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Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Chris Cockren 30 Comments

Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | sharedappetite.com

This post is sponsored by Imperial Sugar.  As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite! 

Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | sharedappetite.com

Looking to get your creative Christmas cookie baking on?  These Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies are big on flavor and super easy to make!

I love mint.  Not that spearmint or wintergreen crap.  Peppermint.  The real deal mint.  And peppermint and chocolate together?  That's what I'm talking about.

But my dad.  He takes the mint chocolate love to a whole new level.  The dude is obsessed with it.  So what's an amazing, thoughtful, caring kid to do?  Feed his father's addiction, of course.

And guys.  These Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They are legit.  Super moist.  Full of peppermint chocolate flavor.  And that color... it just screams Christmas cheer.

Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | sharedappetite.com

I know, this is my second crinkle cookie recipe in the same week.  Remember those Chocolate Orange Truffle Crinkle Cookies?  But what am I supposed to do?  These things are so darn festive and fun to make.  Can you blame me?  Are there any more questions I can fit into this paragraph?

And you know what... this isn't even my last crinkle cookie recipe for this year!  Ha!  I've got one more coming at ya in a few days.  Boom.  That's right.  I'm on the crinkle cookie train and there's no stopping it.

The rolling around in powdered sugar before baking (i.e. the crinkle effect) is completely optional.  It does make the cookies look extra pretty, but I will be straight up with you... Asheley requests her cookies crinkle free.

You see, she gets a little over enthusiastic with the speed in which she devours cookies.  And have you ever tried to quickly inhale a cookie with powdered sugar?  Yea, let's just say it's pretty funny to watch.

Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | sharedappetite.com

You can snag this quick and easy creative Christmas cookie recipe for Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies over at Imperial Sugar.

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Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies | sharedappetite.com

Red Velvet Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Chris Cockren
  • Total Time: 19 minutes + 1 hour chill time
  • Yield: 20-24 Cookies 1x
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Description

Chocolate and peppermint happily share top billing in these festive cookies. Quick and easy recipe that's almost too cute to eat!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour*
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup dark brown sugar  
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar 
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 

Instructions

  1. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and Kosher salt in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. Beat the butter, dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined. Scrape down sides and beat in egg and vanilla extract. On low, add in red food coloring and peppermint extract, scraping down sides as necessary. Slowly add in dry ingredients on low speed and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips and stir until combined.
  3. Place plastic wrap directly onto dough to tightly cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to a few days.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Scoop cookie dough and roll into small balls. Coat very generously in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheets and bake approximately 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on baking tray for a few minutes to set. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 9 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Chocolate Orange Truffle Crinkle Cookies

By Chris Cockren 41 Comments

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

This post is sponsored by Halos™.  As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite! 

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

Cookies are good.  Truffles are too.  But truffles inside of cookies?  Heck to the yes.  These Chocolate Orange Truffle Crinkle Cookies are beyond legit!

I'm late to the baking game this Christmas.  But there is still a week and a half before Santa is due to squeeze his fat tuckus down our chimney, so I'm gonna be pumping out cookies like it's my job.  The baking sheets are literally staying on the counter all week long.  It's not even worth putting them away for the few short hours they'll have off each day.

Guys.  Crinkle cookies.  Where have they been hiding all my life?  I literally just found out about them last week and have already made three different kinds.  Just a word to the wise.  Although they look beautiful and inviting, approach and devour slowly.  My over-zealous wife had a coughing fit after trying to hastily inhale one on the cooling rack.  Hello powdered sugar 🙂

Side note.  I'm impressed that I used the words zealous and hastily in the same sentence as I'm typing this post out late on Sunday night.

And these Chocolate Orange Truffle Crinkle Cookies?  Equally impressive.

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

So yea.  Chocolate and orange is a serious flavor combo.  #legit

And sure, we could have just stopped at making a quick and easy chocolate orange cookie dough and rolling it around in some powdered sugar before baking them off.  But no.  I'm all about going that extra step to impress the heck out of family and friends.

We're going to stuff these creative crinkle cookies with easy homemade chocolate orange truffles.  Boom.

Bring these bad boys to a cookie swap and you'll get some instant cookie cred.

chocolate-orange-truffle-crinkle-cookies-6

See that molten center?  That's the truffle hard at work.

And can we get a round of applause for Asheley, my beautiful wife, who graciously (without one sigh or eye roll) agreed to go all the way upstairs and change out of her pajamas an into an actual shirt so I could take those photos above... seriously, she'd appreciate some recognition.

And for all you hand model agents out there, she's available for hire.

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

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Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 16-20 cookies 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

for the Cookie base

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon orange zest (depending how orange-y you want it)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, for coating
  • ½ cup powdered sugar, for coating

for the Chocolate Orange Truffle filling

  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon orange zest (depending upon how orange-y you want it)

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of your stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and granualted sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in orange zest. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to a few days.
  2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Remove chocolate orange truffle filling from fridge and allow to soften a bit. Break into bite-sized pieces (about 16-20).
  3. Take a spoonful of dough and flatten with the palms of your hands. Place a piece of truffle filling in center of dough, and wrap around dough to fully enclose truffle, smoothing and rolling out into a ball with your hands. Repeat with remaining dough.
  4. Roll dough balls in granulated sugar, and then in powdered sugar. Make sure to very generously coat dough balls in powdered sugar in order to get that crinkle effect. Place on baking trays and bake approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool on tray for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm for that ooey-gooey truffle center!

for the Chocolate Orange Truffle filling

  1. Place finely chopped dark chocolate in a small bowl and set aside. Microwave heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl until very hot, about 30 to 45 seconds. Keep an eye on it to avoid bubbling over. Slowly stir cream into chocolate, and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Stir in orange zest and place in refrigerator to chill.

Notes

For a larger yield of cookies, break truffles into tinier pieces (which will require less dough to fully enclose).

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

These cookies were made with Halos™ mandarin oranges.  I actually picked up a bag of them at the grocery store last week in anticipation of cookie baking.  One problem.  I didn't think about the Asheley factor.

Ashely factor = Asheley eating said Halos mandarin oranges.  Thankfully she left me a few to work with 🙂

I really can't blame her though...

Halos™ are sweet, juicy, seedless, and best of all... super easy to peel.  And, guess what?  They are non-GMO!  That's a huge win right there.

Chocolate Orange Truffle Cookies | sharedappetite.com

 

Halos box
 Get your family excited about fresh food and activities they’ll love. Learn more about Wonderful Halos on Facebook or the HalosFun blog.

 

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark

By Chris Cockren 22 Comments

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser.  All opinions, as well as the recipe herein, are mine alone.  #TasteTheSeason #CollectiveBias

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

This holiday season, legit homemade gifts like this Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark can help save you money and still impress your family and friends!

If only opening your wallet and handing over vasts amount of money was considered an actual legit workout... I'd be in good shape.  Sadly, all it leaves me is a little bit lighter in the bank account.

I totally love the holiday season, but let's be honest.  Money flows pretty darn easily in the outward direction this time of year.   Giving gifts is one of my favorite things to do, but I also enjoy a credit card and debt-free life (what, no credit cards?!  Yup, that's how this household rolls).

Solution?  Getting all DIY in your kitchen.  Giving homemade gifts is not only super thoughtful (and tasty), it can help you save money this Christmas.  Homemade gifts like.... oh hey Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark!

Oooo, and it's topped with crushed pretzels as well.  I didn't want to put that in the title though, because it seemed long enough already 😉

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

Tell me you wouldn't love getting a basket full of homemade deliciousness from a neighbor, co-worker, or friend?  Especially if it includes... okay, let's break this down:

  • chocolate
  • ooey-gooey marshmallow
  • chewy caramel
  • candied bacon
  • more chocolate
  • crushed pretzels

Yea, this creative chocolate bark is legit.  It's sweet, salty, chewy, and ooey-gooey... all at the same time.

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

And with Kraft caramels and Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, this Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark is also ridiculously easy to put together.  It requires no baking (except for cooking the bacon) and minimal effort.  And it's totally something your kids can help you make.

Now all you have to figure out is... who are you going to give it to?

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

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Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: About 15 Pieces of Bark 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
  • 1 ½ cups Kraft Jet-Puffed mini marshmallows
  • 1 scant tablespoon butter
  • 25 - 30 Kraft caramels, unwrapped
  • 4 to 5 strips bacon
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¾ cup mini pretzels, lightly crushed

Instructions

  1. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. Let edges of parchment/foil overhang pan for easy removal.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place bacon in single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar and rub in lightly. Cook until golden brown and crispy, about 18-22 minutes. Remove to plate and allow to cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted. Do not overheat, or chocolate will burn.
  4. Pour a thin, even layer of melted chocolate into pan and smooth with spatula. Place in freezer to harden, about 10 minutes.
  5. Place marshmallows and butter into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for about 30-45 seconds. Marshmallows will expand when heated, so make sure to use a large bowl and keep an eye on it. Stir marshmallows. It should be smooth and elastic. Heat for an additional 15-30 seconds if needed. Spray spatula with nonstick spray and spread marshmallow into a thin, even layer very quickly on the hardened chocolate. Return to freezer 10-15 minutes.
  6. Pour another thin, even layer of chocolate over marshmallow layer and return to freezer to harden. Place unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle very quickly in a thin layer. It's going to harden very fast, so it's best to try to drizzle it evenly over the chocolate layer. If it doesn't cooperate into a perfect thin layer, it's okay. Just do your best.
  7. Scatter chopped candied bacon over caramel, pressing down slightly. Return to freezer to allow to harden. If remaining chocolate has hardened, microwave until melted and pour over candied bacon into an even layer. Sprinkle pretzels on top and press in slightly with spatula. Return to freezer and let harden.
  8. When ready to cut, remove bark from pan and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. Keep refrigerated.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Chocolate, Marshmallow, Caramel, and Candied Bacon Bark | sharedappetite.com

I went to Walmart to snag my Kraft Caramels and Jet Puffed Mini Marshmallows.  Look for them in the baking and/or candy aisles. And if you need more inspiration this holiday season, check out the Cooking Up Good website. It has recipes, sweepstakes, loyalty programs, coupons and more! What's not to love? If you're looking for a new dinner idea or a chance to win some awesome prizes, be sure to check it out!

walmart chocolate bark

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream

By Chris Cockren 45 Comments

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

 

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

The love child of two classic holiday drinks... this Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream is sure to impress all your family and friends!

See ya later apple cider.  Good riddance  apple crisp.  I'm not going to lie.  These last couple of months have been quite enjoyable. And I'll definitely miss you.  But it's eggnog and hot chocolate's turn.  And cookies.  An absurdly large amount of cookies.

Sometimes I actually have a good idea.  Asheley might try and tell you those moments are few and far between, but don't let her kid you 😉

This is one of those lightbulb moments.  What if we didn't have to choose between eggnog and hot chocolate?  What if we could have both, at the same time?!

That's right.  Hot Chocolate Eggnog.

And heck... it's Christmas time.  Let's get a little bit crazy up in here.  Eggnog Whipped Cream on top.  Boom.  #nailedit

It's time to impress all your friends and family this season by serving them this elegant concoction and love child of two classic holiday drinks.  Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream, anyone?

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

I have to admit, I'm actually not a huge eggnog fan.  I'll drink it, but I never really crave it.

But guys.  When you combine eggnog WITH hot chocolate?  Sweet baby Jesus it's good.

This Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream is super creamy and perfectly rich.  I'm all about this creative Christmas drink.

And oh man... this eggnog whipped cream.  Let's just say I wish it was socially acceptable to brush my teeth with it.  #thisiswhyimfat

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

So, let's talk about Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs.

Bottom line? With Safest Choice, you don't need to worry about your eggs.  The all-natural pasteurization process they use eliminates the risk of salmonella.  That’s a HUGE win.  You can make your eggs the way you like and keep your family safe.  Heck, you can even go all Rocky Balboa on your eggs and drink 'em raw.

Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs are all about taste and safety.  So go ahead.  Get your creative eggnog on.

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

 

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

 

 

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Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream | sharedappetite.com

Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Chris Cockren
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
Print Recipe
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Description

The love child of two classic holiday drinks... this Hot Chocolate Eggnog with Eggnog Whipped Cream is sure to impress all your family and friends!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups Homemade Eggnog (recipe below)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup finely chopped dark chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • Eggnog Whipped Cream (recipe below)

for the Homemade Eggnog

  • 4 egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon nutmeg, depending upon preference
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

for the Eggnog Whipped Cream

  • ⅔ cup heavy cream
  • ⅔ cup eggnog
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • Sprinkle of nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Place homemade eggnog, whole milk, dark chocolate, sugar, and a pinch of Kosher salt in a medium pot over medium heat. Warm mixture, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is fully melted. Divide among four glasses and top with Eggnog Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Devour immediately.
for the Homemade Eggnog
  1. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, combine the milk, heavy cream, nutmeg, and a pinch of Kosher salt until you see small bubbles rising the surface, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
  2. Meanwhile, in your stand mixer or a bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar together until the yolks lighten in color and sugar is completely dissolved.
  3. Remove milk mixture from heat and very slowly pour it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to avoid eggs from cooking. Return mixture to pot and cook until the mixture reaches 160F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into mixing bowl and let cool completely. If serving later, set in refrigerator to chill, up to a few days.
for the Eggnog Whipped Cream
  1. Make sure heavy cream and eggnog are well chilled before whipping. Place all ingredients in bowl of stand mixer and beat on high (start on a lower speed to avoid splatter) until desired whipped cream consistency is reached.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Miracle-Gro AeroGarden 3SL Giveaway!

By Chris Cockren 21 Comments

This post and giveaway is sponsored by Kitchen Play and Miracle-Gro® AeroGarden®.  Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite!

Untitled

You may have noticed on Instagram that I've been having fun playing with my new  Miracle-Gro® AeroGarden® 3SL unit that was sent to me a couple weeks ago.

Oh, wait, you don't follow me on Instagram?  Well let's turn that 🙁  into 🙂 ------> Follow me on Instagram silly!

And while you are at it, win an AeroGarden for yourself!

What?!

I know! ...they are hooking up one of you with an indoor herb garden!  #woot

 

A little more info about the AeroGarden 3SL for your reading pleasure...

The AeroGarden® growing systems are dirt-free indoor gardens that fit on your countertop. With no dirt and no weeds, AeroGarden® offers an easy, hassle-free gardening experience right in your own kitchen! If you’re looking for a unique gift for the avid cook in your life, AeroGarden makes a perfect gift!

The Miracle-Gro® AeroGarden® 3SL is the extraordinary soil-free indoor garden that grows plants 5 times faster than soil.  The AeroGarden 3SL brings the magic of the indoor garden virtually anywhere- it sets up in minutes and the slim, elegant design fits beautifully in your kitchen, home, or office. Grow fresh herbs, vegetables, salad greens, flowers and more… let your imagination grow wild! Just insert the seed pods in your garden, add water and nutrients, and then watch it grow!  Easy as 1-2-3!

The easy-to-use Control Panel automatically creates optimal conditions for your plants by turning the light on and off and reminding you when to add our patented, specially formulated Liquid Nutrients. The AeroGarden 3SL’s energy efficient, full spectrum Grow Light significantly increases plant yields. Now you can garden indoors, year ‘round and its Guaranteed to Grow!

OVERVIEW AND BENEFITS:

  • Grows 5 times faster than soil
  • Soil-free, no-mess indoor growing
  • Easy-to-use Control Panel automates key garden functions so you don’t have to
  • Grow anything including fresh herbs, salad greens, vegetables, flowers, and more
  • Advanced hydroponics - made simple
  • NASA tested growing technology
  • Pre-seeded pods with Guaranteed to Grow warranty
  • Energy efficient, high-performance, full spectrum Grow Light- plants grow faster and healthier
  • Patented, specially formulated Liquid Nutrients
  • Transparent garden view window allows you to monitor water levels and actually see your garden in action!
  • Includes 3-Pod Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit with Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, and Dill

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot

By Chris Cockren 25 Comments

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot | sharedappetite.com

This post is sponsored by Kitchen Play and Alamos Wines.  As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite!

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot | sharedappetite.com

Impress your family and friends this holiday season with this stunning Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot.  It's classy, it's packed with bold flavors, and it'll instantly give you some serious entertaining street cred. 

Wow, I can't believe Thanksgiving was last week and we are already into December!

Christmas music is officially turned on.  I've already climbed into the attic to drag out all of our Christmas decorations (and without getting locked in a la Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation style might I add).  And all that apple cider... yea, it's been replaced by hot chocolate.  A lot of hot chocolate.

I love this time of year.

The shopping for gifts.  The cookie baking.  The cookie eating.  The collective generous holiday spirit of (most) New Yorkers. Getting together with family and friends.  And of course, the parties.

You know how much I love small plates. Apps.  Tapas.  Finger food.  It's totally my jam.  All little bites, jam packed with flavor.  That's totally my type of holiday eating.  And entertaining.  These Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot... #legit

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot | sharedappetite.com

And really, no party is complete without some good wine.

I'm all about some good wine.  Asheley and I absolutely love the stuff.  And I'm not talking just open up a bottle of whatever you have lying around.  Carefully selecting wine to pair with your food... picking a bottle that's going to complement the flavors you're pounding down at the table... that's where the magic happens.

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot | sharedappetite.com

And guys.  This Filet Mignon Crostini.  I don't even know where to start.  Let's just say this is some classy stuff.  Like, you'll definitely impress your family and friends when this is on your holiday menu.  You can earn some serious entertaining street cred with these bad boys.

And it's perfect with a bold wine like.... oh hey there Alamos Malbec.  It's equally bold, has some great natural acidity, and is super versatile with big-flavored foods like this crostini.

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot | sharedappetite.com

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Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot


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5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: About 24 Crostini 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 French baguette, cut into thin slices
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 (8 ounce) filet mignon steaks, cooked to medium-rare
  • Romesco Sauce (recipe below)
  • 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
  • Crispy Shallots (recipe below)
  • Parsley, for garnish

for the Romesco Sauce

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 large plum tomato
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

for the Crispy Shallots

  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • All purpose flour
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Brush baguette slices with olive oil and season with Kosher salt. Toast baguette slices in a 350°F oven until lightly toasted.
  2. Top baguette with a spoonful of Romesco sauce and a few crumbles of goat cheese. Thinly slice filet mignon and place 1 or 2 slices on each piece of baguette. Top with a few crispy shallots and chopped parsley.
  3. Serve and devour immediately.

for the Romesco Sauce

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Rub a little olive oil on both the pepper and tomato. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until tender and charred in spots, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap for at least 10 minutes. Peel skin off of pepper and tomato. Remove seeds from pepper.
  2. Puree roasted pepper, roasted tomato, garlic, almonds, apple cider vinegar, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until completely incorporated and season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

for the Crispy Shallots

  1. Heat about ½" of olive oil in a small fry pan over medium-high heat. Coat shallots in all purpose flour, shake to remove excess flour, and fry in batches until golden brown and crisp (about 25-45 seconds per batch). Remove to a paper towel lined plate and immediately sprinkle with Kosher salt.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Do you dare to pair with Alamos Malbec this holiday season?  Alamos Malbec is grown at the foothills of the Andes using grapes that combine bold layers of flavor and excellent natural acidity for a versatile wine that you can dare to pair with a wide variety of holiday dishes.  For daring pairing recipes and inspiration, visit Alamos Wines on Facebook.

Filet Mignon Crostini with Romesco, Goat Cheese, and Crispy Shallot | sharedappetite.com

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puff Pastry Bites

By Chris Cockren 19 Comments

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites | sharedappetite.com

This post is sponsored by Honest Cooking and Castello Cheese.  As always, all opinions and recipe are my own.  Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite!

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites | sharedappetite.com

An easy entertaining holiday appetizer recipe for Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puff Pastry Bites with a make-ahead and freeze option!  

Guys.  Big accomplishment time.  Asheley and I completed our very first DIY project together this past weekend.

When we moved into our home this past summer, the first thing Asheley did was rip out all the weird-looking vine looking plants growing out of a brick half wall/planter-thingy right by our front door.  Our plan was simple.  Remove plants.  Close off top of brick planter with a slab of wood.  Distress wood.  Stain wood.  Sit back and relish in the fact that we are DIY heroes.

What actually happened... after Asheley ripped out the plants, it was left in that state for months.  We just blankly stared at the barely started project daily, holding our heads low in shameful disappointment.  Getting a customized wood slab big enough was WAY easier in our heads than in real life.  After numerous calls to lumber joints around the area (and mini heart attacks upon hearing the price for wood... I mean, it's wood), we thankfully were told by a friend that his brother could make us what we needed.  Sweet!  A week later, the wood slab arrived and fit perfectly.  Now all we gotta do is distress it and stain it...

We were paralyzed by fear.  It took so long to get this darn wood, what if we mess it up with distressing it!  We've never tried anything like this before.  So it sat there, unfinished, for another 2 months.  #lame.  Finally this past weekend I told Asheley, enough is enough.  Let's put on our big boy (and girl) pants and do this thing.  We wacked the crap out of the wood with chains, hammers, nails... and I even pulled out a secret weapon.  My kitchen torch.  Asheley rolled her eyes but whatevs... I felt like a bad donkey.  A quick coat of stain and boom... kiss our butts Pottery Barn.

Sure, it took us 5 months to complete.  But hey, we did it.

::smooth segue into recipe::

So everytime we entertained and had people over the house these past 5 months, that darn brick planter was the bane of our existence.  None of our guests cared (I mean, hey, we just moved in), but we did.

But now? Now Asheely and I can have people over to our house, have them gawk at this better-than-West-Elm distressed wooden beauty and serve them these ridiculously tasty Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puff Pastry Bites.

See, I told you it was a smooth segue.

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites | sharedappetite.com

Guys, I literally cannot believe this is my first time making anything with puff pastry!!  Like, where has this been all my life?  And more importantly, why have I been living under the biggest rock of all time?!

Puff pastry totally rocks my socks.  I'm finding myself day dreaming about what else I can stuff inbetween those dreamy layers of buttery flaky goodness.

It's no fuss.

It's amazingly easy.

And it tastes. so. good.

The periods inbetween each word was supposed to create drama and suspense.  Did it work?  

And let's talk about the filling, shall we?  Castello Aged Havarti.  Delicious... buttery with a slight crunch.  The pear chutney is out of this world good... like serve-it-straight-up-with-some-crackers-and-call-it-a-day kind of good.  And then some thyme, toasted walnuts, and honey?  That's a huge flavor party right there.

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites | sharedappetite.com

And guys, best part?  These Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puff Pastry Bites can be assembled ahead of time and frozen!  I know.  #easyentertaininghack

Just whip up a batch (or two) when you have a bit of time free, pop them in the freezer, and BOOM.  Instant appetizer at your next party.

