But First, What is Spinach Artichoke Dip?

Spinach Artichoke Dip is a classic appetizer or snack that is forever iconic and popular. It’s creamy, tangy and has a ridiculous amount of calories but is still considered healthy because duh, it’s made with spinach. Ha! Applebee’s, Chili’s and every other larger “American” chain restaurant has this appetizer on their menu and is most likely the most popular because everyone loves it.

Make it Your Own

Want to make this recipe your own? Here’s how to do just that with a few simple adjustments.

Artichoke Hearts –  get the ones that are in water, as opposed to marinated. This is to avoid the vinegar taste of oil-based artichoke hearts, not to mention all the added spices.

Consistency. If you’re wanting a runnier spinach artichoke dip, feel free to add in some heavy cream to get it to the consistency you like. I like mine thicker, so I made it thicker (and with extra garlic). But like every recipe I post, feel free to tweak as you like! If you don’t like garlic as much as I do, feel free to reduce or omit completely.

Lower in Calories. You can make this recipe lighter by using light cream cheese and a reduced fat sour cream. You can even go so far as cutting the cheese in half, but keep in mind this would make it less cheesy. Obviously

How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip

Believe it or not, spinach artichoke dip is really simple to make at home. You just need a handful of ingredients and about 20 minutes. Whether you make it in advance or make it to eat right away, it’s a fabulous appetizer or snack. For full recipe details, see the printable recipe card below.

Cook Spinach + Cool

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add in garlic and spinach. Cook, stirring until spinach has completely wilted. Remove spinach and garlic and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. You can totally substitute frozen spinach here…just be sure to drain well with a tea towel to get all of the excess water out.

Prep Artichoke Hearts + Chop Cooked Spinach and Garlic

Drain artichoke hearts and chop into small pieces. Chop cooked spinach and garlic into small pieces. Add artichokes, spinach and garlic back to the hot pan and cook to remove any excess moisture, being careful not to burn the garlic. Sprinkle in basil, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

Add Sour Cream + Cheeses to the Pan

Melt in cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese into the veggies until fully melted and smooth. Transfer to oven-safe dish and top with remaining parmesan cheese.

Broil

Broil until cheese has melted and dip is bubbly. Serve hot with chips, pita bread and/or veggies.

Storing + Reheating Directions

Store leftover spinach dip in the fridge, in an airtight container. It will stay good for 4-5 days.

To reheat, place in a microwave safe dish, and heat in 30 second intervals, until warm and bubbly.

Looking for more appetizers to feed a crowd? Check these out: 

• Loaded Smashed Potatoes
• Easy Meatball Recipe
• Classic Deviled Eggs Recipe
• Simple Bruschetta Recipe
• Homemade Kettle Chips with Onion Dill Dip

What others are saying about this Recipe:

Super good recipe! I love spinach and artichoke dip and this recipe hit the spot. I put it in a cast iron skillet and my MIL said it was “restaurant quality”! ~ Melissa

This dip is so amazing — so cheesy and fragrant. Thanks for sharing my favorite dish recipe. ~ Bruno

Best Spinach artichoke dip recipe I made in awhile. My kids loved it! ~ Jennifer

Really loved making this recipe I hope others have as much fun as I did following your directions. ~ Pete

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach Artichoke Dip is the perfect appetizer! It’s easy to make, popular and always the first thing eaten. So delicious!!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword how to make spinach artichoke dip, spinach artichoke dip, spinach artichoke dip recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 339kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups baby spinach fresh
• 1 can artichoke hearts in water
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese divided

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add in garlic and spinach. Cook, stirring until spinach has completely wilted. Remove spinach and garlic and place on a cutting board to cool slightly.
• Drain artichoke hearts and chop into small pieces. Chop cooked spinach and garlic into small pieces. Add artichokes, spinach and garlic back to the hot pan and cook to remove any excess moisture, being careful not to burn the garlic. Sprinkle in basil, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
• Melt in cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese into the veggies until fully melted and smooth. Transfer to oven-safe dish and top with remaining parmesan cheese.
• Broil until cheese has melted and dip is bubbly. Serve hot with chips, pita bread and/or veggies.

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 587mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2335IU | Vitamin C: 17.3mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Spinach Artichoke Dip appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Deviled Eggs Basics

Deviled Eggs coming in hot! This is one of those recipes that you either love or hate. When I was younger, I used to dislike them with a passion. But now that I’m grown, I cannot get enough of them…mainly because I make them how I like them with a little kick (hi Tabasco sauce!), lots of dill, and a little extra pickle juice which I love!

The basic deviled egg recipe comes down to perfectly cooking hard-boiled eggs and then making a creamy filling that pairs well with that egg flavor. I’ve listed a few tips below about specific ingredients to set you up for the best results.

• Hard-Boiled Eggs – these are my fail-proof directions for easy peel hard-boiled eggs. It is seriously the most fail-proof method I’ve ever used for hard-boiled eggs.
• Mayonnaise – please use real mayonnaise, not miracle whip.
• Dill Pickles – I love having a little texture in my deviled eggs, so I chop up my dill pickles finely.
• Pickle Juice – or use lemon juice.
• Tabasco Sauce – an optional ingredient that is what makes these eggs ‘deviled’. A few splashes of that or Frank’s Red Hot or even a little pinch of cayenne or spicy paprika will go a long way. If you don’t like the heat those ingredients can bring, feel free to leave them out altogether.

How to Make Deviled Eggs

As long as you have some simple hard-boiled eggs, you just need 10-15 minutes to throw these Deviled Eggs together! It’s a simple and classic recipe that is obviously perfect for Easter. Here’s how to do it:

Prepare the Eggs

Peel hard-boiled eggs and slice them in half. Gently pop out the egg yolks into a medium bowl and place the whites onto a serving platter.

Make the Filling

To the egg yolks, add mayonnaise, pickles, pickle juice, chives, Tabasco sauce, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth (I find a whisk works really well for this.) Obviously, because there are finely chopped pickles in the filling, it won’t get perfectly smooth which is fine! Just do your best to break apart that egg yolk and stir it into the mayonnaise.

