If you are looking to round out your Christmas cookie plates, be sure not to miss my Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies, and Perfect Peanut Butter Blossoms. I adore shortbread cookies and look forward to making cranberry shortbread bars and toffee pecan shortbread cookies every year. It’s the perfect canvas for showcasing other flavors in a crumbly, buttery cookie that practically melts in your mouth. And it’s not as sweet as most cookies, which is why it goes so well with the fruity jam baked in the center of each little one- or maybe two-bite cookie....

If you love Nutella, make sure you don’t miss our Nutella Swirl Ice Cream, Double Chocolate Nutella Sandwich Cookies, and our favorite Crepes Recipe (because what are crepes without Nutella?). Nutella Brownies I do a series where I’m exploring some of America’s favorite foods, one state at a time, and right now I’m visiting Illinois! Be sure not to miss any of my American Eats recipes to see what recipes I cover from YOUR state!...

Not only is the flavor combination spot on, but it only takes about 20 minutes. And once they’re cooked, these sausage and peppers go with a huge variety of sides. So fire up that grill, and get ready for a meal the whole family will love to dig into! Sausage and Peppers is a classic Italian-American dish, usually cooked in a skillet. But when summertime rolls around, I love the combo on the grill....

Healthy Chocolate Cake I’ve been searching for a “house cake”—you know, one that becomes the traditional cake we make for birthdays and special occasions. One that we’ll think back on fondly. And also one that’s easy enough to make without much notice because as we all know, sometimes you just need a slice of cake for no good reason! I’m happy to say this cake fills the bill. This cake is made with less sugar than traditional cakes (which is my personal flavor preference) and has some ingredient options so you can decide how “healthy” to make it....

We’re getting back to basics with today’s recipe! Just like a Perfect Homemade Pie Crust or batch of perfect Banana Bread, I firmly believe that every home baker needs this homemade whipped cream recipe in their arsenal! Tubs of frozen whipped topping or tubes of pressurized whipped cream from the store can’t compare to a batch of freshly made sweetened whipped cream. Honestly, they don’t even come close to the incredible flavor and texture of real whipped cream made with just heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract....

How to Cook Quinoa Cooking quinoa on the stove is fast, straightforward, and easy to do even if you only think of it at the last minute. Because the grains turn from an opaque white to more translucent, you can tell visually when it’s done. Handy! And all you need is quinoa and water, then you can add in other ingredients as you like. We alternate quinoa and other grains, like rice and pasta, in our meal rotation and I find that adding some flavors helps my kids enjoy it more than when it’s plain....

Food Budgets Creating and sticking to a food budget is one of those things that we feel like we should do as adults—and a really helpful way to stay on top of monthly expenses. It may not be the most fun thing in the world, but it’s one of the best ways to manage household expenses. I know it can be daunting to know where to start, or how to reevaluate if you’re trying to tighten you budget, so I’ll do my best to walk through a straight forward process to help....

We love family-friendly beverage options that everyone can enjoy. Other reader favorites are our Virgin Piña Coladas, Brazilian Lemonade, and Non-Alcoholic Mint Juleps. If your local coffee shop sells Italian sodas, you’re probably familiar with the concept. The barista mixes them up on the spot with sparkling water and fruity syrups, making a refreshing alternative to caffeinated iced coffees. This Italian soda recipe builds on this foundation, creating a sweet drink that’s delightfully creamy and just a little bit indulgent....

This super simple chicken recipe is one I turn to over and over again. It’s easy to make in a short amount of time, the chicken is always tender and delicious, and it even reheats beautifully. This is a recipe I grew up eating and often make for just myself—but my kids love them, too. Chicken cutlets are thin breaded chicken that is most commonly pan-fried so you get a crispy exterior and tender chicken in the center....

It’s a beautiful, stunning and colorful stir fry with chewy, slippery and fun sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon), tons of veggies and tender beef strips. The secret to the best tasting Japchae is perfectly balanced sweet and savory japchae sauce. You can make the dish as colorful and meaty as you want, or you can go the vegan way. Learn how to make Korea’s most popular dish in your kitchen....

