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Lemon Blueberry Scones

August 8, 2021 by Sara 3 Comments

Lemon Blueberry Scones with a delicious lemon glaze, fresh lemon zest, and plump juicy blueberries in every bite.

We love to eat these delicious, easy scones for breakfast or dessert, along with our other favorite scone recipe, Apple Cinnamon Scones.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

This delicious, quick and easy scone recipe can be made by beginners. This recipe includes lemon zest AND lemon juice in the dough. These scones are also on the lighter side; there is no heavy cream in this recipe. I instead opted for a combination of greek yogurt and lemon juice to activate the baking soda and baking powder and they definitely exceeded my mild but indulgent dreams.

Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Scones

Most of the ingredients for these easy scones are already in the average pantry! This recipe can be made using fresh or frozen blueberries.

Flour - all-purpose
Sugar - white granulated
salted butter- frozen or cold cold cold
plain greek yogurt
large egg
vanilla extract
blueberries - fresh or frozen & thawed
lemon juice/zest
powdered sugar - for the drizzle
baking powder & baking soda
a little salt

How to make Lemon Blueberry Scones:

It is so easy to make these scones! I've broken it down into the simplest of steps, the full printable recipe is below. There is no special equipment like a stand mixer needed for this recipe.

Combine wet ingredients: in a small bowl, combine the greek yogurt, lemon juice & zest, egg, vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients: in a separate bowl, combine the flour, white granulated sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Grate in the cold butter. I prefer to freeze it overnight first for maximum flakiness! Refrigerated will work just fine if unable to freeze it first.
Mix together: Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and add blueberries and mix until there are no flour pockets left.

Shape & Bake: On a lined baking sheet, shape the dough into a flat disc. Cut into 8 slices and separate on the baking sheet, and bake!
Make Glaze: Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the scones and garnish with more lemon zest.

Can you freeze scones?

Yes, if done correctly to maintain freshness. Scones have a shelf life of 2-3 days, but can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To freeze scones, make sure they are completely cooled, then place in an airtight container or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze.

Scones are an easy treat to bake on weekends, at college, or just for fun. Bake and share the scones, and don't forget to share on your favorite social channel. Happy baking!

More delicious berry recipes to try:

There are so many easy recipes that use berries! Here are a few of my favorites.

📝 Printable Recipe

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Creamy Orzo with Roasted Asparagus

July 19, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

A creamy Orzo Pasta Recipe with garlic roasted asparagus and tomatoes, loads of parmesan, a divine amount of butter, and Boursin cheese.

Is there anything better than cheese and pasta?! Nay. Nay I say. Unless you're in the mood for MORE carbs, then by all means pair it with the most perfect Soft Fluffy French Bread.

Creamy Orzo Pasta

Orzo pasta recipes are an obsession. This is an easy to customize creamy orzo that you'll swoon over! I make it with creamy soft boursin cheese to make it extra delicious. And did I already mention the PARMESAN?? It's simply lovely. This recipe feeds 4-5, but can easily be doubled or halved to fit your needs. I double it for myself, no judgies.

What is orzo?

Orzo is a type of pasta, shaped just like long grain rice. It is a little larger when boiled, and has a very mild flavor just like other plain pasta noodles.

Is Orzo the same as risotto?

No, Orzo and Risotto are not the same thing. Risotto is a creamy italian dish made with a certain type of rice (Arborio) and rich broth. Orzo is simply a type of pasta that is shaped like long grain rice. Orzo can however be used as a substitute for arborio rice in a risotto recipe.

Ingredients needed for orzo pasta recipe

Here's the grocery list for this orzo recipe, it's not a long list, especially if you already have several of the ingredients on hand. Printable recipe below as always.

Orzo - can be found in most stores with the pastas.
Vegetable or Chicken Broth - can use water in place of broth.
Asparagus
Tomatoes - grape tomatoes or small heirloom tomatoes are perfect for roasting in this recipe.
Boursin Cheese - Garlic and Fine Herb flavored soft gournay cheese.
Fresh basil
Milk - for the sauce
Garlic - fresh minced
SO MUCH Parmesan - fresh grated. I PLEAD with you to get fresh, don't use the preserved bottled variety.
Butter
Olive oil, Salt & Pepper

How to cook Orzo:

Cooking orzo is just like cooking other types of pasta. It's so easy! Here are the basic instructions of how to cook orzo along with the rest of the recipe.

Preheat oven & heat broth in a medium/large pot until simmering.
Roast the asparagus and tomatoes in garlic & olive oil while the broth heats.
Add Orzo pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 7-9 minutes, until al dente.
Remove from heat, stir in Boursin (gournay cheese), milk, parmesan cheese, and butter. Salt and pepper as desired.
Top with roasted asparagus and tomatoes, add a liberal amount of fresh basil and even MORE parmesan, don't be stingy.

What to serve with orzo pasta

There are a variety of side dishes that go with orzo, here are a few I love. There are some delicious greens as well as more carbs because well, it's me.

More Easy and Delicious Pasta Recipes

Here are a few more unique pasta recipes for you to try. These are some of our favorites!

📝 Printable Recipe

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Neapolitan Cookies

July 8, 2021 by Sara 3 Comments

Neapolitan cookies are chewy and soft, flavored with delicious strawberry, rich chocolate, and buttery vanilla. They're beautiful cookies perfect for birthdays, showers, and potluck parties!

I love a good Chocolate Pudding Mix Cookie or classic Vanilla Pudding Mix Cookie. This neapolitan cookie recipe adds in strawberry flavor and its lovely.

Baked neapolitan cookies on a metal pan.

This neapolitan sugar cookie situation is the best of not just one but THREE wonderful worlds. There is nary a more classic combination than chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. Neapolitan cookies look so amazing and are actually pretty quick and easy to make! Several different flavorings and methods were tested to get this recipe just right.

They are made from one base dough divided into three different flavors, then combined into one delicious cookie. The dough is beautiful and looks like perfect little scoops of neapolitan ice cream!

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What To Expect

Ease: This recipe is one step up from beginner, you definitely need to pay attention to the measurements and directions. It gets quicker and easier every time with practice!
Taste: You can taste the chocolate, vanilla, AND strawberry in these cookies. Delicious!
Time: It takes 25-45 minutes to make and bake these cookies depending on how quickly you divide and scoop the dough. The more practice you have the faster they go.

🛒 Ingredients

Butter - sweet cream, salted, room temperature. Not melted!
Sugar - both light brown and white granulated are used.
Cocoa Powder - I usually use Hershey's Cocoa Powder or the generic store brand.
Almond extract - adds extra flavor to the vanilla cookie dough.
Strawberry Jello mix - not sugar-free, just regular strawberry jello mix. This is the flavoring for the pink dough, and worked the best out of all the flavoring methods tested. See substitutions below if you want to use an alternative.
Egg - large
All purpose flour - measured correctly and not packed.
Baking Soda

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

Strawberry Jello Powder - this is not readily available to everyone outside the USA. Powdered freeze-dried strawberries will also work, the flavor won't be quite as strong though! Strawberry bisquick powder was also tested, but was not found to be a good alternative.
You can leave out the almond extract and add more vanilla extract. The almond adds a nice subtle flavor that's delicious.
Unsalted butter can be used, but salted definitely tastes best!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in metal mixing bowl and creamed butter with egg, vanilla, and salt in bowl.

