped means that you are baking the potatoes and ham in a cream sauce. So for this recipe we use butter, flour, onions, garlic, chicken broth, and heavy cream to make the sauce.

The addition of a little cream cheese makes the cream sauce extra rich and creamy!

How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Start by peeling then slicing your potatoes on a mandolin, V slicer or in a food processor with an ⅛ inch thick blade. You can also cut them by hand, it will just take a while longer.

This Mandolin is not expensive and is the one I use in my kitchen (affiliate link). It works like a charm!

Now in a large bowl toss the potatoes with ½ cup cream. This will slow the browning process.

In a skillet over medium heat melt the butter, then add the sliced onions. Sauté them for about 5-10 minutes or until they just start to brown around the edges (FLAVOR!). Now add in the garlic, seasoned salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat the onions for 1 minute.

Now slowly whisk in the chicken broth, followed by the 2 cups heavy cream.

cream sauce in a large pot — Creamy sauce for scalloped potatoes and ham: butter, onions, garlic, chicken broth, cream, cream cheese and seasoned salt

Add the cubed cream cheese in and stir to melt. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until it is thickened.

Time for Layering

Grab a deep 9×13 dish, rub the bottom and sides with the 1 tablespoon softened butter.

Start with 1 cup of cream onion sauce across the bottom.
Top with a layer of potatoes.

sliced potatoes layered on top of cream sauce in a casserole dish

Spread a generous cup or so of onion cream sauce across the potatoes.
Sprinkle on half the ham.

cubed ham on top of potatoes and cream sauce

Top with another layer of potatoes.
Spread a generous cup or so of onion cream sauce across the potatoes.
Top with remaining ham.
To finish, layer the remaining potatoes, top with all the remaining sauce, and finally sprinkle on the 2 cups of cheese.

shredded cheddar cheese on top of scalloped potatoes and ham

Give the dish a little press to make sure everything lays flat.

Baking

Cover the dish tightly with foil. Then place on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch spills in the oven.

Pro tip: Spray the underside of the foil with non-stick spray so the cheese doesn’t stick to the foil!

Bake at 400 degrees, covered, for 70 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.

Your Scalloped Potatoes and Ham will be smoking hot when it comes out of the oven, allow about 20 minutes for the dish to cool, settle, and thicken before serving!

How Long to Cook Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

The LAST thing you want in a potato dish are crunchy potatoes! So after the full 2 hour cook time, slide a knife into the potatoes at the center of the dish. You shouldn’t meet any resistance. That is how you know the dish is done.

serving a scoop of scalloped potato and ham

I mention this because if you are cutting your potatoes by hand they might not be exactly ⅛ inch thick and may take a few extra minutes to completely soften.

Serving & Side Dishes

This dish will serve 6-8 people generous portions.

A green salad and dinner rolls with butter are great side dishes to pair with scalloped potatoes and ham. Some other options are:

Recipe Tips to Remember

Spray the underside of your foil with non stick spray so it doesn’t pull all the cheese off the top.
Use fresh shredded cheese! It melts creamier.
Use a high quality cheese so the milk proteins and fat don’t separate in the oven (can make oil spots on top)
Slightly brown the onions for more flavor.
Wait and add the garlic when you add the salt and pepper, it keeps the flavor a little stronger.
Make sure you calculate “resting time” in your total preparation time. The sauce is like molten lava when it comes out of the oven!
Test the potatoes for doneness at the end of the cooking time by sliding a knife into the center of the dish.

How to Store Homemade Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

This makes a pretty big pan of Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, so my guess is you will have some leftovers! Keep them in a covered container, in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat you may need to add a little milk to reconstitute, as the potatoes will absorb the liquid as they cool in the fridge.

More Comfort Food Dinner Recipes

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Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

November 18, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 69 Comments

Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is such a great comfort food dinner. Ground turkey is mixed with carrots, peas, beef broth, red wine and lots of herbs & seasonings then is topped with super flavorful creamy mashed potatoes. It all gets baked up in one skillet. It is a great family dinner that everyone will LOVE!!

cast iron skillet with turkey shepherd's pie cooked in it

Some other great family recipes that use turkey are Turkey Pot Pie, Turkey Chili, Tetrazzini, or Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

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Why It’s SO Good!

The potato topping has it’s own delicious flavors of butter, sour cream and a little garlic.
Fresh rosemary lends amazing fresh flavor.
Ground sage adds just a hint of “holiday” that goes perfect with the turkey.
Red wine makes the filling deep and rich with flavor.
Using beef broth instead of chicken broth gives the filling a robust flavor.

This is the absolute BEST cottage pie recipe I've ever tried. It is moist, not at all dry inside with the perfect balance of flavors. I'm thrilled to have found this new family favorite. Thank you so much! Its a winner. – Diane

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Turkey Shepherd’s Pie, plus some helpful tips on a few ingredients:

Ground Turkey – When you cook with ground turkey it is always good practice to use 93/7. It has enough fat to be flavorful and juicy. The 99% lean is to be avoided at all cost!

You can absolutely use ground beef, ground pork or ground chicken if that is what you have in your fridge/freezer.

Red Wine – I HIGHLY recommend that you do not skip the red wine! If you do not want to buy an entire bottle just grab a carton or small “airplane” sized bottle. You only need ½ cup, but it makes all the difference.

