Rolo Pretzel Turtles are a classic treat that only require 3 ingredients: Rolo candies, pecans, and pretzels. Rolo Turtles are really easy to make and are ready in about 15 minutes!
Rolo Pretzel Turtles
Baked Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage
This Baked Penne Pasta Recipe is a delicious and comforting one pan dinner made by mixing cooked penne pasta, marinara sauce, Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Everything is combined and layered in a casserole pan and then oven baked for a delicious dinner!
This easy-to-make pasta bake recipe features a delicious marinara sauce and an abundance of cheese, making it an ideal dinner option for any night of the week. If you’re a fan of pasta and in search of a fuss-free dinner idea, you’ve found it! This penne pasta bake is bound to become a new favorite in your recipe collection.
It’s a great recipe to serve at large family dinners and Sunday Dinner!
This baked penne recipe is similar to a lasagna because of the layers of sauce, cheese, meat and pasta. It just doesn’t take quite as much time as a labor intensive lasagna!
If you are ever really short on time and craving all these flavors, pop over to this Skillet Lasagna Recipe or Baked Gnocchi for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients & Subs
You just need a few simple ingredients to pull together this Baked Penne Recipe. Here are some tips on a few ingredients, plus some variations to try.
Italian Sausage: This baked penne pasta recipe calls for ground mild or hot Italian sausage. However feel free to use whatever sausage or beef your family likes. You could sub out the sausage with some of these options:
- Ground beef
- ground Italian turkey sausage
- a 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground Italian sausage
Marinara Sauce: I use our family favorite Rao’s Marinara, but feel free to use whatever jarred marinara sauce flavor your family likes (or that you have in your pantry): mushroom, tomato basil, hearty vegetable. You could even try it with an alfredo sauce!
Ricotta Cheese: I recommend using a whole milk ricotta cheese. It tends to be creamier and more flavorful. If you don’t love ricotta cheese you can always try subbing in a 4% or 2% cottage cheese.
Mozzarella Cheese: As with all recipes that have shredded cheese, we recommend that you fresh shred the cheese. It will melt creamier because it isn’t coated in anticlumping agents that prevent it from melting properly! If you can find whole milk mozzarella cheese to shred that is going to melt the creamiest and most delicious.
How to Make Baked Penne Pasta with Sausage
To start preheat the oven to 350 degrees, put a pot of salted water on to boil, and grab a 9×13 baking pan.
In a large skillet brown the sausage while crumbling. Drain any excess grease then add the 1 cup diced onions and 3 chopped garlic cloves. Saute until the onions begin to soften about 5-8 minutes.
Add the entire 24 oz. jar of marinara sauce and a drained 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes to the sausage/onion mixture. Give it a good stir to combine everything. Turn the heat off.
When the water starts to boil cook 1 lb. of penne pasta to al dente per package instructions. When the pasta is done RESERVE ยฝ CUP OF THE COOKING WATER. Drain the pasta and run cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking!
Pro Tip: Place a glass measuring cup in your colander and you won’t forget to reserve the pasta water!
In a small bowl mix the 15 oz. container of whole milk ricotta cheese with the 1 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. dried oregano. ยฝ tsp. garlic powder, ยฝ tsp. onion powder, and ยฝ tsp. kosher salt.
Pour HALF of the sauce mixture and the ยฝ cup reserved pasta water over the pasta and stir to coat. Reserve the other half of the sauce for assembling the dish.
Time to assemble the Penne Bake- Step by Step Pictures
In a 9×13 casserole dish pour half of the sauced penne pasta.
Top that with half of the ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella cheese.
Pour half of the remaining sauce over top.
Add the remaining pasta over top.
Top with the remaining ricotta cheese, then the remaining sauce, and finish with all the remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese on top is melty.
Pro Tip: Spray the underside of the foil with non-stick spray so the cheese doesn’t stick to the foil!
Let the baked penne cool for about 5 minutes then serve with Caesar Salad or a Big Italian Salad and Garlic Bread.
Freezing Baked Penne
You can freeze this pasta bake and save it for later, just like you would a lasagna.
Assemble the dish completely in a freezer safe dish, but instead of baking it, let it cool in the fridge for 1 hour. Wrap the cooled dish completely with two layers of plastic wrap, going all the way around the bottom of the pan. Then cover in foil. You can freeze the pasta bake for up to 3 months.
Pro Tip: make sure to label the dish so you know what it is and when you frozen it!
When it is time to bake simply thaw in fridge over-night and then proceed with baking for 25 minutes covered with foil and then an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
More Delicious Italian Dinner Recipes
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Baked Penne Pasta Recipe
This Baked Penne Pasta Recipe is layers of al dente penne, Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, marinara sauce, ricotta, herbs and spices. This is a great pasta bake dish that can serve a lot of people! Perfect for family dinners.
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Servings: 8 people
Calories: 593kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta - boil to a firm al dente in salted water, about 5 minutes. RESERVE ยฝ CUP OF THE COOKING WATER BEFORE DRAINING!
- 1 lb. mild or hot ground Italian Sausage - cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup yellow onion - diced
- 3 garlic cloves - chopped
- 24 oz jarred marinara - -we love Rao's
- 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes - drained
- ยฝ cup Reserved pasta cooking water
- 10 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ยฝ teaspoon each: onion powder and garlic powder
- ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated - – whole milk is preferred but not necessary. (if using pre-shredded cheese you will need about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐ
Cook the Pasta
- Cook the penne pasta to al dente, per package instructions (should be about 5-7 minutes). You do not want to overcook the pasta at this point because it will continue to cook in the oven.1 lb penne pasta
- Reserve ยฝ cup of starchy pasta water.Run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking and set aside.Pro Tip: place a glass measuring cup in your colander, that way you will not forget to reserve the starchy pasta cooking water!