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites | sharedappetite.com

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Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites | sharedappetite.com

Havarti, Pear, and Walnut Puffed Pastry Bites


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 18 Bites 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 sheets ready-to-bake puff pastry sheets
  • Pear Chutney (recipe below)
  • 1 (7-ounce) package Castello Aged Havarti Cheese, sliced into bite-sized pieces*
  • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped**
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • Honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

for the Pear Chutney

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 pears, ripe but still firm, ¼" dice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Defrost puff pastry according to package directions. Preheat oven to 425°F.
  2. Roll out puff pastry sheets and cut each sheet into 9 squares (18 squares total between the two sheets). Place squares on a piece of wax paper or parchement paper (this will prevent sticking).
  3. Place a piece of havarti cheese, a spoonful of pear chutney, a few chopped walnuts, a very light sprinkle of fresh thyme, and a drizzle of honey in the center of each puff pastry square. Although it's tempting, don't overfill or else it will be very difficult to seal edges.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water to create an egg wash. Brush egg wash around the perimeter of each pastry square and carefully fold dough over filling to create triangles, pinching edges closed to create a good seal.***
  5. Generously brush the top of each puff pastry bite with egg wash and sprinkle with Kosher salt and chopped fresh thyme. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown. Devour immediately.

for the Pear Chutney

  1. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, season with Kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in pear, thyme, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar. Season with Kosher salt and cook until pears are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5-10 minutes. If pears are not tender and mixture is too dry (starting to stick to pan), add a little water and continue to cook until pears are tender.

Notes

*You most likely won't need the entire package.
**To toast whole walnuts, place in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook in a 375°F oven until fragrant and lightly browned, about 7-9 minutes. Keep a constant eye on them as they can burn easily.
***You can freeze the assembled uncooked pastry bites in a single layer on a baking sheet at this point. Once frozen, place in a ziploc bag and they will keep for a couple of months. When ready to bake, apply egg wash and season with Kosher salt and fresh thyme. Puff pastry bites may be baked frozen or you can thaw first in refrigerator. If baking from frozen, it will just require a little longer in oven. .

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Castelll Aged Havarti

Sparkling Apple Sidecar

By Chris Cockren 15 Comments

Sparkling Apple Sidecar | sharedappetite.com

This post is sponsored by Wisconsin Cheese Talk.  As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite!

Sparkling Apple Sidecar | sharedappetite.com

 Your guests will never know how ridiculously quick and easy this elegant fall cocktail recipe is.  Wow them with this Sparkling Apple Sidecar!

So, did we all recover from Thanksgiving?

I sadly had to put the elastic sweatpants away and stuff myself back into work clothes today.  It was a great holiday weekend of eating though.  My brother and sister-in-law hosted their first every Thanksgiving, and I gotta be honest.  They #nailedit.

The day after Thanksgiving may or may not (it definitely did) have contained some leftover magic... including these Thanksgiving Leftover Hand Pies and Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles.  I unfortunately didn't have any apple pie, or I totally would have made the Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns for breakfast.

And guys... as soon as Asheley woke up Friday morning, I dragged her butt up to the attic so we could get all the Christmas decorations down.  I know.  She was less than thrilled.  Especially when I started blasting Christmas music throughout the house and was overly jolly and excited about the holiday season.  But hey, now we are all decorated and officially in the Christmas spirit.  Right Asheley?! 🙂

One reason why I totally love this time of year?  The parties.  We totally love getting together with friends.  And if there is one thing I've figured out the past few years about hosting a great party, it's this... get a drink in their hands as soon as friends walk in the door.

Hi, how are you?  So good to see you!  Give me your jacket.... boom, here's a Sparkling Apple Sidecar. 

Sparkling Apple Sidecar | sharedappetite.com

Asheley and I hosted an intimate little dinner party a couple weeks back and these creative apple cocktails were waiting for people as they walked in the door.  And listen, I kinda sorta made a mistake.  I only planned for and made enough for one per person.  I figured, eh, it's a little apertif for people to sip on before dinner.  Errrr, wrong.

Everyone went teen-girl-at-a-One-Direction-concert crazy over this little Sparkling Apple Sidecar.  They kept coming up to me asking for more.  Doh!  

Lesson learned.  This Sparkling Apple Sidecar rocks... make way more than you think you need next time.

Entertaining tip #2... what goes great with a welcome cocktail?  A killer-looking cheese board.  I used the super cool new Cheese Cupid pairing tool to figure out what cheese to serve and bam... it told me Wisconsin Parmesan was the way to go.

Cheese Cupid is like a dating website for cheese and drinks.  They find you a perfect match 😉  It's actually super fun, easy to use, and SO helpful.  Because really, who has time to memorize what cheese goes with what drink?

Sparkling Apple Sidecar | sharedappetite.com

So bam... get your friends excited at your next party.  This Sparkling Apple Sidecar.  Some good Wisconsin parmesan.  Make it happen 🙂

View this Sparkling Apple Sidecar and a whole lot more recipes from Wisconsin Cheese Talks here!

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Sparkling Apple Sidecar | sharedappetite.com

Sparkling Apple Sidecar


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ounces apple brandy
  • 2 ounces triple sec
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice*
  • 4 ounces good-quality apple cider
  • Champagne or prosecco, chilled

Instructions

  1. Combine the apple brandy, triple sec, lemon juice, and apple cider in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake mixture until well combined. Strain and divide among four champagne flutes, filling approximately ⅓ to ½ of each glass. Fill the rest of each flute with champagne or prosecco.

Notes

*approximately 2 lemons

  • Prep Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Cheese Cupid Giveaway: $25 worth of Wisconsin Cheese & Wisconsin-shaped cutting board

Want to win $25 worth of Wisconsin Cheese and a sweet-looking Wisconsin-shaped cutting board?  To enter, visit the Cheese Cupid Facebook page and find the post about this Sparkling Apple Sidecar.  Leave a comment telling them 1.) which drink you would pick from the Cheese Cupid Pairing Tool to pair with Wisconsin parmesan, and 2.) who you would share your pairing with if you win!

Full Contest Details:

How to Enter:
The giveaway is open for entry from Nov. 30 through Dec. 6, 2014.

1.)   Visit the Cheese Cupid Facebook page.

2.)   Leave a comment on the post featuring this Sparkling Apple Sidecar that includes:

  1. Which drink from the Cheese Cupid Pairing tool you would pair with Wisconsin parmesan
  2. The name of a friend you would share the prize with if you won

Official Rules:

  • Entrants must be U.S. residents aged 21 or older.
  • Entries are limited to one per household.
  • One entry will be chosen at random as the winner.
  • Entry period ends Saturday, Dec. 6, after 11:59 p.m. EST.

The winner will be announced within the same Facebook post on Dec. 8, 2014.

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles

By Chris Cockren 11 Comments

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles | sharedappetite.com

It's time to dust out that waffle iron... these Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles are the perfect day after grub for breakfast or lunch!

It's rare that the waffle iron gets pulled out in our house.  But lately, I've been getting the waffle itch.  And that itch is a direct result of my man Matt over at Real Food By Dad.  The dude is a ninja with the waffle iron.

And if you've ever looked at something and said I wonder if I can make a waffle out of that?... you can rest assured knowing that Matt probably already has.  If waffling was an Olympic sport, Matt would be Michael Phelps (minus the whole DUI thing).

So yea... if you have leftover stuffing come Friday, you need to dust off that waffle iron.  Stuffing on Thanksgiving is fantastic and all, but getting it extra crispy and caramelized the next day a la waffles is where it's at!

Load up your Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles with whatever you've got on hand and you have yourself some seriously good chow.

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles | sharedappetite.com

I kept mine pretty classic... mashed potatoes, shredded turkey, and a bit of cranberry sauce.  My stuffing was made with cornbread, bacon, and leeks.  I highly recommend that combo by the way... that's the trifecta of stuffing goodness right there.

You better believe the day after Thanksgiving, my waffle is going to get a whole lot trashier.  I'm talking topping it with sweet potato casserole, caramelized Brussels sprouts... basically whatever I can get my hands on.  Heck to the yes.

But people... if there is one thing that can make your Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffle experience that much better, it's a perfectly poached egg.

#putaneggonit

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles | sharedappetite.com

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Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles


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  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: As many as you want to make!
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Ingredients

  • Stuffing
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Shredded Turkey
  • Cranberry Sauce
  • Other Desired Thanksgiving Leftovers
  • Poached Eggs

Instructions

  1. If your stuffing has large pieces, quickly chop into smaller chunks. If your stuffing is moist (it holds together nicely when shaped into a ball), just go ahead and put directly into the waffle iron. If it's dry/crumbly, consider adding a bit of chicken stock or lightly beaten egg to it before cooking in waffle iron.
  2. Place some stuffing in waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crispy. Let cool slighty on the waffle iron, and then very carefully remove to a plate. This step requires a spatula and some finesse.
  3. Top stuffing waffles with desired reheated leftovers and a poached egg. Devour immediately.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Need More Leftover Thanksgiving Ideas?

leftover-apple-pie-cinnamon-buns-3 copy

Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies

thanksgiving leftovers sandwich recipe

Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey + Hash Sandwich with Cranberry Aioli

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies

By Chris Cockren 4 Comments

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanskgiving Hand Pies... because who doesn't love a super quick and easy way to be creative with leftovers AND have an excuse to eat with your hands.

When it comes to feasting the day after Thanksgiving, you've got options.

Of course there's the trusty option of throwing everything between two slices of bread and chowing down like a boss.  There's no shame in that... at all.

But sometimes you want to be a little unique and have some creative Thanksgiving leftovers.

Exhibit A: Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns

Exhibit B: Turkey and Hash Sandwich with Cranberry Aioli (with a fried egg on it as well... duh)

And when you want to go totally handheld with your day-after culinary creativeness (i.e. too lazy for the work it takes to eat with a fork and knife)... I present to you these Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies.

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies | sharedappetite.com

Guys.  These are amazing.

They are super simple to make thanks to store-bought pie crust.

You can eat them with your hands.

Kids love them because they have the word pie in them.

It's pretty much a semi-homemade version of hot pockets... and who doesn't love a good hot pocket?

You can eat them with your hands.

Everyone can make their own and customize their hand pie fillings.

They make for great game day food for anyone watching that foosball stuff on TV.

Did I mention that you can eat them with your hands?

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies | sharedappetite.com

And yes, you can even put gravy inside these bad boys.

Super shortcut... there's no need to even reheat your leftovers prior to assembling your hand pies.  Straight from the fridge and into the pies.  Bam.

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Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanksgiving Hand Pies


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 hand pies 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 package (2 count) store bought refrigerated piecrusts
  • Thanksgiving Leftovers (see below)
  • Cranberry Sauce
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon water

Thanksgiving Leftovers Filling Ideas

  • Shredded cooked turkey
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Stuffing
  • Gravy
  • Green bean casserole
  • Corn
  • Sweet potatoes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Unroll piecrusts according to package directions (many tell you to let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before unrolling). Cut piecrusts using a 3 or 4-inch round cutter. Reroll scraps and continue to cut circles until no dough remains.
  2. Place a small amount of leftover Thanksgiving ingredients* in the middle of half of the dough circles, leaving a small border around the edges. Place a second dough circle atop each filled circle and press down to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges together. Place hand pies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  3. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl. Brush each hand pie with egg wash and cut a few slits in the top of each hand pie with a sharp pairing knife.
  4. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Be patient and let cool slightly before devouring. Serve with cranberry sauce. It's a necessity.

Notes

*There is no need to reheat your Thanksgiving leftovers prior to assembling the hand pies. It will warm as your hand pies bake.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Want More Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas?

leftover-apple-pie-cinnamon-buns-3 copy

Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles | sharedappetite.com

Leftover Thanksgiving Stuffing Waffles

thanksgiving leftovers sandwich recipe

Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey and Hash Sandwich with Cranberry Aioli

Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns

By Chris Cockren 11 Comments

Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns | sharedappetite.com

leftover-apple-pie-cinnamon-buns-3 copy

Have leftover Thanksgiving pies?  Put them to good use at Friday morning breakfast with these quick and easy Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns!  

I know.  Leftover apple pie?  Hahahahahaha... that's a good one.  There won't be any leftover apple pie.

I hear ya.  But hey, if your family is anything like mine, there will be approximately 427 desserts on the table this Thanksgiving and everyone will have already unbuttoned their pants from the main event.  Except me.  I'll be in sweatpants at this point (the elastic band is key, as it expands with my gluttonous Thanksgiving stomach).

We want to try all the desserts, so we take a little tiny bit of this and a sliver of that.  And always... there is always leftover pie.  Always.

And when I wake up the next morning, my mind always goes to that darn pie.  I have a major sweet tooth.  Sweet teeth actually.  That's how much I like dessert.  I have multiple sweet tooths.

So what's a guy to do?  Put apple pie inside of cinnamon buns.   Because then his wife can't yell at him for eating dessert for breakfast. #winning

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns.

Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns | sharedappetite.com

And listen, you can totally use any pie you want.  Feel free to stuff yo' buns with whatever goodness you have lying around.  Make 'em Leftover Thanksgiving Cinnamon Buns.

I'm just a huge fan of apple pie... thus the Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns.

Yes.  I did use store-bought cinnamon rolls.  Because really, who wants to make from-scratch cinnamon buns the day after an all-day cooking and eating marathon.  I'm all about convenience (and pie) on Friday morning.

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns | sharedappetite.com

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Leftover Apple Pie Cinnamon Buns


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

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  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tube store-bought cinnamon roll dough (i.e. Pillsbury, etc)*
  • 2 slices leftover apple pie
  • Glaze, optional (but really not that optional)
  • Caramel sauce, optional

for the Glaze

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½-1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven as directed on tube of cinnamon roll dough. Remove filling from slices of pie and reserve the crust for snacking. Chop up any large pieces of apple and place filling in small bowl.
  2. Carefully unroll cinnamon buns from tube and spread apple pie filling in the center of each strip of dough. Although it's tempting, try not to overstuff with pie filling or else it will be more difficult to re-roll.
  3. Re-roll cinnamon buns and place in a lightly greased pie plate. Bake as directed on the tube of cinnamon rolls.
  4. Your tube of cinnamon rolls might have included icing. If so, feel free to use. If not, whip up some glaze and drizzle the heck out of it on top of the cinnamon rolls. For extra indulgence, feel free to put some caramel sauce on top too.

for the Glaze

  1. In a small bowl, combine sugar, butter, and vanilla. Stir in milk slowly, until the desired glaze consistency is reached.
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Fried Sage

By Chris Cockren 41 Comments

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

Ladies... this one is for you.

Sure, Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling may be easy on the eyes.  Sure, Adam Levine may be able to pull off the ragged dirty white t-shirt look.

But really, let's be honest.  I know you.  Deep down, you don't want any of that superficial nonsense.  What you really want, what really gets you going... is a man that knows his way around the kitchen.

And ladies, we have plenty of that today.

Welcome to the Wolfpack Thanksgiving.  5 guys.  5 recipes.  #hotness

Me? I'm bringing this killer Roasted Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Fried Sage to the party.  It's a seriously legit fall appetizer.

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

So let's just break this down, shall we?

If you want great crostini, you need to start with some great bread.  Your average lame baguette at the grocery store isn't going to cut it.  Look for a hearty, crusty loaf of something special.  It is Thanksgiving, after all.

And ricotta.  Sure, sure, you could go in the dairy aisle and pick up a plastic tub of whatever is on sale, but if you want to up your crostini game... go for the good stuff.  Look for fresh, high-quality stuff.  It's worth it.

Please.  Go for the thick-cut bacon.  Splurge a little bit.

And for the love of all things that is right in this world... don't skip the simple step of frying up some sage and drizzling on some honey.  It totally takes this crostini from Ryan Seacrest to Ryan Reynolds.

If frying herbs is new to you... make it not new.  It's amazing... the sage gets nice and crispy and it gives it a mellow flavor.  And really, let's be super honest here... it just sounds great when you serve these to be like... oh yea, and it's crowned with a beautiful fried sage leaf.  Boom.  Prepare to blow your guests' minds.

Oh and one more thing... don't go trying to substitute in regular old butternut squash.  I mean, you totally could... but butternut squash already gets enough love in this world.  Acorn squash is like middle child.  It kinda gets overlooked.  And it shouldn't, because it's waaaaay cooler than his older brother.  Just saying.

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

Let's talk about this Wolfpack, shall we?

We are a band of food blogger brothers... united by the sheer fact that dudes need to stick together.  Especially in the food blog world.

David @ Spiced Blog is the grill master of the group... the dude is hardcore and will grill in the snow if he has to.  He also grew up in the south, so the guy knows his comfort food.

Mike @ The Iron You is the health conscious one in the bunch.  He competes in triathlons while simultaneously planning what kind of paleo-friendly awesomeness he's going to cook up in the kitchen after.

Matt @ Real Food By Dad is always whipping up these crazy delicious sounding quick and easy meals.  He's got a few kids at home, so quick and easy are a must, especially when it comes to juggling their baseball schedules with weeknight dinner.

Sean @ Snack Fixation is a dude that loves to eat...  he's always bragging about all the awesome snacks he finds throughout NYC on Instagram (yea, I'm a bit jealous), and he's also a beast in the kitchen.

If you aren't already following these guys, you totally need to.  They are the real deal in the kitchen.... super creative, all star recipes that constantly impress the heck out of me.  And eve more important... they are genuinely awesome guys that love sharing their passion for food with others.

Here's what they whipped up for the Wolfpack Thanksgiving:

David's bringing his Easy Yeast Rolls to the party.

Mike whipped up some Sweet Potato Pie Waffles.

Matt upped the stuffing game with his Butternut Squash Stuffing.

Sean is making some Candied Pecan Muffin Bites.

That's a Thanksgiving All Star lineup right there.

Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Sage | sharedappetite.com

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Acorn Squash Crostini with Ricotta, Bacon, and Fried Sage


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: About 16-20 Crostini* 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 loaf of good-quality crusty bread, cut into slices
  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 package thick-cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces and cooked until golden brown
  • 1 ½ cups good-quality ricotta
  • 1 bunch sage leaves
  • Honey
  • Olive Oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425F. Cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds and stringy guts. Place cut side of acorn squash down and slice into ½"-1" strips. Carefully use a pairing knife to cut away the peel of the squash on each strip and then slice into bite-size pieces.
  2. Drizzle squash with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread in an even layer on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and roast until completely tender and easily pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat just enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom of a small fry pan over medium heat. Once hot, fry sage leaves in batches (about 6 to 8 at a time) for about 5-7 seconds and immediately remove using a fork or spider to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and set aside until ready to assemble crostini.
  4. Toast bread slices in oven or on grill/grill pan until a little crispy. Top crostini with a spoonful of ricotta, a few pieces of roasted acorn squash and bacon, drizzle with just a touch of honey, and top with a fried sage leaf. Devour immediately.

Notes

*yield depends upon size of bread. You'll get more crostini from baguette slices than you would from ciabatta, for example.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Apple, Bacon, and Leek Pizza Bites

By Chris Cockren 20 Comments

Apple, Bacon, + Leek Pizza Bites | sharedappetite.com

Apple, Bacon, + Leek Pizza Bites | sharedappetite.com

Start your Thanksgiving off right with these Apple, Bacon, and Leek Pizza Bites.  They make for a great Fall appetizer and are super easy to prepare!

Uhm.... can someone tell me how the heck it's already the middle of November?  Have the last couple of months literally flown by for anyone else?

Gosh, not cool Fall.  Not cool at all.  Slow down a little bit.  I  haven't enjoyed nearly enough apple cider yet... and we all know that's top priority on my Fall to-do list.

So I guess Thanksgiving is kinda sorta next week.  I can't lie... I'm super excited.  I love any excuse to eat, especially an excuse to eat in excess... I just wish wearing sweatpants was socially acceptable.  That elastic waistband is totally key to fully enjoying the day.

But you know what my favorite part of Thanksgiving is?  Well, besides the whole being together with the family and giving thanks type stuff.  It's the apps.  It's hanging around, anxiously awaiting the main event, snacking on a few munchies here and there.

And I have a great Thanksgiving appetizer for y'all today.  It'll rock yer socks for sure.  It's classy.  It's sophisticated.  And it's totally Fall approved.

We're talking about these Apple, Bacon, and Leek Pizza Bites.

Apple, Bacon, + Leek Pizza Bites | sharedappetite.com

Apple, Bacon, and Leek?  Wait a second, didn't I also do that combo to stuff some sweet potatoes the other day?

Yup, busted.  But you know what... I'm not sorry.  Because this flavor combo is legit.

There's something so right about apples and leeks sauteed up with sage, rosemary, and thyme.  And something so right about a creamy cheddar cheese sauce laced with a bit of nutmeg.  And something incredibly right with bacon.  Enough said.

Apple, Bacon, + Leek Pizza Bites | sharedappetite.com

Listen.  People may go a little crazy over these Apple, Bacon, and Leek Pizza Bites.  Like, they may totally forget about the gigantic meal that awaits their arrival.  So don't blame me if they fill up on apps.  You need to ration these suckers out.  Make sure everyone gets one or two tops.

And listen, if they fill up on apps, don't fret.  That just means more Thanksgiving day leftovers for you.  And we all know leftovers are the main reason we cook Thanksgiving in the first place.

Apple, Bacon, + Leek Pizza Bites | sharedappetite.com

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Apple, Bacon, + Leek Pizza Bites | sharedappetite.com

Apple, Bacon, and Leek Pizza Bites


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: A lot of pizza bites!
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 room temperature Pizza Dough, bought from local pizzeria
  • Cheddar Mornay Sauce (recipe below)
  • 10 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 leeks, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples (or other tart apples), peeled and chopped into ½'' pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

for the Cheddar Mornay Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup grated white cheddar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sour cream
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until crisp and golden brown. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan and add apples, leeks, and herbs (rosemary, sage, and thyme) to the skillet. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and begin to caramelize, about 7 minutes. Add the cooked bacon back into the pan and cook for 1 more minute.
  2. Preheat oven to 450F. Cut pizza dough into tiny balls. Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll out each tiny ball of dough into a "pizza bite". Prick each bite with a fork so that it doesn't poof up that much during cooking. Cook on a baking sheet or a pizza stone until dough is cooked through and light golden brown.
  3. Top each pizza bite with a spoonful of Mornay sauce and then a spoonful of the apple mixture. Serve immediately.

for the Cheddar Mornay Sauce

  1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute, until mixture is a bit golden. Whisk in milk until fully incorporated with roux and no clumps remain. Cook, stirring often, until the milk mixture thickens to a runny sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheddar cheese until fully melted. Stir in sour cream and a pinch of nutmeg. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Ancho Pomegranate Caramelized Acorn Squash

By Chris Cockren 25 Comments

ancho pomegranate caramelized acorn squash

ancho pomegranate caramelized acorn squash

Apples and pumpkin are great and all, but it when it comes to a great Fall side dish, I'm all about the squash.. Ancho Pomegranate Caramelized Acorn Squash.

Hey look mom, I'm on BHG today!  Guys. Better Homes & Gardens.  They are featuring this recipe on their blog, Delish Dish, today!  #winning #bigtime #woot

Can you believe Thanksgiving is right around the corner?  How crazy is that?  Where the heck does the time go?

