blog - Mom's Dinner

Homemade Lasagna

January 17, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 17 Comments

This will be the BEST Homemade Lasagna recipe you will make and your whole family will love! It is full of delicious layers of lasagna noodles, rich meaty sauce, melty cheese, and herby ricotta. Perfect classic Italian dinner!

It’s the comfort food my family requests for special occasions! The real bonus of this lasagna recipe, is that it can be made ahead or frozen for easier dinner prep.

a 9x13 pan of the best lasagna ever made

Now if you are looking for an easy lasagna recipe, then pop over to this Skillet Lasagna recipe, it is on heavy rotation at our house because it is a super easy weeknight dinner.

Another similar layered pasta dish that is a little less work than a full lasagna is a Baked Penne Pasta.

This Lasagna Recipe is…

super traditional with layers of rich Italian sausage tomato sauce, herby ricotta cheese, tender lasagna noodles and creamy whole milk mozzarella cheese.
such amazing comfort food, perfect for a family dinner on Sunday night!
a little easier to make using oven ready noodles and high quality store-bought sauce, like Rao’s. Those two short cuts will cut your prep time in half!
a great meal prep dinner recipe because it can be made up to 48 hours in advance and kept in the fridge, or 3 month ahead and kept in the freezer. You can also make it in 2 smaller 8×8 pans and keep one in the freezer for later!
an EXCELLENT dinner to take to as a meal train (a meal train is a meal for someone that just had a baby, has a sick family member, or death in the family, etc..) !!

Is it Lasagna or Lasagne?

Why do we sometimes see it spelled with an “a” Lasagna and then sometimes with an “e” Lasagne? They may seem interchangeable, especially in the United States, but there actually is a difference between the two!

In Italian, lasagne with an E is the plural version, meaning many flat rectangular pasta sheets. While lasagna with an A is the singular version.

Now in the United States we adopted Lasagna with an A, and the plural version being Lasagnas, meaning the casserole-like, layered pasta dish .

Clear as mud… that’s what I thought.

Ingredients

Lasagna can be a labor of love, as in it takes a bit of time to put together and bake. Pictured are the ingredients that you need to gather, plus some pro tips on a few supplies.

Sauce

This lasagna is layered with a semi-homemade sausage sauce. Here is what you need:

Italian Sausage – there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to the sausage in this recipe. Use a bulk sausage that your family loves- sweet, mild, hot, pork, or turkey, they all work. I have even used a combination of Italian sausage mixed with ½ lb. of ground pork or ground beef.

Store Bought Marinara – a big time saver in this recipe is the store bought marinara. We really like using Rao’s, their Homemade Marinara and Tomato Basil Marinara are both EXCELLENT, completely worth the higher price tag!!

Optional Fennel – We LOVE fennel around here, so I like to add 1 teaspoon of fennel seed (sometimes more) to the sauce. It isn’t necessary, but if you like fennel then definitely add it.

Ricotta Filling

Ricotta – use a high quality whole milk ricotta for the best results in this Lasagna. It bakes up the creamiest and smoothest!

Cottage Cheese Sub. – I am from the Midwest and grew up eating lasagna with cottage cheese, so of course I still like it with cottage cheese from time to time. Subbing a 2% or 4% milk fat cottage cheese in this recipe will work just fine! If your cottage cheese looks watery, drain a little liquid before using. Actually cottage cheese tends to stay creamier in a lasagna… give it a try some time!

Egg – Don’t skip adding the egg to the ricotta (or cottage cheese), it is a binder that keeps the ricotta from spilling out of your lasagna layers.

Additional Assembly Ingredients

lasagna noodles and cheese to assemble lasagna

Lasagna Noodles – another time saver in this Homemade Lasagna are the oven ready or no-boil noodles. We highly recommend Barilla brand. It will cut your prep time in half.

Mozzarella & Parmesan– if you can find whole milk mozzarella definitely purchase that as it will melt creamier and richer. Most shredded mozzarella is low- moisture part skim, which will work, it just won’t be as creamy.

Parmesan cheese is also better when shredded fresh.

Raw Garlic Tip

Handling a lot of raw garlic, like in this Homemade Lasagna recipe, can make for stinky hands. To remove the garlic smell from your skin simply rub it on anything that is stainless steele. I usually rub my hands on the bottom of my sink and then wash my hands.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

There are 4 main steps to making Homemade Lasagna; making the Italian Sausage Tomato Sauce, putting together the Ricotta Filling, Layering, and then baking.

Italian Sausage Sauce

Start by sauteing the onion and Italian sausage in olive oil. Crumbling the sausage into smaller pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.

Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, heat for 1 minute.

Finish the sauce by stirring in the sugar, black pepper, kosher salt, vinegar, Italian seasoning, (2) jars of your favorite marinara, and optional fennel seeds.

marinara sauce with italian sausage and herbs for lasagna

Simmer over low heat until it is time to assemble.