Step 1. (above) In a mixing bowl combine room temperature butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix with electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium/high speed about 3 minutes, until light and creamy, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Step 2. (above) Add egg, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until well combined and fluffy.

Creamed butter and sugar with flour in metal bowl, and flour and almond extract in metal bowl.

Step 3. (above) Add baking soda and flour last,½ cup at a time, mixing slowly until well combined. It will be soft and sticky, not crumbly at all. Divide the neapolitan cookie dough into three equal portions, as even as you can if you don't have a scale, or the doughs may be crumbly or sticky once the flavors are added in.

TIP: To separate the dough into 3 equal portions, make sure you use a kitchen scale! Otherwise, the ratios may be off and some of the dough may be too dry or too wet.

Step 4.(above) For the vanilla dough, place the first section of cookie dough in the original mixing bowl (no need to wash it first, it just had normal dough in it.) Add the almond extract and 3-4 Tablespoons of flour. Mix until well combined. Remove from bowl, wrap in plastic wrap/cover and set aside.

Strawberry Jello powder in mixing bowl with raw dough and cocoa powder in mixing bowl with raw dough.

Step 5.(above) For the strawberry cookie dough, place the second portion of dough in original mixing bowl (no need clean between doughs as long as you scrape it well with a rubber spatula) with the strawberry jello powder and 3 Tablespoons of flour. Mix well for 1-2 minutes, until it's no longer crumbly. In the beginning it has a sandy crumbly texture, keep mixing! Remove the dough from bowl and cover/wrap in plastic and set aside.

Step 6.(above) Place the last portion of dough into the bowl (no need to wash the bowl as long as you scrape all of the strawberry dough out first), and add cocoa powder. Mix well for 1-2 minutes until it's soft and no longer crumbly.

Remove, cover, and preheat oven to 350 Fº.

Pink strawberry dough, vanilla dough, and chocolate cookie dough in 3 glass bowls with hand holding three pieces of each dough.

Step 7.(above) Separate the strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavored doughs out into 3 separate bowls.

Step 8.(above)Take a small piece of dough (about 1.5 teaspoons) of each flavor and roll into small rolls, a little larger than the size of a tootsie roll. Press together lengthwise.

3 kinds of dough in metal cookie scoop, and hand holding ball of cookie dough showing pink, vanilla, and chocolate.

Step 9.(above) place into a cookie scoop (this is a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop) to make a round ball or roll with hands into a ball. It's okay if you can't see a color, that just means it will be at the top of the cookie once out of the scoop like in image 10.

Step 10.(above) Repeat the process until all dough is used, about 20 cookies.

Raw neapolitan cookie dough balls on metal baking sheet.

When all of the dough is used, place cookie dough balls onto prepared baking sheets and bake at 350 Fº.

📌 Top Tips For Success

Mix the strawberry dough thoroughly, 1-2 minutes. Otherwise it will seem crumbly and sandy.
Make the three flavors of cookie dough in the order instructed in the recipe. Vanilla, then strawberry, then chocolate. You can make them in the same bowl without cleaning in between flavors if you make them in that order. Hooray for less dishes!!
For the beautiful stripes, make sure to roll the cookie dough into little logs about the size of tootsie roll candies, line them up side by side, and then either roll into a ball with your hands or press into a cookie scoop and scoop onto a baking sheet.
Don't overbake! These cookies need 8-10 minutes in the oven, tops.
Use real vanilla extract, and regular strawberry gelatin powder. I have not tested this recipe using sugar free powder, the measurements would not be the same and the taste might be different.

Neapolitan cookie baked with half of strawberry on marble.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What are Neapolitan Cookies Made Of?

Butter, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, eggs, a leavening agent like baking soda, and flavorings: cocoa powder, almond extract, and strawberry jello powder.

Can I substitute the Strawberry Jello Powder?

When testing this recipe, various flavoring methods for the strawberry-flavored cookie dough were used.
Freeze-dried strawberries, Nesquick Strawberry milk powder, and strawberry jam all worked but not as well as Strawberry Jello powder. It gave the dough the color, texture, and most importantly, the FLAVOR needed.
That being said, if using a substitution, using freeze dried strawberries blended to a powder would be the best substitution.

How long do Neapolitan Cookies last?

Room Temperature: 5 days in an airtight container.
Frozen: Up to 3 months baked.
You can also freeze the raw cookie dough balls and bake them frozen at 350 ℉ for 12-14 minutes.

What three flavors are in Neapolitan?

Usually chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, but different flavors can replace one of the original three like almond, matcha, coconut, etc. if you like to get creative!

These are some of the best cookie recipes of ALL TIME. Some of them are unique cookie recipes, some are old favorites!

Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card, I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

June 28, 2021 by Sara 8 Comments

These are high protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats with Greek yogurt, protein powder, and peanut butter powder and are made in TEN minutes!

These are the BEST chocolate peanut butter protein overnight oats and I love them because they're creamy, easy to make, and COOL which is especially nice during the hot summer months. Similar to Brownie Batter Overnight Oats, you won't be able to get enough of them!

Glass bowl of chocolate peanut butter overnight oats with bananas, walnuts, chocolate chips, and peanut butter drizzled on top.

Has there ever been a more beautiful combination than chocolate and peanut butter?? Nay, nay I say. Add in chocolate chips, a drizzle of peanut butter, and maybe some bananas and you're in peanut butter cup oatmeal heaven. They're my favorite no cook, no bake method of making oatmeal, especially in hot weather!

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⭐️ Why This Oats Recipe is the BEST

It's healthy - packed with high protein ingredients like greek yogurt, peanut butter powder (such as PB2), chocolate protein powder, and oats.
It's chocolate for breakfast! Healthy breakfast recipes with chocolate are life.
Easy to make ahead- it only takes TEN minutes to whip up a big batch for the week, making it an awesome meal prep oatmeal recipe in jars or meal prep oatmeal containers.
Doubles as a healthy chocolate dessert OR breakfast.
Uses peanut butter powder, which is lower in fat, sugar, and calories than regular peanut butter, and packs in flavor and protein!

🛒 Key Ingredients

Oats, milk, yogurt, vanilla, protein powder, cocoa powder, peanut butter powder in glass bowls on wood cutting board.