Beef Broth – It may seem funny to use a beef broth in a turkey dish, but believe me it works! The beef broth adds a deepness of flavor that a chicken broth won’t. However if you are making this because you don’t eat beef, you can absolutely sub chicken broth.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes are the very best topping for Shepherd’s Pie. There is a great recipe included below for the mashed potatoes. However, you could also use one of these options:

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Frozen Mashed Potatoes (Trader Joe’s has a great one!)
Leftover Mashed Potatoes
In a time pinch you can use potato flakes
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes could even work!

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Boil the Russets and make the mashed potatoes. Set aside until assembly.
In a large oven safe skillet, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in the oil, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and ground turkey and crumble while cooking through.

ground turkey with onions, carrots and celery

Now add in the rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, onion powder, flour and tomato paste.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce for about 5 minutes.
Finish with the beef broth, frozen peas, Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 mins.

ground turkey, peas, carrots and herbs in a tomato and red wine base

Remove from the heat.
Dollop the mashed potatoes over the meat filling. Smooth it to the edges. To get nice browned bits on the top make swoops in the mashed potatoes.

dollops of mashed potatoes on top of Shepherd's Pie Filling

Spatula spreading mashed potatoes on Shepherd's Pie

If using a 10 inch skillet place it on a rimmed baking sheet to catch spills.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Listen To The Full Recipe

Serving

Serve the Turkey Shepherd’s Pie right in the skillet. Scoop out portions making sure to get a good filling to mashed potato topping ratio on each plate.

a scoop taken out of a Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Side Dishes

The nice thing about Shepherd’s Pie is it has everything in one – starch, protein and veggies – so it can really be served by itself.

But if you want to make it more of a dinner experience you can serve it with dinner rolls, a roasted veggie or side salad.

Recipe Tips

Top Tips

If you have leftover mashed potatoes this makes a great recipe to use them up!
Make Swoops in the mashed potatoes topping, the peaks brown beautifully in the oven.
Don’t skip the red wine! It lends amazing depth of flavor to the Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.
If rosemary isn’t your jam, sub in fresh thyme.
If you like a soupier filling, add ¼-1/2 cup of beef broth.
Pick a red wine you will like to drink. You only need ½ cup so you can enjoy the rest of the bottle.
Do not use 99% lean ground turkey. Go for the 93/7!
If you use a 10 inch skillet, place a rimmed baking sheet underneath to catch spills in the oven.
If ground turkey isn’t your thing you can absolutely use ground beef, ground pork, or ground chicken in this recipe.

More Delicious Comfort Food Dinners

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Recipe for Swedish Meatballs

November 16, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 7 Comments

When I had my first baby, Maddie, friends and family showed up with meals (thank goodness!). One of the dishes that stood out the most was my sister's famous Homemade Swedish Meatballs. She served them with a rich, creamy gravy over big scoops of buttery mashed potatoes, my husband and I devoured every single bite. It truly felt like comfort food at its best and was such a lifesaver during that time.

Swedish meatballs and sauce over mashed potatoes in a bowl

I'm so excited to share my sister's classic Swedish Meatball recipe here with you. Tender, delicious meatballs are simmered in a creamy, flavorful sauce. Whether you serve them over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or even rice, I know you're going to love them as much as we do.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Swedish Meatballs

These are not your run of the mill “cream of soup” Swedish Meatballs. The rich and creamy sauce is made from scratch.
Meatballs made with a panade will always be more tender and juicy.
50% ground pork and 50% ground beef is a great mixture for Swedish Meatballs.
You can serve these over buttered garlic egg noodles, mashed potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Rice, whatever fits your diet, mood and budget.

FIVE STARS! Growing up, we used to go to a Swedish restaurant that had an amazing Sunday brunch and my favorite thing to get was the Swedish meatballs. This recipe takes me right back…so much flavor and the creamy sauce is truly next level! – Lori

What Are Traditional Swedish Meatballs

Swedish Meatballs in Sweden are called Köttbullar, and pronounced "SHUT-boo-lahr“.

This recipe is definitely an Americanized version of Swedish meatballs.

TRUE Swedish Meatballs, in Sweden, are generally not served in any type of gravy or sauce. If they are it may be a very light version of what we consider Swedish meatball sauce. They are commonly served over a buttered pasta or mashed potatoes with a Lingonberry Jam or pickled cucumbers on the side.

Ingredients for Traditional Swedish Meatballs

Pictured are the ingredients you need to make Swedish Meatballs and the Gravy Sauce.

ingredients for Swedish meatballs on a table

Swedish meatball sauce ingredients with text

Ground Beef– an 85/15, 90/10 or 93/7 are great ratios to use in your Swedish Meatballs.

Ground Pork– you want to grab regular ground pork here. This is not the time to use a sausage/flavored product.

Onion – A yellow or white onion will work here. Make sure you very finely chop the onion so you don’t have large chunks in your meatballs. If a slight onion crunch is not your favorite, you can also grate the onion.

Panade

In this Swedish meatball recipe we make the meatballs with a panade, which keeps them moist and tender!

A panade is a mix of a starch, usually bread or crackers, mixed with a liquid, usually milk, stock or egg, to keep a meat mixture juicy. This is a common practice with meatballs or meatloaf.