Sausage Marinara
- In a large skillet over medium heat cook/crumble the sausage. Drain any excess grease. Add the onions and garlic, sautรฉ until they soften, about 5-7 minutes.1 cup yellow onion, 1 lb. mild or hot ground Italian Sausage, 3 garlic cloves
- Stir the entire jar of marinara and the drained tomatoes into the sausage mixture and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Set aside.24 oz jarred marinara, 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
Ricotta Mixture
- In a sperate bowl stir together the ricotta cheese with the spices/herbs.10 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ยฝ teaspoon each: onion powder and garlic powder, ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
Assembly
- Combine HALF of the sausage marinara sauce mixture and the ยฝ cup of reserved pasta water with all of the cooked pasta. Stir to coat.note: if you forgot to reserve the pasta water, just use tap water.
- Pour half of the sauced pasta into the bottom of your 9×13 casserole pan.
- Dot with half of the ricotta mixture.Spread half of the mozzarella cheese over top.Top with half of the remaining sausage marinara sauce.
- Pour in the remaining sauced pasta.Finally, top with the remaining ricotta cheese, all the remaining sausage marinara sauce, and finish with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Pro Tip: the dish can be frozen at this point. See the notes below.
Baking
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Pro Tip: spray the underside of the foil with nonstick spray so the cheese doesn't stick to the foil.
- Let the dish cool for about 5 minutes then serve with salad and garlic bread.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
TO FREEZE THE BAKED PENNE:
Assemble the dish completely in a freezer safe dish, but instead of baking it, let it cool in the fridge for 1 hour. Wrap the cooled dish completely with two layers of plastic wrap, going all the way around the bottom of the pan. Then cover in foil. Pop in the freezer. You can freeze the pasta bake for up to 3 months.ย Note: make sure to label the dish so you know what it is and when you frozen it! When it is time to bake simply thaw in fridge overnight and then proceed with baking for 25 minutes covered with foil and then an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Test the middle to make sure it warmed through. If not, pop it back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
Assemble the dish completely in a freezer safe dish, but instead of baking it, let it cool in the fridge for 1 hour. Wrap the cooled dish completely with two layers of plastic wrap, going all the way around the bottom of the pan. Then cover in foil. Pop in the freezer. You can freeze the pasta bake for up to 3 months.ย Note: make sure to label the dish so you know what it is and when you frozen it! When it is time to bake simply thaw in fridge overnight and then proceed with baking for 25 minutes covered with foil and then an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Test the middle to make sure it warmed through. If not, pop it back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1248mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 783IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 280mg | Iron: 3mg
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are delicious chewy peanut butter cookie cups that are stuffed with mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They are an easy cookie recipe using Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! Both kids and adults will love them. They are great any time of year, but especially during the holidays.
When you are craving something peanut butter and chocolate you know a Reece’s peanut butter cup will satisfy the craving… take it the extra step and make these amazing cookies using peanut butter cups!!
RELATED: Peanut Butter Chocolate Star Cookies
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
This cookie recipe calls for mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups but you do not want to buy the large cups that come in a two pack. You will want to buy the 11 oz bag of individually wrapped mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. See the photo below for example:
How to Make Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
This is a fairly easy and quick cookie recipe to make.
- Prep
- Cream sugar and fats.
- Prep
- Sift dry ingredients and add to cookie dough.
- Roll dough.
- Bake.
- Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and grab two 12 count muffin tin, spray each cup with some non-stick spray. Set aside.
In the bowl or a stand mixer or with a hand mixer cream together ยฝ cup room temp. butter, ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter, ยฝ cup white sugar, ยฝ cup brown sugar, until it is combined and fluffy. About 2 minutes.
Add in 1 egg and ยฝ teaspoon of vanilla and mix until combined, about 1 more minute.
Sift together 1 ยผ cup flour, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and ยฝ teaspoon baking soda. Continue to mix just until everything comes together. Do not over mix at this point.
Pro Tip: I like to sift it onto a piece of parchment paper and then pick it up to funnel the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl.
Roll about a tablespoon and a half into balls and place in the prepared muffin tins, one per cup. They will be about a 1 inch ball of dough. Work quickly so the dough does not get too warm.
Pro Tip: If you are working with one muffin tin, place the remaining dough in the fridge until the other batch is done.
Do not flatten the dough balls, keep them as rolled balls in the muffin tin.
Bake for about 10 minutes. Do not overbake. You want them to be lightly golden and still have a soft middle.
Pro Tip: While they bake unwrap the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups so they are ready to add to the cookies right when they come out of the oven.
Pull the cookies out of the oven and press 1 Reese’s in the center of each cookie.
Let cool in the muffin tin for about 15 minutes so they can finish cooking and setting up. Then pop them out of the muffin tin.
Pro Tip: You may need to run a sharp knife around the edge to release from the pan.
Storing and Freezing
Store the Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies at room temp. in an airtight container for up to a week.
You can freeze them for longer storage. Place cooled cookies in an airtight/freezer safe container or baggie and pop in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw place at room temp for an hour or two.
More Chocolate & Peanut Butter Treats
If you are a lover of anything “peanut butter & chocolate” try some of these treats too:
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Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Recipe
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are pressed into the middle of a warm peanut butter cookie. These are a delicious cookie treat!
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Servings: 20 cookies (approx)
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup butter - , softened at room temp.
- ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter - (Jif or Skippy are great, no natural peanut butter)
- ยฝ cup white sugar
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ยผ cups all-purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
- 24 Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - 11 oz bag of individually wrapped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- non stick spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350โ. Spray your muffin tin with non stick spray.non stick spray
- In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, cream together the butter, creamy peanut butter and sugars until it is combined and fluffy. About 2 minutes.ยฝ cup butter, ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter, ยฝ cup white sugar, ยฝ cup brown sugar
- Blend in 1 egg and ยฝ teaspoon vanilla for about 1 minute.1 large egg, ยฝ teaspoon vanilla
- In a bowl or on a piece of parchment paper sift together the flour, baking soda and kosher salt. Slowly add to the cookie dough. Blend just until the flour is incorporated.1 ยผ cups all-purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
- Form the cookie dough into about 1-1.5 inch balls and place in the muffin tin. You will have about 20-24 balls. Do not flatten, leave them in the ball form.The dough is sticky but work quickly so the dough doesn't get too warm.**If you are working with one muffin pan, place the remaining dough in the fridge until the first batch is cooked.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes. Do not overbake, you want them to be golden and the middle to still be soft so you can put a Reese's in the middle. While they are baking unwrap the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
- As soon as the cookies come out of the oven press a peanut butter cup into the middle of each cookie. Let them cool for about 15 minutes and then remove them from the muffin tin.24 Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Store at room temp. in an air tight container for up to a week.Can freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temp for about 1-2 hours.