Greek Yogurt - plain unflavored is best because it can be used for any flavor of overnight oats, including Easy Vanilla Overnight Oats. Adds a nice protein boost and makes them super creamy!
Oats - Old-fashioned regular oats (rolled oats) are best. Instant oats could be used in a pinch, but are more processed and can become gummy in texture.
Peanut Butter Powder - a brand like PB2 or PBFit, or a generic store brand.
Agave Nectar - a natural sweetener more mild in flavor than honey or maple syrup and won't change the flavor of the oats.
Milk - adds needed liquid that soaks into the oats and helps to make them creamy.
Cocoa Powder - adds the lovely dark chocolate flavor.
Chocolate Protein Powder - use your favorite variety. Can be whey or plant-based, and it adds flavor and protein. Here's a decently priced chocolate protein powder I've used in the past.
Optional toppings: bananas, peanut butter, chocolate chips, nuts of choice, dried fruit, etc.

✏️ Substitutions

Agave Nectar is used in this recipe but can easily be replaced by honey or real maple syrup. Stevia drops could also be used but may taste different.
Greek Yogurt can be replaced by regular unflavored yogurt or vegan yogurt.
Milk of choice can be used, either dairy or plant based to make it vegan.
Chocolate protein powder can be replaced with vanilla if you don't have chocolate, but it will taste a little different.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Here's instructions for how to make yummy chocolate peanut butter banana overnight oats. It's pretty similar to making Chocolate Overnight Oats and just as easy.

Pouring peanut butter powder into bowl of chocolate peanut butter overnight oat ingredients.

Step 1 - Add the oats, greek yogurt, cocoa powder, chocolate protein powder, and peanut butter powder to a bowl or jar. Mix well.

Pouring milk into glass bowl of chocolate peanut butter overnight oat inredients.

Step 2 - Add in the vanilla, agave nectar, and milk and mix until smoother and creamy. The cocoa powder may take a bit of mixing to combine all the way. They will still be runny.

Two glass bowls of choc peanut butter overnight oats with spoon on marble countertop.

Step 3 - Cover with a lid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. They will thicken up by the next day and be the texture of pudding.

You can top the chocolate peanut butter oats with bananas sliced, chia seeds sprinkled on top, walnuts or pecans, or even chocolate chips melted on top for a chocolate ganache. YUM.

📌 Top Tips

Make sure to stir in the dry ingredients with the Greek yogurt first. The cocoa powder clings to the yogurt and mixes more easily with it than with the milk.
Drizzle with peanut butter or melted chocolate for an indulgent treat!
Stir the overnight oats before putting them in the fridge, don't leave them unmixed in layers. Otherwise, the flavors will be off and the milk will soak into the oats, they won't be as creamy.

❄️ Storage

Refrigerate: You can store peanut butter and chocolate overnight oats for about 5 days as long as the dairy is fresh.

Freeze: You can freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, then thaw and give it a good stir before eating. Avoid refreezing for best results.

Wooden handled spoon holding up bananas in chocolate overnight oats with peanut butter on top.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are a cold oatmeal or porridge, like muesli with a texture similar to rice pudding or even tapioca pudding.
It's made by mixing regular old fashioned oats with liquid and a few other ingredients and letting them rest overnight (or at least a few hours).

What makes overnight oats so great?

Healthy and hearty - they are very nutrient dense, and help you feel full for longer. You can add chia seeds, ground flax meal, wheat bran, or hemp hearts for extra omegas and complex carbohydrates. Add protein powder or collagen for an added nutritional boost!
Easy to meal prep - overnight oats are SO EASY to make in bulk and make ahead! They are the perfect on the go breakfast. They take ten minutes to prepare.
Easily customizable - you can substitute many ingredients to fit your dietary and allergy needs. You can also reduce sweetener as needed.

Are overnight oats still healthy?

Overnight oats are considered healthy for a few reasons. Oats are a complex carbohydrate and are packed with nutrients like fiber and also contain protein. Other added ingredients to overnight oats are things like yogurt, milk, nuts, etc. which also contain protein and healthy fats.

What happens if you leave overnight oats for two nights?

They soak up more liquid the longer they refrigerate, so the oats become softer. They may have a more creamy texture if left for more than one night.

Can you warm up overnight oats?

Yes! Once left overnight, you can heat them in the microwave. They don't need to cook for a long time since the oats are softened from resting overnight, so reheating for a minute or so should be fine.

🥣 More Healthy Breakfast and Snack Recipes

Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card, I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers.

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Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats

June 7, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats are chewy, crunchy, and filled with cookie butter and biscoff cookie bits.

Marshmallow treats and anything cookie butter are at the TOP of my must have list for the holidays. Quick, easy, and SO GOOD, along with Biscoff Filled Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Did I mention I love cookie buttter??

Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats

This is the best rice krispie treats recipe with a few extra ingredients to make them chewy and unforgettable. If you like cookie butter (I'm obsessed), you're going to make these again and again. Chewy rice krispie treats are so quick and easy to make, they're fantastic for parties, they disappear quickly and kids love 'em!

Rice Krispies Ingredients

Cookie butter rice krispie treats include:

Butter, salted. Always.
Marshmallows (reserve 1 cup to stir in at the end!!)
Vanilla extract - this lifts these krispie treats to the next level!
Biscoff cookie butter
Biscoff cookies, for a little extra crunch and flavor.
Puffed rice cereal (of course)

How to make rice krispie treats:

Start by lining a 9"x9" pan with tin foil and spraying with baking spray.

Next, melt the butter over low/medium heat. Then add the marshmallows and stir constantly until juuust melted. Low and slow is best, cooking the marshmallows at too high a heat for too long will result in hard krispie treats.

Remove from heat immediately and stir in the vanilla.

Add in the puffed rice cereal, biscoff cookie crumbles, and cup of reserved marshmallows. Saving a few marshmallows for the end makes for little gooey marshmallow pockets in the rice krispie treats and it's amazing.

Mix until well combined, and add the cookie butter last. Mix it in gently so that there are pockets of it throughout the rice krispie mixture.

Lastly, press the mixture into the prepared 9"x9" pan. Sprinkle with a few extra biscoff cookie crumbles and let cool before slicing and serving.

And there you go! SO EASY.

How to freeze rice krispie treats:

Once the rice krispies are completely cool, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. When you're ready to eat them, make sure to thaw them at room temperature for 3-4 hours, don't put them in the oven or microwave or they will melt.

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📝 Printable Recipe

slice of cookie butter rice krispie treat on wood plate

Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Sara Smith

Cookie Butter rice Krispie Treats are gooey, crunchy, and filled with cookie butter and biscoff cookie bits.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 180 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 6 Tablespoons salted butter
▢ 10 oz. miniature marshmallows (reserve 1 cup to stir in at the end)
▢ 1 teaspoon vanillla extract
▢ 5 cups puffed rice cereal
▢ 6 Biscoff cookies crumbled into small pieces
▢ ½ cup Biscoff cookie butter

Instructions

Line a 9"x9" inch baking pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray, set aside.
Melt butter in large pot over low/medium heat, until smooth and just melted.
Stir in marshmallows (reserve one cup to mix in at the end), stirring constantly until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat immediately and stir in the vanilla extract.
Stir in the puffed rice cereal, biscoff cookies, and 1 cup reserved marshmallows. Last add the ½ cup of cookie butter and stir in gently so that there are pockets of it throughout the mixture.
Press into 9"x9" inch pan gently with a greased rubber spatula. Sprinkle the top with extra cookie crumbs and let cool. Remove from pan, slice, and serve.