Consequently, my Black Friday food coma awaits my arrival.

So yea, I'm sure your life is gonna have plenty of pumpkin this and apple that in the coming weeks.  Heck, I feel like I need an IV of apple cider hooked up to my veins.  Love that stuff.

But let's talk about squash.  It's pretty darn great, and makes for a killer quick and easy Fall side dish.  Like, oh jeez, I don't know... this Ancho Pomegranate Caramelized Acorn Squash.

ancho pomegranate caramelized acorn squash

Have you tried acorn squash?  I feel like in squash world, butternut and spaghetti squash are kinda like that popular high school football player and his typical cheerleader girlfriend.  They always get high fives in the hallway... get invited to every party... and even get crowned home coming king and queen.

And then there's acorn squash.  That quiet music nerd in the corner.  No high fives.  No parties.  And homecoming is spent playing cheesy pep band music from the stands.

No, that music nerd isn't me.  Gosh, why would you think that.

I was very popular in high school... in the band crowd and with my fellow golf teammates.

ancho pomegranate caramelized acorn squash

So acorn squash.  It's under appreciated and it's time to realize it's full potential.  You have the power to change all that.

Head over to BHG's Delish Dish to grab the recipe for

Ancho Pomegranate Caramelized Acorn Squash!

ancho pomegranate caramelized acorn squash

 

Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider Bacon Jam and Pickled Apple

By Chris Cockren 28 Comments

Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider-Bacon Jam and Pickled Apples | sharedappetite.com

This post is sponsored by Honest Cooking and FIJI Water.  As always, all opinions and recipes are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Shared Appetite!

Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider-Bacon Jam and Pickled Apples | sharedappetite.com

On occasion, special meals take time.  And this Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider Bacon Jam and Pickled Apple is pretty darn special... and amazing.  

New York traffic.  Disney World lines.  Rush hour at the grocery store.  America... we do not like waiting.  It's all about fast.  We want what we want, and we want it now.  Like, right now.

Case in point... 5 minute abs.

Or those fantastic one pot meals that take 30 minutes or less in a slow cooker.

And hey, I'm all about fast... especially when it comes to exercise (the duration, not the speed at which I run) and with easy weeknight cooking.

But sometimes, I'm a fan of slowing things down and savoring moments.  I'm really good at keeping myself SUPER busy (oh, you can relate??) and forget to actual enjoy this thing we call life.  Because really, life is a gift.

And one of my favorite things about life... eating.  And cooking special meals for my family and friends.

Exhibit A?  This Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider Bacon Jam and Pickled Apple.

Seriously guys... you're going to love this.  Take a day and make someone special this extravagant meal.  It's beyond legit.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider-Bacon Jam and Pickled Apples | sharedappetite.com

Mommy, where does bacon come from?

Pork Belly.

And when you get your hands on a nice piece of pork belly from your butcher and give it some slow roasting action, magical things happen.  Like, David Copperfield stuff.

And since that's not enough pork... let's add some cider-bacon jam on top of that.  It's sweet porky goodness (and it's great for breakfast with some runny eggs).

With all that meat on meat action, you'll need something to cut through the richness... and these pickled apples give some great tart acidity.

Ohhhhh yea.

I almost forgot.  To make Michelle Obama happy, I sauteed up some swiss chard to make it a complete meal with some vegetables.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider-Bacon Jam and Pickled Apples | sharedappetite.com

So listen, I know some of you aren't fans of pork belly.  First off, my apologies... because you're missing out on a wonderful, beautiful pleasure in life.  And second, thank you... because now there is more pork belly for me.

And really, don't worry... just cook up some high-quality pork chops instead.  My new favorite way to cook pork chops is using the sous vide method, using my immersion circulator.  Here's what I do...

  • Season your bone-in pork chops (at least 1" thickness) with some Kosher salt and pepper.
  • Seal individually in vacuum bags with a little bit of butter in each.
  • Cook up those bad boys at 140°F for 2 hours in the water bath.
  • Remove the bags, let cool, and refrigerate until ready to eat (up to a few days sealed in the bags).
  • Open bags and use paper towels to dry the surface of the pork.
  • Sear pork chops on all sides until golden brown.

Why sous vide?  Because I can cook the chops to the precise temeperature I want and it comes out ridiculously moist and tender... every time.

Guys, Christmas is coming.  I know... I just said the "C" word.  Tell your special someone that you want and deserve a sous vide immersion circulator.  I have the Sansaire and love it!

Sous Vide Pork Chop with Cider-Bacon Jam and Pickled Apples | sharedappetite.com

Sous Vide Pork Chop with Cider-Bacon Jam and Pickled Apples | sharedappetite.com

Did you notice that FIJI Water in the background?  That's because they believe perfection takes time too.

Fiji Water isn't your average lame bottled water.  It literally comes from the island of FIJI... and starts as rain drops that slowly trickles down through layers of volcanic rock.  It gathers up minerals and electrolytes along the way and that creates FIJI’s signature soft smooth taste.

Basically, FIJI water rocks.  And so does this Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Bacon Cider Jam and Pickled Apples.

The end.

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Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider Bacon Jam and Pickled Apple


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Chris Cockren
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4+ 1x
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Description

On occasion, special meals take time. And this Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Cider Bacon Jam and Pickled Apple is pretty darn specia


Ingredients

Scale

for the Pork Belly

  • 4 pounds skinless, boneless pork belly
  • ⅓ cup Kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter or oil

for the Bacon-Cider Jam

  • 1 (16-ounce) package bacon
  • 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • Kosher salt

for the Pickled Apples

  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and cut into a very fine dice
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 ½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • Pinch whole black peppercorns
  • Pinch whole coriander seeds

Instructions

  1. Topped slow roasted pork belly slices with cider-bacon jam and pickled apples. Serve with sauteed chard, kale, or other dark leafy green vegetable.

for the Pork Belly

  1. Place pork belly, fat side up, in small roasting pan or pyrex glass baking dish. Combine sugar and salt in a small bowl and rub all over pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.
  2. Heat oven to 450°F. Rinse off pork belly and pat dry with paper towels. Discard any liquid that has accumulated in the roasting pan. Transfer pork in pan to oven and cook for about 1 hour, basting it with the rendered fat halfway through, until it's golden brown.
  3. Reduce heat to 250°F and cook until the pork is tender, about 1 hour. Transfer pork to a plate and let cool. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until it thoroughly chilled. You can skip this step if needed, but it's the only way to get neatly trimmed slices. Remove pork from refrigerator and slice into ½"-1" slices. Heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat and sear pork belly on both sides until golden brown.

for the Bacon-Cider Jam

  1. Cook bacon in a heavy-bottom skillet or dutch oven over medium heat until golden brown and crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Once cool, crumble bacon. Reserve 2 tabespoons of bacon drippings in dutch oven and discard the rest.
  2. Reduce heat to medium/medium-low. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add brown sugar, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and season with Kosher salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then reduce heat to low. Add bacon and simmer until onions are very soft and the mixture has thickened to the consistency of jam. If too dry, add apple cider, ¼ cup at a time (I added ¼ cup total). You want the onions to be meltingly soft and the mixture to be thick and syrupy.
  3. Let cool and then pulse in food processor or with immersion blender to desired consistency. This will make much more than you need for one dinner. Store in a refrigerator for several days or freeze. Serve it with any meats, as an appetizer, or with eggs at breakfast!

for the Pickled Apples

  1. Comine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Let cool completely, then pour over apples. Let infuse for at least 2 hours at room temperature or 1 day in the refrigerator.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Asian

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

And thanks for supporting the brands that support Shared Appetite 🙂

Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Bourbon Whipped Cream

By Chris Cockren 29 Comments

This post is sponsored by Imperial Sugar.  As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands who support Shared Appetite!

sweet-potato-cheesecake-1 copy

It's time to impress some people come dessert time.  Step one?  Make this Sweet Potato Cheescake with Bourbon Whipped Cream.  Step two?  Devour.

Can I tell you a secret?  I didn't "like" sweet potatoes or cheesecake for the first 2 decades of my life.  And by like, I mean I refused to try it because I was a stubborn little jerk.

I know.

So I've been making up for it big time the last few years... apparently a little more with cheesecake than sweet potatoes.  Either that or someone's been shrinking my clothes again.  Asheley?!

So what's even better than sweet potatoes or cheesecake?  Sweet potatoes AND cheesecake.  Together... in beautiful, sweet delicious harmony.  And because we're grown-ups here...a little bourbon in the whipped cream.  Because that's what adults do. They put alcohol in stuff.

sweet-potato-cheesecake-2

This cheesecake guys.  Oh man.  It's got such a unique flavor... in a great way.  It's super creamy thanks to both cream cheese and mascarpone in the batter.  And it's rich.  Like Richie Rich rich.

That biscoff cookie crust... I want all crusts from this point forward to be made with biscoff cookies.

And that crushed pecan praline topping.  It adds a sugary nutty crunch that's pretty addictive.

Asheley and I brought this to church on the night we help out with the middle school youth group because well, #sharingiscaring.  All the leaders devoured it with intense ferocity.  That's right, I just said intense ferocity.

And really, if I can be honest, we brought it to share because I knew that if I didn't, I'd eat the entire thing.  Just give me a fork.  Or a shovel.

sweet-potato-cheesecake-11

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Sweet Potato Cheesecake with Bourbon Whipped Cream


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Author: Chris Cockren
  • Total Time: 2 ½ hours
  • Yield: 8-12 slices 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large sweet potatoes
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
  • 1 (8-ounce) container mascarpone
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
  • ¼ cup packed Dixie Crystals Light Brown Sugar
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • Biscoff Cookie Crust
  • 1 ¼ cups biscoff cookie crumbs*
  • ¼ cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • Bourbon Whipped Cream
  • 2 cups very cold heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • Pecan Praline
  • ½ cup chopped roasted pecans
  • ½ cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions

Biscoff Cookie Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and position rack in center of oven. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan.
  2. Combine biscoff cookie crumbs and sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and stir until fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom springform pan and bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

 

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

  1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Pierce sweet potatoes numerous times with a fork. Roast sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet for 45-60 minutes, until easily pierced with knife and tender. Let cool slightly. Peel and puree sweet potatoes in a food processor until smooth.
  2. Raise oven temperature to 450° F. Transfer 1 ½ cups sweet potato puree to a large mixing bowl. Add cream cheese, mascarpone, granulated sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, bourbon and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until just combined and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Don't overmix to avoid excess air from being beaten into the batter.
  3. Pour sweet potato filling into prepared biscoff cookie crust pan and use a spatula or back of a spoon to smooth out top. Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack, and place a pan filled halfway with hot water on lower rack directly under cheesecake. Bake for 15 minutes at 450° F, then lower oven to 250° F and continue to cook for approximately 50-60 minutes, until the edges are light brown and the center is almost set. (It will jiggle a bit.) There should be no wet spots or liquid areas in center of cheesecake.
  4. Turn oven off and let cheesecake sit in oven with door ajar. After 20-30 minutes, remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours before slicing and serving.
  5. When ready to serve, top cheesecake slices with bourbon whipped cream and pecan praline.

 

Bourbon Whipped Cream

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, beat the cream, sugar, vanilla, and bourbon on medium/medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Taste and add additional bourbon if desired.

 

Pecan Praline

  1. Melt sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once dissolved, remove from heat and stir in butter until fully melted (it will bubble quite a bit). Quickly stir in pecans and lay out in a single layer on a silicone mat or greased parchment paper. Cool completely and then refrigerate until hard. Break into tiny pieces (or pulse in a food processor for a finer praline).

Notes

*can substitute graham cracker crumbs, if desired.

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: approximately 2 hours

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

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Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

By Tyler 30 Comments

Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

A hearty and healthy gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan friendly recipe for Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash.

The spaghetti squash craze is back in full force.  #sorrynotsorry

And I'm pairing it up with my other latest obession.  Thai food.  Guys, I love love love love love Thai food.

Love.

My go to order?  Pineapple Fried Rice to split for an app.  Thai Iced Tea.  Chicken Pad See Ew (make it spicy).  Side of coconut rice.  And once in a while... Sticky Sweet Rice with Thai Custard to split for dessert.  Dinner of champions right there.  #legit

And yes, there is ususally some leftovers.  I'm a fatty, but even I have my limits when it comes to eating capacity.

Did I mention our new home is within 1 mile of this kick butt Thai place?  It's just a coincidence, I promise.  I didn't specifically pick this house because of it's proximity... or did I?  Shhhh, don't tell Asheley.

Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

Peanut sauce.  Great.

Curry.  Great.

Peanut sauce + curry = 🙂 🙂 🙂

If it were socially acceptable to drink the stuff and slap a smoothie label on it, I probably would.  Oh please... don't judge me.  You know you would too.

Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

Since I obviously can't get take-out Thai food every night (or can I?), cooking up a healthy faux version at home is where it's at...

And with the exception of roasting the spaghetti squash, this meal comes together in under 30 minutes.  Boom.

Roasting a spaghetti squash isn't a ton of work anyway.  You literally throw it in the oven and walk away for awhile.  Go help your kids with homework.  Do that exercise DVD Eat some leftover Halloween candy.  Put on the TV and catch that Law + Order SVU re-run for the 27th time.

Or hey, you could always roast the squash over the weekend, fridge it, and then heat it up right before serving.

Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

One tiny thing... I know some vegetarians are totally fine with fish sauce.  If so, rock on.  But for my vegetarians out there who can't eat fish sauce and for all the vegans out there, you can swap out the fish sauce for a homemade version or just find a good substitute (google is telling me that Golden Mountain Sauce or just a bit of soy sauce can both serve as adequate subs).

Red Thai Curry Sauce slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum

Print

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Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash

Vegetarian Thai Peanut Red Curry Spaghetti Squash


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 3 carrots, shaved into thin strips with vegetable peeler
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 small bunch spinach leaves (stems removed)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • Chopped peanuts, for garnish

for the Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce

  • 1 can light coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce*
  • ⅓ cup pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ⅓ cup finely crushed peanuts (in food processor)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Carefully cut your spaghetti squash in half with a large, sharp knife. Remove seeds and stringy guts, and brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place spaghetti squash, cut side down, on an aluminum-lined baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45-60 minutes.
  2. To test if your squash is done, scrap the flesh with a fork. If the strands come off easily, it's done. Let the cooked spaghetti squash cool for about 5 minutes, then scrape all the flesh into a beautiful pile of spaghetti strands. Taste and season with some more Kosher salt and pepper if needed.
  3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook pineapple, carrots, red bell pepper, and shallots for about 3-4 minutes, until softened but still with some crunch. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Add spinach and desired amount of Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce and cook for 1 additional minute, or until spinach is wilted.
  4. Divide spaghetti squash among 4 bowls. Top with vegetable curry and garnish with scallions and chopped peanuts.

for the Thai Peanut Red Curry Sauce

  1. Bring coconut milk to a simmer over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Add peanut butter, curry paste, fish sauce, pineapple juice, lime juice, brown sugar, and garlic. Whisk frequently and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
  2. Add peanuts and simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until sauce reaches desired consistency. If it gets too thick, add a small amount of water and whisk.

Notes

*I know some vegetarians are totally fine with fish sauce. If so, rock on. But for my vegetarians out there who can't eat fish sauce and for all the vegans out there, you can swap out the fish sauce for a homemade version or just find a good substitute (google is telling me that Golden Mountain Sauce or just a bit of soy sauce can both serve as adequate subs).

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Can't get enough Spaghetti Squash?

Yea, me either...

 

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

healthy pad thai

(Vegan) Thai Peanut Spaghetti Squash

thai spaghetti squash bowl with peanut sauce

Southwest Spaghetti Squash

southwestern style spaghetti squash bowl with avocado crema

Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Red Pepper - Tomato Sauce

spaghetti squash with red pepper sauce

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Crust

pizza crust made from spaghetti squash

Skinny Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Pizza

skinny buffalo chicken pizza with spaghetti squash pizza crust

A Foodie Gift Giving Guide: Minted (and $100 Giveaway!)

By Chris Cockren 47 Comments

minted-4

I don't want to say the "C" word.  Because it's waaaay to early to begin thinking about December yet, and I'm a big fan of taking it one season, one holiday, at a time.  Thanksgiving is next.  Thanksgiving.

I refuse to listen to "C" word music before the day after Thanksgiving.  No hot chocolate until then either (it's all apple cider, all the time, up to that point).

But then again, I'm also super Type A.  And giving great gifts requires some thought and planning.  Buying gifts for people is totally one of my favorite parts of the holiday season.  I love it.

And guys.  Christmas literally came early this year.  I discovered Minted.

Now I know some of you may already know about this awesomeness, but for those of you who were totally in the dark like me, let's break down why I am seriously semi-obsessed with what just came in the mail the other day from the awesomely creative team at Minted.com.

Let's just say that my gift-giving street cred for this year totally got an upgrade.

Minted

left: Sugar Cookies Wrapping Paper right: From My Kitchen Wrapping Paper

Do you see that wrapping paper?  How perfect is that for food lovers like Asheley and I?!  And look closely.... yup, darn straight, that's our names on the wrapping paper.  Our names are on printed on the wrapping paper!

Try telling me that the person that gets that gift won't think it's like, the coolest thing since candied bacon.  No seriously, try telling me.

Exactly.

Minted

From My Kitchen Gift Tags

Minted

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry Gift Tags

And yea, you better believe we got personalized gift tags to go along with our personalized foodie wrapping paper.

Minted

Normally Asheley is less than enthusiastic about wrapping presents.  She views it as a chore instead of an opportunity to be a a jolly Christmas elf.

I know, I'm working on her.

But when she saw this paper and these gift cards, I actually saw that little twinkle of Christmas cheer in her eyes.  Maybe it'll be a Christmas wrapping miracle this year 🙂

Minted

left: Kitchen Notes Notebook right: Color Block Notebook

These notepads... perfect stocking stuffer material.  I got Asheley one personalized with her blog name, His Good Soil.  She loves to take notes on studies she is doing and I know this will totally help her keep organized... in style.

And I went ahead and helped Asheley out with getting a stuffer for my own stocking.  I'm constantly scribbling down recipe ideas and frantically updating recipes while cooking.  Now I can do it all in one notebook, which will defintitely cut down on the frantic searching through random papers and asking holy crap where did I put that latest revision of XYZ recipe?!

Minted

Vintage Kitchen Maker Print

You know we moved into a new home, right?  We are still in the process of decorating.... we're about 88% there, but there is still some wall space to fill.

But the kitchen?  The kitchen is now complete.  This vintage looking stand mixer matches perfectly, and Minted even framed it for us.  #winning.

It's a gift for our kitchen, because our kitchen works hard.  And a hard working kitchen likes to treat itself to cool-looking things.

Minted

Minted

Heart Snapshot Art Print

Asheley loves (read: LOVES) photos.  She constantly looks through old photos from when we were dating and from our wedding.  I don't want to say she's obsessed, because really... who can blame her for wanting to constantly look at that stud standing next to her?!

That stud is me.

Stop laughing.

This gift couldn't be more perfect for Asheley.  I wanted it to be a surprise for Christmas, but I was way too excited and had to show it to her already.  She's of course totally infatuated with it, and wants to hang it up in a prime-time location in our bedroom.

It's a totally stunning and perfectly thoughtful gift.  What wife wouldn't want a personalized heart collage with photo memories?  Yup... I'm not just a stud.  I'm a kind, caring stud.

Stop laughing.

The people at Minted are hooking one of you peeps up with a $100 gift card!  That's right... $100 worth of super awesome personalized swag.  Whoop whoop!

 

 

 

Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (+ GIVEAWAY!)

By Chris Cockren 55 Comments

Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Did you know you can cook whole sweet potatoes in a slow cooker? #lifechanger ...so are these Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.  Mmmm bacon.

I love fall and everything.  The colors are beautiful.  Wearing a light jacket is acceptable.  Ridiculous amounts of apple cider consumption is epic.  Halloween and Thanksgiving are great holidays.

I love it all.

Except for one thing.  The dark.  Ugh how I loathe waking up in a frigid pitch black room.  Granted the frigid part is because we refuse to put on our heat yet.  But the dark thing?  Yea, that's all on you nature.

Soon enough, it'll be dark out when I wake up AND by the time I get home from work.  #notcool

Anyone else not into cooking as much when it's dark out?  For some reason, the lack of sun zaps all of my energy.  So that's when slow cooker meals come to the rescue.  Meals like this Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken and Broccoli.  And this Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken.  And of course this epic Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken.  And my latest obsession, these Slow Cooker Korean Sliders.

And you guys.  Maybe I'm just fashionably late to the party, but did you know that you can totally rock whole sweet potatoes in a slow cooker?!  If you did and didn't tell me, what the heck... I thought we were friends.

Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Stuffing sweet potatoes is pretty, well, sweet.  They kinda rock my world, since I know that they are definitely on the healthy side, although they don't taste that way.  Our house is already big fans of creative stuffed sweet potatoes... like these Thai Peanut Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

And now it's time to bring some fall flavor action to the party.  Apples.  Bacon.  Leeks.

And just because... a little white cheddar mornay sauce action.  Don't get all weirded out by mornay sauce.  It's just a fancy word for some cheese sauce goodness.

Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes...  Heck to the freaking yes.

Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Here's why slow cooker sweet potatoes are so amazing.  You can throw 'em in before you leave for work and bam... you're pretty much ready to eat when you get home.  No waiting around for an hour as they roast away in the oven.

Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Print

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Slow Cooker Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Apple, Bacon, and Leek Stuffed Sweet Potatoes


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
Print Recipe
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 10 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 leeks, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 Granny Smith Apples (or other tart apples), peeled and chopped into ½'' pieces
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

for the Cheddar Mornay Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup whole milk
  • ⅔ cup grated white cheddar
  • Sprinkle of nutmeg
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. If using slow cooker for your sweet potatoes, piece sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Wrap in foil and place in slow cooker, cooking on low for 6-8 hours (depending upon size of sweet potato). There is no need for any liquid in the slow cooker. If not using slow cooker, cook sweet potatoes using your preferred method.
  2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium-low heat until crisp and golden brown. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pan and add apples, leeks, and herbs (rosemary, sage, and thyme) to the skillet. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and begin to caramelize, about 7 minutes. Add the cooked bacon back into the pan and cook for 1 more minute.
  3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute, until mixture is a bit golden. Whisk in milk until fully incorporated with roux and no clumps remain. Cook, stirring often, until the milk mixture thickens to a runny sauce consistency, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses until fully melted. Season with a sprinkle of nutmeg, Kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
  4. Split open each sweet potato and top with the cheddar mornay sauce and apple mixture. Devour immediately.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Now as shocking as this is, I know some of you still don't actually own a slow cooker.  It's time to change that.  And for those of you that already do, having 2 is twice the fun.  Trust me.  It's great for entertaining when you want to keep multiple things warm.

