recipes

How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Homemade pesto is one of the quickest ways to brighten any dish from caprese chicken to pizza and even to macaroni and cheese. This is my tried and true method to make the perfect basil pesto recipe every single time.

I’ve made homemade pesto many times and totally loved it. And just as many times I’ve totally screwed it up. Why? There are likely several reasons, but it’s mainly because I veered away from my perfected proportions and added too much garlic or not enough olive oil or didn’t season my basil pesto sauce nearly enough.continue to the recipe… about How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

Easy Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

This easy and flavorful healthy chicken gyro recipe starts with a simple 5-ingredient yogurt lemon marinated chicken that can be pan-fried, baked, or grilled, and is topped with a simple cucumber and dill tzatziki sauce. It’s as easy as that.

Creating This Chicken Gyro Recipe

I’d have to say I’m just like 97.99% of the rest of the home cooks out there. We’re busy. Our days are full. And that makes our nights even fuller. It’s the reason why one of my most often heard of requests is for more meals that are easy to make, don’t take a whole lot of time or a laundry list of ingredients, but still have that from-scratch, seasonal-eats quality.

Well here is one recipe 97.99% of you and more are going to love. It’s simple. It’s fast. It’s practical with just a few simple ingredients. And it’s totally flavorful thanks to its Mediterranean roots. continue to the recipe… about Easy Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

The Best Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

The secret to juicy grilled chicken isn’t always in the seasonings or complicated marinades. It’s all about HOW you grill the chicken. Here’s how to grill chicken breasts perfectly every single time.

Sometimes I get all wrapped up in outdoing / improving / out-creating some of my most favorite / simple / craveable recipes.

It’s easy to get caught up in the complicated when I see all sorts of crazy inspiration and crazy mash-ups on the big, ol’ www. Totally inventive concoctions that take humble and mundane basic recipes I’ve always known and loved, then stuffed them into a firecracker with whatever’s trending at the moment, lit the wick, and ka-boom-er-ama!

That’s not this recipe.

This grilled chicken recipe is right back to the basics. The very basic. The elemental and absolutely essential. The simplest, juiciest chicken breast recipe you might ever make / grill /eat that will be the base to every chicken recipe you throw on the griiiiiilllll. And it just might possibly lead you to lick that wick and send you over the moon.continue to the recipe… about The Best Grilled Chicken Breast Recipe

BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

This easy, creamy BLT pasta salad recipe is loaded with tomatoes, arugula, and avocado, plus crispy bacon that’s all topped with a super simple Ranch-style dressing made with mayo and Greek yogurt.

You could say my collection of pasta salad recipes here on the blog are my children, and just like any mother of kids, it’s nearly impossible to choose just one as my most favorite. But, if you’re a fan of a creamy pasta salad, or an ultra simple-to-make pasta salad that’s loaded with healthier goodness (plus bacon!), this avocado and bacon pasta salad is for you.

Once the garden tomatoes come into harvest, BLT sandwiches are a staple at our house. And the only thing that makes them even better is adding avocado for them to become BLATs. Bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwiches that are now a BBQ pasta salad staple.

So when my daughter requested I make a pasta salad that included her beloved bacon in the BLT mix, avocado was an obvious addition to make.

continue to the recipe… about BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado

German Potato Salad

Hot red potatoes dressed in a warm bacon, mustard and vinegar dressing are what make this traditional German potato salad a family favorite.

I can taste the pucker now. It’s the telltale sign of the ultimate German potato salad. That vinegar punch mixed with spunky, grainy mustard in a bacon-studded dressing. The unexpected zing that makes me wonder who could possibly pass up a mayo-less ‘tater salad?

Not this German girl.

Although when I just asked Smudge her opinion on which photo to use as the main for this post, she said, “That’s potato salad? I didn’t know it was potato salad when we have it. I always thought it was just hot cooked potatoes.”

I suppose hot potato salad served in a frying pan threw her for a BBQ-side-dish-loop. Surprise is good for her. And for all of us when it comes to giving traditional dishes a try. Leave it to the Germans who originated Christmas, Legos, Nutella and the VW bug to hand down yet another classic.continue to the recipe… about German Potato Salad

20 Potluck Side Dishes for the Classic Summer BBQ

This list of my top 20 classic potluck side dishes are he favorites everyone at your summer cookout will love and are easy to make and to take.

It’s summer, when you’re very likely to be invited to a backyard bbq, or hopefully even host one yourself. Summer’s main dish offerings for a crowd can be pretty standard fare with baby back pork ribs, burgers, and hot dogs likely taking center stage. Where things can go wily in summer cooking’s Wild West is in the side dish area of the party game. There’s so many options, how do you choose what to bring to a potluck?