Ricotta Filling

To make the ricotta mixture simply stir together all the ingredients; whole milk ricotta, parmesan, egg, garlic clove, salt, pepper, and optional basil.

ricotta mixed with egg, herbs and cheese

Time to Assemble!

Set up an assembly area; place your 9×13 deep baking dish in the center, spray with non stick spray or grease with olive oil. Then grab the sauce, ricotta filling, lasagna noodles, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

assembly area for lasagna with pan, sauce, noodles, cheese and ricotta

Pour approximately 1 ½ cups sauce into the bottom of the dish. Top with 3 noodles. Spread ⅓ of the ricotta filling over the noodles.

Sprinkle with ¾ cup mozzarella cheese.

sprinkling cheese over the layers of lasagna

Repeat this layering process 2 more times (sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella).

For the last layer finish the lasagna with 3 more noodles and spread the rest of the sauce over top, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and the ¼ cup of grated parmesan.

a fully assembled lasagna ready for the oven

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Pro Tip: spray the under side of your foil with non stick spray, that way your cheese won’t bake to the foil!

Baking

Place the lasagna dish on a large rimmed baking pan. This will catch any boil overs or spills in the oven!

Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

Optionally, if you like those slightly golden brown pieces of cheese you can broil for 2 minutes.

Let the baked lasagna cool for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting. It needs time to set up before slicing.

Layering Video

Watch this quick video to learn how to assemble and layer a lasagna perfectly!

Serving

Cut the lasagna into squares, 3×4 so you have 12 servings. Or for a really hungry bunch cut the lasagna into 2×4 so you have 8 larger pieces.

a table with a baked lasagna in the middle and wine, bread and salad around

Lasagna is a classic Italian dinner that goes perfectly with a Caesar salad (this is our favorite homemade Caesar dressing), or green salad with a tart vinaigrette, like this basil vinaigrette. And don’t forget the garlic bread!

How to Make Ahead

This Homemade Lasagna recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance! Which is great at the Holidays when there is a lot of meals to make!

Simply assemble completely, but do not bake. Cover the unbaked lasagna with foil and place in the fridge.

To bake: preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

How to Freeze

Lasagna freezes really well and so it can make for great meal prep. If you are cooking for a smaller crowd make your lasagna in two smaller 8×8 pans!

Assemble the lasagna completely but do not bake. Cover tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget to label and date the lasagna for food safety!

To bake your frozen lasagna, you will want to place it in the fridge overnight to slightly thaw.

Bake covered with foil at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

a slice removed from the lasagna showing the inside layers

Tips for the BEST Homemade Lasagna

This is a layered dish that requires space, so make sure you use a 9×13 dish that is about 2 inches deep.
Use quality ingredients, like Rao’s marinara sauces, whole milk ricotta, and whole milk mozzarella.
Fresh shredded cheese is always best because it melts the creamiest.
Don’t skip the sugar in the sauce. It counters the acidity in the tomatoes and balances the sauce perfectly.
Set the 9×13 lasagna pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch spills in the oven.
Don’t cut into your lasagna until it has cooled for at least 15-20 minutes, it needs time to set.
If you are feeding a smaller group, divide the recipe into two smaller 8×8 pans and freeze one for later!

More Lasagna Recipes to Try!

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Morning Glory Muffins

January 12, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 20 Comments

Every year as soon as November rolls around, I bake a big batch of Morning Glory Muffins. They're what I would consider a "hearty" muffin – moist, and packed with fruit, carrots, and warm spices. They make a perfect cozy breakfast treat for fall and the holidays. Of course, I always enjoy a few fresh from the oven (who can resist?), but the rest go straight into the freezer. These muffins freeze beautifully, which makes them an absolute lifesaver during the busy holiday season. When we have a rotating door of weekend guests, I simply pull them out and set them on a breakfast buffet. They're always a huge hit – everyone loves them and without fail, they ask me for the recipe!

a plate of morning glory muffins with one cut open

These muffins are similar to the reader-loved Grandma’s Carrot Cake, but in muffin form!

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Are morning glory muffins healthy?

But, as far as baked goods or morning pastries go I would definitely say, Yes! You can feel a lot less guilty about eating Morning Glory Muffins over a donut or bagel. They are FILLED with fruit, veggies, nuts and spices.

Ingredients

These muffins have a bit of a longer ingredient list, but they all come together to make the most delicious and moist muffin you have ever had!

Crushed Pineapple: Purchase crushed pineapple in 100% juice.
Green Apple: A granny smith apple works perfectly here! Use a fine or medium grater for the apple.
Raisins: If raisins are not your thing you can absolutely sub dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries in their place.
Nuts: Pecans or walnuts (or a mix of the two) work great in this recipe. Just make sure to chop them into smaller pieces.
Carrots: Use a fine or medium grater for the carrots. You can also use grated zucchini in place of the carrot.
Oil: I recommend using vegetable or canola oil. You can use olive oil, but do not use extra virgin olive oil, the flavor will be too strong.

How to Make Morning Glory Muffins

This is a pretty simple muffin to put together. The majority of the work is gathering the ingredients and grating the carrots and apples:

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a muffin tin with paper liners.