*Note- If you don’t want to use Tabasco sauce for that “kick” that deviled eggs have, consider using dijon mustard. It will give you a different kind of kick that isn’t spicy.

Fill Your Eggs

Once your filling is nice and smooth, transfer to a piping bag or Ziploc bag, snip the tip and fill each egg up and garnish with more chopped chives. I find these disposable pastry bags are the easiest way to fill the deviled eggs. Feel free to make this ahead of time and store it in your fridge. They make a great pre-Easter dinner snack. Also, a classic topping for deviled eggs is paprika which you are welcome to add! I might even suggest adding smoked paprika for more flavor, but that is totally personal preference. I just added chives because I thought it looked better, but make these your own.

Storing Leftover Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs can be stored in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4 days, but for maximum freshness, eat them up within 2 days, according to the USDA.

More Deviled Egg Recipes!

So this isn’t my first rodeo when it comes to deviled eggs! Try these other variations this easter.

• Ham and Cheese
• Buffalo Blue Cheese 

More Easter Recipes You Will Love:

• Orange Almond Easter Cupcakes
• Healthy Egg Salad Recipe (another hard-boiled egg recipe!)
• Marshmallow Potato Chip Easter Nests
• Hashbrown Egg Cups
• Egg Salad Sandwich

The printable recipe is below. Be sure to save or pin this deviled egg recipe because it’s a classic one you won’t want to lose. Have a great day, friends! xo

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*EASY* Deviled Eggs

A classic Deviled Eggs Recipe, just in time for Easter! This is the quintessential appetizer for Spring that everyone seems to love. 

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword deviled egg recipe, deviled eggs, how to make deviled eggs

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 24 servings

Calories 71kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 12 hard boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup dill pickles chopped
• 2 tablespoons pickle juice or lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chives
• tabasco sauce to taste (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• salt & pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Peel hard-boiled eggs and slice in half. Pop-out egg yolks into a medium bowl and place the whites onto a serving platter.
• To the egg yolks, add in mayonnaise, pickles, pickle juice, chives, tabasco sauce, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth (I find a whisk works really well for this.) 
• Spoon filling into a piping bag and fill the whites. Garnish with finely chopped chives, paprika or coarse ground pepper. Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap until ready to serve. 

Notes

Nutritional information is per deviled egg. 

If you don’t want to use Tabasco sauce for that “kick” that deviled eggs have, consider using dijon mustard. It will give you a different kind of kick that isn’t spicy.

Nutrition

Calories: 71kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 148IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Deviled Eggs appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Best Potatoes to Use

One of the main ingredients in a potato salad is potatoes! The best and most reliable potatoes to use are Idaho or Russet Potatoes. They’re cheap and can be found across the country. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t use other varieties of potatoes. Yukon gold, fingerlings, and red potatoes would all work well.

Easy Way to Hard Boil Eggs

You’re also going to need hard-boiled eggs for this recipe. You can always boil them on the stovetop but I have a great and easy way to make perfect hard-boiled eggs every time. Enter Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs! If you don’t have a pressure cooker, I also have stovetop instructions in that post.

And because I know someone will ask, I use this egg slicer and it makes life so much easier.

Ingredient Substitutions

There are quite a bit of elements to a Deviled Egg Potato Salad, you have all the crunchy fillings, the dressing, the potatoes, the eggs and garnishes. You might not have all the ingredients on hand or you might not even like all of the ingredients I used. Which is totally fine, I love it when readers experiment and customize recipes to their liking. Here are some common substitutions:

• Mayo – sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• Pickles/Relish – capers, green olives, green bell peppers, or cucumber
• Pickle Juice – white vinegar or lemon juice
• Scallions – more yellow or white onion
• Celery – you can use any mild crunchy veggie here, consider carrots, fennel stalks or bulbs

How to Make Deviled Egg Potato Salad

For full details on how to make Deviled Egg Potato Salad, see the recipe card down below

Cook Potatoes

Place whole potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Salt the water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Once potatoes are cooked through, remove them from hot water and onto a kitchen towel to drain. Cover with another dish towel and set aside to cool.

Prepare Ingredients

While potatoes are cooling, chop celery, scallions, dill pickles, yellow onion, and five of the six hard-boiled eggs. Add these ingredients to the bottom of a large bowl.

Make the Dressing

For the dressing, whisk the mayonnaise, pickle juice, relish, sugar, salt, and pepper together and set aside.

Peel Potatoes

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel gently using a butter knife. Cut into large, bite-size pieces and add to the bowl with the other ingredients.

Toss Everything Together

After the potatoes have been added to the bowl, toss well with dressing. Cut the last remaining hard-boiled egg in half and place it on top as a garnish, then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and chill salad until completely cooled. The longer it is refrigerated, the more flavorful it becomes. Serve cold.

Storage Instructions

Store Deviled Egg Potato Salad in the fridge, covered for up to 4 days! Making this recipe a day ahead of time is actually a really good way for the flavors to meld together.

Can I freeze Deviled Egg Potato Salad?

No, potato salad is one of those recipes that does not freeze very well. When frozen then thawed the potatoes are mushy and the dressing is runny, gross!

Meaty Main Dishes!

Consider making these meaty main dishes to make Deviled Egg Potato Salad a meal:

• Crockpot Ham
• Best Stovetop Steak
• Easy Oven Baked Ribs
• Root Beer Pulled Pork

Similar Recipes to Try!

• Macaroni Salad
• Egg Salad Sandwich
• Tuna Pasta Salad
• Chicken Salad Recipe
• Pea Salad
• Ham Salad

This Deviled Egg Potato Salad recipe is perfect for spring or summertime as a side dish or lunch. The printable recipe card is down below, enjoy!