Big thanks to Hamilton Beach for providing me a slow cooker to play with, and for giving one away to one of Shared Appetite's finest readers.  To enter this beauty... a Set 'n Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker With Spoon/Lid, use the widget below...

 

HB_OCT_33967_slowcooker_blogger_7

 

Can't Get Enough?

Here's some more Sweet Potato action...

Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad

Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprouts Salad

Sweet Potato Bacon Salad

Sweet Potato Bacon Salad

Sweet potatoes stuffed with broccoli, edamame, and thai peanut sauce

Thai Peanut Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes with southwestern succotash

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

healthy breakfast hash

Sweet Potato and Kale Hash

healthy hummus

Sweet Potato Hummus

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Food Photography

By Chris Cockren 48 Comments

10 Ways To Improve Your Food Photography

10 Ways To Improve Your Food Photography

A few tricks and tips to jumpstart your way to photography stardom... Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Food Photography.

I don't feel completely worthy to write this post.  I'm a small fish plankton in a very large pond.  There are food photographers out there that are so much, much more talented than I.  People I look up to.  People who's photographs inspire and motivate me.  Like Katie.  And Naomi.  And Tieghan.  And Matt.  And Marcus.  The list goes on and on.

But then I realize, heck, maybe someone out there, in their own little corner of the interwebs, could possibly-kinda-maybe fast forward through the painful mistakes I made make behind the camera and fast track their way to photography stardom.

Just do me a favor.  If you make it big... take me along for the ride.  I'd like to meet famous people at swanky parties and stuff like that.

Thanks.

I can still remember my early posts.... confidently holding my point and shoot camera stuck in automatic mode, using the ever-so-romantic orange glow of kitchen overhead tungsten lights and the perfectly diffused built-in camera flash that made the food glisten ever so slightly.

Yes, that's what sarcasm in print looks like.

I was totally an idiot when it came to photography.  Actually, you can't even call what I did photography.  It was food murder.  With one click of a button, I swiftly took all life and beauty from what was on the plate.  Wait, I can prove it to you.  Check below the legitimate terribleness (is that even a word?), and how I am very slowly making progress.

Then... and Now

Top 10 Tips To Improve Your Food Photography

improve-food-photography-3

improve-food-photography

Top 10 Tips To Improve Your Food Photography

Oh my gosh.  I can't even.  What was I thinking back then?

Apparently not much.

So if you're new to all of this, you might find my An Introduction to Food Photography helpful.  Or boring.  Or both.  Once you endure that snooze-fest super duper helpful tutorial, here are the top 10 ways I improved my food photography.

1) Natural Light.

practice food photography-1-2

If you have one of those built-in flashes on your camera... I'm sorry.  It's useless.  In fact, that's the most common weapon used in order to commit food murder.  If we were playing Clue, it would sound like...

Me, in the kitchen, with the built-in camera flash.

Those overhead high-hat lights you have turned on in your kitchen.  Yea, those are no bueno either.

The #1 way to improve your food photography?  Find great light.

My wife and I just moved into a new house.  The first thing I did with my camera was test out the light in numerous different rooms and windows at various times of day.  It’s amazing how utterly different the food looks in different areas and at different times.

The way the sun enters your home.  The size of your windows.  How many windows you have in the room.  Heck, even the paint color on your walls can influence your photographs.

Get the lighting right, and your photos will instantly improve.

Personally, I enjoy light that is pointed and one directional (lighting the food from the left, right, or behind).  When light comes from every direction, such as a place in your house with windows on several sides of the room, the image never seems to come out as well for me.

There’s a tiny window in our kitchen that I thought was going to be absolutely useless, but it’s actually one of my favorite spots to shoot.  The light is super pointed, so it’s fun to play around with illuminating just a specific part of my frame.

Once you find that great light, remember that you can manipulate it with black foam core boards (to block light from hitting certain areas of your frame) and white foam core boards (to bounce light back into the frame and fill out some shadows).

 

2) Use a Tripod and Remote Trigger.

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

One of the biggest things I've changed in my food photography over the last year?  Consistently using a tripod and remote triggerir?t=shareda 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002X7FSO6.

A while back, I felt like using a tripod was majorly annoying and limiting.   It was a pain in the rear to set up, and if I wanted to photograph at a different angle, I needed to adjust the entire tripod.  Ain't nobody got time for that.  

But honestly, the extra 60 seconds it takes for me to set up my tripod has made a tremendous difference.  With the camera in a fixed position, I can work on setting up the frame exactly how I see it in my head.

This is how I used to shoot...

  • Throw Carefully place props and food on a backdrop.
  • Look through lens.
  • Test shoot for exposure and prop placement.
  • Put down camera to move food and props to where I think it should be.
  • Pick up camera.  Test shoot.  Now my angle and position is slightly different, so still not happy.
  • Put down camera to move food and props to where I think it should be.
  • Grrr, still not right.
  • Repeat over and over until I give up, just shoot a bunch of images, and pray to the food gods that one image will be acceptable.

Yea, obviously not the best workflow.  I wasted so much time, was never entirely happy with the images, and since I was shooting handheld, had to keep my ISO on the high side (or have a ton of light coming through the window) to get the proper exposure.

Here’s my process now:

  • Set up camera on tripod for either an overhead shot, straight on shot, or ¾ shot.
  • Plug in remote sensor and put remote trigger in my pocket.
  • Set up plate and other props while maintaining that fixed camera location on the tripod.
  • Test shoot for exposure and prop placement.
  • Add food.   Test shoot for exposure and make little adjustments to props as needed.
  • Using remote trigger, have hands free to jump-start my hand modeling career (i.e. pour dressing, drizzle syrup, or hold a fork or glass), or to hold foam core boards to manipulate light.

And since I'm on a tripod, I don't need a ton of light coming into the room and can keep my ISO down (which gives a clearer image and improves the color).

For those interested, here's the camera remote and trigger I useir?t=shareda 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002X7FSO6.  It's all of $20.  And it rocks my socks.

 

3) Embrace Messiness and Shadows.

The old me wanted the food to look perfect.  Everything just so in the exact right spot.  But you know the phrase, "it looks too good to eat?!"

Yea, that's not what I want to achieve in my images.  The reaction I want to get when someone looks at a photo on Shared Appetite?

  • Ermagherd I want that so bad right now.
  • ::immediate drooling::
  • I want this for dinner.
  • Pinning!!!

I always try to make the food look natural, complete with drips, spills, and other imperfections.  Controlled messiness can be good.

Messy Food PhotographyWhen Tyler and I are photographing weddings, our goal is to capture natural moments.  Dramatically over-posed images make us cringe.  Now that doesn't mean we don't pose couples.  We do.  But the emphasis is always on natural situations and comfortable body angles.  The same goes for food.  I want my photographs to make sense... naturally.

On the same lines of making food look pretty... shadows are my newest friend in photography.  I love playing with shadows.  When I first started, I felt like I wanted everything to be big and bright.  Now I love to embrace mydark side 🙂  You can see below what happens to a photo with a white reflector bouncing light back onto the image vs. no reflector.  It's a personal preference really...

Intro To Food Photography: Reflectors

 

4) Get Lightroom.

Lightroom for Food Photography

I used to edit all my photos in iPhoto... a simple stock application that comes pre-loaded on the Apple computers.  #amateurhour

Guys.  Lightroomir?t=shareda 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00CH6ATMO is the bomb dot com.  All my photos are edited using Lightroomir?t=shareda 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00CH6ATMO.  It's incredibly user friendly (unlike that Photoshop thingy I still have yet to learn to use) and you can do SO many things with it.

Here's a little inside peek.  The photo on the left is straight out of camera.  The photo on the right is what the finished photo looked like after editing in Lightroom...

food photography tips lighroom

Big freaking difference, right?  Lightroomir?t=shareda 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00CH6ATMO is a really fantastic investment that I really, really recommend.

 

5) A Few Quality Props.

There was a time in my life that I wanted to hoard every single serving dish, utensil, and other cutesy kitchen item I found.  The lady at Home Goods knew my name.

Guess where the majority of that stuff is right now?  Taking up space in a closet somewhere.  Not being used.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm still a HUGE fan of props  It's just that in the recent year, I found myself relying on certain props over and over again. Ones that really seem to photograph well, are versatile, and match my style.

So now I really try to be super selective in my prop purchases.  I love to try to find props that will provide good contrast and will provide lots of different textures.  Textures and layers typically equal great photos.

Smaller plates and bowls are usually better when it comes to photography.  It's easier to fill the plate and maintain a small scale photography set-up.

You can see a few of my favorite props in the images below (and if you look through all my posts in the last year, you'll probably notice that they make appearances in almost all of them)...

Food Props

Food Props

Let's break it down.  Here's what I end up using 99% of the time:

  • mini cast iron skillet (about 5-6" wide...)
  • little burlap cloth
  • vintage looking fork (garage sale find!... can find on eBay also)
  • shallow white bowl
  • cool looking small metal/pewter plate (found on eBay)
  • random scrapbooking paper with cool patterns
  • little mini dessert bowls
  • one highball glass
  • wooden spoon
  • small white plate
  • three trusty kitchen towels
  • a few good backdrops

Let's talk backdrops.  You totally have some options.  Some people like to shoot on their marble or granite countertops.  Go for it if you can, but most times the natural light in a kitchen is scarce.  I've seen some really beautiful images shot on marble countertops though.

What I used early on were some DIY backdops.  I wrote up a little post about it here... How To Make Your Own Food Photography Backdrops.  Basically I used old fencing or store-bought plywood (cut up into strips) from Home Depot and then got my painting skills on.

food photography backgrounds

I've also found success in using scrapbook paper and metal baking trays.

food photography backdrops

99% of the time at this point, though, I'm using vinyl backdrops that are made to look like wooden boards.  I got mine from Swanky Prints on Etsy.  They are relatively cheap, are super easy to move around, wipe down, and transport.  Although I definitely like the look of that authentic distressed barn wood type backdrop, this is a really great and convenient alternative.

food photography backdrops

And I'm constantly on the look out for my next big prop/backdrop find.  Garage sales and thrift stores are great places for great looking pieces at cheap prices!

 

6) Set Up Your Shot Before Food Is Ready.

Apple Crisp Ice Cream

The old me didn't plan very well.  #typeAfail

Ugh... the ice cream is melting already!!!  How am I supposed to photograph this?!  

I've quickly learned that a successful shoot is all about the planning.  Unless I'm shooting something that can sit around without melting. coagulating, or looking downright nasty (i.e. cupcakes, etc), I make sure to plan out my frame prior to the food being done.

I set up the camera on a tripod at a location in the house where the light is just right.  I get my backdrops and props in place.  I think about color palette (when I actually remember to), textures, and trying to make the scene look natural and not overly posed or forced.

And then I use a stand-in for test shots.  It's perfect for those quickly deflating/melting/runny things that never seem to cooperate for us food photographers.  For drinks, I might stuff the glass with some paper towel.  For ice cream, some balled up wax paper in the bowl.  You get the idea.

I use those test shots to make sure my exposure and all that technical stuff is in order and to make sure I'm happy with my frame (i.e. all my props are in the exact spot I want them).  Then all I need to do is plate the food and get my shot.

A few tips...

  • Ice Cream and Frozen Treats - to avoid a melting catastrophe, I scoop ice cream ahead of time and lay them all out on a wax-paper lined baking tray.  That tray then goes into the freezer until really firm.  Then I use those frozen scoops to photograph.  For ice pops, I remove them from the mold, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until rock solid.  If at any point the ice cream/popsicles start to melt on me while photographing, I take a 20 minute recess and put 'em back in the freezer.  A pain, yes.  But worth it in the end.
  • Meats - it's all about that glisten and shimmer.  Right when meat is done cooking, it has a bit of shimmer to it due to the fat/oil on it's surface.  Once it rests a bit, that glisten fades and you're left with dry-looking meat in your photographs.  To regain that glisten, you can play with brushing on a very little amount of oil to wherever you want that glisten to happen.
  • Fresh Veggies/Fruit - it begs for a little spritz of water.  Not a dunk in water, but a fine mist or couple droplets of H2O on fresh produce makes them look way more appetizing and "fresh".
  • Melted Cheese - is your melted cheese getting all gross and coagulated as it sits waiting to be photographed?  Use a kitchen torch to lightly melt it again.

 

7) Compose Dish At Level Photographing.

This is a tip that picked up along the way from someone that does some food styling for Chef Jamie Oliver.  It's simple, but it was one of those palm to forehead type moments for me.

Sometimes the hardest part of making food look great isn't the props or the backdrop.  It's the actually food on the plate.  Food styling is a full-time job all in itself.  Us food bloggers need to cook, photograph, write, AND food style.

So when you are plating your food, do so on the level at which you want to photograph it.  Shooting from overhead?  Then layer your ingredients looking straight down on the plate.  Want a straight-on shot?  Then get on the same level when plating your food.  Look at it from that perspective and it really, really helps.

When choosing at what angle to photography, think about the shape of the food.   If it's piled high like a stack of donuts or a sandwich, you may want to emphasize that with a straight-on shot.  If you are shooting a bowl of soup, you really can't do straight-on because all you'll see is the side of the soup bowl.  ¾'s or overhead might be the best.  And when it doubt, experiment!

Introduction to Food Photography

Introduction to Food Photography

Introduction to Food Photography

Well what if I want to shoot some overhead shots and some straight-on?  

Sometimes it'll just work out that you can do that... but sometimes that means going back into the kitchen and re-plating the food.  A bit of a pain, but it can take your photos to a whole new level of awesome.

 

8) Have a Bag of Tricks

10 Ways To Improve Your Food Photography

Tweezers and chopsticks are really great for placing and moving around different ingredients when you are trying to style a dish.

A spray bottle filled with water keeps fruits and veggies looking super fresh.  A dry strawberry doesn't look as appetizing as a strawberry with a few drops of water on it.  #truth

Ahh, the kitchen torch.  One of my all time favorite kitchen tools... it's just so bad donkey.  It's fantastic for roasting marshmallows, caramelizing stuff, melting cheese on top of a burger, and a bunch of other things I can't think of right now.

Although I haven't tried it, I've heard of people using a kitchen torch to super heat metal skewers, which they then press on meat/chicken to give perfect grill marks.

Toothpicks and wooden skewers are amazing for keeping things in place, especially on sandwiches.  You have no idea how annoying it is to get lettuce, tomato, and avocado to stay in place without some assistance.

A funnel can also be super helpful if you are trying to pour items into a skinny glass or bowl and down want to spill on the sides.

A neat trick... wet some cotton balls and microwave them until steamy.  Place behind the food you are photographing and if you have a dark back ground, you should be able to see steam rising up from the food.  I've tried this only once and it didn't work out (I didn't use a dark background... duh), but I heard it's what cool people sometimes do.

 

9) Practice and Get Inspired.

improve food photography

No... that's not me.  That dude has way too much hair.  I'm more... thinner in the hair department.  Hey!  At least one part of me is thin. 🙂

That photo is from a food photography seminar I gave for a bunch of people in a photography community group Tyler and I run at our church.

Anyway, practicing.  This is the one tip that no one wants to hear.  But it's true.

Taking great photographs requires a ton of practice.  So get out that camera and shoot... a lot.

Something that really helps me?  Look at other work by photographers you admire.  Ask yourself...

  • what's the light doing in this photograph?  where's it coming from?
  • reflector? no reflector? are they manipulating the light in anyway?
  • what kind of props are they using?
  • how did they style their shot?  where does my eye get drawn to and why?
  • what is making me love this image?

The greatest form of flattery is imitation.  Try to replicate the photographs you love gawking at.

And don't be afraid to reach out to those people.  Email them questions.  You'd be surprised how many times they respond to people that are inspired by their work and are asking meaningful questions!

For an absolutely amazing resource with tons of photos, videos, and lots of "nuts and bolts" content about food photography, check out Lindsey's amazing eBook!  Click here to visit Pinch of Yum - Tasty Food Photography eBook.

food photography eBook10) Have the Right Equipment.

Having the newest, most expensive camera isn't going to make you a better photographer any more than me buying new running shoes is going to help me in running a marathon 5K mile down my driveway.

It's all about practice.  Patience.  And perseverance.  A lot of it.

But I have to be honest, having the right equipment certainly does help.  If you're interested in what I use and recommend, you can check out My Favorite Food Photography Gear.

My Favorite Food Photography Gear

Top 10 Ways To Improve Your Food Photography

20+ Creative Pumpkin Recipes

By Chris Cockren 30 Comments

20 creative pumpkin recipes

It's official.  America is obsessed with pumpkin.

All it takes is one look at your Pinterest feed.  Or a walk through any store... since when does Home Depot sell pumpkins?!

Although my favorite fall flavor is still all things apple (especially when surrounded by any of the following: caramel, salted caramel, sugar, brown sugar, butter, and/or cinnamon... like in these No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifles), I have begun to slightly sorta maybe embrace a wee-bit of pumpkin in my kitchen.

I'm worried, though.  Because that's how all obsessions start.  Just one nibble.  One taste.  And boom, before you know it, your recycling bin is overflowing with empty cans of pureed pumpkin and your neighbors are quietly judging you.

And really, it'll be easy to become pumpkin-obsessed after taking a look through the 20 Creative Pumpkin Recipes below.  Well, technically there's 23 recipes.  Consider them bonuses 😉

**If pinning a specific photo below, please click through to the individual blogger's recipe and pin from their site so they can get proper credit.  Thanks!

baked-pumpkin-pie-donuts-2 copy 4

Pumpkin Pie in donut form?  I'm always down for a donut 🙂  Any excuse to eat baked goods for breakfast, I'm a fan of!  Check out my Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts with your choice of 2 flavor toppings!

pumpkin-french-toast-casserole-14 copy 3
Hello dessert for breakfast.  This isn't a regular weekday sorta breakfast... it's a full-fledge weekend gluttony type of treat.  Complete with a brown sugar streusel and maple pumpkin spice glaze.  Double yes to my Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole!

pumpkinbostoncreampie

I'm such a fan of Allie from over at Baking A Moment.  Her pumpkin recipes have been making me drool big time.  Case in point?  This Pumpkin Boston Cream Pie.  It comes complete with maple custard and a caramelized white chocolate ganache.  #getinmybelly

It looks so good, I'm making it for our annual Halloween costume party this year!

pumpkin cannoli

Another from Allie... how cool are these Pumpkin Cannolis??

pumpkin chip oatmeal sandwich cookies

Kelly from Life Made Sweeter is always baking up these crazy awesome desserts... like these seriously amazing gluten free Pumpkin Chip Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies.

Ginger-Snap-Pumpkin-Ice-Cream-Sandwiches-urbanbakes.com-1.5

I just met Connie from Urban Bakes at a food blogger conference in NYC.  She's super cool and hey... she's from NY too!  Which really, makes her super cool.  Just like these Ginger Snap Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches.

pumpkin-smore-whoopie-pies-11-682x1024

S'mores aren't just for summertime.  I love how Jocelyn from over at Grand Baby Cakes made a Pumpkin Smore Whoopie Pie to celebrate fall in style.

mini pumpkin cheesecake cookie bites

And how adorable are her Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Bites??  They are so cute I could just pick them up and.... eat 5 dozen.

pumpkin spice latte ice cream

Zainab from Blahnik Baker turned your favorite coffee drink into ice cream.  That's pretty magical in my book.

brown butter pumpkin sage bread

And how amazing does this savory Brown Butter Pumpkin Sage Bread sound?!  Great for a Thanksgiving spread for sure!

whipped pumpkin ricotta

My man David over at Spiced Blog is a fellow member of the Wolfpack (i.e. the super exclusive club we made up of crazy spectacular dude food bloggers).  And wolfpackers make super cool apps, like this Whipped Pumpkin Ricotta.  I'm totally making this at my next party.

creamy pumpkin sauce

Here's another Wolfpack member... Mike from The Iron You.  We call him Alpha, because he's a triathlete and comes up with nutrition-packed recipes for all you healthy people out there.  I would totally smother some pasta in this Creamy Pumpkin Sauce.

pumpkin spice latte macarons

Naomi over at Baker's Royale is a crazy talented food photographer and blogger.  Her work constantly inspires me.  How stunning are these Spiced Pumpkin Macarons?!

Pumpkin-Spice-Layer-Cake-from-Bakers-Royale

And c'mon.  Is your jaw not literally on the ground just looking at this Pumpkin Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting?!

pumpkin cheesecake brulees

You know what's great?  Creme Brulee.  And cheesecake.  Even greater?  Putting them together... with pumpkin.  That's what my man Bill over at Southern Boy Dishes did with this Pumpkin Cheesecake Brulee.

Pumpkin-Olive-Oil-Cake-with-Brown-Butter-Glaze1

If you haven't checked out Nicole over at Cooking for Keeps yet, you are totally missing out.  She comes up with the most ridiculously awesome appetizer recipes... totally makes my mouth water every time I stop by her little corner of the interwebs.   She whips up a pretty fantastic dessert as well, like this Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Brown Butter Glaze.

Mini-Cream-Cheese-Stuffed-Cinnamon-Sugar-Pumpkin-Bagel-Poptarts-1

I want to be a fly on the wall at the home of Tieghan from Half Baked Harvest.  I don't know how she thinks up her super creative, whimsical creations, but every single one looks ridiculously amazing.  And don't even get me started on her photography.  So stunning.  And I want these for breakfast right now... Mini Cream Cheese Stuffed Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bagel Poptarts

pumpkin crumb cake

I'm a big fan of crumb cake.  Well, I'm a big fan of cake in general.  Crumb cake is an acceptable breakfast (right??), so that's a double win in my book.  Cake for breakfast.  Heck to the yes.  And this Pumpkin Crumb Cake from Rachel at Bakerita looks perfect for the fall!  Breakfast is served 😉

Homemade-Pumpkin-Monkey-Bread-aka-Pumpkin-Cinnamon-Roll-Bread-or-Pumpkin-Pull-Apart-Bread-with-Cream-Cheese-Glaze

Meet Erin from The Law Student's Wife.   She's always coming up with crazy awesome sounding recipes and I love her writing style. Her blog is always so much fun to read!  Seriously great stuff.  I've never made monkey bread before, but now I need to... Homemade Pumpkin Monkey Bread.

Pumpkin-Parfaits-with-Coconut-Whipped-Cream-and-Gingersnap-Cookies

Another one from Erin... hello beautiful Pumpkin Parfaits with Coconut Whipped Cream!

Pumpkin-Beer-Cheese-Soft-Pretzel-Bites-pic

Cate from Chez Catey Lou is a fellow NYC blogger that I've been following for a while... and we actually got to finally meet at a conference at the Manhattan Better Homes + Gardens building last month.  It's so cool to meet your virtual blogging friends in real life.  They do exist.  They really do exist!  And this Pumpkin Beer Cheese Dip?  So perfect for game day!

kale salad with pickled pumpkin

Sandra from Kitchen Apparel is the DIY queen.  She's a canning wizard, is raising her own chickens for eggs, and can regularly be found at her local farmer's market or checking her mailbox for a shipment of lingonberries.  I've never seen pickled pumpkin before, but now I totally need to try it... Kale Salad with Pickled Pumpkin.

pumpkin-gorgonzola-pasta

As the weather starts to drop, pasta is always on my mind.  It's one of my ultimate comfort foods.  This Pumpkin Gorgonzola Pasta looks pretty legit from Jules at Yankee Kitchen Ninja (aka The Ninj!!).