This list of make-ahead, classic potluck side dish recipes is made up of all the old-time favorites I’ve shared here on the blog that still top my list of those I most often crave. While it’s fun to show off your amusingly inventive recipe creations, sometimes it’s best to just go with the classics, the tried-and-true, the favorites you know everyone at the party will love.

I’m sure I’ll be adding more to this list as the summer goes on, but for now, you know I’ll be sharing these sides on my summer picnic table, and hope you will too.continue to the recipe… about 20 Potluck Side Dishes for the Classic Summer BBQ

How to Make the Best Creamy Coleslaw

My favorite creamy coleslaw stays crunchy, not soupy, and gets a bit of bite in this slightly sweetened, vinegar-spiked coleslaw dressing.

Potato Salad. Baked Beans. My favorite Burrata and Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad. Those recipes have always made up my barbecue buffet table daydreams. But coleslaw? It was always on the bottom rung of my side dish desires. Show me the shredded cabbage bowl and watch me skip right on by.

But my husband? He’s a coleslaw connoisseur. It’s usually the first thing he goes for. But that doesn’t mean the bites he gets are always good, and that puts our home’s king of slaw down in the dumps.

But this creamy coleslaw recipe always gets not just one, but two big, Big, BIG thumbs up from my man. And now me, too.

It isn’t goopy. Nor is it soupy. And it’s far from overpowered by the bite of raw onion. This here coleslaw, folks, this is the best I’ve ever eaten. And the man agrees.continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Creamy Coleslaw

Grilled Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled vegetables get a serious flavor boost with a few spoonfuls of this spunky Argentinian chimichurri as a bright and zesty finishing sauce in this easy vegetarian side dish.

When it comes to grilling vegetables, most figure it takes a soak in a marinade before grilling to infuse flavor into those healthy, veggie plain-janes.

That’s hardly the case.

Times have changed and so have our ideas about how to eat our veg. Adding this easy and tangy homemade chimichurri sauce to the savory flavors of grilled vegetables perks up and adds to the delicious gusto that comes along with cooking them over the fire.

This summer, grill first, marinade after. Rejoice and eat more plants! It’s what all the cool kids are doing.continue to the recipe… about Grilled Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce

How to Make the Best Chimichurri Sauce

This Argentinian chimichurri sauce is a fresh parsley and cilantro salsa that gives grilled steak, chicken, fish and vegetables a garlicky kick.

Firing up the grill is a summer habit I’ll never get enough of. The smokey flavor and char of any protein or veg is something I crave all year long. But I also crave the tangy ying to grilling’s savory yang, which is why I totally dig a zesty, herb-infused chimichurri sauce.

Adding flavor to foods that hit the hot grill grates is usually accomplished with marinades like this versatile Greek marinade or adding a simple spiced dry rub. But when I want to keep things super simple, my secret to the best flavor bomb is adding loads of that favorite vinegar/garlic/herb flavor AFTER simply grilling my steak, chicken, pork, fish or vegetables.

And that’s when I am very generous with spoonfuls of classic chimichurri sauce.continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Chimichurri Sauce

The Best Easy Grilled Vegetables

After years of practice on the grill, these are my tips for the best easy grilled vegetables, enhancing the natural sweetness of summer’s favorite vegetables with each smoky bite.

Adding more plants to meals is always at the top of my menu planning, and summer’s bounty makes it even easier to do. With a hot grill already fired up for grilled chicken, fish, or kebabs, I love slicing up whatever fresh vegetables I have in the fridge and tossing them on the grill for a simple mezze-ish platter side.

Even more, grilled vegetables are a healthy vegetarian main when chopped and added to this favorite healthy pasta salad (with avocado!), or added to healthy Mediterranean grain bowls, or made into one of my favorite easy grilled veggie sandwiches slathered with ricotta cheese.

Grilling coaxes out every bit of deep, roasted, sweetness from any plain old veg, softening and flavoring and bringing a lush, smoky char to each deliciously addicting bite.

This grilled vegetable recipe is another that isn’t so much of a recipe but a method to master, and easy to master it is. These grilled vegetables skip the marinade and the skewers, and there’s no need for a grilled vegetable grilling basket either.

Summer eats are meant to be simple, and these grilled vegetables are falling right in line.

continue to the recipe… about The Best Easy Grilled Vegetables

Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw (No Mayo)

This healthy coleslaw with a sweet vinegar coleslaw dressing is a no-mayo alternative to the classic coleslaw version, covering all the potluck salad bases.