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Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Deviled Eggs and Potato Salad are combined into this ultimate Deviled Egg Potato Salad recipe! Perfect as a spring or summer side dish.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword deviled egg potato salad, potato salad, potato salad recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 10 servings

Calories 308kcal

Equipment

• 1 large pot

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds Idaho Potatoes
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 scallions white and light green parts
• 2/3 cup dill pickles diced
• 1/3 cup yellow onion diced
• 6 hard boiled eggs divided
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• salt & pepper to taste
• paprika for garnish, optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place whole potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Salt the water and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Once potatoes are cooked through, remove them from hot water and onto a kitchen towel to drain. Cover with another dish towel and set aside to cool.
• While potatoes are cooling, chop celery, scallions, dill pickles, yellow onion, and five of the six hard-boiled eggs. Add these ingredients to the bottom of a large bowl.
• For the dressing, whisk the mayonnaise, pickle juice, relish, sugar, salt, and pepper together and set aside.
• Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel gently using a butter knife. Cut into large, bite-size pieces and add to the bowl with the other ingredients.
• After the potatoes have been added to the bowl, toss well with dressing. Cut the last remaining hard-boiled egg in half and place it on top as a garnish, then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and chill salad until completely cooled. The longer it is refrigerated, the more flavorful it becomes. Serve cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 566mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 336IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Deviled Egg Potato Salad appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Happy to be sharing my recipe for hard-boiled eggs today! It’s not so much a recipe as it is a method to get easy to peel, never fail, always perfect, hard-boiled eggs! Whether you’re dying eggs for Easter, making egg salad, or making a few protein snack boxes, you need perfect hard-boiled eggs and this is just the ticket.

The Secret to Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Cooking a hard-boiled egg to perfection is kind of tricky because there are so many variables. How cold the water is, to begin with, how cold the eggs are right out of the fridge, how long to boil them for, how long it takes to bring the eggs to a boil, whether you use an electric cooktop or gas stove, whether you submerge in cold water or ice water, etc. etc.

Eggs to me were just super annoying to deal with because I could never get them right every time. SO! The only reason why I’m posting a simple recipe for hard-boiled eggs is that I figured out the formula! I’ve tried cooking these eggs 6 times, ya’ll!! And they came out perfectly every time. Easy to peel with that quintessential bright yellow yolk.

My secret? I steam them in my instant pot/electric pressure cooker! The Instant Pot works by bringing everything up to a steady temperature together, holding all ingredients (in our case, eggs, and water) at said temperature for 4 minutes and then slowly releasing that pressure for 5 minutes before removing the eggs and shocking them in a water bath. This method works perfectly for everyone who tries it because the pressure cooker removes all the variables I listed above that could potentially keep you from achieving success. And that’s why I’m sharing this with you today.

What if I don’t have a pressure cooker?

Never fear! I’ve tested this recipe on a gas and electric stove too with pretty darn good results. See the section below and the recipe card for further instructions.

Use Week Old Eggs

I think we have all had those terrible, hard-to-peel hard-boiled eggs a time or two before. From what I can tell, this happens because the eggs you are using are fresh. So, use eggs that are a few weeks old for best results.

Still Having Peeling Trouble?

Still having issues with peeling your eggs? Crack them all around without peeling, then soak them in water for a couple of minutes. The water will seep through the cracks and wiggle between the shell and egg making for an easier peel.

What if I Want a Soft or Medium Boil?

This might take some experimenting on your part to get your desired results but after reading this super informative article here’s what has worked for me in the past:

• Soft Boiled: high pressure, 3 minutes, quick release
• Medium Boiled: high pressure, 4-5 minutes, quick release

Natural vs Quick Release

Quick release simply refers to how the steam from the pressure cooker is released. Natural release is when you allow the pressure to disapate without touching the machine (this is the longer process). Quick release is when you *carefully* open the steam release valve and a stream of hot steam is released all at once.

How to Hard Boil Eggs in an Instant Pot

For full details on how to hard boil eggs in an Instant Pot, see the recipe card down below

Place Ingredients in Instant Pot

Pour 2 cups of cold water into the bottom of a cold pressure cooker and place the steaming rack into water. The rack should stand just above the water, so no eggs ever come in contact with it. Place the eggs onto the rack, creating an even layer across the bottom (you don’t want them to be stacked on top of each other).

Steam and Natural Release

Close the lid and lock. Ensure the valve is sealed. Press “Steam” function and “High” pressure. Adjust cook time to 4 minutes and press “Start”. The pressure cooker will take a little bit of time to come to temperature before the 4 minute countdown starts.

After 4 minutes have passed, wait another 5 minutes before releasing pressure completely (natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest).

Ice Water Bath

Remove lid and transfer eggs to an ice water bath. Cool until they are easily handled. 

Peel and Use

Gently crack shell all the way around and peel away using the side of your thumb (it should come off in big pieces). Rinse under cold water and place onto dry paper towels until all eggs are peeled.

How to Hard Boil Eggs on the Stove

This method isn’t quite as sure proof as the instant pot method but you can still get great results. Here’s how to hard boil eggs on the stovetop:

Place Ingredients in a Pot

Place eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot. Cover completely with cold water. Cover and place on stove.

Boil and Wait

Bring to a rolling boil gently over medium to medium-high heat.

Turn burner off and let eggs sit in hot water for 12 minutes. If using an electric stove, remove from burner. Not necessary if using a gas burner.

Ice Water Bath

Remove eggs from hot water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes or until easy to handle.

Peel and Use

Crack shell gently around the entire egg and using the side of your thumb, peel shell off (it should remove easily as long as you get underneath the membrane just under the shell). Then use as desired!

Storing Instructions

Store hard boiled eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days!

Can I Freeze Hard Boiled Eggs?

I wouldn’t suggest freezing hard boiled eggs. This is because the cooked egg white and yolk become watery after thawing, gross.

Favorite Recipes Using Hard Boiled Eggs!

Oh, so many things to be made with these beauties! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Classic Deviled Eggs
• Deviled Egg Potato Salad
• California Cobb Salad
• Homemade Ramen Bowls
• Simple Potato Salad
• Healthy Egg Salad
• Egg Salad Sandwich
• Buffalo Deviled Eggs
• Ham and Cheese Deviled Eggs

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Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Instant Pot Hard Boiled eggs are quick, easy to peel, and come out perfect every time! Great to have for a protein-filled lunch or snack!