 

Bacon and Egg Brussels Sprout Salad

By Chris Cockren 42 Comments

Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad

Bacon and Egg Brussels Sprout Salad with Sweet Potato and Avocado

This is a game changer in our house... a gluten-free and paleo friendly recipe for Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad.

Now I love my wife.  She's an absolutely stunning woman with an equally huge and caring heart.

But people.  A perfectly soft cooked egg with a velvety, luscious yolk?  Now that's the epitome of beauty.

It's the Scarlett Johansson of the food world.  My wife would say Bradley Cooper.  Or Geoffrey Zakarian... she has a weird obsession with him.  I digress.

Point is... eggs are legit.  Especially on top of this epic gluten-free and paleo friendly salad.

And this isn't your average lame side salad... some limp lettuce and bottled dressing with a few pathetic vegetables thrown in the mix. Heck no.  This Bacon and Egg Brussels Sprout Salad with Sweet Potato + Avocado has some serious flavor on flavor action going on.

Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad

I've been wanting to make a Brussels sprouts salad since last year forever (forever sounds a bit more intense and dramatic, doesn't it?).  I'm such a fan of B sprouts.  That's right, B sprouts.  We're on a nickname basis.

Now I have to admit, I had to overcome a bit of a kitchen fear to get my creative Brussels sprouts salad on.  The mandoline.  Oh man, instant flashback to the first time I tried one and gave myself a nice filet of finger.  But now I respect the mandoline.  And the mandoline respects me.  We have a good working relationship now.

No mandoline?  No problemo... just halve the sprouts and then thinly slice.  Same thing 😉

Ooooooo!  Raise your hand if you own a sous vide immersion circulator?  It's my newest kitchen toy and I'm in absolutely in love. Not Scarlett Johannson in love, but in love nonetheless.  It makes cooking perfect eggs incredibly easy and almost foolproof.  I highly recommend it.   If you don't have one... major bummer.  You should get one.  Go ahead, treat yourself.

I cook my eggs in the sous vide machine for 13 minutes at  75°C.  Perfect eggs, every time.

And if that's not in the cards, just go ahead and give 'em a poach.

Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad

Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad

 
 
 

 

 
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Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad

Bacon and Egg Brussels Sprout Salad


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  • Author: Chris Cockren
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

This is a game changer in our house... a gluten-free and paleo friendly recipe for Bacon, Egg, and Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Salad.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 30 (approximately) Brussels sprouts
  • 8-10 strips bacon
  • 2 avocados, chopped
  • 2 cups (approximately ½" diced) sweet potatoes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 poached eggs*
  • Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • Lemon Honey Vinaigrette (recipe below)
  • for the Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
  • ½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 6 tablespoons lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook bacon over medium/medium-low heat in a medium skillet until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to cool. Crumble bacon into bite-size pieces.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Briefly toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and season generously with Kosher salt. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. Allow to briefly cool.
  3. Carefully shave Brussels sprouts with a mandoline (alternatively, halve sprouts and then thinly slice). Use your fingers to separate the layers and fluff the Brussels sprouts.
  4. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a bunch of shards of parmigiano reggiano cheese.
  5. Toss Brussels sprouts with crumbled bacon, sweet potatoes, avocado, and vinaigrette. Divide among plates and top with a few shards of parmigiano reggiano and a poached egg. Devour immediately.
for the Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
  1. Whisk together the lemon juice and honey. Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

*I cook my eggs in a sous vide immersion circulator at 75°C for 13 minutes.

 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich (Breakfast On The Go)

By Chris Cockren 26 Comments

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #4MoreWaffles #CollectiveBias

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

A quick and easy breakfast recipe for a Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich!

Growing up, I was not your average bear come breakfast time.  Eggs?  Nope.  Cereal?  Heeeeeck no.  I was more of a muffin and donut type of kid (thus my perfectly round body shape).  Frozen waffles were also on the approved breakfast list...

Except I would only eat them with peanut butter and jelly.  I know.  Just do me a favor and judge me quietly.

Now that I'm grown up... who am I kidding, I still love me some PB&J.  Just not on waffles.

But this Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich...  it takes mornings to a whole new level.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Hello Aunt Jemima.  Oh, and look at that... 4 free waffles in each package and a new resealable bag for freshness.  #winning

And hey, want to save some moolah?  Print this coupon.  #reallywinning

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

I always feel like eating sweet potatoes are cheating.  They taste so freaking good but are actually healthy for you.  Don't you wish everything was like that?  I'm looking at you ice cream.  And cake.  And chocolate.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

If you're not into the whole runny yolk thing, feel free to go scrambled.  But just saying, I might have to question our friendship.  Runny yolks make life worth living.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Now dats a breakfast sandwich!  Sweet potato and spinach hash.  Sunnyside up egg.  Crisp bacon.  All nestled up between 2 frozen waffles.  Heck to the yes... please.

Feel free to add a drizzle of sriracha if you're into that sort of thing.  And I hope you're into that sorta thing.

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

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Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich

Sweet Potato and Spinach Hash Waffle Breakfast Sandwich


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

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  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 sweet potato, finely diced
  • 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • Kosher salt
  • 8 frozen waffles
  • 4 fried or scrambled eggs
  • 12 slices bacon, cooked until golden brown and crispy
  • Sriracha or other hot sauce, if desired

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the finely diced sweet potato, onion powder, paprika, and ancho chile powder. Season generously with Kosher salt and stir to combine. Cook sweet potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15-18 minutes. Add frozen spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  2. Cook waffles according to package directions. Top 4 waffles with a bit of the hash, an egg, and 3 slices of bacon. Give it a drizzle of sriracha or other hot sauce, if desired, and top with another waffle. Devour immediately.
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Untitled

You can find Aunt Jemima waffles in the frozen section of your local ShopRite.  And remember, you can snag a $1 off coupon!  Just click the photo below...

Aunt Jemima Frozen Waffle Coupon Image

No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle

By Chris Cockren 51 Comments

no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifle

no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifle

I've been giving pumpkin a lot of love these last few weeks.  Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts.  Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole.  But to be honest, I've been kinda feeling like a poser... trying to be a part of the cool kids club.

Everyone seems to go gaga over pumpkin, like teenage girls at an N'Sync One Direction concert.  I'm sorry to say, but even though I enjoy pumpkin and will happily eat it, I'm never like.... aaaahhhh I need pumpkin everything in my life right this second.  

But apple?  That's a different story.  I'm all about fall apple desserts.  I'll go all Bubba Gump on apple.  Apple Pie.  Apple Crisp.  Apple Crisp Ice Cream.  Apple Cheesecake.  Caramel Apples.

And now... this No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle.

no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifle

I'm not sure if I can really call this no bake.  I mean, you do have to cook the apples on the stovetop.  But you can do that way ahead of time (like, days and days ahead) and then just assemble when you're ready to let your guest devour this creative apple dessert goodness.

So I'm going with the no bake thing.  Even if it is maybe sorta a stretch.

Guys... this trifle.  So perfect for parties.  Hello easy entertaining!  I'm making it for my annual Halloween party.  You can go ahead and make every layer before guests even think about arriving.  The no bake cheesecake.  The cinnamon whipped cream.  The crushed up biscoff cookies.  You get the idea.

no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifle

no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifle

Tell me you don't want to dive head first into that trifle?!  No really, please tell me.  That way I get to eat yours too 🙂

After photographing these, I might have had one two three too many.  I couldn't/wouldn't/didn't stop myself.  Oops.

But can you blame a guy?

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no bake caramel apple cheesecake trifle

No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Trifle


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 to 12 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

for the Apple layer

  • 4 apples (I used Granny Smith and McIntosh), finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

for the Cinnamon Whipped Cream

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ⅔ cup powdered sugar
  • Cinnamon

for the Cheesecake layer

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup whipped cream

for assembly of Trifle

  • Biscoff cookies (or Nilla Wafers/Graham Crackers), crushed
  • Good-quality caramel sauce topping (or make your own!)
  • Sea salt

Instructions

for the Apple layer

  1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and stir until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes, until the apples are tender and the brown sugar creates a thick glaze.

for the Cinnamon Whipped Cream

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium/medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Reserve ¾ cup of whipped cream for cheesecake layer. With rest of whipped cream, gently fold in ½ teaspoon cinnamon and taste. Add more cinnamon if desired.

for the Cheesecake layer

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the whipped cream by hand.

When Ready to Assemble the Trifle:

  1. Remove apples from fridge and let come closer to room temperature (I gave them a quick zap in the microwave to speed up that process). Stir in some sea salt into caramel to give it desired salted caramel flavor.
  2. Alternate layers of crushed biscoff cookies, cheesecake layer, apples, cinnamon whipped cream, and salted caramel. Devour immediately.

Notes

It's important to cut the apples into a very fine dice, as bigger chunks of apple will take a lot longer to cook. Instead of using the stovetop, you could cook in a 375°F oven, stirring once or twice, until apples are tender.

I choose to serve my trifles in little mini serving cups. Yield of recipe depends upon size of those serving cups. You could also make it in one big dish for a family style dessert.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Gluten-Free Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Corn Risotto {$100 giveaway!}

By Chris Cockren 155 Comments

bacon, egg, and cheese corn risotto

Gluten Free Bacon Egg and Cheese Corn Risotto
Rice deserves respect... main dish respect.  Create an unforgettable meal with this Gluten-Free Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Corn Risotto!
People.  I'm guilty.  Like OJ in a white bronco really guilty.  I don't know why I neglect rice the way I do.  It's delicious... and way under-utilized in my kitchen.  Kinda like me spending so much time on the bench for my basketball team when I was a kid.  Way under-utilized.
Oh wait. I was a short fat kid that couldn't run or jump. Makes sense actually.
But rice. It's got everything going for it. Super versatile. Liked by virtually every cuisine on the planet. And yet there it is, in my pantry, not getting any love. And when it does, it's an after-thought. A silly little side dish or just a filler I use to pile the main attraction on top of.

It's time to Rethink Rice.  And that time is now.  Who's with me?  (this is the point when you all let out a collective "ooh-rah," which signals me that you are indeed with me and on my side).

Thank you.

Bacon Egg and Cheese Corn Risotto

I don't know why it's taken me so long to finally try making risotto. I love risotto in restaurants. It transforms rice into this creamy, luscious superstar of a meal... and guess what? It's really not as hard as someone along the line may have scared you into thinking.

The key is have your ingredients prepped and ready to go. You can do this. I believe in you 😉

And let's talk about ingredients. This isn't some ordinary boring risotto. Put on your big boy pants, because I'm bringing some serious flavor to this party. I'm talking about corn. Bacon. Cheese. And... are you ready? A perfectly poached egg with that glorious runny yolk. It adds an extra layer of creamy luxury to the risotto.

Everyone always boasts that bacon makes everything better (it does). But so does a runny yolk. It's true. Google it (don't).

Little secret? I actually didn't poach my egg. I used my new sous vide kitchen toy. It's so much fun, and gives you super precise eggs every time (I do mine for 13 minutes at 75C) . But don't fret about that... just go with a regular poached or even sunny-side egg. The key is a runny yolk.

You need that runny yolk.

Oh, and did I mention jalapeno?

Bacon Egg and Cheese Corn Risotto

Bacon Egg and Cheese Corn Risotto

Yup, that's right. This risotto was totally done up right with the RiceSelect Arborio Blend™ with Jalapeno. It gives the risotto that signature creamy texture plus a little kick I crave. Of course you can use their regular Arborio rice as well, but I personally love a bit of heat. That's just how I roll.

RiceSelect produces a great line-up of rice... Arborio, Arborio Blend™ with Jalapeno, Arborio Blend™ with Mushrooms, and their signature Texmati® White Rice. I'm thinking you can make some crazy savory risottos with that mushroom one... it's next on my list.

Something I really, really dig about RiceSelect?  It's grown, milled, and packaged right here in the USA and have no GMO's. I'll repeat. No GMOs!

You can grab RiceSelect at select grocery stores and if you are one of those online shoppers (I totally am, as my bank statement surely tells me every month), right here.

Bacon Egg and Cheese Corn Risotto

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bacon egg cheese corn jalapeno risotto 9 e1411654414709

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Corn Risotto


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 11 reviews

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 8-10 strips bacon
  • 5 cups corn stock* (recipe beow)
  • 2 large shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 ½ cups RiceSelect Arborio Blend™ with Jalapeno**
  • ¾ cup dry white wine
  • 2 ears fresh corn kernels (or 1 cup frozen corn)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup freshly grated good-quality parmesan cheese***
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 4 poached eggs****

for the Corn Stock

  • 6 to 8 corn cobs (kernels removed and reserved for another use)
  • ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • Few spings parsley
  • Few sprigs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 peppercorns

Instructions

  1. Cook bacon in a medium pan until golden brown and crispy. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Once cool, crumble bacon into bite-sized pieces. Reserve 3 tablespoon of the bacon grease in pan.
  2. Heat corn stock (or chicken/vegetable stock if using) in a small pot over medium heat until it reaches a low simmer. Lower heat a bit to maintain a very low simmer.
  3. In a larget skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the bacon grease over medium heat. Add shallots, season with Kosher salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until coated in the bacon grease and a bit opaque, about 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in wine, season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until wine is fully absorbed by rice.
  5. Reduce heat to medium low. Add stock ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently, adding more stock as rice absorbs the liquid. After about 8 to 10 minutes, add corn and stir. Keep adding stock, stirring and cooking, until rice is cooked to al dente (a bit firm to the bite), about 20 minutes. Your risotto should be creamy, not soupy or stiff. You may not use all of your stock.
  6. Remove risotto from heat, stir in butter, parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon. Divide among 4 plates and top with chives and a poached egg. Serve immediately.

for the Corn Stock

  1. Place cobs (cut or snap in half if too big for your pot), onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a large stockpot. Add enough water to cover ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and maintain a simmer. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, until your stock has a strong corn flavor. Strain mixture and allow to cool completely. Can be refrigerated for 5 to 7 days, or what I like to do is freeze in 4-6 cup portions for risotto, soups, etc.

Notes

*Substitute good-quality chicken or vegetable stock if needed.
**Substitute RiceSelect Arborio rice if desired.
***I use parmigiano reggiano.
****If you have a sous vide machine, I do my eggs at 75°C for 13 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

You can head over to RiceSelect Rethink Rice to sign up for monthly newsletters where you will receive exclusive access to fresh new recipes and a $2-off coupon just for signing up... AND for a chance to win a free Aroma 6-cup rice cooker. Use #RethinkRice #sweeps to show your recipe creation for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

The RiceSelect Hosted Sweepstakes ends/ended at midnight on December 18th.

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Healthy Habanero Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich

By Chris Cockren 18 Comments

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SauceOn #CollectiveBias

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

Who says game day eats can't be healthy?  Lose the deep-fried wings and keep the hot sauce with this lightened up habanero Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich.

I am so done with painting.  Yesterday was a never-ending Benjamin-Moore-fest.  Priming.  2 coats.  Inside closets.  All the trim.  4 closet doors (and as I found out, painting closet doors are especially sucky).  I really don't know how the pros out there do this every single day.  It's crazy tedious work.

But it was all totally worth it.  My wife is ecstatic.  And making her happy, well, is always worth it.  Last night, for the first time ever, we were finally able sleep in our master bedroom.

When we bought the house, the bedroom had floor to ceiling mirrors on one wall.  Like, skeevy 70's motel style.  Once they were taken down, the sheetrock needed to be replaced and an ancient in-the-wall A/C was taken out.  Sounds easy, right?  Ugh... why do projects always take 10x longer than you think they are going to take?

So for the first two months in our new house, our makeshift master bedroom was the spare across the hall... which is on the side of the house where the sun rises.  Asheley needs pitch black to sleep, so it was no bueno for her.

When she woke up this morning, Asheley was all smiles.  She never wakes up with a smile.  Normally it involves groaning and complaining.  The best night sleep in 2 months.  Like I said, all worth it.

So when we finally finished painting yesterday, we were beyond starving... and exhausted.  Since I'm back on the whole operation stop being a fatty thing, something on the light side was a necessity.... as was super uick and easy.

People.  This Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich.  Asheley declared it the best sandwich she had in a very long time.

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

I know.  This doesn't look too healthy, does it?  The secret, Greek yogurt.  When mixed with the hot sauce and ranch salad dressing mix, something magical happens.  Healthy buffalo chicken salad magic.

I was seriously skeptical of the whole Greek yogurt thing.  I thought it was going to be a sad excuse for a healthy replacement.  But it totally works.  Like, just as good as all mayo.  Asheley couldn't even tell the difference.

I grabbed my El Yucateco Hot Sauce at Walmart... including their Black Label Reserve, which is only available at Walmart.  That's right, an exclusive flavor.  Boom.

El Yucateco also carries Red Habanero Sauce, Green Habanero Sauce, and XXXtra Hot Kutbil-ik Sauce.  So much habanero hot, so little time.

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

How perfect would these be for some game day eats?  Because really, who says you need to eat greasy and deep fried?  This is a healthy football snack that... well, doesn't taste at all healthy.

Ladies... I'm 99% sure that you can totally slip these to your men and they wouldn't even know the difference.  It's got tremendous buffalo flavor, just without the fatness of deep fried buffalo wings.

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

A few tips for building the perfect quick + easy Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich...

Bread.  Make sure it's high quality stuff.  I'm talking crusty with a good, airy hole structure.  And then give it a good toasting.

Avocado.  Avocado always makes for a better sandwich.

Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken... those things are great for last minute, quick meals.

You could add in some finely chopped celery into the buffalo chicken salad if you're into that sort of thing.  I'm just personally not a fan of celery... blekhhhh.  

healthy buffalo chicken salad sandwich

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Healthy Buffalo Chicken Salad Sandwich


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken*
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
  • ½ to 1 tablespoon hot sauce (depending how spicy you want it)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dry ranch salad dressing mix
  • Kosher salt
  • Fresly ground black pepper
  • 8 slices good-quality crusty bread
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • Lettuce

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, hot sauce, and dry ranch dressing mix. Stir in chicken.
  2. Toast bread. Top with buffalo chicken salad, lettuce, avocado, and tomato. Serve with carrots and celery, if desired. Devour immediately.

Notes

*For a super quick meal, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

You can feel free to add finely chopped celery in to the buffalo chicken salad if you're into that sort of thing. I'm just not a fan of celery (that's right, I said it).

  • Prep Time: 10 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

hot sauce at walmart

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

By Chris Cockren 51 Comments

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

An easy entertaining breakfast or brunchrecipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole.  Assemble the night before and just bake the next morning!

I'm not what you would call a manly man.  It's okay, no need for sympathetic comments below to make me feel better.  I'm proud and content with my ownership of just an IKEA tool set.  It get the job done... most of the time.

Who am I kidding.  I need to rely on my awesome friends for a heck of a lot when it comes to house projects.  This past weekend my man Tommy, who also happens to be an electrician, came over to help us out big time.  We installed (he installed, I pathetically tried to help) high hat lights in our master bedroom and our music studio/office.

You have no idea how unbelievably hot and gross it is to crawl around an attic.  Holy crap if that's what hot yoga is like, I'm out.  I have a way new appreciation for you electricians out there.

And we are SO happy to finally have some lights upstairs.  Before this, there was nothing except a hall light and the bathroom lights. But then Tommy said, let there be light.  And there was light.  And it was good.  

You know what I made right before Tommy came over?  This Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole.  Tommy works best on a fully stomach 😉

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

And so folks, here we go.  My 2nd ever pumpkin recipe.

Youz guyz seems to like my Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts, so I figured aw heck, let's try another pumpkin breakfast on for size.  Especially since I bought one of those big ole cans of pumpkin puree and I didn't want it to go to waste.

So let's talk about this pumpkin cheesecake breakfast goodness.

You've got 2 layers of pumpkin french toast with sweetened cream cheese slam packed in the middle.  A little brown sugar pumpkin-spiced struesel on top.

And then, just because we're worth it come breakfast time, a litle maple pumpkin spice glaze.

This is not your average weekday type of breakfast.  It's a treat yourself with something special weekend type of goodness.  And it really perfect for easy entertaining.  Assemble everything the night before, then just pop it in the oven to bake up the next morning. Boom.

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

Did you catch all that goodness?  That's like a movie starring ScarlettJohansson, Mila Kunis, Kaley Cuoco, and Kate Upton.

Oh sorry, for all you ladies... a movie starring Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Ryan Renyolds, and Ryan Gosling... with a sountrack by Adam Levine.

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

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Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole

Pumpkin Cheesecake French Toast Casserole


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 to 7 cups (approximately) 1" bread cubes (any crusty bread will do)
  • 7 eggs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar
  • Large pinch Kosher salt
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar

for the Streusel Topping

  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Pinch Kosher salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

for the Maple Pumpkin Spice Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ to 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9 x 13 oven-safe pan. Spread half of bread along bottom of the pan in an even layer.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, and a large pinch of Kosher salt. Pour half of pumpkin mixture evenly over the bread, pushing on bread with a spoon or your fingers until all bread is softened by liquid mixture.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cream cheese. Spread an even layer of cream cheese on top of the liquid-soaked bread. It may be easiest to drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese scattered on top of the bread and then lightly using a spoon or knife to spread it out.
  4. Top with the remaining bread, and then the remaining pumpkin mixture. Use a back of the spoon or your hands to lightly push down on the bread so all the bread absorbs the pumpkin mixture and soften. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  5. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and no longer wet. It should bounce back when pressed.
  6. Serve with Maple Pumpkin Spice Glaze. Devour immediately.

for the Streusel Topping

  1. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture using a fork or your hands. Combine until the mixture resembles sand with a few pea sized chunks. If too wet, add a bit more flour until it gets to a crumby consistently.

for the Maple Pumpkin Spiced Glaze

  1. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, maple syrup, ½ tablespoon of milk, and pumpkin pie spice. Add other ½ tablespoon of milk if needed to reach glaze consistency.

Notes

You can also make individual servings in ramekins (like in the photos above). It should make about 6 to 8 individual casseroles depending upon the size of your ramekinds. Follow the same process as above, baking for approximately 30 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Want more pumpkin?  Check out my Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts with 2 topping choices!

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

By Chris Cockren 58 Comments

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

Easy has never tasted so good.  These Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders are perfect for game day, parties, and easy entertaining.  Gluten free option too! 

You know my favorite part of fall?  Raking.

What's more fun than getting to spend hours upon hours outside casually gathering up all the leaves from the one tree on your property, along with the several million leaves from neighboring trees?  And then you get to do it again and again all the way until snow starts falling.

Uhm, no.  Raking is stupid.