Opposites do attract. It’s why anything that’s both sweet and tangy always taste so good. And when you try this healthy, vinegar coleslaw recipe made with apple cider vinegar and sweetened with just a bit of sugar, you’ll believe it with each and every forked bite.

I’m a fan of any crunchy slaw that comes together fast and balances out a meal, and this recipe is right up there with my best creamy coleslaw recipe. But sometimes I’m more in the mood for a lighter zesty bite than a creamy one.

This coleslaw’s tangy dressing lightens bbq sauced slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches and is the crunchy compliment to classic potluck salads like my mom’s recipe for the best potato salad or the classic macaroni salad.

It’s time to round out the bevy of side dish salads and add this one to your bookmarked recipe list.

continue to the recipe… about Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw (No Mayo)

10 Ways to Save More Money at the Grocery Store

These 10 tips show how to save money at the grocery store and stick to a budget. With a little strategic planning and conscientious purchasing, saving money at the grocery store is totally doable.

This post is brought to you by Kroger

It’s the question we ask ourselves every week: How can I spend less money on groceries? Unless you’re independently wealthy or live off-the-grid and farm/hunt/gather for your meals, grocery shopping on a budget is a goal for us all.

Grocery bills are no joke, especially if you’re a food fanatic like me. Organic and gourmet can be pricy, and going shopping rogue without a list, shopping while hungry, and impulse buys only makes matters worse (I’m looking at you $9 wedge of specialty cheese).

In the past, despite my best, budget-abiding intentions, I would too often find myself overspending and over buying groceries that only led to wasted food and wasted money. But I found a better way, and when I shared my tips for 10 ways to waste less and save more at the grocery store, I heard from so many of you that you wanted to hear more ways to be a better shopper.

As a food blogging, semi-professional grocery shopper, I’ve learned a few tricks over the years. From resourceful meal planning to savvy, organized lists and buying in bulk, these are the tried and true tips to help me spend wisely and stay within my budget.continue to the recipe… about 10 Ways to Save More Money at the Grocery Store

Greek Salad with Chicken

Crisp, crunchy, and fresh with tangy Mediterranean flavor, this Greek salad topped with chicken can be meal prepped ahead for weekday lunches or a light and healthy dinner too.

Lunch. It’s the meal that we all have the best of intentions in planning ahead for, and too often, don’t. Our lack of prep leads to over indulging on more expensive than we budgeted for co-worker lunches, or poor choices at the fast food drive-thru (ummm, suuuuure, I’ll take fries with that.) Or worse, we skip the mid-day meal all together leading to a snack attack of epic proportions as we walk through the after work door.

One thing that’s gotten me through the what-to-eat-for-lunch dilemma is prepping a few fave ingredients for a filling and healthy lunch salad (that works for dinner, too) I know will hold in the fridge the whole week through.

This recipe is a riff on the classic Greek salad and is topped with grilled chicken. The typical Greek and Mediterranean flavors of kalamata olives, tangy feta cheese with crunchy cucumbers are ingredients I crave on a daily basis, with two easy to meal-prep recipes I’ve added in.continue to the recipe… about Greek Salad with Chicken

Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Filled with herbs, veggies, and grilled shrimp, these fresh shrimp spring rolls take some patience to assemble, but they’re so flavorful!

One of the things I’ve read in self-help business books, absorbed from my favorite podcasts and basically just learned along the way of life is that the most successful people are the ones who delegate.

Delegation = Getting Shit Done.

Once upon a time I fancied myself a great delegator. I could look at a situation, see the vision of what needed to get done, figure out the most efficient path to achieve it and direct the peeps in my camp to go forth and prosper. But lately, I feel like I’ve lost my knack in finding the track. And it’s left me feeling a little defeated and floundering like a fish out of water.

That said, my husband will still say I’m bossy. I prefer to call it delegating to others by educating them in my view of efficiencies. Okay, I admit it, I’m a nag. So why is it so hard to let others help? To not just do it all yourself? To share those details you’ve learned in the school of hard knocks? Hey, it’s okay to stop being the martyr!

One of the best and worst parts of working as a solopreneur behind the curtain of a 27-inch HD computer screen is exactly that: you work by yourself. You do the drudge work, you own the good with the bad.

But you can also find yourself reverting to that 6-year-old who has to learn how to share—all over again. Because when you share, good things happen.continue to the recipe… about Grilled Shrimp Vietnamese Spring Rolls

No-Mayo Potato Salad with Herbs

Easy to make and lighter to eat, this healthy no-mayo potato salad with fresh herbs and an easy olive oil dressing is the perfect side dish for a crowd.