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Fudgy Chocolate No Bake Cookies
No Bake Cookies are a delicious and fudgy cookie that you don’t have to bake in the oven! Sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, cocoa, peanut butter, and quick oats are mixed together on the stove top and then dropped onto parchment paper to cool. This is an easy no-bake cookie recipe that only takes a few minutes to make!
It is a dessert/sweet treat that has been enjoyed for generations and generations, just like these No Bake Peanut Clusters. They never go out of style! I remember eating them as a little girl, and now my kids LOVE them!
Ingredients
Here are the specific ingredients that you need to make this Chocolate No Bake Cookie Recipe. It’s a lot of simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry and fridge:
1 stick of butter (salted or unsalted)
2 cups white sugar
ยฝ cup milk (any kind)
1 teaspoon vanilla
ยผ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter
2 ยฝ cups quick cooking oats
Step by Step Picture Instructions
Pro Tip: Start by prepping all your ingredients, once you get started the recipe moves along quickly!
Prep 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grab the utensil you will use to drop the cookies.
In a large pot over medium/medium-high heat bring the 2 cups sugar, ยฝ cup milk, and butter to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
Turn the heat off and quickly stir in the vanilla, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and oats.
AS SOON AS IT IS COMBINED move on to dropping the cookie mixture by the spoonful onto the sheets of parchment.
Let them set up at room temperature, for at least 20 minutes, and then enjoy!!
Storing
Store your Chocolate No Bake Cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. But, they probably won’t last that long- they are GOOD!!
Tips for Making Fudgy No Bake Cookies
There are a few things to remember to get the best results when making these cookies:
- Prepare and measure all your ingredients ahead of time. This recipe goes FAST and you don’t want to be fumbling for ingredients.
- Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper before you start cooking. Once everything is mixed it sets up very quickly.
- Drop the no bake cookies onto the parchment AS SOON as the ingredients are mixed. The mixture will set up quickly and if you don’t drop them into cookies immediately your cookies will not stick together correctly and they will be dry and brittle.
- By dropping them quickly they also spread into perfectly shaped no bake cookies!
- Use a small scoop like the one pictured below, if you have it. It will make the process go quickly and all the Chocolate No Bake Cookies will be uniform.
More No Bake Dessert Recipes
If you love a sweet treat but the thought of baking a whole cake is too much, check out these other no-bake desserts:
Chocolate No Bake Cookie Recipe
Chocolate No Bake Cookies are a delicious and easy bakeless cookie. All the ingredients are cooked together on the stove top and then dropped by the spoonful into fudgy oatmeal cookies.
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Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 133kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar
- ยฝ cup butter - salted or unsalted
- ยฝ cup milk - any kind
- 2 ยฝ cups quick cooking oats
- ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter
- ยผ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep
- This recipe goes fast and you want to be ready for the next step before you get there! Prep and measure all your ingredients so they are ready to go.Prep two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and the spoon or scoop you will drop the cookies with.
No Bake Cookies
- In a large pot over medium/medium-high heat bring 1 stick of butter, 2 cups of sugar, and ยฝ cup of milk to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the ยผ cup cocoa powder, ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 ยฝ cups quick cooking oats.Stir just until everything is mixed together.
- QUICKLY drop the hot chocolate/oat mixture by the spoonful onto the parchment paper. It will slightly spread and then harden.(do this step quickly bc the mixture will set up FAST and you want to have all the cookies dropped before it sets!!!)
- Let cool for about 20 minutes and they are ready to eat.
Storing
- Store in an air tight container at room temp. for up to 5 days.
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Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Old Fashioned Peanut Cluster Recipe
Peanut Clusters are a classic sweet and salty snack made of melted chocolates and salted cocktail peanuts. They are great no-bake homemade treat to put together and they only require 3 simple ingredients. They are so simple you can even have the kids help!
Chocolate Peanut Clusters have always been a holiday tradition in my family. Growing up, they were a staple at the Holidays, and to this day, I still make them every Christmas. Here on Mom's Dinner, I wanted to share the true, classic version. This is exact Peanut Cluster Recipe I've been making for years. No twists, no modern updates – just the original candy-shop style clusters made with three simple ingredients: salted cocktail peanuts, almond bark, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]Why You’ll Love This Peanut CLuster Recipe
This is a CLASSIC recipe, not altered or updated. You can trust this one is just like the Peanut Clusters your Grandma made!
The recipe uses a combo of semi sweet chocolate chips and almond bark, which gives you a more balanced flavor.
Using almond bark helps these peanut clusters set up perfectly without adding additional ingredients.
Peanut Clusters are a really simple treat to make and are only made with ingredients that are easy to find.
The recipe is so easy, it’s a great one to make with kids.
These also make a great holiday treat for your neighbors and friends. Wrap them up in a cellophane bag tied with a pretty ribbon, then you can print this “We’re Nuts About You” FREE PRINTABLE GIFT TAG and attach it to the bag.
Ingredients Needed For Chocolate Peanut Clusters
You just need 3 simple ingredients to make these Old Fashioned Peanut Clusters:
Cocktail Peanuts – specifically buy “cocktail peanuts” sometimes also known as Virginia Peanuts or Spanish Peanuts.
Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips – 1 bag of chocolate chips, the same kind you buy when you make Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Almond Bark – you can also buy a product called white chocolate melting wafers, but don’t use white chocolate chips. If you use almond bark be sure to chop it first so it melts faster and the chocolate chips don’t over-cook before the almond bark melts!!