How to Make Easy Swedish Meatballs

There are three main steps for making NEXT LEVEL Swedish Meatballs: making killer meatballs, a delicious homemade sauce, and then combining the two:

Start by combining the beaten eggs and panko bread crumbs. Let sit for a few minutes to soften.
Now add the onion, garlic, parsley, all spice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Give a quick mix.
Add the beef and pork and mix with clean hands to combine everything.

ground beef, ground pork, panade and herbs in a bowl

4. Form your Swedish meatballs about 1 ½ inches each.

5. Now add oil to a large skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches.
6. Remove the cooked meatballs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

7. If there is excess grease in the skillet wipe it out.
8. Now add the butter to the skillet and melt.
9. Sprinkle in the flour and let it cook into the butter for about 2 minutes, stirring.
10. Slowly whisk in the beef broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer.
11. Whisk in the Worcestershire, Dijon, Kosher salt and pepper.
12. Once the sauce is thickened add the meatballs and juices to the pan. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes.

a skillet full of Swedish Meatballs in a brown sauce

Swedish Meatballs Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Swap out the proteins – use a ground turkey or chicken, or make the meatballs with a combo or pork and veal.
No breadcrumbs… use crushed saltine crackers! You may want to dial back the salt content if you use this swap.
Add fresh dill – chop up a little fresh dill and add to the meatball mixture, then sprinkle a little over top when serving. It will give you a really fresh flavor in this savory dish.
Horseradish Lovers – stir just a skosh of grated horseradish into the meatball mixture.
Mushroom in the sauce – if you like mushrooms , slice up some baby bella or button mushrooms and saute in the butter before moving on with making the sauce.
Serving Variations – there are lots of options when it comes to serving the Swedish Meatballs. We love to spoon it over mashed potatoes. Garlic butter noodles are great too. Pile the meatballs and sauce over top a piece of rye bread.

Serving

Serve your Swedish Meatballs over mashed potatoes (or Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes), rice, or garlic buttered egg noodles. Then pour the sauce over top.

mashed potatoes topped with meatballs and brown sauce

It also goes great with warm bread, a side salad, and/or vegetable side dish, like:

Storing

Store leftover Swedish Meatballs in the fridge, in a covered container, for up to 5 days.

Reheat in the microwave for a few minutes.

Freezing

To freeze the meatballs prepare and brown completely, then freeze individually on a rimmed baking tray. Once frozen solid move to a freezer safe baggie and keep for 3 months.

I don’t recommend freezing the sauce/gravy because of the cream content. It can tend to separate after freezing.

To reheat the meatballs place in a 350 degree oven on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, or until warmed through. Then simmer in the gravy on the stove top.

Recipe Tips

If you do not like a slight onion texture in your meatballs you can grate the onion. You will still get the flavor but not the extra texture.
Don’t skip the panade in your meatballs. It keeps them nice and juicy!
If you like your sauce a little thicker, whisk in a beurre manie (1 tablespoon softened butter mixed with 1 tablespoon flour) and let the sauce simmer for 1 minute.
Don’t make the meatballs any larger than 1 ½ inches, or they will struggle to cook through in the skillet.

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Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle Dessert

November 15, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 15 Comments

When Thanksgiving rolls around, you want a dessert you can trust – one that feels just as good to make as it does to bring to the table. This Pumpkin Trifle is one my family has made time and again for Thanksgiving, and it always disappears before the night is over. I can promise this one is simple to put together yet presents like a showstopper. A beautiful trifle bowl is filled with layers of crushed Biscoff cookies, pumpkin and cream cheese mousse, and whipped cream. The top is finished with bits of chocolate toffee.

A Thanksgiving trifle on a table with layers of pumpkin whipped cream and biscoff cookies

Traditionally pumpkin pie and pecan pie are served at the Holidays. So if you are not a pie lover this Trifle will be the perfect Thanksgiving dessert for you! And if pumpkin isn’t your favorite flavor, pop over to these decadent Individual Chocolate Trifles or these Pecan Pie Bars.

"Made this for Friendsgiving, and getting ready to make it for my family Thanksgiving! Delicious. A friend told me that he doesn't like many pumpkin things, and this trifle made the list of the two pumpkin things he likes." – Amanda, Mom's Dinner Cook

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What is a Trifle?

A trifle is a traditional British dessert made in a large stemmed glass bowl and served cold. It is commonly made with layers of cake, custard (or pudding mixture) and some type of fruit.

Why You’ll Love This Thanksgiving Trifle

This is truly a spectacular dessert perfect for the holiday season.

The layers of flavors meld together as it sits in the fridge. The Biscoff cookies soak up a little of the pumpkin cream cheese mousse and whipped cream, so some of the cookies stay crispy and some soften. It’s the perfect mix of textures!

Pumpkin is the flavor of the season, and this dessert delivers!
Instead of traditional sponge cake or angel food cake this recipe uses super flavorful Biscoff Cookies that add texture and flavor.
Mixing the pumpkin with cream cheese makes an amazing layer of pumpkin cheesecake-like filling.
Pumpkin pie spice flavors are added – cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove for a perfectly balanced flavor.

