We’re kicking off summer with some delicious strawberry-kiwi lemonade. Making homemade lemonade is a cinch, and it is just so much better than anything you can buy. The same principle works for any kind of fruit lemonade you can think up. Raspberry lemonade? Just replace the strawberries and kiwis with raspberries. It’s awesome. You just need your base simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar), another equal part lemon juice, and then fruit and water....

Beet Salad with goat cheese is a classic! The best beet salads are very simple and only require a few ingredients. The flavor of beets pairs really well with the sharp, distinct flavors of goat cheese. A simple balsamic vinaigrette adds some tang, without overpowering the flavor of the beets. You can use mixed salad greens or baby spinach. There are several different options for cooking your beets for this recipe....

“So I was making whipped cream…” I already knew where he was going with it. He couldn’t get it to whip. Since there are a few common mistakes I went ahead and started my line of questioning. What kind of cream did you try to whip? What did it say on the label? Heavy Cream is your best bet for whipping. It whips easier and holds its whipped form better....

Chopped Macadamia Nuts: You can either buy macadamia nuts pre-chopped, or you can chop them yourself. We prefer a quick rough chop so that there are plenty of large chunks in the cookies. Should I Toast Macadamia Nuts? You don’t have to. But, toasting the nuts before adding them to your white chocolate macadamia nut cookies recipe will bring out more of their nutty and warm flavor! It’s an extra step, of course, but if you have a few minutes to spare you may want to try it!...

We eat a lot of homemade chicken nuggets in our house. The kids love them. The adults love them. Everyone is happy. In our house, we love a little heat, so I decided to do a fun variation on my standard chicken nugget and do a hot sauce version. We love it! Seriously, even the kids. These can also be frozen unbaked and popped in the oven on a busy night....

What if you could combine all the flavors of jalapeño poppers into a fun new easy to eat appetizer with a little barbecue zing? That was the question on my mind when I went about creating this recipe. This recipe has been a huge success among all my taste testers. In fact, my husband’s co-workers have been patiently waiting with anticipation for this recipe since they were the recipients of many of my test rounds....

Moo Shu Pork is not an authentic Chinese recipe, but rather a typical American version of Chinese-American takeout restaurants. The Stay At Home Chef uses ingredients that are easily accessible for most people in the United States and Canada so that anyone can easily celebrate world cuisines even if their opportunities for travel or access to regional ingredients are limited. Meat Options in Moo Shu Pork: We know that not everyone eats pork, whether for dietary or religious reasons....

Is funnel cake mix and pancake mix the same thing? Funnel cake involves a very basic batter recipe. While this particular recipe doesn’t make the best pancakes, you CAN use pancake mix to make funnel cake batter. Can you put funnel cake batter in the fridge? Yes! Funnel cake batter will stay good in the fridge for about 24 hours so you can make funnel cakes when you are ready. It will start to discolor towards the end of that time frame....

Cranberries: Fresh cranberries are commonly sold in the grocery store in 12 ounce packages. They are most often found in the fall right after the cranberry harvest. When working with fresh cranberries, rinse them under cold water. Run your fingers through the cranberries and pick out any that are soft or mushy. Rinse the cranberries again and proceed to use them in your recipe. If you would like to use frozen cranberries, you will need to thaw them completely before using....

Sour Cream Substitution: For a healthier twist on this grape salad, feel free to replace the sour cream with plain greek yogurt. Sugar Substitution: If you prefer to not add granulated sugar to this salad and would rather use a more natural sweetener, go ahead and replace the sugar with honey. Do I have to add coconut to creamy grape salad? You certainly do not have to add coconut. It is totally optional in this dish, so if you are not a coconut fan, simply omit from the recipe....

Lemon Ricotta pancakes may seem like a fancy recipe, but they are super simple to make. Ricotta adds a light and fluffy texture to the pancakes. The lemon juice and lemon zest give a lovely, but subtle lemon flavor. We recommend serving these with either traditional maple syrup, buttermilk syrup, or blueberry syrup. Can I add blueberries to lemon ricotta pancakes? Yes, you can easily add blueberries to this recipe!...

Zucchini: You’ll need about 2 cups of grated zucchini for this recipe, which you’ll be able to get from about 2 store-bought squash. If you have some of those giant varieties that come from the garden you can feel free to use that too. Just make sure to remove the skin and seeds first. Do You Peel Zucchini Before Shredding? You don’t have to unless you use those big garden varieties as mentioned....

Do mashed potatoes even need an introduction? We all know and love mashed potatoes. They are the one side dish that everyone can agree on. Kids love them, adults love them, they are comforting and warm and buttery and…sorry, don’t mind the salivating over here. We are obviously huge fans, and there’s no need to just save this recipe for the holidays. We make it all year long! Herbed garlic mashed potatoes are fantastic in more than just flavor....

What Apples should I use for Homemade Apple Butter? Practically any variety of apple should work well to make apple butter. If possible, we recommend sticking to softer apples to help them cook down better. Some of our favorite softer variety of apples are: FujiJonagoldMcIntoshGolden Delicious Use a blend of apple varieties for the best flavor. Smooth vs. Chunky: You can determine how smooth or chunky you want your apple butter by how long you puree or blend....

Thawing Tips: To guarantee the juiciest turkey ever, you want to make sure that your turkey is completely thawed first. The USDA recommends thawing turkey in the fridge. Now, here’s where a bit of prep work needs to come in. Allow at least 1 day of thawing for every 4-5 pounds of turkey. To give you some perspective, that means that a 16-pound bird will take at least 4 days to thaw....

Garlic: Nothing beats freshly minced garlic, but you can always substitute with 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or granulated garlic. Cheese Options: If you cannot find queso fresco, you can substitute with mild feta cheese, queso blanco, or even paneer! Spice Level in Most Amazing Bean Dip: We love when our dip has just enough heat to add to the flavor, without burning anyone out. Canned green chile peppers can have a medium heat, but it should not be overpowering in this dish by itself....

Storage Instructions: Why do I have to cool the cheesecake in the oven for so long? In order to create the perfect texture and smooth top, you will want to allow the full baking and cooling times in the oven, without opening the door. By cooling the cheesecake in the oven, without opening the door, the cheesecake continues to bake and then cools in a controlled environment. If you skip this step, you can “shock” the cheesecake and it could crack....

Steak Options: The best cuts of steak for this recipe are sirloin steak, ribeye, New York, and tenderloin. Most importantly, you want your steak to be uniformly cut into bite-sized pieces for quick and even cooking. Gnocchi: Gnocchi is a potato dumpling — a traditional style of Italian pasta. You should be able to find it in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store. Serving Suggestions for Steak Bites and Gnocchi: Keep this meal simple with a salad on the side or your favorite roasted veggie, or both!...

What Kind Of Bread Should I Use For French Toast? You can use any kind of sliced bread to make this recipe for the best French toast ever. Opt to use French bread or other bakery-style bread, or even simple sandwich bread. But (as mentioned) if you want to make this recipe truly stand out, we recommend that you use homemade challah, Texas toast, or brioche. Can I Use Egg Whites Instead?...

Best Chicken Parmesan Ingredient Notes Chicken Options: We like to use skinless and boneless chicken breasts for our parmesan chicken recipe. You’ll want to be sure to use thin chicken breasts. If the chicken you purchase isn’t thin enough (which is so often the case these days), you can use a mallet to pound out your chicken to an even thickness that’s on the thinner side. Breadcrumb Options: A vital part of this recipe for comfort food perfection is the bread coating....