There are times when a mayo-free potato salad is exactly what’s needed. Like those backyard barbecues where mayonnaise and summer’s heat simply don’t mix. Or a potluck party buffet table for a crowd where you my Mom’s best potato salad ever’s hard boiled eggs aren’t up to the task of languishing at room temperature all day or night long at the party.

And surprisingly, I heard somewhere out there are eaters who just don’t like a mayonnaise dressing on their potato salad. What the what? Shocking, I know…

For each of these situations, this mayo-free potato salad is the winning recipe solution. I discovered the inspiration for it while leafing through my copy of My Smith’s Magazine I receive each month from my local Smith’s Marketplace grocery store. This potato salad is easy to make and feels a bit sophisticated, just like anything with classic French roots will. It’s loaded with fresh nips of herbed bites, Dijon mustard flavored olive oil, and it won’t go bad before the party ends, and even better, gets more flavorful on the second and third day after it’s been in the fridge..

continue to the recipe… about No-Mayo Potato Salad with Herbs

Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad

A fresh and flavorful Mediterranean tomato salad serves as a salsa when it tops juicy grilled pork chops for a 30-minute, quick and easy dinner or BBQ meal.

It’s finally summer, so who wants to spend all day cooking? Not it. Who’s ready for fast and easy? #raisinghand

One of my favorite secrets to easy, flavorful cooking is to take a basic cooking method and dress it up with a fresh and easy recipe topper. Have you tried my Mediterranean grilled balsamic chicken with olive tapenade? Or marinated flank steak with Asian chimichurri sauce? They’re prime examples of easy to create flavor, just like this fast pork chop recipe you’ll soon be making all summer long.

Does this recipe look somewhat familiar? I hope so! Last week I shared my husband’s mastered and always juicy grilled pork chops plus this recipe for a super simple Mediterranean tomato salad. Today I’m sharing how to make two small tweaks and marry the two.

Together they create one healthy and delicious summer dinner that can be prepped ahead or made on the fly, for a dinner that’s ready in 30 minutes.

This summer is shaping up to be the best flavored yet. Let’s go!

continue to the recipe… about Mediterranean Grilled Pork Chops with Tomato Salad

30 Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long

Easy classic pasta salads are the trademark of summer BBQs, picnics, pool parties, and potlucks. This list of 30 pasta salads will keep your picnic table full all summer long.

I’m just going to put this out there now…with all of summer’s shenanigans and goings ons, this is a post you are going to want to bookmark/Pin/save and share for future reference. Break out the red-checked picnic tablecloth, it’s BBQ, picnic, and potluck pasta salad time!

Summer just wouldn’t be the same without a variety of pasta salads making the recipe rotation for summer party donations. Sure, it’s easy to pick up a pint-to-go from the deli counter, but pasta salads like this list of recipes are so much better and healthier than the pre-made glop.

Recently a few friends commented that whenever they think of FoodieCrush, they automatically think of fresh, healthy salads. As a pasta salad lover, I’m totally okay with that. They make the perfect accompaniment to simple summer dinners or meal prep for whole meal lunches all week long.

After taking a look at my salads and sides recipe archives to see if it was true, I realized that hot damn! I do have a lot of pasta salads shared here on the blog. But I’m not the only one. That’s why I’ve composed this list of 30 pasta salad recipe favorites from here on FoodieCrush and from other bloggers too.

So what are you waiting for? Put a stock pot of water on to boil (don’t forget to generously season with salt), and let’s pasta some salad. continue to the recipe… about 30 Pasta Salad Recipes to Make All Summer Long

The Berry Best Four Berry Pie Recipe

This mixed berry pie is made with four kinds of berries and a buttery homemade pie crust. It’s the ultimate summer pie recipe!

If you live in the great state of Utah, you know that today, the 24th of July, carries nearly the same celebratory weight as the king of patriot days, July 4th. It’s the day Utahns celebrate statehood with parades, fireworks and a nod to the pioneers who walked thousands of miles until they stopped in our little valley and declared, “This is the place!”

Happy Pioneer Day! Or as us heathens who prefer to center all holidays around food prefer to call it, Happy Pie & Beer Day!

I’ll take a slice and a swill of both, please.

After posting my round up of 20 Classic Summer Pies to Love, I got the pie bug. I had the homemade pie fever. I had the lust to bake. So I set myself to task. I armed myself with a summertime selection of fresh berries: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

Then I turned to my favorite pie crust recipe, which I have come to realize is nearly as soft, sweet and supple as sugar cookie dough. Cookie as a crust? Not officially, but it strikes a resemblance.