Recommended Equipment
You will melt the chocolate over a double boiler. That is basically a heat proof bowl set on top of a saucepan. You can buy a product called a double boiler, but it isn’t necessary!
A double boiler allows you to slowly melt chocolate without over-cooking it. The steam and heat from the simmering water is enough to melt the chocolate in the upper bowl.
Fill the saucepan with about 2 inches of water, ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan on top. Place a heat-proof bowl in the top and bring the water to a simmer. Pour in the chocolate and stir occasionally until it is completely melted.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Step 1
Melt the chocolate chips and white chocolate melting wafers (or almond bark) in a double boiler.
Step 2
Add the peanuts and stir so the chocolates coat the peanuts.
Step 3
With a scoop or spoon, potion out the peanut clusters onto wax paper or parchment paper.
Step 4
Place in the fridge to set up for about 30-45 minutes.
Peanut Clusters Recipe Variations
Nut Variation – swap the peanuts for different type of nut or a combo of nuts: almonds, cashews, and pecans would all be great!
Chocolate – switch up the semi sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips for a different flavor.
Mix Ins – add some different textures and flavors by stirring in about ยพ cup of:
- dried fruits
- toffee chips or caramel bits
- crunched pretzels
- marshmallow bits
How To Store Peanut Clusters
You can keep the Peanut Clusters around for quite a while!
- Room Temperature: Store clusters in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 to 7 days. This keeps the chocolate softer and shinier. Just be sure they're kept away from heat or direct sunlight.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They'll stay fresh for about 2 to 3 weeks, though the chocolate may lose a little bit of its glossy finish. Let them sit out for 5-10 minutes before serving so they're not too firm.
- Freezer: Peanut clusters freeze perfectly. Place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, and they'll last up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
FAQ
Can I make peanut clusters in the microwave?
Yes, you can make Peanut Clusters in the microwave.
– Use a glass or ceramic bowl, plastic can sometimes warp or overheat.
– Add your chocolate (chips and chopped almond bark) to the bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each round. Stop when the chocolate is about 90% melted, then stir until completely smooth (the residual heat will finish melting). This prevents scorching.
– Stir in the peanuts until fully coated in chocolate.
What is the best chocolate to use?
We thing this recipe is best kept classic with a combo of semi sweet chocolate chips and almond bark. However you can change up the semi sweet chocolate chips to dark or milk chocolate to change flavor profiles. However you will want to keep the almond bark or melting wafers as these help "set" the chocolate on the peanut clusters.
More Super Simple Treats
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Old Fashioned Peanut Cluster Recipe + Video
Chocolate Peanut Clusters are a classic treat made with 3 simple ingredients: semi-sweet chocolate, almond bark, and salted cocktail peanuts.
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Servings: 30 pieces
Ingredients
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 12 oz white almond bark - chopped (or white chocolate melting wafers)
- 1 lb. salted cocktail peanuts or salted spanish peanuts
Instructions
- In a double boiler melt the chocolate chips and almond bark together. Once it is completely smooth, remove from the heat.12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, 12 oz white almond bark
- Stir in the peanuts.1 lb. salted cocktail peanuts or salted spanish peanuts
- Drop spoonful's of the peanut cluster mixture onto wax paper or parchment paper lined baking sheets.Make these about a 2 or 3 bite sized treat! They are rich.
- Pop in the fridge for 30- 45 minutes to set up.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
These Peanut Clusters make a great EDIBLE GIFT! Grab your free gift tag with the link below:
FREE PRINTABLE GIFT TAG
ย
DOUBLE BOILER –ย
Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water, ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan on top. Place a heat-proof bowl in the top and bring the water to a simmer. Pour in the chocolate and stir occasionally until it is completely melted.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Star Cookies
Chocolate Star Cookies are delicious peanut butter cookies that are soft and chewy on the inside with a little crisp on the outside. They are topped with a milk chocolate star that gets melty and gooey in the oven.
You can dunk these peanut butter cookies in milk, eat them as is or enjoy them with a hot cup of coffee. They are a great sweet treat or dessert, especially at the Holidays!
Chocolate Star
Traditionally we used Brach’s Chocolate Stars for these cookies. In recent years I have noticed the Brach’s brand is getting harder and harder to find. Not to worry though, you can find a store brand or similar brand in your grocery store!
However do not go to the baking aisle trying to find the chocolate stars with the chocolate chips. You will find them over in the candy aisle of your grocery store. Somewhere near the chocolate covered peanuts and gummy worms!
How to Make Chocolate Star Cookies
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream 1 stick of softened butter, ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter, ยฝ cup white sugar, ยฝ cup brown sugar together until it is fluffy and combined, this will take 2-3 minutes.
Add in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and continue to mix for another 30 seconds.
In a separate bowl sift together 1 ยพ cups all purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture, a little at a time, until it is completely combined. NOTE: make sure to not over mix the dough at this point or you will have tough little hockey puck cookies.
Place about โ cup white sugar in a small bowl.
Roll the cookie dough into small balls, a little smaller than a golf ball (it will be a heaping tablespoon of dough). Roll the dough in the sugar and then place on a parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes. Pull the cookies out of the oven and lightly press a chocolate star into the center of each cookie. Place back in the oven for 2 ยฝ minutes.
Let the peanut butter chocolate star cookies cool and it’s time for a cookie treat!!
Storing & Freezing
If you don’t eat all 24 cookies in one sitting, then you will need to store the cookies. You will need an airtight container with a lid. You can leave the cookies in the airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.
Storage tip: To help the cookies not dry out you can put a small, very lightly moistened paper towel in the corner of the container.
You can also freeze these cookies in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temp for an hour or so.
More Delicious Cookies
If you need to make desserts or sweet treats for a crowd, especially at the holidays, here are a couple more that other Mom’s Dinner readers love:
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Chocolate Star Cookies Recipe + Video
Peanut butter cookies topped with a milk chocolate star. These cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are the perfect peanut butter chocolate cookie!