Notes

After completely cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 72mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 134IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg

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Pesto Rosso Sauce

June 2, 2021 by Sara 1 Comment

Red Pesto Sauce or pesto rosso is made with sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, basil, and a delicious amount of parmesan.

Sun dried tomato pesto is full of bright flavors and pairs wonderfully over pasta with a few fluffy cheddar garlic drop biscuits. It has lemon in it but is different from Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta, another favorite italian dish of ours. IT'S PURE MAGIC.

Blended red pesto in white bowl on marble countertop.

Red pesto or pesto rosso is made with very similar ingredients to pesto alla genovese (green pesto), the version I grew up familiar with. Disclaimer: I am not italian, but I do love italian food. This is not a strictly traditional recipe. Some varieties also include roasted red peppers or pepper flakes for extra smokiness and spice.

You can make this red pesto the traditional way in a mortar with pestle, or in a blender or food processor like I prefer to do.

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Why You'll LOVE This Recipe

Easy - red pesto pasta sauce is so simple to make! It takes less than 10 minutes, less time than it takes to cook the pasta.
No cooking required - just blending!
You can use it for EVERYTHING. Pasta, bruschetta, in a pesto cheese ball, over scrambled eggs or on avocado toast, on grilled cheese, etc. This is a breakfast, lunch or dinner sauce!
It's a 15-minute dinner recipe, just like my pumpkin pasta sauce.
This recipe makes a decent amount, so I like to use some and freeze some to use later! It's a great freezer friendly pesto recipe.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for red pesto sauce in glass bowls on marble countertop.

Many elements of the traditional ingredients of a traditional basil pesto are in this recipe, just different quantities. With a sun dried tomato pesto, tomatoes are the star of the show.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes - instead of basil as the man flavor driver, tomatoes are! Make sure to get the ones in olive oil, brands with added spices are fine and delicious. Don't drain them, keep the flavored olive oil inside the jar for the pesto!
Pine Nuts - pin e nuts are a traditional pesto ingredient, and are so yummy. Grocery stores usually have them in the baking isle or nuts and seeds section.
Tomato Paste - a quality tomato paste helps to lift the flavor and intensify it. I like to get Italian tomato paste, it tastes amazing!
Olive Oil - a pillar in a good pesto sauce. Quality extra virgin olive oil is essential.
Garlic - fresh minced is best, I like to buy it in bulk, blend it, and freeze it in cubes to use for cooking.
Basil - fresh fresh fresh! We don't use a lot, just enough to give the pesto flavor.
Lemon - adds needed acidity and brightness, also helps to thin out the pesto rosso. You can add more or less depending on tastes.
Pine nuts - this is a commonly used pesto ingredient for flavor and texture.

✏️ Substitutions

Pine Nuts - slivered almonds or cashews would also work in this recipe. Walnuts are also a common nut used in pesto, but I feel the flavor is too heavy for this recipe.
Parmesan Cheese - can be switched with pecorino romano or a reduced amount of nutritional yeast (not active dry yeast) for a vegan pesto option. I have not tested this substitution, and cannot give an accurate replacement measurement.

🆒 Variations

Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of spice!
Different mild flavored nuts such as almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts can give a slightly different flavor profile.
Roast a red pepper and blend in for a roasted red pepper pesto variation!

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Ingredients for red pesto sauce in bowl of food processor.

Step 1. In a blender or food processor, combine the sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, minced garlic, pine nuts, grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, basil leaves, olive oil, and salt.

Blended red pesto in bowl of food processor.

Step 2. Blend for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is pretty smooth and a deep red color. If it is light orange and there are basil bits visible, keep blending until the mixture darkens. Then serve! Serving suggestions are in the Frequently Asked Question section below.

📌 Top Tips

Adjust recipe to your tastes. Prefer it more tart? Add a little lemon juice. Prefer it thinner? Add a few Tablespoons of olive oil. This recipe is very forgiving and easy to adjust!
Use fresh ingredients - except the sun dried tomatoes! Fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, and pine nuts are a must for a quality, authentic red pesto sauce.

Red pesto sauce with parmesan cheese on pasta in white bowl.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What is Red Pesto made of?

This recipe features sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, pine nuts, olive oil, lemons, basil, parmesan cheese, garlic, and sea salt.

What's the difference between Pesto and Pesto Rosso?

Red pesto (pesto rosso) uses sun dried tomatoes (fresh tomatoes are used more in pesto alla trapanese - sicilian pesto, with almonds instead of pine nuts), while green pesto mainly uses a large amount of fresh basil for the bulk of its volume. They both contain garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, and basil. Several varieties use walnuts, almonds, or cashews in place of pine nuts.

What do you do with Pesto Rosso?

Pasta! Cook your favorite variety according to package directions and serve it up with red pesto and freshly grated parmigiano romano or burrata cheese.
Veggies: Serve over roasted asparagus and orzo, roasted zucchini, eggplant, etc.
Chicken, steak, pork chops, or white fish - use as a marinade, stuff inside, or brush over cooked meat just before serving to make an unforgettable meal.
Bread - spread over crostinis, soft french bread, or in the middle of a melty grilled cheese sandwich. OMG.
Pizza- can be used in place of pizza/marinara sauce.
Dip/salad dressing base - the possibilities are endless. Veggie dip, cracker dip, bread dip, cheese dip or add it to homemade tomato soup? You be the master of your own destiny.
Pesto butter- make a compound butter and elevate your roasted veggies and scrambled eggs to new heights.

How do you make Pesto?

You can use a few different methods: the traditional mortar and pestle, or food processor/blender.
Food processor/blender: combine all ingredients and blend until emulsified and smooth, it will be a thick sauce.
Mortar/pestle: In large mortar, combine pine nuts, basil, garlic, salt, lemon zest and juice.
Start working with the pestle, pressing and rotating it. Continue a few minutes until all the ingredients are finely ground. Add parmesan cheese and tomato paste and mix in well.
Chop sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces then add to mortar with other ingredients. Crush/pound 5-10 minutes until finely ground. Add olive oil as needed while mixing until full amount is added.

How long does Pesto Rosso last in the fridge?

Red pesto will last up to 7 days in the fridge if you keep it stored in an airtight container.
NOTE: when it gets cold it will solidify so you'll want to warm it back up into a liquid before using or serving.

🍝 More Delicious Italian Recipes

Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card, I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers.

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Trust me when I say that red pesto is the sauce of your dreams! If you're looking for a different, unique italian pasta sauce, this is one for the recipe box.

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BBQ Bacon Chicken Pizza

May 25, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

This is sheet pan BBQ bacon chicken pizza with ranch sauce, bacon, chicken, and bbq sauce drizzled on top.

The tangy BBQ sauce and bacon bits on top set this chicken ranch pizza apart from the crowd. We love to serve it with Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad or a nice Caramelized Onion Dip with chips for game day.