There may have been a little inspiration for the cutaway crust thanks to the cover of this magazine. They used a cookie cutter. I used a big mouth straw, and ate the little roundie cutouts as I went.

A double crust pie loaded with fresh berries is nearly as patriotic as parades, firecrackers, and a side of beer with your pie.

continue to the recipe…

Confetti Cake With Buttercream Frosting

This homemade version of confetti cake has one of the tenderest crumbs I’ve ever tasted, but the buttercream frosting with colorful sprinkles takes it over the top.

Perusing through Shelly Jaronsky’s blog Cookies and Cups is like touring Willy Wonka’s magical Chocolate Factory. It’s full of tantalizing sweets and treats that are a feast for any sugar-lover’s eye—and palate.

It’s especially a goldmine for all of you self-proclaimed cookie monsters out there, with so many cookie recipes your sweet tooth won’t know what hit it.

Shelly knows her desserts and is a woman after our own hearts.

Shelly recently released her first book, The Cookies & Cups Cookbook: 125+ Sweet & Savory Recipes Reminding You to Always Eat Dessert First, and we’re elated to have a copy to pillage when our sugar bug strikes.

Today we’re sharing Shelly’s recipe for Confetti Cake, a recipe that has been made no less than four times by my 12-year-old daughter. It’s already become her signature baked good and once you make it, I’m betting it will become part of your go-to arsenal too.continue to the recipe… about Confetti Cake With Buttercream Frosting

Mediterranean Tomato Salad

This easy, healthy tomato salad is studded with fresh Mediterranean flavors to eat a simple side salad or a topping for chicken, fish, steak or pork. It goes with everything—it’s like the salad version of The Bachelorette.

Through every stage of my calling as a home cook, my love of tomatoes is one thing that’s never wavered. The other could very possibly be my love of anything and everything with a pucker.

Yep. Pickles, capers, olives, and kisses included.

While this Mediterranean-flavored tomato salad is optimal at the height of summer’s tomato season, it’s lightly brined, bright with lemon goodness makes grocery store tomatoes totally acceptable any time of year.

Summer’s simple salads are calling our names. So what are you waiting for?continue to the recipe… about Mediterranean Tomato Salad

The Best Juicy Grilled Pork Chops

Lean grilled pork chops come out juicy and tender every time thanks to a simple sprinkling of pork dry rub for a dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes.

Pork chops have long been known as a working man’s meal. They’re economical, lean and healthy, and cook up quick. They also have a history of coming to the dinner table dry as shoe leather.

But no more! Today is the day to banish that belief because tough, dried out pork chops are about to be expelled from your vocabulary.

My husband has made these simple grilled pork chops so many times he’s figured out the secrets. Whether bone-in or boneless, these pork chops turn out tender, juicy, a little bit smokey, and far from any mode of foot fashion.

Even better, these grilled pork chops don’t need a marinade or a brine, so they go from package to grill to dinner in 30 minutes.

Here’s how to make juicy grilled pork chops every time. continue to the recipe… about The Best Juicy Grilled Pork Chops

How to Make the Best Easy Grilled Corn On the Cob

At our house, sweet corn is a summer staple, and whether we’re serving it just for our little family of three, or adding it to a backyard BBQ for a crowd, making grilled corn on the cob is the fastest and easiest way to do it.

three ears of grilled corn slathered with compound butter

One of the reasons I crave summer is ’tis the season for fresh, sweet corn and surprisingly, my husband’s obsession with the husked and cobbed sphere is even greater than my own.

We grill just about anything and everything we can get our hands on during the summertime, and fresh corn is one of our favorites. While I’ll eat it just about any way — stripped right off the cob and raw, tossed in potluck quinoa salads, or turned into slow cooker creamed corn perfect for every eating occasion, grilled sweet corn on the cob with creamy butter takes the cake.

I love the subtle smokiness and the beautiful char marks grilling imparts on the corn. It’s a delicious way to spruce up fresh salads, tacos and salsas, macaroni and cheese, and it makes an irresistible and easy side to your backyard BBQ.

Some people may be a tad intimidated by grilling corn, but I’m here to tell you that it’s a breeze — especially if you’ve already got the grill fired up and ready for your main. Follow the easy steps below and you’ll soon discover grilled corn bliss.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make the Best Easy Grilled Corn On the Cob

Memorial Day Recipe Ideas: Here’s What I’m Cooking

Celebrate the beginning of summer and Memorial Day weekend with a few favorite recipes made especially delicious when shared with friends and family.

Hello and happy Saturday!