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Servings: 24 cookies
Equipment
- Parchment paper (or reusable silpat)
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup butter, softened
- ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter
- ยฝ cup white sugar
- ยฝ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ยพ cups all purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 24 milk chocolate stars - can be found in the candy aisle at your grocery store.
- โ cup white sugar - for rolling the cookie dough
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐ
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or white a hand mixer, cream the butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar, until they are fluffy and completely combined, this will take 2-3 minutes.ยฝ cup butter, softened, ยฝ cup creamy peanut butter, ยฝ cup white sugar, ยฝ cup brown sugar
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment paper sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda.1 ยพ cups all purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Add the flour mixture the the butter mixture a little at a time until it is fully combined. NOTE: do not over mix at this point, or you will have tough cookies!
- Roll the dough into balls a little smaller than the size of a golf ball, it will be 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie.Pro Tip: A cookie dough scoop can make quick work of this job.
- Roll the dough balls in the sugar.Place on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.โ cup white sugar
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and press 1 star in the middle of each cookie. Place back in the oven for an additional 2 ยฝ minutes.24 milk chocolate stars
- Leave the cookies on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack.
STORING
- Store baked cookies at room temp in a covered container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze the baked cookies for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temp to enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
Storing Chocolate Star Cookies: To store the cookies, keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Storing tip: you can put a small, very lightly moistened paper towel in the corner or your storage container and it will help keep your cookies tender.
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Rosemary Cauliflower Puree
Rosemary Cauliflower Puree is a savory and silky side dish that is full of flavor. It is a perfect stand in for any starchy side dish. It comes together in 20 minutes and is made with 5 simple ingredients: cauliflower, garlic, butter, cream, and rosemary.
Cauliflower Mash
Cauliflower "mashed potatoes" are one of my favorite side dishes. However, I don't like calling them mashed potatoes. Obviously because they are not potatoes! But they also don’t stand up like a starchy mashed potato.
Cauliflower Mash is more of a buttery, silky puree, hence, the name Rosemary Cauliflower Puree.
And in my humble “culinary” opinion I think the flavor FAR exceeds any traditional mashed potato I have ever had!
How to Make Cauliflower Puree
This recipe for Cauliflower Puree is a quick one! Definitely faster than making mashed potatoes which makes it a great option for holidays or when you are making a lot of complicated dishes.
Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium high heat.
While your water is coming to a boil cut your head of cauliflower into smaller florets and peel your garlic cloves.
Place the florets and garlic into the boiling water and boil for 10 minutes, or until the stems of the cauliflower are fork tender. Drain.
In a blender or food processor combine the cauliflower, garlic, half and half, butter, salt and rosemary. Pulse or blend until it is a smooth consistency and there are no remaining pieces or chunks.
If you need to add an additional tablespoon or two of half & half to get it to blend properly, that is ok.
NOTE: when you are blending the hot cauliflower make sure that you vent the blender or food processor so you do not have a cauliflower explosion in your kitchen!
Rosemary Cauliflower Puree for Dinner
This Cauliflower Puree is excellent served as a side dish in place of potatoes or rice. It goes amazingly with Instant Pot Pork Ribs, Grilled Chicken, Steak Bites, Roasted Half Chicken, Pork, or Italian Meatloaf!
Other Great Side Dishes
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Rosemary Cauliflower Puree
Rosemary Cauliflower Puree makes an excellent side dish. This Cauliflower Mash makes a great substitute for traditional mashed potatoes.ย
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 Head of Cauliflower - cored and chopped into florets
- 3 Garlic Cloves - peeled
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- โ cup Half & Half - can use extra if you need more to blend properly
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary - chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt - less if you have a small cauliflower
- Pepper to taste
- Optional* Extra Virgin Olive Oil for serving
Instructions
- Cut your cauliflower into smaller florets.
- Boil the cauliflower and garlic cloves in salted water for 10 minutes, until the stems are fork tender. Drain.
- Put the cooked cauliflower, garlic, salt, butter, half & half, and rosemary in a blender or food processor.
- NOTE: make sure you vent your blender or food processor so the hot cauliflower doesn't pop the lid off and make a mess!!
- Process until completely smooth. You may need to add a little extra half and half to get the cauliflower to puree smoothly.
- Serve Immediately.Optional* drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a beautiful presentation.
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Originally Posted March 2017 – Copy & Photos Updated October 2019
Creamy Chicken and Noodles
Creamy Chicken and Noodles is made with thick homestyle egg noodles and tender chicken mixed in a cream sauce and seasoned with spices and herbs. This is comfort food at it finest! This dish is great served with vegetables over top or keep it simple with just the cream, noodles, and chicken and serve some veggies on the side.
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Garlic Butter Steak Bites are a very inexpensive and delicious way to have steak! They are made with top sirloin steak. The steak pieces are quick pan seared and flavored in a delicious garlic rosemary butter. By doing a quick sear they come out medium rare and as tender as tenderloin steak, but not as pricey!
These steak bites make a perfect appetizer for a party or holiday! You can even pair them with these Garlic Butter Shrimp, and Steakhouse Mushrooms for a surf and turf appetizer.
They also make an amazing dinner served with potatoes and veggies, like baked potatoes or crispy cast iron potatoes and roasted asparagus , steakhouse mushrooms or broccoli.
Another FAST pan seared dinner to try are these Cajun Shrimp!
What Beef Cut to Use
For this recipe we keep it economical and go with Top Sirloin Steak. It will run you around $5-$6 per pound. This is not a cut of beef that you want to cook to well done or even medium well. You will end up with tough steak!
Instead you want to sear the outside leaving you with a medium rare, pink, center that is tender and delish!
If you are like “oh heck NO” that is too pink, then you will want to purchase a different cut of beef that will remain tender at a higher temp. Something like a ribeye or tenderloin can be cooked to medium-well and still remain tender-ish.
How to Make Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Cut the steak.
- Pan sear the steak pieces.
- Place the steak in the hot pan and let it sit for 1 minute.