Baked BBQ chicken bacon ranch pizza in metal pan on marble countertop.

Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Pizza is the best game day bbq pizza and crowd feeder. It is SO EASY to double this recipe to make multiple pizzas or regular cheese and pepperoni. I created this easy sheet pan pizza dough recipe specifically to fit into an 13x18 inch baking sheet, so there's plenty to share.

Chicken bacon ranch pizza has a crispy but chewy crust, and it's sturdy and thick enough to hold up under A LOT of toppings like the cheese, onions, chicken, and bacon.

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Why This Recipe Works

The pizza crust is crispy, baked at a high temperature, but thick enough to support the heavy toppings.
Making the dough first while you prep the other ingredients is time-efficient, and the dough also has enough time to rise!
The chicken is pre-cooked (canned or rotisserie) so it's safe!
The bacon is cooked while the dough is rising, then sprinkled over the baked pizza so it's perfectly cooked and not too crispy.
The BBQ sauce is put on AFTER the pizza bakes to preserve flavor and prevent burning!

🛒 Ingredients

Cooked Chicken - you can use canned chicken, pre-cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken.
Ranch Dressing - I use light ranch to be a little healthier, but normal ranch dressing is good as a pizza sauce too!
Barbecue Sauce - I use Sweet Baby Rays, but you can use your favorite.
Mozzarella Cheese - the classic used for pizza, you could also use a mix of mozzarella and swiss or gruyere.
Bacon - regular or thick cut can be used, just cook them according to package directions.
Cornmeal - used to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pan, many pizza restaurants use a little on the bottom of their pizzas. This recipe uses yellow cornmeal, but white could also be used.
Oil - olive oil or another neutral flavored oil can be used in this recipe, it helps to make the dough elastic and soft.

See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

White granulated sugar - can use honey, coconut sugar, or pure maple syrup.
Instead of onions, use shallots or roast whole garlic cloves to put on top. Yum!
You can add tomatoes, bell peppers, or sliced jalapeños to make it spicy!
Regular bacon can be switched out with turkey bacon.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Yeast water in glass measuring cup and flour, oil, and salt in glass bowl.

Step 1.(above) In a measuring cup or small bowl, combine the warm water (100-115℉), the sugar, and the yeast and stir together gently. Let sit 5 minutes to activate the yeast.

Step 2. (above) In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, flour, salt, and yeast/water/sugar mixture.

TIP: Make sure the water is just WARM and not HOT. If it gets above 120 ℉ the yeast can start to die, which means the dough won't rise and the pizza crust won't be fluffy.

Raw pizza dough mixing in glass bowl and red striped dishtowel over glass bowl of raw pizza dough.

Step 3. (above) Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it's smooth and elastic. It's okay if it's sticky!

Step 4. (above) Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest in an oiled bowl for about 1 hour until almost doubled in size.

Cooked bacon in metal pan and hand sprinkling cornmeal on clean sheet pan.

Step 5. (above) While the dough is rising, Preheat the oven to 375℉ and prepare the bacon by cooking in a frying pan or in the oven for 15 minutes on foil in a rimmed pan or until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain the fat, then chop into small pieces when dry.

Step 6. (above) Spray a rimmed 18x13 inch baking sheet with baking spray, and sprinkle with cornmeal. You may have to tip the pan and tap it to get the cornmeal evenly distributed across the bottom of the pan.

TIP: While the dough is rising and the bacon is cooking, prepare everything else: drain the canned chicken (or shred the rotisserie chicken), slice the onions, and get out the BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, and cornmeal. That way everything is ready when the dough is finished rising!

Rolling pin on raw pizza dough in metal pan and hand spreading ranch over raw pizza dough.

Step 7. (above) After the dough has risen for an hour, preheat the oven to 450℉ and roll the dough into the prepared sheet pan evenly.

Step 8. (above) Spread the ranch dressing over the raw pizza dough, about 1 cup is needed to cover it.

Hand sprinkling cooked chicken, onions, and mozzarella cheese over raw pizza dough and hand sprinkling crumbled cooked bacon over cooked pizza.

Step 9. (above) Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced onions, and cooked shredded chicken on top of the pizza. Bake at 450℉ for 20-22 minutes, or until edges are browned and crispy.

Step 10. (above) Drizzle your favorite BBQ sauce over the pizza and sprinkle crumbled bacon evenly over the top of the pizza.

Slice of bbq bacon chicken ranch pizza on a black spatula.

🍕 Serving Sheet Pan Pizza

Cool the pizza for 5-10 minutes in the baking sheet. Then use a pizza cutter or knife to cut into squares. It can be served straight from the pan, we slice it and let everyone serve themselves. It makes about 24 slices, 6 rows of 4 slices.

Make sure to serve it with a lovely green side salad like Golden Beet Salad with Balsamic Miso Dressing or a vibrant Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Does BBQ sauce go with pizza?

YES! Especially pizza with ranch sauce and mozzarella on top. BBQ chicken pizza is divine with barbeque sauce.

How long do you cook bacon before putting on pizza?

I cook mine until it's completely crispy and then put it on top of the already baked pizza.
I bake my bacon on a foil lined pan at 375℉ for 15-17 minutes until its crispy, then drain it on a paper towel and chop it into small pieces.

Do you cook chicken before putting it on pizza?

Yes, it's safer. You can use canned chicken or shredded precooked chicken, like rotisserie for this recipe.

What temperature do you bake sheet pan pizza?

Sheet pan pizza is baked at 450º F. Pizzas in general are baked at a high temperature to make the beautiful crispy crust and to ensure that the toppings are cooked properly.

🍗 More Easy Chicken Recipes

Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card, I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers.

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Brownie Batter Overnight Oats

May 7, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

These Chocolate Brownie Overnight Oats with chocolate protein powder taste JUST like dessert with a creamy, rich texture. A great healthy breakfast!

If you're looking for a healthy chocolate overnight oats recipe, this is it! It's pretty similar to my Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats but simpler to make and really easy to meal prep. It takes less than 10 minutes to make breakfast for the whole week if you make a few servings!

Glass bowl of chocolate overnight oats with coconut and raspberries.

Chocolate protein overnight oats primarily get their high protein level from the greek yogurt, protein powder, and dairy that I prefer to use. It's my favorite brownie oatmeal to make because it doesn't heat up the kitchen in the morning and it's super easy for the kids to grab out of the fridge and eat.

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⭐️ Why You'll Love This Recipe

It's healthy - packed with almost 30g of protein, complex carbs, and fiber!
Doubles as both a healthy chocolatey breakfast AND dessert!
Cocoa overnight oats are very filling and delicious.
SO many toppings you can use! Fruity or not, you can customize these to your heart's content.
Can easily be made gluten free with certified gluten free oats, as well as vegan if you substitute the greek yogurt with a nut milk or oat milk and vegan plant based protein powder.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Ingredients for brownie batter overnight oats in glass bowls on wood cutting board with dish towel.