3-day weekends bring on all of the desires of wanderlust, relaxation, and deciding what’s on the menu.

I was on a phone call with a client yesterday. After talking shop I couldn’t wrap things up before asking the most pressing question of our whole conversation: What are you cooking for Memorial Day?

His answer was unexpected of sorts, and a reminder of why we’ve come to celebrate this 3-day weekend with food. “Meat. Lots of meat.” He was joining his wife’s family at his father-in-law’s home where every year for Memorial Day they celebrate the life of her brother who was killed in action. He explained more, “My father-in-law spends days preparing and grilling so much meat for 40-50 people. I don’t know how he does it every year, but it’s important to him that he does.”

Memorial Day is a special holiday where we shouldn’t forget the real reason it was established: to honor our fallen patriots. And like so many traditions, it’s food that brings us together to do so. And so with a very grateful heart and a full stomach, we salute you and the families who’ve loved and lost.

continue to the recipe… about Memorial Day Recipe Ideas: Here’s What I’m Cooking

Sweet and Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers

These tangy and oh-so-simple-to-make sweet and sour Asian pickled cucumbers take only about 5 minutes to make, and are one of our favorite snacks. They’re also so good served as a cooling side or a crunchy, puckery salad all on their own.

I’ve never met a pickle I didn’t like. And when a quick pickle recipe does double duty as a tangy salad or a puckery snack, I look like that little emoji girl with my hand held high 🙋. Actually, my hand is more likely IN the pickle jar instead of being raised even though my mom ALWAYS told me, “USE A FORK!”

When will I ever learn to listen? Asking for my mom, because, you know, she’s still wondering.

This quick pickled cucumber recipe is exactly one of those recipes I will disregard all of my mom’s Emily Post etiquette teachings for. It’s the perfect topping on a sandwich or burger (like my Korean BBQ Burgers), or served alongside my Grilled Chicken Satay, or for simply snagging from the fridge for a little afternoon cure-all snack. Fork, or no fork, it’s totally your choice, but I bet you know how I’ll be digging for them.continue to the recipe… about Sweet and Sour Asian Pickled Cucumbers

20-Minute Berry Jam

Use up your almost over-the-hill berries for the sweetest homemade jam that cooks in just 20 minutes.

Who else finds themselves guilty of the best of healthy intentions and buys too many berries that then start to look like Yoda as they ripen faster than you can eat them? It’s okay, not to worry, there’s a remedy for that: Homemade jam.

The thing is, homemade jam is the perfect remedy for those fresh berries that are at, or have just passed the point, of being perfectly ripe for snacking. Just because they may not be picture perfect is no reason for tossing them out.

The berries may not look the same the day they went into the fridge—with a few more dimples and their skin beginning to look a bit withered—but that’s my signal that their sweetness just leveled up, making them perfectly ready for crunchy sourdough toast and this easy to make, sweet berry jam. continue to the recipe… about 20-Minute Berry Jam

Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

This 5-ingredient pasta salad recipe has all of the flavors of traditional Caesar salad with the addition of kale and sweet roasted cherry tomatoes for an easy and healthy potluck pasta salad.

Most often you’ll hear me professing my love of making and using homemade dressings. I make a lot of them. Why? Because they’re easy and healthy and I know exactly what’s in them.

But sometimes, I need a pasta salad recipe in a hurry, something I can throw together quick. That’s when I turn to my pantry and the impromptu creating begins.

Since nobody-never-ever says no to a quick and simple healthy-ish pasta salad, having this potluck salad recipe with store-bought dressing on hand is my golden unicorn.continue to the recipe… about Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread

This incredibly easy blueberry bread gets an added dose of healthy with the addition of Greek yogurt and oats, making it an even better option than banana bread or blueberry muffins.

This quick bread recipe is a favorite I originally shared back in 2013. Lately I’ve been making it over and over again—it’s that perfect food gift for welcoming the new baby (hello, baby Max!) or saying hello to new neighbors. So while I was at it, I took new photos to share again here.

This oatmeal blueberry bread recipe came about after standing at the kitchen counter one day with a half dozen super ripe bananas, swatting my husband’s headed-to-the-garbage-can-hands in an attempt to quell their discarded fate.

I knew by the super sweet smell and the mooshy touch—not to mention Smudge’s squinched up expression each time she passed them by thanks to their rather unattractive state—that I’d be lucky to squeeze even one more day in before my opportunity to make banana bread would be gone. And just like that, it was.

That’s when blueberries came to my quick bread rescue, for a quick bread worthy of any breakfast, brunch, or treat.continue to the recipe… about Blueberry Oatmeal Quick Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This chocolate chip banana bread is made sans oil and instead uses Greek yogurt to add moisture. This is easily the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever made!