Stir wet and dry ingredients

In a large bowl stir together all the dry ingredients.

In a second bowl whisk together the wet ingredients: eggs, oil, vanilla, orange zest and juice.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and lightly mix.

Add carrots and fruit

Now grate the carrots and apple.

Add the grated carrots, grated apple, raisins, nuts and drained crushed pineapple to the batter and gently fold in.

Fill muffin cups and bake

Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full. Bake for 25-24 minutes.

Cool for about 5 minutes and then enjoy!

morning glory muffins baked in a muffin tin

These muffins are excellent for breakfast with a cup of coffee or tea! They also make a great mid-day or afterschool snack.

Morning Glory Muffins Recipe Variations

This is a very forgiving muffin recipe. Make any of these variations to suit your families taste:

Flour: use an all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour, both work great!

Carrots: grated zucchini makes a great substitution for the carrot, or use a 50/50 mix of the two.

Raisins: if raisins aren’t your jam, sub in other dried fruit like; cranberries, blueberries, cherries or chopped apricots.

Nuts: use walnuts or pecans, or a mix of the two. Pepitas, pistachios, or sunflower seeds will work too!

How to Store Morning Glory Muffins

Store your Morning Glory Muffins at room temp in a sealed container. They will be good for about 5 days. They will become more moist as the days pass.

They also freeze BEAUTIFULLY! Pop them in a freezer safe bag or container and keep frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw just place at room temp for a couple hours.

a morning glory muffin cut open to show all the fruits, veggies and nuts

I made these a month before Christmas and kept them in the freezer. Then when we had Holiday guests I pulled them out the night before and we had delicious muffins for breakfast! Everyone LOVED them! – Susie

More like these Healthy Morning Glory Muffins

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Instant Pot Beef and Noodles

January 10, 2022 by Susie Weinrich 14 Comments

Instant Pot Beef and Noodles is a traditional, comforting and hearty family dinner recipe that has been updated to use in your electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot). This recipe is a perfect balance of tender beef pieces and hearty egg noodles coated in a rich gravy. If you are craving comfort food, this Beef and Noodles recipe will be your new go-to!

a bowl of beef and noodles being held above a table

If you would rather make this with chicken, pop over to this recipe for Creamy Chicken and Noodles.

Some other favorite Instant Pot Beef Recipes are Beef and Barley Stew, Red Beans & Rice, or Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast.

When I first made this I said “we will never not be eating beef and noodles!”, it’s that good, it’s one of my favorite Instant Pot recipes!

-Susie

Why It’s SO Good

It is made with really simple ingredients that can be found at ANY grocery store.
The recipe calls for those THICK frozen egg noodles, just like this recipe for Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. I use Reames brand Egg Noodles
Campbell’s condensed French Onion Soup also adds incredible flavor!!
No “cream-of” soups used here!
With beef prices on the rise it is nice to have a delicious recipe that uses a cheaper cut, like stew meat.

It’s Not Stroganoff

If you are looking for a beef stroganoff recipe , this is not it.

This is definitely a traditional Beef and Noodles recipe. Stroganoff generally has a dairy component and can include mushrooms and sometimes peas. A classic Beef and Noodles recipe is made with a broth gravy.

Ingredients

Like I said before, only simple ingredients goes into this Instant Pot Beef and Noodles recipe. Pictured are the ingredients that you need, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Stew Meat – beef stew meat is a cheaper cut of beef that does well with a long cooking time. In this case we are using high heat and pressure to help tenderize it quickly.

Beef Base – I love using beef base (or chicken base) in any brothy recipe. It adds a deeper layer of flavor. “Base” comes in a paste form, usually in a tub or jar. It will be near the bouillon in the soup aisle. I like to use Better Than Bouillon Brand.

Condensed French Onion Soup – this is the heavy lifter in this beef and noodles recipe. A LOT of the flavor comes from this can of condensed soup. We like Campbell’s brand. Don’t try to sub just beef broth, it will not be the same!

Egg Noodles – We are not talking about dry egg noodles here… we are talking thick and hearty frozen egg noodles. They are not the same, not even comparable! If you have never used frozen egg noodles, it’s time to start. You will NOT be disappointed. We like to use Reames brand.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Brown The Beef Pieces

Start with your Instant Pot on high sauté function, add the butter and olive oil.

To get to “high” mode, tap the sauté button and you will see it scroll through the different settings on the display screen. tap the button until it reads “high”.

Make sure your stew meat is cut roughly into 1 inch pieces, season with garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.

Brown the beef in two batches to not over crowd the pot, removing each batch of seared beef to a separate plate.

Deglaze The Instant Pot

In the now empty, hot pot pour ½ cup of the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping up all the browned bits.

Complete the deglazing thoroughly. It will help reduce the chance of getting the burn warning.

Turn the sauté mode off. Add the beef and all juices back to the bot. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, beef base and remaining beef broth, French onion soup and water to the pot.