- Flip and let it sit for 1 more minutes.
- Then the last 30 seconds either sautรฉ another side or stir them around the pan.
- Add Garlic Butter.
- Coat the steak bites in garlic butter.
Start by cutting your Top Sirloin Steak into bite size pieces, about 1 inch. You also want to cut away any large chunks of fat or gristle. But leave any small pieces of fat in tact. Small doses of seared beef fat is so YUMMY!!
Season the steak pieces with all the salt and pepper.
When cooking the garlic steak bites you will want to work in batches so not to overcrowd the pan. A 2 pound steak will require 3-4 batches.
Place a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
You are going to brown/sear each steak batch for 2 ยฝ minutes total:
Remove the first batch to a plate and continue with the remaining batches of steak. You will want to add a little oil to the pan with each additional batch. After all the steak is cooked remove the skillet from the heat.
Chop 5-6 cloves of garlic, grab 4 tablespoons of butter, and finely chop 2 teaspoons of rosemary (can also use thyme).
Place the now empty skillet over medium low heat. Add the butter, garlic, and rosemary to the pan and cook for about 4 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the cooked steak bites (and all the juices) back to the pan, and 1 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Stir to coat the steak with the garlic butter for 1 minute.
Time to eat!
Great for Dinner or Appetizer
These Steak Bites with Garlic Butter make a really easy dinner for any night of the week. Just pair with some type of potato or rice pilaf and a veggie. They would go great with a baked potato, loaded twice baked potatoes or crispy over potatoes. Add a veggie like oven roasted asparagus or roasted broccoli and you have a great dinner.
For a party Garlic Butter Steak Bites make a great appetizer. Simply place on a platter with some toothpicks. You can add some Garlic Butter Shrimp for a surf and turf appetizer that everyone will LOVE!
More Simple Steak Recipes
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Garlic Butter Steak Bites Recipe + Video
Delicious and tender pieces of bite sized steak that is pan seared and coated in a garlic butter sauce. These garlic steak bites make an easy dinner or amazing party appetizer.
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Servings: 4 people
Calories: 489kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
- 2 lbs Top Sirloin Steak, cut into 1 inch chunks - (roughly 2 pounds +/-)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoon salted butter - (unsalted would be fine too)
- 5-6 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Cut your steak into 1 inch chunks, cutting away any gristle or large pieces of fat. Season the pieces with all the salt and pepper.2 lbs Top Sirloin Steak, cut into 1 inch chunks, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. NOTE: you will want to cook/sear your steak in 3-4 batches so the pan does not overcrowd. Have a plate to the side to set each batch as it is done.
- Cook each batch for 2 ยฝ minutes total:1. Lay the first batch of steak bites in the hot oil and let it sit for 1 minute. 2. Flip and cook for an additional 1 minute.3. The final 30 seconds you can sear another side or stir around the pan. Set the first batch aside and continue to cook the additional batches, adding a little of the additional olive oil to the pan with each new batch.
- After all the steak is cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
- Chop the garlic and rosemary.
- Place the cooled pan over medium low heat. Melt the butter with the garlic and rosemary. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any yummy browned bits on the bottom of the pan.4 tablespoon salted butter, 5-6 fresh garlic cloves, chopped, 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- Add the cooked steak pieces (including all the juices on the plate) and 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce to the pan and stir to coat with the garlic butter for 1 minute.1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Time to eat!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
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OTHER STEAK OPTIONS: if you feel cooking the steak to a medium rare is too pink for you, then choose another beef cut that can be cooked to a medium well and still remain tender.
APPETIZER TRIO: for an amazing surf and turf steakhouse appetizer combo, add these two recipes to your menu.
- Ribeye
- Tenderloin
- Filet Mignon
APPETIZER TRIO: for an amazing surf and turf steakhouse appetizer combo, add these two recipes to your menu.
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 4mg
Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs
Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs are tender and juicy meatballs full of BBQ flavor. They cook quickly in the Instant Pot, making them an easy dinner for any night of the week. They are also a delicious appetizer for a party or holiday.
We love these meatballs served with mashed potatoes and peas!
If you would rather make BBQ Meatballs in the oven, pop over to this recipe for Best Baked BBQ Meatballs.
If Instant Pot Meatballs are a favorite definitely check out the Instant Pot Italian Meatballs or Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs!
RELATED: Instant Pot Boneless BBQ Ribs
Ground Beef for BBQ Meatballs
For these Instant Pot meatballs I would recommend using 85/15 ground beef. It still has enough fat to give you that delicious juicy flavor, but not as fatty as 80/20 (save that 80/20 for Grilled Hamburgers!).
You can also use 93/7 ground beef, it will just be a little leaner than the 85/15. You can use 80/20 but the meatballs will shrink quite a bit as the fat melts out of the beef.
BBQ Sauce for Instant Pot Meatballs
One reason you will love this BBQ Meatball recipe is because you are not making your own BBQ sauce. Just use your favorite store bought or restaurant sauce.
This way you can have your meatballs sweet, spicy, smoky, vinegary… however you like. And you add as much sauce as you like!
But if you are feeling super ambitions, you can always pop over to this Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe and make your own!
Step by Step Instructions
- Combine Meatball Ingredients
- 1.5ย lbs.ย Ground Beefย 85/15
- 3ย Tbspย milk
- 1ย Tbspย plain bread crumbs
- 1ย Tbspย Worcestershire sauce
- 1ย tspย chili powder
- 1ย tspย salt
- ยฝย tspย each: garlic powder, onion powder
- Form Meatballs
- For entrรฉe size meatballs use about 2 tablespoons+ of beef mixture per meatball, which will give you around 12-15 meatballs.
- For appetizer size use 1 tablespoon of beef mixture, which will give you around 18-22 meatballs.
- Prep The Instant Pot
- Pressure Cook
- Coat with BBQ Sauce
- Serve!
To make Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs start by mixing all the meatball ingredients, start with the bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire, and seasonings. Then add the ground beef and using clean hands combine. Do not overmix the beef or you will have tough meatballs.