Oats - regular old fashioned/rolled oats are best, steel cut or instant can be too chewy or gummy.
Cocoa Powder - It seems like a lot but it's not too much! Makes the oats a nice, deep, dark chocolate flavor.
Chocolate Protein Powder - helps to sweeten the oats and give more cocoa flavor, as well as packs in a little extra protein.
Greek Yogurt - plain unflavored is what I prefer since there's no added sugar. Adds creaminess and a tangy flavor.
Agave Nectar - a more mild flavored natural sweetener than honey and tastes amazing!
Milk - more added protein and creaminess that water just doesn't have.

See the recipe card below for full ingredient quantities and instructions.

✏️ Substitutions

Sweetener – I prefer to use agave nectar or honey because of their mild flavors, but you could use pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or a different sweetener.
Milk of choice can be used, either dairy or plant-based based like almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk to make it vegan.
Greek Yogurt can be swapped with plain yogurt, or more milk. Using more milk will make the oats a little more runny, so I suggest reducing the amount if replacing all of the yogurt with milk.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

Ingredients for brownie batter overnight oats in glass bowls on marble countertop with dish towel.

Step 1 - Mix together the dry ingredients first: the oats, cocoa powder, and chocolate protein powder.

Pouring milk into glass bowl with oats, cocoa powder, protein powder, and greek yogurt.

Step 2 - Mix in the greek yogurt, milk, agave nectar, and vanilla. The oats will be runny. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best results. Serve cold or warmed up.

📌 Top Tips

Refrigerating longer than 4 hours helps the oats to be soft and creamy.
They are really are best served cold! These are inspired by Swiss muesli, which is a cold oatmeal breakfast made with oats and yogurt or milk.
Eat during the summer months for a nice cold refreshing breakfast or dessert. No need to heat up the kitchen or turn on the stove!

❓Frequently Asked Questions

Can you meal prep overnight oats?

Yes! I make 4-6 servings at a time and save them for the week.
I love to mix up a big batch in a bowl and scoop the oats into overnight oat meal prep containers to make it quick and easy.

How long do overnight oats last in the fridge?

As long as the dairy is fresh, up to 5 days refrigerated. The oats do get softer the longer they sit, but in my opinion, only adds to the creamy texture.

What can you use to thicken overnight oats?

Chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or even a couple teaspoons of oat bran will work fine to thicken the brownie batter oatmeal.

To make the oats less sticky or stodgy, thin out with a splash of milk stirred in.

What is the best liquid for overnight oats?

Milk and greek yogurt add protein and a creamy texture that water does not have. Unsweetened is best as it will take on the flavor of the ingredients you add to your oats.

What can I use instead of yogurt in overnight oats?

You can use applesauce, mashed bananas, or coconut milk instead of yogurt, although the flavor will be slightly different.

🫐 Overnight Oat Toppings

Here are some chocolate overnight oat topping ideas-

Fruit – fresh, dried, frozen, or even freeze dried. My favorites are blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, bananas, peaches, and pineapple. Those are some common ones, feel free to get adventurous!
Nuts/Seeds – pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, and peanuts are a few common ones.
Nut/Seed Butters - almond, peanut, cashew, and sunflower are all butters I have used and like
Chocolate – Sometimes I put some chocolate chips or Nutella on top if I need a little more happiness.
Coconut shavings/pieces, flax seeds, chia seeds, or hemp hearts.

NOTE: Keep in mind that extra toppings are extra calories. The nutritional value of this recipe is based on the amount of overnight oats, not including any toppings.

Brownie Batter Overnight Oats with spoonful of cocoa powder and bowl of raspberries nearby.

🥣 More Easy Make Ahead Breakfasts:

I'm obsessed with easy high protein breakfasts that you can make ahead and take on the go! Here are a few of our favorites, including Easy Vanilla Overnight Oats which I LOVE to put any and every fruit on top of.

Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card, I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers.

📲 FOLLOW Sara on Social! 👋 Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest to see the latest from the kitchen!

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Butterscotch Chip Cookies

April 30, 2021 by Sara 8 Comments

Butterscotch Chip Cookies are chewy, and have butterscotch pudding mix and butterscotch chips in them to add all that lovely caramel flavor.

Cookie recipes with pudding mix are my jam. Chocolate Pudding Mix Cookies and Pistachio Pudding Mix Cookies are AMAZING, and this recipe is right up there with them!

Butterscotch Cookies Recipe

This is an easy cookie recipe that involves most of your regular cookie ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, but it gets a little interesting after that. Butterscotch pudding mix and butterscotch chips y'all. To say they're addicting is an understatement. Either you love them or hate them. The poor people who don't like butterscotch are missing out!

This recipe makes A LOT of cookies, so I like to make 12-13 and freeze the dough in balls to bake later! Instructions on how to freeze can be found in the recipe notes.

How do you make butterscotch chip cookies from scratch?

I start by creaming together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until it's light and fluffy. It usually takes a few minutes. Then I add in the eggs, vanilla, and salt (it's not too much, trust me), followed by the butterscotch pudding mix and baking soda.

Next to last I mix in the all purpose flour, and once it's alllll mixed in nicely I add the butterscotch chips. There are a few key items I want to go over though, and they don't just apply to butterscotch chip cookies.

Tips for making the best butterscotch cookies

Cream the butter and sugars properly, with a stand or handheld mixer for at least 3 minutes. This will help ensure the cookies have the right texture.
Use pudding mix! Pudding mix is widely available in multiple flavors, but for obvious reasons we use butterscotch for this recipe.
Don't substitute the butter for margarine or shortening, they will make the cookies crunchy instead of soft.
Save some butterscotch chips for the tops of the cookies. This makes them look like bakery worthy cookies.

What is the secret to making chewy cookies?

There are a few things that make cookies chewy.

The egg and butter to flour ratio - having enough of the right kind of fat and eggs helps to give the cookies a soft, chewy texture instead of a spongy, cake like texture.
Creaming the butter and sugars properly, on high speed for at least 3 minutes until the sugar begins to dissolve helps the texture as well.
Baking soda! This is a crucial ingredient, and if you have ever forgotten it, your cookies will have turned into little baked balls of dough instead of spreading into lovely flat discs.
Don't overbake! Many a lovely cookie has been overbaked. Some cookies are meant to be crunchy, these are not.

What can I substitute for butterscotch chips?

If you're not a fan of butterscotch chips, I have other cookies recipes like my Classic Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies that are made with vanilla pudding mix and regular chocolate chips. You could always just use a different kind of chocolate chips but there is still the butterscotch pudding mix. Then you would have a completely different cookie!

How to freeze butterscotch chip cookies:

Make recipe for dough as directed.
Scoop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or baking mat close together but so edges are not touching.
Freeze 4 hours or overnight, then place into a freezer safe bag to use later.
To bake thawed: Place cookie dough balls in refrigerator overnight and then onto prepared cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake as directed in recipe.
To bake while frozen: Preheat oven to 350 F. Place frozen cookie dough balls Bake for 13-15 minutes or until edges are barely golden brown and the tops are barely beginning to crack. At 13 minutes check every minute until done.