Pressure Cook

Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 22 minutes. Do a 10 minute natural pressure release, then quick release the remaining pressure. While the beef is cooking, set the noodles out at room temp.

Simmer The Egg Noodles With The Beef

Open the lid and turn the instant pot back onto low/less sauté mode.

Press the sauté button until it reads less or low in the display screen.

Add the egg noodles to the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until the noodles are soft.

The starch from the noodles will thicken the sauce perfectly!

Time To Eat

Serving Beef and Noodles

I like to serve Instant Pot Beef and Noodles just as is, with a side of crusty bread and maybe a side salad.

beef and noodles cooked in the instant Pot

You can also serve it on spooned over top of mashed potatoes! If you choose this route, any of these mashed potato recipes would be GREAT:

Storing

Store any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days. It will thicken quite a bit in the fridge. You may need to add some broth or water to reconstitute when reheating.

a large bowl of beef and noodles garnished with parsley

Instant Pot Beef and Noodles Sauce Troubleshooting

Sauce too thick? Add some water or broth until it is the consistency you want.
Sauce too thin? Make a cornstarch slurry; mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cool water, drizzle into the simmering sauce, it should thicken within 30 seconds.

More Delicious Comfort Food Dinner Recipes!

Chocolate Christmas Trifle

December 15, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 8 Comments

I hosted Christmas for my entire family a few years ago and let me tell you, my family is DESSERT-CENTRIC!!! We love a good dessert, especially during the holidays when you can indulge completely guilt free. I needed a dessert that would impress in both presentation and flavor – these Christmas Trifles knocked it out of the park! There were gasps upon entering the dining room and plenty of mmmm's and aaaahhh's upon eating. If you need a stand out dessert this Holiday Season, you cannot go wrong with these Chocolate Christmas Trifles.

an individual chocolate trifle with layers of brownie, fudge, peppermint whipped cream and candy cane

These individual trifles have layers of chocolate brownies, fudge, peppermint cream cheese and Andes Peppermint Crunch Candies to top it off. Unlike this Thanksgiving Trifle, which is made in one large bowl, this dessert is made into individual trifle glasses. It is an incredibly easy trifle recipe and makes a super impressive Christmas dessert.

What is a Christmas Trifle?

A trifle is a traditional English layered dessert. It generally has multiple cake layers, pudding or custard layers and fruit layers.

You can see a great example of a one bowl trifle with this Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle.

This Trifle recipe for Christmas is a little different. Here we are subbing some of the traditional layers for more festive flavors: brownies, fudge, peppermint whipped cream and peppermint crunch.

This is a rich and indulgent dessert, perfect for the season!!

Holiday Trifle Ingredients

Here are the ingredients that you need to make your Peppermint Christmas Trifle, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Brownies: use the brownies that you like…fudgy, dark chocolate, triple chocolate, etc… Also, if you want to use store bought prepared brownies, go for it!!
Cream Cheese: purchase full fat cream cheese, and make sure that it is completely softened so your whipped cream is smooth.
Heavy Cream: make sure your cream is nice and cold, it helps your whipping cream come together faster and creamier!
Fudge: use a store bought fudge, we really like Mrs. Richardson’s. Or if you want to go the extra mile you can make Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce.
Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips: If you have decided to make this dessert, then run out and buy this asap. It sells out quickly at the holidays. It is basically peppermint white chocolate pieces that have just a sparkle of crunchy candy cane bits. You will find this either in the baking aisle or by the Holiday candy.

If you cannot find the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips you can sub some of these options:

Wilton candy melts- candy cane flavor
white chocolate and candy canes chopped/crushed together
chopped up Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins

Individual Trifle Cups

Unlike a traditional Trifle Dish, this dessert is made in individual cups. Since it is such a rich dessert you can make them in a 6-8 oz. cup or if you really love dessert make them in larger 9-11 oz. cup (but I don’t recommend filling it all the way).

The glasses pictured are 11 oz. cups that I did not fill all the way. I got them at World Market, they are the Small Bodega Glass.

How to Make Chocolate Trifle

If you are not buying premade brownies, start by making your brownies in a 9×9 or 8×8 cake pan. Then cool completely.

Cut the brownies into ½ inch pieces and set aside.

Now it’s time to make the peppermint whipped cream!

Start by adding a ¼ cup of the cold heavy cream and the 4 oz. softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk together for at least one minute until it is completely smooth.

Add in the peppermint extract and powdered sugar and whisk until combined, then gradually pour in the remaining heavy cream and whisk until it forms soft peaks. It will be the consistency of thick pudding.

Warm the fudge in the microwave until it is drizzling consistency.

That’s it…it’s time to layer your trifles! In each glass layer:

3-4 pieces of brownie
1-2 tablespoon fudge sauce
cover with a layer of peppermint whipped cream
now a generous layer of the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
Repeat all the steps one more time.

fudge being drizzled on brownies in a cup

Pop the individual trifles in the fridge for 12-24 hours.

Serve them cold, right out of the fridge.