Pumpkin Trifle Recipe Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make your Pumpkin Trifle Dessert. Plus some tips on a few ingredients:

ingredients for thanksgiving trifle on a table with text overlay

Pumpkin: Make sure that you buy 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.

Cream Cheese: Get full fat cream cheese and make sure you soften it at room temperature so it blends creamy, with no lumps.

Toffee Bits: You can find these packaged toffee bits near the chocolate chips in the baking aisle. However, if they do not have them at your grocery store you can buy 2 Heath Candy Bars and crush them for the top.

Biscoff Cookies: Instead of graham crackers we use a more flavorful version called Biscoff Cookies. See the section below to learn more about these cinnamon cookies.

Biscoff Cookies

Biscoff Cookies are the best part (or one of the best parts) of this Thanksgiving Trifle! They are a traditional European Biscuit cookie that is served with coffee or tea. They kind of tastes like a really hearty cinnamon graham cracker. The sugar is caramelized during the baking process so they have a very brown sugary taste.

You can find them in the cookie aisle at your grocery store.

You will need 2 packages to make the full recipe.

Recommended Trifle Bowl

A traditional trifle bowl is a large glass bowl (to see the beautiful layers) and usually has a stem. See the photo below for reference:

They come in all sizes, for this large desert I recommend that you use a 9″ Trifle Bowl (affiliate link).

How to Make Pumpkin Trifle Dessert

This is an excellent no-bake dessert that actually comes together really quickly. Just make sure you leave time to let it set in the fridge.

Grab 2 large resealable baggies. Place each package of Biscoff cookies it a large ziploc. Crush them so you have bite sized pieces.

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or hand mixer) mix the cream cheese until it fluffy, then add in the brown sugar slowly. Finally add in the pumpkin, vanilla and spices.

pumpkin cream cheese mousse in a mixing bowl

In a separate bowl whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the powdered sugar and beat until you have medium stiff peaks.
Now in the bottom of a trifle dish pour one bag of crushed cookies.
Top with half of the pumpkin mixture, spreading it to the sides and slightly up the side of the bowl to create a layer.
Top with half the whipped cream.

crushed biscoff cookies in a trifle bowl

pumkin cream cheese mousse in a trifle bowl

Repeat with the cookie layer, then remaining pumpkin and remaining whipped cream.
Finish by smoothing out the top and sprinkling on the toffee bits.

toffee bits sprinkled on top of a Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 4 hours up to 24 hours.

Serving Suggestions for Thanksgiving Trifle

Since this is such a festive dessert that has amazing presentation I recommend actually bringing the entire trifle bowl to the table. Then scoop individual servings onto plates/bowls or dessert glasses. It goes great with a hot cup of coffee or tea and good conversation!

Thanksgiving Trifle in a bowl with layers of pumpkin, whipped cream and biscoff cookies

Recipe Tips

Make sure your heavy cream is COLD. It will whip up faster and creamier.
If you can’t find toffee bits, purchase 2 or 3 Heath Candy Bars to crush.
Get 100% pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
Make sure your cream cheese is softened at room temp, that way it will blend up smooth with no lumps.
When layering very slightly paint each layer up the sides of the trifle bowl, about ½ inch, so that you can see each layer.

Storing

Leftover Thanksgiving Trifle can be stored in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 4 days.

Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

All of these recipes will make a truly impressive Thanksgiving dinner:

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Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

November 10, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 3 Comments

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins are a great twist on traditional meatloaf. A flavorful ground turkey meatloaf mixture is topped with ketchup and bakes up perfectly in a 12 cup muffin tin. Serve them with mashed potatoes and a green veggie for a great family dinner!

Turkey meatloaf cups on a plate with green beans and mashed potatoes

To make these with beef, pop over to this recipe for Meatloaf Muffin Cups. Or for a different flavor profile, check out this Italian Meatloaf Recipe!

Why These Are Great

They are made with ground turkey, which is a little healthier than beef.
They are filled with a panade of panko and milk, which keeps them juicy.
The topping is just ketchup, keeping things simple and traditional.
The muffin cups cook much faster than baking an entire meatloaf.
Smaller portions make them great for a snack too!
Leftovers make an amazing meatloaf sandwich or slider.

Ground Turkey for Meatloaf Muffins

When you are shopping for ground turkey there are generally two (maybe three) options:

99% fat free
93/7
85/15

You ABSOLUTELY want to buy the 93/7!! This means it has 93% lean meat, and 7% fat. It has enough fat to make it flavorful and juicy without being greasy.

The 99% fat free ground turkey should only be used if you have some kind of diet restriction. It cooks up like rubber and has very little flavor.

You may also see an 85/15 ground turkey, this is going to be too fatty and have a funny flavor. I recommend avoiding this one.

Topping

Traditionally, ketchup is used on top of meatloaf. It has enough sugar content to caramelize a little in the oven and becomes tangy, salty and sweet. Perfect balance!

Another option would be to use a mixture of 50% BBQ sauce and 50% ketchup.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Start by sauteeing your onions and garlic, then stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire and rosemary. Let cool for a couple minutes.

onions garlic herbs and tomato paste for meatloaf cups

Meanwhile make the panade by mixing the milk, egg, salt, pepper and onion powder with the panko bread crumbs, let it sit for 5 minutes.