It takes up so much time.  And for what?  At least when you mow the lawn or do weeding, you have instant gratification of a beautiful, clean-cut landscape.  When you're done raking, all you have is a dead, yellow lawn.  I'd rather just look at the pretty leaves.

At this point I should have probably thought of a clever transition to talk about these sliders.  Oops.

Sorry, I was busy being angry at the thought of having to rake soon.

Fall, I do love you.  The weather is beautiful.  The apple cider is good.  Getting back into the kitchen and turning on that oven makes me happy.  But raking?  Yea... no.

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

Once fall hits, I start breaking out my slow cooker again.  Because slow cooker meals rock.  Actually, let's amend that statement.  There are a lot of terrible slow cooker recipes out there.  I think we've all experienced a #slowcookerrecipefail.

You know the ones I'm talking about.  The photo shows beautifully browned chicken covered in a thick glazy sauce... but what comes out of your slow cooker looks like a glop of disgusting, runny blandness.  Dinner is served... take-out pizza.

Good news.  This is not one of those recipes.

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

I'm going to be completely honest with you.  We are on that level, right?  Right.

The magic of this recipe is in the sum of its parts.  The slow cooker Korean gochujang chicken by itself is totally fine and whatever... but with the kimchi, avocado, quick pickled bean sprouts, and gochujang aioli?  Yea, that's where it's at.

I'm gong to resist saying some lame Guy Fieri like statement like this is going to take you to flavor-town or something like that.  But it's true.  You will be going on a road trip to flavor-town.

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

This is going to become a party food staple at our house.  And since all the hard work is done by the slow cooker, it's optimal for easy entertaining.  Need a healthier or gluten free option?  Just use bibb lettuce instead of rolls and make sure to grab gluten-free soy sauce.  Boom.  Now you have gluten-free slow cooker Korean chicken sliders.

And hey dudes that aren't big on hanging around the kitchen... this is perfect food for your next game day party.  Become a hero among your friends.

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Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders

Slow Cooker Korean Chicken Sliders


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 4 reviews

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: A Lot of Sliders!
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
  • ¼ cup gochujang
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 small red onion, grated
  • 4 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 3 tablespoons mirin
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water
  • Slider buns and/or Bibb lettuce
  • Kimchi
  • Avocado, thinly sliced
  • Lightly pickled bean sprouts (recipe below)
  • Gochujang Aioli (recipe below)
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • Sesame seeds

for the Lightly Pickled Bean Sprouts

  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • ½ cup warm water
  • ½ scant tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

for the Gochujang Aioli

  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 ½ tablespoons gochujang
  • 1 clove garlic, grated with microzester
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of garlic powder
  • Pinch of onion powder

Instructions

  1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Stir together gochujang, soy sauce, onion, garlic, ginger, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, and pepper in slow cooker bowl until fully combined. Add chicken and stir to evenly coat.
  2. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken to a large bowl. Using 2 forks, shred chicken. Meanwhile, fully combine arrowroot powder/cornstarch with water in a small bowl. Pour into the sauce in slow cooker, stirring to incorporate. Add chicken back into slow cooker and stir into sauce. Cook for 10-15 more minutes.
  3. Place a bit of chicken on each bun or lettuce wrap, topping with kimchi, avocado, lightly pickled bean sprouts, gochujang aioli, scallions, and sesame seeds. Devour immediately.

for the Lightly Pickled Bean Sprouts

  1. Combine vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until dissolved. Pour over bean sprouts and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

for the Gochujang Aioli

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until fully incorporated. Can be made ahead and refrigerated.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 4 hours

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

By Chris Cockren 70 Comments

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

As fall sets in and the temperature begins to drop, warm up with these Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts, topped with your choice of  maple glaze or a spiced sugar coating.

Hashtag food blogger problems.  What do you do when you're not a big fan of pumpkin, yet Type A anxiety takes over your whole existence because your Pinterest account looks like it just threw up an entire pumpkin patch and you don't want to miss out on being on trend and seasonal with your blog posts and aghhhhhhhh?

Well, apparently you start by writing a run-on sentence.  Then you calm down and start thinking about how you can incorporate the orange sludge into something you already love.  Something that's familiar.  Safe.  And surrounded by a healthy dose of flour and sugar.  Ah... I know.

Donuts.  Yes, that's it.  Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts.  And everyone loves a donut 🙂

Move over Baked Brown Butter Churro Donuts, Horchata Glazed Donuts, and Red Velvet Donut Holes.  Well, actually, don't go far... I still love you dearly and want you in my life as well.  We just need to make room for this gourd-geous (see what I did there?  please laugh and encourage me) new donut.

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

And if you're like me, you want choices with your donuts.  So I'm giving you two ideas to dress up yo' donuts here.

Pumpkin Spice Sugar.

Maple Pumpkin Spice Glaze.

Hmmm, or I guess you could go crazy and glaze them first and then dip them in the sugar.  Now that's a whole new level of fatness right there.  That's one way to fast track your way to receiving a sincere virtual high five from yours truly.

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

So there you have it.  My very first pumpkin recipe ever on Shared Appetite.  Phew... please excuse me while I cross that off my bucket list.  And eat a donut.

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Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts

Baked Pumpkin Pie Donuts


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 22 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8 Donuts 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking bowder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup canned pumpkin
  • ½ cup + 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 4 tablespons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

for the Sugar Coating

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

for the Maple Pumpkin Pie Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ - 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla extract, canned pumpkin, whole milk, and melted butter until combined. Slowly add in dry ingredients and stir until just combined (don't overmix to avoid a tougher donut).
  3. Spoon batter into a large ziploc bag. Make a small cut in one of the bottom corners of the bag, and then pipe the batter into the donut pan. Lightly tap donut pan against counter to smooth out batter. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and donuts spring back when gently pressed. Turn donuts out onto cooling rack and allow to cool a bit.
  4. Follow directions for either the sugar coating or maple pumpkin glaze below:

for the Sugar Coating

  1. Combine sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Using a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of butter to each donut. While still "wet", roll donuts in sugar coating. Use a spoon or fingers to apply more sugar to desired spots if necessary. Serve immediately.

for the Maple Pumpkin Pie Glaze

  1. Mix together all ingredients until fully combined. Start with ½ tablespoon of the milk and increase only if necessary to achieve a glaze-like consistency. Dip the tip of each donut in the glaze and move to a wire rack with wax paper or aluminum foil underneath (to catch the drips of glaze). Allow the glaze to harden and then devour.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 12 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail

By Chris Cockren 36 Comments

Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail

Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail

Fall's not quite here yet.  Enjoy one last creative summer drink with these Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktails.

Yesterday was the first day it actually began feeling like fall here in NY.  Asheley happily fished out a jacket from our coat closet as we left to go to church (side note: she's very very excited to have a coat closet in our new home... it was her top priority in our home search).

Hello 60° weather.

Being the stubborn person I am (and by stubborn I mean awesome), I'm sticking with t-shirts and shorts until September 23.  That's the official first day of fall.  And yes, I had to look that up.

I know what's coming.  Pumpkin this.  Apple that.  And lots of raking leaves.  Gosh I loathe raking.  But I love apple cider.  So I guess that cancels each other out.

Bottom line... we still have a few days left to sit back and enjoy summer.  Drink in hand, of course.  So put down that pumpkin beer and whip up a Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail.

Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail

Asheley and I went out for a little date night not too long ago.  Kinda a big deal, considering most date nights for us consist of catching up on DVR'd television shows on the couch, trying not to fall asleep before we get through one episode.

And since we really wanted to go all out on our date night, we actually each ordered a cocktail with dinner.  A cocktail.  Just one.  We're not rolling in dough over here.

The thing tasted like glorious summer in a glass.  And I figured, hey, I should try to make this at home instead of shelling out $12 a pop for 'em.

Now our date nights can consist of watching of DVR'd shows and sipping on cocktails. #marriedlife

Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail

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Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail

Peach Basil Arnold Palmer Cocktail


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ounces peach puree or peach nectar
  • 1.5 ounces Sweet Tea Vodka
  • 1 ounce lemon simple syrup (recipe below)
  • 4 to 6 basil leaves
  • Lemon slice, for garnish

for the Lemon Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Muddle the basil and simple syrup together. Stir in peach puree/nectar and sweet tea vodka and add ice. Garnish with a lemon slice.

for the Lemon Simple Syrup

  1. Combine sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Discard solids and allow syrup to cool completely. Stir in lemon juice and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
  • Prep Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe?

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An Introduction To Food Photography

By Chris Cockren 44 Comments

An Introduction To Food Photography

Does your brain hurt?  It probably will in a second.

If you're here, most likely you are just starting out in the world of food blogging.  Heck maybe you even want to know how to start a food blog.  When I was first starting out, reading about the technical aspects of food photography made my head spin.  I wanted to get better, but all the gibberish just didn't make sense to me.

Aperture, f stops, white balance, ISO... huh?  What?!  Ugh...

The best piece of advice I can give you?  Dive in and do it.  Don't just read.  Practice.  Over and over and over.  Pick up your camera, put it on manual, and shoot everything you can.  Experiment.  Take 100 photos a day.  The more you just do it, the faster you'll learn.

But here we go.  I'm going to try to give you the very basics, in a way that doesn't make your brain (or my brain) hurt.  And after that, pick up your camera and start practicing 🙂

So here we go.  An introduction to food photography.

Grab some coffee.  Or if you're like me, some chocolate.  Dark chocolate to be exact.

Shoot Manual.

Your camera has all sorts of settings.  Most likely you started on the auto setting.  The good thing about auto?  The camera pretty much makes all the decisions for you in order to produce an "acceptable" photograph.  The bad thing about that: the camera pretty much makes all the decisions for you.

And as scary as this sounds, you want to be in full control of your camera.  That's right.  Own it.  Embrace it.  The camera isn't the talent.  YOU are the talent.

But I don't know what to do!!  

Patience, my friend. Patience.

You just have to decide to make the switch.  Go manual.  Do it.  You'll struggle for a bit, but then you'll get it .  And it will be glorious.  Glorious victory indeed.

On Camera Flash.

You know that thing that pops up from your camera?  It's worthless.  Actually, it's worse than worthless.  Those built-in on camera flashes on many cameras have the uncanny ability to ruin all hopes of getting a great image of food.

Don't trust me?  Jeez.  I thought we were cool, you and me.  hmffhhhh...

Well, just take a look at some of my absolutely stunning, breath-taking photographs from a few years back utilizing the on camera flash...

Top 10 Tips To Improve Your Food Photography

Ah, the beautifully diffused light.  Don't you just love how it just kisses the food in such a way to make it look absolutely irresistible?

Of course not!  That food looks ugly.  Unappetizing.  Gross.

Darn you on camera flash!!!  Darn you.

So do yourself a favor.  Step one to getting better food photographs?  Don't even think of using that flash.

How To Say Goodbye to Auto.  Forever.

Here's where you're going to need that coffee.  Or chocolate.  And chocolate?

Shooting manual basically means you are controlling, manipulating, and balancing 3 basic photographic elements.  Aperture, ISO, and Shutter Speed.  Here's a good visual diagram.

And those three things work in harmony with each other to produce your image.  It's your job as the photographer to balance the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed depending upon the situation and/or scenario of what you are photographing.

Aperture.

Aperture allows more light or less light to reach the camera sensor.  With manipulating the aperture, you can create a shallow or deep depth of field (lots of blur or not a lot of blur).

It's measured in f/stops (i.e. f/1.2, f/2.8, f/4.0, f/10, etc.).  Whoa.  That was a lot of words being thrown around.  Here's an equation for you to memorize.

large aperture (low f/stop)= shallow depth of field = more blur in the photos

small aperture (high f/stop) = deeper depth of field = less blur in the photos

Warning.  With blur comes great responsibility.

Careful of f/2.8 and other very low f/stops in food photography.  Because there will only be a small amount of your image in focus, it may become difficult to get enough of the food in focus to create appetizing images.  I rarely go lower than f/3.5.  

Notice in the photo below that as the f/stop gets higher, more of the food is in focus (look at the waffle fries).

Aperture Food Photography

pictured: Stuffed Jalapeno Popper Bacon Cheeseburgers

A word about aperture and light.  If you don't change anything on your camera except for your aperture, you'll notice that at lower f/stops, you don't need as much light as higher f/stops.

Low f/stops = less light needed

High f/stops = more light needed

In situations where light is scarce (like at many restaurants), you may need to keep your aperture large (low f/stop) to produce a properly exposed photograph.

ISO.

ISO: Intro to Food Photography

Take a close look at the above photo.  You'll notice that in the ISO 400 image, it's clear, smooth, and clean.  The other two images, however, are grainier.

ISO basically controls how sensitive your camera is to light.  ISO typically goes as low as 100 and depending upon your camera, can go up to around 10-25K.  

The higher the ISO, the better the light sensitivity.  Basically, that means the camera is capturing more light.  This is great when you are in a dark environment, like those two restaurants I was in when capturing the two photos in the above left.

But here's the catch. As the ISO increases, so does the grain or noise in the photo.  In addition, higher ISO's will also mess with the color in the image a bit.

Lower ISO = more light required = smoother, cleaner images

Higher ISO = less light required  = adds grain to your images

It's also importnat to note that ISO affects cameras differently.  When you purchase a more high-end camera, it can handle higher ISO's better (show less grain and capture better color).

Bottom line... always try to keep your ISO on the low side.  I typically try to keep it around 400.

Shutter Speed.

The thing you hear clicking when you take a photo (cchhkk, cchhkk)... that's the shutter.  And its speed will determine how long your camera sensor will be exposed to light.

If you are taking a photo of something that is moving, a faster shutter speed will be needed to freeze the image.

Shutter speed is measured in seconds.  1/60th second.  1/125th second.  So on.

Faster shutter speed = less light coming in = freezes images quickly

Slower shutter speed = more light coming in = can be blurry

If you are taking handheld photos with your camera (without a tripod), plan on shooting at a minimum shutter speed of 1/100. Anything slower than that and you run the risk of a blurry image due to camera shake.... unless you have crazy steady ninja surgeon hands.  In which case, I hate you. #kiddingnotkidding

I use a tripod and remote for almost all my photos at this point because it helps me to create more consistently clear and reliable images, and also aids in the composition and food styling.  It also allows me to shoot at slow shutter speeds (and keep my ISO low!) while maintaining clear images.

JPEG vs. RAW.

When photographing, you have two choices.  

Innnnnn this corner, weighing in with consdensed, smaller files, is JPEG.  

Although it is a tinier file, it doesn't allow for a lot of room for post-processing (i.e. editing your images in the computer). 

And in this corner, with much larger files and potential for editing, is RAW.

This is how I photograph every image.  Although it does take up a whole lot more room, raw files capture all the information the camera receives when you click that shutter.  That way, you can enhance and edit your images in post-processing (I highly recommend and personally use Lightroom).

Taking Your Photos To The Next Level.

What is a great food photo?  In my mind, it's something that catches and holds your attention, and generates emotion in you... preferably intense, uncontrollable hunger.   I want people to say... Ermagherd!  I want to eat that.

Like here.  Or here.

So here are some things to get that type of Ermaghred! reaction.

Light.

Intro To Food Photography

As you can tell in the above photo, just photographing with the overhead kitchen lights on is pretty nasty.  We already know that automatic flash stinks.  Natural light is totally beautiful.  And in a pinch... if it's dark out, those Lowel EGO Lampsir?t=shareda 20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0009K50RO do an okay job (and are what many food bloggers use when they need to photograph something at night).

When it comes to light, you've got options.  Don't take it lightly.  

Get it?  Get it?  

I said lightly.  And we are talking about light.  I crack myself up.

Be serious, darnit.  How you use and manipulate light is the most important aspect of photography.  No pressure or anything. 

My favorite type of light is the au naturel  kind (i.e. the sun).  Specifically, beautiful diffused sunlight (not harsh, direct sunlight).  Harsh natural light will wash out your subject and cast heavy shadows, making the food look bleh and unappetizing.

So how do you make sunlight look good?

If it's cloudy out, nature pretty much already did the job for you.  Clouds act as a natural diffuser.  If it's sunny, you could use a diffuser (that's the one I personally use and love) or a pure white sheet/ fabric to soften the light.

Light is pretty darn important.  It's the thing that professional food photographers are masters at.  Finding the light.  Stalking the light.

You have homework.  Ready?

Try shooting at different times of the day and in different locations of your home to figure out what window gives you the best light... and at what time.

Directional Light.

Once you find that killer light, it's time to think about how you want it to hit your food.  We call it... directional light.  I know, so fancy.

intro to food photography directional light

And you have options.  Above is an example of what it looks like when you light something from the left or the right.  Do you see where the shadows falls?

You can also light images from the back or the front.

If you want a good rule of thumb about directional light, you pretty much never want to light your food from the front.  Food looks best lit from either the back, one side, or a combination of the two (i.e. back + right or back + left).

Reflectors.

And obviously when food is being lit from one side, it will cast a shadow on the other side.  Duh.

Now, shadows are not a bad thing.  It's personal preference.  I see and love beautiful, bright images without shadows.  I also love photos that use shadows to create mood and shape an image.

I've been experimenting more and more with using dramatic and creative shadows in my images, but many times you will want to lighten up the dark side of the image at least a little bit. That's where reflectors come in.  You can use basically anything white.

White foam core board and white oak tag both work well.  Basically, anything white that can bounce light back onto the food to fill in the shadows will work.

In the image below, light entered from a window on the left side.  I used a white foam core board on the right side of the sundae in order to minimize the shadows in the right image.  Which look do you prefer?

Intro To Food Photography: Reflectors

pictured: The Ultimate S'mores Sundae

When I'm photographing food for Shared Appetite, I always try it both ways.  With reflector and without reflector.  That way I can make the final creative decision later on while editing images on my computer.

Oh, and do me a favor.  Make sure when photographing to turn off those overhead lights.  I can't tell you how many times I was utilizing natural light for my images but totally forgot to turn off the kitchen lights. When you mix light sources,  it becomes virtually impossible to white balance your photos.

White balance?!

I told you your brain would start hurting...

White Balance.

Every light has a temperature, which results in a slightly different color.  Flourescent, Tungsten, Incandescent, and even natural sunlight each have a different temperature on the Kelvin Scale.

And even with natural light, the temperature (and color!) will change from blue to yellow/orange as the day progresses and depending upon how sunny versus cloudy it is.

White Balance is simply making whatever light your using look as close to pure white as possible.  You can do this in your camera or in your photo editing software on your computer (such as lightroom or photoshop).  

When photographing, I start by simply choosing the white balance temperature preset in the camera menu that's closest to pure white.  Each camera menu looks different, but here's an example:

White Balance on a Camera

And here's a look how each of those white balance presets will look...

White Balance in Food Photography

pictured: Dark Chocolate Strawberry Smoothies

Obviously I would choose the upper left hand white balance preset (which I believe was "daylight" (the sun icon).

Even though the color (i.e. white balance) in that image isn't perfect, it's close enough so I can tweak it in Lightroom by using the two tools circled below.

Lightroom White Balance

Click the eye dropper tool and then click on a white or neutral gray area of the photo, and it will adjust the white balance accordingly.  That normally gets it closer to where I want it, and then I use the two sliders (blue to yellow temperature, and green to pink tint) to fine tune the color of the image.  When I'm done, it looks more like this...

Lightroom White Balance

pictured: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper Hot Dogs

Here's another look at what white balance can do to a photograph.  No other editing was made other then correcting the white balance...

Intro To Food Photography White Balance

pictured: Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza

The image on the left was "as shot" out of camera.  On the right, I fixed the white balance in my Lightroom editing software.  What a difference!

Composition.

This is where your artistic creativity can shine through.  Here are some things to consider with regards to composition...

Point of View.

Whenever Tyler and I are doing an engagement session or photographing a wedding, our couples typically let us know that they have a good side.

Get me from my good side!

Food kinda has good sides too.  You can shoot your food from above, head on, or from a compromise of the two (¾):

Introduction to Food Photography
pictured:
Gluten-Free Blueberry Almond Granola with Chia Seeds
Baked Brown Butter Churro Donuts
Chocolate PB Fudgy Avocado Brownie Sundae
 
Introduction to Food Photography
pictured:
Apple Crisp Ice Cream
Baked Horchata Glazed Donuts
Baked Red Velvet Donut Holes with Cream Cheese Glaze

Introduction to Food Photography

pictured:
DIY Brownie Sundae Klondike Bars
Loaded Baked Potato Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)
Hawaiian Luau Pulled Pork Tacos

When photographing a dish, I always try it at a few different angles.  I'll start with the vision I have in my head, and then will try playing around with it a bit.

Messy.

You want to be thoughtful and deliberate in your composition, but at the same time want it to look natural and unforced.  Super neat and clean images where everything looks absolutely perfect sometimes aren't the best images.  Sometimes, it's good to be a little messy 🙂

Messy Food Photography

pictured:
Gluten Free Chocolate-Peanut Butter Avocado Brownie Sundaes
Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake
2 Ingredient Paleo Nutella Banana Ice Cream

An artistic dribble.  An eaten brownie.  A spill of cocoa powder.  Broken graham crackers.  All of these things can add to an image.

Props.

Every movie needs supporting actors, even if it does star Vince Vaughn.

Don't just think about the main star.

Think about what props can act as supporting actors to create an oscar-worthy movie.  Maybe offer a pop of color.  Or some texture.  Or add information to what ingredients are in the dish.

Backdrops.  Plates.  Linens.  Utensils.  Kitchen towels.  Trays.  Even food!

Introduction to Food Photography: Props

pictured:
Gluten-Free Bacon + Spinach Quiche with Hashbrowns Crust
Thai Peanut Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Pork Luau Tacos with Pineapple Habanero Salsa

Just be careful not to overdo it.  Sometimes less is more.  You want props that will enhance the image, not take over it.  Overly cluttered images can overwhelm the eye.

Rule of 3rds.  

Although I don't actively think about it, be mindful of the rule of thirds.  When you place points of interest in photos where the grid lines intersect, it apparently makes for a more balanced and interesting photo.

Rule of 3rds

EQUIPMENT.

Listen, without a doubt, the most important equipment you'll ever own is YOU.  Cameras don't take great photographs.  You do.

But, having some great gear certainly does help.  Just click on that big fat image below and it'll take you to all the gear I currently use and love.

My Favorite Food Photography Gear

Check out My Favorite Food Photography Gear.

LEARN MORE.

I know.  That was a lot of info.  I'm sorry.  I remember how overwhelming it was when I was just starting out.  The good news is that it gets easier.  And if you want a super-duper, ridiculously awesome resource for pretty much everything you need to know about food photography (including great video tutorials), you'll want to check out Lindsay's Tasty Food Photography eBook.

I bought it awhile back when I first started out and it literally walks you through everything you need to know to start capturing amazing images.  The best part is that Lindsay's eBook is full of images, which demonstrates and gives you visual examples of everything she's talking about.

Just click on that beautiful book below and it'll take you to her page for more info...