Christmas Trifle Recipe Variations

There are a lot of ways to customize these Chocolate Christmas Trifles to suit your holiday table. Here are some different ideas:

Use a flavored brownie – fudge brownie, double chocolate, chocolate chunk, dark chocolate.
Skip the peppermint in the whipped cream, use caramel instead of fudge, and crumble heath candy bars over top.
Instead of Andes Peppermint Crunch on top, crumble Mint Oreos over each Trifle.
Instead of the whipped cream/cream cheese, sub in vanilla ice cream or peppermint crunch ice cream. These will need to be assembled right before serving.

How to Store Peppermint Trifle

Keep any leftover Trifle Cups in the fridge, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.

Christmas Brownie Trifle in a glass with a candy cane on the side

WATCH: How to Make Christmas Trifle

You can watch me make this Chocolate Trifle on a 30 minute Episode of Pinterest TV! This is a great way to learn how to make this dessert if you are a visual learner.

More Delicious Desserts to Try

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I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me

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Layered chocolate and peppermint trifle with a candy cane on the side

Christmas Trifle Recipe

A rich Chocolate Trifle perfect for Christmas. Layers of chocolatey brownie are topped with fudge, peppermint whipped cream and Andes Peppermint Crunch. Your dessert will be the star of Christmas!

LISTEN TO THE FULL AUDIO RECIPE WITH THE PLAYER BELOW!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 0

Brownies & Refrigeration: 1

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: people

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
Dessert Glass (see notes)
▢
stand mixer or hand held mixer

Ingredients

▢ prepared brownies, cooled completely - – 8×8 or 9×9 pan
▢ 4 oz cream cheese - softened
▢ 1 ½ cups heavy cream - (cold), divided
▢ 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
▢ ½ cup (heaping) powdered sugar
▢ 15.5 oz. jar hot fudge sauce - (Mrs. Richardson's is a great brand) or see notes for homemade
▢ 10 oz. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips - (see notes if you cannot find this product)

Instructions

Either purchase already prepared brownies or prepare and bake your favorite brownie mix, any flavor will work.
Cool them completely and then cut into ½ inch pieces. Set aside.
prepared brownies, cooled completely
In a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or a large bowl and a hand held mixer), whisk ¼ cup cold heavy cream and the 4 oz. softened cream cheese until it is completely smooth.
Pro Tip: This will take at least 1 minute, don't skimp on this step, you want your whipped cream to be smooth!
4 oz cream cheese
Now add the peppermint extract and powdered sugar, whisk until combined.
1 teaspoon peppermint extract, ½ cup (heaping) powdered sugar
Slowly stream in the remaining cold heavy cream. Whisk until very soft peaks form, which will look like very thick pudding and it will barely hold a peak when you pull the whisk out.
Pro Tip: drizzle the cream down the side of the bowl so it doesn't catch the whisk and spray out of the bowl!
1 ½ cups heavy cream
Warm the fudge in the microwave until it is a pourable consistency, if it is too hot let it cool for a minute before assembling your trifles, you don't want it to melt the whipped cream.
Pro Tip: If your fudge is in a glass jar you can pop it right in the microwave! It will warm from the bottom up, so warm in 30 second increments and stir after each time.
15.5 oz. jar hot fudge sauce

Assembly

Time to layer your Chocolate Trifles!
In each glass add:
3-4 pieces of brownie
1-2 tablespoon fudge sauce
cover with a layer of peppermint whipped cream
now a generous layer of the Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips
Repeat all the steps one more time.
10 oz. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
Pop the glasses in the fridge, covered, for 12-24 hours.
Serve cold! Goes great with a cup of hot coffee!

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips: You will want to look in the baking aisle or the holiday candy area for these. They do sell quickly because they are delicious. If you cannot find them, sub in one of these options:

Wilton candy melts- candy cane flavor, chopped into pieces
white chocolate chips and candy canes chopped/crushed together
chopped up Andes Peppermint Crunch Thins

HOMEMADE HOT FUDGE: if you want to go the extra mile and make your own fudge, this recipe for Hot Fudge Sauce is perfect! ps. it also makes a great edible holiday gift.

Dessert Glasses: Use a glass that is 6-11 oz. in size. If you use something 6-8 oz. the glass will probably be full to the top. In a 9-11 oz. glass you will not want to fill it completely as this is a rich dessert.

**Pictured is the 11 oz. Bodega Glass from World Market.

PIN TV: you can watch me make this delicious dessert on a 30 minute episode of Pinterest TV!

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

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Simple Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies

December 14, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 1 Comment

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies are just the cookie recipe you need to get you in the Holiday Spirit! They are a classic Chocolate Chip Cookie with Holiday M&M’s added, which makes them a crowd pleaser that kids and adults will love. They are also a great cookie to sit by the Christmas tree for Santa on Christmas Eve!

A plate of Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies with red and green M&M's

Some other kid friendly Christmas Cookies to make are: Peanut Clusters, Chocolate Star Cookies, Sugar Cookies and Christmas Hugs.

RELATED: All Christmas Recipes!