Course Lunch, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword hard boiled eggs, how to hard boil eggs, instant pot hard boiled eggs

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 9 minutes

Total Time 11 minutes

Servings 12 eggs

Calories 63kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Equipment

• 1 pressure cooker/instant pot

Ingredients

• 12 whole large eggs
• 2 cups cold water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Directions

• Pour 2 cups of cold water into the bottom of a cold pressure cooker and place the steaming rack into water. The rack should stand just above the water, so no eggs ever come in contact with it. Place the eggs onto the rack, creating an even layer across the bottom. (You don't want them to be stacked on top of each other.)
• Close the lid and lock. Ensure the valve is sealed. Press “Steam” function and “High” pressure. Adjust cook time to 4 minutes and press “Start”.
• After 4 minutes have passed, wait another 5 minutes before releasing pressure completely. Remove lid and transfer eggs to an ice water bath. Cool until they are easily handled. 
• Gently crack shell all the way around and peel away using the side of your thumb. (It should come off in big pieces.) Rinse under cold water and place onto dry paper towels until all eggs are peeled.

Stovetop Directions

• Place eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot. Cover completely with cold water. Cover with lid and place on stove.
• Bring to a rolling boil gently over medium to medium high heat. Turn burner off and let eggs sit in hot water for 12 minutes. (If using an electric stove, remove from burner. Not necessary if using a gas burner.)
• Remove eggs from hot water and immerse in a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes or until easy to handle. Crack shell gently around entire egg and using the side of your thumb, peel shell off. (It should remove easily as long as you get underneath the membrane just under the shell.) Use as desired.

Video

Notes

I found this article super helpful if you’re looking for how to cook soft-boiled eggs in the pressure cooker. This is what has worked for me:

• Soft Boiled: high pressure, 3 minutes, quick release
• Medium Boiled: high pressure, 4-5 minutes, quick release
• Hard Boiled: high pressure, 4 minutes, natural release for 5 minutes then quick release

Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 64mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Better Than Store-Bought!

Is there anything better than Homemade Alfredo Sauce? I’ve bought the jarred kind for years because it’s shelf-stable and ready when you are, but this homemade alfredo sauce recipe is SO significantly better than store-bought, only made with three ingredients, and is so easy to make! It is a decadent dinner that I only make once or twice a year because it is so dangerously good. My kids love these “white sauce noodles” and I know you will too.

White Sauce vs Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo Sauce is an Italian sauce traditionally made with heavy cream, butter, parmesan cheese, and occasionally garlic. It’s a decadent sauce that is a huge crowd-pleaser.

White Sauce is a French sauce otherwise known as Béchamel sauce. It is made up of a roux (flour and butter) and cream. It’s more shelf stable than alfredo sauce but is used in a variety of dishes whereas alfredo sauce is mainly used in fettuccine alfredo!

A Note About Parmesan Cheese

Quality matters with parmesan cheese. Use higher-quality kind and freshly grate it yourself. If you can find the real stuff (parmigiano reggiano) use that. After recipe testing this recipe over and over I know that the store-bought pre-shredded kind does not work as well as the real kind.

How to Make Homemade Alfredo Sauce

How to make Alfredo Sauce is super easy and quick so just follow these steps and you’ll have dinner ready in no time! And if you are looking for a video tutorial, scroll down to the recipe card for a super helpful how-to.

Melt Butter

Melt your butter into a large skillet. I like using salted butter, but unsalted works just fine. Once butter is completely melted reduce heat to medium-low.

If you want to go one step further and brown the butter for another layer of flavor you HAVE to check out my Browned Butter Alfredo Pasta.

Add Cream

Whisk in some heavy cream and heat gently with the butter. Pan may sizzle, but as you stir it will subside.

Melt Parmesan

Slowly melt in the parmesan cheese until a thicker, creamy sauce forms. Add in pepper and taste before adding in salt.

How to Thicken

As the alfredo sauce sits it tends to thicken up. If that’s what you’d like simply wait it out. If you need to thin it out add in a splash of pasta water to keep things loose.

Serve with Pasta

Toss with desired pasta and serve. I used fettuccine because that’s such a classic choice, but any pasta is fine.

Uses for Alfredo Sauce

Not only can this sauce be used for pasta but it is also great on pizza, as a dipping sauce for breadsticks, or even over parmesan chicken. This recipe is thick and creamy which makes it perfect for all your carb-loading needs.

Or if you want/need some vegetables in your life, try enjoying alfredo sauce with zoodles (zucchini noodles).

Can I Freeze Alfredo Sauce?

No. I would not recommend freezing this Alfredo Sauce recipe. I know so many of you readers love making foods in advance or making double the recipe and freezing half for a quick weeknight meal later. Alfredo sauce made the traditional way with just butter, cream and cheese isn’t very stable and has a tendency to separate once it starts to cool. (Anyone who has ordered a Fettuccine Alfredo from Olive Garden and brought home the leftovers will know that you have a buttery, sloppy mess the next day when you try to microwave it for lunch the next day.) I would recommend making this sauce fresh, from scratch, every time.

If you make an Alfredo Sauce with a roux (butter and flour), that will make your overall sauce more ‘stable’ and it will become more freezer-friendly. But this recipe, as-is will not freeze well. Sorry!

Side Dishes for Fettuccine Alfredo

• Caprese Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Oven Roasted Asparagus
• Homemade Garlic Bread
• Craigo’s Breadsticks

More Alfredo Recipes!

• Chicken Alfredo Red Pepper Pasta (Macro Friendly)
• Healthy Alfredo Sauce
• Alfredo Stuffed Shells
• Chicken Pesto Alfredo Pasta
• Chicken Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
• Brown Butter Ravioli Alfredo

So, if you’re in the mood for pasta tonight, be sure to try this simple and delicious Alfredo Sauce recipe. Grab the printable recipe below to save because it’s a special one you won’t want to lose. And don’t forget to check out the video for how to make this recipe! Have a great day, friends!