When she speaks, I listen. And when her friends speak, I listen louder.

Yes, I meant to say that. Louder. Because actions are louder than words and when they eat every morsel, every crumb, I know we have a winner.

Smudge is becoming a big help in the kitchen. I find myself stopping in my tracks to watch her flit from counter to cupboard, completely unaware of anything going on around her as she sings softly under her breath to the tune that never seems to end in her head. For good measure she’ll give a twirl, an elegant flick of her wrist then cock her elbow, throw her hand behind her head and rock a pumping sprinkler dance.

And then we return to the never-ending song in her head.

Recently a friend of hers came over for a playdate. What did they want to do? Bake banana bread. Well alright then, let’s do it. And we did. And they ate. And I listened when her friend declared this recipe was, “the best banana bread I’ve ever eaten.”

Umm, yeah. Perhaps because it tastes like a giant slice of banana bread chocolate chip heaven?

Hey, I’m just here to listen.

I’ve experimented with plenty of banana bread recipes, including the recipe I used in 7th grade that called for vegetable oil as the main moistening ingredient, resulting in a greasy crumb that deflated quickly. Using Greek yogurt in this easy banana bread recipe gives ample moisture minus the greasy fingers. This is banana bread, not french fries people.

Of course adding in a few chocolate chips to any recipe can only make the world go ’round a little easier, a little sweeter.

But when I’m in a need for a basic proven recipe I’m often drawn to my go-to 1,028 recipe tomb: The New Best Recipe Cookbook by Cook’s Illustrated. I’ve slightly adapted the recipe by adding a touch more vanilla, subbing pecans for walnuts, and yes, the aforementioned chocolate chips.

What’s in Choc Chip Banana Bread?

The beauty of homemade banana bread is that it uses very few ingredients, but is so incredibly flavorful and moist (yes, I just said moist). This banana bread with yogurt uses the following key ingredients:

All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Baking soda
Salt
Chopped pecans
Bananas
Plain Greek yogurt
Eggs
Unsalted butter
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips

Make sure to buy plain Greek yogurt, preferably whole fat or low-fat (non-fat yogurt is much tangier and the lack of fat will result in a drier loaf). The brand you buy doesn’t matter, just get whatever’s on sale.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

To make this homemade banana bread, you just have to stir together the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the wet in another. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry, then pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.

Bake the chocolate chip banana bread for a good 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. I like to eat this moist banana bread warm with butter, but it’s also delicious at room temp with a glass of milk.

How to Store Banana Bread

Choc chip banana bread will last for a few days on your counter. Make sure to wrap it in foil to prevent it from drying out, though. If desired, you can rewarm slices of banana bread in the microwave or oven.

Can You Freeze Banana Bread?

Homemade banana bread freezes really well and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze the whole loaf, let it come to room temperature before wrapping it in a few layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil (this prevents the bread from developing freezer burn). When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen loaf, set it on your counter in its wrappings to thaw.

You can also slice and freeze the banana bread and keep it in a freezer bag, but I find that it dries out more quickly in the freezer if it’s pre-sliced. But if you think you’ll eat the chocolate chip banana bread quickly enough, it shouldn’t be an issue!

Do I Have to Add the Nuts?

If you have a pecan allergy or don’t have any on hand, feel free to omit them. You can also substitute them with another type of nut if preferred.

Tips for the Best Banana Bread

The bananas you use for this chocolate chip banana bread recipe should be overripe and almost black in color. If your bananas are far from being ripe enough to use in banana bread, poke them all over with a fork and then bake them at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Let the bananas cool completely before adding them to the batter.

I’ll also say that although I love me some warm banana bread, you don’t want to slice into this loaf when it first comes out of the oven. Give the moist banana bread time to firm up and cool down a bit before slicing.

Lastly, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe because I like how the slightly bitter chocolate contrasts with the super sweet bread. But you’re welcome to use any chocolate chips or chunks you have lying around in this banana bread!

More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats.

4 from 5 votes

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This chocolate chip banana bread is made sans oil and instead uses Greek yogurt to add moisture. This is easily the best banana bread recipe I've ever made!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Banana Bread, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Servings 9 people

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup pecans toasted and coarsely chopped
3 bananas very ripe and mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
2 large eggs beaten lightly
6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan and set aside.
Whisk first five ingredients together in large bowl; set aside.
In a medium bowl mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, vanilla and chocolate chips. Gently fold banana mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm with a swath of sweet butter or at room temperature with a cold glass of milk.