Chicken piccata is one of those recipes that you make thinking “I don’t know if my kids are going to eat this”. Mostly because of the capers on top which have a strong flavor and admittedly look a little suspicious. But my entire family gobbled this up and raved about the pan sauce that we drizzled over the chicken and pasta that we served with our dinner. And I was bummed that we didn’t have any leftovers for the next day....

We keep Easter pretty traditional at our house most years. Ham, some kind of cheesy potatoes, rolls (like my SIL Deborah’s Knotted Orange Sweet Rolls), something green (like Green Beans with Bacon and Pine Nuts or Oven Roasted Asparagus with Garlic, Parmesan, and Lemon), and this Lemon Pineapple Jell-O with Pineapple Whipped Cream Topping. To me having a lemon pineapple Jell-O with Easter dinner seems traditional since this Jell-O was always served with glazed ham when I was growing up....

If you’re a fan of massaman curry, you’ve come to the right place! Together, we are going to make the most delicious curry, and it’s all thanks to this homemade massaman curry paste! When it comes to making mouth watering Thai curries, you need to start with a flavorful base. This means making the curry paste from scratch! And I understand that sometimes store bought is a quick and easy solution....

Meatloaf Hamburger Patties We love meatloaf but even with air fryer meatloaf or instant pot meatloaf sometimes it just takes longer than I have when we need a quick dinner. I grew up on these meatloaf hamburger patties that my mom always used to make. My mom never measured – she just tossed things into the bowl and I was usually the one tasked with mixing it together by hand while she moved on to another element of dinner....

A perfectly cooked, medium-rare oven roasted rack of lamb is mouth-wateringly delicious. The individually carved lamb chops are juicy, rosy and so rich and tender. They present beautifully, either plated individually and served to guests or delivered up family style on a carving board or serving platter at the table. An important thing to remember with lamb is that the flavor of the meat itself is so good that you don’t want to go overboard with the seasonings and herbs....

Looking for more weeknight dinner ideas? Try our crazy popular Homemade Hamburger Helper, Chicken Noodle & Dumpling Soup, or Creamy Apricot Pork Chops next! This is one of those chicken recipes that come together with minimal effort but taste like a lot of work went into it. It’s mostly just blending up a simple sauce, tossing it with chicken pieces in a baking dish, and baking until done! There is very little prep or clean-up required....

This beautiful and fragrant rice is a showstopper side dish that will make any meal more special. It’s perfect for company meals and special occasions. Just a few minutes of your time and a handful of ingredients is all it takes… Rice is my favorite base for a side dish. Some of the most popular rice dishes on GypsyPlate are our Arroz con Gandules and Cajun Dirty Rice. This saffron rice is the simplest and easiest to make, but has such beautiful flavors that it might be the best yet....

Black Bean Sheet Pan Quesadillas We’ve been on a real quesadilla kick lately, in part because they’re so easy and also because everyone in my family loves them. And while I can’t go too far afield with what I put inside, I seem to have good reception as long as there’s enough cheese in the mix. These black bean quesadillas have a little pumpkin puree tucked inside for flavor and nutrients....

Healthy Kids Kids put everything into their mouths, including their hands, which can make it seem impossible to keep them from getting all of the germs everywhere that you go. And while it’s for sure a logistical challenge, having a plan in place for when you’re out in public traveling, playing at the library, going to daycare, and more can reassure you that you’re at least trying to keep them clean....

Healthy, hearty salads are where it’s at throughout spring and summer! We love tucking into this Peach Panzanella Salad when the peaches are in season, and our Watermelon Basil Feta Salad is the most refreshing side dish for grilling! When I make a salad, it has to tick a few boxes. It must be 1. Full of goodness, (i.e. fresh, tasty ingredients), 2. Full of flavor (no dressing? no way!...