Finally mix the panade, turkey, and onion mixture together.

Generously grease your muffin tin. Then using a ⅓ cup measuring cup scoop heaping portions of the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tin. You will have exactly 12 muffin cups.

turkey mixture portioned into a muffin tin

meatloaf muffin cups topped with ketchup

Top each cup with at least 1 tablespoon ketchup.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.

Serving

Serve your turkey meatloaf muffins warm out of the oven, 2-3 cups per person. They are excellent served with mashed potatoes and green beans!

They also make a great slider sandwich or meatloaf sandwich.

Side Dishes

Here are some great side dishes to consider making for your meatloaf muffin cups:

Freezing

You can freeze your turkey meatloaf muffin cups for easier meal or snack prep.

Freezing Baked – bake and cool the turkey meatloaf cups. Place in a freezer safe baggie or container and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost in the fridge overnight. Or use the quick method by placing the sealed bag in luke warm water, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed completely. Then heat through in the oven or microwave.
Freezing Raw – Fill the muffin tin with the meatloaf mixture, leave the ketchup off until it is time to cook. Pop in the freezer. Once solid move to a freezer safe baggie. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, bake from frozen, adding the ketchup to the top and you may need to add 10 minutes to the cooking time to cook through. Make sure your meatloaf cups reach 160 degrees internal temp to be considered safe to eat.

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Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast – Complete Guide

November 9, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 4 Comments

Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast is an excellent family dinner. Beef chuck roast turns out juicy, tender and super flavorful in the Instant Pot. Then the veggies and gravy cook in that same pot. You will have the pickiest eaters licking their plate.

Instant Pot Pot Roast on a plate with potatoes and carrots

To make this in your oven pop over to this recipe for Beef Pot Roast with Gravy. Or if you love this Instant Pot Roast recipe, try this Instant Pot Pork Roast with Veggies & Gravy next.

Why It’s SO Good

There are a lot of Instant Pot Pot Roast recipes around, you will find that this one gives you all the tips and tricks to make it the very best:

If you have time, let your chuck roast set at room temp for about 30 minutes. This is called tempering and is a great way to have really flavorful beef.
Searing the beef after seasoning makes a really flavorful crust that everyone will rave about.
Adding onion powder to the initial seasoning adds depth of flavor in this recipe.
Cooking the veggies in a “second cook” makes sure your veggies are not turned to mush.
Fresh herbs, rosemary and bay leaves, flavors the gravy so much more than dried herbs will.

What is Beef Pot Roast

Some people think that “pot roast” always refers to beef. However that is not the case. Pot Roast actually means that it is slow roasted in a heavy pot, usually in the oven, as in the case of my Chicken Pot Roast.

But a “Beef Pot Roast” is obviously beef, usually chuck roast or round roast. It is generally slow braised with some broth and surrounded by herbs, potatoes, carrots, onions and sometimes mushrooms.

a close up of pot roast,cooked carrots and mashed potatoes

In this recipe we are braising a little faster with the help of pressure and steam in the Instant Pot (Electric Pressure Cooker).

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients you need to make Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast, plus some tips on a few key ingredients:

Potatoes – you can use Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.

Russets will hold up a little better to the pressure cooker, but Yukon golds soak up the cooking liquid.

Carrots – make sure to cut your carrots a little bigger (about 2 inches) so they do not over cook.

Mushrooms – we like a Baby Bella Mushroom for this recipe as they have a stronger earthy flavor that holds up to the beef and gravy. However, you can use button mushrooms if that is what you have or prefer.

Cut really large mushrooms in half, but the smaller ones can stay whole to stand up to the pressure cooker.

Chuck Roast

Chuck Roast is a cut of beef that is traditionally used for Beef Pot Roast. It is cut from the shoulder and is known for its rich beefy flavor. It is a tougher cut that does well being slow roasted or braised.

When picking a chuck roast you want one that is a nice red color with some marbling.

Cook Times for Chuck Roast in Instant Pot

It is recommended that you cook your fresh chuck roast for 20 minutes per pound in the Instant Pot. Most chuck roasts weight between 3-5 lbs..

Chuck Roast in Instant Pot

Time to set your Instant Pot to cook your Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast, all of these times will be followed by a 10 minute natural release, then a quick release.

2.5 lbs. = 50 mins.

3 lbs. = 60 mins.

3.5 lbs. = 70 mins.

4 lbs. = 80 mins.

No matter what size your chuck roast is you will want to do a 10 minute natural release at the end of the cook time. This is a “resting” period for the meat before you do a quick release.

Avoiding the Burn Warning

You should not have troubles with the burn warning in this recipe, there is plenty of liquid to protect the bottom of the pot.

However, you will want to make sure you FULL DEGLAZE the bottom of the pot when you pour in the beef broth. Leaving any bits on the bottom may trigger the burn notice.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Follow these steps for the Best Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast!