More Easy Cookie Recipes to try:

It's not hard to guess that I'm a cookie fan. We like quick and easy, as well as fancy! Any cookie is easy to make after trying it a few times, which is why I included my favorite STUFFED cookie recipe in the list.

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Vanilla Overnight Oats

April 23, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

Eating Overnight Oats with vanilla protein powder is my favorite summer pastime. It's creamy and packed with protein!

This is one of my FAVORITE healthy summer breakfasts as soon as berries are in season, along with its dark and handsome cousin, Brownie Batter Overnight Oats.

Jar full of vanilla overnight oats topped with fruit and a spoon.

So here's the thing. There are a lot of recipes for healthy overnight oats. I like crunchy bits for texture, greek yogurt for creaminess and a little protein powder for a boost.

The awesome thing about this vanilla protein overnight oats recipe is that you can prepare a lot of servings and customize the flavors for breakfast (or a healthy dessert) the whole week! I usually prepare 4-6 servings so my husband and kids can have them a few times during the week. It's a lovely to go breakfast, just pull it out of the fridge and put some fruit on top!

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⭐️ Why You'll Love This Recipe

Uses Vanilla Protein Powder for an added protein boost and flavor.
It's healthy - packed with high protein ingredients like greek yogurt, milk, and the oats themselves. And of course protein powder!
It's like dessert for breakfast! I have had this for dessert many times topped with fruit and whipped cream.
Easy to make ahead- it only takes TEN minutes to whip up a big batch for the week, making it an awesome meal prep oatmeal recipe in jars or meal prep oatmeal containers.

🛒 Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for vanlla overnight oats: milk, oats, vanila, protein powder, greek yogurt and sweetener.

Oats - Old-fashioned regular oats (rolled oats) are best. Instant oats can be used but are more processed and can become gummy in texture the longer they are refrigerated.
Milk - adds needed liquid that soaks into the oats and helps to make them creamy. Water isn't the same and won't taste as good.
Vanilla Protein Powder - add proteins but doesn't add too much of an aftertaste. I've used this vanilla protein powder in overnight oats so many times and it's not very noticeable, especially with toppings!
Sweetener - I like to use honey or agave nectar because of their mild flavor, they don't overpower the vanilla and other toppings.
Greek Yogurt - for creaminess and added protein. Unflavored plain is best because it will take on the flavor of whatever you add to the oats. You can always use vanilla yogurt in overnight oats too.

See recipe card below for complete list of measurements and directions.

✏️ Substitutions

You can easily make overnight oats dairy free, vegan and gluten free with these substitutions

You could use any nut or oat milk, or even water but I don't recommend this as the milk tastes MUCH better.
Vanilla Protein Powder - you can reduce or leave this out completely if you wish, I like the added protein boost. You could also use a different flavor of protein powder or a plant-based protein powder, your choice.
Plain Greek Yogurt - I add this for creaminess and flavor, if you have dairy allergies I recommend just replacing it with the milk of your choice, and maybe reducing the amount so the oats aren't too runny.
Sweetener - I prefer to use agave nectar or honey because of their mild flavors, but you could use pure maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or a different sweetener.

🆒 Variations

Use coconut, almond, or maple extract instead of vanilla for a different flavor profile.
Use a different flavor of protein powder like banana, or coconut to switch things up!
Almond extract and raspberries or coconut extract with banans on top are some of my favorite combos, but there are endless possibilities!
Add cinnamon (¼ teaspoon) for a vanilla cinnamon overnight oat combo. Adding cinnamon chips, or a few white chocolate chips on top would be lovely.

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

It's really easy to learn how to make overnight oats, just mixing the ingredients together since there's no cooking involved. Doing it in order helps the ingredients to mix together easier.

Dry oats in a jar with measureing cup, milk, and yogurt nearby in containers.

Step 1 - Mix together the dry ingredients first, the oats and the protein powder.

Pouring milk into jar of oats with vanilla dn yogurt nearby on marble countertop.

Step 2 - Mix the milk, greek yogurt, sweetener, and vanilla into the oats. I like to add a pinch of sea salt for flavor, but that is optional. Add desired toppings and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

That's it! Simple as that.

PRO TIP: The oats are best when they've been refrigerated overnight, 8-12 hours so that they're SOFT and CREAMY. They are SO EASY to customize too. Let's talk about toppings, my very favorite part!!

🍓 Overnight Oat Toppings:

Fruit - fresh, dried (cherries, cranberries, raisins, etc) , frozen, or even freeze-dried. My favorites are raspberries, peaches, blueberries, or strawberries.
Nuts/Seeds - almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, and peanuts are a few common ones.
Nut/Seed Butters like peanut butter, or almond butter just like in my vanilla almond butter protein balls are my favorite. And cookie butter!
Chocolate - Sometimes I put some chocolate chips on top if I need a little happiness. Nutella is also one of my favorites. Can you tell I love sweet things?
Coconut shavings/pieces, flax seeds, chia seeds, or hemp hearts are all good options to add fiber and protein.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

What fruit is good with overnight oats?

Fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, and pineapple are all good fruit options for overnight oats.

What not to add to overnight oats?

Things like water or toppings that could get soggy like graham crackers. Best to save those to put on top for right before you eat them.

Do you stir overnight oats before putting in fridge?

Yes! It's best to stir everything toether so the both the liquid AND flavor is distributed properly. Otherwise some bites may taste different.

Do you cook overnight oats?

No, they're meant to be eaten chilled like Swiss muesli. Think of it like eating a cold parfait. You can warm them up if desired, but it's perfectly safe to eat raw oats, as they have been steamed during processing, destroying any harmful bacteria.

🥣 More Prepare Ahead Breakfasts:

Queen of not fancy at breakfast over here! I like my breakfasts quick, easy, and readily transportable. Here are a few of our favorites!

Did you try this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ star rating and a comment below the recipe card, I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers.

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📝 Printable Recipe

Jar of vanilla overnight oats topped almonds, rapsberries and blueberries with metal spoon.

Easy Overnight Oats

Sara Smith

Eating Overnight Oats with vanilla protein powder is my favorite summer pastime. It's creamy and packed with protein!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 336 kcal

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup old fashioned oats
▢ 2 Tablespoons vanilla protein powder
▢ pinch of salt, optional
▢ ½ cup milk of choice
▢ ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 Tablespoon sweetener of choice (honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar)

Instructions

In a sealable jar or container, mix together oats, protein powder, and pinch of salt.
Add in milk, yogurt, vanilla, and sweetener of choice.
Top with optional toppings, cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Notes

Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or until milk & yogurt expiration dates.

Top with fruit, chocolate chips, Nutella, or a nut butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 22gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 369mgFiber: 5gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 389mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Tag me @eatdessertsnack or tag #eatdessertsnack

Cheese Pretzel Sticks

April 12, 2021 by Sara Leave a Comment

Easy Cheese Pretzel made with homemade soft pretzel dough, stuffed with cheddar cheese and crunchy seasonings on top.