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Homemade Alfredo Sauce

This homemade Alfredo Sauce recipe is a delicious and quick way to whip up an Italian dinner! You only need three ingredients and 10 minutes.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword alfredo sauce, alfredo sauce recipe, homemade alfredo sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 380kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese use the real stuff
• salt & ground black pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed deep skillet over medium heat. Once butter is completely melted reduce heat to medium-low.
• Immediately pour in the cream. Pan may sizzle, but as you stir it will subside.
• Whisk in cheese and continue stirring until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Taste and add in salt and lots of pepper, as desired.
• Use sauce immediately by tossing with hot pasta and serving right away. If it sits, the sauce tends to thicken up, so add in a splash of pasta water to keep things loose.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1270IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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Seriously the Best Baked Chicken Legs

I’m not one to buy chicken legs very frequently because its habit for me to reach for the boneless skinless chicken breasts. But man oh man I forget how inexpensive chicken legs are, how easy they are to throw together on a busy weeknight and that all my kids eat them no problem. I think a lot of times, people see the drumsticks at the grocery store and just don’t know what to do with them so they pass them by completely. But I’m here to tell you that the simple approach is best and making a really basic spice rub to sprinkle over top is where the magic happens. 

A hot oven and homemade spice mix will give you chicken legs with:

• crispy skin
• that are juicy and flavorful

Even though this recipe is pretty basic, it is delicious and is one I keep coming back to time and time again.

I’ve got some step by step photos below to walk you through the process, but I promise it’s super simple!

A Note About the Homemade Spice Mix

Chicken in general, including these baked chicken legs, need a lot of seasoning because on their own don’t have a lot of flavor.

I don’t necessarily like adding a lot of huge and big flavors to meat, especially if I’m feeding kids (which I always am). But, that doesn’t mean this is an out for making gross chicken. I want this seasoning blend to come across as “yum that’s good and I don’t know why” instead of some random kid yelling “why did you put garlic in this?” and then storming off to their room…not that this has ever happened at my house. Ha!

I purposely kept things neutral with my flavor profiles and I’m not just talking about salt and pepper, though they definitely help. With enough of a hit of poultry seasoning, onion powder and paprika, the mixture works magically to produce really REALLY good chicken without anyone really knowing why. The cherry on top is the crispy skin you get from that rub down with olive oil. It’s really so good.

How to Make Baked Chicken Legs

I purposely made this recipe as easy as possible with the simplest of ingredients. After the 10 minutes of prep work, this turns into the easiest recipe ever. Just let the oven do the work! While the chicken legs bake, you can make whatever sides you like so by the time you pull them out, dinner can be served right away.

Prep Your Chicken Drumsticks

Start by opening up your package of chicken legs and drying them off with a paper towel. I used two pounds of chicken drumsticks which ended up being about 8. Every package will be different based on weight, but 8 should be about average. Lay the dried drumsticks onto a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.

Make the Spice Rub

In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and paprika. This spice mix doesn’t have any pronounced or obvious flavors so when it is rubbed and baked onto this chicken, you will notice yourself saying “wow, this is good chicken” without realizing what is making it so good. Spoiler alert: its this spice rub!

Season the Chicken Legs + Bake

Rub each chicken leg with olive oil and sprinkle with the homemade spice mix. I did end up lining my baking sheet with foil because I like the easy cleanup but you don’t have to do this if that is preferred.

Bake, uncovered in a hot oven (about 40-45 mins) and you will have crispy, flavorful, golden brown chicken legs.

If you notice your oven runs hot or if you have the chicken on a lower rack in your oven, you may notice the chicken skin roasting too quickly, thus making it darker on the outside quicker than you may like. In this case I would cover it with foil for the duration of the bake time until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. You can also cover it and move it to a higher rack in the oven.

Side Dishes to Serve with Baked Chicken Legs:

• Butter Rice (my favorite way to make rice!)
• Classic Coleslaw Recipe
• Funeral Potatoes
• Iceberg Wedge Salad Recipe
• Best Pan Fried Potatoes
• Caprese Salad with Garlic Balsamic Dressing

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover chicken legs in an airtight container or tightly wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Storing this way will keep them fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

To Reheat: Skip the microwave, and throw them on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until hot.

More *Amazing* Chicken Recipes to Try:

• Roast Chicken, 
• Chicken Piccata Recipe, 
• Oven Fried Chicken, 
• Sticky Chicken Drumsticks  
• Lauren’s Roasted Chicken Thighs.

So there you have it, friends! A delicious, simple dinner that everyone loves! Be sure to print/save/pin/bookmark this recipe because it’s one of those basic recipes that you’ll keep coming back to. Have a great day, friends!

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Baked Chicken Legs

This recipe for Baked Chicken Legs is the simplest dinner to make any weeknight. Rub with a little olive oil, homemade spice mix and bake.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked chicken, baked chicken legs, chicken leg recipes, chicken legs

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 341kcal

Author Lauren’s Latest

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds chicken legs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a small bowl, stir together all seasonings and spices.
• Open package of chicken legs and pat dry with paper towels. Place onto prepared baking sheet and rub with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings on all sides. 
• Bake, uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until browned and meat thermometer registers 165 degrees or higher. Serve warm.

Notes

If you notice your oven runs hot or if you have the chicken on a lower rack in your oven, you may notice the chicken skin roasting too quickly, thus making it darker on the outside quicker than you may like. In this case I would cover it with foil for the duration of the bake time until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. You can also cover it and move it to a higher rack in the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 690mg | Potassium: 262mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

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Brussels Sprouts: What to Buy

This roasted brussel sprouts recipe is a simple three-ingredient recipe. You’ll probably have olive oil, salt, and pepper on hand and will only need to buy the brussel sprouts! You have some options to choose from so consider these things before buying:

• Size – the bigger they are the more time they’ll take to roast. You can cut down this time by buying smaller rounds and by chopping them in half.
• Prep Work – you are going to have to wash, cut and prep each little sprout. To make this process even faster you can buy brussels sprouts that are already trimmed and ready to go. Just make sure to cut off the stump at the end and that no outer layers look gross. If there are some, simply peel them away.
• Frozen or Fresh – I would not recommend using frozen brussels sprouts for this recipe. I’d either go with some on the stalk or even the bagged brussels sprouts that are trimmed and washed.

Customize Your Brussels Sprouts

You can customize this side dish by adding some delicious add-ins. Try adding parmesan for a cheesy twist or cajun seasoning in the place of salt and pepper. For an even more crunchy texture, you can add panko breadcrumbs.