They are so easy to make, even the kids can help.
The recipe only calls for simple ingredients that can all be found at your local grocery store.
It is basically a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe with M&M’s added, so kids will LOVE them!
The red and green color makes them perfect for the holiday season.

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Semisweet Chocolate Chips – These are traditionally used in chocolate chip cookies. However you can absolutely swap out dark chocolate chunks, milk chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips.

M&M’s – Purchase a 10oz bag of red and green M&M’s for this recipe. You may have to look in the Holiday Candy section or the baking aisle.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder – using both makes for a perfectly puffed cookie that is chewy on the inside with crisp edges, it also helps maximize the flavor of all the ingredients.

A Couple Secrets to Pretty Cookies

Do you ever make a cookie and then think, “why don’t they look like the pretty pictures on the recipe!?”?

Tip 1.

The first secret to making pretty cookies is saving some of the mix-in ingredients (like chocolate chips, M&M’s, marshmallows, or nuts) to press onto the outside of the cookie dough balls. See below for visual reference:

Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies in balls ready for the oven

That way the pretty parts of the cookie are showing…like the Holiday M&M’s in this recipe, and they don’t all bake into the dough.

I use this trick in my other M&M Cookie recipe, as well as my Hot Cocoa Cookies and Fruitcake Cookies!

Tip 2.

The second tip for really pretty cookies is slightly undercooking in the oven, and letting them finish cooking on the hot baking sheet. This makes sure they are chewy and tender and the bottom of the cookies are JUST golden and not overbaked.

Tip 3.

The third tip to make your cookies extra bea-u-ti-ful is about a minute after they come out of the oven and they are still hot and pliable, place a large drinking glass over the cookies and shimmy them into a perfect circle! All your cookies will be uniform! see photo below for visual reference:

shaping hot cookies with a drinking glass

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Prep

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silpat.

Cream butter and sugar.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand held electric mixer cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar for about 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract and then the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

Mix dry ingredients.

In a medium sized bowl or on a piece of parchment paper mix the dry ingredients together: all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt.

dry ingredients on a piece of parchment paper

Add dry ingredients to dough.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the cookie batter. Do not overmix at this point, just until combined.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough for Christmas in a stand mixer bowl

Stir in chocolate chips and M&M’s.

Now with a wooden spoon stir in the chocolate chip and 1 cup of the holiday M&M’s (reserving the rest for the outside of the cookies!).

MAKE AHEAD: At this point you can chill the dough for up to 3 days or you can bake them right away. If you choose to chill the dough for more than 4 hours you may need to let it sit at room temp for 20 minutes before scooping into cookies.

Scoop & Bake.

Scoop rounded tablespoons full of cookie dough and drop onto the prepared cookie sheet. Using a cookie scoop makes quick work of this task (it also makes a great stocking stuffer)!

Now use the leftover M&M’s to dot the top and sides of the cookie dough balls.

Bake for 12 minutes. Then let the cookies finish on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.

Storing

Store your Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies at room temperature in a covered container for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze your cookies for up to 3 months.

a hand grabbing a Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookie

Serving

Christmas Cookies are best served on a platter of assorted holiday treats! They go great with a cold glass of milk or a cup of hot chocolate.

They also make an excellent cookie to leave for Santa!

More Yummy Christmas Cookies

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Iced Oatmeal Cookies

December 13, 2021 by Susie Weinrich Leave a Comment

Old fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies are such a treat! They are a really good oatmeal cookie spiced with molasses and cinnamon. They have the perfect chewy texture and lightly crisp edges. The best part is the sweet icing that coats the crackled top. It is definitely a nostalgic cookie recipe that is a family favorite, perfect for the Holiday Season.

After you make a batch of these old-fashioned iced oatmeal cookies check out these other cookie recipes: Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies, Fruitcake Cookies, Chocolate Star Cookies and Peanut Clusters.

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients you need to gather to make your Iced Oatmeal Cookies, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Molasses– make sure you buy an unsulphured molasses, Grandma’s is a popular brand that works well. “Unsulphered” just means that the molasses was made from ripe sugar cane.

Make sure you don’t use blackstrap molasses, it doesn’t have the sugar content needed for the cookies.

Baking Soda- Make sure that your baking soda is still fresh so your cookies turn out. If you aren’t sure you can spoon a little into a bowl and pour in a little acid (lemon or vinegar), if it bubbles vigorously then you are good to go! If it doesn’t bubble it’s time to grab some fresh baking soda.

Oats for Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe calls for Old Fashioned Oats, which are whole oats.

Optionally you can pulse the oats in a food processor or blender 10-15 times if you like a less hearty texture of the oats. However this is not totally necessary.

If you like more of an old fashioned oat cookie, mix the whole oats into your cookies.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silpat.

Whisk together the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and oats, and set aside.

With a hand mixer or stand mixer cream the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes.

Add the eggs and mix about 30 seconds.

Turn the speed to low and drizzle in the molasses. Tip: Turn the mixer off and scrape the sides of the bowl down as necessary.