Form the mixture into your preferred meatball size. A cookie scoop can make quick work of this!
In the Instant Pot pour in 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
Put the metal trivet over the liquid. Place the meatballs on the trivet in one or two layers.
Lock the lid in place and cook on meat/stew mode OR manual mode, high pressure, normal heat for 7 minutes. Do a 5 minute natural release and then finish releasing the pressure with a quick release.
Preheat your oven broiler. Place the cooked meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and cover them in your preferred BBQ sauce. You can dip, pour, or brush on the BBQ sauce.
Place the pan in the oven for 5 minutes so the BBQ sauce caramelizes to the meatballs and warms thru.
Time to eat! Serve up these BBQ Meatballs with extra BBQ Sauce on the side.
BBQ Meatballs for Dinner
BBQ Meatballs make an excellent dinner entrรฉe. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes or baked potatoes and a veggie like roasted broccoli, green beans, or asparagus.
If you are watching carbs you could also serve it with cauliflower rice or my Rosemary Cauliflower Puree instead of potatoes. Or if you love sweet potatoes check out my Savory Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe.
BBQ Meatball Appetizer
These Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs also make a great party or holiday appetizer. Simply form the meatballs a little smaller so they are bite sized and continue with the recipe as written!
Serve them with these toothpicks so your guests can pick them up and gobble them up in one bite.
More Meatballs & Related Recipes
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Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs Recipe
Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs are tender and juicy beef meatballs full of BBQ flavor. They make a quick and delicious dinner or an excellent appetizer for a party or holidays!
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Servings: 5 people
Calories: 301kcal
Ingredients
BBQ Meatball Mixture
- 1-1.5 lbs. Ground Beef - 85/15
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon plain bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder
Instant Pot Liquid
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
BBQ Sauce
- ยฝ-3/4 cup Favorite store bought BBQ Sauce - (or make Homemade BBQ Sauce)
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire and seasonings.This is called a panade and will help keep your BBQ Meatballs juicy and tender!3 tablespoon milk, 1 tablespoon plain bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ยฝ teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder
- Add the ground beef and lightly mix everything together with clean hands or a fork.1-1.5 lbs. Ground Beef
- Form the meatballs into desired size:entree size- 2+ tablespoons of beef mixture per meatball – this will give you about 12-15 meatballs.appetizer size- 1 tablespoon of beef mixture per meatball- this will give you about 18-22 meatballs.
- In the bottom of the Instant Pot combine all the Instant Pot liquids.Set the metal trivet over the liquid.1 cup water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Place the meatballs on the trivet in one or two layers.
- Close the pot and lock the pressure vent to seal. Set the pot to cook on high, meat/stew mode or manual mode, for 7 minutes. Do a 5 minute natural release and then finish with a quick release of the pressure.
- Preheat the oven broiler. Place the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and cover the meatballs with BBQ sauce (pour, dunk, or brush on). Place under the broiler for 5 minutes to caramelize the bbq sauce.ยฝ-3/4 cup Favorite store bought BBQ Sauce
Recipe Tips and Notes:
ย
MORE MEATBALL RECIPE:
Baked BBQ Meatballs – to make a similar meatball recipe in the oven pop over to this recipe for BBQ Meatballs.
Gochujang BBQ Meatballs – for an Asian inspired flair in your BBQ, pop over to this recipe for Gochujang BBQ Meatballs
Instant Pot Turkey Meatballs – for an Italian flavor pop over to this Instant Pot Turkey Meatball Recipe.ย
ย
ย
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Serving: 1serving | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 936mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
Ham & Potato Chowder
Ham and Potato Chowder is a delicious and comforting soup that is great for colder weather. There are not a lot of complicated flavors in this recipe, instead the ingredients are straightforward letting you really taste the potato, ham and cream. It is especially great to make when you have leftover ham.
What is Chowder
Chowder is a soup or stew that has a milky or creamy base. It is also thickened with a roux or starch of some kind. In this Ham Chowder Recipe we thicken with three ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Instant Potato Flakes
Chowder is also commonly served with oyster crackers or saltine crackers.
Instant Potato Flakes
This is not the time to snub your nose at Instant Potato Flakes! I know they have a bad reputation BUT they are perfect in this recipe. Promise!
I would not use them for the potatoes on my Thanksgiving table, but they make the perfect thickener for soups, like this Ham Chowder and this Instant Pot Potato Soup. They add a great layer of potato flavor and they thicken the soup perfectly! I also use them in this Cauliflower and Potato Chowder .
What Ham to use for Ham Chowder
If you have leftover spiral cut or bone in ham from the holidays or a celebration, lucky you!!! This is the perfect recipe to use up your leftover ham. (if you have a lot of ham check out this post on ways to use up leftover ham).
If you do not have leftover ham, don't despair there are great options in the grocery store! You can buy a ham steak and it will still give you amazing ham flavor in your soup.
How To Make Ham and Potato Chowder
A note about SALT before you get startedโฆ.You may be saying to yourself, "well she forgot the salt, I'll just add a little". STOP RIGHT THERE…there are a lot of salty ingredients in this recipe, so do not salt until you taste the finished product at the end, or you could ruin an entire pot of soup. That would be too sad. So pump the brakes and wait until the end.
Step 1
Sautรฉ the onions. Add the potatoes, chicken base and chicken broth. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 2
Optionally smash some of the potatoes (a “meat chopper” is a great tool for this). Add in the seasonings and ham. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Pour in the cream, then sprinkle in and whisk the potato flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Taste for salt, then serve!
Topping/Garnish Ideas
Serve topped with green onions. Some other great toppings would be sour cream, bacon bits, cheese, tabascoโฆ. Anything you like on top of a loaded baked potato!
More Hearty Soup Recipes
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Ham and Potato Chowder Recipe + Video
A thick and creamy potato chowder with ham. This is a great recipe to use up leftover ham.