Food Photography eBook

Lightened Up Taco Salad

By Chris Cockren

Lightened Up Taco Salad

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Both kids and adults will love this quick and easy lightened up taco salad, full of veggies and lean protein!  

Do you know what's always super exciting? Trying on my work clothes for the first time since June. And by exciting, I mean scary. And by scary, I mean what-the-heck-who-shrunk-all-my-clothes.

Ah, the beginning of another school year.

As we re-enter the mecca of student learning for another rousing round of academics, everyone always asks, How was your summer?! If we are talking food... it was great. Maybe a little too great.

And although going back to work is a bit of a bummer, I'm also oddly enough excited to get back into a routine. A schedule. Especially with eating. Hello balanced diet, I'm looking at you.

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I'll admit it. This summer was hugely a little over-indulgent. With the stress of moving, eating out became our norm. Dessert at lunch and at dinner?! Sure thing.

So it's about time things in our house gets a bit more nutritious.

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Enter this lightened up taco salad. I remember eating this as a kid at an end-of-the-season bbq when my dad played on the church softball team. I instantly became hooked.

It's loaded with vegetables, fruit (technically tomatoes and avocados are fruits, right?), and lean protein. And a necessity? The Kraft fat-free Catalina dressing.

It's a great way to eat a bit more on the sensible side, while maintaining that big flavor punch Asheley expects. I know, she's so demanding, isn't she?!

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148b09ca 2bd5 11e4 9b5e 22000af93a2d

Lightened Up Taco Salad


  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Taco seasoning (recipe below)
  • 1 big head romaine lettuce, torn
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • ½ (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups tortilla chips, broken into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ cup fat-free Kraft Catalina dressing

for the Taco Seasoning

  • ½ tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ⅛ teaspoon oregano
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey and taco seasoning and cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking meat into bite-sized crumbles. Let cool completely.
  2. In a large serving bowl, combine lettuce, baby spinach, cheddar, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black beans, avocado, frozen corn, tortilla chips, ground turkey, and dressing. Toss gently to coat. Devour immediately, before the chips get soggy.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Hey, want more recipes featuring Kraft products? Check out Kraft Recipes!

Change up your dinner routine with Kraft. Visit KraftRecipes.com for great recipes and meal ideas, featuring Kraft. Because food deserves delicious.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kraft. The opinions and text are all mine.

The Ultimate S'mores Sundae

By Chris Cockren 62 Comments

ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

What's better than a s'more? How about the Ultimate S'mores Sundae, loaded with homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream, dark chocolate ganache, candied bacon, and graham cracker crumble.  #thisiswhyimfat

Yea, I get it.  You probably would have liked this recipe towards the beginning of the summer.  Sorry.  My bad.

But you know what?  Summer's still here.  And guys, this may just be good enough to eat year round.  Screw that.  It is that good.

After taste-testing those 15 Creative S'mores Recipes a few weeks back (a painstaking process I tell ya... but all in the name of bringing you the best 😉 ), the candied bacon one was definitely a big winner.  And then I got thinking.  What about making this into a sundae.  What about...

Homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream.

Rich dark chocolate ganache.

Buttery graham cracker crumble.

and... candied bacon.  CANDIED BACON.

Ermagherd.  People.  I think you'll fall in love with this Ultimate S'mores Sundae.  I know I have.

ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

I'm not going to lie.  Making an ultimate s'mores sundae is not one of those easy peasy desserts like this.  Or this or this.  There's some prep involved.

But it's worth it.  I promise.

And when it comes to promises involving dessert, I don't mess around.  Dessert is serious business.

The good news is that all the components of this sundae can be made ahead of time.  You're welcome 😉

ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

Look at that gorgeous-ness right there.  Oh how I wish there was some of this left in the freezer.  Toasted marshmallow ice cream with candied bacon?  Yes freaking please.

And of course, just crumbling up graham crackers and throwing some chocolate syrup on this sundae isn't quite good enough.  The graham cracker crumble is crispy buttery goodness.  And this dark chocolate ganache... where have you been all my life?!  You are so easy and delicious!

ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

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ultimate smores sundae homemade toasted marshmallow ice cream and candied bacon

The Ultimate S'mores Sundae


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5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

for the Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

  • 2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 2 cups heavy cream, divided
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • Pinch Kosher salt
  • 5 egg yolks
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

for the Graham Cracker Crumble

  • 1 sleeve (from a 14 ounce box) graham crackers
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoon sugar
  • Pinch Kosher salt

for the Dark Chocolate Ganache

  • 8 ounces good quality dark chocolate
  • ½ cup heavy cream

for the Candied Bacon

  • Bacon
  • Brown Sugar
  • Extra toasted mini marshmallows, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Scoop toasted marshmallow ice cream into bowls. Top generously with dark chocolate ganache, graham cracker crumbles, candied bacon, and extra toasted mini marshmallows for garnish. Devour immediately.

for the Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

  1. Preheat broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Spread mini marshmallows into a single layer on sheet and broil until golden brown and toasted, about 2-3 minutes (make sure to keep a close eye on your marshmallows to keep them from burning!).
  2. Combine 1 cup of the heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture comes to a scald (just beginning to steam and before bubbles start to appear).
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk egg yolks. Whisking constantly, very slowly pour half of the scalding milk mixture into egg yolks and fully incorporate. Pour egg yolk mixture back into the pot with rest of milk mixture.
  4. Cook custard over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon. When you run your finger across the spoon, it should leave a definite trail. If using a thermometer (which I always do), aim for 170-175°F.
  5. Immediately pour mixture into blender with toasted marshmallows and blend until smooth. Make sure to firmly hold lid in place (the hot steam will try to pop it off!).
  6. Add remaining cup of heavy cream and vanilla extract into a large bowl with a mesh strainer set on top. Strain the ice cream mixture into the bowl and stir to combine with the heavy cream. Immediately place bowl over an ice bath, stirring constantly to completely cool the mixture quickly.
  7. Refrigerate mixture until very cold, at least 1 day and up to 3 days. Pour custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Remove ice cream to a container and freeze until ready to serve.

for the Graham Cracker Crumble

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add graham crackers to a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Add sugar, pinch of salt, and melted butter and pulse until the mixture is well incorporated. Pour out onto baking sheet and form into one large, evenly layered "cookie" about ¼" thick.
  2. Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely, and then break into crumbles. Can be stored in a ziploc bag for a day.

for the Dark Chocolate Ganache

  1. Finely chop chocolate into tiny chards and place in bowl. Heat heavy cream on the stove or in microwave until hot. It doesn't need to be bubbling or anything, just hot enough to melt the chocolate. Pour heavy cream over chocolate and stir until completely incorporated. Can be refrigerated until ready to serve. Reheat gently on stovetop or in microwave.

for the Candied Bacon

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle both sides of strips of bacon with a bit of brown sugar. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and cook in oven until golden brown and crisp, about 15-25 minutes. Transfer candied bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Once cool, cut into bite sized pieces. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Take out of refrigerator for a bit before serving so it can warm up to room temperature.
  • Prep Time: 40 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros

By Chris Cockren 70 Comments

Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros

Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros

When busy mornings take over, you can still whip up a nutritious and flavor-packed breakfast with these Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros.

Okay, really?  What the heck.  How is it the end of August already?!

It seems like just last week that I had that huge last day of school – first day of summer vacation teacher grin on my face.  Now it’s been replaced with those dreadful back to school commercials, constantly reminding me of the impending doom that is awaiting me as summer wanes down.

Another school year.

And another school year means way less time for breakfast.  But I’m determined this year to get my days started off right.  Goodbye scarfing down granola bars in the car, hello quick and easy baked huevos rancheros.

Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros

My love for Mexican and southwest flavors is no secret.  I’m all about it.

Evidence?

Spicy Southwest Corn

Southwest Spaghetti Squash Bowls

All of these Cinco de Mayo recipes

Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas

Baked Horchata Donuts and Baked Churro Donuts

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

...and the list goes on and on.

When I can have it first thing in the morning? #winning

And listen, it’s hard enough getting just Asheley and I ready in the morning… I can’t even imagine once you start throwing kids into the mix.  But these baked huevos rancheros really are super quick for crazy hectic mornings, when you don’t want to sacrifice flavor in the name of ease.

Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros

Extra good news.  Safest Choice™ eggs are pasteurized, so you and your family can totally go to town on these glorious runny yolks with confidence.  They are the epitome of safe and taste in the egg world. #peaceofmind

In a perfect dreamy world, you’ll use these Homecooked Cowboy Beans as your refried beans.  Cook them up as a dinner side dish over the weekend, and you’ll have plenty leftover for weekday morning breakfasts.  But in a pinch, just grab some canned refried beans.  It works just fine ;)

But if you have Asheley in your house, there’s one thing you absolutely cannot skimp on.  Avocado.  The girl is all about the avocado.  She’s already not a morning person… and then if you forget the avocado, well, it’s not pretty.

Bonus… throw in some leftover sauteed greens for extra nutrition in the morning.  I had some cooked up swiss chard lying around. Spinach and kale would work great also. Heck, even thawed frozen greens would be a win in these Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros!

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Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros

Quick and Easy Baked Huevos Rancheros


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  • Author: Chris Cockren
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 c good quality store-bought salsa
  • ½ c frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 c frozen spinach, kale, or Swiss chard
  • 4 Davidson's Safest Choice® pasteurized egg(s)
  • 1 c canned low-sodium refried beans
  • 8 small flour or corn tortillas

Optional Garnishes

  • cheddar cheese
  • diced avocados
  • lime wedges
  • chopped cilantro
  • hot sauce
  • sour cream
  • pickled onions
  • pickled jalapenos
  • queso fresco

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine salsa, corn, and greens in an ovenproof dish and create 4 slight depressions with the back of a spoon. Crack eggs on top of salsa into each depression. Bake until whites are just set and yolks are still runny, about 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat up beans and warm tortillas. Serve light and healthy baked huevos rancheros on tortillas smeared with beans and topped with desired garnishes. Serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

Create Your Own Wine - Virtual Vintner™ Program

By Chris Cockren 12 Comments

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of La Crema© winery for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Ready to make some wine? Sign up to be a Virtual Vintner

Last summer, Asheley and I took an amazing, unforgettable vacation to California's Sonoma County and Napa Valley.  We toured wineries, sampled a whole lot of wine, and learned a ton about the wine-making process.  It was glorious.

We've become more and more interested in wine over the past few years, but didn't really know a whole lot about it.  Varietal? Appelation?  What do I look like, a sommelier?!

But through our time in California, we learned enough to have a good basic understanding of the stuff.  At least I can go into a restaurant now and semi-confidently describe to the sommelier what characteristics of wine I typically enjoy, so they can recommend something.

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That's my beautiful bride Asheley in Napa Valley 🙂

So check this out.  Now the wine-making process is available to all of us, right at home!  La Crema has just launched the Virtual Vintner™ program, an interactive journey that educates us about grapes (if you want to be all fancy, that's called viticulture) and wine, and gives us the unique opportunity to help in creating a new wine!

That's right, we can help chart the course of a whole new wine for La Crema!

I literally just spent like an hour exploring through the Virtual Vintner™ website.  It's full of so many fun facts about the history of wine, the wine-making process, and even flavor profiles and food pairings. There are fun videos and winemaking education from winemaker Elizabeth Grant-Douglas, interactive maps, quizzes and more.... I felt like I was right back on vacation learning on a vineyard tour!

And then La Crema let's you play the part of wine-maker (again, let's be fancy... the vintner).  You have the power to choose the grape varietal (what type of grape), the appelation (growing region), vineyard, fermentation process, barrel type, time spent in the barrel, and even the wine name and label design!

Don't be worried if you don't know a whole lot about all that wine jargon.  With the Virtual Vintner™ experience, they guide you every step of the way.  There's a ton of great educational information to help you make your vintner decisions along the way.

I mean, come on, it's tough not to be excited about this.  Like, we get to be wine makers.  That's super cool.  And if that's not enough incentive on its own, you can win a trip to Sonoma County for participating!  And who doesn't want a trip to California?!  I'm pretty sure even people who live in California probably like to vacation there too... it's so beautiful!

Head over so your voice can be heard... Sign up to become a Virtual Vintner now! Voting opened on August 11th, and popular vote will determine the path of the community-created wine, which will be released in the late Fall of 2015.

So let's review.  You will gain winemaking expertise (which will come in handy at that next dinner party or restaurant visit for sure), have your voice heard in creating a whole new wine, and have the opportunity to be one of the first to purchase this wine!

So how about it? Become a Virtual Vintner!

Just remember... the legal drinking age is 21 years old, as always please drink responsibly.

Visit Sponsor's Site

Delicious Recipes - Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

By Chris Cockren 69 Comments

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions, as well as the recipe herein, are mine alone. #AddCoolWhip #CollectiveBias

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

Quick and easy snacks and desserts are best, aren't they?  This Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle is simple to whip up and will be sure to impress all your family and friends!

Growing up, I absolutely loved dirt cup for summer kids desserts.  Heck, I still love me some dirt cup.  You know, that classic mix of Jell-O pudding, Cool Whip, and crushed up chocolate sandwich cookies.  Ahhh, glorious, glorious dirt cup.

Now that I'm an adult-ish, I suppose it might behove me (did I really just use the word behove?? ...that's very adult) to update those simple snack recipes like dirt cup to a more grown-up, slightly sophisticated version.

But good news kids.  This Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle isn't just for grown-ups.  You'll love it too.  It's just like dirt cup... promise.

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

Is anyone else completely obsessed with peaches this time of year?  I'm a total sucker for peach crisp.  And peach pie.  I'm also super excited to try this Peach Salsa recipe my blogging bud Sandra just posted over at Kitchen Apparel.  That's sure to an awesome quick and easy snack 😉

And this Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle?  It's so super simple to whip up.  Even admist this whole hectic back-to-school time of year.  Because let's admit it.  School time might be breathing down our necks, but the weather is still fine and we want to live it up with family and friends for a few more weeks.  

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

Asheley may or may not have caught me licking the bowls of the cheesecake and pudding layers.  Don't worry, she's a good wife... she joined in 🙂

And then we happily devoured this peach vanilla cheesecake trifle with some friends.  #summerforthewin

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

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Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

Delicious Recipes - Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

for the Cheesecake layer

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed

for the Vanilla Pudding layer

  • 2 small boxes Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 3 ½ cups milk
  • ½ (8 ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed

for the Peach layer

  • 6 peaches, peeled and sliced
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 lemon, juiced

for the Cookie layer

  • 1 (11 ounce) container vanilla wafer-style cookies (i.e. Nilla Wafers), crushed

Instructions

for the Cheesecake layer

  1. In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium mixing bowl fitted with an electric hand mixer, whip together the cream cheese, mascarpone, vanilla extract, and sugar until light and fluffy. Gently fold in Cool Whip by hand.

for the Vanilla Pudding layer

  1. Combine pudding mix and milk in a medium mixing bowl, stirring constantly for 2 minutes (as per package directions). Let stand at least 5 minutes, then gently fold in Cool Whip.

for the Peach layer

  1. Combine sliced peaches, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  2. In a serving bowl, layer crushed vanilla wafer cookies, vanilla pudding, peaches, and cheesecake. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Devour with intensity.
  • Prep Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Peach Vanilla Cheesecake Trifle

I went to Walmart to get my Jell-O Pudding Mix and Cool Whip topping.   And hey, like to save money?  Get this $1 off coupon for when you buy 1 tub of Cool Whip and 2 boxes of Jello-O Pudding Mix, while supplies last.

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Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza #BeyondMeat

By Chris Cockren 47 Comments

Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza

This sponsored post is brought to you by BeyondMeat and Markely.  All opinions and the recipe herein are completely my own.

Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza

Who said vegetarian food is boring?  This Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza is bold, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make! 

I know what you're thinking.

Isn't beef the epitome of not vegetarian?  And that definitely looks like beef.  And tastes like beef.

...so how can this be a vegetarian beef fajita pizza?

The answer:  BeyondMeat.

Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza

You know I'm no vegetarian.  I love meat.  It's delicious.

But when Beyond Meat reached out and described their product and mission, I was intrigued.  It's pretty darn cool, actually.

With some pretty big-wig investors (including the Bill Gates and Biz Stone & Evan Williams, co-founders of Twitter), BeyondMeat believes there is a better way to feed the planet.  Through replacing animal protein with plant protein, they want to improve human health, positively impact climate change, conserve natural resources, and respect animal welfare.

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But can plants taste like beef?  Like, doesn't it just taste like beefy kale.  Or turnips.

No, and definitely no.

I was quite surprised how much they got the taste, look, and chew of beef.  And the peeps of NBC's Today Show had a little taste test... and they had no idea which was "real meat" and which was BeyondMeat.

Let's run down some quick facts about BeyondMeat:

  •  It's soy free, gluten free, and kosher
  •  It's made with 100% Non-GMO pea protein
  •  The stuff has 10g of protein, which is the same as ground beef
  •  There's no cholesterol, saturated, or trans fat!

I grabbed a bag of Feisty beef crumbles at my local Whole Foods in the frozen food aisle.  Check out where you can find BeyondMeat near you.

vegetarian-beef-fajita-pizza

And listen, don't skimp on all the garnishes on this pizza.  The pickled onions and pickled jalapenos make this pizza the bomb.com.  The avocado Greek yogurt crema?  I want to slather that on anything and everything.

Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza

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Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza

Vegetarian Beef Fajita Pizza #BeyondMeat


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup BeyondMeat Feisty Crumbles
  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 ear corn, kernels removed
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Store-bought cooked Pizza Crust
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Garnishes

  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • Sour cream
  • Easy Pickled Onions
  • Pickled Jalapenos
  • Queso Fresco
  • Avocado Greek Yogurt Crema (recipe below)

for the Avocado Greek Yogurt Crema

  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add red pepper, onion, corn, paprika, cumin, and chili powder, and season generously with Kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
  4. Add beef crumbles and juice of 1 lime and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Top pizza crust with fajita mixture and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Cook in oven until cheese is bubbly, about 5-8 minutes.
  6. Top pizza with sour cream, pickled onions, pickled jalapenos, queso fresco, and avocado greek yogurt crema. Devour immediately.

for the Avocado Greek Yogurt Crema

  1. Combine avocado, garlic, Greek yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, and lime juice in a food processor until very smooth. Season with Kosher salt.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

My favorite type of giveaway?  When everyone wins!!

Enter this giveaway below and EVERYONE who enters will receive a FREE BeyondMeat Coupon!  5 people will get Beyond Meat swag kits including t-shirts, hats and coupons for Beyond Meat, and 1 person will win a swag kit plus a $100 gift card to a Beyond Meat Retail Partner of their choosing.

Iced Coffee Granita

By Chris Cockren

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Turn your favorite summertime drink into a super simple spiked Iced Coffee Granita dessert recipe perfect for easy entertaining!

Us food bloggers. We all have secret "lists" of ideas and recipes we want to try. Mine is a google doc about a mile long. I finally get around to crossing one off the list, only to add like a bajillion new future creations to take a crack at. Fellow bloggers, please tell me I'm not alone on this?!

Something that I really wanted to make first thing summer hit? Granita.

And yup, it's August.

How the heck is it August already?! ::groan::

But hey, better late than never. And there's still a few more weeks of summer left before that dreadful first day of school returns. It's time to celebrate. Iced Coffee Granita style.

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As shocking as this is, I'm actually not a coffee drinker. Never had a cup in my life. I'm one of those annoying "morning people" that actually loves to get up right when the alarm goes off and get the day started off running.

Well, not actual running. Because ugh.

But you know who loves her coffee? You know who likes appreciates needs demands it before anyone even looks at her? Yup, my beautiful wife.

She was happy to be the official taste tester for this recipe.

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I was so pleasantly shocked how incredibly easy this was to pull together, thanks to International Delight's ready-made Iced Coffee.

Like, I'm pretty sure my 4 year old niece could do it. Seriously.

Maybe.... maybe... there's like 5 minutes of active prep work in making this refreshing summer dessert. It's easy entertaining times a thousand, people.

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dd78ca16 2284 11e4 8d35 22000af93a2d 2

Iced Coffee Granita


  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups International Delight Iced Original Coffee
  • 2 tablespoons white chocolate liqueur
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • Whipped Cream
  • Cocoa powder, for garnish

for the Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon white chocolate liqueur

Instructions

  1. Combine iced coffee, 2 tablespoons of the liqueur, and lemon zest in an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer on a level surface.
  2. After about 20 minutes, scrape ice crystals with a fork. Repeat about every 20 minutes until all of the mixture is frozen into a pile of flaky ice crystals. Allow mixture to sit in freezer for an additional 15 minutes to firm up before serving.
  3. Divide among 4-6 glasses and top with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder for garnish.

for the Whipped Cream

  1. Place heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of white chocolate liqueur into a mixing bowl and whisk (I use my stand mixer... and electric hand mixer also does the trick) just until the cream reaches stiff peaks.

Notes

If making granita ahead of time, keep frozen and then just fluff with fork again before serving.

  • Prep Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Head over to the International Delight facebook page to enter their summer iced coffee giveaway!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

The 10 Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats in NYC

By Chris Cockren 17 Comments

The 10 Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Keep cool this summer by checking out these 10 best ice cream and frozen treats in NYC!

Summertime = Ice Cream Time.

Plain and simple.

When the temperature rises, NYC loves to get their frozen treat on.

It's funny.  At this point, most of my friends, family, and random acquaintances know about this little corner of the interweb called Shared Appetite.  And when they travel into the city, I often get asked the question... what do we eat?!  I love that question.  I love sharing my love of food with others.

And whenever someone asks about ice cream places, I know I have a great list to share with them.  Because, well, I've definitely eaten my fair share of ice cream.  Possible 2 dozen fair shares.  Eh, let's not put a number on it.  How abut we just say that I've eaten enough ice cream and frozen treats to be 100% confident where my favorites are.

And you know what?  You deserve to know too.  Because we don't want to waste precious stomach room on anything but NYC's greatest and finest.  You deserve the 10 best ice cream and frozen treats in NYC.

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Big Gay Ice Cream.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

You've all heard of Mister Softee, right?  If you haven't, I'm sorry.  I'm truly, deeply sorry.  No child should have to grow up into adulthood without first experiencing the joys of that creamy frozen deliciousness.

Anyway, the 2 guys behind Big Gay Ice Cream are like Mr. Softee gone rogue.  They literally rented out an ice cream truck one summer long ago, and started pumping out these soft serve cones with wacky and creative flavor toppings.  It didn't take long for them to open up shop in the East Village (and then the West Village).  Now they are expanding their gay empire to L.A.

Big Gay Ice Cream is typically one of the first ice cream shops I always recommend to people.  Why?

Do you really need to ask...  just trust me 🙂

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

This is the Bea Arthur.  It's vanilla soft serve that studded with dulce de leche and then smothered in crushed up 'nilla wafers.  It's my go-to order every time at Big Gay Ice Cream.