Recipe Notes

If you need to ripen your bananas quickly, poke them all over with a fork and then bake them at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned. Let the bananas cool completely before adding them to the batter.
Recipe slightly adapted from The New Best Recipe Cookbook from Cook's Illustrated

More Banana Desserts to Try

Obviously as I was creating this post I was on the hunt for more lovely banana-inspired recipes and I must say, the banana is severely neglected out there unless its in a muffin, pancake or bread variety.

I say, “Raise the banana flag!” Let’s give the banana it’s sweetened day in the sun. Here’s a selection of food bloggers doing just that, and doing it well.

Modesty must be Glory’s thing because according to her Glorious Treats’s Banana Caramel Cream Dessert isn’t groundbreaking. I beg to differ.

Gluten- and dairy-free but full of flavor with a history in family lore and subject that leaves Shauna in stitches, Gluten-Free Girl’s Coconut-Banana Cream Pie is sure to make us smile too.

Cassie makes sure the health nuts aren’t left out with a chia see and whole wheat flour recipe for Bake Your Day’s Vegan Banana Nut Breakfast Cake that’s enough to convert even the non-vegans in some of us

Diana layers her nana-nanas with an extra banana-flavored icing thanks to banana extract in Created by Diane‘s Banana Icing on Banana Walnut Muffins.

Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.

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As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.

Easy Coleslaw Dressing

This easy homemade coleslaw dressing gives the crunchy classic cabbage salad a tangy bite with creamy mayonnaise and cider vinegar’s zing.

Backyard barbecue and summer potlucks wouldn’t be the same without a classic coleslaw salad on the table. It’s the perfect side car to grilled chicken, the best grilled salmon, my very favorite garlic burgers and is a necessity when it comes to pulled pork sandwiches.

I make my best creamy coleslaw recipe with this same homemade dressing, but it can be used for even more than just lushing up cabbage, and that’s why it’s worthy of a recipe post of its own.

I eat coleslaw dressing on basic crunchy iceberg salads with cucumber and tomato, or drizzled on baked potatoes instead of sour cream. And it makes an awesome dip for fresh veggies on a platter or to dip in for a snack.

Some creamy coleslaw dressings use a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise with flavorings that run the gamut of grated onion to worcestershire sauce to mustard and lemon juice.

But why go through all those paces? Let’s keep this dressing simple.continue to the recipe… about Easy Coleslaw Dressing

Asian Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe

Crunchy ramen noodles and cabbage make this easy Asian ramen noodle salad with an addictive dressing an instant picnic and pot luck favorite.

This salad is pretty enough to take a picture of. And pretty enough to share that pic. That’s why today I’ve partnered with Adobe to share a new app they’ve developed for your smart phone that makes it incredibly easy to resize and add text to your smart phone photos, even for the tech challenged.

Because isn’t good food meant to be shared? I’d say so.

That’s why I love sharing recipes that have stood the test of time. The recipes that when you’re stumped as to what to make, you just go to the proven standards that you’ve made over and over and over again..

That is this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad. It’s probably on the all-time top 10 list of the most-favorite, often-requested, go-to-because-it’s-incredibly-easy pot luck and picnic salads. Ever.

Funnily, it’s not a salad I normally make for an average Wednesday night dinner. And I have no idea why not. It’s always just seemed to have that retro, convivial sharing quality. It’s a salad meant to be eaten with a crowded table of friends and family gathered round a bunch of burgers and beers at the BBQ.

But then, what isn’t?

Probably one reason this Asian ramen salad has stood the test of entertaining time is that it is incredibly easy to make and lasts for a beyond average length of time on the card table draped with a tablecloth disguised as an elegant banquet buffet.

Or is that just at my house?

Or maybe it’s so popular because it bears the ying and yang of sweet and savory. It’s the teriyaki chicken of Asian salads. It’s non-threatening, there’s nothing too weird in it, and it’s a salad that nearly every picky eater will try. Even the onions!

For today’s recipe post I wanted to create an image with the ingredients on the photo to share on Instagram and Facebook—and for you to download if you’d like. I made it with Adobe Post and I’m sharing how I did it at the end of this post.

But first, the recipe…

continue to the recipe… about Asian Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe

recipes

Creating This Chicken Gyro Recipe

What’s in Choc Chip Banana Bread?

How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

How to Store Banana Bread

Can You Freeze Banana Bread?

Do I Have to Add the Nuts?

Tips for the Best Banana Bread

More Quick Bread Recipes You’ll Love

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes

More Banana Desserts to Try

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5 Quick and Healthy No-Sweat Simple Meals