Pat the roast dry and season all sides with salt, pepper and onion powder.
Sear on sauté mode, in oil, in the Instant Pot. About 7 mins. per side. Remove to a plate.

chuck roast seasoned with salt, pepper and onion powder

a chuck roast that is seared with a nice crust

Add more oil and sauté the onions, garlic and celery for a minute.
Pour in the beef broth and fully deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Stir in the tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and bay leaves.
Add the chuck roast and any juices back to the pot.
Lock the lid in place and set to cook on manual/pressure setting for 20 minutes per pound.
Do a 10 minute natural release, then finish with a quick release.

celery, onion and garlic in the instant pot

beef broth with onions, celery and garlic in the instant pot

Veggies

Remove the roast from the pot and set aside, cover with foil to keep warm.
Place all the veggies in the pot – potatoes first, then carrots and top with mushrooms.
Lock the lid in place and set to cook on manual/pressure setting for 5 minutes.
Do a quick release. Spoon the veggies to a serving plate.

potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in a bowl

cooked potatoes, carrots and mushrooms in the Instant Pot

Gravy

Strain the remaining liquid and then pour back into the pot.
Turn on sauté mode. Add the flour/butter mixture and whisk in to make the gravy.
It will thicken as it simmers.

Serving

Pot Roast is such a classic Sunday Family Dinner! Serve your roast sliced or pulled into tender chunks then drizzle with gravy. Serve with potatoes, mushrooms and carrots on the side.

Dinner rolls and butter are a great accompaniment too. Any of these dishes would also make a great side to Instant Pot Pot Roast:

Storing

Store leftover Pot Roast, veggies and gravy in the fridge, in a covered container for up to 5 days.

gravy being poured over beef pot roast and veggies

Tips for the Best Pot Roast

Dry your chuck roast with some paper towels before seasoning and searing. By removing the moisture content you will get a better sear/crust.
Use all the salt, pepper and onion powder to season the roast, it sears into the crust and creates a ton of flavor!
Don’t skimp on the searing…7 minutes will feel like forever, but it creates the most beautiful crust.
Use fresh herbs! The dried stuff will not give you the same punch of flavor.
Taste the gravy before serving, you may want more salt, pepper, Worcestershire or balsamic. Season to your taste!

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Classic Holiday Fruitcake Cookies

November 4, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 14 Comments

Holiday Fruitcake Cookies, sometimes called Holiday Fruit Drop Cookies, are a truly old fashioned holiday cookie, made popular as an updated version of Fruitcake. They are a festive cookie that is soft and chewy and filled with red and green candied cherries, dates, and pecans. They make a great addition to any holiday dessert tray.

Fruitcake Drop Cookies on a plate being held for guests

We keep this recipe for Fruitcake Cookies kid friendly by omitting any alcohol added.

This is a recipe that my Grandma made when we were little, spending Christmas at her house. So this is the ORIGINAL old fashioned fruit drop cookie recipe, not an “updated version”. If you like these cookies, definitely check out my Grandma’s recipes for Old Fashioned Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese Buttercream!

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What are Fruitcake Drop Cookies

To define a Fruitcake Drop Cookie we need to first explain Fruitcake, and then explain why the word drop is added.

First, it is called a fruitcake cookie because it is emulated after a traditional fruitcake. Filled with candied fruit and nuts, in a spiced batter/dough, however here we are eating it in cookie form.

Second, it is called a drop cookie because you “drop” the dough onto the cookie sheet for baking. No rolling or slicing involved in making your Fruitcake Cookies.

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This fruitcake cookie is wonderful. The spices were bang on. I tweaked it since I had leftover sugared fruit. I used glazed cherries, sugared lemon and orange peel, and dried dates. So glad I found your recipe. Thank you for sharing. -Paulina

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Fruitcake Cookies, plus some tips on a few key ingredients:

Candied Cherries – you should be able to find these at your grocery store in the baking aisle. There will usually be three options: red candied cherries, green candied cherries, and candied fruit mix.

I like to buy the red and green cherries for a Christmas look.

You can buy the candied fruit mix, but it will also include pineapple.

Dates – I buy pitted whole dates and give them a good chop. I find them on an end cap in the produce section at my grocery store. If you can find chopped ones (possibly near the raisins), go ahead and grab those!

Pecans – Since I add a whole pecan half to the top of the cookies I like to buy a bag of whole pecan halves, then chop 1 ½ cups and use the rest for the tops.

Buttermilk – The buttermilk is necessary in this recipe as an acid. It helps to activate the baking soda. If you do not have buttermilk you can make your own:

Mix ½ cup whole milk with 2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then use in place of the buttermilk.

Watch The Recipe

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Just a couple mixing steps and you will be ready to bake your Fruit Drop Cookies:

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand held mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, about 2 minutes.
Add in the eggs, one at a time and mix for another minute.
Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla, and mix another minute. Don’t be alarmed if it looks curdled at this point.

In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.
Slowly mix it into the dough a little at a time.
Add the cherries, dates and chopped pecans, stir or mix into the dough.

cookie dough with no mix ins in a stand mixer

chopped candied cherries, dates, and pecans

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a reusable silpat.
Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the baking sheet, about a heaping tablespoon each. Using a cookie scoop can be extremely helpful with this task!!
Press a pecan half in the top of each cookie, pressing down to adhere. ((This step is optional))

raw fruit drop cookies on a baking sheet

Bake for 9-11 minutes until they are just starting to turn golden around the edges. (they bake perfectly for 11 minutes in my oven) watch the first batch and then use that time on the remaining batches.
They will be very soft when they come out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool!
Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

baked fruitcake drop cookies on a baking sheet

Storing

You will want to store your Fruit Drop Cookies at room temp for up to 5 days. They will get softer and more moist the longer they sit.