And if you want bonus points, order a Mexican Coke to go along with it.  It makes the experience all the better.  Promise.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

But here's the thing.  If it's your first time at Big Gay Ice Cream, I might just have to recommend that you get their signature... The Salty Pimp.  It's vanilla soft serve that studded with dulce de leche, sprinkled with sea salt, and then covered in chocolate dip.  It's an addictive play on the salty-sweet flavor combo.

Best case scenario?  Either be a champ and order both, or go with a friend and share.

Big Gay Ice Cream
125 E 7th St
New York, NY 10009
(East Village)
212-533-9333
 
Big Gay Ice Cream
61 Grove St
New York, NY 10014
(West Village)
212-414-0222 
 

Il Laboratorio del Gelato.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

This is my favorite gelato in the city.  It's incredibly smooth, intensely rich, and they have a huge selection of creative flavors that rotate regularly.

Mascarpone.  Creme Fraiche.  Avocado. Sounds weird, right?  Nope.  They are all amazing.

And don't worry, my extra weird friends.  They have even more unique, wacky flavors than that.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

My absolute favorite though is their Dark Chocolate Gelato.  You need to get it.  Please.  Do it.  And then email me immediately to thank me, because it's going to change your life.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

But hello surprise out of left field... I never, read NEVER order sorbet.  Like, who orders sorbet when there is gelato on the line.

But they have such a large selection of amazing sounding sorbets, last time I went, I decided oh heck, why not... And people.  Their sorbets are AMAZING.  Sorry for yelling, but it's that important.

That's the nectarine above (next to dark chocolate gelato , of course).  It tasted like you were biting into the most ripe, perfect nectarine you've ever tasted.  It was so refreshing and for a brief moment, felt the epitome of summer perfection.

Insider tip... they let you sample a few flavors, so live dangerously and sample some flavors you find intriguing, but weird.  You may surprise yourself!

Il Laboratorio Del Gelato
 188 Ludlow St.
New York, NY 10002
(Lower East Side)
212-343-9922
 

Coolhaus.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Coolhaus.  You might as well read ice cream sandwich perfection.

Freshly baked cookies.  Ice cream held at the perfect temperature... just at the point it's a little melty and dripping down your palms, which forces you face plant into the ice cream sandwich with eager ferocity.

Here's the catch.  It's a food truck.  You'll need some patience (and basic smartphone operating skills) to find this goodness.  Just log onto their website (see below) to find out their current location.  And when you find it, do a happy dance, because you're about to descend upon ice cream sandwich greatness.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Pick your cookie flavor.  Pick your ice cream flavor.  Heck, you can even pick 2 different cookie flavors if you swing that way.   My favorite cookie?  The Potato Chip Skor Bar Cookie.

Now, the flavors of the cookies and ice creams rotate daily, so don't be disappointed if that's not available.  They'll have plenty to choose from. As far as ice cream goes, my top 2 are either the Brown Butter Candied Bacon or the Brown Butter Chicken n' Waffles.  Yea, I know.  It's a bit strange, but it's stupid good.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Insider tip: look on their twitter account for the daily secret password.  Tell the person in the truck the password of the day for $1 off (you need to buy 2 sammies though).

Coolhaus Truck
Moving Target: check website for truck location!

 

Kelvin Slush.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

This is one of summer's greatest secrets.  Like, if it's crazy hot and I can't get cool, I need me a Kelvin Slush.  If I have a thirst that no amount of water will quench, Kelvin Slush saves the day.  Every time.

Kelvin Slush offers up a natural, sophisticated take on the childhood favorite.  You pretty much need to order the Arnold Palmer, which is a combo of their lemonade slush and sweet tea slush.  You can also add a fruit shot into the mix.  That's strawberry you see swirled in the slush below.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

And that dude holding it is Steve.  He's a big Kelvin Slush fan.  And Steve knows his slush, people.

Kelvin Slush
Moving Target: check website for truck location!
 

Victory Garden.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Welcome to Tyler's favorite frozen treat in the city.

Victory Garden serves up soft serve goat's milk ice cream.  They normally have like 2 to 3 flavors daily, and almost always have salted caramel.  You need to get the salted caramel.  It's pretty darn amazing.

And don't be freaked out by the whole goat's milk thing.  You'll love it.  And good news if your lactose intolerant.  You may be okay at Victory Garden.  Tyler can't eat regular ice cream, but is totally fine after eating Victory Garden.  #winning

Victory Garden
31 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
(West Village)
212-206-7273
 
UPDATE: THIS LOCATION IS NOW CLOSED...  yes, I'm as devastated as you are.  See the bottom of this post for 2 new recommendations!

Davey's Ice Cream.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Davey's Ice Cream is a relative newcomer on scene.  I've only had it about twice so far (oh don't you worry, I'll be building that number up in the coming weeks), but I'm fairly confident in saying their ice cream is pretty spot on.

Specifically, I'm loving their Brunch Ice Cream.  I think it has bacon, maple, and pieces of French toast in it.  Don't quote me on the specifics, but it's freaking good.

Davey's Ice Cream
137 1st Ave.
New York, NY 10003
(East Village)
212-228-8032
 

A.B. Biagi Gelato.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

A.B. Biagi.  It's not just a gelato shop.  It's a person.

Antonio Biagi grew up as an Italian living in Brazil.  His shop celebrates traditional gelato (he studied with master gelato makers for years and years to perfect his craft) with hints of flavors from his Brazilian childhood. I actually got to spend some time talking with Antonio and the dude is so passionate about what he does.  It's so refreshing to see.  He wants you to love gelato the way he does, and his love for his craft defintiely shows through in his product.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

The flavors rotate regularly, but one thing to note is that he has amazing dairy free options.  In particular the dairy free peanut butter is insanely popular.  I also tried the dairy free acai-banana, which was ridiculously creamy and intensely flavored.  A.B. Biagi is a sweet genius!

A.B. Biagi Gelato
235 Elizabeth St.
New York, NY 10012
(Nolita)
212-219-8094
 
UPDATE: THIS LOCATION IS NOW CLOSED...  yes, I'm as devastated as you are.  See the bottom of this post for 2 new recommendations!

Melt Bakery.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

You can never have too many ice cream sandwiches.  Although Coolhaus is probably my favorite, Melt also deserves your attention.

They typically have a cart set up on the Highline each summer, or you can always find them at their Lower East Side permanent storefront.

The ice cream sandwiches are assembled ahead of time and frozen rock hard, so you'll need to let them thaw a bit in order to achieve the optimal enjoyment factor.  Sometimes I'm too impatient for this step, but it's important.  You want the ice cream to be soft and a little melty.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Flavors rotate regularly.  I've enjoyed the Zen (some sort of green tea concoction), and the Lovelet (red velvet and cream cheese).

Melt Bakery
132 Orchard St.
New York, NY 10002
(Lower East Side)
646-535-6358

 

Bareburger.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Technically, this place is a burger joint.  And there's a bunch of them throughout the city.  The burgers and fries are good.  And they are actually known for their organic, wacky burgers like ostrich, bison, elk, and lamb (don't worry, they have normal stuff too).

But the real star?

The chocolate peanut butter shake.  Don't worry if it's not on the menu.  Just ask for it.  Oh how that shake is amazing.  Feel free to ship me one.  I don't even care if it's a bit melty by the time it's delivered.  #worthit

UPDATE: they now also serve Coolhaus Ice Cream Sandwiches at Bareburger!!!

Bareburger
Several Locations!
 

Popbar.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

Wouldn't it be great if gelato was more portable?  Enter Popbar. Gelato on a stick.

The Best Ice Cream and Frozen Treats In NYC

You can get a bunch of different flavors, dips and toppings.  It's completely customizable.  That's vanilla with chocolate dip and roasted pistachios above.  Don't be jealous.  Go get your own.

Popbar
5 Carmine St.
New York, NY 10014
(West Side)
212-255-4874
 

Otto.

otto nyc gelato

Bonus.  This is #11.  Sorry, I couldnt' just stop at 10.  NYC is too good. Don't mind the terrible quality photo of gelato.  Apparently the only photo I snapped of the triumphant gelato marvel was from like 18 years ago on my flip razor cell phone.  And that photo on the right was back when me and the Mrs. were dating.  I wined and dined her right.

Otto is Mario Batali's casual pizzeria and enoteca.  There's a bunch of great pizza, pasta, and antipasti to be had.  Ohh, and wine.  You need wine.  But that's a different post.  You're here for gelato.  Feel free to step up to any of the standing tables in the bar area to order your gelato, or just get it to go.

There's a bunch of different flavors of gelato and sorbet to choose from.  I always go for the Olive Oil Gelato.  And stop with the that sounds weird stuff.  Just trust me already.  It's fantastic.  You'll love it.

 
Otto Enoteca and Pizzeria
1 5th Ave.
New York, NY 10003
(Greenwich Village)
212-995-9559

 

UPDATES

I have two new ice cream shops that you NEED to check out:

Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream.

Think old school ice cream parlor... reimagined in a whole new way.  The place looks retro (complete with toppings in apothecary jars and all), but the flavors are anything but.  Sure, there's vanilla.  5 different varieties!  And every one tastes totally different, as Morgenstern's somehow is able to capture incredible nuances in flavor while maintaining incredible ice cream consistency.

Yeah, this place is legit.

You really can't go wrong with any of the flavors, but I'm always one to try the weird ones... Balsamic Strawberry, Salt and Pepper Pine Nut, Buttermilk... all absolutely legit.

Just don't ask me to try the Durian Banana (again).  It's a flavor I soon won't/can't forget.  My buddy Steve really liked it though.  Well, as much as one can like Durian.

I always also make sure to try all the different vanilla varieties, because it's really crazy how different easy one tastes (while at the same time still being... vanilla).

Morgenstern's 
2 Rivington St.
New York, NY 10002
(Lower East Side)
212-209-7684
 
 
 

 

Seed & Mill

 

A little stalled tucked within the massive NYC foodie destination of Chelsea Market, Seed & Mill is home to some of the finest halva you can find.  What shocks almost every single person I bring to this little spot is their award winning (and surprisingly vegan) tahini soft-serve ice cream.  Made with an oat milk base and topped with halva crumbles and an extra drizzle of tahini, you'll be absolutely SHOCKED it's dairy-free.  

It's worth visiting Chelsea Market purely just to try this ice cream (yes, it's that good), but also make sure to check out Los Tacos No. 1 and Very Fresh Noodles while you're there! 

Seed & Mill (in Chelsea Market)
409 W 15th St
New York, NY 10011
 
 
 

Other Notables:

 

Ample Hills Creamery

A little stalled tucked within the massive NYC foodie destination of Chelsea Market, Seed & Mill is home to some of the finest halva you can find.  What shocks almost every single person I bring to this little spot is their award winning (and surprisingly vegan) tahini soft-serve ice cream.  Made with an oat milk base and topped with halva crumbles and an extra drizzle of tahini, you'll be absolutely SHOCKED it's dairy-free.  

It's worth visiting Chelsea Market purely just to try this ice cream (yes, it's that good), but also make sure to check out Los Tacos No. 1 and Very Fresh Noodles while you're there! 

Seed & Mill (in Chelsea Market)
409 W 15th St
New York, NY 10011

 

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

A little stalled tucked within the massive NYC foodie destination of Chelsea Market, Seed & Mill is home to some of the finest halva you can find.  What shocks almost every single person I bring to this little spot is their award winning (and surprisingly vegan) tahini soft-serve ice cream.  Made with an oat milk base and topped with halva crumbles and an extra drizzle of tahini, you'll be absolutely SHOCKED it's dairy-free.  

It's worth visiting Chelsea Market purely just to try this ice cream (yes, it's that good), but also make sure to check out Los Tacos No. 1 and Very Fresh Noodles while you're there! 

Seed & Mill (in Chelsea Market)
409 W 15th St
New York, NY 10011

Cones

Cones Ice Cream is an Argentenian owned shop that scoops up some creative flavors.  I love their corn ice cream, lightly dusted with cinnamon.

Cones Ice Cream
272 Bleecker St.
New York, NY 10014
(West Village)
212-414-1795
 

Jacques Torres Chocolatier

Technically, Jacques Torres is a chocolate shop.  Yes, his chocolates are amazing.  But during the summer, he also offers ice cream sandwiches.  Vanilla ice cream sandwiched between 2 giant chocolate chunk cookies?  Yes please.  It's high quality stuff.

Jacques Torres
Multiple Locations!
 

Shake Shack

The fast food icon has a cult-like following for burgers and fries, but the true culinary gem at Shake Shack is actually their concretes.  Thick, creamy custard blended with whatever toppings you choose.  They always have vanilla and chocolate custard, as well as seasonal flavors that rotates daily.  During the winter, I love their candy cane crunch.  It's the bomb.com.  And really, you can never go wrong with any flavor.

Shake Shack
Multiple Locations!
 

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream 

I first had Van Leeuwen ice cream off of their roaming food truck.  They've since opened a permanent home in the East Village.  Van Leeuwen is kinda like the "farm to table" of the ice cream world, sourcing out local, all-natural ingredients.  I'm a huge fan of their vanilla ice cream.  It's intesely flavored and sports a beautiful, rich complexity.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream
48 ½ E 7th St
New York, NY 10003
(East Village)
718-701-1630
 

Wafels + Dinges

I know what you're thinking.  Wafels + Dinges is great, but they aren't ice cream or a frozen treat!  Hold on, hold on.  Actually, now they are serving up wafels topped with speculoos ice cream.  Don't know what speculoos is?  I'm so sorry.  You've been missing out.  So go and get some immediately.

Wafels + Dinges
209 E 2nd St.
New York, NY 10009
(East Village)
646-257-2592

 

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seed and mill tahini ice cream

The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Bar

By Chris Cockren 35 Comments

The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Recipe

Classic s'mores are great and all, but if you want to create the best s'mores recipe, you need... the Ultimate S'mores Bar!

Our first week in the new house... and it's starting to come together!

First floor is (almost) completely painted.

Kitchen is unpacked (duh, that was top priority in my mind from day 1).

Now it's on to painting the second floor bedrooms and unpacking all sorts of boxes.  Once everything is set up, I'll be sure to share some photos with y'all.

And you better believe we'll be having an end of summer bash.  And you know what I'll be serving up all our friends and family for dessert?  This Ultimate S'mores Bar.

...because I'm pretty sure that the best s'mores recipe will come out of having all these options at your fingertips.

Top 5 reasons to host an ultimate s'mores bar?

  • It's a super easy, prep-ahead dessert for easy summer entertaining.
  • Kids love it.
  • Adults love it even more.
  • You'll become a backyard bbq legend within your circle of family and friends.
  • Seriously, do you need a 5th reason? It's s'mores times 1,000.  For realz.

Okay, okay... if you really do need a 5th reason, how about a look at some s'mores options.  The say a picture is worth a 1,000 words:

The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Recipe

The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Recipe

So there you have it.  The ultimate s'mores bar.

You put out the toppings.  And then let the s'mores artistry begin.

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The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Recipe

The Best S'mores Recipe - Ultimate S'mores Bar


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: A lot!
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Ingredients

Scale
  • Graham Crackers
  • Marshmallows
  • Dark or Milk Chocolate Bars
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Waffle Cookies
  • Oreos
  • Rice Krispie Treats
  • Nutella
  • Cookie Butter or Speculoos
  • Candied Bacon (recipe below)
  • Roasted Berries (recipe below)
  • Caramel Sauce
  • Sea Salt
  • Bananas, sliced
  • Cinnamon
  • Chili Powder
  • Chocolate Covered Potato Chips and Pretzels (recipe below)
  • Milky Ways, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Snickers, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Kit Kats, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Reese Peanut Butter Cups

Candied Bacon

  • Bacon
  • Brown Sugar

Roasted Berries

  • 1 cup strawberries, quartered
  • ½ cup raspberries
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips and Pretzels

  • Potato Chips
  • Mini Pretzels
  • Dark Chocolate

Instructions

  1. I don't think anyone needs a lesson in how to build a s'mores, but here's the idea...
  2. Using a stick, long grilling fork, or wood skewer, stick on a marshmallow and roast over an open flame for 30-60 seconds, or until toasted.
  3. Place roasted marshmallow between 2 graham crackers (or cookies, etc) lined with chocolate and/or any other toppings. Devour immediately.

Candied Bacon

  1. Preheat oven to 375-400°F. Sprinkle both sides of strips of bacon with brown sugar. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and cook in oven until crisp, about 15-25 minutes. Transfer candied bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Once cool, cut into bite sized pieces.

Roasted Berries

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Spread into an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in a 450°F oven for 20-25 minutes. Transfer fruit and syrup to a bowl. Let cool completely before using on s'mores.

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips and Pretzels

  1. Place some dark chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on medium power just until barely melted through, stirring every 30 seconds.
  2. Dip pretzels and potato chips in chocolate and place on a piece of wax paper to allow chocolate to harden.
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Need some inspiration for your s'mores bar?  Check out these 15+ Creative S'mores Recipes!

15 Creative S'mores Recipes

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

By Chris Cockren 33 Comments

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

This post brought to you by Honeysuckle White® and Shady Brook Farms®. All opinions are 100% mine.

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

Maaaaaah, the meatloaf!!!!

A virtual high five to anyone and everyone that knows what movie that’s from.  

Since we are still living with my parents for another few days until the floors are refinished at our new home, I may have yelled Maaaaah, the meatloaf! at least a dozen times while making these Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwiches.  

She didn’t get why I was yelling at her.  And when I tried to explain it’s a line from Will Ferrell in Wedding Crashers, we got into a mild debate (not really a debate though, since I’m 100% positive I’m correct) about whether or not Will Ferrell is indeed in the movie.

I thought that was the movie with Vince Vaughn and Owen-what’s-his-name.

Yes it is… and Will Ferrell.  IMDB to the rescue.

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

Sorry, I got sidetracked.  So listen, I know meatloaf doesn’t always carry the most positive connotation.  People rarely get excited for meatloaf.  Case in point, when I asked/urged/demanded Asheley to be my taste tester.  She was not enthralled with the idea of a loaf of meat.  

But after one bite, her eyes were open to the idea that meatloaf, can indeed, be good eats.  

And the process couldn’t be simpler.  Roast up some summer veggies.  Mix in some Shady Brook Farms ground turkey.  A few other common ingredients you probably already have lurking in your fridge.  Pop it in the oven, and boom, dinner is served.  

In our house, if I want Asheley to try something new, all I need to do is throw some avocado on top.  She’ll eat anything if avocado is involved.  Or pickles.  She loves pickles.

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

So listen up.  Ground turkey is a great alternative during the summer months for backyard grill-outs and get togethers.  You can find turkey brats, burgers, tenderloins, and more!  It's also a great, healthy protein choice.  It's got more protein than beef, less calories than chicken, and less fat than pork. #whoknew

I found Shady Brook Farms® ground turkey at my local grocery store.  It's a regional product, though, so it may be called Honeysuckle White® in your area.  

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Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich

Southwest Turkey and Roasted Vegetable Meatloaf Sandwich


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small zucchini, finely diced
  • 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 ear fresh corn, kernels removed from cob
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 ⅓ to 1 ½ pounds ground turkey (93% lean)
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¾ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Hamburger buns
  • Lettuce, for garnish
  • 2 avocados, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add zucchini, red and yellow pepper, corn, and chili powder. Season generously with Kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cookin, stirring constantly to avoid burning garlic, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine egg, ground turkey, panko, parmesan cheese, cooled vegetables, ½ cup of the ketchup, and 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar.
  3. Spread meatloaf mixture into a 9x5" loaf pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (when cooking, please ensure that the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F). Remove from oven and let cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
  4. While meatloaf is baking, combine remaining ¼ cup ketchup and ¼ cup balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a thin glaze-like consistency. It will thicken more as it cools.
  5. Carefully cut slices of meatloaf (most times the first piece you try to get out of the pan always falls apart... it's ok!) and place on hamburger buns. Top with lettuce, avocado slices, and balsamic ketchup glaze. Devour immediately.
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

 

Are you a planner like me?  Type A friends unite!  There's a new Grilling with Friends app on Facebook that lets you plan out every detail of your next grill-out.  There's even a menu builder that allows your guests to sign-up to bring food and beverages from your menu!  While you are there, enter their sweeps to win a new Weber Grill and $1,000!    

And for all you burger lovers out there... check out the new line of gluten-free Turkey Burgers available from Shady Brook Farms® and Honeysuckle White®.  They are super easy to prepare and can go from freezer to table in 20 minutes.  Look for their six different varieties, including Savory Seasoned, Ready to Season, Cheddar Jalapeno, and Swiss, Bacon & Onion.  
For tips and recipes, visit Turkify.com

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Grilling Recipes: Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Rolls

By Chris Cockren 31 Comments

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #StartYourGrill #CollectiveBias

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

Anyone else love quick and easy grilling recipes?  With the new Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausage, summer dinner has never been easier (especially with these Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Rolls with Roasted Corn and Avocado Salsa).

Good news!  Starting tomorrow, we will be officially living in our new home.  There’s definitely a bit of organized unorganized chaos right now.  Floors are being sanded and refinished.  I’m working on my mediocre spackling skills.  And paint.  So much darn paint. 

Side note: why is paint so expensive?!  Aiy aiy aiy.

Needless to say, dinner is kinda the last thing we are thinking about right now.  And dinners that require a ton of prep and cooking time?  Definitely not on our radar.  We need quick, easy, and delicious summer grill recipes.

Thankfully, there’s Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausage to the rescue.  

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

The sausages are already precooked and just needs to be heated through on the grill.  And they have some killer flavor options… Smoky Bourbon, Garlic & Onion, and the one we grilled up the other day… Jalapeño Cheddar.  

So can I be honest with you?  When I was a kid, I was totally not a sausage fan.  Don’t judge me.  We were all a little dumb in our youth.  But now I’m all about the tasty meaty links.  

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

This is not your average sausage.  They are hand crafted with the best cuts of 100% pork to deliver exceptional flavor.  And you won’t find any nitrates, nitrites, or MSG in these puppies.  No way, no how.  

Want a flavor overload party?  Pair the Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage with this super easy Roasted Corn and Avocado Salsa.  Oh heck yes.  

Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

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Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Rolls

Grilling Recipes: Jalapeño Cheddar Sausage Roll


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 Hillshire Farm Jalapeno Cheddar American Craft Sausages
  • 4 buns
  • 1 ear fresh corn, husk and silk removed
  • Canola oil
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your grill to high. Very lightly brush corn with canola oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. When grill is hot, place corn directly on grill and cook, rotating occasionally, until cooked through and charred in spots, about 10-12 minutes (or longer depending upon how hot your grill is). Remove corn from grill and let cool. Cut kernels off cob and reserve. Discard cobs.
  2. Combine corn with avocado, red onion, and lime juice. Season generously with Kosher salt.
  3. Grill sausage according to package directions. Top with the roasted corn and avocado salsa. Devour.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @Chris_SharedAppetite on Instagram and hashtag it #SharedAppetite

American Craft Sausage

I easily found Hillshire Farm American Craft Sausage at my local Stop & Shop grocery store.  

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