Add the flour/oat mixture a little at a time just until it is combined. Don’t overmix the cookie dough at this point.

Using a cookie scoop, drop about 1.5 tablespoon of dough on the lined baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 mins

Cool on the baking sheet for about 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

Icing

Make sure that the cookies are completely cooled before icing.

In a shallow bowl (one that you can dip a cookie into), add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.

Stir until it all comes together. It will be THICK, that is what you want.

Icing in a bowl for Oatmeal Cookies with icing

Lightly dip each Oatmeal Cookie into the icing, let any excess drip off, then set at room temp for the icing to set.

The icing should completely set in 1-2 hours. Then you can stack them for storing or gifting.

Storing

Store your Iced Oatmeal Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or keep in the fridge for up to 10 days!

Recipe Tips

If you do not want a hearty cookie with whole oats, pulse the oats in a food processor or blender just a few times.
Sift the powdered sugar for the icing so it is nice and smooth.
When icing the cookies give the tops a quick/light dip to achieve the crinkly icing look.

More Delicious Cookies to Bake!

Old Fashioned Molasses Crinkle Cookies

December 8, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 2 Comments

These Old Fashioned Molasses Crinkle Cookies are just like you remember eating at your Grandma’s house during the Holidays! They are soft and chewy, taste of molasses, cinnamon, clove and ginger, and the top is dipped in sugar and full of crackly crinkles.

Some other old fashioned cookie recipes that we love around here are these fruit cake cookies, peanut clusters, and chocolate star cookies.

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Old Fashioned Recipes Are The Best

Old Fashioned recipes that came from our Grandparents (like this Carrot Cake Recipe) are just the best!!!
The old fashioned cookies are probably the ones you remember eating when you were little and bring back SO MANY memories.
They embody the saying “tried and true” more than anything else!

Ingredients

Pictured are the ingredients that you need to make Old Fashioned Molasses Crinkle Cookies, plus some pro tips on a few ingredients:

Molasses: The key ingredient in Molasses Cookies!! Buy an unsluphered molasses. Grandma’s is a popular brand at the store. Learn more about molasses below.

And if you have molasses left over, pop over and make these Iced Oatmeal Cookies too!

Brown Sugar: Make sure you use brown sugar not white sugar in the dough. The molasses flavor of the brown sugar adds the perfect flavor here.

Cinnamon, Clove, and Ginger: It may seem like a lot of spices in this cookie, but it really makes a difference. It infuses the cookies with a nice warm spiciness.

Kosher Salt: make sure to use kosher salt, not table salt or iodized salt. Kosher salt is less salty and has a milder flavor.

More About Molasses

Molasses is basically a byproduct of producing sugar from natural sugar cane. There are five different types. The most popular ones you will find are light, dark, and blackstrap molasses.

We recommend always buying an unsulphured molasses if you can. Which means it is made from mature/ripe sugar cane.

Sulphured molasses is made from green, under ripe sugar cane and a sulphur is added during the refining.

Step by Step Picture Instructions

This recipe does not start with preheating your oven because before you bake the cookies you pop the dough in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.

Start by whisking together the dry ingredients: all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, clove, and ginger and set aside.

Now cream the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla.

Pour in the molasses and mix in. Scrape down the sides as necessary.

Slowly mix in the flour mixture, just until combined. The dough will be thick!

Pop in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or reusable silpat.

Roll a 2 inch dough ball, roll in sugar and place on the baking sheet. (for extra crinkles and sugar, read through to the next section)

process of making molasses cookies and dipping in sugar

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.

Then move to a cooling rack. Enjoy your chewy molasses cookies!

Extra Crinkles & Sugar

There are two options to get the crinkles on top of your Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies. Both work, so choose the one that suits your taste! See the photo below for the difference:

showing the two options of adding sugar to the top of molasses crinkle cookies

Regular sugar and crinkles: After forming the cookie balls roll in sugar. Then before baking sprinkle a little water over the top of the cookies.
Lots of sugar and crinkles: After forming the cookie balls dip in in water and then roll in sugar.

Storing

Store the leftover cookies at room temp in a covered container for up a week. Or you can keep longer in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Freezing

Molasses Cookies will also freeze. Keep them in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

molasses crinkle cookies on a plate with milk in the background

Recipe Tips

Don’t skip chilling the dough. It solidifies the fats, giving you a nice soft and chewy cookie.
Choose the sugar application that is best for you
Don’t skimp on the spices!! It adds such a nice warm flavor.
Make sure your butter is softened completely, but not melted.
If you are baking in batches, pop the extra dough in the fridge while the first batch bakes.

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The Best Homemade Hot Chocolate

December 7, 2021 by Susie Weinrich 2 Comments

This Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe is super creamy and rich with chocolate flavor, way better than a store bought powder mix. It is made with chocolate chips, milk, powdered sugar, powdered milk and cocoa. It mixes together on the stove top in minutes. Load it up with some whipped cream, marshmallows, and a dusting of cocoa powder. It will be the best hot chocolate you have ever had!

hot chocolate in a mug with marshmallows and cocoa on top

If you love all things Hot Chocolate, then you will love this Peppermint Hot Chocolate and these Hot Cocoa Cookies!