What are some other ways you’ve customized this recipe? Let me know in the comments below

How to Roast Brussel Sprouts

For full details on how to roast brussel sprouts in the oven, see the recipe card down below

Preheat + Prep

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

There is no need to soak brussel sprouts before roasting. To prepare them, simply wash brussels sprouts, peel outer (dirty) leaves, and trim bottoms. Discard these extra leaves and pieces. Halve clean brussels sprouts and place them onto a baking sheet.

Drizzle with Olive Oil + Seasonings

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly. Then you’re going to want to spread these out into a single layer, all facing flat side down. This is to ensure even roasting. If they are too close, they end up steaming each other, so don’t overcrowd either.

Roast In the Oven

Roast Brussel Sprouts 20-25 minutes, or until brown and tender to your liking. (I turn mine after 20 minutes and bake another 5-10.)

How to prevent bitterness:

Overcooking brussel sprouts leads to bitterness. To prevent this my suggestions are to:

• not overcrowd or overlap
• halve and cut each piece down so they are as uniform in size as possible
• flip during baking

How to Serve Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Besides eating this dish plain, you can use and enjoy roasted brussel sprouts in a variety of ways. Consider these recipes from the site:

• Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Cashews
• Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
• Warm Asparagus & Brussels Sprouts Salad
• Spaghetti with Bacon, Brussels Sprouts and Artichokes.

You can even make a dipping sauce! A sweet balsamic syrup is super tasty with roasted brussel sprouts. Or have them as a side with these main dishes:

• Slow Cooked Tri Tip Roast
• Prime Rib
• Roasted Turkey
• Salisbury Steak

Storing + Reheating Roasted Brussel Sprouts

This is a great make-ahead recipe because leftovers can last in the fridge for up to 4 days. Seal in an airtight container to keep the freshness to a maximum. However, keep in mind that roasted brussel sprouts get a little smelly the older they get. So maybe make these a day ahead of time at most.

Reheat in the oven, in a skillet, or in the microwave. The microwave is the fastest but will leave them a bit soggy while the skillet and oven work best for warming.

More Side Dishes to Try!

Be sure to check out all of my vegetable side dishes <– here!

• Maple Glazed Carrots
• Roasted Cauliflower
• Roasted Asparagus 
• Cauliflower Au Gratin
• Roasted Acorn Squash

The printable recipe card is down below, enjoy friends!

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts

This three-ingredient Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipe is a delicious vegetable side dish. Perfectly golden and tender in the middle.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword oven roasted brussel sprouts, roasted brussel sprouts

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 142kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

• 1 pound brussel sprouts
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Wash brussels sprouts, peel outer (dirty) leaves and trim bottoms. Discard these extra leaves and pieces. Halve clean brussels sprouts and place onto a baking sheet.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat thoroughly and turn all pieces to be cut side down.
• Bake 20-25 minutes, or until brown and tender to your liking. (I turn mine after 20 minutes and bake another 5-10.)

Nutrition

Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 441mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 96mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg

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A Low Carb Chili Recipe (with No Beans!)

While I have some classic, family-friendly Chili recipes on my site, this one might be considered a little different. Most chili recipes add cans of beans. But for this lower carb chili recipe, we replaced the beans with a ton of veggies (carrots, zucchini, corn, yellow squash, celery, onions and garlic). Because this is spiced with lots of cumin and chili powder, you won’t even notice that the beans are missing.

Is This Really Low Carb?

So, I have a hard time answering this question because there are so many variations of what a ‘low carb diet’ means. Keto is different from Atkins which is different from Paleo. All have different numbers of carbs you can eat. So, in general, compared to the original recipe, yes this is low carb! The vegetables have carbs in them-not nearly as many as you’d find with the addition of rice or beans, but carbs nonetheless. If you are looking to reduce the carbs even lower than what is calculated per serving in the recipe card, feel free to omit the corn.

Easy Substitutions

The thing I love about any chili recipe is it comes together in a snap and it uses a lot of canned products that are inexpensive and easy to store. This No-Bean Chili mostly falls under that category, but we are substituting the canned beans for some fresh veggies.

1. Use Ground Turkey and Ground Beef Interchangeably. Both ground meats work perfectly in a stew like chili and most of the time no one can really tell the difference because it’s all spiced exactly the same. To make this lower fat, consider using a 96% lean ground beef or a 99% fat free ground turkey.
2. Other Low Carb Veggies for Zucchini and Yellow Squash. While I like the texture of zucchini and yellow squash after cooking, I LOVE that it blends in and tastes like whatever you pair with it. If you don’t like zucchini or squash, instead of omitting it, try switching it out for a lower carb veggie: mushrooms, chard, broccoli, bell peppers or asparagus. All of these will make your chili recipe a unique one with their own flavor and textures, but it should be fine with all that cumin and chili powder.
3. Make it Spicy with Jalapenos. While I cook this recipe for a younger crowd with mild palates, feel free to spice this recipe up with some fresh jalapenos, more chili powder, cayenne powder, dried chiles, hot sauce and/or red pepper flakes. They are all delicious in their own way, so use as you’d like.
4. Taco Seasoning for Cumin and Chili Powder. In a perfect world, everyone would use my recipes as written and not have any problems whatsoever. The reality is most people won’t have every single ingredient and that’s ok! If you don’t have cumin and chili powder but do have taco seasoning, use the taco seasoning! Yes, it will taste a little like tacos, but still delicious!

How to Make No Bean Chili in 3 Easy Steps

These directions are pretty darn simple! But for more specific increments and instructions, please refer to my recipe card at the bottom of this post. Also, the nutritional information is included there as well.

1. Cook Ground Turkey

In a large pot, heat oil. Drop turkey meat into the pot and break apart using a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is cooked thoroughly.

2. Add Veggies and Spices

Add in onions, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash until slightly softened. Stir in the broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and spices. Bring the whole pot to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for up to 3 hours. (30 minutes is fine!)

3. Dish up and Serve

Serve Chili with desired toppings and cornbread.

What to Serve with Chili Besides Cornbread

I’m not gonna lie, I make a mean cornbread. It’s sweet, tender and addicting. But not everyone wants cornbread. (Shocking, I know.) Here are a few ideas that you might like instead:

• Homemade Bread Bowls
• Baked Potatoes
• Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
• Crescent Rolls– no knead recipe!
• Doritos Taco Salad
• Southwest Salad with Chicken

If none of these seem like good options, feel free to browse my side dish recipe archive. I’ve got a little something for everyone there.