Pro Tip: When storing Fruitcake Cookies you will want to separate the layers with parchment or wax paper. These are very moist cookies and tend to stick together when stored.

Freezing

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies, so unless you are having a house full of guests or you are taking cookies to a cookie swap or friends you may want to freeze some!

You have two options for freezing, you can freeze the dough and bake later, or you can freeze the baked cookies to eat later:

Freezing Dough: Portion the dough out into individual cookies, press a pecan half in the top, place on a baking sheet that will fit in the freezer. Freeze the cookies for a few hours. Then transfer to a freezer safe container or baggie for up to 6 weeks. To bake from frozen, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 mins at 350 degrees. **They may not spread as much as the fresh cookie dough.
Freezing Baked Cookies: Wrap the baked and cooled cookies tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, or place in a freezer safe baggie. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw at room temp for a few hours.

a holiday table with fruitcake cookies on a plate

To get the very best Fruitcake Drop Cookies, follow these extra tips:

You will probably be baking in batches, so pop the unused dough in the fridge while the cookies bake.
Get the red and green candied cherries for a festive look.
To get a more pronounced red and green color save ½ cup of each colored cherries and dot the outside of the portioned cookies with the chopped cherries.
Do not overcook your fruitcake cookies, they are meant to be very soft and chewy.
Use parchment paper or a silpat when baking your cookies, it makes for an easier release from the pan and a nice golden bottom.

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Thanksgiving Stuffing with Sausage

November 3, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 11 Comments

This Thanksgiving (or any holiday!!) make sure you have this Sausage and Herb Stuffing on your table! Everyone will rave about the super flavorful, soft and buttery stuffing with the crispy golden top. It is the perfect savory blend of fresh herbs, buttery bread cubes, salty sausage and sweet cranberries. It will be your favorite dish of the whole holiday meal!

sausage and herb stuffing on a holiday table

If there's one dish I can confidently say I know inside and out, it's stuffing. Here at Mom's Dinner, I've tested, tweaked, and perfected a whole lineup of stuffing recipes and this Stuffing with Sausage is a standout for good reason. It has the hallmarks of a Mom's Dinner stuffing; perfectly seasoned, a buttery soft middle and a golden, crispy top. The salty sausage and sweet cranberries give every bite an irresistible balance of flavor.

Want to serve more than one stuffing at your holiday table? I've got you covered with a full collection: Traditional Bread Stuffing, Bacon and Apple Stuffing, and Savory Cornbread Stuffing-each one tested, loved, and trusted on thousands of holiday tables.

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Why You’ll Love this Sausage and Herb Stuffing

This Sausage Stuffing recipe uses quality bread that is cut into hearty cubes and dried.
Fresh herbs make all the difference!
ALL the butter in this recipe makes it so completely flavorful, decadent and delicious.
The bread soaks up the yummy sausage flavor.
Tart dried cranberries balance the savory-salty flavors without adding an overpowering sweet flavor.
Baking the Sausage Stuffing covered with foil at the beginning makes for a soft and buttery inside, and then the last 20 minutes without foil makes a nice crispy top!

I've made this sausage stuffing 2 years in a row. Making again today for Thanksgiving. Great stuffing. Everyone loves it!!

– Jason

Ingredients

To get the best Sausage Stuffing make sure you are using quality ingredients, like Pepperidge Farm Hearty White bread and fresh herbs:

Celery – use both the stalks and leaves. The inside stalks with leaves have great flavor!
Herbs – make sure you use fresh sage, parsley and rosemary. Dried will not give you the same flavor.
Sausage – Use the sausage that you like. You can use Italian, sweet, hot or mild, turkey or pork. Bulk breakfast sausage will work too. We have found that Jimmy Dean Sage pork sausage is our favorite.
Bread – If your grocery store has large dried bread cubes in the bakery you can definitely purchase those. However, a lot of the commercial packaged stuffing mixes are TINY little cubes. For this soft and buttery stuffing you want larger bread cubes.
Purchase a quality hearty bread, like Pepperidge Farms Hearty White or Sara Lee Artesano Bakery Bread, cut it in 1 inch cubes and then dry it out overnight or in the oven.
Salted Butter – “SALTED”, it’s the only one that we recognize as butter here at Mom’s Dinner. Using plenty of butter is one of the secrets to really good sausage stuffing. It keeps the center of the stuffing buttery and soft, but it also helps crisp up the top!
Onion & Garlic – flavor town!
Chicken Broth or Stock – help to moisten the bread cubes and keeps your Sausage Stuffing from drying out. It also adds a layer of flavor.

Making Stale Bread

You have 2 options to make your bread nice and stale for this sausage stuffing recipe:

Overnight- Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and let it sit on a sheet pan, on the counter overnight.
Quick Method- Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and spread on a large sheet pan. Dry in a 250 degree oven for 30 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes so it doesn't brown. (You will have time for this while the onions and celery soften!)