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow or white onion - chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoon chicken base - I use Better Than Bouillon brand
- 3 cups potatoes - peeled and roughly diced – I like to use Yukon gold or russet
- 2 cups cooked ham - roughly chopped into ยฝ inch pieces
- ยฝ teaspoon dried basil
- black pepper - to taste
- 1 ยฝ cups heavy whipping cream
- ยพ cup potato flakes - regular or buttery flavor
- green onions - chopped for garnish *optional, but recommended
Do not salt until you taste the final soup! You may not need any salt.
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-low heat cook the onion in the oil until they become translucent.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large yellow or white onion
- Add the chicken broth, water, chicken base, and potatoes to the onions. Cook over medium-high heat until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.4 cups chicken stock or broth, 2 cups water, 2 teaspoon chicken base, 3 cups potatoes
- Lower heat to medium-low and add the ham, dried basil, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.2 cups cooked ham, ยฝ teaspoon dried basil, black pepper
- Whisk in the cream.1 ยฝ cups heavy whipping cream
- Slowly whisk in the potato flakes. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.ยพ cup potato flakes
- Serve garnished with green onions.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
To Make Ahead:
Prepare completely, cool, and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To serve slowly warm on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, making sure it does not come to a boil. You may need to add a little liquid (milk or chicken stock) as it will thicken in the fridge.
Prepare completely, cool, and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To serve slowly warm on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, making sure it does not come to a boil. You may need to add a little liquid (milk or chicken stock) as it will thicken in the fridge.
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Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad makes a greats lunch or dinner. It is full of delicious flavors that compliment each other perfectly, like: apple, blue cheese, onions, and pecans all tossed in a white balsamic vinaigrette. You can even leave the chicken off the salad and it makes an amazing salad side dish.
Panera Fuji Apple Chicken Salad Inspo
The inspiration for this Apple Pecan Chicken Salad came from my love of a salad at Panera. Every time I eat there I get the same thing, the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad, and I love it! It has a perfect balance of crispy greens, tangy blue cheese, crunchy pecans, spicy red onions, and sweet apple chips. All of those components are included in this recipe too.
Crispy Apple Chips
Those crispy little apple chips are one of the stars of this salad. You can find them in the snack aisle or look in the health food section. Just make sure you get the crispy baked ones, not the spongy dried ones.
Bare Naked makes delicious apple chips in regular or cinnamon. You can also find these at Aldi in the snack aisle.
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad for Dinner
This is a salad that is filling enough to be served at dinner. But, I know my husband gets nervous if a salad, alone, is brought to the table. So I serve this with some kind of crusty bread like a ciabatta with extra virgin olive oil or a baguette with butter and garlic.
If we’re souper hungry (lol) I will serve it with a delicious soup like this restaurant style potato soup, or Instant Pot sweet potato & quinoa chili, like the meal you would eat at Panera.
Make the salad your own
You can customize this salad to your preferred flavors. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- sub fresh apples for the crispy dried apple chips
- sub fresh pears for the apple chips
- use a feta or gorgonzola cheese in place of the blue cheese
- take the chicken out and have it as a side salad
- use the flavored apple chips for a different flavor profile- like cinnamon
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad Tips:
Tomatoes
One thing that I HATE in a salad is cold flavorless tomatoes. When I have the time I cut my tomatoes 20 minutes to 1 hour before I assemble the salad. I sprinkle them with salt, pepper and garlic powder and let them sit at room temp. It makes the tomato a tasty part of the salad you actually want to eat.
Greens
Another great tip is to make sure your salad is completely dry before tossing it with the dressing. I like to wash my lettuce leaves whole. That way, if you do not have a salad spinner, you can easily wipe down the leaves before chopping it for the salad.
Dress your greens before adding all the yummy mix ins. For this salad I toss all the romaine with the dressing, then add the onions, apple chips, cheese, pecans and tomatoes and give it one last turn around the bowl. Then it is ready to serve and all the mix ins still look perty.
Toasted Nuts
Toast your nuts! I toast the pecans in a dry pan for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring once in a while so they don’t burn. It completely changes the flavor, for the better.
Rinsing Onions
Rinse your onions. I know I have said this before, but it is such a great tip and so easy to do. By rinsing the onions you remove the enzyme that makes that pungent onion flavor stay in your mouth for hours. When you are eating onions raw rinsing them makes a huge difference.
Molasses in Your Dressing
If you need your dressing to stay combined/emulsified for a long time (ie: you are setting it on the table for a dinner party) you can sub 1 tablespoon of the honey for molasses. It will change the flavor profile slightly, but not enough that it is extremely noticeable.
The molasses will keep your dressing combined and not let it seperate. #Science.
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Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad is a great copycat recipe for the Panera Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. It makes a great lunch or add soup for a fantastic dinner. This also can be a great side dish if you leave the chicken off.
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Servings: 2 large dinner salads
Ingredients
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
- 1 large head of romaine - washed and chopped
- 1 chicken breast - grilled, sliced (can also use rotisserie chicken)
- ยฝ cup pecans - toasted and chopped
- 1 medium slicing tomato - diced
- 2 sliced rings of red onion - rinsed under cool water, helps the onion flavor not overpower the salad AND keeps you from tasting onion for the next 4 hours!
- ยผ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 heaping cup crispy apple slices
Apple Dressing
- ยฝ cup canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
- ยผ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey - (see note about subbing molasses)
- ยผ teaspoon garlic powder
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Apple Dressing
- Whisk all the ingredients together until it is completely combined. You can also place all the ingredients in a mason jar with a lid and shake vigorously until the ingredients come together.
Apple Pecan Chicken Salad
- Sprinkle the diced tomato with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Let them sit as long as you can, 10 minutes (up to an hour, if you have time)
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl toss the romaine with desired amount of the apple dressing.
- Add the chicken, pecans, tomato, red onion, blue cheese, and crispy apple slices- toss to coat in the dressing.
- Serve!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
If you need your salad dressing to stay emulsified and not separate you can sub 1 tablespoon of the honey for molasses. It will keep the dressing together and not let it seperate.
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Originally Posted May 2017 – Recipe, Copy, & Photos Updated October 2019
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