Storing Leftover No Bean Chili

This recipe will stay good in the fridge for up to five days, covered in an airtight container.

Or try making a double batch and freezing half of it for a quick, delicious, and healthy dinner some other time. No bean chili can be frozen in an airtight container or bag for up to two months.

To reheat, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. Heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring half way through to heat evenly. Yum yum!

Favorite (Low Carb) Chili Toppings

I’m assuming if you’re looking for a no-bean chili recipe, you are also in the market for some lower carb chili toppings to take things over the top. While any topping you’d put on regular chili you can put on no bean chili, not all of them are low carb. Here are some of my favorites:

• Avocados or homemade guacamole
• Fresh diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
• Grated Cheese (cotija, mexican blend or sharp cheddar are my favorites)
• Chopped Cilantro and/or fresh jalapeno slices
• Sour Cream
• Black Olives

Loved this No Bean Chili Recipe? Try these other Lower Carb Recipes:

• Low Carb Burrito Bowls
• Low Carb Bagel Sandwiches
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Anyways, printable recipe is below! Pin it, print it, or bookmark this page. Have a great day!

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No Bean Chili Recipe

No Bean Chili is filled with turkey and tons of vegetables! You bet this is healthy, so try making this amazing chili recipe no beans style!

Course Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword chili recipe no beans, No Bean Chili

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4 servings

Calories 305kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb ground turkey 93% lean
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 medium carrots diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 2 small zucchini diced
• 2 small yellow squash diced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup beef stock or chicken stock
• 14.5 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
• 14.5 oz tomato sauce 1 can
• 1 1/4 cup frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder or more if you like it spicy

toppings:

• grated cheddar cheese
• chopped cilantro
• sour cream
• avocados etc.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Drop meat into the pot and break apart using a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is cooked thoroughly.
• Add in onions, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini, and squash until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer at least 30 minutes.
• Serve with desired toppings and cornbread.

Notes

LOWER CARB OPTION: If you’d like to make this recipe even lower in carbs, consider omitting the corn.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 263mg | Potassium: 1403mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 6340IU | Vitamin C: 52.6mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 4.2mg

The post No Bean Chili appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

What is a Wedge Salad?

An Iceberg Wedge Salad is probably one of the simplest salads you can make. It’s literally a head of iceberg lettuce cut into 4, drenched in some homemade dressing, and a bunch of toppings thrown on top. And good grief it’s amazing. Traditionally, it has bacon, blue cheese dressing and tomatoes. I include all those delicious toppings plus a few extra to make it more filling and take it to next level. Perfect salad for lunch or side salad for dinner.

Never before have I felt this strongly about a salad. Well, that’s not exactly true… Here are some other salads I LOVE: Kale Salad with White Balsamic Maple Dressing, Strawberry Spinach Salad with Bacon, Southwest Chicken Chopped Salad Recipe, and Corn, Peach & Basil Burrata Salad.

How to Make a Wedge Salad

Here are all of the nitty-gritty details on how to make this amazing iceberg wedge salad recipe. Don’t forget about the free printable recipe card down below

Clean and Cut Iceberg Lettuce

Take a whole head of lettuce and remove any wilting or brown leaves from the exterior. Hold the entire head of lettuce core side down and give it a few good bangs on the counter to loosen the core. Use your fingers to wiggle out and remove the center core. Fill the entire head of lettuce with cold water to rinse all the interior leaves. Since it grows like a cabbage or onion, all the layers will get rinsed! After it is filled with water, rinse the exterior. Dump out all the water you can and shake out any excess. Leave it facing down on a clean kitchen towel to drain for 5-10 minutes.

Cut the entire head in half then cut one half in half again, making 2 individual wedges. Place each wedge, curve side down on a plate.

How do Restaurants Keep Salad Crisp

Using fresh and cold iceberg lettuce is the best way to make and keep a crispy salad! After you have washed the entire head of lettuce, save it (or any leftover portion of it) by wrapping the cut side in paper towel and storing in a gallon size zip top bag. Remove as much water as possible before storage and keep it cut side (or core side) down so it can continue to drain. It should stay fresh for up to 1 week.

Can I grill my lettuce?

You absolutely can! I love a good charred look and taste. To grill your lettuce cut and clean as usual. Drizzle on some olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for a couple of minutes on each flat side until desired char is achieved.

Make the Dressing + Drizzle

In a small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, Worcestershire, blue cheese crumbles, white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper together for the dressing. Drizzle each lettuce wedge generously with dressing!

Can I use Store Bought Dressing?

Yes, you absolutely can! Try Bolthouse Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing. Those are some of my favorites, found in the refrigerated section in the grocery store, by the produce and bagged salads.

Add the Toppings

Here is a list of what I used for my wedge salad:

• Bacon – Glorious bacon! The perfect salty compliment to everything else on this salad. Plus here’s a helpful how-to on cooking bacon in the oven.
• Hard-Boiled Eggs – A classic addition to any salad recipe. My kids prefer egg whites, not yolks, so that is why I didn’t include them, but feel free to add them in or exclude the eggs all together.
• Grape Tomatoes – Adds color with sweet juicy flavor.
• Blue Cheese Crumbles – Warning, if you don’t like blue cheese this recipe might not be for you. You can also use feta, goat cheese or grated cheddar!
• Chives & Black Pepper – for a nice garnish, but totally optional.

More Topping Ideas

But you don’t have to just use the toppings I used! Feel free to customize this wedge salad to your liking. Here are a few ideas: nuts, candied nuts, carrots, olives, artichoke hearts, sesame seeds, red onion, roasted red peppers, fried onions, cucumber, sprouts, chickpeas, avocado, and whatever else your heart desires!

How to Eat a Wedge Salad

I usually tackle a wedge salad with a steak knife and fork. Having a large enough (and sharp enough) knife is key. Cut off a small chunk, then stab away at the toppings you’d like in a bite. It’s kinda like making a chopped salad right on your plate.