For a fun boozy adult hot cocoa, pop over to this recipe RumChata Hot Chocolate.

Why it’s So GOOD!

It has the perfect amount of sweetness, enough to enhance the chocolate flavor but not too much to be overwhelming.
The semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder lend the perfect rich chocolate flavor somewhere between milk and dark.
Customize the toppings with whatever you like.
This homemade hot chocolate blows the socks off the powder mix you get at the store. Promise!
It warms your bones on a snowy day, perfect after a day of playing in the snow. (and if you have lots of snow DEFINITELY make this SNOW ICE CREAM!!!)

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you need to make Homemade Hot Chocolate, plus some tips on a few ingredients:

Chocolate Chips – I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate chips . They are sweet enough to give your drink a rich chocolatey flavor. You can also try dark chocolate. However I think milk chocolate chips may be too sweet here.

Cocoa Powder – Make sure to buy 100% cocoa, unsweetened cocoa powder. You will find it in the baking aisle.

Powdered Milk– You will usually find this in the baking aisle. It will be in a box or canister.

Milk– I recommend using whole milk to make a creamier hot cocoa, but 2% will definitely work too.

How To Make Homemade Hot Chocolate

In a small saucepan warm the milk over medium-low heat.

In a separate bowl whisk together the dry milk, cocoa powder and powder sugar.

Whisk it into the warm milk, until it is completely mixed in.

Now add the chocolate chips and stir until they are melted in.

Remove from the heat and pour into mugs.

This recipe will fill two full mugs completely, or you can fill three mugs about ⅔ and fill the rest with toppings.

Hot Chocolate Toppings and Mix-In’s

There is nothing better than a hot cup of hot chocolate topped with all your favorite toppings.

For me, I love mini marshmallows that have melted half way into the hot cocoa and have a left a creamy coating across the top.

Here are some other options:

Fresh Whipped Cream
Marshmallows
Marshmallow Bits
Candy Canes
Cocoa Powder
A drop of peppermint extract adds a fun flavor! (pop over to this Peppermint Hot Chocolate Recipe!)

Making it Boozy

If you are serving adults that would love a little booze added to their hot chocolate, here are some liquors that will be delicious added to your cocoa:

Peppermint schnapps
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Rumchata (Cinnamon and Cream)
Kahlua
Whipped Cream Vodka
Marshmallow Vodka
Fireball (Cinnamon)
Chocolate Liqueur

Add any one of these when the hot cocoa comes off the heat. Start with 3 oz. and then taste to see if you would like to add more.

If some adults want something a little stronger, pop over to this recipe for a Tequila Hot Toddy!

overhead view of mugs of hot chocolate and cookies

Make Ahead

You can absolutely make this mix ahead, then it will be ready when you come in from a cold night or snowy day and are ready to warm up with a nice hot drink!

Simply mix together the cocoa, powdered sugar, powdered milk and chocolate chips. Keep in a sealed container at room temp for a week or two.

Whisk the mix into 3 cups of hot milk when you are ready.

More Recipes Perfect for Cold Nights!

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a white mug with hot chocolate dripping down the sides and filled with hot cocoa topped with marshmallows

Homemade Hot Chocolate Recipe

A deluxe recipe for Hot Chocolate that is creamy, perfectly sweet (but not too sweet) and full of chocolate flavor. Load it up with your favorite cocoa toppings!

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO RECIPE WITH THE PLAYER BELOW.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate Save

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Servings: cups

Calories: 597kcal

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
whisk
▢
saucepan or pot

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the 3 cups milk.
3 cups whole milk
Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered milk, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar.
¼ cup powdered milk, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tablespoon powdered sugar
Slowly whisk the cocoa mixture into the warm milk until it is smooth and fully combined.
Pour the chocolate chips in and stir until they are fully melted.
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Remove from the heat and serve!
Top with all your favorite hot cocoa toppings: mini marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, cocoa powder, marshmallow bits….

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Powdered Milk can usually be found in the baking aisle at your local grocery store.

To Make Ahead: Stir together the cocoa powder, dry milk, powdered sugar and chocolate chips. Store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

To serve warm 3 cups of milk and whisk everything in.

To Make Boozy: Stir in a little liqueur or liquor for the adults, just like this RumChata Hot Chocolate. Stir it in once the hot chocolate is removed from the heat, Start with 3 oz., taste, and see if you want to add more. Try any of these spirits:

Peppermint schnapps
Bailey’s Irish Cream
Rumchata – Rumchata Hot Chocolate Recipe
Kahlua
Whipped Cream Vodka
Marshmallow Vodka
Fireball (Cinnamon)
Chocolate Liqueur

Mint: for a minty twist pop over to this Peppermint Hot Chocolate.

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

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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 5 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 4 votes

Print Pin Rate Save

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.

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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.

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