Hello there cheese lover! I have a present for you. It's delicious. It pairs well with Red Pesto Sauce or your favorite pizza sauce.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Cheese stuffed pretzels were born from my Homemade Soft Pretzels, a soft pretzel recipe that I could make with my eyes closed. I've made hundreds of them and eaten approximately 62% of said pretzels. Pretzels are a favorite football appetizer, movie night snack, or rainy day food. These are BEAUTIFUL. Stuffing bread with cheese is a long-time favorite pastime, and I'm sharing some of my secrets with you.

How do you make pretzels from scratch?

I use active dry yeast, which can be substituted with instant yeast if that is what you have on hand. I also use milk to enrich the dough, so the pretzels stay fresh for longer.

The best way to start a “sponge” for a yeasted bread is by mixing together the warm liquid of choice and sugar first, then adding the yeast and letting it sit for about 5 minutes until it foams. In this case it’s 2% milk that’s about 110 F°. Any warmer and the yeast will begin to die.

After combining the pretzel dough ingredients, I knead by hand or in a stand mixer with the dough attachment for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic the best dough mixing words. I then cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature (approximately 75 F°) for 1 hour or until dough is doubled in size.

Then the fun part! Rolling out the pretzels. I use a ⅓ cup to measure out 13-14 equal portions of dough. I cover them and work with one at a time so the rest don't dry out too quickly.

Roll the dough into about a 4 by 8 inch rectangle, then place the cheese in the middle. Carefully fold the edges of the dough over the ends of the cheddar cheese sticks.

Do you have to boil pretzels before baking?

YES. The chewy soft pretzel texture we know and love comes from the short boil right before baking. Once practiced a few times, it's so easy. Boil each pretzel for 20-30 seconds, drain for a few seconds above the water, then transfer directly to a parchment paper lined baking sheet using a flat slotted spatula. The parchment paper will help soak up excess water.

Then brush with a beaten egg, sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning (THE BEST) or salt flakes, and pop into the oven for 8-9 minutes at 450°. The beaten egg helps give the pretzels their lovely golden color.

What is everything bagel seasoning?

Everything bagel seasoning is a mix of white and black sesame seeds, dried minced garlic and onion, poppy seeds, and flakey sea salt. It can be found at many major grocery stores in the United States or ordered online.

Pro Tip: I keep cheddar cheese sticks or mozzarella cheese sticks on hand, those would work perfectly for this recipe.

If not, simply use 16 oz cheddar cheese sliced into about 14 sticks, ½ inch wide by 6-7 inches long. Place them on a plate or small tray so they aren't touching, cover and freeze the cheese sticks to help prevent leakage.

I actually like the crispy cheesy bits that leak out, but be sure to freeze the cheese if you don't like your cheese to leak during baking.

More Snack Recipes to try:

We are snack people. I have lots of ideas for you!

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Golden Beet Salad with Balsamic Miso Dressing

March 24, 2021 by Sara 4 Comments

Golden Beet Salad with feta cheese, caramelized onions, and a sweet and salty balsamic miso dressing. Perfect weekend or holiday salad.

This salad is an amazing stand alone meal, but if you're always searching for happiness like me, it goes well with the most perfect Soft Fluffy French Bread.

Golden Beet Salad

THIS SALAD. I've always been a little obsessed with beets. Steamed, with butter and salt, roasted, or pickled. Caramelized onions had to make an appearance. Spiralized rainbow carrots, of course. Feta cheese? Definitely. AND MISO. My children. I will explain all about the miso. But first, the caramelized onions.

I use 2 onions for this recipe, because they reduce down quite a bit as they cook. It takes 20-30 minutes to caramelize them depending on how dark you want them.

Begin by cooking thinly sliced onions over medium heat with 3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil or butter and ½ teaspoon of salt to bring the moisture out of the onions, and stirring every 2-3 minutes. In picture number two, you can see a few little brown onions coming out to play.

In number three, most of the onions are a lovely golden color. Many people stop here. But not me my friends. I like to cook a little darker, more like picture four. The thinnest onions can get a little darker than the rest, and this is fine.

By this point I'm stirring every minute or two so that they don't burn. Sometimes there is a dark residue on the bottom of the pan from the onion mixed with oil or butter. This is fine, I use a wooden spatula or spoon to stir it back into the onions.

Miso Dressing

The balsamic miso dressing is another star in this lovely gold beet salad. I use organic mellow white miso, which can be found at Whole Foods Markets in the United States or found online, places like Amazon.

What is Miso?

A salty paste made from fermented soybeans and barley or rice malt and koji, the mold it is cultured with. It's a widely used staple in Japanese cooking, and I have begun to use it in EVERYTHING. It can be used to make delicious compound butters, meat or veggie marinades, added to soups, dipping sauces, or in this case, a delicious miso salad dressing.

The lovely thing about this salad is that it could be considered a less traditional Easter/Spring or Fall salad. Look at those colors! So beautiful.

Don't be afraid to mix a little miso in with the caramelized onions at the end of cooking, or with the beets before they go into the salad. Red beets also make a nice addition.

Other salad recipes to try:

Yes there is a jello salad in this list. It's me, after all. But it's salad and it's unique.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

Ingredients for Lemon Blueberry Scones

How to make Lemon Blueberry Scones:

Can you freeze scones?

More delicious berry recipes to try:

📝 Printable Recipe

Lemon Blueberry Scones

Ingredients 1x2x3x

For the scones:

For the Glaze:

Instructions

For the scones:

For the glaze:

Nutrition

Creamy Orzo Pasta

What is orzo?

Is Orzo the same as risotto?

Ingredients needed for orzo pasta recipe

How to cook Orzo:

What to serve with orzo pasta

More Easy and Delicious Pasta Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Creamy Orzo with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

For the Asparagus & Tomatoes

For the Orzo:

Notes

Nutrition

What To Expect

🛒 Ingredients

✏️ Substitutions & Variations

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

📌 Top Tips For Success

❓Frequently Asked Questions

🍪 More delicious cookie recipes to try:

📝 Printable Recipe

Neapolitan Cookies

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Base Dough:

For the Vanilla dough:

For the Strawberry dough

For the Chocolate dough

Instructions

Base Dough:

For vanilla dough

For strawberry dough

For chocolate dough

Assemble

Notes

Nutrition

⭐️ Why This Oats Recipe is the BEST

🛒 Key Ingredients

✏️ Substitutions

🧑‍🍳 Instructions

📌 Top Tips

❄️ Storage

❓Frequently Asked Questions

🥣 More Healthy Breakfast and Snack Recipes

📝 Printable Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispies Ingredients

How to make rice krispie treats:

How to freeze rice krispie treats:

More make and share recipes:

📝 Printable Recipe

Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Why You'll LOVE This Recipe

🛒 Key Ingredients

✏️ Substitutions

🆒 Variations

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