What to Serve with a Wedge Salad

A good wedge salad is perfectly paired with a meaty main dish! It is more of a steakhouse recipe, so obviously served with steak and/or baked potatoes would be my first choice. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Garlic Steak
• Perfect Stovetop Steak and Baked Potatoes
• French Onion Chicken
• Smothered Baked Pork Chops
• Turkey Meatloaf
• Baked Salmon with Garlic Butter Breadcrumbs

More Salad Recipes to Try!

• Pear Salad
• Strawberry Salad
• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Classic Caesar Salad
• Caprese Salad

Anyways, if you are obsessed with wedge salads as much as I am, then this recipe is going out to you! And if you think you don’t like a wedge salad, I’d ask you to give this one a try with all the goodies on top and see how you REALLY feel about it. I promise that it’s tastier than you think.

Have a lovely day, friends!!

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Iceberg Wedge Salad Recipe

An Iceberg Wedge Salad Recipe with low fat blue cheese dressing and copious toppings is the perfect side that goes with almost any dinner.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Lettuce Wedge, Wedge Salad, Wedge Salad Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 201kcal

Author Lauren Brennan

Ingredients

for the dressing-

• 1/4 cup greek yogurt plain, or low-fat
• 3 tablespoons sour cream or low-fat
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons milk
• dash Worcestershire
• 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

for the wedges salads-

• 1 head iceberg lettuce cut into 4 {but we’re only using 2)
• 1/3 cup bacon cooked and crumbled
• 4 hard boiled eggs chopped into pieces
• 10 grape tomatoes sliced in half
• extra blue cheese crumbles 1-2 tablespoons per salad
• chives for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Take a whole head of lettuce and remove any wilting or brown leaves from the exterior. Hold the entire head of lettuce core side down and give it a few good bangs on the counter to loosen the core. Use your fingers to wiggle out the center core. Fill the entire head of lettuce with cold water to rinse all the interior leaves. Since it grows like a cabbage or onion, all the layers will get rinsed! After it is filled with water, rinse the exterior. Dump out all the water you can and shake out any excess. Leave it facing down on a clean kitchen towel to drain for 5-10 minutes.

  Cut the entire head in half then cut one half in half again, making 2 individual wedges. Place each wedge, curve side down on a plate. Save the other half head of lettuce by wrapping the cut side in paper towel and storing in a gallon size zip top bag.
• In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients for the dressing together. Set aside.
• On two dinner plates, place wedges of iceberg lettuce, cut side up. Drizzle generously with dressing. Top with bacon, eggs, tomatoes, extra blue cheese and chives. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1430IU | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 1.3mg

The post Iceberg Wedge Salad Recipe appeared first on Lauren's Latest.

Crockpot Ham | An Easy Make-Ahead Meal!

Want to make an incredible meal without all the hassle? Then this Crockpot Ham recipe is for you! Made easy by using a spiraled ham, there’s little prep before it heads into the crockpot. Which leaves you with time to get things done around the house, make a side dish or just sit back and relax. Ham is a traditional and delicious main course for Easter dinner so I’d definitely recommend making it for that special occasion, but you could easily fit this into any weekday meal plan as well.

Main Ingredients Needed

You’re only three ingredients away from this amazing Crockpot Ham recipe! Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Chicken Broth – you could also use water here, but I opt for chicken broth for the extra flavor it provides. This also helps the meat stay moist while cooking.
• Brown Sugar – this helps create a sticky-sweet glaze that you can then baste over your ham after cooking.
• Bone-In Spiral Ham – I got a 10 pounder which yields 12 servings (great for meal prep) but if you are looking to cut back, get a smaller ham and cook for less time.
• Ham Glaze- Optional! Yes, you can make a ham glaze for your crockpot ham if your heart desires, but know you can definitely get a delicious end product without

How to Make Ham in the Crockpot

For full details on how to make ham in the crockpot, see the recipe card down below

Add Chicken Broth + Brown Sugar

Add chicken broth and brown sugar to the bottom of a cold crockpot.

Add Ham + Cook

Unwrap ham and place face down onto the sugar. If your ham is too large for your crockpot like mine was, simply fit it into your crockpot as best as you can, trimming a little if necessary.

Cover and cook until hot all the way through and internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Feel free to baste and brush on any desired glaze. If your ham is too big and the lid of the crockpot won’t close, add foil to the top with the lid overtop. I did order this 8 quart CrockPot for the next holiday ham which will be plenty big, so you may want to consider something larger, but my smaller 4 quart worked well, just had to make a few modifications.

How Long Do I Cook a Spiral Ham in the Crockpot?

Since spiral ham is already cooked, you’re simply gently reheating up to temperature in order to serve. In order to do this, I cook this crockpot ham on low for 6 hours.

You could do high for 3-4 hours, but you risk drying out your ham.

What to Serve with Ham

Ham pairs perfectly with a lot of different side dishes, so pick your favorites and go for it! Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

Leftovers

Have any leftovers? Store ham in a covered airtight container in the fridge for up to five days! Or if you don’t have enough to save, consider making a different dish from it (such as Ham Salad).

More Pork Main Dishes to Try!

While you’re at it, check out all of my other pork recipes too!

• Smothered Baked Pork Chops
• Amazing Pulled Pork Recipe
• Pineapple Glazed Ham
• Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
• Garlic Pork Loin Roast Recipe with Potatoes

Try this super easy Crockpot Ham recipe soon!

The printable recipe card is down below, enjoy

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Crockpot Ham Recipe

This easy, 3-ingredient Crockpot Ham recipe is made with precooked spiralized ham and brown sugar. Just in time for Easter!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword crockpot ham

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 954kcal

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 10 pound spiral cut bone in ham

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add chicken broth and brown sugar to the bottom of a cold crockpot.
• Unwrap ham and place face down onto the sugar. If your ham is too large for your crockpot like mine was, simply fit it into your crockpot as best as you can, trimming a little if necessary.
• Cover and cook on low 6 hours or until hot all the way through and internal temperature reads 165 degrees F. Feel free to baste and brush on any desired glaze.

Notes

Since spiral ham is already cooked, you’re simply gently reheating up to temperature in order to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 954kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 82g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 234mg | Sodium: 4507mg | Potassium: 1097mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Crockpot Ham appeared first on Lauren's Latest.