How to Make Sausage Stuffing

Follow these steps to make the best Sausage Herb Stuffing for your holiday feast:

Sauté the onions and celery in the stick of butter over medium heat.
Add the sausage and crumble while it cooks through. Drain excess grease
Remove from the heat and add the garlic, herbs, seasonings, cranberries.
Stir together the sausage mixture and bread crumbs.

sausage, onion, celery, dried cranberries and herbs in a skillet

5. Whisk together the eggs and chicken broth.
6. Pour over bread & sausage mixture stir to coat.
7. Butter a 9×9 inch baking dish and pour in the sausage stuffing. Dot the top with butter.
8. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake additional 20 mins.

sausasge stuffing in a 9x9 pan dotted with butter on top

Make Ahead

You can absolutely make your stuffing ahead. Prep it completely and place covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Then bake as directed.

sausage stuffing on a plate with beef and green beans

Stuffing with Sausage Recipe Tips

Use quality bread that is cut into 1 inch cubes.
Properly dry/stale the bread cubes so they soak up the butter, sausage, and broth without getting soggy.
Definitely use fresh herbs (parsley, sage and rosemary). It adds such a great flavor to your stuffing.
Don’t skimp on the butter!
Use the sausage that you like. A sage flavored sausage makes a great choice for stuffing.

Doubling

If you are hosting a large crowd, you can absolutely double this recipe. Just double the ingredients and make it in a larger 9×13 dish. The baking time will be the same.

More Holiday Recipes

To make your holiday meal complete, check out these other Thanksgiving and Christmas Recipes from Mom’s Dinner:

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Tequila Hot Toddy

November 2, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 8 Comments

A Tequila Hot Toddy is an Añejo based drink that is served warm. It has added notes of lemon, orange, cinnamon and clove. It is great if you are a little under the weather or it is freezing outside. The Hot Toddy will warm your bones and have you feeling really good in no time!

Tequila hot toddy in a glass with a cinnamon stick, lemon wheel and clove

Try using a little hot honey in your Tequila Hot Toddy, especially if you are under the weather it will clear up your sinuses right away!

Some other Añejo Tequila drinks that we love are the Tequila Cobbler, Añejo Manhattan, and Añejo Old Fashioned.

And if you have kids that want a nice hot drink too, pop over to this recipe for The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate!

What is a Hot Toddy?

If you have never heard of a hot toddy it is hot water, infused with liquor, and flavored with citrus, honey, herbs, and spices. It is traditionally consumed when you are under the weather with a cold or flu or the weather outside is frightful (COLD), or as a night cap before bed.

Traditionally a hot toddy is made with whiskey, rum or even brandy, but here we are updating the flavor profile with Añejo Tequila!

Ingredients

To have a perfectly balanced Tequila Hot Toddy recipe you need to have sweet, tart, and warm flavors

Añejo Tequila – We find that Añejo is the best tequila for a hot toddy. It has beautiful warm flavors of vanilla and caramel.

Fresh Lemon Juice – this is the tart flavor that this cocktail needs. You can also use orange if you prefer!

Cinnamon Stick and Whole Clove – A cinnamon stick and whole clove works a little different that ground spices. It will infuse your hot toddy without making your cocktail muddy or gritty. You can find these in the spice aisle at your local grocery store.

Cointreau – Is a triple sec orange liqueur. It not only adds a sweetness, it adds a hint of orange flavor, which pairs beautifully with the clove and honey!

Honey- Any honey will work here. It balances and sweetens up the cocktail. We also love using this Hot Honey for a little kick of heat.

Tips to Make your Toddy Perfect!

Follow these extra tips to make your Tequila Hot Toddy extra tasty:

Use fresh squeezed lemon juice, the bottled stuff is not what you want here.
Find an Añejo tequila that you like – we have tried and liked Casamigos and Jose Cuervo.
Use whole spices, not ground – cinnamon sticks and clove, and if you have it star anise and all spice could be good too!
Adjust the flavor profile with more honey or lemon to suit your taste buds.

Other Tequila Cocktails to Try

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hot toddy made with tequila in a stemmed glass

Añejo Tequila Hot Toddy Recipe

A Tequila Hot Toddy Recipe that is made with Añejo and infused with lemon, honey, cinnamon and spices. Perfect night cap, to warm your bones on a cold night or when you are under the weather with a cold.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 0

Servings: drink

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
heat safe drinking glass

Ingredients

▢ 4 oz hot/warm water
▢ 2 oz Añejo Tequila
▢ 1.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice - (can use fresh squeezed orange juice instead)
▢ 1 oz honey
▢ .5 oz Cointreau
▢ cinnamon stick & whole cloves
▢ lemon wedge or wheel - (or orange)

Instructions

In a heat safe glass pour 4 oz. hot water.
Measure in the tequila, lemon juice, Cointreau, and honey.
4 oz hot/warm water, 2 oz Añejo Tequila, 1.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1 oz honey, .5 oz Cointreau
Give it a really good stir to melt the honey into the drink.
Add a cinnamon stick, a couple whole cloves, and a lemon wedge. Let it steep for a few minutes and then enjoy!
cinnamon stick & whole cloves, lemon wedge or wheel
Take a sip to taste, adjust as you like:
more lemon for tartness
more honey for sweetness
could also add whole star anise and/or whole all spice for more complex flavors

Recipe Tips and Notes:

A KICK OF HEAT: Try using Hot Honey in the Tequila Hot Toddy for a little spice.

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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